Kunzman speaks on ACC at Kiwanis

Pam Kunzman introduced Dan Kunzman who showed slides and spoke about the services provided by the Anne Carlsen Center at the Dec. 28 noon Kiwanis meeting in the Lantern Room. Kunzman is the executive director of the Anne Carlsen Center Foundation and has been here about 1 1/2 years. He said the ACC employs 364 people and about 290 of them are full time. Many people are surprised that the ACC has a K-12 school that is fully accredited the same as other schools in North Dakota. It is also a hospital with 54 beds and about half of the residents are medically fragile.

Kunzman said every child has the God-given right to get dirty now and then and his pictures showed students enjoying gardening and making salsa that is sold to the community. Students and teachers alike enjoy festive days like Halloween, Christmas and a “princess day parade” in which several Mrs. North Dakota winners, the Jamestown College homecoming court and eight rodeo queens took part. Adaptive equipment helps students work in the community, go bowling, participate in a golf tourney, picnic and enjoy the release of monarch butterflies. Many are in the lake on floaties for the first time at the Elk’s Camp Grassick. His favorite picture was of several empty wheelchairs on the dock with all of the occupants in the water.

The ACC is involved in 46 communities where staff serves clients enabling them to live with dignity and independence. The ACC has 153 therapy clients — off site, outpatient, residential and individual adults who need warm water therapy. Kunzman thanked Kiwanis for its annual contributions. His closing picture showed the ‘kids’ saying thank you each in their own way.

President Galen Rasmussen called the meeting to order, Sharon and Don Caine led the singing and Sandy Franke collected happy dollars for the Salvation Army.

Chuck Axtman will introduce Lance Hill from the Bank of North Dakota who will speak to the Kiwanis Club at their Jan. 11 noon luncheon program at the Lantern Room. Hill will speak about “College Savings Plans.”

Tags: anne carlsen, community, clubs, kiwanis, kunzman, accc