Each summer the Iowa County Recorders Association meets for continuing education in one of the states’ six districts. Last week, District 1 hosted the association in West Des Moines for the ICRA’s annual summer school.
As elected officials, the recorders have a formal certification program which offers learning sessions that broadly impact their professional role in the County. Courses are focused on Leadership & Ethics; Open Meetings & Open Records Laws; Communication; Human Resources & Office Management; Iowa Code; Technology Applications; and Local Government & Budgeting. Last summer, it was decided to provide an opportunity to do good work beyond the “deeds” we consistently do in our offices via real estate filings, and the ‘ICRA Does Good Deeds!’ took on a whole new meaning.
Mason’s Light House was chosen as our focus for philanthropy this summer. Mason Sieck was a 7-year-old boy who passed away in March of 2021 from a rare disease. His parents, Shanna and Curtis Sieck, had to travel five hours away to a hospice home for kids in Minnesota to get the end-of-life care Mason needed. From this experience, Shanna and Curtis decided to start their own pediatric hospice and respite home in Mason’s memory. It will be the first one in Iowa.
The Sieck family lives in Poweshiek County, which is part of District 1. As hosts of this year’s summer school, it was “close to home” and a cause District 1 recorders felt passionate about supporting. All ICRA members were invited to contribute by purchasing ICRA shirts, bidding in a silent auction, and making monetary donations. Shanna and her team were also invited to give a short presentation and bring promotional merchandise to help spread awareness of their efforts. Thanks to all the generous participation and contributions, the Iowa County Recorders Association was able to raise $2,415 for Mason’s Light House.
