News Anchor Abby Turpin of KWWL will share her story as a news anchor and about her life behind the camera.
Abby Turpin co-anchors the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. broadcasts with Ron Steele and is an executive producer. She has numerous years of experience in anchoring and reporting and previously was a performer at Tokyo Disney and on cruise ships. She is married to Travis and has a daughter named Reece! Click here to learn more...
In addition to Abby Turpin joining us Monday, we'll have a special 'Dutch' treat as the2020 Tulip Queen and her court will drop in to send their greetings and share a little entertainment.
May 18 - An update on the Hotel & Convention center - Kayleen Leonard with Best Western Hotel and Michelle Weidner with the City of Waterloo will give us an update on the plans for the hotel and the convention center. They will share renderings, timelines, and answer questions.
Multiple Downtown Waterloo Rotarians were featured in a recent Courier article describing a new fund to mitigate impacts of COVID-19 in the Cedar Valley.
“This has been tough on all nonprofits, whether or not it’s on the frontlines, and it has affected charitable giving for all nonprofits, as well as affecting revenue streams and available resources,” said Kaye Englin, director of the Community Foundation of NE Iowa.
Sheila Baird, executive director of the Cedar Valley United Way, said each organization brings their own experiences and expertise to the table. “We each operate differently, which ultimately you hope is our strength."
Casey Reints, executive director at the Max and Helen Guernsey Foundation, said she is proud the foundation has partnered with other Cedar Valley area funders and “can see the impact that these collective efforts have had on our community. We are stronger together."
Nonprofits can apply for grants from The Black Hawk County COVID-19 Cooperative Disaster Response Fund online at www.cfneia.org/bhcovidgrants. Online gifts are also being accepted online, or can be directed to the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, 3117 Greenhill Circle, Cedar Falls, IA 50613. Checks should be made out to Black Hawk County COVID-19 Cooperative Disaster Response Fund.
How’s the new virtual world treating you? I’m inspired by the number of clubs who have shared their stories of engaging online.
Though the pandemic has brought anxiety and grief, it has also surfaced opportunities for Rotary to evolve. Food banks, homelessness initiatives, and other community organizations are in desperate need of philanthropy, from volunteer support to monetary donations.
Physical distancing recommendations are a necessary public health measure that must be respected. But the restrictions do not mean we can’t continue to help. We must simply get creative and remain flexible:
Respect the recommendation to cover your nose and mouth around others. This isn’t to protect yourself, it’s to protect others. COVID-19 infection can cause no symptoms in some people but cause fatal respiratory failure in others.
Wash your hands regularly. Even if it slows down your volunteer progress. If you or your fellow philanthropists get sick, you won’t be able to help at all.
Take turns and try new things. Allow new members to take the reins of a volunteer shift in order to reduce the number of people present. It’s a win-win. When this is all over, your new members will feel more engaged and you’ll have a new backup!
Offer help online. Right now, community members need personal and professional support. Are you good at writing resumes? Can you offer an empathetic ear? Use these soft skills to help without person-to-person contact.
Our motto, Service Above Self, perhaps has never been more suited to the times than it is today. How will you safely serve your community?
Iowa Food Banks to Receive Rotary COVID-19 Relief Funds
In April, District 5970 presented the Iowa Food Bank Association a check for $22,000 to combat food insecurity in Iowa.
These funds were part of a $25,000 Disaster Response Grant from The Rotary International Foundation. District 5970 was one of 40 districts worldwide to apply for and receive the grant (there are 535 Districts in the world).
There are 51 clubs in District 5970, and each could apply for $1,000 to support COVID-19 needs in their communities. To date, 24 clubs have chosen to send funding to Iowa Food Banks in their communities. The District opted to send the funds through the Iowa Food Bank Association to streamline reporting and distribution of the funds.
Rotarians in Lithuania and Chicago are using their influence to promote the use of “bubble helmets” and potentially lessen the need for mechanical ventilators for COVID-19 patients who struggle to breathe on their own.
The Rotary Club of Vilnius Lituanica International, Lithuania, participated in Hack the Crisis, an online event in March that brought together innovators in science and technology to “hack,” or develop solutions to, issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of the Lithuanian club, along with members of the Rotary Clubs of Chicago and Chicagoland Lithuanians (Westmont), joined a team to brainstorm ways to help COVID-19 patients breathe without using mechanical ventilators.
The group worked with intensive care unit clinicians, healthcare leaders, helmet manufacturers, technology professionals, and marketing managers. They developed a short questionnaire for clinicians and hospital leaders worldwide, gathered practice-based knowledge on noninvasive ventilation for COVID-19 patients, devised an online platform to connect suppliers with demand, and pursued funding to finance the production of more helmets.