Last week Steve Riekes gave the invocation. Mike Fosdick and Joe Sequenzia served as greeters. We had several other announcements and presentations as well as some fines handed out by Secretary Kevin Welsh. Curt Peters recognized Board Members as "Gifts to the World" for all their hard work. Curt and Kevin showed a video of the "future" when they would be relaxing instead of running Suburban Rotary. Jeff Bakewell introduced Ernest Richardson and James Johnson from the Omaha Symphony who talked about the upcoming program and the work involved in putting together a production. The RISK bag was up to $167 and Ashley Baker won half or $83.50!
The 5th Annual Baxter-Kenworthy volleyball tournament will be held on July 23rd. We are looking to form a committee of people to help with this event as it has grown substantially over the past few years.
We are very fortunate to have all of the proceeds from this event go to our scholarship program. Please let Jennifer know if you are willing to help.
Also, if your company wants to sponsor a team please let Penny McWilliams know.
The Annual Metro Luncheon will be early this year so that we can take advantage of a fantastic set of speakers traveling to Omaha to talk about an important issue.
Tuesday, July 19th at 11:30 am
$20 per person (kept affordable to encourage you to bring a friend or colleague to hear about this important topic)
Every five seconds, another person enters slavery somewhere in the world. It is estimated that there are over 35 million people in slavery today – more than any other time in history. One minute it might be a fifteen year old girl forced into prostitution, or a young boy forced onto a fishing boat to work 18 hours a day for years without coming to port. To make sense of this crime against humanity, Matt and Sylvia Friedman will offer a compressive update on the State-of-the-Art of human slavery. Matt and Sylvia’s talk will explore the changing human trafficking paradigm; the relationship between human trafficking and slavery; global trends and patterns; new, emerging responses; evolving funding trends; what is working/not working; the role of the private sector; and what is really needed to win the fight. The presentation will offer a glimpse behind the curtain of this terrible human rights abuse – one that is much closer to home than we might expect.
Presenters
Matt Friedman
Matt Friedman is an international human trafficking expert with more than 25 years of experience as a manager, program designer, evaluator, and front-line responder. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of The Mekong Club, an organization made up of Hong Kong-based private sector business leaders who have joined forces to help fight human trafficking in Asia. Matt was the Regional Project Manager of the U.N.
Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking in Thailand from 2006-2012. He has presented to the United Nations, the World Bank, U.S. State Department and the Vatican. He has been featured in news coverage by the NY Times, BBC, National Geographic, and CNN among other publications.
Sylvia Yu Friedman
Sylvia Yu is a Hong Kong-based award-winning Canadian journalist, TV anchor, documentary producer, book author and advisor to philanthropists. She was the winner of the prestigious 2013 International Human Rights Press Award (TV Special Merit) for her series on human trafficking and slavery in China, Hong Kong and Thailand. Sylvia has managed and directed more than US$9 million to humanitarian projects since 2005 that have impacted at the very least more than one million people.
Registration for the 2016 Rotary District 5650 Conference this August is now open! Join Rotarians from throughout our District to celebrate the accomplishments of Rotary in our region and the world during the past year.
Please make your plans early and access our early bird rate of $75. Registration is available online at www.rotarydistrict5650.org. The conference hotel is The Cornhusker Marriott, 333 S 13th St. A block of rooms has been reserved at a rate of $99 per night. Call 402.474.7474 and ask for the "Rotary District" block of rooms.
Rotary District 5650 Conference
You really need to check out these amazing speakers who will be present at this year’s Rotary District Conference – August 5-6 at Innovation Campus! Razia Jan, President/Founder of the Zabuli Education Center: Razia has worked tirelessly for many years to forge connections between Afghans and Americans. Razia had the boldness and vision to open a school that provides free education for hundreds of girls in rural Afghanistan in 2008 - a year when the Taliban killed nearly 150 teachers, students and school employees - and she’s coming to OUR conference!
And opening this year was the Razia Jan Institute, the first free, private women’s community college in rural Afghanistan. Some of the women and their classmates have been featured in a documentary, “What Tomorrow Brings,” which recently premiered. Check out the film trailer here: http://principlepictures.com/what-tomorrow-brings/.
The Director of this documentary, Beth Murphy, will also be at OUR conference! Another amazing addition.
And, if this wasn’t enough, our very own District Governor, Rod Bates, has arranged for the President and Chief Executive Officer of PBS, Paula Kerger, to also attend. Are you a Downton Abbey fan? Well, come and tell her how much you like it yourself! Because its creation is one of her many accomplishments.
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL runs through June 30. Register online TODAY at www.rotarydistrict5650.org. For questions, contact:
Connect your business with Suburban Rotary members!
ADVERTISE in the Rotary Roster and you will be in the
Categorical Index of Advertisers in the ROSTER
Suburban Rotary Roster Advertisers HANDOUT!
AND your LOGO will be on the Website and Scuttlebutt.
Just imagine, when a member needs a certain good or service, how easy it will be for members to find you or any other member business category. These listings will be the place to go!
Thank you to those who helped at the Crohn's/Colitis Walk this weekend! The Community Service Committee is meeting before Rotary this Thursday at 11:15 to plan the projects for the 16-17 years.
Congratulations to Erin Swanson Russell and husband Joel. Sloan Frances Russell was born May 23, 2016 @ 11:24pm. 8 pounds 1 ounce, 21.25 inches long. Happy, healthy and thriving. Their address is 4720 S. 129th St. Omaha, NE 68137
I had my last small Rotary meeting today- and took so many pictures- although I only see them about once or twice a month- they really impacted the way my exchange went- I’m very thankful to have been able to meet all of them. They are sad to see me go- which means I did my job, right?
This month was also my last big district rotary meeting in Yamanashi- by Mt. Fuji. We had to give 15 minute presentations. I went first- and cried- but everyone cried- I made jokes in Japanese- and people laughed. It was great. After the sadness and presentations- we all had a BBQ and Karaoke and danced. I was able to show everyone the ‘right’ way to grill corn. It was also a rotarian’s birthday- so I made pancakes and we decorated them like a cake and ate it at midnight.. I stayed up talking to my close friends- and the inbound students.
My French Friend, Marie, and I stayed up talking until 4am in the morning. This was really difficult because of how close we had become. I gave her my Nebraska Husker sweater- and she’s worn it almost everyday since. We plan on visiting each other in the future.
The next day we all woke up super early and went to the Mt. Fuji theme park where we rode roller coasters and ate ice cream. It was bitter sweet. We all started to cry on the carousel- because afterwards we all had to say goodbye. I don’t think I’ve cried that much in a while. I felt like such a baby. But the experiences you share with each other- even in the short time you’re able to all meet- it really impacts you. My friend Calista’s little host sister came as well- she was hugging me and didn’t want me to leave. She’s 9 years old. I had to pinky swear her I would come back and cook with her for her to calm down. - A promise I intend to keep. She’s such a sweetheart.
On Sunday, I was able to meet my friend Seiya at the station. Seiya was my host brother in America. We kept in contact- but I hadn’t been able to meet him since America- and that was FOUR YEARS AGO. It was amazing. I was so happy to catch up with him. After lunch- Ciana and her friend ALbert joined us. It was a little odd because Albert reminded me a lot of my little brother- they are both the same age- 17 years old. It was hard to say goodbye to Seiya-
Time is moving so fast. I keep getting closer and closer to everyone- sharing laughs, it’s weird- I’m barely thinking in English anymore. School has become my second home. I shared so many smiles, and so many tears.
I have only 11 days left now. On Saturday I meet with my second host family once again- for volunteering. Next Monday I had my district Goodbye Party, Wednesday is my last day of school- I will give a speech, and then on Friday I will be on a plane- bound for America.
ATTENDANCE at Suburban Rotary needs to be at 50% of the meetings. Make-ups also count.
ONLINE MAKE-UPS Have you checked this out? If you sometimes find it hard to attend a make-up meeting locally or while out of town, check out the option and opportunity of making up a Rotary meeting 24/7 via the internet. You will find this information at http://www.rotaryeclubone.org for more information. Check your attendance status anytime on our website.
Millard Monday Noon, German American Society located at 3717 South 120th Street
North, Monday Noon at Eppley
TUESDAYS
Omaha Morning Tues., 7 a.m., Happy Hollow CC
Omaha Northwest , Tues. Noon, Champions Run
Omaha Southwest , Tues., 5:15 p.m : DJ's Dugout at 17666 Welch Plaza, on the northeast corner of 180th & Q streets. The meeting room is located down the hallway at the southeast corner of the building
WEDNESDAYS
Council Bluffs Centennial Wednesday morning at 7 a.m. HyVee in the Mall of the Bluffs
Downtown -Wednesday Noon, Field Club
Western Douglas County 7 a.m., Elkhorn Common Ground Community Center, 1701 Veterans Drive (l block north of Elkhorn H. S.)
Council Bluffs Thursday Noon, Council Bluffs Senior Center
Fact or fiction? 
