Gratitude on #GivingTuesday

posted by Jordan Bles on Tuesday, December 1, 2020

On this all-important day of giving, I wanted to share with you why I care so deeply about the work we do at the Iowa Environmental Council. 

Little girl playing in the Volga RiverI care because of my 4 year old daughter Rosey Jo. This summer, we were able to enjoy a  socially distant escape to Volga, and she got to play in the Volga River. I think of the joy that she gets playing in Iowa's waterways and am grateful for our work to clean up those waters. I'm grateful too for our work to let other parents, pet owners, and all Iowans know which beaches aren't safe during the summer – because we also visited Backbone State Park, whose lake consistently has warnings about the toxins in the water. I only know that because of the work of IEC.

I think of how excited she gets about the "giant pinwheels" she sees throughout our state and how we talk about how those are better way for us to get energy. 

DART electric bus with Iowa Capitol in background

I love walking with her throughout downtown Des Moines and hearing her excitement when she declares, “I want to ride on the electric bus!” and know that she is wrapping her head around those buses doing a better job of protecting the earth than the other buses. These values will last a lifetime and is ongoing work. And, if you want to see a cute video of her talking about the buses, you can head over to the 100% Iowa Instagram.  

Your contribution today will help us keep cleaning up and advocating for Iowa's waterways, and keep us on a path toward 100% renewable energy. Your contribution today means we are building an Iowa for all of our children to live in, work in, and explore in. Thanks for supporting IEC on #GivingTuesday. 

About The Author

Jordan Bles worked with IEC as the Director of Fundraising and Development from 2019 - 2024. 

Previously, Jordan was Director of Development for the National Benevolent Association, supporting its mission to “create communities of compassion and care”, as well as A ... read more