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News Release October 22, 2007
ROTARY PROPOSES SPRAY
PARK PROJECT FOR COMMUNITY
The Pierre/Ft. Pierre Rotary Club plans to build a water
spray park to serve the communities of Pierre and Ft. Pierre
Club President Beverly Lewis announced today.
Rotary member Scott Isburg, who suggested the project and is
project co-chair, says spray parks are relatively new
concepts. “Spray parks are fun for people of all ages,”
Isburg said.
Rotary will look at a variety of designs and will welcome
input from the community in helping to choose a design local
families will enjoy most.
“Some designs have separate areas for babies and toddlers
with adjacent play areas for older kids,” Isburg said. “That
way, a family could enjoy the afternoon in one place and
parents can keep an eye on all the kids.”
Isburg estimates the construction costs will be around
$250,000. “While Rotary is taking the lead on this project,
we want and need input from the entire community,” he said.
“Last year, we decided to undertake a major project,” said
Past President and Spray Park Committee Co-Chair Chuck
Quinn. “We didn’t want parameters, such as lack of funding,
to hold back community betterment ideas. After Rotary
members reviewed more than a dozen great ideas, we decided
on the spray park because it will benefit both communities
and provide an opportunity to partner with other groups.”
President Beverly Lewis said members would focus this year
on bringing the vision of the Rotary Spray Park to a
reality. “We hope, when the weather warms up in early 2009,
water will cascade from a variety of clever characters and
colorful units that will delight and cool young and old
alike,” she said.
Committee members and volunteers will develop the
construction plan and lay the groundwork for partners to
join in the effort. “A big question is location,” said
Quinn, “And, that decision has not yet been made. We will be
coordinating closely with the city planners of Pierre and
Ft. Pierre.”
The committee expects to create a facility that will
complement existing public recreation areas and be
convenient for citizens.
“It is exciting that the Rotary Club is taking the
leadership in promoting a facility that should be a place
for families to enjoy,” said Mayor Sam Tidball of Ft.
Pierre. “I wish the club success in this project and look
forward to learning more about it as plans develop.”
Mayor Dennis Eisnach of Pierre said, “We have developed a
philosophy of participating with all groups who are willing
and able to bring resources to improving our quality of
life.”
Lewis said, “This is an exciting venture that will allow
service-minded individuals, businesses and municipalities to
help Rotary create a marvelous spray park that can be
enjoyed by adults and children for years and years to come.”
For additional information:
Rotary Spray Park Committee Co-Chairs
Chuck Quinn 224-4501
Scott Isburg 224-8836
Beverly Lewis, President 773-7421
News
Release - October 22, 2007
Rotary Club Supports Hands-on
Science
|
Pierre – (October 22, 2007)
Rotarians from the
Pierre – Fort Pierre Rotary made a $2500
contribution to the South Dakota Discovery Center
during its meeting on Monday, October 22, 2007. The
contribution is intended to support hands-on science
education programs.
During their meeting,
the Rotarians were challenged by “The Tower of
Hanoi”, a math game from a traveling teaching kit
offered by the SD Discovery Center. |
|
Current Rotary president, Beverly Lewis and past
president, Chuck Quinn, present Kristie Maher,
executive director of the SD Discovery Center, a
check for $2500 to support the Center’s hands-on
science education programs.
|
Rotarian Katie Nagle tries her hand at a math
challenge game from the “Math Around the World” kit
offered by the SD Discovery Center. Rotarian Carolyn
Perry assists.
|
|
The kit, called “Math
Around the World”, is part of a collection of over
30 Great Explorations in Math and Science kits that
the Center staff uses to conduct for local youth.
The kits can also be checked out by teachers and
youth leaders from across South Dakota to use as
units of study.
In living up to its
motto “service above self”, the Pierre-Fort Pierre
Rotary Club makes community service a high priority.
Club funds raised through a conference booth rental
program are dedicated to fund local community
projects. |
The gift to the SD Discovery Center is an annual giFort Since
----, the club has made contributions to the Center totaling
$12,500. In ---, the Rotary Club was awarded a District
grant of --- to provide additional support to the SD
Discovery Center’s traveling exhibit program,
|
www.hopsd.com. For
more information on the SD Discovery Center visit
www.sd-discovery.com.
The Pierre-Fort Pierre
Rotary Club meets every Monday at noon at the
Ramkota Rivercenter. Those interested in joining may
contact a Rotary member or visit a meeting.
Rotary International
is an organization of business and professional
leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian
service and help to build goodwill and peace in the
world. |
|
Rotarians Kelly Van Lith, Tim Bjork and Paul Forney
try various strategies for solving “The Tower of
Hanoi”, a math game from France. The game is part of
a teaching kit available to teachers and youth
leaders through the SD Discovery Center.
|
There are approximately 1.2 million Rotarians who are
members of more than 32,000 Rotary clubs in over 200
countries and geographical areas. For more information,
visit www.rotary.org.
Art/Science project results in Discovery Center display
 |
|
Georgia Morse
Middle School students enjoyed the unique
opportunity of working with a world-famous artist
when Dick Termes, creator of Termespheres, was
invited by the South Dakota Discovery Center to
engage the students in a fascinating project to
demonstrate a link between science and art. The
resulting models have now become a permanent display
at the Discovery Center. |
With Termes' guidance 56
middle school students created more than 25 different
polyhedron models.
The group began with five platonic solids (regular polyhedra).
These were fairly simple to construct from their materials,
dowels and Styrofoam balls. They then built more complex
structures, culminating with the dodecahedron, a
three-dimensional shape in which all five of the platonic
solids fit. The more complex the structure, the more
planning and patience it took to make a sturdy model.
As the students created, Termes led discussions regarding
the unique and interrelated geometries of each shape. The
students were also able to discover ways that such
structures are used by both nature and man.
Each of the platonic solids was given a color so it could be
easily recognized when hanging in a group of polyhedra. Most
of the models built by the students are mixtures of anywhere
from two to five of the platonic solids, creating a pleasing
colorful display for Discovery Center guests.
"Part of the excitement of this project is that the students
and public will be able to learn from and enjoy the models
permanently," Termes observed. "Part of the excitement is to
see the wonderful order that was created."
This project was co-funded by the South Dakota Arts Council,
the Pierre/Fort Pierre Rotary Club, United Way Youth Booster
funds, and the South Dakota Discovery Center & Aquarium.
Students involved in the project, all students of art
instructor Becky Schenk at Georgia Morse Middle School,
included:
Jeremy Auch, Adam Johnson,
Emma AAdland, Jaime Crowe, Kate Schumacher, Seth Waitman,
Savannah Cromwell, Shanna Payne, Ursula Waack, Samantha
Merrill, Sasha Kean, Kelly Johnson, Amber Robinson, Aaron
Gates, A.J. Rounds, Kyle Winckler, Skylar Gallimore, MaKayla
Herman, Britany Gonsor, Adam Maberry, Brandon Miller, Adam
Rau, Aubree Vance, Kallie Dresbach, Lacey Dozier, Michelle
Gordon, Peggy Heermann, George Summerside, Josh Sterling,
Jackson Red Bird, Mandi Wharton, Candy Robinson, T.J.
Iaquinta, BryAnn Becker, Summer Venner, Greg Whisenant, Kim
de Hueck, Emily Goeden, Harry Decker, Lucas Oehlerking,
Dorri Ziai, Casey Ahlers, Torey Garrett, Kate Wylie, Caitlyn
Ann McKay, Courtney Zander, Tony Rislov, Karen Van Camp,
Michelle Beemer, Stacy Ziegler, Karli Larsen, Casey Holm,
Chris Lopez, Amanda Beck, Alice Scharnweber, and Matthew
Dutt. |
