A Rooted Legacy

CFNEIA

July 6, 2018

Waverly was a young community in the late 1800s when the Rathe family made it their home and a generational tradition of giving back began. Today, the community is thriving and Dr. Ann Rathe, a psychiatrist at Waverly Health Center, is making her own mark.

Dr. Rathe’s family roots of community leadership run deep, so supporting Waverly comes naturally.

"It's important to me to give back to the community. It was just ingrained in me and my siblings to contribute time, treasure, and talent to whatever cause we felt was important," said Dr. Rathe.  "It makes me feel good to give money to causes I value. That's the bottom line."

Her passions can be seen through her volunteerism, her advocacy for mental health services, and her work on the Waverly City Council. Starting the Dr. Ann Rathe Endowment Fund, a donor advised fund with the Bremer County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, is a product of her love of family and her hometown.

“I’m glad I’ve lived in other parts of the country because it helped me appreciate Waverly. We shouldn’t take for granted what we have here. It’s been built by generations of people. Without them, Waverly wouldn’t be the town it is. I hope people of my generation and younger will continue that work,” said Dr. Rathe.

While she doesn’t think about her actions in terms of legacy, Dr. Rathe does see the benefit of leaving something behind.

“If I can leave something in perpetuity that serves people, that is great. If I’m wise and invest money in it for the rest of my life, it will do that and maybe someone down the line will also be inspired to give,” said Dr. Rathe.