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Exceptional Persons Inc Presenting March 20th

Executive Director Katie Slade will be speaking March 20th.

Katie Callahan Slade was born in Dysart, Iowa. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing from the University of Northern Iowa in 2002. Katie started with EPI in 2008. She wore many “hats” for the agency including becoming a Client Facilitator certified in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People as Organizational Development Director until she became the Executive Director on August 31, 2022.

As the Executive Director of Exceptional Persons, Inc. (EPI), Katie believes in EPI's vision of working together we will realize a future where all people are recognized and valued – encouraged and supported to live, work, and grow – in their communities.

Progressive Dinner April 13th

Click on the image above to register to attend the Progressive Cultural Dinner, or click the image below to support the event with a sponsorship.

Nominate your Favorite Nonprofit to Receive Funds

Two non-profit organizations will be chosen to receive funds from the "Progressive Cultural Dinner Event" fundraiser!

Nominate your favorite nonprofit organization in the link below (no more than 50 words) and then the club will vote on to select the top 2. Deadline is April 1.

Nonprofit Nomination Form (google.com)

Run with Rotary in Denmark

On an ordinary day last August, people at a park in Copenhagen, Denmark, saw something extraordinary: a stream of runners all adorned with floating, bobbing pink balloons. The balloon carriers were part of Run With Rotaract, a three-year-old event organized by District 1470’s Rotaract clubs. This year, it raised money for education in Malawi.

The balloons served as tickets for the approximately 65 participants. And, says Philip Flindt, a member of the Rotaract Club of København Nord, they performed the equally important function of attracting public attention.

“It created something weird for people to look at — people running with pink balloons,” Flindt says. “It was a way to reach people in the community around the park. They were asking, ‘Is this a bachelor party, a bachelorette party? Why are you running with these balloons?’”

Flindt never seems to lack creative, eye-catching ideas. It’s clear why he’s the Rotary Public Image Coordinator (RPIC) for Zone 18, the first Rotaractor to serve as an RPIC. He’s been promoting Rotaract since he helped found his club on 13 March 2013. That date, he’s quick to note, is the anniversary of the certification of the first Rotaract club in 1968.

Read the full story here:

First Rotaract RPIC talks about creativity, community, and hats | Rotary International

Upcoming Programs

Our list of upcoming programs offer a wide variety of topics that you can offer to guests - maybe you could reach out and re-connect with your network and invite them to join us for lunch?

March 27...Greener Shepherd/Kayla Becker

April 3...First Mondays

April 10...Allen Child Protective Services/Child Abuse Awareness Month/Miranda Kracke

April 17...Academic Honors/Lauren Finke, Chair

April 24...Reading with Jean/Western Home Communities Partnership/Susan Card

May 1...First Mondays

May 8...Byrnes Park Update

May 15...Together for Youth/Allen

May 22...Cedar Falls Community Foundation

May 29....No Meeting - Memorial Day

June 5...District Governor Don Meyer

June 12...Black Hawk Veterans Affairs

June 19...IMOM Dental Clinic

June 25...Networking/Birthdays/Cultural Conversations

Currently programs are booked through September! More will be revealed later!

Northeast Iowa Food Bank Update March 13th

Susan Entriken and Jared Feigenbaum will join us with the latest news from the Food Bank. Last year, the Northeast Iowa Food Bank distributed more than 6 1/2 MILLION meals within 16 counties!

District Governor visit POSTPONED

Due to a family emergency, we will reschedule Don Meyer's visit to our club originally planned for March 13th.

Don Meyer is serving as District Governor of District 5970 for the 2022-23 Rotary year. He is a member of the Waverly Rotary Club where he is a Past President, and he’s also Past President of the Forest City Rotary Club where he first joined Rotary in 1985. Don served District 5970 as District Foundation Chair from 2017-2020.

Don is retired after working as an architect for 12 years, and in the fundraising profession for 35 years at Waldorf University and Wartburg College. He currently serves as Executive Director for the Waverly-Shell Rock Community School Foundation. Don has also served his community of Waverly as the Chamber of Commerce Board Chair and as a member and Past President of the Historic Preservation Commission.

Don’s wife, Kris, is also a Rotarian, and they have two grown children and one grandson. Don looks forward to meeting members and updating our club on District activities.

Rotary International Update

Please join us in celebrating the first recipient of Rotary International's Sylvia Whitlock Leadership Award, Chin Mei Lu from the Rotary Club of Taipei Taimei, Taiwan

Recipient of Rotary’s new Sylvia Whitlock Leadership Award takes a global approach | Rotary International

First Monday Cultural Conversations Series

Truth Be Told. We are Human.

As we continue to "seek to understand rather than stay comfortable" we welcome Robert Ackerman to our First Mondays conversation.
Robert Ackerman is the coordinator of the One City United "To Work" Program whose sole mission is to provide transportation to and from work for individuals with transportation barriers. Getting to work consistently and on time daily is essential to removing stress and experiencing a thriving life. To Work was developed to provide a low-cost shuttle service that people can count on, helping them stay employed and equipped to succeed. It is just one more barrier that we can overcome to bolster our community towards success. Robert will share his story as a high level military professional, living an alternative lifestyle, and his journey from addiction to recovery.

Please join us, invite guests, as we continue to generate a curiosity that emerges into compassion, empathy, and a shared perspective that breaks down barriers for you, and the people you do life with at home, work, and in your community.

Want to get your team involved? Learn more here.

March Birthdays

Join us March 6th to honor these Rotarians celebrating their birthdays this month:

Ashlyn Jungwirth	March 3
Rick Petersen	Mar 11
Mason Fromm	March 16
Eric Ritland	March 20
Cathy Nicholas	March 24
Art Cox	March 26
Bob Regenwether	March 30

Rotary International Update

Imagine What's Next at the 2023 Rotary International Convention in Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne | Rotary Convention

Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig Visit Feb 27th

We had a great turnout of guests for our annual Rural Urban Day; Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig joined us fresh off returning from a trip to Asia.

Click here to see photos and remember to thank not only the farmers and producers, but all the employees in related industries that bring food to our tables.

Elected as the 15th Iowa Secretary of Agriculture in November 2018, Mike is focused on expanding our markets, promoting careers in agriculture, and improving water quality and land stewardship. Mike is committed to leading efforts to expand economic opportunities for Iowans and is an advocate on behalf of the hard-working men and women who keep us fed and fueled. Mike is a graduate of Buena Vista University in Storm Lake with degrees in biology and political science. He and his wife Jaime have three boys.

Join a Rotary Committee or the Board!

Are you interested in getting more involved with the club with minimal extra time commitment? Join the board or one of many committees the Waterloo Rotary Club has to offer! See below for ideas...

Waterloo Rotary Board - July 2023 new fiscal year...See Annie Vander Werff or Jaclyne Heller

Academic Honors Luncheon - April 17...See Lauren Finke

Ag Rural Day Commitee...See Larry Steffens

Football Banquet...See Wade Itzen

Fundraiser - Cultural Progressive Dinner...See Annie Vander Werff

Annual Summer Picnic...See Todd Wordel or Larry Steffens

Membership Committee...See Amy Rousselow

Operation Warm...Dave Lee

Programming Commitee...See Jaclyne

Reporter/Social Media Committee...See Mason Fromm or Jaclyne Heller

Volleyball Banquet...See Barb Prather or Jaclyne Heller

Rotary International Update

Celebrate our 118th anniversary by exploring the new #Rotary timeline and see how our network takes action around the world.

Rotary's Timeline | Rotary International

Our 1.4 million members join community leaders, friends, and partners in a global network that is addressing challenges around the world. It started with the vision of one man—Paul Harris. The Chicago attorney formed the Rotary Club of Chicago in 1905 to exchange ideas and form meaningful friendships. He saw Rotary as a force for ethical leadership, civic service, and peace—ideals he would promote throughout his life.

Dr. Todd Holcomb of Hawkeye Community College February 20th

Hawkeye Community College President Dr. Todd Holcomb is giving us updates this Monday!

Dr. Todd Holcomb became Hawkeye Community College’s eighth president on July 1, 2019. Hawkeye is a comprehensive community college serving students in a 10-county region of northeast Iowa. Dr. Holcomb previously served as president of Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff, Nebraska from 2010 to 2019. Prior to becoming president in 2010, he was vice president of student services from 2009 to 2010, which followed a six-year tenure as associate vice president for student affairs at Iowa State University.

Rotary International Update

From a film academy to a beehive— join Rotary President @JenJonesRotary and @Sibongile as they meet the people behind the projects that foster community and connection at Nakivale Refugee Settlement.

Rotary - YouTube

Rural Urban Day is February 27 - Sponsor a Farmer

Iowa's Secretary of Agriculture - Mike Naig - is joining us February 27. If you would like to sponsor a farmer, please email Larry Steffens

Cedar Valley Trails February 13

Peter Komendowski will be sharing highlights of the Cedar Valley Trails Partnership!

Peter serves as president of The Partnership for A Healthy Iowa, is a former Chair of the
Partnership, and succeeded Senator Grassley as Chair of the Face It Together Coalition
which authored Iowa’s “Blueprint for Healthy Communities. He also founded Friends of
Iowa Trails and the Iowa Trails Summit and was honored by the National Park Service as
Iowa's Trails Person of the Year in 2013. He has been a member of the Cedar Valley
Trails Partnership Board of Directors for over 15 years.

Rotary International Update

We're beginning to hear from #Rotary clubs responding to the earthquake that has devastated areas of Turkey and Syria.

Here are some ways to get involved:

Give to The Rotary Foundation's Disaster Response Fund. Donations help clubs and districts provide aid and support rebuilding efforts where the need is greatest. The funds are distributed to affected communities through disaster response grants. The Disaster Response Fund can accept cash contributions and District Designated Funds (DDF). Donations to the Disaster Response Fund are combined and cannot be designated for a specific disaster.
Support local initiatives. As we learn about local response efforts that are being led by clubs and districts, Rotary raises awareness about how to support them. People can then support these projects by working directly with Rotary members in the region. If you want us to publicize information about local response efforts, write to relief@rotary.org.

https://on.rotary.org/3HQAEiV #RotaryResponds

Cultural Conversations Preview

Truth Be Told. I Am Human. Cultural Conversations Series

Your Waterloo Rotary Club President, Annie Vander Werff will be interviewing Julie Molisho, the founder of a nonprofit organization called The River ARC; an advocacy and resource center connecting members of the Congolese community to resources in our area.

February Birthdays

Join us February 6th for First Mondays and to honor our members born in the shortest month of the year:

Sara Gienau	Feb 8
Julie Hayes	Feb 9
Bob Krogh	Feb 18
Craig Ritland	Feb 20
Joan Rice	Feb 21

Serve on the 2023-24 Rotary Board or on Committees

2023-24 President-Elect Jaclyne Heller

July 2023 will be here in a few a months! Please reach out to Jaclyne if you would like to serve on a committee or on the Rotary board this next fiscal year! A reminder Jaclyne will be out on maternity leave June-September (most likely) so we also need extra volunteers to help lead meetings/announce programs during that time frame!

Reach out if you'd like to get involved!

jheller@kwwl.com

Rotary International Update

Nearly 800 million people live on less than $1.90 a day. Through microloans, occupational training, and partnering with local communities, #Rotary helps provide sustainable solutions to poverty around the world!

Rotarians make amazing things happen, like:

Breaking the cycle of poverty for women: Most of the women living in rural Guatemala do not have the collateral to get loans from regulated financial institutions. The Rotary Club of Guatemala de la Ermita helped 400 local women complete financial literacy courses so they could pool their money and fund their own microlending program.

Skills development, business training: In Esmeraldas, Ecuador, Rotary members helped grant more than 250 microloans and train more than 270 community members in sewing, baking, plumbing, microcredit, business management, and leadership.

Sustainable farming: In west Cameroon, soil erosion and loss of soil fertility have significantly reduced farmers’ harvests. Rotary members gave farmers the skills they needed to improve soil fertility, control soil erosion, and market their produce. The results: increased crop yields and profits.

Growing Local Economies | Rotary International

January 30 - ReShonda Young of Bank of Jabez

Bank of Jabez will be a Waterloo, IA based certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that will promote economic growth in the underserved communities. Although we will be a full-service financial services institution that addresses the banking needs of all people within the community, we will have intentional focus on servicing our community's underbanked, low-income, and minority populations.

ReShonda was born and raised in Waterloo, IA and graduated with her BA from Wartburg College. She has been an active voice on Working Family issues, advocating for pay equity for women, and many other issues that will benefit working families. ReShonda is a founding member of the Iowa Main Street Alliance, a board member of the national Main Street Alliance, and was honored in April 2015 as a White House Working Families Champion of Change. She serves on the boards of Waterloo Center for the Arts, Black Hawk Economic Development, Link Christian Community Development, and Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa. ReShonda is also the founder of Popcorn Heaven, a gourmet popcorn chain that opened in Waterloo, IA in February of 2014. ReShonda licensed Popcorn Heaven locations in North Carolina, Maryland, Illinois, California, Missouri, and Iowa.

Rotary International Update

Today, #WeRemember the beauty and fragility of Jewish Salonica, a thriving community all but destroyed in the Holocaust.

The beauty and fragility of a pluralistic metropolis

By Carl Gershman

I have nurtured a special interest in Thessaloniki, the northern Greek city on the edge of the Balkans, since I traveled there in 1996 to attend a conference on rebuilding democracy and civil society in the Balkan region after the breakup of Yugoslavia. While in Thessaloniki, I decided to take the opportunity to learn something about the city's rich Jewish history, particularly under the Ottomans when it was called Salonica.

I had read Balkan Ghosts by Robert Kaplan, who traced the modern history of the region, from the assassination that triggered World War I to the ethnic warfare in Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia. And the organization I headed, the National Endowment for Democracy, supported civil society groups working against such brutalities in the Balkans. But exploring Thessaloniki's Jewish past offered new perspectives on the region's history.