Rotary File for Aug 18, 2015

 

Herb Wilson-- IC Noon

Steve Berger-- Wellman Rotary

Pat Barron-- RC of West Chester PA

Sarah Christian-- Guest of Roger Christian

Mike O'Leary-- Guest of Jim Peterson

Cassandra Eltin and Braeden Jones-- Speakers

 

 

Brian Adamec announced Nut Sales are beginning this month.  The order forms will be available soon.  Sales profits go to support our RYLA and World Affairs students.

 

Mark Patton has tickets for the IC Noon Rotary 100th Anniversary Raffle.  1 ticket for $25 and 5 tickets for $100.  The main prize is a Toyota Highlander.

 

Casey Cook announced that the first $5000 in matching donation to the AM Rotary Johnson County Foundation account has been achieved and we have $2500 toward the next $5000 matching grant. 

 

Two members are under the weather:  Ron Logsden is in the hospital with a heart condition and John Schultz was hit by a car during his bike ride across America (in Kentucky).  Fortunately he was just shaken up and not seriously injured, nor was his bike seriously damaged.  Best wishes for a fast recovery to both Rotarians!

 

President Myrene announced that the newest book donation we provide for ICCSD schools in honor of our speakers is called "Plastic Ahoy" and is about the mass of garbage floating in the Pacific and its effect on marine life.  The book is a non-fiction title for 8-12 year olds.

 

Jack Cameron announced the results of the vote on whether to use paper or china plates, and the paper vote won about 3 to 1(31 to 11 with a few abstaining or making other choices).

 

At least 16 happy Rotarians contributed happy bucks today.

 

 

The Antelope Lending Library is a non-profit (501(c)(3)) bookmobile service that has operated in under-served areas of Iowa City for the last three summers on a shoe-string budget of about $3000 and donations of time and books.  The operators of this service are Cassandra Eltin and Braeden Jones.  Both have worked in the school district, in particular in after school programs.  Cassandra has earned a library degree from the University of Iowa.

 

Shortly after moving to Iowa City they noticed a lack of access to library materials by Grant Wood School students and began asking questions of neighborhood groups, community center and school district staff, Children's Museum staff and Iowa City Public Library staff to find out why there is no library service in the neighborhoods.  The public library commented that it had tried computer access in SE associated with the satellite police station, but the feedback Eltin and Jones got from others indicated that access to books and educational programs is also needed in these further-out neighborhoods of Iowa City because transportation is limited to downtown for younger kids.  After Eltin and Jones were able to purchase a used bookmobile they started scheduling visits to parks, mobile home parks, recreational centers, and schools to bring books, literacy-related programs, and Internet access to children, young adults and some adults in the neighborhoods.

 

They have made a point of initiating partnerships with other non-profit groups, such as Table to Table, the schools, the recreation and neighborhood centers, and many others.  They welcome book donations, volunteer time and financial donations.

 

Next summer they hope to have sufficient funding to have a paid bookmobile staffer from June through August, and to offer some limited access during the school year.

 

Antelope Lending Library received a check from Joan Garrity as a grass roots grant on behalf of the AM Rotary.  Joan thanked Deb Dunkhase for proposing the grass roots grant for this worthy organization.