You are invited to our Club Fellowship hosted by Dick Lerner at BelAir Fashions this Thursday, March 1st, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM. Stop by after your work and enjoy quality fellowship with Rotarians. Dick will be serving complimentary appetizers and drinks. Don't miss it! Sign up here.
BIO: Jamie joined VNA in June 2004 with 28 years of leadership experience in the home healthcare industry. His passion for home care and his innovative leadership has guided our compassionate team of healthcare professionals to become the overwhelming choice for healthcare services in the home and across the community – no matter their age, station in life or available resources.
Under Jamie’s leadership, a private duty program, VNA Help at Home, was formed in 2006; he facilitated mergers with the VNA of Pottawattamie County in 2007 and with Easterseals Nebraska in 2012; and secured a management services agreement with Fremont Health and Hospice of Southwest Iowa, and established Healing Motion Physical Therapy clinic in 2013. Jamie is active in the community and has developed partnerships with Nebraska Medicine and Methodist Hospital to enhance the transition from hospital to home, resulting in reduced re-hospitalizations and successful patient outcomes. His commitment to quality has resulted in VNA receiving the following awards: Best of Omaha for In-Home Nursing Services for the past seven years; Well Workplace Gold Award in 2008 and 2012; Patriot Award in 2011; Better Business Bureau Integrity Award in 2009 and 2016; HealthWyse Trailblazer Award in 2014; and a Business Excellence Award from the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce in 2017. Jamie was awarded the Dick Anderton Mentor of the Year Award from the Visiting Nurse Associations of America in 2013.
Prior to VNA, Jamie worked for Saint Mary’s Medical Center in Reno, Nevada as Vice President of Professional and Support Services including home care and hospice. Jamie received his Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Northwestern University where he also played Big Ten football. He received a Master of Science in Physical Therapy and Master of Arts in Education from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. Moving back to Chicago, he established his own physical therapy business that he eventually merged with a national healthcare provider and proceeded to establish home care businesses in nine different states. Jamie’s passion for home health care brought him to Omaha. Jamie is a member of the VNA/ESN Board of Directors, Chair of the Hospice House – The Josie Harper Residence Board and Hospice of Southwest Iowa, and past Chair of the Visiting Nurse Associations of America, Live Well Omaha and Nonprofit Association of the Midlands Boards; and is currently a member of the Nebraska Home Care Association Board of Directors.
Jamie and his wife, Maggie, have three children and two grandchildren.
Last week, President Nuzhat Mahmood presided the meeting. Carol Gendler gave the Invocation. Larry McChesney and Dick Lerner served as Greeters, while Don Otis was Cashier. Bev Karrer was Sgt. At Arms. Rebecca Miller gave her Vocational Talk. Deb Neary was Chair of the Day. Deb introduced our speaker Shonna Dorsey, Vice President for Sales and Marketing at AIM Institute. Shonna spoke about building a connected community for tech talent in Greater Omaha. If you missed Shonna's presentation, you can find out more about AIM Institute here.
L to R: Nuzhat Mahmood, Shonna Dorsey, and Deb Neary
Last week, Engagement Committee Chair John Philo awarded Steve Redler with a 24-karat gold number tab 31 for his amazing, unmatched record of 31 years of perfect Rotary attendance. John praised Steve for setting a good example for his excellent engagement as Rotarian. Congratulations, Steve!
L to R: Stacy Auman, Michelle Kaufmann, and Nuzhat Mahmood
After completing the rigorous Red Badge requirements, Michelle Kaufmann received her Blue Badge from her Rotary sponsor, Stacy Auman. When President Nuzhat asked her about her favorite time as Red Badge, Michelle said it was the Bell Ringing for the Salvation Army with John Morey. Congratulations, Michelle!
The Future Business Leaders of America from Skutt Catholic High School visited Rotary, namely: Ana Dorador, Katie Belfiore, Caleb Sudbeck, Andi Sims, Alex Girard, Elizabeth Howard, Natalie Barclay, Liz Sims, Josephine Garro, and Jillian Rokes with their faculty adviser Elizabeth Rudden. It was impressive to hear their plans and aspirations for their future. Their visit was sponsored by Brett Wawers and they were hosted by Susan Thomas.
This past Friday, Laura Thomas visited us again from the E-Club of the Carolinas. Larry Johansen from Downtown Rotary and Phil Shreier from Omaha Northwest also joined us. Don Otis introduced us to Sally Otis. Dr. Mark Manhart introduced us to his son, Mark Manhart. Deb Neary introduced her guest, Mike Skinner. Deb Neary also shared good news about a list of business mentors.
As he warned last week, Matt fined everyone who was not wearing their Rotary pins but anyone who helped out last Saturday's meal packing project were excused from the fine. Although Martie Cordero said that he had expected to be fined, he was spared, but he should probably bring a dollar or two for fines next week.
Matt dredged deep into the joke archives of the funniest person he knows, his son, Corran McKeever, age 11. Matt then told the one about the skeleton that walks into a bar to order "three shots of your best whisky... and a mop." After Matt left the podium, President Nuzhat Mahmood consoled the crowd with the hope that Matt would have a better joke next week.
L to R: Bonnie Gill, Mike Shrier, and Rodge Bickerstaff
Recently, The Rotary Foundation Chair Bonnie Gill, awarded Mike Shrier as Paul Harris Fellow + 4 and Rodge Bickerstaff as Paul Harris Fellow + 2. Congratulations and thank you Mike and Rodge for your generosity!
The multi-club meal packaging project chaired by our very own Brett Wawers was a huge success! Omaha West Rotary, together with Suburban, Millard and Southwest, packaged a total of 30,600 highly nutritious meals for distribution to our local food pantries and to feeding programs and orphanages around the world. Thank you to all those who volunteered last Saturday. Pictures have been posted on our Facebook Page here.
Buy the Big Wheel is an annual networking event organized by the Omaha Rotary Clubs and open to all Rotarians in Dist. 5650. It's a great opportunity to network with Omaha business professionals showcasing their products and services on March 8th, Thursday, 4:30 PM - 7:00 PM at Champions Run.
We still have openings for Exhibitors at $99. Exhibiting is limited to Rotarians only. Please call or text Yolanda at (402) 577-0091.
Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served and there is no cost to Rotarians and their guests. Bring your friends and prospective Rotarians. Mark your calendars.
Spread the News! It's a great time to join Omaha West Rotary!
Please spread the news, the fee for joining West Omaha Rotary has been discounted from $540 ($340 plus $200 application fee) to $113 from now till June 30th. Because of the generous “new member” contributions from Nizar Mamdani, Dwayne Brown and John Morey, the application fee has been waived and the membership fee has been supplemented for all new members. This is a great opportunity to encourage prospects to test out our club and join at a reduced rate. For more information please reach out to Jill Slupe at Jslupe@verdemartin.com or 917-416-7498.
Announcement: We are meeting at QLI on March 23rd. Mark your calendars as this is one of a kind meeting.
On March 23rd we have decided to support our fellow Rotarian and immediate past president, Kent Templien by holding our Friday Rotary lunch at Quality Living Inc., 6404 N 70th Plaza, Omaha, NE 68104. Kent is a resident at QLI and loves the idea of us bringing Rotary to him. The guest speaker will be Jon Pearson, director at QLI.
QLI is providing lunch at their cost. In return, we will ask for voluntary contributions to QLI, certainly not mandatory. But we do need to have everyone sign up in advance so that we know how many to plan for. Please register here.
Understanding the value of The Rotary Foundation . . .
When asked what participants want to get out of Rotary training and meetings, we hear things like the statements above.
Meeting all of those needs is a challenge - but there is an answer – the Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI).
RLI has been available in District 5650 since 2006. The curriculum and format were improved in 2009 and we expanded to partner with District 6000 in Iowa in 2012. There have been nearly 275 Rotarians participate in our local program.
Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) was designed to provide discussion and activity-based programs. There is time to go into detail on many topics. It is not focused on a particular Rotary position but allows an opportunity for participants to truly discover Rotary.
All Rotary members benefit from the RLI experience. Rotary Club leadership can be more effective because of their expanded knowledge and connections made during RLI sessions.
RLI is a three-part program. Each RLI participant attends three one-day sessions. Our goal is to offer each Part with every meeting date (pending a sufficient number of registrations).
Upcoming session dates:
March 3, 2018 - Hosted by District 6000 in Iowa City
April 21, 2018 - Hosted by District 5650 likely in Omaha
October 6, 2018 - Hosted by District 5650 likely in Omaha
November 3, 2018 - Hosted by District 6000 likely in Des Moines
The 2018 Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) Seminar will be held April 6-8, 2018 at Camp Kitaki near Louisville NE. High school juniors are eligible to apply. RYLA camp is an intensive 3-day training program for High School Juniors that helps participants think critically about important issues and share ideas with talented peers, earn how to coordinate and lead community service projects, discuss the importance of good governance and civil society to the world, and finally, learn to think globally and explore issues that transcend national borders.
The camp, in its 6th year, focuses on youth leadership development. Students learn about how to make a positive impact as emerging leaders in their communities as well as internationally. One of the running themes of the camp is the “Country Challenge”. This unique group activity allows teams of students to conceive and develop model global humanitarian initiatives. The teams discuss how to work cross culturally to develop sustainable projects. They do research on assigned countries to determine needs and then design projects collaboratively with an international partner.
Our RYLA Committee will be releasing more details soon to help facilitate in nominating high school juniors for RYLA.
We are now offering 10 punch lunch tickets ($160) and 10 punch meeting-only tickets ($70) for sale at the meetings. Get one and don't worry about having cash or getting out your credit card! For sale at check-in.
MONDAY BELLEVUE 12:00 PM (DJ's Dugout, 10308 S. 23rd St.) NORTH 12:00 PM (Omaha Eppley Airport Conference Room) MILLARD 12:00 PM (German American Society, 3717 South 120th Street) - NO MEETING on Oct 9
TUESDAY MORNING 7:00 AM (Happy Hollow Country Club, 1701 S. 105th St.)
NORTHWEST 12:00 PM ( Effective August 15th Northwest Rotary will meet Tuesday's at noon at Jerico's, 11732 W Dodge Rd, Omaha, NE 68154.)
SOUTHWEST NIGHT 5:15 PM (DJ's Dugout at 17666 Welch Plaza, northeast corner of 180th & Q streets)
WEDNESDAY COUNCIL BLUFFS CENTENNIAL 1st Wed 7:00 AM; 3rd Wed floating event; no meeting other weeks (Hy-Vee in Mall of the Bluffs, I-80 Exit 5) DOWNTOWN 12:00 PM (Field Club, 3615 Woolworth Ave.)
THURSDAY COUNCIL BLUFFS NOON 12:00 PM (The Center, 714 S. Main St.)
SUBURBAN 12:00 PM (Anthony's, 7220 F St.)
WESTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY 7:00 AM (Elkhorn Common Ground Community Center, 1701 Veteran's Drive)
FRIDAY WEST 12:00 PM (Champions Run, 13800 Eagle Run Drive)
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