Carolyn Weieneth of the Adel-DeSoto-Minburn Scholarship Foundation Fund, Inc.

The Adel-DeSoto-Minburn school district is hard to beat. Ranking highly within the state and the nation for its quality education, the school can also boast numerous organizations that help support K-12 initiatives.  

These organizations raise funds for new equipment, better facilities, and bolster support for identified needs. But education does not end at graduation.  

This month we spoke with Carolyn Weieneth of the Adel-DeSoto-Minburn Scholarship Foundation Fund, Inc. to learn more about this charitable group and its noble cause.

Carolyn Weieneth and her family originally moved to Adel in 1985 seeking to take advantage of the smaller school system, live in the country, start a local real estate company, and develop land south of town. Her two children graduated from ADM, and upon starting families of their own, have moved back to Adel so that their children could receive the same beneficial education.

Carolyn has volunteered for the ADM Scholarship Foundation since the mid-90s. "I was drawn to the foundation because it is a worthy cause. I believe in education and helping students go on to further their education." Volunteers like Carolyn believe not only in the cause, but in its founder as well.

In 1982, principal Stan Norenberg had a dream to provide a scholarship to every graduating senior pursuing higher education. With a $150.00 check in his hand, Stan gathered community support and established the foundation in 1983. The original Board of Trustees decreed a 2 million dollar goal, and that the students would receive a $1,000 scholarship - larger than most available at that time.

Since then, the foundation has given out 394 scholarships and received $894,000 in contributions! The scholarships are drawn from the interest these contributions have accrued. This year the ADM Scholarship Foundation happily provided 40 scholarships to the 2013 graduating class- more than any previous year.

While some scholarships limit who may apply, the ADM Scholarship Foundation is open to all graduating seniors who intend to pursue higher education at vocational, 2-year, and 4-year colleges. The application process remains anonymous until the Board of Trustees has selected students based on 4 equally considered categories: scholastic achievement, involvement in extra curricular activities, financial need, and the personal comments supplied by the student.

Dedicated people who believe in the value of education support the 100% volunteer organization. "Having worked with the ADM Foundation over the last ten years, I saw how they channeled 99 cents out of every dollar toward scholarships and to as many deserving ADM graduates as possible. Each year the fund grows because people see its benefits and believe. Helping in whatever little way I can with this organization is one of the things I'm most proud of in my life." -Jerry A. O'Brien, Courtesy of the ADM Scholarship website.

Scholar Recipients in the Adel Sweet Corn Festival Parade  

Stan's ambition remains strong as reflected in new goals to raise 3 million in donations, and obtain 200 annual giver commitments. To better reach these goals, the ADM Scholarship Foundation is affiliated with the Dollars for Scholars program. This national organization allows people from across the country to give, facilitates matching contributions from employers, and partners with colleges and technical schools so that every dollar in scholarships donated is maximized to its fullest potential.

Donations may be made in many ways. Some individuals choose to provide in-kind gifts such as stocks or bonds. Others plan ahead and include the charity in their will or trust, list the organization as a beneficiary of life insurance or annuities, or establish a tax-deductible contribution offered by mutual fund families. Cash donations are also accepted at any time at the ADM Scholarship Foundation website via PayPal.

As we approach another school year, please take a moment to give back to that which so many families and citizens believe to be the foundation of our community- the ADM school district. The education received inside its walls is unmatched, as are the graduating seniors it nurtures towards adulthood. By supporting the ADM Scholarship Foundation/ Dollars for Scholars program, you are helping to ensure that the dreams of Stan Norenberg and volunteers like Carolyn Weieneth will become a reality.

ADM Scholarship Foundation

801 Nile Kinnick Dr, S

Adel, IA 50003

Website: www.adel.k12.ia.us/scholarshipfund/index.php 

Email: admscholarship@gmail.com

New Faces at the Adel Farmers Market   

The Dog Days of Summer are here, so come to you library and beat the heat with our Dig Into Reading Summer Reading program.

Information about the Adel Public Library and all of our clubs, events, and programs is always available on our website at www.adelpl.org, or you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter.    

The Adel Public Library is excited to partner, with the Adel Partners Chamber of Commerce and Todd Chapman of the Direct TV Satellite Center, to host a Family Movie Night at the Adel Community Stage & Pavilion.  

We'll be showing the Pirates! Band of Misfits movie "It's a Plunderful Life" at dusk on July 3rd.  

Families should bring their own lawn chairs and snacks and enjoy a movie and popcorn under the stars, and the first fifty kids will get a free eye patch!

Adults and Teens who have been participating in our summer reading program are invited to attend a Ghost Hunters program presented by the Iowa Paranormal Advanced Research Team.  

The team will be here on Monday, July 15th at 6:00 p.m. to present information on hunting ghosts and other paranormal activity. Please visit their site for more information.

The grand finale of the adult Beneath the Surface summer reading program will be on Thursday, July 18th at 6:00 pm.  

Paula and our wonderful teen volunteers will be serving a mystery dessert , from a mysterious menu, and drawing for many great prizes.  

Readers must have finished at least two raffle tickets to be eligible for prizes.

Our next Garage Sale of the summer is Friday July 26th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday July 27th from 10:00 a.m. to Noon.  

All proceeds from the monthly Garage Sales are used by the Friends of the Adel Public Library for special projects and programs at the library.

Book Clubs are a great way to meet new people and share the love of reading. During the summer the library has two monthly adult book clubs that are open to everyone.

We are busily preparing for the annual Friends of the Library Book Sale which always happens during Adel's Sweet Corn Festival in August.  

We are eagerly sorting and organizing books, and will happily take any book donations.  

Join our Exercise Group three mornings each week and get your morning started in a fit and healthy way.  

The exercise group meets Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. every week.  

Complete schedules are available at the information desk.

Our Dig into Reading Summer Reading Program started in June and continues until Monday, July 22nd, when all reading logs are due by the end of the day!  

We still have lots of fun reading activities in July.

Each week through July 19th, and we'll have several opportunities for fun at your library:

The Science Center of Iowa will be at your library for the grand finale of the Dig into Reading summer reading program.  

All kids are invited to come to your library for a morning of science fun on Tuesday, July 23rd at 11:00 a.m.  

The Top Reader Pool Party will be on Tuesday, July 30th at the brand new Adel Aquatic Center at 11:30 am for all kids who earned a red ticket by reading an amazing 30 hours this summer!  

The rain date for the party is Thursday, August 1st at 11:30 am.  

Our favorite Boy who Lived has his birthday on Wednesday, July 31st (a holiday in the Wizarding World) and the library is celebrating with a day of magical events.  

Witches and Wizards of all ages are invited to come to a special screening of the movie "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" at 10:00 a.m. and then come back for a Harry Potter Birthday Party at 2:00 pm.  

Please note that all Weasely Joke Shop products are strictly banned from the library, but the wearing of magical robes is encouraged.  

The teen summer reading program Groundbreaking Reads is in full swing, and teens have through Wednesday, July 17th to turn in their reading logs.  

In addition to being a part of the Ghost hunters program and the Harry Potter Birthday festivities, teens are invited to come to our weekly teen activities every Tuesday (through July 9th) at 2:00 p.m.  

The library is having a Nerf War as the finale for the teen reading program on Friday July 19th from 6:00 p.mm to 9:00 p.m. for teens who earned two tickets for reading at least ten hours.  

Ms. Laura is looking to build an arsenal of Nerf Weapons and would be happy to accept donations.  

We also need large boxes to build forts. If you have any of these items, and would like to donate to the cause, please contact Ms. Laura at 993-3512 or  Laura@adelpl.org.

All of the wonderful teens who volunteered this summer to support our many summer reading programs and events are invited to come to an Ice Cream Party on Tuesday, July 30th at 2:00 p.m.

As a reminder the library will be closed in observance of Independence Day on Thursday, July Fourth.