Rotary File for November 1, 2016

Posted by Pam Ehly on Nov 01, 2016
 
Mallory Hellman, Director of the Iowa Youth Writing Project (IYWP) presented the weekly program.
 
Presidential opening:
President Dunkhase welcomed club members and encouraged individuals to nominate a club member for the Rotary Person of Integrity.
Volunteers are needed to serve as greeter, scribe, and clean up of dishes as well as the meeting room; a sign up sheet for volunteers will be circulated at the November 8th meeting.
 
Guests and Visiting Rotarians:
Kade Hammes
Mallory Hellman – Guest speaker
Rachel Marquardt – Guest of Tom Novak
Kathy Bowers – Guest of Sue Cronin
 
Announcements:
  • Ron Logsden shared information for nominations for the Person of Integrity award that will be given at the May 2017 District Conference.
  • The District Conference is May 4, 5, and 6 at the Marriott Hotel in Coralville, IA.
  • Reminder that November 12th is a Can Do volunteer day.
  • November 7th is the deadline for signing up to participate in the Xicotepec project.
  • On Monday, December 5th Peggy Doerge will host the annual chili supper at her home; there will also be a Fire Side Chat for new members at her home during the event.
 
Happy Bucks:
Fourteen club members shared happy thoughts and events.
 
Program:
Mallory Hellman, Director of the Iowa Youth Writing Project (IYWP) presented the weekly program.
 
The IYWP began in 2010 to address disparity of opportunities for school age children to write (compose).  The goal is to reach children that might not have the opportunity to write outside the school day.
 
Initially UI graduate students in the writing program worked with children in three area schools. Now 16 schools are served weekly, serving 260 students.
 
IYWP celebrates student work by a) publishing student work every semester in a professionally designed document, b) organizing a reading at Prairie Lights annually, and c) conducting a writing conference for junior high students annually.
 
There are summer opportunities in addition to the academic school year program. Currently there are eight week-long camps (June and July) for K-12 students. Held on the UI campus. Children participate for free. Last year, in addition to the camps, the IYWP partnered with the Antelope Lending Library to serve students near their homes.
 
Hellman ended by sharing a wish list of IYWP which included:
  1. Funds to expand summer programming.
  2. Volunteers to work with students on a regular basis.
  3. A mobile classroom that would be used on-site at non-school locations.
  4. Staff to support expanded programming (assisting the director).
 
The meeting adjourned at 8:00a.m.
 
Respectfully submitted by Pam Ehly