Jim Krafft Memorial Resource Center

Resource Materials Available

Computer Services Available

History

Jim Krafft, born Oct. 23, 1950, in Estherville, Iowa attended schools in Estherville, and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Iowa State University. Krafft received certification as a chemical dependency counselor from the University of Iowa's Oakdale Treatment Center and worked as a counselor at the center. Jim also worked as an alcohol education counselor at Grinnell College before moving to Ames to work for the Regional Substance Abuse Center. He joined the Office of Student Life staff at Iowa State in March 1977 to take on a pilot project in alcohol and drug education on the ISU campus, which was jointly funded by the University, and the Iowa Commission on Substance Abuse. Jim married his wife, Sarah Snapp, in Grinnell on May 28, 1977.

Jim Krafft served as the coordinator of alcohol education and wellness programs on campus, and authored a resource manual used by many schools nationally entitled, Introductory Guide to Alcohol Use and Abuse".

In his work as Alcohol Education Progranuner at Iowa State, Jim was deeply committed to helping people understand and take responsibility regarding not only their own, but others drug and alcohol use, as well.

The programs and workshops, which Jim was instrumental in creating and providing for the campus and community, included:

  1. Educating bartenders on recognizing and refusing service to intoxicated customers, and not pushing drinks.
  2. Working with the Greek community and Residence Halls on hosting alcohol-free parties, or safe hosting practices.
  3. Recognizing when someone is in trouble or has a problem and how to intervene. This was the subject of Jim's master's thesis, and he held this workshop for students, staff and community members.
  4. Sponsoring the "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk" campaign (which was a new program at the time)

Krafft was president of the Iowa Prevention Network, an organization of Iowa counselors in the alcohol education field. Jim loved working with the students and was the staff sponsor of the Student Concert Committee. He was also a member of the Pool Hall Waltz Band.

Jim Krafft was an avid enthusiast of music - playing, supporting and listening to it often. He loved to camp, read, ride his bicycle (completing RAGBRAI several times), and he loved his motorcycle.

Those closest to him knew him as "Greasy JimA" in college, and may also remember his panel truck, which he called "Abraham T. Pennyman".

On Saturday, September 19, 1981, Jim was in a serious motorcycle accident near Marshailtown, Iowa.

On Sunday, September 27, 1981, Jim Krafft died at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.

A memorial fund was established in Krafft's name at the Union Story Bank. Jim's wife, Sarah, chose to use the fund to create a resource library on alcohol education in Jim's name, and contribute to the building of an outdoor fitness course (which was located by the Clyde Williams Field Track, south of State Gym).

The Jim Krafft Memorial Resource Center was belatedly housed in August of 2000, following the move by Student Affairs to the Student Services Building, and is maintained as a resource for students and faculty seeking information and services related to substance use and abuse. Most importantly, it is a library dedicated to the individual who started the Alcohol Awareness and Education Programs on the Iowa State campus.

Though the individuals who now work in this office did not know Jim Krafft personally, there are those that are willing to share his memory with us, and we would like this site to be a place that they can come to remember a friend.