Champions Run is closed until January 16th, that's why we are meeting at Midland University this Friday, January 12th, located at 11213 Davenport St., Omaha, NE 68154.
Aurora Robson is a multi-media artist known predominantly for her work intercepting the waste stream. Her practice is about subjugating negativity and shifting trajectories. Her work formally references recurring nightmares that she had as a child. She was born in Toronto in 1972 and grew up in Maui, HI. After over 2 decades living and working in NYC she recently moved to the Hudson Valley. Robson holds a double major (B.A.) in visual arts and art history from Columbia University.
Robson's work has been featured in Sculpture Magazine, Art in America, WIRED, Art & Antiques, the cover of Green Building + Design and other publications. She is a recipient of the Pollock Krasner Grant, a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Sculpture, a TED/Lincoln Re-Imagine Prize and a National Endowment for the Arts Art Work Grant.
Robson is also the founding artist ofProject Vortex, an international collective of artists, designers and architects who also work with plastic debris. In addition she has been working on the development of a college course called "Sculpture + Intercepting the Waste Stream" designed to foster creative stewardship at academic institutions. Her goal with the course is to encourage shifting of paradigms in art and science education while helping restrict the flow of plastic debris to our oceans. For more information see her TEDx talk entitled Trash + Love.
Kent's wife Juli Templien sent us Kent's latest update: "Kent is moving to QLI in Omaha early this week to continue his recovery. He is making good progress and getting stronger. Biggest gains of late have been in his hands and tolerance for being up tight, a precursor to walking. We envision a similar weekday schedule as Madonna where therapy is between 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM and open to visitors in the evenings and on weekends."
Lets keep Kent in our thoughts and prayers for his continued recovery. Kent's email address is: kent@x-eqt.com; cellphone # (402) 290-1500. Let's send Kent an email or text everyday. You may also send a card to Kent's business address at: 182 S 166th Street, Omaha, NE 68118. Your words of encouragement and well wishes will make a difference.
Rotary did not have a meeting last Friday. However, we had our second weekend of Christmas Tree Recycling. There were nine Rotarians and one future Rotarian who helped recycle Christmas trees, namely: Manny Paz, Gretchen Radler, Rebecca Miller, Butch Ethington, Dwayne Brown, Jim Gerner, Larry McChesney, Jim Olafson, Yolanda Hoffman, and Ally Hoffman. We were able to take a few video clips from the morning shift. Watch the video below or here.
Christmas came early for our Rotary Club when Jim Otis donated a brand new iPad mini. Jim Otis, President of The Otis Company, responded to our request for iPad donation in order to continue providing the members the convenience of using credit card or debit card for lunch payments and membership dues. Thank you, Jim!
Rebecca Miller is the Owner and Managing Director of FixLexia, a clinic dedicated to the needs individual affected by dyslexia or other reading-related difficulties. As an Educational Consultant, she has collaborated with various school districts in the Omaha area. Rebecca is also a Board Certified Educational Advocate allowing her to help parents navigate the special education process on behalf of their school-aged children. Before opening FixLexia, she co-owned and managed a private in-home tutoring company for 13 years serving nearly 3,200 Omaha area students. Rebecca's experience as an educational consultant and parent advocate have provided her with a unique opportunity to understand educational issues from varying perspectives. Prior to working in the educational field, Rebecca was an Investment Broker for Wells Fargo Advisors.
While a new Rotarian, Rebecca has been a long time Rotarian at heart as she has been helping Omaha West Rotary by providing her expert assistance for our Rotary Readers project. Rebecca's membership to West Rotary was proposed and sponsored by Don Otis.
Rebecca Miller
L to R: Don Otis, Rebecca Miller, & Nuzhat Mahmood
Kari Hannan, Development Director at Ronald McDonald House Charities
As the Development Director for the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha, Kari Hannan is a nonprofit leader focused on connecting individuals and businesses who are interested in helping families who come to the Omaha area to seek medical treatment in one of our outstanding hospitals. She directs and oversees development activities including major gifts, corporate giving, and grants. Through her previous experience at Kiewit as well as a small business owner who taught ballet for 15 years, she brings with her a wide array of talent, leadership, and unwavering vision for how we can make this world a better place.
Kari's membership to Omaha West Rotary was proposed and sponsored by Rotarian Dick Sturgeon, Senior Vice President at Premier Bank. Dick introduced Kari to club members on Dec. 8th and she received a warm welcome from Omaha West Rotarians as she made one of the best decisions in her life by joining Rotary.
January Birthdays Dennis Hein 02 Kim Kuhle 08 Robert Kully 08 Patrick Knowles 09 Marsha Kubica 14 Diane Stewart 15 Dick Lerner 16 Nuzhat Mahmood 17 Greg Key 21 William Sutton 25 Rod Anderson 27 Jill Slupe 27 Richard Sturgeon 30
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)
