Join us for the last meeting of our Rotary year...and what a memorable year it ended up being! Our president-elect Annie Vander Werff is expected to ceremoniously accept the gavel from 2019-2020 president Mark Durbahn. As the world grapples with COVID-19 and finds ways to keep our businesses operating, personal connections intact, and traditions alive, Annie will need each member to support our efforts and come out of this as a stronger club. We've shown that we won't let a global pandemic stop us from fellowship, and service to our community has come in the form of weekly financial support to organizations directly impacted. Look for the good work of our club to continue as we transition to new club leaders!
Click the link below to connect to our meeting - this is a unique link for the June 29th meeting:
Get to know the soon-to-be President-Elect of our Rotary Club. A retired attorney and active Rotarian; Mr. Gallagher has worn many hats in the Cedar Valley community and beyond!
E.J. Gallagher III was born in Washington D.C. and came back with his Iowan parents to Waterloo in June of 1950. He graduated from Columbus High School after kindergarten at Kingsley and grades one to 8 at St. Edward’s. He got an undergraduate degree from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul followed by a law degree from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. He was admitted to practice law in Iowa in 1974 and spent a year back in Washington D.C. working for a special Federal commission studying wiretapping law.
He started practice with the law firm that later became Gallagher, Langlas & Gallagher in June 1975, and practiced law in Waterloo through February 2015 when he retired. His practice was focused on matters that were or could be tried in state or federal courts. E.J. was a member of several legal groups during his practice from the state to national level and served on the board and eventually became President of the Iowa Association for Justice.
He became a Rotarian early in 1976 and has been a member of our club since then. He has served as board member of our club and as club board secretary. Over the years he has enjoyed working on service projects the club did including moving the library books, the train ride, Shoebox, Koats for Kids, and Hops & Grapes.
E.J. has also served on local and statewide boards for several non-profits over the years and do so at the present time. Locally he now serves on the Winnebago Council BSA, Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony and Grout Museum boards (along with other organizations). He has also been active in his church and served on its parish council and social concerns committee. He has been active in political groups for many years and served as a political party county chair for six years and on district committees. This being Iowa, political participation is both more intense and interesting every four years.
E.J. has two adult children, a son Joseph who lives in Waterloo and is a UNI graduate and a daughter Gail Gallagher who is married to Sam Stacklin. Gail obtained a theater degree from the University of Nebraska and lives in Chicago and is active in theater in acting, directing, play writing, teaching and musical accompaniment. She also does improv keyboard accompaniment and song writing and performances both live and on the internet.
Lowell is the former police chief of Rockwell City and a former member of the city’s maintenance department. He served more than 30 years on the city’s fire department and is an active member of the Rockwell City Rotary Club.
Lowell's installation celebration is scheduled for June 28, 2020, at the Twin Lakes Golf Club in Rockwell City. Register to attend.
A Message from Outgoing District Governor, Michelle Bell...
As Rotarians, we know this phrase is true: Rotary Opens Opportunities. Chosen as the 2020-2021 Rotary theme, these are words to live by for all clubs. But what does “opening opportunities” mean for individual Rotarians?
I’ve collected a few ideas I’ve observed throughout my tenure as 5970 District Governor:
Bringing people together: Rotary gives members an opportunity to meet others they might never have met otherwise. Older, younger, professional, homemaker. Rotary is for everyone and welcomes people from all walks of life.
Granting confidence through responsibility: You might never have thought you could write a newsletter, plan a public event, or build a home for someone in need. Yet, here you are! Rotary gives people a chance to get outside their comfort zone with support from like-minded volunteers.
Trying new things: Prior to joining Rotary, some members had never volunteered in their community before. Working side-by-side with other club members can be the start of a lifelong dedication to selflessly serving others.
Opportunities can be scary, but they can also be exciting. Rotary gives each of us an opportunity to pursue our passions and take care of the people and places that makes our communities great.
How does your club open opportunities? Share your tips online with Exchange Ideas on MyRotary.
Rotary clubs in districts across Italy worked together to procure state-of-the-art equipment needed to combat the deadly coronavirus disease for 26 hospitals around the country.
The pandemic has devastated Italy, with more than 32,000 deaths and nearly 226,000 confirmed cases by mid-May. The Italian Rotary club project, funded by global grants, is providing thermal scanners, COVID triage units, and bio-containment stretchers that allow medical staff to safely assess, monitor, and transport patients. Valued at more than $1.4 million, the equipment will address current urgent needs and be useful for the future, helping to reduce the spread of disease and protect public health.
