When the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives arrived for a week of sessions at the Iowa Events Center, about 70 signed up to work with United Way to assemble literacy kits to stress the importance of reading. The volunteers included this year’s DSM Fellows. 

The convention-goers, who were here July 17-20, also teamed with Insperity and the Greater Des Moines Partnership to make and donate 200 teddy bears to Amanda the Panda and Children and Families of Iowa. “We provide grief support services to children, individuals and families through support groups and camps,” said Madee Carder, program coordinator at Amanda the Panda. “These bears will be given to grieving children at our grief and loss camp.”