In a ceremony held last week at the Pella Corporation headquarters, the Pella Rolscreen Foundation recognized Rhonda Siefering as this year’s recipient of the Joan Kuyper Farver Spirit Award. As a part of this award, the foundation will make a $25,000 grant available to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society on behalf of Siefering, as well as award an additional $41,000 in grants to other organizations on behalf of Pella team members nominated for this year’s Spirit Award.
Siefering, who works as a general specialist at Pella Corporation’s plant in Shenandoah, Iowa, was one of four finalists for the award and was nominated by her peer for her lifelong volunteerism and work in the community with many different organizations, including St. Timothy Lutheran Church, Central Iowa Hospice, Bedford Community Ambulance Service, the American Legion Auxiliary, and more.
“As a company, we are proud of how Pella team members throughout the country are involved with doing good works in their respective communities,” said Karmen Gardner, Pella Rolscreen Foundation Executive Director. “All of the individuals considered for this year’s award exemplify, in some way, the spirit of caring and community service that Joan Kuyper Farver felt was so important. However, Rhonda’s ongoing work with and demonstrated commitment to various causes her community are well-deserving of this year’s top recognition.”
This is the 4th Annual Spirit Award, which was established in 2017 by the Pella Rolscreen Foundation to honor the memory of Joan Kuyper Farver, the daughter of company founder Pete Kuyper who also served as chair of the Pella Corporation Board of Directors. Farver died in 2017, at the age of 97, and was a long-time supporter of community service and many different non-profit entities during her lifetime.
“We are proud of Rhonda and her history of helping others in the community,” said John Finn, Pella’s Plant Manager in Shenandoah. “Our company, along with the Pella Rolscreen Foundation, has a long history of supporting projects and enhancing the quality of life in the communities where we have a footprint, so I am happy Rhonda – as well as the many other team members who were nominated from around the country – are being publicly recognized for the good work they have been doing to help others.”
The three other finalists for this year’s Spirit Award and their non-profits of choice – all of whom will also receive a $10,000 grant from the Pella Rolscreen Foundation – are as follows:
• Ana Graciano (Wood Village, OR – Portland Operations) – Iglesia Vision Nueva – Lideres Naturales
• John Henderson (Shenandoah, IA – Shenandoah Operations) – Southwest Iowa Theatre Group
• Tricia Van Zee (Pella, IA – Pella Corporate Headquarters) – 725 Ministries
Additionally, 11 Honorable Mention recipients were also recognized at the ceremony; and their non-profits of choice will be receiving $1,000 grants from the foundation. These individuals are:
• Carol Cox (Farragut, IA – Shenandoah Operations)
• Geri Gwizdz (Towaco, NJ – West Caldwell Sales Subsidiary)
• Lindsey Hofmann (Spring Grove, PA – Gettysburg Operations)
• Mike Koenck (Vail, IA – Carroll Operations)
• Lucia Leydens (Otley, IA – Pella Corporate Headquarters)
• Joe Ritzert (Pella, IA – Pella Corporate Headquarters)
• Anthony Sealy (Virginia Beach, VA – Nationals Account Sales)
• Jason Smith (Sioux Center, IA – Sioux Center Operations)
• Loren Vos (Sully, IA – Pella Operations)
• Penny Wilkins (Carroll, IA – Carroll Operations)
• Kimberly Zinn (Abbottstown, PA – Gettysburg Operations)
To date, in 2021, the Pella Rolscreen Foundation has provided more than $300,000 in direct grants to numerous organizations throughout the country where Pella team members live and work. This is in addition to the nearly $32,000 in volunteerism grants ($100 for every 20 hours of volunteerism) and nearly $108,000 in matching gifts distributed so far this year.