I sit here at the Panera store on Hamilton Boulevard in Sioux City, Iowa on the eve of my 35th high school reunion weekend trying to follow-up on two fundraising meetings I conducted this m rning but focused more on the sights and sounds around me—all of which cause me to pause I think—how lucky I am to be here.  The woman acros from me is talking about career options and what do do with life and the table of youngsters to my left is texting and tweetering at the speed of life and the more mature gentleman (like me) is typing away on his laptop (also, like me).  Many different lives yet similar stories.

I’m looking forward to seeing former classmates this evening and I am grateful the Good Lord has allowed me to be in this place at this time—life is good so get out there and enjoy it! 

The Iowa Transportation Museum has called me—well, me and my orofessional colleagues from the Charitable Giving Resource Center* (CGRC)—to help them honor Iowa’s transportation past, present, and future.  The Museum’s Board of Directors recently voted to retain us to function as a “leased” development office to help manage, coordinate, and implement the Museum’s fundraising and donor development program at both the state and national level. 

The Iowa Transportation Museum, located in Grinnell, is a $25 million initiative that is being developed to recognize contributions to the field of transportation that occurred in Iowa or were made by Iowans.  The museum will showcase Iowa’s leadership in creating, building, and using the systems that move people, ideas, and dreams safely and efficiently.  The Iowa Transportation Museum also will explore the evolution of transportation in Iowa, making it come alive to enhance our understanding of how transportation systems and workers contribute to the culture and quality of life we enjoy.

The Museum will also host the National Transportation Heroes Center, an internet-based “registry” that will recognize transportation heroes of all types who have made a distinct contribution to the quality of life we enjoy as Americans.

So, why is this so cool?   Because the Good Lord has provided me an opportunity to combine my passion for helping nonprofit organizations with my passion for transportation in a way that I did not envision and for a purpose much greater purpose.  If you keep moving forward it’s amazing what you might run into or might be allowed to make happen.

You can learn more about the Iowa Transportation Museum by visiting www.iowatransportationmuseum.org.

*The Charitable Giving Resource Center is a wholly owned subsidiary of Syverson Strege & Company.

“On the first of January let everyone gird themselves once more, with face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past.”