Greeters: Kim Stewart Tech/AV/Zoom Host: Dan Lupardus
Check-in/Cashier: Need Volunteer
Invocator: Faith Morrison
Vocational Speaker: Rotarian Video by Pixel Fire
Chair of the Day: David Kutler
Program Speaker: Eric Williams
April 11, 2024 Meeting Venue: Legends Patio Grill, 6920 Pacific St., Suite 100 $20 Lunch price | Menu: Beef Stroganoff with Egg Noodles, Glazed Carrots, Garden Salad and Dinner Rolls
If you are joining the meeting via Zoom, use the login information listed below. To pay for Zoom, click here. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82837266647 Meeting ID: 828 3726 6647
Eric Williams is chair of the Omaha Public Power District aka OPPD. His day job is Natural Resources Planner at the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (NRD). He works to protect and conserve natural resources and to build trails across the metro area. Prior to his work at the NRD, he helped to improve energy efficiency in Omaha through evaluations and upgrades to homes and businesses as part of the reEnergize program. Williams was elected to the OPPD Board of Directors in 2018. He was selected to serve as secretary for 2020 and vice chair for 2021.
He has served as the President of the Engineers Club of Omaha, and he helped found the Dundee Community Garden. In 2015, Williams was recognized by the Midlands Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, as well as the Omaha Jaycees’ Ten Outstanding Young Omahans. He was also recognized by Earth Day Omaha as the Friend of the Environment in 2016.
Williams is originally from Omaha. He graduated from Rice University. He and his partner Kristine live in the Dundee neighborhood.
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to our newest Rotarian, Faith Morrison, introduced by Past President Mary Bernier.
Faith brings with her a wealth of experience and a vibrant spirit of community engagement. With a career spanning 33 years at State Farm Insurance, Faith demonstrated unwavering dedication and professionalism. Upon retiring, she continued her commitment to service by contributing her talents to the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, where she played a pivotal role in member recruitment, event coordination, and even served as interim director.
Despite retiring, Faith's passion for making a difference in her community remained steadfast. In 2021, she answered the call to serve once again, this time as the interim director for the Sarpy County Historical Society, where she has undoubtedly made significant contributions in a short period.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Faith's devotion to family is evident. As a mother of three, grandmother to five, and great-grandmother to two, family remains at the core of her life. Her diverse hobbies, ranging from reading to canning, quilting, traveling, and enjoying the theater, speak to her rich and fulfilling life beyond her professional pursuits.
Moreover, Faith's dedication to volunteerism is commendable, as she actively engages with numerous non-profit organizations, embodying the Rotary spirit of Service Above Self.
Faith, we are thrilled to have you join our Rotary family. Your passion for service and wealth of experience will undoubtedly enrich our club, and we look forward to your meaningful contributions as a Rotarian. Welcome!
Join us at Rotary this Thursday, April 11th, for our Soles4Souls Show Collection. We invite you to contribute by bringing new or gently used shoes to the meeting, which will be sent to Third World Countries to support those in need. Your donation of at least one pair of shoes can make a meaningful difference.
Following our meeting, we're seeking volunteers to assist with packing the donated shoes. If you're available immediately after the meeting on April 11th, we encourage you to sign up for this rewarding opportunity. Click here to register, and as a token of appreciation, you'll earn attendance credits for your participation. Thank you for your generosity and support!
For questions, please get in touch with Project Chair Mary Bernier at inspiredgivingpro@gmail.com.
Thanks to the generosity of club members and other donors to the Foundation, we award 10 scholarships each year to students with special needs. The scholarships are $3,000 each, and can be renewed for up to two additional years. Please join us in honoring this year’s awardees at our annual Scholarship Luncheon on Thursday, April 18 at the Happy Hollow Club. This event takes the place of our weekly meeting, and double attendance credit will be given. The cost of the luncheon is $30. Clayton Anderson, retired astronaut and CEO/President of the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum, will serve as the emcee. Arrival time is between 11:30-11:45, with the program beginning at 11:45 am. We hope that you can attend this special event! The payment link is https://square.link/u/TPbd6tDG or click/tap here
For questions, please contact Scholarship Chair Carol Ebdon at cebdon@unomaha.edu.
Thank you to those who have already donated to this year's fundraiser! You can donate online on our website under The Foundation at the top navigation DONATE HERE or at the Rotary meeting.
This week marks the third week of our Fundraiser at Rotary, where we rally support for The Suburban Rotary Club Charitable Foundation. The roots of our foundation trace back to 1988, a poignant moment when two members, reflecting on a tragic loss in the Colorado Rockies, envisioned a platform for tax-deductible contributions to fuel our club's philanthropic endeavors, particularly its scholarship program and other noble causes.
Our local Foundation's impact reverberates locally and globally, touching countless lives. For instance, in collaboration with neighboring Rotary clubs, we recently spearheaded the procurement and packaging of over 40,000 nutritious meals for the disadvantaged in our immediate community. Moreover, our Foundation's financial support extends to transformative initiatives in regions like India and Lebanon.
Every Suburban Rotarian is urged to contribute to our Club Foundation, with the aim of achieving 100% participation this year, regardless of the donation amount. Joining the President's Scholarship Circle requires an annual contribution of $300, which signifies your dedication to our shared mission of making a positive impact at home and abroad. CLICK HERE TO DONATE ANY AMOUNT YOUR HEART DESIRES.
Inductees to the President Scholarship Circle L to R: Presiding wasTrustee Tom Kerfoot, Jared Bakewell, Dan Hosford, Kathryn Schubert, Mary Bernier, and Roxy Orr
Recent inductees to the Presidents Scholarship Circle L to R: Bob Perrin, Tom Adams and Curt Peters with Trustees Chair John Hoice and Trustees Treasurer Dave Laferla
Recent inductees to the Presidents Scholarship Circle L to R: Suzi Brehmer, John Binderup, Rick Caulk, Jack Heidel, Warren Hill, Frank Goldberg with Dave LaFarla and President Katie Henry. Not in photo: Carol Ebdon, David Radler, Duane Gross, Edgar Fleming, Jennifer Jirak-Brundardt, and Trustee Chair John Hoich.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP; we need 24 volunteers. Suburban Rotary is dedicated to supporting refugee children at Andersen Middle School. We will be actively involved in accompanying 2-3 children each, guiding them through what might be their inaugural shopping experience in a store. Equipped with a list delineating permissible items and those that are not, these outings offer a remarkable chance to forge connections with these children and provide them with an opportunity to partake in what many of us consider commonplace. Upon completing their lists, you will assist them to the cashier, where they will independently conclude their transactions, fostering independence and empowerment. Click here to sign up. For questions, please contact Dan Lupardus at danl@futurewareinc.com.
Most North American plant species depend on insects, predominantly bees, for pollination. “Your whole food web is supported by bees,” says Dave Hunter, a member of the Rotary Club of Woodinville, Washington. The club leads a project that nourishes bees while beautifying the Seattle suburb. Members use donated wine barrels to construct planters to attract pollinators. Local businesses can sign up to have one placed at their storefront for a donation of $150 a year to the club’s foundation. The planters have QR codes that take visitors to information on the club’s website about the program and pollinators’ importance. “We are not just putting planters out; we’re educating through them,” says Hunter, proprietor of Crown Bees, which sells bees, bee houses, and other materials. The club also partnered with the city, businesses, a garden club, and a nonprofit organization to host a Pollinator Fest in May that attracted about 500 people to hear the latest buzz on bees.
Canada
The Rotary Club of Olds, Alberta, is livening up its process for awarding grants to community groups. In November, representatives of about a dozen organizations pitched their proposals at a contest modeled on Dragons’ Den, a CBC television program (much like Shark Tank in the U.S.) in which venture capitalists judge entrepreneurs’ proposals for investment. The organizations were allotted five minutes to make their pitch, followed by five minutes of questioning by a panel of Rotarian “dragons,” or judges. Club President Randy Smith concedes that the awardees would have received their share of the roughly $10,000 regardless of who won. But he says the spirited affair gave the groups, including Interactors and fire department cadets, an opportunity to hone their presentation skills and showcase their creativity.
We believe good health care is everyone’s right. Yet 400 million people in the world can’t afford or don’t have access to basic health care.
Disease results in misery, pain, and poverty for millions of people worldwide. That’s why treating and preventing disease is so important to us. We lead efforts both large and small. We set up temporary clinics, blood donation centers, and training facilities in underserved communities struggling with outbreaks and healthcare access. We design and build infrastructure that allows doctors, patients, and governments to work together.
Our members combat diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and polio. Prevention is important, which is why we also focus on health education and bringing people routine hearing, vision, and dental care.
HOW ROTARY MAKES HELP HAPPEN
We educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases. Rotary members have hundreds of health projects underway around the world at any given time.
For over three and a half decades, Rotary International has tirelessly dedicated itself to the noble cause of eradicating polio from our planet. Since our inception in this monumental mission in 1979, when we initiated vaccinations for six million children in the Philippines, Rotary has been at the forefront of the battle against this debilitating disease.
Through unwavering commitment and global collaboration, Rotary, alongside its partners in health and humanitarian efforts, has made remarkable strides in reducing polio's grip on humanity. Today, our collective efforts have brought us to a critical juncture where the dream of a polio-free world is within reach.
Despite the progress made, challenges persist, particularly in regions like Afghanistan and Pakistan, where polio remains endemic. However, Rotary remains resolute in its determination to overcome these obstacles and achieve our ultimate goal.
Rotary's efforts extend far beyond the mere distribution of vaccines. We have spearheaded community engagement initiatives, advocated for increased funding and support, and worked tirelessly to ensure that every child receives the life-saving polio vaccine regardless of their circumstances.
As we continue our journey towards a polio-free world, Rotary invites individuals, organizations, and governments worldwide to join us in this historic endeavor. Together, we can turn the tide against polio, safeguarding future generations from its devastating effects and leaving behind a legacy of health, hope, and resilience for all.
In June 1999, a year after I joined the staff of Rotary International, I attended my first convention. It was then that I first witnessed the global power of Rotary and made my first batch of Rotary friends. And it was then that I was introduced to Singapore for a second time.
My first trip to Singapore occurred five years earlier when, as a journalist, I covered the third Europe-East Asia Economic Summit. At that time, Western financial media were referring to Singapore as the 20th century’s most successful development story, which meant that the summit lured scores of policymakers, economists, and businesspeople from across Europe and Asia.
Once a British Crown colony which subsequently merged with Malaysia, Singapore broke away and was founded as an independent sovereign nation in 1965. Despite predictions that a string of small islands that lack natural resources to survive, Lee Kwan Yew, who was referred to as the founding father of modern Singapore, turned the tattered outpost of the faded empire into a thriving modern nation. The archipelago of 64 islands that was once plagued by malaria and rife with ethnic conflicts among its Chinese, Malay, and Indian populations, now stands as a gleaming city state, known in the 1990s throughout the world as one of the four Asian Tigers for its robust economic transformation along with Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Having grown up in China, where decades of Mao’s draconian rule had impoverished the country, I, along with millions of other Chinese, became enamored of the Singapore model of economic success. My first impression of Singapore in 1994, which will forever be associated with the brightly illuminated skyscrapers that dotted the banks of the Singapore River, confirmed my belief that this was a place of modernity and prosperity.
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, 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 Northwest, 12:00 pm, Sand Point, New England Fare, 655 North 114th Street. Omaha, NE 68154
Wednesday: Omaha Downtown, 12:00 pm, Trinity 113 N 18th St., Omaha, NE 68124
Wednesday: Council Bluffs Centennial: 7:00 am, Hy-Vee Community Room 1745 Madison Avenue Thursday: West Douglas County, 12:00 PM Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation 20272 Veterans Drive
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 Yolanda for make-up/attendance credit at yolanda@suburbanrotary.org.
Eric Williams
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to our newest Rotarian, Faith Morrison, introduced by Past President Mary Bernier.
Join us at Rotary this Thursday, April 11th, for our Soles4Souls Show Collection. We invite you to contribute by bringing new or gently used shoes to the meeting, which will be sent to Third World Countries to support those in need. Your donation of at least one pair of shoes can make a meaningful difference.
United States
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