Showing compassion to abandoned pets

IN WORKSthe

www.goodwillheartland.org find us on Winter 2011

Jeff NockPresident & CEO

Dear Friend,

A recent study by the Corporation for National and Community Service showed that Iowa ranks second in America in terms of volunteerism. For many of us, that comes as no surprise. It’s part of the legendary Midwest work ethic — to do whatever needs to be done. And though it may be a bit more of a challenge for our Goodwill clients to give back to their communities, it doesn’t shock me that so many of them do.

Our clients seek what any of us want from life: to be happy, to have dignity and to contribute to our communities. Some of the people we serve find great joy in volunteering at animal shelters. Others provide comfort to people who need it. Yet others share their passion for restoring cars with the community.

Here at Goodwill, it isn’t just about helping people gain independence through work. It is about the whole person, their social and economic well-being. Through their community involvement outside of Goodwill, each spreads our Goodwill spirit. Please enjoy the client success stories in this newsletter and join us on Facebook and YouTube to see more stories of the amazing people we are so privileged to work with every day.

We wish you holiday cheer and a prosperous New Year! Thank you for your support.

Best wishes,

Jeff Nock, President & CEO

George Eliot is quoted as saying that animals are

such agreeable friends: they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.

Two Goodwill of the Heartland clients — one in Iowa City and one in Davenport — might agree with Eliot’s assessment. They regularly visit their area animal shelter to try to make a difference.

Ask Laura Wagner of Iowa City about her cat experience. Laura regularly travels to the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center to offer socialization time and play time with cats and kittens of every size and color combination.

Each visit, she decides which cats to lavish with attention. There are small cats, large cats, quiet cats, long-haired cats, insistent cats, and non-descript cats just meowing for her attention. It’s a tough decision for a self-professed cat lover.

Travel about an hour east and you will meet Jordon Herkelman, 27, of Davenport, who goes to the Humane Society of Scott County to interact with the dogs and provide care. On nice days, he takes a dog out on leash for exercise and fresh air. Jordon also checks the dogs’ food and water supplies and cleans pens.

Dogs know when they are being handled by someone who likes dogs. On a recent fall day, Jordon was handling a Labrador retriever mixed breed. After anxiously investigating the enclosure, the coal-black dog settled down under Jordon’s gentle touch and looked at him for further direction.

Jordon admits to liking dogs best, but he does spend time in the cat room at the shelter. At home, Jordon has his own Labrador retriever, a yellow named Jake. A small dog named Hartley also calls Jordon’s place home. Rounding out Jordon’s personal menagerie are two parakeets, Tom and Jerry.

Jordon is positive about his experience at the Humane Society. “I like helping at the shelter,” he said.

When he is at the shelter, Jordon knows he makes a difference for pets. As he passes by the cages, the dogs bark anxiously for his attention. Fortunately, Jordon has the energy and time to give them a little of what they crave — petting and interaction.

True cat lovers like Laura heartily embrace the opportunity to play with the felines and hope for the day that the shelter will not be overrun with cats waiting for their forever homes. In the meantime, Laura relishes her time with the lonely cats that belong to no one.

With the number of adoptable pets at the shelter daily, both Jordon and Laura know they will have volunteer opportunities for a long time. And for today, Jordon and Laura will

work to make a difference each time they visit the shelters, helping the pets that speak through their very presence at the shelter.

Laura Wagner holds a black and white cat available for adoption.

Jordon Herkelman at the Humane Society.

Jordon with a cat waiting for a forever home.Laura Wagner, a Goodwill client, holds a kitten.

GOODWILL CLIENTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY

1410 S. First Ave.Iowa City, IA 52240Return Service Requested

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 415

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Bettendorf Store2333 Cumberland Square Dr.563-344-9431

Burlington Store165 W. Burlington Ave.319-208-0060

Cedar Rapids Donation Center802 34th Street SE319-862-0476

Cedar Rapids East Store5520 Council Street NE319-378-0393

Cedar Rapids West Store2000 Scotty Drive SW319-654-9585

Clinton Store1015 13th Avenue North563-519-0156

Coralville Store2551 Heartland Place319-545-6581

Davenport Store5360 Villa Drive563-823-1790

DeWitt Donation Center1416 11th. St.563-659-2611

Fairfield Store2005 W. Burlington Ave.641-469-3085

Goodwill Reboot1500 S. First Ave.319-358-2352

Iowa City Store985 Highway 6 East319-337-3548

Marion Store3202 7th Avenue319-373-0480

Moline Store4241 Avenue of the Cities309-736-3039Moving to:4805 22nd Ave.Jan. 2, 2012

Muscatine Store2001 Cedar Plaza Drive563-264-1947

Rock Island Store4664 44th Street309-786-1220

Washington Store312 E. Washington Street319-653-2548

GoodWill StoreS and donation SiteS:

In The Works is published by Goodwill of the Heartland, a not-for-profit organization serving southeast Iowa and the Quad City area. Goodwill is accredited by CARF International.

A United Way Agency.

Terri Davis, ChairShuttleworth & Ingersoll, P.L.C.Cedar Rapids

Elizabeth Schott, Vice ChairSourceMedia GroupCedar Rapids

David Bywater, TreasurerTru-Art Color GraphicsIowa City

Ken Urmie, SecretaryMidWestOne BankIowa City

Rick AndersonRetiredMoline

Rose DonnellyRockwell CollinsCedar Rapids

Matthew FraschtUniversity of Iowa Community Credit UnionCoralville

Charles Helms, M.D., Ph.D.University of Iowa Hospitals & ClinicsIowa City

Dale KretschmarCedar Rapids

Julie KunkelHills Bank and Trust Co.Coralville

Mark Moser University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Iowa City

Tom RocklinUniversity of IowaIowa City

Paul RumlerQuad Cities Chamber of CommerceDavenport

Ang TaakeEvergreen Packaging EquipmentCedar Rapids

Gregs ThomopulosStanley Consultants, Inc.Muscatine

Tom WerderitschSelzer Werderitsch AssociatesIowa City

Jeff Nock (Ex Officio)Goodwill of the Heartland

Goodwill Board of Directors

2011-2012

Kathy Holden of Williamsburg likes to help people, and volunteering each

week allows her to assist others while offering its own simple rewards.

As a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Kathy delivers meals to men and women in the community. Delivery of those meals assures the individual who lives alone in a home or apartment has one balanced meal to eat that day. Not only does Kathy deliver a hot meal, she brings a smile and a little caring to the people on her list.

On another day, Kathy volunteers at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, delivering flowers and gifts to patients.

“The best part is when you get to the hospital room and they smile and laugh because they really like the flowers and the fact that someone cares,” Kathy said.

Sometimes Kathy’s flower deliveries take her to the obstetrics floor where she finds joy seeing the next generation, the new babies, sleeping soundly in their beds. And even at that early age, the wee ones show their uniqueness. “Some have a lot of hair right away, and some don’t,” Kathy said.

According to a recent study by the Corpora-tion for National and Community Service, Iowa ranks second in America in terms of volunteerism, and Kathy credits her mother for introducing her to volunteering. And as Kathy knows first-hand, volunteers make a difference for so many people, from the elderly and disabled at home to the smallest patients in the hospital nursery.

Eliana enhances elder lives

Ask petite Eliana Friedman of Iowa City why she volunteers at Oaknoll

Retirement Residence in Iowa City, and she will smile broadly, giggle and avoid giving a detailed answer.

When pressed to share, Eliana explains her involvement makes her feel good. She has volunteered at Oaknoll since 2006, beginning in high school. After graduation, Elaina continued to volunteer at Oaknoll because she enjoyed the tasks and the residents who call Oaknoll home.

Volunteering at Oaknoll has helped Eliana develop into the caring young woman she is today. Oaknoll residents have become dear friends, and she celebrates with them during the seasons and at special events such as birthdays. And she mourns when a resident passes away.

Eliana was named Volunteer of the Year in October 2010 by Iowa Association of Homes and Services for the Aging. At the time of her recognition by the state association, residents of Oaknoll packed a room to celebrate Elaina’s award and to share one-to-one time with the enthusiastic spitfire who gives her energy and love to enhance their lives.

When Eliana is not volunteering at Oaknoll, you might also find her helping the rabbi at her synagogue, where she also gives her time and energy because it makes her feel good.

Volunteer Eliana Friedman helps Oaknoll resident Alice Mahon.

T H R E E W H O G I v E O F T H E M S E L v E S

Kathy Holden delivers flowers to patients.

Kathy gains simple rewards

Working on hot rods is Ron Loehr’s spare time passion, and he willingly

and proudly showcases his restored car for others to admire.

You will find Ron, weather permitting, showing his 1970 Nova 454. This special Nova does not venture out in the rain or in the snow. Ron has worked too hard on it since 1988, bringing her to the beauty she is today. A few offer to buy. “She is not for sale,” Ron said firmly.

The Nova has been transformed inside and out under Ron’s careful hand. “I’ve been working on cars since I was 16 years old,” Ron explained. Ron, who is 49 and works on the Goodwill of the Heartland contract cleaning crew in Iowa City, will share with you the knuckle-breaking work that goes into creating a hot rod.

Through countless hours, his Nova was transformed. On the exterior, the car went from a basic tan to candy apple red to metallic blue and eventually to the metallic purple she is today. The Nova is not finished. Ron plans to repaint her again — this time to purple. Of course, she will get a layer of clear coat to enhance the final paint job.

Underneath the hood, the Nova transformed from the kitten she was at birth to a “souped-up” hot rod. Ron’s Nova migrated from her original a 6-cylinder configuration to a 350 HP, then to a 327 HP and finally to the 454 HP she is today. With a hot rod, Ron explained, “You are never done because you want to keep improving.”

During the winter, the Cruise Nights car show at Sycamore Mall in Iowa City, where Ron often shows his car, is on hiatus. Come spring, Ron’s Nova will be back at the show, tempting the visitors and bringing pride to her owner.

Ron Loehr displays his 1970 Nova 454.

Ron entertains car buffs