Join us for a conversation with Chaitreli Reddy, a Wartburg psychology major from India.
We'll also hear from Cedar Falls Rotarians on their "Rotary Plaza" project near the Ice House/Little Red Schoolhouse.
Happy birthday to these October-born Rotarians! This is a steady group - no additions or lost members since last year's birthday table. Join us to sing and celebrate on Monday!
Lind, Mike | October 4 |
| Carignan, Steve | October 10 |
| Paulsen, Chuck | October 10 |
| Bovenmyer, Samuel D. | October 12 |
| Durbahn, Mark | October 13 |
| Englin, Kaye | October 15 |
| Gallagher III, E. J. | October 16 |
| Schmitt, Steven | October 16 |
| Kuiper, Mark | October 19 |
| Ericson, Marcella | October 25 |
| Beecher, John | October 27 |
Rotary clubs in Morocco and@ShelterBox are responding to the devastating earthquake alongside Moroccan authorities and other national NGOs — providing tents, thermal blankets, solar lights, and kitchen sets to those without adequate shelter in mountain villages.
Winter is coming. It threatens communities higher in the mountains who have been left without adequate shelter.
The Rotary Foundation Trustees established a new Morocco Earthquake Response Fund in September 2023 to support immediate relief efforts for people affected by the devastating earthquakes. Donors can give directly to relief efforts led by Rotary members.
You can give online, by check, or by transferring District Designated Funds:
As we move into autumn, there are still plenty of opportunities to volunteer or participate in upcoming community events. We'll use this space in our weekly Reporter to promote upcoming events that our fellow Rotarians are involved with:
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The public is invited to attend Strictly Business, the annual Grow Cedar Valley business expo, on Tuesday, October 3 at Bien VenU (7400 Hudson Road in Cedar Falls) from 4-7 pm. Fifty-five Grow Cedar Valley investors will showcase their products and services in a trade show format. This free event attracts 500+ business representatives. The business expo will include a seminar at 3 pm.
This event is for Grow Cedar Valley investors and non-members. To learn more on becoming a Grow Cedar Valley investor, contact Jim Schaefer, Director of Investor Relations at jim@growcedarvalley.com.
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Enjoy a night of motorcycle-themed fun featuring dinner, drinks, auctions, fun prizes, and a chance to win a BRAND NEW HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE! Tickets are $40 each, or reach out to Kiley@CedarValleyClubs.org to sponsor the event or reserve a table.
Electric Park Ballroom, Friday, October 13th 5:30 - 10:30 pm
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The Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa will be hosting our annual Celebration of Community event, on Friday, November 3rd from 5-7:00, with a brief program at 5:45 at the Diamond Event Center in Cedar Falls – all our welcome as we celebrate the good we are doing together and announce transformational grants. Email Kaye Englin for more information.
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If you have an event coming up that you'd like to share with our members, email Mason
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?
October 2...Cultural Conversations/Club Networking/Birthdays
October 9...Grow Cedar Valley
October 16...Glen Keith/Waterloo Student Council
October 23...Lt. Governor Adam Gregg
The Rotary Foundation established a new Morocco Earthquake Response Fund to support immediate relief efforts for people affected by the devastating 8 September earthquake.
You can give online, by check, or by transferring District Designated Funds:
- To contribute online, use my.rotary.org/disaster-response-fund.
- To give by check, make it payable to The Rotary Foundation or to an associate foundation and include a completed contribution form. In the DESIGNATION/PURPOSE section, choose Other and write the fund name (Morocco Earthquake Response Fund).
Black Hawk County Public Health staff will share frameworks that inform our approach to data, give an overview of data available through our department, and discuss our future vision along with other resources for data.
Presenters: Lisa Sesterhenn, Public Health Planner, Aaron Reinke and Rachael Mayer - Epidemiologists,
Lisa Sesterhenn: MBA from the University of Dubuque and undergraduate business degree from the University of Iowa. She currently works as the Public Health Planner for BHCPH.
Aaron Reinke: Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Iowa as well as a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Iowa State University. He’s worked as an epidemiologist at BHCPH for the past 4 years.
Rachael Mayer: Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Iowa as well as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northwest Nazarene University. She’s been with BHCPH as an epidemiologist for two years.
As epidemiologists, Rachael and Aaron work together gathering and analyzing data for the community health improvement process as well as are involved in disease surveillance and investigations.
Rotary Members Provide Modular Housing to Ukraine
Natalia Perehrestenko’s life changed forever on 16 March 2022. That’s when her home in the Ukrainian village of Moshchun was demolished by a Russian attack.
“The house was destroyed as a result of a projectile hitting the room where my daughter lived with her child,” she says. “Thank God, by the time the house caught fire, we had already been evacuated.”
Sara Kurovski is speaking Monday about Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Sara is passionate about those that she serves. In 2013 she became the first female mayor for the city of
Pleasant Hill, Iowa. That journey was a result of her career starting out at a local government agency,
Metro Waste Authority, and obtaining her master’s in public administration; while serving on local
boards such as the Board of Adjustment, Plan and Zoning, and Polk County Conservation. Sara’s story
landed her on the Lean In website and then in the second edition of Lean In: for Graduates by Sheryl
Sandberg.
Pleasant Hill, Iowa. That journey was a result of her career starting out at a local government agency,
Metro Waste Authority, and obtaining her master’s in public administration; while serving on local
boards such as the Board of Adjustment, Plan and Zoning, and Polk County Conservation. Sara’s story
landed her on the Lean In website and then in the second edition of Lean In: for Graduates by Sheryl
Sandberg.
Speaking today will be Annika Wall from Cedar Valley Hospice.
Annika works as a community engagement specialist, educating individuals and groups across 15 counties through presentations, informational fairs and fundraising events. Part of her role also involves running the organization's social media pages and website - be sure to follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn if you do not already. Today, she will be talking about Cedar Valley Hospice's programs and services offered in our community.
Look at this long list of September babies! We'll celebrate these Rotarians when we re-convene for our next meeting on the 11th, but Wade and John will have had their cake by then.
| Wade Itzen | Sep 02 |
| John Bunge | Sep 09 |
| Dave Lederman | Sep 12 |
| Annie Vander Werff | Sep 13 |
| Gene Leonhart | Sep 14 |
| Bryan Burton | Sep 15 |
| Larry Steffens | Sep 23 |
| Nick Hildebrandt | Sep 24 |
| Adam Schaefer | Sep 24 |
| Deb Pullin-Van Auken | Sep 26 |
| Jeff Halverson | Sep 28 |
Our club has lost a long-time member who exemplified Service Above Self.
Beverly Hinders Trost passed away Wednesday, August 23, 2023, at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home in Waterloo, Iowa. A funeral service will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Charles City Iowa on Saturday, September 30 at 11:00AM with inurnment at Riverside Cemetery, Charles City following the service. Pastor Russ Leeper will preside. Friends and family are invited to gather to visit at the church for an hour prior to the service and to stay following the service for a simple luncheon.
August 30th UPDATE - Mason and David Lederman completed the clean out! All our club's items were moved out of the Waterloo Building's basement storage and what didn't go in the dumpster is now safely stored at the Rotary Reserve. Big shout out to Dave for lending his van - it was the perfect size for the totes and filing cabinet - thank you, David!
Our very own Steve Carignan and Jordan Bancroft will be presenting Monday about their respective organizations.
Decades of dreams and three years of construction became a reality on April 6, 2000, with the dedication of the new Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center at the University of Northern Iowa. Enabled by the generosity of Cedar Valley residents Ed and Cathy Gallagher and Carl and Peggy Bluedorn, as well as support from the university, the state and over 1,400 donors across Iowa, this was the first major center to open in Iowa in twenty years.
wcfsymphony is a professional orchestra based in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa. Our mission is sharing live music, championing innovation, and celebrating our common humanity. We do this with inventive, contemporary approaches to ensemble performance which engage audiences meaningfully in live music.
Love INC of Cedar Valley is one of more than a hundred Love INC locations across the United States and Kenya, who partner with over 7,800 Christian churches to serve hundreds of thousands of people in need.
Love INC fosters collaboration and organizes holistic care to help churches serve their neighbors through resources and relationships. By networking churches together, each church is able to lean into their strengths, knowing that their neighbors will be cared for by the body of Christ within their community.
We help churches help people by developing a network of local churches and connecting them with opportunities to serve their neighbors in need. Sometimes that can look like helping with food, personal needs items, furniture, transportation, or a work project. Other times, it looks like offering educational classes, providing mentorship support, and hosting community events. But it’s always about each church leaning into its strengths and working together with others—because we are better together.
Our guest August 21st will be Lucy Kerns, who grew up in the Cedar Valley and has spent much of her life in ministry. After earning her Bachelor's degree in Adolescent Ministry, Lucy returned to the Cedar Valley to work at an IT Firm, then bi-vocationally, and finally full-time in ministry at Cedar Valley Church in 2018. During this time Lucy earned her Master's degree in Ministry and Leadership and was ordained in the Wesleyan church last July. As she learned about the needs in the area, she felt compelled to join Love INC's Board of Directors because of the way Love INC prioritizes and respects the dignity of individuals, and desires to help in times of trouble, while caring for the whole person.
Tom Eachus will be presenting Monday. He is a Licensed Independent Social Worker and current Executive Director of UnityPoint Health, Black Hawk-Grundy Mental Health Center.
Black Hawk-Grundy Mental Health Center (BHGMHC) is a private, nonprofit, community mental health center accredited by the Iowa Department of Human Services. The BHGMHC serves those with short-term and long-term needs. It has been in operations since 1949 and their primary mission is to meet the needs of the local community.
Tom obtained his Bachelors Degree in Social Work from UNI in 1980 and his Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Iowa in 1985. Prior to joining the Mental Health Center in 1988, he worked at the Bremwood Lutheran Children's Home in Waverly and the Cromwell Children's Unit at the Mental Health Institute in Independence.
Wisly Dange Motivates people to impact change.
He is a leader, community coordinator, and people organizer. In this Cultural Conversations interview, Wisly Dange will talk about his recent travel experience from Haiti to the US. Sharing about his journey, the cultural nuances and realities he has learned along the way, and about his work experiences both in the US and in Haiti. His work experiences include: the Co-Founder, The Green Bridge Global Entrepreneur Training & Leadership Academy; Leader of All Things Logistics, Motivator, Philanthropist, Speaker, Change Maker, English Instructor, Director of Operations for the Community Health Initiative, Haiti.
Join us to celebrate this month's birthdays - we have a majority woman-led group, as well as 2 past club presidents to honor.
| Kathleen Braun '99 | Aug 16 |
| Gil Irey | Aug 17 |
| David Lee | Aug 18 |
| Amy Rousselow | Aug 22 |
| Michelle Weidner '03 | Aug 23 |
| Beth McCrindle | Aug 24 |
| Jim Seeley | Aug 30 |
Sarah Kopriva is the Executive Director at Guiding Star Cedar Valley, a comprehensive women's health center that provides education and professional support in the areas of body and fertility awareness, pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, mental health care, menopause care, and more. She will be sharing about the organization, what they do, why it's important, and their hopes and dreams for their future here in the Cedar Valley.
This year's Family Picnic found scorching hot temperatures at the Reserve, so everyone appreciated the air conditioning. If you have photos to share from the evening, email them to Mason, otherwise, you can click this link to see photos snapped by President-Elect Cathy and Past-President Lauren.
(Thankfully, no injuries reported from the epic balloon-sword battle pictured above)
The Waterloo Community Foundation was incorporated in 2015 with the sole purpose of providing a conduit for past, present, and future Waterloo residents to invest funds specifically to enhance Waterloo and the immediate area. The first grant was awarded in 2016.
Rotarian Erin Tink will be presenting Monday about the latest with the foundation.
The opportunities in our city will continue to be as diverse as the people in it. Our commitment is to stay engaged with the work of our local nonprofits and the needs of our neighbors so we can connect donors to the causes that matter.
Every investment in our community makes a lasting impact, not only today but for generations to come. It takes all of us to inspire growth and opportunity in Waterloo. We want to help you play your part in investing in the city we love.
Congratulations to our own Jeff Halverson as he prepares to lead our Rotary District 5970 in 2026! Jeff will travel northeast Iowa visiting every club and inspiring Rotarians to put Service Above Self. Several Waterloo Rotary Club members have led our district including Dave Buck and Steve Thorpe.
You will probably notice that your quarterly membership invoices will have a different look.
We have switched our invoicing from ClubRunner to QuickBooks based on some payment options we did not have in ClubRunner that some members have requested.
This change will enable more payment options for you to use when paying for your membership dues.
You will still have the option of paying by check or ACH payments but you can now also pay using a debit card or credit card located within the invoice which makes it very convenient.
If you still choose to pay by check you will remit the payment to:
Waterloo Rotary Club
PO Box 118
Waterloo, IA 50704-0118
If you are set up to pay by ACH, then this will still work the same way as before and we will mark your invoice ‘Paid’ when the payment is received.
Bear with us as we work out some of the minor details of setting up invoicing in QuickBooks. As with most programs, some things are better but there might be a hiccup or two until we get it all figured out.
We think it will be beneficial to the club by making the payment process easier and reducing the amount of our outstanding Accounts Receivables.
Joan Rice
Sally Kleiss Timmer - Executive Director of the Cedar Falls Community Foundation - will be speaking on Monday.
The Cedar Falls Community Foundation inspires and connects individuals, families, and organizations to enhance our community, support non-profits, elevate educational opportunities, and build legacies through philanthropy.
The Cedar Falls Community Foundation funds and resources help enrich our local community with educational, art, recreational and cultural opportunities. Scholarships for students and nonprofit grants for schools, libraries and other local causes are provided each year by individuals, families and businesses inspired by their planned giving. Our mission and our purpose are focused on building lasting legacies through philanthropy to impact lives now and forever.
Join us at our first meeting of the new Rotary year July 10th to celebrate these spicy members born in the hottest month in Iowa!
| Rick Morris | July 02 |
| James Madison | July 10 |
| Allison Beach | July 11 |
| Lauren Finke | July 17 |
| David Holm | July 23 |
| Mike Broshar | July 26 |
| Bob Manning | July 30 |
Peace Through Service
Service Above Self
We meet In Person
Mondays at 12:00 PM
Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
4th & Commercial
Waterloo, IA 50701
United States of America
Waterloo, IA 50701
United States of America
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