Ann and Jim Willer: Symbols of Service and Giving

For Ann and Jim Willer, the road to ChildServe's doorstep went through one of the organization's greatest partners: Variety—The Children's Charity of Iowa.

Natives of Chicago, Ann and Jim's paths first crossed in Des Moines in 1972, where the two met on a blind date. The respective Drake and Iowa State University graduates were married two years later.

Ann began a career with the juvenile court probation system and then stayed home to raise their children, Patrick and Kate. After brief stints with Bankers Life and working in his father's small securities firm, Jim embarked upon what is now a 47-year career with Morgan Stanley. He oversees Morgan Stanley's offices in Nebraska and Iowa as Executive Director.

Having learned the values of service and giving growing up in busy families, Ann and Jim's commitment to these core tenets took a personal, emotional turn with the passing of a daughter, two days after her premature birth.

The couple became familiar with Variety's neonatal intensive care unit through that experience and Jim became very engaged, helping to raise resources as a VIP, eventually serving as President and receiving the organization's prestigious International Heart Award.

It was through his Variety tenure that he and Ann were introduced to ChildServe.

"ChildServe fills a gap that no other organization does," says Jim. "They help children and families who have no other options, and do so in such a loving and caring way."

Jim joined the ChildServe Board of Trustees in 2003 and eventually served as board chair. During a brainstorming session about ways to elevate the organization's awareness, he and fellow board member Soozie McBroom hatched the idea of a Bubble Ball. "I was the money guy and Soozie was the creative person," Jim recalls. "We started with a thousand dollar donation and half of a semi-load of bubble wrap."

ChildServe's inaugural Bubble Ball was held in 2011 and the event attracted a couple hundred attendees and generated some $60,000 in revenue. Few could have imagined 10 years later that a themed runway show featuring costumes of bubble wrap would emerge as one of central Iowa's premier fundraising events.

Collectively, more than $2.1 million has been raised for children with special healthcare needs through the Bubble Ball.

Ann and Jim have supported ChildServe with annual gifts for more than 20 years, participating in special events and capital campaigns. The couple are also members of the ChildServe Legacy Roll of Honor, a society established to recognize individuals and families who have included the organization as beneficiaries of their estate plans. The Willers each plan to leave a portion of their Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to ChildServe, continuing to help children with special healthcare needs live a great life.

The Willers are grateful and count their blessings. "Having healthy children and grandchildren makes you appreciate such and want to help those families who have harder rows to hoe. You can't walk through the halls of ChildServe, look into the faces of the children and families and not be moved," says Jim.

Help Children Lead Great Lives

You, like Ann and Jim, can ensure ChildServe will continue to be there to "fill the gap" for generations to come. Contact Colleen Rogers Messenger CAP® at 515-251-5572 or colleen@childserve.org to get started.