Speakers
Andy Schnurr
Sep 22, 2026
Club Assembly
Gerard Krupke
Sep 29, 2026
All about Artificial Intelligence
Doug Ripley, Doug Beech, Steve Van Ort
Oct 06, 2026
Ankeny Community Foundation
Dr. Erick Pruitt - Ankeny CSD Superintendent
Oct 13, 2026
Update from Ankeny Community School District
Brett Weiss
Oct 20, 2026
Ascend Kenya
Kenn Yu
Oct 27, 2026
Xicotepec Mexico service trip
Steve SchraderBacher
Nov 03, 2026
District 6000 Rotary Foundation
Bill Bruce
Nov 10, 2026
District 6000 Governor
Peter Teahen and John Ockenfels
Nov 17, 2026
Around the world flight to end Polio
Don Zuck
Nov 24, 2026
Ankeny Art Center
Christmas Social in the evening
Dec 01, 2026
No noon meeting
Heidi Watkins, Chief Operating Officer
Dec 08, 2026
Des Moines Performing Arts
Andy Schnurr
Dec 15, 2026
Club Assembly
No meeting
Dec 22, 2026
Christmas Holiday
No meeting
Dec 29, 2026
New Years holiday
TBD
Jan 05, 2027
TBD
Nicole DePrez
Jan 19, 2027
Ankeny Police Department Fraud Prevention
TBD
Jan 26, 2027
TBD
TBD
Feb 02, 2027
TBD
TBD
Feb 09, 2027
TBD
TBD
Feb 16, 2027
TBD
TBD
Feb 23, 2027
TBD
Dr. Erick Pruitt - Ankeny CSD Superintendent
Mar 02, 2027
Update from Ankeny Community School District
Club Information
Welcome to the Rotary Club of Ankeny!
 
Ankeny

Service Above Self

We meet In Person
Tuesdays at 11:45 a.m.
Ankeny Golf & Country Club
314 SW Irvinedale Dr.
Ankeny, IA 50023
United States of America
Home Page Stories
Asia Deffeyes, Rotary Youth Exchange student from Italy, arrived at the Des Moines International Airport on Friday, August 14, at 10:10 pm. Asia was greeted at the airport by Rick Stammer, (Rotary Youth Exchange Chair District 6000), Steve Wieneke (Youth Exchange Officer), Brenda Wieneke (Counselor), and the first host family (Aaron, Melissa, Elsie, and Claire Nord). Asia will be attending Ankeny Centennial High School.
 
Steve Wieneke introduced Asia to our club at a recent meeting. We are excited to have her here this year and look forward to her learning more about the United States and for us to learn more about Italy from her. Welocme to Ankeny Asia!!
 

The Rotary Club of Ankeny's monthly board meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of each month at noon at Wig & Penn, 2005 South Ankeny Boulevard.  The October meeting will be on Thursday, October 8th. 
 
All members are invited to attend, especially new members.  Not only is it a great way to learn more about Rotary and the projects your Club is involved in but it also counts as a makeup for attendance.  Hope to see you there!!
The scheduled Sheriff/Greeters for the next couple months are as follows:
                                        
October 6 - Mark Doss
October 13 - Shar Dunlap
October 20 - Todd Eipperle
October 27 - Neil Fell
November 3 - Jim Foreman
November 10 - John Foster
November 17 - Tom Fiedman
November 24 - Tim Hawkins

The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in October:

2nd - Michelle Bowden

2nd - Jamie Anderson

14th - Cole Vitiritto

24th - Shar Dunlap

27th - Mark Densmore

30th - John Foster

The Rotary Club of Ankeny is a 501(C)4 corporation - Service Organization - and donations are not considered tax deductible.  During the September Board meeting, the Board reviewed a proposal for the Club to form a 501(C)3 non-profit corporation.  Forming a non-profit is an issue that has come up several times in the past, but it was felt the benefits did not justify the organizatioal cost and reporting requirements.  The opportunity to receive contributions for the Kathy Sibbel Legacy Endowment Fund required the Board to take a fresh look at forming a 501(C)3 corporation.  In addition to receiving funds for this endowment, it is beleived forming the 501(C)3 will encourage additional contributions to our club, allow the club to qualify for additional sponsorships and grants from companies that only donate to 501(C)3 organizations, and qualify some member donations to be matched by their employer.  

 

The application fee is only $275, if the company has less than $50,000 in gross receipts in any year, and there is a biannual report required, but there is an EZ form which is simply a postcard that we could use.  Iowa has a $50 filing fee and requires an annual report, and $30 annual fee.  Del Mohler offered to complete the application for the corporation, prepare the corporate documents, and file the paperwork with the Secretary of State.  The name of the new corporation is the Rotary Club of Ankeny Foundation.  As of the end of September, the application has been filed and we expect to receive the letter of approval from the IRS in the next few days, the Articles of Incorporation have been filed with the Secretary of State, and we have received an Employer Identificatin Number.  The Board of directors for the Rotary Club of Ankeny Foundation will be the Rotary Club of Ankeny President, President Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer and Rick Sibbel.  This foundation will be used to manage the Kathy Sibbel Endowment and other non-profit donations and accounts for the Rotary Club of Ankeny.

The two Rotary Clubs of Ankeny are sponsoring a Rotary Youth Exchange Student for the 2026-2027 school year.  Asia is expected to arrive from Spain sometime between  August 15th and 23rd.  School will be staring on August 24th.
 
She will be spending the first semester with Melissa and Aaron Nord and the second semester with Steve and Brenda Wieneke.  We expect to have her as a guest at our Rotary meetings several times during the next year.  
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in October:
 
2nd - Jamie Anderson
2nd - Michelle Bowden
14th - Cole Vitiritto
24th - Shar Dunlap
27th - Mark Densmore
30th - John Foster

At their September meeting, the Club's Board approved four donation requests.   They included the following:

Ankeny Historical Society - $100 - Annual membership sponsorship

Blessman International - $2,000 - Feminine Hygiene Kit Project with the goal of helping girls in rural South Africa stay in school, maintain their dignity, and participate fully in their education during menstruation.

GoServ Global - $1,000 to assist with the cost of shipping Christmas boxes for children living a large school, clinic, and several orphanages supported by GoServ Global in Haiti. 

CIVITAS -$1,000 to sponsor law enforcement training on human trafficking 

 

ClubRunner serves thousands of Rotary clubs and districts worldwide.  Their mission is to help Rotary clubs and districts thrive with software that empowers members to achieve their goals.   Our Club has been using their services since 2016 as a platform for our web site, maintaining a data base for members, emailing members, sending invoices and recording payment, tracking attendance, creating and sending newsletters, managing events, and more. 

The next generation of ClubRunner, Nova, has recently been implemented and our club converted to this new version in mid-September.  They believe Nova embodies their vision for modern software that is powerful yet easy to use, and serves as a solid foundation for the future.  Members will notice some changes the next time they log onto our website.  Everyone is invited to log on to our website,ankenyrotary.org and explore the information that is availabel. Hopefully, they will find it easy to use and informative.  If you have any questions, or perhaps forgot your log on information, contact Nate Burnham at nfburnham@gmail.com.

Robb Gardner was introduced as the newest member of the Rotary Club of Ankeny during the noon meeting on September 15th.  Robb is the Chief Operating Officer & Chief of Staff for the Iowa Hospital Association and a former member of the Rotary Club of Mount Pleasant Iowa.

Welcome Robb! 

The Board has approved an application from Victoria Ogier for membership in the Rotary Club of Ankeny.  Victoria is the Founder and Owner of Good Trip Travel Co. in Ankeny.  She is currently a member of the Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening and desires to transfer her membership to the noon club.
 
Comments regarding these proposed members may be submitted to any Board member.
The scheduled Sheriff/Greeters for the next couple months are as follows:
                                        
September 1 - Bradley Butin
September 8 - Brandon Converse
September 15 - Tim Cox
September 22 - Josh Craighead
September 29 - Ben Digmann
October 6 - Mark Doss
October 13 - Shar Dunlap
October 20 - Todd Eipperle
October 27 - Neil Fell
 
 
The following Ankeny Rotarians will celebrate birthdays in September:
2nd - Hans Hoeksema
7th - Teri Crist
7th - Tom Friedman
7th - Mark Martin
8th - Bradley Butin
8th - Kent Patterson
13th - Adam Boeding
13th - Tammy Miller
16th - Todd Wehr
18th - Sara Wilson
27th - Colleen Welch
29th - Tim Hawkins
The Ankeny Market & Pavilion (AMP) is celebrating 10 years as a valued community gathering place. The Rotary Club of Ankeny first advanced the vision for AMP and through a partnership with the City of Ankeny, the Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Uptown Association, a steering committee was formed and successfully raised $2.5 million to bring this community asset to life. Over the past decade, AMP has become an important destination for residents and visitors alike. It serves as a trailhead for the High Trestle Trail and includes two open air shelters that host the Uptown Farmer’s Market, along with many other events and community activities throughout the year.
 
To commemorate this anniversary, a 10-year celebration is planned at AMP on October 25, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.  In conjunction with the event, commemorative T-shirts will be sold to raise awareness and generate funds for benches and trash receptacles in the Uptown area, as well as support for Rotary's community chest. We are seeking donations and sponsorships from businesses as well as individuals to support the celebration and the sale of the commemorative T-shirts.  Sponsor logos and names will be recognized on the back of the T-shirts at the following levels:  $5,000 – Large logo; $2,500 – Medium logo; $1,000 – Small logo, $500 – Name. 
 
Your support will help ensure the success of this special celebration and further the ongoing investment in community spaces that serve Ankeny residents, visitors, and the Uptown district.  To arrange a sponsorship or make a donation, please contact Todd Wehr at 515-669-7617 or cyarch85@mail.com Sponsorships are requested by September 15, 2026 to allow time for recognition on the T-shirts.
Kathy Sibbel was known as a tireless volunteer who worked with her heart and soul in every cause in which she was involved.  She may have been small in stature but a giant in energy with a quick wit.  Her theme in life was youth and children.  She joined the Rotary Club of Ankeny in 2009 and made a significant difference in our club and in the Ankeny community.  Kathy passed away on May 9, 2026.
 
Kathy’s family is creating the Kathy Sibbel Legacy Endowment Fund.  The purpose of this fund is to create a lasting charitable legacy in her honor by providing ongoing financial support to initiatives that strengthen the Ankeny community and develop future leaders.  It will serve as a permanent charitable resource, balancing long-term growth of assets with periodic distributions to benefit RYLA, early childhood development initiatives, the Ankeny Service Center, and other charitable projects aligned with the Rotary Club of Ankeny. The Sibbel family will contribute $15,000 initially and an additional $15,000 over the next three years. The Rotary Club of Ankeny has agreed to contribute $5,000 to the fund.  The funds will be deposited into an account at Edward Jones with 65% in a Global Equity Index and 35% in a U.S. Aggregate Bond Index.  Distributions of the earnings will be governed by a five-person board consisting of the Rotary Club of Ankeny’s President, President-elect, Treasurer, and Secretary and Rick Sibbel.
 
Several members of our Club have expressed an interest in personally contributing to Kathy’s endowment fund.  This would be fully acceptable and a great gesture.  If you would like to contribute, please make a check payable to “The Rotary Club of Ankeny” and write "For Kathy Sibbel Legacy Endowment Fund Account" in the memo line and give it to Kent Patterson or Nate Burnham by September 8, 2026. 
 
 In recognition of your contribution, the Club will award you with one Rotary Foundation recognition point for each dollar contributed.

The Rotary Club of Ankeny's corporate member, GoServ Global supports a large school, clinic and several orphanages in Haiti.  This Christmas, they are collecting gift boxes specifically for the children living in the orphanages.  They hope to collect 300-400 Christmas boxes this year.  The kids look forward to this every year, and get very excited when they see the boxes.

Boxes will be available at Rotary meetings through September 15th for any one that would be willing to help fill a box or several boxes.  Gifts should be kept gender neutral and please no winter hats or gloves.  Gift suggestions include small toys, games, personal care items, and school supplies.  Filled boxes can be returned to Maggie Carstensen by September 22nd or earlier, by bringing them back to a Rotary meeting.  Contact Maggie at maggie@goservglobal.org with any questions.

This is a wonderful opportunity for our club to make kids feel valued and loved and helping to make Christmas extra special for them!

The speakers for our meeting on August 25th were Sue Woods and Amity Wagner from the the Ankeny First United Methodist Church.  This is the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Methodist church in Ankeny.  Sue and Amity told the club about the history of their church and including the many ways it has served the Ankeny community during the past 150 years  The Methodist church was the first built in Ankeny in 1876.  It cost $1,200 and still stands today at 417 SW Walnut St. 
 
Today the church has two locations.  The "Uptown" church at 206 SW Walnut and the Christian Life Center, "CLC", at 710 NE 36th Street. 
  
Two new members were inducted into the Rotary Club of Ankeny during their meeting on August 25th.  They were Danny Cochran and Rick Sibbel.  Dan is a retired appliance sales representative.   Rick is a veterinarian and serves on several advisory boards.
 
 
  The Rotary meeting on August 11th this week was held at B&B Theatre for a fun summer social. We heard from the 2026 Rotary Youth Leadership Award scholarship winner.  They were: Aiden Forrester, Grace Tuvera, Dilasha Khadka, Jacob Halldin, and Chelsea Stamps.  The 2026 RYLA conference was held at Grinnell College on July 25-31. Thank you to these students for sharing their amazing experiences on RYLA and the impact to shape young leaders. 
 
Also thank you B&B for hosting our meeting.
  
The Rotary Club of Ankeny currently has 85 members,   One of the Club's goals for the 2026-2027 year is to increase the Club's membership to 90.  The membership committee recommended an new incentive program to help achieve this growth in membership.  This program was presented to at the August Board meeting and was approved by the Board.  It is, when a new member joins the Club, the current member that proposed the new member will be awarded $100.  A new corporate membership will only earn one $100 award even though there may be up to four members included in the corporate membership. The award is not earned until the prospect is inducted into the club.  There is no limit on the number of awards a member can earn.
 
Each member should try to propose a new member or two to the club before year-end!!    This program will run through December 31, 2026.
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