"Leave it better than you found it" annual awards

2011 "Leave It Better" Winner: Poweshiek Animal League Shelter (PALS)

In August 2011, members of PALS and the Ahrens Foundation celebrated during the annual presentation of the "Leave It Better Than You Found It" award to PALS.

In recognition of the Poweshiek Animal League Shelter’s (PALS) work to save more than 2,000 animals since 2004, the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation announced in August that PALS has received the 2011 “Leave It Better Than You Found It” award. The annual award honors groups or organizations that make a difference in Grinnell and surrounding communities.

“PALS makes a tremendous difference throughout Poweshiek County,” said Julie Gosselink, president and CEO of the Foundation. “We are pleased to recognize the compassionate and noble work of this all-volunteer organization.”

Rich Gogg, president of PALS, accepted the $5,000 award on behalf of the organization.

“We are so grateful for not only this award, but also the help you provide the entire community,” Gogg said. “To help launch us further down the road with this award is tremendous.”

PALS was founded in 2004 by a group of residents who understood and identified with the stray, homeless and unwanted animal issues facing area communities. The shelter opened in 2007 and can house 45 cats and 25 dogs, and there is typically a waiting list for an animal to be placed in the shelter. PALS does not euthanize animals due to space or time restrictions and limitations.

In addition to the Leave It Better Than You Found It award, Gosselink also noted that the Foundation awarded PALS with a $10,000 challenge grant to help further the PALS mission.

“We have never given an organization a challenge grant and a Leave It Better award in the same year, but that’s how special PALS is,” Gosselink said. “PALS fulfills a critical need throughout our county and deserves everybody’s recognition and support.”

The “Leave It Better Than You Found It” award commemorates the Aug. 18 birthday of the late benefactor Claude Ahrens. The program was initiated in August 1994 at the dedication of the Ahrens/Paschall Memorial Park and is funded by the Ahrens Foundation. In a 1993 speech to the National Recreation and Parks Association, Ahrens challenged those in attendance to follow the sage advice of his father John “to leave the world a better place than you found it.” Colleagues of Ahrens decided to encourage area residents to do the same and the effort was founded. To date, the annual program has honored more than 300 area individuals, groups and organizations.

Award Nomination Process
Nominations for the 2011 “Leave it Better” Awards from the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation were open until
August 15th for all Grinnell area nonprofit, social, civic, fraternal and community groups who are making a difference
in the local community. The 2011 recipient organization was announced on Aug. 18 to honor the birthday of the late
Claude W. Ahrens and to commemorate the dedication of the Ahrens/Paschall Memorial Park. The winning
organization will receive a $5,000 grant.

The annual awards were started in 1994, following a speech by the late Claude W. Ahrens at the National Recreation
and Parks Association meeting, where he said, “…our obligation in life is to leave the world a better place than we
found it.” Shortly thereafter a group of Ahrens’ associates instigated a program that would honor individuals and
organizations for following that bit of wisdom.

More than 40 Grinnell area residents were nominated the first year, and in succeeding years more than 300
individuals and community organizations have been honored for their “leave it better” efforts.

Previous "Leave It Better Than You Found It" Award Winners
2010 - Imagine Grinnell
2009 - Grinnell Optimist Club
2008 - Stewart Library Children's Department
2007 - Grinnell Lions Club
2006 - Galaxy Youth Center
2005 - Grinnell Washington Merry Workers 4-H Club
2004 - Fairview Elementary PTO
2003 - Second Mile
2002 - Grinnell-Newburg Dollars for Scholars and the Grinnell-Newburg High School Guidance Counselors