Club Information
Welcome to Suburban Rotary of Omaha! 

Celebrating 56 years of Fun and Service 

We meet In Person
Thursdays at 12:00 p.m.
Legends Patio & Grill
6920 Pacific St
Suite 100
Omaha, NE 68106
United States of America
Home Page Stories
John Knicely has been named the 2025 Omahan of the Year by the Suburban Rotary Club of Omaha.  Knicely has been a mainstay on Omaha television networks for many years as a sportscaster and news anchor on WOWT and KETV. He has become a favorite of the Omaha community through his news features of “John at Work” and “Kniceley Done, “giving viewers unique behind-the-scenes perspective through reporter-involved segments. 
 
John served as Sportscaster for WOWT from 1974 to 1981, at which time he moved to St. Louis in the same capacity for KTVI, the ABC affiliate. He returned to Omaha and KETV in May 1984, and made the move back to WOWT in May 1992, this time as anchor of the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts.
 
His community spirit is always on display, and he emcees many charity events throughout the year.  He has received numerous awards, including the Journalism Alumni Award of Excellence from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  He is a graduate of that university’s School of Broadcast Journalism.
 
He and his wife Sue have raised five children and have six grandchildren. He was born in Sidney, Nebraska.
 
According to Mary Bernier Chairman of the Four- Way Test Committee of the Suburban Rotary Club of Omaha, John was chosen by the 4-Way Test Committee because of his commitment to the Omaha Community. Through his fair and honest reporting, including his news segment “Knicely Done,” he has inspired our community to be and do better.
 
Knicely will be honored with the award at the Club’s weekly meeting at noon on June 5 at Legends Patio & Grill, 6920 Pacific St. Suite 100, Omaha, Neb. 68106.
 
Crowds enjoyed Suburban Rotary Club's Annual Car Show May 17.  In fact, more money was raised than last year.  Thanks to the Rotarians who volunteered, the car owners who participated and the people who came to see the vintage cars.
 
 
 
Celebrating the end of the year, Rotarians took ESL students shopping at Target.  A great time was had by all.  See the photos.
 
Volunteers from the Club helped with the annual end-of-the-year celebration at Crestridge Elementary that included bounce houses.  The windy weather brought the activities inside but everyone got into the act--even some Rotarians.  Enjoy this slide show.
 
Rotarian Dan Lupardus received the 2025 Excellence in Education Awards for a Volunteer. The Award is sponsored by the MPS Foundation and honoring Millard's top volunteers. Dan heads our work with the Adopt-A-School Program with the school system that includes the high schools and Andersen Elementary.  Some of the activities include conversation tables with ESL students, shopping trips to Target at Christmas time, going to the zoo, multicultural events, stocking dens at the schools with supplies, recognizing teachers and more.
The ESL students from Millard had a special treat, visiting the Omaha Zoo with some of their Rotarian friends.  See some of their pictures.
 
 
Rotarians also attended and volunteered at a multicultural night for students celebrating their various backgrounds. See some pictures from the evening.
 
From mini donuts, to setting up colorful buses, interesting recycling equipment, a cement truck and roofing truck, students participated in Vehicle Career Day Rotarians Carol Ebdon, John Hosford and Alice Schumaker helped students at Crestridge celebrate the event. See the photos.
 
 
The Membership Committee kicked off the 2025 Gift of Rotary Campaign in mid-January. This will run in conjunction with our Steak and Beans teams contest which finishes up this year.   Each club member will be contacted individually and asked to sign a pledge to bring in one new member in 2025.   Already this effort has met with great success.  See this slide show with pictures of some of our new members.
 
This campaign is going to center around fun, excitement and what a Gift Rotary has been in all our lives.   Join us in growing the club! 
 
Helping young people achieve their higher educational goals is a priority of the Suburban Rotary Club of Omaha. For 48 years the community service organization has been awarding scholarships to those worthy graduating seniors who have special needs and/or disabilities and wish to continue their education.  Ten $3,000 scholarships will be awarded at the annual luncheon on April 17 at 11:45 a.m. at Happy Hollow Country Club, 1701 S. 105th St. Clayton Anderson, retired astronaut and Executive Director of the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum will be the emcee.
 
“Suburban Rotary established this program to recognize these students for their achievements and to help them reach their educational goals. Our group has given more than $900,000 scholarships since the program began,” said Barb Rebrovich, Chairperson of Rotary’s Scholarship Committee. Please find a slide show from our event.
 
Receiving this year’s awards are:
Jason Alonzo Acal
Central High School
Joshua Buike
Papillion LaVista High School
Trey Diedrich
Iowa School for the Deaf
Greta Fishburn
Marian High School
Sydney Hibbs
Boystown High School
Noah Houston
Elkhorn High School
Chloe Murphy
Millard North High School
Xavier Oppliger
Elkhorn South High School
Emma Wigington
Saint Albert Catholic High School
Eric Yepez-Morales
Iowa School for the Deaf
 
First row: Left to right- Jason Alonzo Acal and Joshua Buike.   
 
2nd row left to right- Trey Diedrich and Greta Fishburn.
 
 
3rd row left to right- Sydney Hibbs and Noah Houston
 
 
4th row left to right- Chloe Murphy and Xavier Opplinger.
 
 
5th row left to right- Emma Wigington and Eric Yepez-Morales.
 
 
 
The scholarships are renewable if the student requests a renewal and academic requirements are met.  A comprehensive application process includes an essay, support from guidance counselors, academic transcripts, verification of special needs and more.  More than 30 applications were received and evaluated by the Rotary’s Scholarship Committee.
Several Suburban Rotary Club members served lunch to the community at the Salvation Army's North Corps. facility.  The Club is in partnership with the facility for volunteer community support.
When people talk about yearlings the conversation is usually about a young deer that is between one and two years old and has outgrown the fawn stage but is not yet fully grown. At the Suburban Rotary Club of Omaha, that term has a different meaning. Coined by Saul Cutler, a long-time Rotarian, a yearling is a proposed club member that must go through a program to orient them to the club. The onboarding process has proven to be highly successful.
The Yearling Committee is currently chaired by Past District President Roxy Orr.  The extensive orientation program is designed to make new members feel part of the club, understand the operations principles and mission pillars of Rotary, get a sense of the history and enhance their participation in the work of the group.
 
Requirements for yearling participation include:
  • Attending six yearling meetings in the first year they are members
  • Signing up to greet
  • Giving an invocation
  • Giving a vocational talk to the club
  • Participating in two service projects
  • Joining a committee
  • Participating in the writing of a grant
These requirements are intended to be completed in one-year.
Consider visiting another Rotary club for a make-up!  Rotary.org has a club finder for locations around the world.  Please see the District website at rotarydistrict5650.org  for details on local clubs. Visit one of the following Metro-Area Clubs!
 
Monday: Omaha Millard Rotary & Northwest Rotary, 12:00 pm, German American Society, 3717 South 120th St.
Tuesday: Omaha Morning 7:00 am, 88 Tactical, 15350 Shepard St., Suite 1, Omaha NE 68138
Tuesday: Omaha Night, 5:30 p.m. at La Voltaire, 569 N. 155th Plaza (first and third Tuesdays) Omaha, NE       http://www.omaharotarynight.org/
Wednesday: Omaha Downtown, 12:00 pm, Field Club of Omaha, 3615 Woolworth Ave., Omaha, NE 68105
Wednesday: Council Bluffs Centennial: 7:00 am, Hy-Vee Community Room 1745 Madison Avenue
Thursday: Western Douglas County, 12:00 PM Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation 20272 Veterans Drive, Elkhorn, NE 68022
Thursday: Council Bluffs, 12:00 pm, Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center, 1001 South 6th Street
Friday: Omaha West, 12:00 pm, Charlie's on the Lake, 4151 S 144th St., Omaha, NE 68137
 
Email Deb for make-up/attendance credit to DebD@suburbanrotary.org.
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Dan Kutilek
May 22, 2025
Vietnam War
Vietnam War
Eugene Kowel
May 29, 2025
FBI
John Knicely
Jun 05, 2025
Omahan of the Year
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