Ames Morning Rotary Club Virtual Newsletter

Vol. 3, No. 8		August 2005

	Club Officers
	President: Dave Miller
	President-elect: Sandy Horton
	Secretary: Terry Adams
	Treasurer: Jim Ziebold
	Past President: Brian Dieter

	EARLY LITERACY by Carolyn Jons
	A Service Priority for Ames Morning Rotary Club from July 2000-2005 Ames Morning Rotary Club had good reason to celebrate Rotary’s Literacy Month this July. We submitted our Final Report for the $20,000 Rotary Children’s Opportunity Grant the club received in January, 2000. For over five years the club has used these dollars to be a champion for early literacy. Today, when Iowa’s governor is calling for improved early childhood education and the new Rotary International president is emphasizing literacy issues, Ames Rotarians are well established as early literacy advocates. Ames Morning Rotary Club has gained a reputation for putting books into the hands of children and for supporting parents and other adults who work with children. We are helping to create communities where all preschool children develop the language and literacy skills and relationships that will help them become successful readers and life-long learners. These are some highlights of our local early literacy initiatives the past five years. Partnered with the public school to teach literacy skills to language-delayed 4-year-olds in order to better prepare them for kindergarten Arranged for professional training and curriculum from Baby TALK, a nationally respected community program for early language and literacy in Decatur, Illinois Helped establish a local non-profit Baby Talk organization that is a coalition of service groups, professionals, and organizations serving central Iowa and that continues to have Rotarians on its board Helped train volunteers to personally deliver Books for Babies bags to parents of the 1,200 babies born each year at Mary Greeley Medical Center and arranged for newsletters to be mailed to families when children are 3- and 15-months old Partnered with McFarland Clinic pediatricians who now screen for early literacy development, give a picture book to each 6-month-old child, encourage parents to read to their children every day, and host volunteer readers in the waiting room Partnered with Iowa Association of School Boards and Mary Greeley Medical Center to provide award-winning information promoting early literacy – a Rotary brochure “Kids Who Read Succeed;” a packet of tip sheets and materials for service clubs wanting to promote early literacy; an early literacy section on our web site amesamrotary.org; a series of 3 newsletters for parents; notebooks about early literacy for Baby Talk partners, volunteers, professionals, physicians, and parents; handouts for parents; and labels for contributed books Donated a child’s book in the name of each person who presented a club program Ames Morning Rotarians have also been leaders in District 6000 early literacy initiatives. They have given programs to other Rotary clubs, promoted local club literacy projects, provided displays for district meetings, and facilitated the donation of children’s books and other resources for a new school library in Xicotepec, Mexico. Are we making a difference? New parents appreciate getting our materials. Pediatricians say giving books to 6-month-olds is a great way to both promote reading and to relate to children and get them to smile. A mom reported she no longer has trouble getting her son to come to the doctor because he looks forward to the reading lady and the interesting books. A few moms who received Books for Babies materials are now serving on the Baby Talk board or as a volunteer reader. Several community leaders who participated in early literacy projects are now members of Ames Morning Rotary Club. As we build on our past accomplishments, we want to reach all families and see that parents and professionals who care for and educate young children are in the habit of talking, singing and reading to children every day. We want public schools to be delighted that all incoming kindergartners have developed appropriate language and literacy skills and are enthusiastic about books and reading. We want public libraries and book stores to be swamped with families who want their children to be exposed to good books. We want a vibrant early literacy coalition whose members are proud of their special contributions to early literacy in our communities. Ames Morning Rotary Club’s early literacy projects have had positive results over the past five years and promise to have even greater and broader impacts in the future.

	Information Snippet
	July 2005 Club Membership: 47 males, 25 females

	August Programs and Events
	August 3, 2005 Speaker: Chuck Morris Position/Organization: Director, 4-H Youth Development Programs Topic: 4-H Today
	August 10, 2005 Speaker: Corliss Klaassen Position/Organization: District Governor, Rotary District 6000
	August 17, 2005 Speaker: Jim Davis Position/Organization: Chief Information Office, Iowa State University Topic: Advances in Computing and Communication
	August 24, 2005 Speakers: Sally Shaver and Vickie Setterberg Position/Organization: Silly Sally the Clown and Avenues for Health Topic: Health and Humor
	August 31, 2005 Speaker: Mark Coberley Position/Organization: Director of Athletic Training, Iowa State University Topic: Behind the Scenes of Athletic Training

	August Membership
	New Members:	None
	Resignations:	None
	Total Membership	72

	August Birthdays
	4	Dorothy Schumer
	8	Dave Coe
	21	Jane Acker
	30	Doug Ward

	August Wedding Anniversaries
	1	Paul and Deb McGee (8 years)
	4	Russ and Beth Cross (26 years)
	12	Tim and Tara Gartin (16 years)
	15	Jim and Hilary Ziebold (41 years)
	16	Jim and Valree Dickson (17 years)
	17	Les and Karen Wolfe (15 years)
	17	Joel and Michele Rogers (14 years)
	18	Carolyn and Chuck Jons (42 years)
	22	Ed and Jodi Steyer (13 years)
	24	John and Janet Lott (31 years)
	25	Jill and Michael Guffy (32 years)
	26	Sandy and Dick Horton (43 years)
	28	Myrna and Keith Whigham (41 years)
	29	Arch and Margie Oldehoeft (40 years)

	August Club Anniversaries
	13	Mary Harms (2 years)
	23	Scott Bauer (5 years)
	28	Kurt Mackey (3 years)

Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting
July 12, 2005

The July 12 meeting of the Ames Morning Rotary Board of Directors was called to order at 7:00 a.m. in the Pine Room of the Memorial Union. Those present were Dave Miller, Terry Adams, Sandy Horton, Jim Ziebold, Rick Elbert, Jim Obrecht, Scott Bauer, Scott Sanders, Arch Oldehoeft, and Jill Guffy.

The minutes of the June Board meeting were approved.

The treasurer's report was approved.

Involving committee reports, President Miller discussed his outlook for this year, looking at club organization infrastructure. He is looking to increase social activities, to six for this Rotary year. Horton mentioned Special Olympic needs. Tim Gartin will oversee adopt a family and teacher recognition. The financial committee will give advice on requests. New member orientation packets will be prepared. The Rotary Minute will be presented the second Wednesday of each month. The vocational committee will determine service to youth, community, the world, and each other. The classification committee will determine needs.

Tim Ashley joined the Board at 7:20 a.m.

Brief discussion was held regarding the Presidential Citation.

Sheets were handed out with newsletter assignments for each committee, with the head of each committee to submit the information to Arch Oldehoeft for the newsletter on the assigned dates at the end of each month.

Ames Morning Rotary received 100 Rotary Foundation recognition points which are available to be assigned to a member. 100 points can be assigned to an individual, not to the club. One point is worth $1.00.

President Miller mentioned the District Governor's visit to the club on August 10. Discussion was held regarding a gift to the District Governor.

Discussion was held regarding the Rotary Exchange Student project. Frydek Mystec has two females requesting time in Ames. Miller stated there is a possibility of a limit of one coming to Ames. The financial contribution will be about $1500. Myrna Whigham has agreed to take on student excellence work.

Mention was made of the ISU – Rotary – Xicotepec meeting. President Miller will contact Sue Benson for further information.

Horton brought up the Special Olympics, and mentioned sponsorship levels.

The next Board meeting will be August 9.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Terry Adams, Secretary

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Newsletter Editor
Ames Morning Rotary Club
P.O. Box 2432
Ames, IA 50010