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This Friday at Rotary
MATT GREGORY
"Wildlife in a Warmer World"
Nebraska WiIldlife Federation
November 3, 2017
 
Matt Gregory, originally from Omaha, has been with Nebraska Wildlife Federation since July, after spending two years with Nebraska Farmers Union. He attended Creighton Prep and graduated from Northwest, and received a Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. He taught English for eleven years, nine of them in Prague, Czech Republic. He attended the COP 21 climate change negotiations in Paris, the COP 15 negotiations in Copenhagen, and has been working on, organizing and educating about climate change issues for over ten years. He enjoys traveling, going to concerts and basketball.
 
Chair of the Day: Rich Secor
Invocator: Luke McNeese
Cashier: Anne Fuhrman
Sgt. At Arms: Gretchen Radler
Greeters: Karin Lombard & Stan Lierz
Last Friday at Rotary October 27th
Last week, Past President Rich Secor presided the meeting on behalf of President Nuzhat who was attending the Rotary Zone meeting in Chicago. Manny Paz gave the Invocation, Jim Gerner served as Greeter while Bonnie Gil was Cashier. Jim Meier was Sgt At Arms. Rich introduced our speaker State Senator John McCollister. John spoke about the changing demographics and legislature issues facing Nebraska.
 
L to R: Rich, Matt, John, & Manny
 
Rich was very prompt in meeting Senator McCollister upon his arrival and Jim made sure the senator was secured during his visit with us.
 
FRIDAY CREW: Cashier Bonnie Gill, Sgt At Arms Jim Meier, and Greeter Jim Gerner
 
Jim brought the Sgt At Arms role to whole new level with his outfit
 
Bonnie balanced our accounting sheet
 
Jim greeting the purple man with pink shoes Dan Ferris
Matt McKeever Secretary Report 10/27/17
Matt, donning a magician’s hat and holding a magic wand, returned this week as Secretary and thanked Manny for pinch-hitting for him last week. Jill Woodward from Omaha Southwest Rotary joined us as a guest.  Brett Wawers was fined for Lamp Rynerson’s sponsorship of the Omaha Symphony.  Nizar Mamdani got Matt fined for an article on Bitcoin.  Matt pulled a rabbit out of his hat.  A number of Rotarians had good news.  The club held our First Annual Ray Barr Loud Outfit Contest.  Dan Ferris won for loudest neckware (also sporting a great outfit and purple shoes), Dick Lerner won for best outfit (wearing orange pants he made for Ray Barr) and Jim Meier won for best costume.  Winners received wonderful Boy Scout coupon books.  Matt made himself disappear.
 
Matt donning a magician’s hat and holding a magic wand
 
District 5650 won two awards at the  Zone meeting  in Chicago
President Nuzhat Mahmood and President-Elect Jill Slupe were part of the District 5650 delegation to the recently concluded Rotary Zones 28 & 29 meeting in Chicago.
 
District 5650 was awarded the Membership Development Award for achieving the second highest growth percentage of female members in Zone 28 for the 2016-2017 year.

The district was also awarded Membership Development Award for achieving the third highest member retention rate in Zone 28 for the 2016-2017 year.

As membership chair for the district, our own President-Elect Jill Slupe accepted the awards. 
 
Jill receiving the District award
Omaha West Rotarian Carol Gendler

Carol Gendler, born in New Haven, Connecticut,  has created a legacy of community activism stronger than that of most Nebraska-born citizens. She joined Rotary Club of Omaha – West in 1998 and has worked with the various committees.  She currently serves on the Omaha West Rotary Foundation.  For almost a decade now, Carol has donated $5000 to the Paul Harris Fund as a match of $100 each with our individual members donations. 

Years ago, Carol completed a Masters degree in History at UNO and has used that knowledge to create a history of the local Jewish Community, in her work with the Douglas County Historical Society over the last 50 plus years, in the 14 years she served as Director of the Douglas County Law Library, and as a major donor to the Omaha World Herald digital library.  Her OWH gift enables current historians the luxury of digital records instead of spending hours turning the crank of a microfilm reader. In 2006, Carol completed a historical account of our own Rotary club spanning 50 years. 

Besides the Omaha West Rotary Foundation board, Carol also serves on the Humanities Nebraska, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Heartland Family Service, Joslyn Art Museum, and the Legal Aid of Nebraska boards.  Many local civic organizations such as Lauritzen Gardens, NET Foundation and the Omaha Community Foundation benefit from Carol’s financial gifts.

Rotarians are fortunate to have her talent, passion and generosity toward our local and international projects.
Committee Announcements - West Rotarians in Action
Committee engagement at West Rotary is where you get the best value of being a Rotarian. Enhance your Rotary experience by getting involved in committee work.
Brett Wawers, Community Service Chair
The Career Day at Skinner Magnet Center is on November 2, 2017, from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM. Brett would like to thank those who volunteered for Career Day. All volunteer spots have been filled.
November Birthdays

     

November Birthdays
Trudy Bredthauer 01   Dean Jenkins 04   Matt McKeever 09   Rana Scarlett-Johnson 11   Stanley Lierz 13  
Mark Ellsworth 21   Carl Philo Nov 25

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Need a make-up?

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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Russell Hampton
ClubRunner