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This Friday at Rotary
Presiding Officer: Rich Secor
Secretary: Matt McKeever
Chair of the Day: Deb Neary
Invocator: Gene Klein
Vocational Talk: Jim Olafson
Cashier: Bonnie Gill
Sgt. at Arms: Bev Karrer
Greeters: Susan Thomas and Pat Knowles
 
Speakers: Chad Wegener and John F. Carroll
 
John F. Carroll
Attorney and Registered Nurse
 
BIO:  John F. Carroll is an attorney and registered nurse. He opened his Omaha firm, Watson & Carroll, in 2011.   He specializes in civil litigation and medical malpractice.  Carroll's health care journey started in 1987 as a medic in the United States Air Force, and continued as a Medical Assistant caring for people with HIV/AIDS in the 90s. He graduated from Bellevue University in 2000 with a degree in Criminal Justice and Creighton University School of Law in 2005. John was also on the fourth season of Survivor in 2002. He is also active in supporting breast cancer research and breast density notification following his Mom and Sister’s breast cancer diagnoses in 2014 and 2016.
 
Chad Wegener
Business Owner
BIO: Chad Wegener grew up in Pierre, SD, and moved to Omaha in 1994.  He is now currently working full-time on the farm caring for the goats. He is in the process of developing a top secret egg carton design. He also manages the farms Tiny House business, www.piccolacasafarm.com. Chad is also developing a new apiary and will be setting up his first bee hive in the spring. Prior to working on the farm, Chad worked for many years at Hewlett Packard in Sales Operations and the Hitchin’ Post and Wooden Nickel. He graduated from Bellevue University in 2014 with a degree in Business Management.
 
Presentation Topic: Nebraska’s Willow Valley Farm—home to the largest herd of San Clemente Island Goats in the World
 
Program description:  
Enjoy this light-hearted tour of “Willow Valley Farms” that will be presented by the farm owners, Chad Wegener and John F. Carroll. There are approximately 700 San Clement Island Goats in the world, and over 200 of them can be found right here in Nebraska.  SCI Goats are a critically endangered breed of goat. Wegener & Carroll see it as their mission to save this breed from extinction.  Beyond the goats, the couple have three boxer dogs name Maggie, Duke and Petey. The farm in Gretna is also home to a mixed flock of chickens, turkeys, ducks and guinea fowl. They have blackberry brambles, a vegetable garden, fruit trees and flower gardens.  Willow Valley Farms was named the 23rd Pollinator Habitat by the State of Nebraska.  In addition, John and Chad are working on plans to open a Class A micro dairy to make artisan cheeses with the rarest goat milk in the world.  
 
More information can be found at these links:
 
Omaha World Herald Article: Rare Goats in Nebraska
 
San Clemente Island Goats: www.willowvalleyfarms.org
 
Last Week at Rotary
Last week, Past President Dick Sturgeon presided the meeting. Kendall Scheer gave the Invocation. Rebecca Miller, Mike Morey, and Jamie Summerfelt served as Greeters, while Anne Fuhrman was Cashier. Deb Neary was Chair of the Day and she introduced our speaker Jeremy Bouman. Jeremy is Executive Director at Defy Ventures. Defy Ventures is an entrepreneurship, employment, and character development training program for currently and formerly incarcerated men, women, and youth. If you missed the meeting, you can find more about Defy here.
 
L to R: PP Dick Sturgeon, Deb Neary, Jeremy Bouman
 
Attendees last week received a warm welcome from greeters Mike Morey, Rebecca Miller, and Jamie Summerfelt.
 
Matt McKeever beaming with pride after receiving his 13 years of perfect attendance award from Engagement Committee Chair John Philo
Matt McKeever Secretary Report 2/9/2018
Laura Thomas joined us again from the Rotary E-Club of the Carolinas and Larry Johansen visited us again from Downtown Rotary. 
 
Deb Neary introduced us to four guests:  Rick Spellman, Shonna Dorsey, Melissa Beagley and Erica Pieper. Bruce Cramer introduced Chris Kortus as his guest.  We recognized Red Badge members. 
 
Russ Iwan shared good news about his trip to see the U.S.S. Omaha. Luke Henderson reminded us of the 108th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. Dick Lerner shared that he became a grandfather for the fourth time.  Matt Molettiere gave a dollar to celebrate the Eagles' Super Bowl win, but no other club members admitted to being Eagles fans.  Ron Niederhaus shared the good news that he had just washed his car and discovered that it was blue. 
 
Greg Key and Jeff Ziemba were also fined for newspaper articles.  No one submitted Bitcoin articles to get Matt fined, but Matt was fined anyway for appearing on a TV news spot about Bitcoin.  The Club was then shown a map illustrating the nations of the world that have put a car into space.  During the discussion about Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster being launched into space, Jim Glaser said that he was curious what kind of mileage it would get.  Matt observed that it might not matter because the car only had a 100,000 mile warranty anyway.
Featured Rotarian: Bob Walker

The Walkers Don’t Walk, They Run 


Bob Walker Jr joined Rotary 44 years ago at the invitation of Dr. Crotty and has served as President and Secretary plus several terms on the Board of Directors.  He was originally an active Kiwanis member.  When his business demands took off in the early 70s, and he couldn’t convince Kiwanis to lessen his volunteer duties, he left.  A few years later when things settled down he became a Rotarian.
 
Bob’s grandfather started Max I. Walker cleaners in March of 1917 and Bob worked with both his father and grandfather as a child.  In his teens, he also held two other jobs.  One for Buffett’s grocery in Dundee (this was Warren’s uncle) and another at Peony Park where he was fired for not coming in on a last-minute request because his mother had other plans. 
 
Today, Bob still goes into the office every day, keeps a cell phone and answers emails.  His son Rob “runs the place and is doing a great job.  I try to stay out of the way.”   In 1974, they took on the industrial part of the business which has been helpful in keeping the company vital and growing as well as providing jobs for his three grandsons one runs production, another the routes and customer service and the youngest is on the retail side.  In fact, they will open a new retail cleaning plant in Elkhorn this year.  Bob said with a smile, “Dry cleaning is a mature industry.   Only the best guys will survive.”
 
The company is busy preparing for their 11th annual Ultra Chic Boutique in February.  They collect, mend and clean wedding and evening dresses, then host an event where they sell to the public for $30 each   In the past, proceeds have gone to Lydia House.  This year they will go the Alzheimer’s Association.  Bob’s wife of 60 years, Linda, recently moved into a care facility with the same disease.  His two children Rob and Lisa have been there to help every step of the way.
 
As a Paul Harris Fellow +8 and a major donor at several levels, Bob said he gives generously to the International Foundation because
“I know it will be spent properly.  Look what happened to the Goodwill here.  Rotary will do the right thing. It’s something everyone ought to think about, and you don’t have to give big bucks, just get started.  Look what we have done with polio, that’s the greatest example in the world.”
Brett Wawers, Past President & Community Service Chair
Multi-Club Meal Packaging Project
Where: Omaha Against Hunger Warehouse 2544 S. 156th CircleOmaha, NE  68130
When: February 17, Saturday, 8:00 AM - 2:15 PM
Sign up now here.
 
Volunteers of all ages are invited to help package meals for the hungry in Omaha with Omaha Against Hunger (formerly Kids Against Hunger)  on Saturday, February 17th.  Young children can have step stools and folks who need to sit can also do that.
Dan Ferris , Past President & March Program Chair
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.
February Birthdays

     

February Birthdays
Gail Veitzer 01  Larry McChesney 03  Wendy Wiseman 05   
Bonnie Gill 04,   Vaughn Wiebusch 09   
Joseph Finnegan 17   Deborah Neary 25 

 

 
 
 
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Cella Quinn Donates a Printer
 
 
Rotarian Cella Quinn donated an industrial grade printer to our Rotary office.  Thank you, Cella!
 
 
Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA)
 
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.
Speed Up Your Check-in, Get a Punch Card
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. 
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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Speakers
Feb 23, 2018 12:00 PM
A Treasure to Share
Mar 02, 2018
Visiting Nurses Association
Mar 09, 2018
New age workspace, modern day employee
Mar 16, 2018
An Update on Project Harmony- Our Community’s Child Advocacy Center
View entire list
Upcoming Events
West Rotary Luncheon
Feb 23, 2018
 
West Rotary Luncheon
Mar 02, 2018
 
West Rotary Luncheon
Mar 09, 2018
 
Omaha West Rotary Board Meeting
Mar 14, 2018
 
West Rotary Luncheon
Mar 16, 2018
 
West Rotary Luncheon
Mar 23, 2018
 
Bringing Rotary to IPP Kent Templien
QLI
Mar 23, 2018
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
 
West Rotary Luncheon
Mar 30, 2018
 
West Rotary Luncheon
Apr 06, 2018
 
Omaha West Rotary Board Meeting
Apr 11, 2018
 
Bulletin Editor
Yolanda Hoffman
Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
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