Mt. Pleasant I-Club in ?planning stages?

Mt. Pleasant may be getting its own I-Club.

Planning is the ?initial stages,? according to Mike Anderson of Shottenkirk.

?We?re trying to get one going,? he said, ?but we?re very much in the planning stages right now.?

According to the University of Iowa website, an I-Club is the UI Foundation?s recognition club for contributors to the Hawkeye Fund or the Iowa Scholarship Fund. With a basic membership to the club, Hawkeye supporters receive invitations to I-Club events and priority in purchasing football tickets, among other things.

Anderson, who has been an I-Club member for about five years, has been going to meetings in Ottumwa, and eventually, he got tired of driving there ? and wondered why there wasn?t a club in Mt. Pleasant.

?A lot of (Mt. Pleasant residents) have been I-Club members for years,? Anderson said, noting that there are clubs in not only Ottumwa, but also in Washington, Burlington and Riverside that have Mt. Pleasant members.

?We?ve had a lot of athletes go to the university; I can?t believe we?ve never had an I-Club,? Anderson said. ?I talked to a few people at the university, and they can?t believe we?ve never had one, either.

?I?m sure we could get enough people from just Henry County,? he added.

Right now, Anderson estimates that at least 50 people are interested, and he?s hoping to grow that number.

Anderson said that potential members can contact him at work (319) 385-2261 or on his cell phone (319) 931-4295 for more information.

More information about being an I-Club member is also available on the University of Iowa website: www.jointheiclub.com.

Keep an eye on the Mt. Pleasant News for updates about the I-Club's progress.