Susie Louis is a biologist, artist, former zookeeper, author, educator—and eternal believer that we can all make a difference.
As the Founder & Creative Director for Omaha-based non-profit Conservation Fusion, Susie has spent more than 17 years connecting her love of science, people, animals and creativity to conservation efforts in Madagascar.
Her work has taken her from classrooms in Omaha to some of the most remote villages and forests of Madagascar, where she works alongside Malagasy educators, scientists, children and community leaders to find creative solutions that help both people and wildlife thrive together.
Along the way, Susie and her partners have helped children experience endangered lemurs in the wild, planted hundreds of thousands of trees with students, created conservation camps and youth programs, supported schools and scholarships, worked with women and families, and helped communities protect some of Madagascar’s most endangered wildlife.
At the heart of it all is a simple idea: conservation is all about connection.
Susie believes education creates awareness, awareness builds empathy, and empathy can inspire action. Whether she's painting a mural with children, planting trees, writing a book, publishing a paper, exploring a forest or sharing stories back home in Nebraska, her goal is the same—to help people discover their own ability to make a difference.
A great Rotary meeting starts the moment our members and guests walk through the door. You can help create that welcoming environment! We have open slots on our signup sheet for three essential weekly roles:
Greeters: Welcome members and visiting Rotarians.
Invocators: Inspire us with an opening reflection.
Cashiers: Keep our check-in and lunch lines moving.
The Hope Lodge provides a wonderful, free "home away from home" for cancer patients and their caregivers while they travel to Omaha for treatment.
Your help is needed in supporting their guests, easing their stress, and bringing a bit of comfort during a challenging time. It is a fantastic hands-on project that directly impacts families staying right here in our community. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!
Service Above Self: Join Our New Meals on Wheels Partnership!
A huge thank you to the two Rotarians who are signed up to support our kickoff event on Monday, September 21st. Moving forward, our club will cover a delivery route on the third Monday of every month for the remainder of 2026.
Our next service date is Monday, October 19th. To start out, we are handling one route each month, which requires two Rotarians to team up and serve. If we see high demand from our members, we can easily add more routes in the future! This is a deeply meaningful, hands-on way to support local seniors right here in Omaha.
Rotarian Fellowship in Action: Housing Needed for a Fellow Rotarian's Son
We recently received a verified, secure message from fellow Rotarian Dave Holzknecht of the Fair Oaks Rotary Club (District 5180). His son has just accepted a job right here in Omaha and is set to start on October 12th.
Dave is reaching out to our club to see if any Omaha Rotarians might have a spare room available to rent out for a couple of months while his son gets settled and looks for a permanent apartment.
Supporting our extended Rotary family is what fellowship is all about. If you have space available, know of a great temporary setup, or simply want to reach out to help welcome him to our community, please connect with Dave directly:
Name:Dave Holzknecht
Phone: 916-539-0174
Email: Dscsproperties@gmail.com
Let's show them some classic Omaha West Rotary hospitality!
✈️ Ready for Takeoff? Next Month's Meeting is Moving to Ashland!
We are cancelling our regular Friday meeting on October 23rd for a very good reason. We want you at the hangar! The annual Rotary District 5650 Conference is landing at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum on October 23-24, and it is going to be an unforgettable weekend.
Come connect with fellow Rotarians from across our region, experience inspiring presentations right beneath the airplanes, and help us celebrate the service work that drives our district forward. Grab a carpool buddy from the club and let's head out together!
Rotary Leadership Institute - Part I and Part II Saturday, November 14, 2026 8:30am-3:30pm $50 We are excited to announce that the next session for Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) Parts 1 and 2 will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2026. It will be at Project Harmony, 11949 Q Street, Omaha, NE 68137. We need at least 6 participants to hold each session, so please sign up today
Falcons 45, Saints 24! 🏈 What a game, and what a payout for our club pool!
We officially have another winner on our hands. Someone holding a square in Book #74 hit the exact numbers last night and is taking home a sweet $70 cash prize! We are keeping the winner's identity strictly under wraps for the next few days, but the mystery will be solved when we reveal the big name live at this Friday's Rotary meeting! 👀
Want a piece of the action for the next kickoff? The season is flying by, but you can still get skin in the game. We are down to our final 24 unsold squares, and a one-time $35 entry locks you in for all 14 remaining games on the schedule.
There is zero football expertise required to win—our pool numbers are completely randomized and redrawn every single week, giving everyone a totally fresh, equal shot at the cash. Best of all, every square purchased goes directly toward driving our new membership campaign forward.
Don't miss out on the next payout. Connect with the Membership & Engagement Committee today to claim your spot before Friday's meeting!
Rt. 106: This route picks up coolers in the parking lot north of St. Timothy Church (93rd & Dodge). The route starts at 120th south of Blondo, heads south to 114th and Pacific and then heads west on Pacific, ending at 144th. Currently there are 8 clients (8 stops). This route will take about 1hr-1.25hrs to complete.
Onboarding Process: We would need to enroll all those that would be volunteering to deliver meals (including spouses). The enrollment process would be to fill out a short enrollment form, consent to a background check, review and acknowledgment of our handbook.
How it works: Each route picks up their coolers by 10:55am. The volunteer will pick up 2 coolers (1 with the hot trays and 1 with the cold items). Once arriving to the home, the volunteer will put the hot tray and cold items in a plastic bag and deliver to the client’s home. Some clients have mobility issues so they may have special instructions on the route sheet, such as knock, walk in, announce yourself, give meal to client. If a client does not answer the door, never leave the meal and always call our office. Not only is the program set up to provide a nutritious meal but also to provide a safety net to our clients. So, if they do not answer the door, we are calling the client, their emergency contact, or doing a well check to ensure they are okay. Once the route is complete, the volunteer can keep the coolers until the next delivery, or they can drop them off at our MealsonWheels office (132nd & L St.).
Hope Lodge
