The Coe College Heritage Club
Heritage Club Events
Annual Heritage Club Dinner
This year the annual Heritage Club dinner featured the Biology, Chemistry and Physics Departments. Biology Professor Dr. Paula Sanchini, Chemistry Professor Dr. Maria Dean, Physics Professor Dr. Steve Feller and President James R. Phifer were the keynote speakers. The Master of Ceremonies was Physics Professor Dr. Mario Affatigato. Heritage Club members and guests were treated to educational presentations and exhibits by Coe students.
The Coe College Heritage Club was inspired by eleventh President Joseph E. McCabe and exists to recognize and honor those who have acted to provide current and future support to the college, through bequests, trusts, annuities, and other planned gifts. For more information, contact Kelly Allen, director of the Heritage Club at kallen@coe.edu or 1-866-263-1266, ext. 8592 or 319-329-8943.
Annual Heritage Club Lecture Series
Dr. Mario Affatigato ’89 gave a lecture to approximately seventy-five members of the Heritage Club and other supporters of Coe College on Tuesday, August 2nd in Kesler Auditorium of Hickok Hall. The talk followed a short reception in the lobby of Hickok in which heavy hors d’oeuvres were served. The event was well attended, fascinating and exceedingly relevant.
Affatigato spoke about the physics of natural disasters, beginning by showing a silent video picturing the historic Mississippi River flood of 1927. The flood was inconceivably devastating, with the river 60 miles across at its widest, destroying a staggering 1% of homes in the United States at the time. He continued on by highlighting some of the costliest natural catastrophes of the past half-century, both financially and in terms of human life. A graph was then presented comparing the energies produced by natural disasters, ranging from the least powerful to the most destructive, which he cited as a meteor impact, producing energies vastly exceeding anything that could be produced by man. Affatigato proceeded to focus on hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and tidal waves individually, explaining their causes, effects and outlooks for the future. Alongside these facts he also provided historical anecdotes, contextualizing the origins of human interaction with these damaging phenomena. Another overarching theme was the political, economic and cultural impact wrought by natural disasters throughout history.
Following the hour-long talk, a clearly engaged audience had the opportunity to manifest their curiosity in the form of about a half-dozen questions. Many of these queries dealt with the contemporary issue of global climate change and the potential correlation with the occurrence of natural disasters. While Affatigato did not outright say that there was necessarily a connection between the two, he did clarify that increases in the earth’s temperature would lead to greater overall energy, creating the potential for more powerful storms in the future.
Most people are familiar with the immediate consequences of natural disasters and the impact that they can have on the physical world, but for many who heard the talk, Mario Affatigato revealed entirely new sides of natural disasters. So much so, that the next time a dark cloud rolls in, those who attended the Tuesday lecture will see much more than just wind and rain.
Heritage Club Winery Tour
June 11, 2011
For the third time in four years, alumni and friends of Coe College sampled some of the best locally produced beer and wine in Eastern Iowa on the Heritage Club Winery Tour on Saturday, June 11. The group visited four places throughout the day, culminating in a sun-drenched late afternoon drive through picturesque Iowa countryside.
The first stop was Cedar Ridge Vineyards Winery and Distillery, located just 10 miles South of Cedar Rapids. Set amid lush rolling hills, the site overlooks miles of burgeoning cornfields, thriving woodlands, and the winery’s own rows of grapes. Cedar Ridge offers over a dozen wines and ten different spirits, all of which are produced on location (it is the first licensed distillery in the state of Iowa since the prohibition era). They also boast brick oven pizza, various appetizers and prime rib. The tasting room, equipped with black leather furniture, dark wooden tables and plenty of natural light, interacts seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. The group received a tour of the facility, information on the winemaking and distillation process, as well as a thorough tasting of various wines and spirits of the groups’ choosing.
The outing continued with a trip to the historic Ox Yoke Inn of Amana for a family-style lunch. Situated in a building that has been designated as a national historic landmark, the Ox Yoke has been serving classic American and German cuisine since 1940. The group dined on an abundance of traditional fare, and everyone left satisfied, if not a bit too full.
Deviating from the true definition of a “winery tour” the group traveled just a few blocks down the main street of Amana to the Millstream Brewing Company, marking the first time the Heritage club tour has visited such an establishment. Millstream opened in 1985, making it the oldest running microbrewery in the state. It also one of the most decorated, laying claim to 18 national awards. Nine different varieties of beer are produced on site, as well as three types of rich soda, which can be sampled in the tasting room or spacious outdoor biergarten. Members of the group were given a tour and a detailed description of the steps in the brewing and bottling process.
After the brief beer intermission the winery tour resumed, this time at locally owned and operated Fireside Winery, located just outside of Marengo. Fireside was opened less than a decade ago, but has already claimed numerous prestigious awards. The group sampled some of these award-winning wines, as well as others on their extensive menu, and left with complimentary wine glassing bearing the Fireside name and logo.
For much of the day a gloomy-gray sky had hung overhead, but as the group was leaving Fireside droves of sunshine poured over the countryside, illuminating the beauty of Eastern Iowa in full effect. It was a perfect conclusion to a great outing for friends and members of the Coe College Heritage Club.
Bequests, trusts, annuities and other planned gifts have been tremendously important to Coe College.
The Coe College Heritage Club exists to recognize and honor those generous supporters who have acted to provide future gifts to Coe. When members support Coe through planned gifts, they provide a stable heritage for current and future students. This future support assures that the work of students and faculty will continue to be conducted at the highest levels.
Membership in the Heritage Club is open to those who have made provision for future support of Coe College in their will, estate plan or other planned gift arrangement.
There are no dues or other obligations. Each year, members of the Heritage Club are invited to gather together with President Phifer for an elegant appreciation dinner. In addition, a permanent plaque at the Clark Alumni House honors all members of the Club. Club members also enjoy special invitations to Club activities and College functions.
The greatest benefit of joining the Heritage Club, however, is the satisfaction each member feels helping Coe College improve through future decades which none of us shall see.
Consider including Coe College in your will. Let us know if you have already made such an arrangement, and your name will be included on the Heritage Club honor roll.
Please contact Kelly Allen at 319-329-8943 or kallen@coe.edu for more information on how you, too, can join the Coe College Heritage Club.
