January 2007 Development Newsletter

Article Body: A belated Happy New Year everybody! Graceland University is off to a "new look" start in 2007. Our top stories in the first Development Office Newsletter of the year are all about improving the look and feel of campus life starting with the path students walk to and from downtown Lamoni. Many of you took the same route during your years on "the Hill."

The new Founders Lake Bridge is complete. For almost a year the wooden, black-iron-rail structure has been in place, but the finishing touches came just before Christmas with the addition of a very classy concrete support system. Four lighted columns now complement the bridge. (The brickwork reflects the look of the Higdon Administration building.) You can get a bird's eye view by clicking on the photo. Many heartfelt thanks go out to the Graceland Classes of '54, with special help from the Class of '83. The Classes of '41, '45, '53, '61 and '63 also provided support for this beautification project. There will be no more excuses for the many GU couples who claim to have lost their way as a reason for getting back late from the downtown, Friday night Coliseum movie.

Once back on campus for Spring Semester, students will have even more reason to look forward to dining at the Swarm Inn – the place is slowly but surely being transformed. You might not be able to tell from the pictures we've taken that showcase the construction that's been going on. Please click on the picture to the right. The remodeling project includes all new furniture and a much more convenient food pickup, traffic flow plan. More students than ever are choosing the Swarm Inn for a primary meal during the course of a day and as always the place for satisfying their late night attack of the munchies. The hardworking crew from Facility Services shut down the Swarm Inn for most of January and is on schedule to have the place ready for the return of students who did not stay close to campus this month. By the way, smoothies are now part of the menu. Yahoo!

Winter Term, ahhhhh yes, that thing Gracelanders do smack dab in the dead of winter to enhance their educational experiences. Besides the traditional trips out of the country, this year's offerings included juggling, yoga, multi-cultural film study, costume design, childhood development and introduction to weaving. And what would a Graceland Winter Term be without a smattering of snow? Lamoni got its first taste of the white stuff just a few days ago. It always adds a beautiful highlight to Graceland's already awesome campus.

Grand Cayman was a favorite Winter Term destination for hundreds of Graceland students over the years and the wonderful lady leading that experience was none other than Aarona Kohlman, professor emerita. Aarona passed away in December at the age of 93. She taught English at Graceland for 14 years before retiring in 1978. Aarona is pictured here with grandson, Mike, and husband, Les, who passed away earlier in the year. Those lucky enough to have had her for a class will always remember the way she made each and every one of us feel special. The lady could always carry a great conversation.

The gift of gab is most certainly a personality trait of Graceland freshman Dayton Little. The Lamoni native is the KBUZ radio voice of the Yellowjacket women's basketball team and you can catch his exciting accounts of each home game by sending your web browser to radio.graceland.edu. Speaking of Graceland athletics, wow! Historians are already hanging up the slogan, "A Year We Won't Forget", and no wonder. The men's soccer team, lead by NAIA National Men's Soccer Coach of the Year Ivan Joseph, won the NAIA National Championship while the women's team finished 17-1-1 and won the Heart of America Conference title for a third straight year. Let me also mention the women's cross country team competed at the NAIA Nationals for the first time in some 13 years. For the nitty gritty details on all fall sports teams please click on Graceland Sports Rock!

Graceland athletes haven't had to compete on empty stomachs with all of the Kellogg's Cornflakes floating around campus. Major thanks go out to alumnus Art Greathouse of Mountain Home, Arkansas, and Dean Cox of Bella Vista, Arkansas, after both got in their cars and purchased some 225 boxes from around their respective communities. The cornflakes were shipped to Lamoni for the University to use for promotional purposes. The boxes feature our National Champion SIFE team. Last month we invited you to send us a digital photo of your family hoisting the flakes. Please click on the photo to see who has done so thus far. I do have a minor correction from last month's newsletter. Alumnus Jerry Riegle is shown again this month in our photo gallery but Jerry is actually the tall and slender gent. Please send us your picture for next month.

Our Investor Spotlight this month shines on Gary and Eileen Dyer of Saint Joseph, Missouri. Not only have they made a splashing $25,000 commitment to the Graceland Forever Capital Campaign, they've also decided to take full advantage of the $2 million Matching Challenge Grant that was just announced at the end of the year by paying the entire pledge in cash at the end of December. You need to know that the Challenge Grant is in effect until May 31, 2007. All cash gifts to Graceland restricted to the Science and Technology Center Project will be matched ½ to 1 up to $4 million. Please make a gift today. There has never been a better time to make a gift to your school than right now!

Our January Estate Planning Tip of the Month comes straight from the desk of Graceland Director of Planned Giving Ed Fredenberg. Ed says the start of a new year is a perfect time to fine tune your will especially if you have moved to another state, your executor can't serve, your marital status has changed, or charitable gifting plans are now different. Please e-mail your questions to tsturgis@graceland.edu or pick up the phone and call the office at 800-645-3582. And, ask him about his soccer team coaching skills while you have him on the line.

Just enough time for a few headlines: kudos to Janice Lee and Twila Rider, librarians at the Dr. Charles F. Grabske Sr. Library on the Independence Campus. Both were presented the 2006 Award for Outstanding Academic Health Science Library from the Health Science Library Network of Kansas City, Missouri. And you are invited to participate in our annual Christmas Card Contest. Just create a card and send it in and you might have the winning entry to be sold at Homecoming 2007. You can e-mail your scanned images to meline@graceland.edu. Please go straight to the Graceland Web page for more on both of these headlines.

That should do it for now. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Development Office mission statement: Institutional Advancement builds relationships that provide opportunities to transform lives.

See you next month.
Event Date: 1/31/2007 10:00 AM