The Pilot Club of Iowa City was honored by the Iowa City Human Rights Commission by being named the 2016 recipient of the Rick Graf Award. This award recognizes “long-term commitment to a specific cause for the benefit of a specific group of persons.” Nominated by the Iowa City Public Library, it was noted that “dozens of local organizations have benefited from the selfless work of the 60+ members of the club.” Specifically cited in the nomination was the group’s focus on both education and the prevention of traumatic brain injury and brain related disorders and disabilities. This includes 20 years of grants that allow for the purchase of large print books for the Iowa City and other Johnson County libraries. These Club and Pilot International grants also have helped organizations and agencies that work with citizens with mental illness, those on the autism spectrum, have dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and provide assistance for their caregivers. The Club has also been active in awarding scholarships to students pursuing advanced degrees in healthcare fields related to brain health. In the past ten years the Club grants and scholarships have totaled more than $75,000. In addition to distributing grants every December, members of the Pilot Club of Iowa City donate time to many projects such as serving Free Lunch through the Crisis Center of Johnson County, and helping purchase and install special accessible playground equipment for children with disabilities at Hoover Elementary, Terry Trueblood Recreation Area, and the ARC of Southeast Iowa. A newer project supported by the Club is that of providing “Pick Me Up” care packages to the Certified Nurse Assistants (CNA’s) working at area health care facilities. Each gift bag contains useful and fun items and is a way for the Club to express gratitude to these professionals who are caring for those with brain illnesses and injuries. The city of Iowa City has been given the rare designation of being a “UNESCO City of Literature.” Since its inception in 2003 the Club’s book club has actively participated in the “One Community One Book” program where all in the community are encouraged to read a specific book that deals with Human Rights. The club has embraced this educational program via reading the annually named book, participating in discussion groups, and attending lectures and author’s presentations, thus becoming very well informed about the wide range of Human Rights issues that are present world-wide, including the rights of individuals with disabilities. In closing, the nomination noted that “The Pilot Club of Iowa City’s vision of ’A World Where All Are Valued’ and the work of its members to achieve this vision seem to perfectly fit the spirit of the Rick Graf Award.” The Award was presented to Club President Chelsey Markle at a Breakfast held on October 26, 2016 and was attended by Pilot Club members.
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