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March 24 Program - Allen College

Ashley J. Ollendieck DNP, RN, CNE, CHSE

Professor, Simulation Coordinator, UnityPoint Health – Allen College

Ashley will present on simulation education for nursing students at Allen College. She will also touch on the simulation expansion project they are hoping to break ground on this fall.

Dr. Ashley Ollendieck has worked for UnityPoint Health – Allen College since August 2014 starting as a nursing instructor and clinical coordinator in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Since her time started at Allen College, she has been involved with almost all simulation education. She is currently a Professor and the Simulation Coordinator. Her passion for simulation has grown throughout her time in higher education and she has been the simulation coordinator since June 2021.

Rural Urban Day March 31

Iowa State Fair CEO Jeremy Parsons to be Rural-Urban Day Keynote Speaker

The Waterloo Rotary Club’s 2025 Rural-Urban Day will be March 31. This annual event gives our members the opportunity to interact with our Cedar Valley agriculture community at the beginning of their busy spring season and thank them for all they do to feed, clothe and support us and our world. Rotarians can sponsor farmers or agriculture professionals for $25 per person. You are also welcome to sponsor a table (ask about this opportunity). Make plans to invite your agriculture friends, or we will also provide new friends for you to meet and connect with. Larry Steffens and his committee will be at meetings up until a week before the event, or contact Larry by email with your intentions.

Jeremy Parsons’ professional life came full circle in 2023 when he was named CEO of the world-renowned Iowa State Fair.

He was first introduced to fair management in elementary school by writing a letter to then-Iowa State Fair Manager Marion Lucas. Since that moment, his life and fairs have intersected in a variety of ways, even during his initial career as a high school teacher and coach.

Rural Urban Day Sponsors

We currently have 39 reservations for guests - THANK YOU to all who have signed up! If you are interested in sponsoring a guest there is still time to sign up, contact one of the committee members Larry Steffens, Rick Morris, Robert Regenwether, Deb Pullen-VanAuken, or Rochelle Kane. $25 will cover each guest's meal. If you have a farmer you would like to invite you are certainly welcome to do so and email Larry their name(s).

4-H Omelet Breakfast March 30th

President Elect Larry Steffens has discount tickets to the Black Hawk County 4-H Omelet breakfast on Sunday March 30 serving from 8am-12:30pm at the UAW Hall in Waterloo. 4-H kids and friends of 4-H make your omelet for you, .. meal includes sausage, hash browns, cinnamon roll, and drink. Proceeds go to the Black Hawk 4-H kids for registrations and premiums. Email Larry for your tickets!

Welcome New Rotarian Suzanne Benda

Past President Jaclyne Heller with Suzanne Benda

Name: Suzanne Benda
Job: Development Director Cedar Valley Hospice
Hometown: Waterloo, Iowa
College: University of Northern Iowa - Go Panthers! 🐾
Favorite Food: Cinnamon Chip Scones - but I am a foodie and love almost everything!
Fun Fact: I was a wedding singer when I was younger, and now I get asked to sing for funerals.
Why Rotary? Honestly, I was invited. I said yes because I thought the Rotary offered a chance to meet new people and get involved to help make my community better.

Another fun fact - I went snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef.

Upcoming Programs

Our 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 31 - Rural Urban Day

April 7 - Birthdays

April 14 - Chad Mammer / NAMI Black Hawk County

Rotary Space Club

Space Center club has the right stuff

At the height of the space race in the early 1960s, thousands of aerospace engineers, scientists, contractors, and support crew members flocked to Houston, turning 1,600 acres of what was mostly cow pasture into the bustling research hub known as the Manned Spacecraft Center, now the Johnson Space Center. The transplants needed social connection. They needed an outlet to improve their rapidly growing community.

They needed a Rotary club.

Rotary Honors Six People of Action

Rotary honors six People of Action: Champions of Peace

The honorees’ projects empower farmers and refugees, heal postwar trauma, and establish dialogue among diverse groups

Rotary International Update

Since 2018, members of the Interact Club of Lotus Valley International School in Noida, India, have been manufacturing menstrual pads for girls and women, using a process they perfected at their school outside of Delhi.

Empty Bowls Fundraiser Coming Up April 4

Check out the annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser coming up on April 4 to support the Northeast Iowa Food Bank at Hilton Garden Inn!

Cedar Valley Hospice Fundraiser April 11

Saddle up for an unforgettable evening at Boots ‘n Bling, benefiting Cedar Valley Hospice! Join us on Friday, April 11, 2025, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cedar Falls from 6:00–10:00 PM for a night of live country music by Flatland Ridge, thrilling whiskey and wine pulls, rodeo raffles, and more.

Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser Kicks off April 23

Check out the upcoming Habitat for Humanity fundraiser.

NewAldaya Fundraiser April 25

Welcome New Rotarian Beth Locke

Name: Elizabeth “Beth” Locke
Job: Funeral director, Locke Funeral Services
Hometown: Waterloo, but I lived in St. Louis for 10 years, Denver and then Fort Collins, Co for 6 years
College: Saint Louis University
Favorite Food: Brown Bottle Lasagna!
Fun Fact: I graduated from SLU with a degree in aviation science, and hold a commercial pilot’s license

Why Rotary? Family tradition. Both of my grandfathers and my dad were very involved in Rotary.

Welcome New Rotarian Dusty Wilson

Dusty Wilson with Steve Schmitt

Name: Dusty Wilson
Job: Development Director, Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity
Hometown: Waterloo, IA
College: University of Northern Iowa
Favorite Food: Ribeye Steak & French Fries
Fun Fact: My happy place is the golf course
Why Rotary? I enjoy interacting with people from all walks of life and believe networking is not only critical for my role but a cheat code in life.

Welcome New Rotarian Brandon Marks

Name: Brandon Marks
Job: Business Development/ Project Manager Cardinal Construction
Hometown: Plainfield, IA and I currently live in Cedar Falls
College: Ellsworth
Favorite Food: Anything Mexican & Ice Cream!
Fun Fact: My wife and I have been together for 11 years (we met by mutual friends in our junior year of high school) and we have now been married for 5+ years. We have a 7-month-old baby girl named Monroe and a 3.5-year-old boy named Myer! Our favorite thing to do is travel and experience other cultures. Myer has been to 3 different countries, and Monroe has been to one different country!
Why Rotary? Rotary has been a great opportunity to become more involved in the community and learn about all of the great things that the Cedar Valley has to offer. My experience so far has been very welcoming and I am excited to continue becoming more involved when able.

Welcome New Rotarian Ed Gruenwald

Ed Gruenwald with Amy Rousselow

Name: Ed Gruenwald
Job: Director, Growing Minds Early Learning Center
Hometown: Wood Dale Illinois
College: Southern Illinois University
Favorite Food: Kugelis (Popular Lithuanian dish)
Fun Fact: I enjoy repairing vintage tube amplifiers in my spare time.
Why Rotary? Meet new people and keep up to date on what is happening.

March 17 Program - Farrell's eXtreme Bodyshaping

Angie Fuller has worked in the health and wellness arena since 2002. Working on the admin side of health care at UnityPoint Health from 2002-2016, she gained insight into the key that prevention plays in overall wellness, which inspired her to become the owner operator at Farrell's eXtreme Bodyshaping in 2016.

In the past eight+ years, she has continued her education, earning a nationally accredited health coach certification along with a sports nutrition specialty, group fitness certification, and FXB Level 3 instructor rating for both kickboxing and strength training.

She also holds a bachelor's degree from Purdue University in communication, and a master's degree from UNI in public relations.

Angie promotes balance, sustainable health habit formation and a ‘no single right way’ approach to one's health goals.

OFF-SITE MEETING MARCH 10

On Monday the Club will volunteer at the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. Our address is 1605 Lafayette St. Please park in the big parking lot away from the building, on the bricks. Please arrive by 11:45 and enter the Pantry/Office entrance off of Lafayette Street. Go in the Office door and say you are with the Rotary Group.

The group will likely be repacking Oats in the repack room (same room as we did Chicken last time, except warmer). We'll get started about noon and work for about an hour.

As an fyi, there are over 40,000 food insecure people in northeast Iowa that includes over 13,000 kids. In FY 24 we distributed over 8.4 million meals throughout 16 counties.

Barbara Prather Northeast Iowa Food Bank

Executive Director

Office: (319) 235-0507

Email: bprather@neifb.org

Re-cap of the 3/3 business meeting

Recap of Third Quarter Business Meeting

March 3, 2025

Birthdays were celebrated, Six new members were introduced to the club: Ryan Cose, Ed Gruenwald, Margaret Moye, Arp Patel, Dusty Wilson, and Suzanne Benda.
The January 2025 approved budget was shared with members. If any member wants a copy they should contact Cathy Nicholas.
New Bylaws for District #5970 were approved by the Executive Board in February. Changes included reformatting and “committee” changed to “teams” in many instances.
Reminder that when a Rotarian is ready to resign or retire from Rotary they must notify the Club president and/or Board in writing, per Rotary International rules.
RYLA Applications are being accepted now through April 1, 2025. The week-long leadership training is open to freshman, sophomore, and junior high school students. It will be held in Fairfield Iowa at Grinnell College, July 27-Aug 1, 2025.
We are looking for members to serve on the Executive Board, serve as Treasurer and Membership Chair.

Rotary International: Rotarians Help Korean Plane Crash Victims

‘Food Truck of Love’ serves 2,000 meals per day to first responders.

March 3 - Rotary Business

We'll kick off March with some very important Rotary business, including:

-Birthday Table

-Induct new members

-Review club financials

-Discuss fundraising, boosting membership, and service projects

Join us for fellowship and delicious food at the Waterloo Convention Center!

March Birthdays

Join us Monday to celebrate these Rotarians born in March, and we have a new diaper dandy in this group....who is it?

Rick Petersen	March 11
Mason Fromm	March 16
Eric Ritland	March 20
Cathy Nicholas	March 24
Bob Regenwether	March 30

February 24 Program - Rotary Reserve

Mike Hendrickson is the Executive Director for Black Hawk County Conservation and will join us to review the current lease on the Rotary Reserve which expires later this year.

Mike has a B.S. Degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from Northwest Missouri State University. His career in conservation began in 1989 as a park ranger for Adams County Conservation in southwest Iowa. He moved to Black Hawk County in 1991 when he accepted a park ranger position with Black Hawk County Conservation. He enjoys spending time recreating outdoors with his family.

Rotary International Update - Finding Good in Each Day

How can we find beauty in the everyday? Journalist Linda Yu and Amy Tan discuss the everyday moments that shaped The Backyard Bird Chronicles. Tune in to our latest podcast for a glimpse into Tan’s number-one New York Times best-seller.