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Mayor Heart Speaking Monday on Vision 2030

Mayor Hart will be giving us an overview of Vision 2030 for the city of Waterloo!

Mayor Quentin Hart is the first African American elected to the office of Mayor for the City of Waterloo, Iowa. Preceding the election, Mr. Hart was the Associate Director of Multicultural Affairs for Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, Iowa, providing leadership for multicultural initiatives and promoting awareness and appreciation for diversity on campus and the community. In the eight years preceding his mayoral election, Mayor Hart represented the citizens of Waterloo as Ward 4 Councilman and was the first African American-appointed Mayor Pro-Tem for the City of Waterloo.

Rotary International Update

A once in a lifetime opportunity is waiting for you 4-8 June. The 2022 Rotary International Convention in Houston, Texas, USA. Click the image above for a short video featuring Rotarians inviting you to Houston!

Upcoming Programs

January 31...Presentation on Five Sullivan Brothers exhibit

February 7...TBA

February 14...Grow Cedar Valley: Steve Firman, Director of Government Affairs

February 21...Rotary Presidents

February 28...Rural Urban Day

Dave Buck Presentation on Steve Thorpe is Monday

Our very own Dave Buck is talking about long-time and devoted Rotarian Steve Thorpe and what he did for our club locally, nationally, and internationally!

https://waterloorotary.org/PhotoAlbums/steve-thorpe

Stephen Thorpe Obituary (1939 - 2021) - Waterloo, IA - Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier (legacy.com)

January Birthdays

We have a small but mighty list of Rotarians celebrating birthdays this month.

Kevin McCrindle	Jan 6
Todd Holcomb	Jan 07
Bonnie Smith-Davis	Jan 17

Upcoming Programs

January 24.................Mayor Hart Vision 2030 Waterloo

January 31.................Mayor Hart Veterans Way Project

Rotary International Update

Discover new horizons at #Rotary22:

Rotary International Convention

Houston, Texas, USA

4-8 June 2022

Main Street Waterloo Presenting Monday

Jessica Rucker of Main Street Waterloo is our speaker at our first meeting of 2022!

Jessica Rucker is the Executive Director of Main Street Waterloo, a volunteer driven, nonprofit dedicated to downtown Waterloo. Jessica has been a resident of the area for most of her life and has strong roots in the community, and the downtown area which serve as a backdrop for many memories. She is passionate about supporting small businesses and showcasing all that is amazing about our community.

Connie Paul Obituary

Former Secretary of our Downtown Waterloo Rotary Club

Connie Paul | Obituaries | wcfcourier.com

Rotary International Update

Typhoon Odette made landfall in the island of Cebu on the night of December 16, 2021 and the sound of the howling wind and crashing debris during the night while we huddled inside our homes will be something that we will not be able to forget easily.

Amidst all the hardship that we are going through now in buying food & water, rebuilding homes and trying to get back to work, we have still been given a reason to smile.

As communications with the #Philippines improves, we are starting to better understand the grave impact left by #TyphoonOdette. With help from @Rotary Club Cebu, our team has been distributing aid to people who need it most, so far helping more than 5,000 people

2021 Christmas Luncheon Photos

We shared good tidings and enjoyed a spectacular jazz trio at our last meeting of 2021. Click this link to flip through the photos!

Update on Our 2017 Rotary Youth Exchange Student

Luke Jensen shared this article from the University of Iowa's website - you'll be so proud of our 2017 Rotary Youth Exchange student Holly Harris!

Growing up in the Midwest, Holly Harris always felt a connection with the opposite side of the world. Harris was adopted from China at just 10 months old, and she developed a passion for exploring differences between cultures. As she got older, her experiences through school and travel transformed her interest in life outside the U.S. into a dream career.

“Throughout elementary and high school, I took Spanish classes and really just fell in love with learning the language,” she says. “After high school, I went to Brazil through a youth exchange program. While I was living there, I learned Portuguese and decided I wanted to continue learning it on an academic level and make it part of my career.”

Harris will graduate this fall with a bachelor’s degree in Portuguese, a bachelor’s degree in international studies, a certificate in nonprofit leadership and philanthropy, and a minor in Spanish. Her time on campus has been highlighted by her work as a research fellow assisting Armando Duarte, a Brazilian professor in the Iowa Department of Dance, with the translation of historical interviews about samba and Carnival from Portuguese to English.

Read the full story here.

Special Christmas Program 12-20

Relax and enjoy a meal and festive music on the last Rotary meeting of the year! Plus a representative of the Salvation Army will be attending.

How to Help Those in Need after Kentucky Tornadoes

A message from our District Governor...

Dear Rotary Members in Zones 30 and 31,

Rotarians are People of Action. Throughout the world in disaster recovery situations, our compassion and commitment to service are a significant part of relief efforts. Right here, right now, your help is needed here in our own zones.

The tornado that touched down Kentucky has devastated communities in 18 counties in our District 6710. The loss of life in many small towns, such as Dawson Springs and Mayfield, is heartbreaking, and survivors have lost their communities, their homes and livelihoods. In many areas, there is limited electricity, resources for food, gasoline and supplies and medical services. Now more than ever is the time for us to live our hashtag, #Rotary Responds.

Update from Rotary International President

Dear District Governors and Club Presidents,

We see the decision to vaccinate as a civic and humanitarian imperative. Rotary is not a political or religious organization, it is a service organization and this is the lens through which we are advising you of our position.

Global vaccination is the path to ending the pandemic and the emergence of new variants. Rotary endorses and strongly encourages vaccination for all individuals including our members who are currently able to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In areas where COVID-19 is surging, communities are facing extreme challenges, health systems are overwhelmed, and contentious rhetoric is dividing us. It is critical that the virus be contained so that the world may begin to heal. To that end, the purpose of this statement is to reinforce Rotary’s position.
Misinformation has become an “infodemic” that hinders the fight against COVID-19. In line with our Four-Way Test, Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation are committed to providing our members with science-based information.
Rotary International staff at One Rotary Center were required to be vaccinated by 10 October 2021, as a criterion for employment after that date. RI’s employee vaccination rate stands at over 99 percent.
Globally, Rotary is actively engaged in assuring equity in vaccine access to all people. Our efforts have included advocacy with the G-20, and a proof-of-concept program with GAVI/COVAX to leverage our frontline experience with polio eradication to facilitate vaccine delivery in several low- and middle-income countries where Rotarians are active. While we know many clubs are already deeply involved in COVID-19 prevention, we are working on additional strategies to multiply our collective efforts. GAVI/COVAX is a partnership including WHO and UNICEF focused on global access and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines.
Those children for whom vaccines are not currently available are at significant risk. Until vaccines are available for all children, the vaccination of adults is the best way to protect children who cannot be vaccinated. Pediatric admissions for COVID-19 are rising precipitously in areas of low vaccination.
Rotary salutes health care workers everywhere as they continue to provide lifesaving services. Local recognition of these heroes by each of our clubs can help to encourage them to continue their important work. Rotary abhors any harassment and attacks on healthcare workers.
Rotary and Rotaract clubs are encouraged to
- set good examples by being exemplary role models;
- redouble their efforts to support COVID-19 treatment, prevention, and vaccination efforts.
Vaccines have proven to be one of the greatest advances of modern medicine. The World Health Organization estimates that vaccines save between 2 to 3 million children’s lives each year, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative estimates the polio vaccine has saved more than 19 million children from paralysis. Vaccines are safe, effective and are responsible for eliminating or controlling many other vaccine-preventable diseases such as smallpox, measles, rubella, and Ebola. And now, there is the opportunity to end the COVID-19 pandemic through vaccines.
The eradication of polio remains a goal of the highest order for Rotary. We can apply the lessons we have learned in fighting polio to the efforts in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regards,

Shekhar Mehta John Germ
President, Rotary International Chair, The Rotary Foundation

CC: RI Board of Directors & Directors-elect, TRF Board of Trustees and incoming Trustees, District Governors-elect, Club Presidents-elect, Regional Leaders, COVID-19 Task Force, International PolioPlus Committee, Communications Committee

World Grace Project December 13

Karen Everling - also known as "Little Iron Mom" - is speaking today about the World Grace Project.

Rotary International Update

Fearing for his safety, Than Hre, a student whose activism had attracted the attention of Myanmar’s military government, fled his homeland in 2000. He made his way from Hakha, the capital of the country’s mountainous Chin State, to Guam, where he would wait two years before securing permission to immigrate to the U.S. mainland.

Read the full story here.

Upcoming Programs

We are entering our winter "break" but already have several great programs lined up for 2022!

December 27 - NO MEETING

January 3, 2022 - NO MEETING

January 10 - Main Street Waterloo

District Governor Jeff Hassman Speaking Dec 6

Get to know Jeff Hassman who was named the 2021-2022 District Governor earlier this year!

Jeff has a business degree from the University of Northern Iowa and an MBA from the University of Michigan. Jeff has nearly 20 years of professional experience in a variety of corporate, consulting and entrepreneurial environments, including working for Deere & Company, global consulting and establishing CVP Advisors. Jeff partnered with the team to form Efficient Technologies in 2014, where he is integral in strategy and finance.

December Birthdays

Join us December 6th to honor this short list of Rotarians celebrating this month

Frank Seng	Dec 2
Jim Schaefer	Dec 6
Jacob Wittmayer	Dec 12
Todd Hutcheson	Dec 13
Randy Johnson	Dec 19

Rotary International News

S. Marathe, a young Rotary member with a vision impairment, recently authored a blog post on the characteristics of a great ally. As 3 Dec is International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we want to highlight those characteristics.

As a young Rotary member who has lived with a vision impairment, I have come to understand the importance of allies. An ally is anyone that actively aspires to be inclusive and is intentional through their thoughts, actions, and words to consciously promote a respectful and inclusive culture.

Many organizations are actively attempting to address the low employee representation across minority groups of gender, culture, and disability and are adopting a range of strategies. But many times, it’s the day-to-day actions that make the most difference. For International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 3 December, I wanted to share some of the characteristics that make a great ally.

Click here to read the rest of the blog post

Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa Nov 29

Our very own Kaye Englin and her team at Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa will talk about 65 years of community impact!

Welcome new members Rachael and Ashlyn

Rachael Hoffman (2nd from left) and Ashlyn Kullen (right) with Club President E.J. Gallagher and Rotary Foundation Chair Deb Pullin Van Auken, Rachael and Ashlyn received their Rotary membership pins November 22nd. Rachael works at US Bank and Ashlyn works at Cardinal Construction.

Paul Harris pin for Bonnie

Bonnie Smith Davis was presented with a Paul Harris certificate and pin November 22. Foundation Chair Deb Pullin Van Auken and Club President E.J. Gallagher encourage all members to become sustaining members by contributing to the Rotary Foundation.

Rotary International Convention in June 2022