FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 27,
2005
For more information contact:
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement
515/282-0484 or iowacci@iowacci.org
A long-time community activist received
statewide recognition on Saturday, August 27 for nearly 30 years
of tireless efforts on issues that impact everyday Iowans the most.
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement member, Brenda LaBlanc,
was inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame. She is one
of approximately 125 women to receive this honor.
Brenda has stood up and spoken out on what
she calls “basic issues of fairness”. In the process
she has helped make an extraordinary difference for countless Iowans.
Her accomplishments include:
- Establishing lending agreements with
banks that have resulted in more than $100 million in mortgage
loans in previously underserved neighborhoods in Des Moines.
- Helping farmers stay on the land by
establishing loan programs that made over $35 million in loans
available to small and mid-sized family farmers.
- Convincing Iowa’s main supplier
of natural gas in the 1980’s to provide $1.5 million in
weatherization grants to low income people.
- Winning local ordinances that helped
curb street level crime and drugs that was trapping neighbors
in their homes.
Her passion and commitment to the issues
that impact ordinary people most have attracted many admirers. Preston
Daniels, former mayor of Des Moines, and his wife Patty said of
Brenda, “We believe that much of the re-vitalization of Des
Moines’ older neighborhoods can be attributed to the tremendous
efforts of Brenda and others like her. She is a shining example
of how one may live ones life with integrity and in service to others.”
Of her long-time leadership in Iowa Citizens
for Community Improvement, Brenda said, “You can talk about
problems forever and talking about them helps you understand them,
but it doesn’t solve them. You have to act if you want to
change things. That’s what Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement
helps you to do.”
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement
(CCI) has a 30 year track record of bringing everyday people together
to talk, act and get things done on issues that impact Iowans the
most. CCI has thousands of members across the state from all walks
of life who stand up for what is right.
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