Around Des Moines

Goats and Gates
Mail soliciting money is rarely something that bring happiness, but I got some mail from Heifer International that did. Last week I blogged about charity and its relationship to happiness. Mentioning Heifer International, one of my favorite charities, reminded me that it was time for me to send someone another goat so when I read the letter that said if I contribute to Heifer International’s East Africa Dairy Development Project, Bill and Melinda Gates will match the gift, I was very happy. To me it feels like I am getting my money back from purchases of Microsoft Office! The Gates’s will match whatever you care to give too. Every contribution helps, and when it comes to furthering democratic principles around the globe, I’ll bet that a goat is more effective than a grenade.

A Polar Bear and Pioneer in Ghana
A local boy returned from Africa recently. Patrick Choquette was a multi-sport athlete and fine student at North High School, graduating in 2000. (I could be wrong, but on this link it looks like Patrick is in the bottom photo, first row furthest to the right.) His North High basketball coach Mel Green always spoke highly of him. He went on to Grinnell College, graduated in 2004, and like so many other Grinnell students made a social commitment. Patrick’s choice, like his father’s, was the Peace Corps. His father Kenneth Choquette also of Des Moines went to West Pakistan from 1964 to 1966. Patrick went to Ghana where he taught science… and he taught the science of basketball and built a basketball court as well! You can see it all on Cynthia Fodor’s (KCCI) wonderful video-interview outlining Patrick’s unique contributions in Ghana.

It’s pretty apparent that the world doesn’t end at the city limits. It’s a small world. To see and hear one view of how the world is changing, consider going to the Bucksbaum Lecture at Drake University on Wednesday at 7:30 pm in the Knapp Center. It’s free and open to the public. The speaker is Erik Peterson; the title is Seven Revolutions. Peterson will present a futurist’s view of how the world will look in 2025. The seven areas of revolution will be population, resource management, technology, knowledge, economic integration, conflict, and governance. Grinnell graduate ‘66 and Drake University President David Maxwell was so impressed with Erik Peterson when he visited Drake in a more closed setting two years ago, that he has arranged for Wednesday’s public return at the Knapp Center. Take advantage.

Guest Writer: James G. Lindberg (Jim) is the Purple Wren’s sweetie and is a visiting chemistry professor at Grinnell College and retired from Drake University.

Credit:
Photo on flickr by l’insouciant1
Photo on flickr by soldiersmediacenter

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