MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine has announced the 2025 recipients of its Initiative Awards. The honors recognize the good work of fellow citizens and charitable organizations who are making a difference in Muscatine County.
The 2025 award recipients include:
- Shirley Jean Drake Great Initiative Award – Freda Sojka, founder and co-director of Cedar River Haven.
According to a foundation news release, Ms. Sojka has poured her heart into building a recovery community that provides women with something truly life-changing: a safe place to heal, grow, and rebuild.
Instrumental in every stage of Cedar River Haven’s creation, she shaped the vision, developed the plan, and organized the framework. As a volunteer, she recruited board members and supporters. She also coordinated outreach and fundraising, and inspired others to join her mission.
Ms. Sojka received a $1,500 grant to be directed to the charitable cause of her choice, Cedar River Haven.
The Great Initiative Award was established to honor the inaugural recipient Shirley Jean Drake. The long-time Community Foundation board member left a legacy of great initiatives across our community, county, and state.
- Giles Joslyn Youth Initiative Award – Emmery Drake is being honored for what began as a simple idea stemming from her experience as a reading buddy and grew into a community-wide effort that collected and donated books across our community.
The foundation said her commitment to the community doesn’t stop there. Over the past year, she has rung bells for the Salvation Army, delivered holiday gifts for Senior Resources, and donated part of her Junior Miss Iowa Scholarships to United Way’s school supply drive. As part of the award, Emmery received a $1,000 grant to be directed to United Way Muscatine County.
About the award
This award is named after the first recipient Giles Joslyn. He implemented a ‘Stringfest’ concert to raise money for new band instruments and music lessons for students who might not otherwise be able to afford them.
For more information on the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine’s Initiative Awards Program, visit www.givinggreater.org/awards, or contact Rebecca Harden-Jones at [email protected] or (563) 264-3863.
The foundation is a countywide charitable organization actively working to improve the quality of life in Muscatine County through philanthropy. For more information, call (563) 264-3863 or www.givinggreater.org.
