Jay Dunlap is the President of Madonna School & Community-based services- an educational organization founded on the Christian principles of the value, worth and dignity of every individual. The mission is to serve students and adults with cognitive and developmental disabilities to become as independent as possible.
Jay is an Omaha native and veteran communications and fundraising administrator and teacher, and has been the president of Madonna School in Omaha for 8 years. Before his leadership position at Madonna School, Dunlap served as a communications and fundraising consultant while teaching at Sacred Heart Apostolic School in Rolling Prairie, Ind.
After graduating from Omaha Creighton Prep, he earned his bachelor's degree from Notre Dame University and a master's degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
He served as news anchor for the NBC affiliate in Dayton, Ohio, as communications director for an international Catholic missionary organization and taught communications at Mater Ecclesiae College in Greenville, R.I., at New York University, Indiana University and Regina Apostolorum University in Rome. Dunlap and his wife, Margie Gans Dunlap, have five children.
Last week, President Nuzhat Mahmood presided the meeting. Wendy Wiseman gave the Invocation. Laura Illiff and Marsha Kubica served as Greeters, while Tim Neal was Cashier. Carl Philo was Sgt. At Arms. JR Kammandel was Chair of the Day. JR introduced motivational speaker and author Van Deeb. Van spoke on the topic "You Can Choose To Be Confident."
L to R: Matt McKeever, Nuzhat Mahmood, Van Deeb, & JR Kammandel
Jill Slupe introduced us to two international students visiting our club, one from Venezuela and the other from Colombia. John Morey introduced his guest, Tim Maxwell. Karin Lombard introduced guest Monica Sempek. Van Deeb, the speaker for the day, was a guest of JR Kammandel. Russ Iwan, Bob Lovgren and Wendy Wiseman shared good news. JR Kammandel had perhaps too much to share about the habits of his new puppy. Matt fined himself for a Bitcoin article submitted by Kim Kuhle. As he warned last week, Matt fined those club members not wearing their Rotary pins. Matt imparted advice from the sign on that bar in North Bend: “Planning for the future is important. Buy TWO cases of beer.”
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.
There is a great opportunity for our members to support Kent Templien following his serious injury. You are doubtless aware of his recent accident in Lincoln while unloading an ATV from his truck.
I had a delightful dinner with Kent at his rehab clinic last Saturday. He was smiling warmly, but flat on his back, and unable to move except for slight motions of his right hand and legs. Two orderlies wrapped him in a sling and then lifted him with a floor mounted crane into a motorized chair. I followed Kent down a short hallway where we were served a light dinner. Ken was spoon-fed by a kind and very attentive young staff member.
Kent expressed repeated gratitude that his injury was not worse than it was. He was resilient and in good spirits, vowing to be walking again in one month. He is especially proud of the daily attention offered by the expert spinal injury physician attached to his case. His wife is managing to continue his private business responsibilities and to keep the operation running.
I believe Kent would welcome Rotarian visitors at Quality Life Inc. (QLI), 6404 N 70th Plaza. House 6, Room 7. I suggest you call in advance because he has extensive therapy appointments on Tuesday and Thursday. QLI phone is 402-573-3700.
Wendy volunteered at the Tree Recycling. Her job was to watch for left ornaments on trees. After all cars departed, she noticed a Christmas bulb left on a tree. It was a personalized ornament with a photo and personal signature on the back. Wendy was sad that the family would be missing this special ornament, so she decided to put it on Facebook and see if anyone might know the family and sure enough the owner was found after FB friends shared her post. The Dad of 7 came to pick up the ornament. The ornament was 12 years old.
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)