| Honored by: | League of Women Voters of Ames & Story County |
| Brick location: | O:3 map |
The League of Women Voters of Ames has selected Sandra McJimsey as the recipient of its 2015 Carrie Chapman Catt Award to honor her for her superb work as a League member and for her distinguished service to the Ames community.
Sandra is a long-time member of the Ames League of Women Voters and over the years has rendered valuable service to the organization. She was on the board in the late 1970s and served as president from 1982-84. Her term as president featured some delicate issues such as adopting a national position on reproductive rights and considering whether to change the name of the League when men became eligible for membership in the League. Consensus consideration of these issues was tackled effectively by the board under Sandra's leadership. During her term the board also embraced the national emphasis on member recruitment. Locally, this resulted in membership surpassing 100 for the first time in LWV of Ames history. During her presidency, the League also submitted a successful application for All-American City recognition for the City of Ames. Such recognition is a rare honor and it was celebrated publicly with a variety of festivities for all Ames residents.
Following her work on the Ames LWV board, Sandra served for two years as secretary on the state board. Currently, she is again on the Ames board, serving this time in the capacity of treasurer. She also chaired the 2015 bylaws committee.
Sandra's public service began as a member of various committees related to community planning. She then served on the City of Ames Planning and Zoning Commission, chairing the Commission for two years. Subsequent to that she served on the Story County Zoning Board of Adjustment from 1997-2002. And, in April 2015 she will complete a 5-year term on the City of Ames Zoning Board of Adjustment.
In recent years, Sandra has served on and presided over the boards of two prominent local music organizations: Central Iowa Symphony and Ames Town & Gown Association. During her tenure on each board, she worked tirelessly to increase awareness of the arts and to raise financial support for each organization.
Over the years Sandra has also served her church in many ways. Recently she was elected to serve another term on the Session of Collegiate Presbyterian Church, where she will chair the Finance Committee. In a quite different church-service role, she will travel with a CPC group to Honduras in October 2016 to install a clean-water system in a rural village.
Sandra's superb organizational skills are highly respected and sought after by many groups. The League is fortunate to have benefited from her services over the years.
--by the Carrie Chapman Catt Award Committee, LWV of Ames