The International Erosion Control Association’s (IECA) Great Lakes and Great Rivers Chapters teamed up in April to hold the first Great Connections conference and exhibition. Held in Davenport, Iowa, the organizers surprised the Land and Water Magazine team during a social networking event with a generous donation to a cause very close to them.
Land and Water Magazine is a family-owned-and-run operation. The family is celebrating 40 years of publishing the magazine this year, but it is also dealing with a very difficult, personal struggle: Justin Rasch, son of Ken and Jane Rasch (L&W’s President and Vice President) has been diagnosed with ALS (a.k.a., Lou Gehrig’s disease).
The Great Connections 2014 social networking event—an evening of bowling—was set up as a charitable evening. Dubbed the Harold Bade Bowling Bash, in honor of evening sponsor ASP Enterprise’s late owner—the Land and Water team had been told that money was being raised for a major heart health organization.
However, when the evening got going, it was revealed that a $2,000 donation for ALS research and awareness had been put together.
“We truly were blown away,” said Shanna Egli of the gift and the givers. “It was very moving and a bit emotional. They are such good people.”
The money, she said, will be put to Team JustinTime, which is raising money throughout the year and leading up to a major charity walk in early October.
A Facebook page has been set up, with Justin’s story and information on donations and the walk.
Also, the Walk to Defeat ALS™ has a donation information page for Team JustinTime.
MEET THE LAND AND WATER FAMILY
L&W’s President, Ken Rasch, dedicated his March/April 2014 editorial column to “finally” introducing the family to the readership:
- Jane Rasch (wife, Vice President)
- Amy Denklau (daughter, Publisher)
- Martha Steinkamp (daughter, Circulation Manager)
- Shanna Egli (granddaughter, Sales Lead)
- Emily Jones (granddaughter, Assistant Editor)
- Angela Dougall (Accounting—and, after 4 years with the company, something of an “adopted” family member)
We wish all the best to our friends at L&W and look forward to the October walk…as well as continuing to work with them on publishing articles and information from and for our dedicated construction and engineering communities.
