Communities throughout North Central Iowa are stronger thanks to the time and talent shared by Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteers. RSVP of North Central Iowa is honored to recognize its members and highlight the wonderful work they do to fulfill needs and address problems in their communities during National Volunteer Week, a week to celebrate volunteerism.

RSVP volunteers provide most of their service to students as Reading Buddy and Reading Coach volunteers in elementary and middle schools by tutoring and mentoring students in reading, and by befriending them through the Pen Pal Program and serving as Breakfast Buddies.  Volunteers also serve as leaders for the Walking School Bus Program in Mason City, as crossing guards in Lake Mills, as readers for the Iowa Radio Reading Information Service for the Blind and Print Handicapped program at KCMR radio station in Mason City, as disaster volunteers with Cerro Gordo County Emergency Management, and with the International Friends program at North Iowa Area Community College.

“National Volunteer Week provides me with the opportunity to shine a light on the people and needs that inspire us to serve,” says North Iowa Area Community College President Steven Schulz.  “Volunteerism empowers individuals to find their purpose, to take their passion and turn it into meaningful change to create stronger, more vibrant communities in North Iowa.”

Currently, RSVP has 331 volunteers actively serving in the service area, with 32 new volunteers in Franklin and Mitchell counties.  In area schools, Reading Buddy volunteers are tutoring 522 elementary students and Reading Coaches are mentoring 65 middle school students.

In addition, Pen Pal volunteers are exchanging letters with 206 fourth-and-fifth grade students.

“These volunteers are making an incredible impact in the lives of the students they work with, but additional support is always needed, says Molly Anderegg, RSVP Director.  “As we continue to expand programming, more volunteers are needed in Franklin and Mitchell counties.  RSVP offers many ways to serve and volunteers choose how often and when they want to serve.’

In addition to volunteers serving in their local communities, RSVP also honors its 16 Advisory Council members. The Council helps shape and strengthen RSVP programs throughout North Central Iowa. RSVP salutes council members and volunteers who have served this year:

Advisory Council – Britt: Elaine Weiland; Buffalo Center: Joe Angstman, Dean Swenson; Forest City: Tony Coloff; Garner: Sue Bruxvoort, Carol Peterson, Shirley Rasche; Manly: Marilyn Pinta; Mason City: Karen Dole, Carol Johnson, Colleen Last, Sharon Steckman; Northwood: Bob Perry, Verla Perry, Stephen Wolfe; Thompson: Larry Hill

Volunteers (with hours since July 1, 2017) –

Britt: Linda Arndorfer, Neva Beech, John Bowman, Myra Bowman, Judy Brumm, Imogene Burgardt, Lois DeLeon, Dorothy Denny, Judy Fox, Kathy Gabrielson, Marlene Gray, JoAnn Harle, Don Kopacek, Kay Kopacek, Mary Kopacek, Lucinda McClellan, Beverly Nelson, Joan Nielsen, Carolyn Ostercamp, Carole Penning, Marlys Perkins, Connie Price, Darrell Schaper, Judy Schaper, Jean Sheets, Gayle Smidt, Kathryn Smith, Robin Sweers, Barb Trulson, Elaine Weiland, and Nancy Wilson

 Buffalo Center: Joe Angstman, Connie Brooks, Lynn Greimann Hassebroek, Sharon Hippen, Frances Meyer, and Roz Swanson

Charles City: Linda Wolff

Clear Lake: Barbara Amosson, Pat Amosson, Nancy Baker, Barbara Beard, Jo Best, Martha Boyes, Dorothy Brady, Jane Broghammer, Bobbi Bruns, David Burgart, Jeanne Burgart, Glen Christensen, Janet Christensen, David Curtis, Mary Curtis, Nadine Drennan, Toni Ebeling, Joan Eness, Judy Gross, Diane Harrison, Nancy Huber, Carol Jahn, Ellen Jandebeur, Sandy Klaudt, Sharon Knoup, Fran Lorenzen, Ethel McLaughlin, Carol Meindl, Debbie Mikesell, Mary Moeller, Marsha Mott, Sandy Nyhus, William Osmundson, Craig Rule, Sharron Rule, Sharon Ryg, Karen Schultz, Marilee Skinner, Linda Smeby, Nancy Smith, Polly Suntken, Linda Tjaden, Nancy Turk, and Alyce Wilson

Dougherty: Mary Schissel

Elma: Judy Grimm, Jeanine Lockie, and Roger Schroeder

Fertile: Jan Hare

 Forest City: Judy Anderson, JoAnn Bartleson, Mary Baxter, Barb Braun, Annette Bruns, Janice Buffington, Cheryl Burke, Sue Coloff, Marlys Ebaugh, Mike Ebaugh, Paul Fitzgerald, Joan Hansen, Ken Hansen, Anna Harringa, Sue Hoeft, Barbara Johnson, Aidan Kelly, Marie Kelly, Carol Kleveland, Cynthia Korth, Roberta Kraft-Abrahamson, Ronald Kvale, Joan Langerud, Barb Lovick, Karen Monson, Bonnie Nyhus, Larry Rieffer, Harlan Rodberg, Mary Schaefer, Tiny Shelton, Betty Soderling, Marge Solberg, John Sporri, Shelley Turner, and Pott Van Auken

Garner: Carrol Boehnke, Sue Bruxvoort, Nora Claude, Diane Deibler, Kathy Fell, Bobbie Gifford, Kelley Hammitt, Ricky Hammitt, Cheryl Hanna, Patty Hestad, Dee Hollatz, Linda Hoppel, Susan Hovda, Eunice Kinsella, Janice Meyer, Ruth Meyering, Nancy Nelson, Elaine Olson, Lou Pinnekamp, Patricia Pool, Juanita Stromer, and Connie Tesene

Geneva: Mary Ann Whipple

Hampton: Cindy Malcolm and Mary Jane Rodemeyer

Joice: Debra Lopez

Kanawha: Jan Cooper and Kathryn Johnson

 Klemme: Debbie Stromer

Lake Mills: Leanna Anderson, Darlene Behr, Nancy Fjelstad, LaVonne Hartman, Helen Kelso, Betty Langpap, Ruth Levorson, Carolyn Price, and Russell Smidt

Leland: Mariann Holst and Sue Langerud

 Manly: JoAnn Andera, Marlene Brown, Val Brunsvold, Gloria Harnack, Leda Mlack, Russell Mlack, Joyce Nuehring, Marilyn Pinta, and Gwen Shackleton

Mason City: Debbie Adams, Kathy Anderegg, Linda Anderegg, Barb Anderson, Robbie Anderson, Jane Balkenende, Virginia Baumann, Betty Benjegerdes, Marie Borchardt, Linda Bottorff, Robin Bratvold, Donna Braughton, Jerry Braughton, Janet Brockmeyer, Carol Brown, Debbie Cahalan, Joyce Colombo, Jean Davidson, Len Diercks, Karen Dole, Terri Engels, Jan Evans, Penny Finneman, Sandy Flugge, Marlene Freudenberg, Jack Gannett, Midge Gaylor, Ruth Geilenfeld, Don Gettner, Jane Ginapp, Carlynn Grupp, Shielah Handt, Irma Harris, Janae Haygood, Raymond Heimbuch, Sharon Heimbuch, Cheryl Hermanson, Helen Holtz, Diane Holzerland, Cathy Homan, Ria Hubbard, Suzanne Humphrey, Carol Iverson, Bonnie Jacobs, Dean Jacobs, Carol Johnson, Robbi Kleckner, Larry Kollman, Jean Laudner, Charlotte Locher, Myrna Long, Ron Lundblad, Sandy McCauley, Linda McCollum, Gayle McCourt, Bev McGowan, Vel Mondahl, Chris Moore, Jack Mueller, Joyce Nielsen, Jan Nierling, Marcia Nord, Steph O’Donnell, Barbara Opheim, Shirley Otten, Marlene Peterson, Judy Rose, Bob Rush, Phyllis Rush, Susan Saltou, Margaret Sasse, Shirley Schneider, Charlie Schroeder, Kathy Schroeder, Gaye Scott, Debbie Sedars, Jerry Sedars, Cathy Shannon, Diana Shifley, Betty Siemers, Eldon Siemers, Debra Sjolinder, Peggy Solberg, Vicki Stangler, Mary Stanton, Letha Steinauer, Pam Stemmerman, Chuck Sweetman, Nancy Sweetman, Julie Thoreen-Birkedal, Luci Tisor, Bruce Trimble, Glady Udelhofen, Steven Urbatsch, Susan Urbatsch, Teresa VanZante, Bob VerBrugge, Judy VerBrugge, Stuart Vold, Marilyn Ward, Paula Warren, Scott Warren, Karen Werle, Connie Wheeler, Jan Willeke, Eve Zimmerman, and Paula Zimmerman

 Northwood: Nancy Amundson, Judy Balkenende, Judy Converse, Stephen Converse, Genie Foss, Diane Hanson, Karen Hove, Marcia Kraft, Judy Levorson, Jeanne Loberg, Susan Mega, Jo Moretz, Linda Queen, John Scherb, Shari Sietsema, Barb Trenhaile, Joan Watts, and Stephen Wolfe

 Osage:  Denny Fannin, Nan Jakobson, Velda LaCoste, JoAnne Machin, Adriane McKinney, Jolene Norby, Anna Stern, Shirley Witham, and Stan Witham

Riceville: Sharon Adams, Betty Borchardt, Linda Butters, and Berdean Ring

Rockford: Beth Forbes

 Rockwell: Patty Auringer, Mary Ellen Haugen, Bette Hejlik, Sue McLaughlin, and Lana Schaefer

Rudd: Joe Davis III

Sheffield: Nickie Baker

 Saint Ansgar: Vonda Blakestad, Carol Power, and Bev Wolff

 Thompson: Charissa Olson

Titonka: Lanita Kardoes

Ventura: Kathy Hinrichs, Twyla Quinn, and Janelle Renner

If you are 55 or older and would like to volunteer, please contact the RSVP office. For more information about RSVP of North Central Iowa, visit www.niacc.edu/rsvp or contact 1-888-466-4222 ext. 4255, (641) 422-4255 or rsvp@niacc.edu.  RSVP of North Central Iowa serves the counties of Cerro Gordo, Franklin, Hancock, Mitchell, Winnebago, and Worth responding to priority community needs by providing meaningful, purposeful volunteer opportunities for people ages 55 and older.

RSVP is sponsored by North Iowa Area Community College and is partly funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, State of Iowa, United Way of North Central Iowa and local county governments.

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