Home Page | Rotary Club of Decorah

Welcome to Our Rotary Club of Decorah!

Service Above Self

We meet In Person

Tuesdays at 12:00 PM

VFW

104 State St
Decorah, IA 52101
United States of America

In addition to Tuesday noon meetings, the Decorah Rotary After-Hours group meets at Pulpit Rock Brewing Company, 207 College Drive, every-other Thursday at 5:30 pm. See the drop-down menu items above for event dates and speakers.

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Our District

Venue Map

Around-the-World Flight Pilots Visit Decorah

(L-R) Decorah Rotarian and Program Sponsor Don Holmertz, Rotarian Pilot Peter Teahen, Decorah Rotary Club President Paul Scott, and Rotarian Pilot John Ockenfels

The Decorah Rotary Club was honored to welcome Rotarian pilots Peter Teahen and John Ockenfels at the special Decorah Municipal Airport meeting location on Tuesday, November 1. Peter and John flew their newly acquired Cessna 210 Centurion from Cedar Rapids, available for public viewing for the very first time. In May 2023, these courageous and philanthropic pilots will climb into their airplane and head east on an amazing 8-10 week, 20,000 mile around-the-world flight to raise awareness for Rotary International's polio eradication campaign. Less than 700 pilots in history have successfully circumnavigated the globe in a single engine aircraft.

The two pilots have a goal to raise $1 million with 100% of the proceeds going directly to Rotary International’s “Polio Plus” program. All flight expenses are being paid by Peter and John. When the two-man crew departs Cedar Rapids, it will become the “Flight to End Polio.” At each stop around the globe, the pilots will raise awareness by meeting with other Rotary members, humanitarian workers, and government officials to discuss the progress of polio eradication and the ongoing need for assistance for families still affected by the devastating disease.

Our club extends its sincere thanks to Peter and John for flying up to Decorah to talk about their upcoming adventure and show off their airplane. We also thank the Decorah Municipal Airport and Manager Mike Connell for hosting our lunch and meeting in the airport hanger.

More information including details of the flight, sponsorship opportunities, and ways to donate directly to Rotary International's "Polio Plus" campaign, is available on the associated "Flight to End Polio" website at https://www.flighttoendpolio.com/.

Additional photos from the meeting are in the companion photo album: Flight to End Polio Visits Decorah Rotary.

Photo credits: Gary Mineart

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6th Annual Touch a Truck

Decorah Rotarians Jeff Tomlinson and Jacky Budweg serving at the Touch a Truck event

The 6th Annual Touch A Truck held on Saturday, October 15, 2022 was a huge success. The event is hosted by the Decorah Fire Department in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week. It allows kids the opportunity to explore their favorite vehicles including police, fire and emergency vehicles, farm equipment, construction equipment, aircraft, and city maintenance vehicles.Decorah Rotary members served 360 hot dogs with chips and lemonade to attendees. Our club extends its sincere thanks to Rotary After Hours member and volunteer fireman Jesse Reyerson for connecting our club with this event.

For more photos of the amazing vehicles on display and our Rotarians in action, please see: 6th Annual Touch a Truck

Photo credits: Decorah Volunteer Fire Department, Shannon Duncan

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Rotary Roadside Clean Up Day - Fall 2022

Decorah Rotarians had a busy Saturday morning on October 15th as the members participated in roadside cleanup along the designated two-mile segment of Iowa Highway 9 from Kelly Real Estate to beyond the Highway 9 and 52 intersection west of town. We extend a huge thank you to all participating Rotarians that and to partner organizations, the Girl Scouts and the Decorah High School Community Club, for helping make this event fun and successful!

For more photos please visit the companion photo album: Rotary Roadside Clean-Up Day - Fall 2022

Photo credits: Shannon Duncan, Gary Mineart

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DRC Trout Run Trail Tour Day 2022

The Decorah Rotary Club (DRC) hosted its Trout Run Trail (TRT) Tour Day this year on Tuesday, August 30th. This is an annual event allowing an opportunity for the elderly and those with physical limitations preventing routine access to the TRT to experience the beauty of the entire 12-mile circuit. Nearly one hundred local community members came out and filled the available seats for each scheduled trail loop. The weather was absolutely glorious making for comfortable touring and great scenery for the participants. All enjoyed the tasty barbecue luncheon hosted at the Chuck Gipp Decorah Fish Hatchery pavilion.

Our club extends its sincere thanks for the leadership provided by these members: Dacia Monson (breakfast and lunch coordination); Alan Lerstrom (appointments and reservations coordination); Mike Huinker (machine and driver coordinator, TRT 28-E Committee liaison); Kelly Reagan (outreach coordination); and Shannon Duncan (volunteer coordination).

Our club thanks all of our member volunteers who supported this event: Cal Anderson, John Anderson, Don Arendt, Kim Bonnet, Maureen Duncklee, Ivan Hackman, Don Holmertz, Amy Loera, Gary Mineart, John Moeller, Jim Morrow, Uwe Rudolf, Ron Snell, and J.T. Vogel. A special thanks to the following individuals and organizations who donated the use of their off-road vehicles and the time to drive: Tom Kuennen, John Kerndt, Paul Nichols, Tade Kerndt, Matt Johnson, Northeast Iowa Community College, Greg Rude, Kari Rude, Jeff Ode, Dave Sollien, Les Askelson, Darrell Branhagen, and Chris Redenius.

Thanks also to the Chuck Gipp Decorah Fish Hatchery, the City of Decorah, the TRT 28-E Committee, U-2 BBQ & Catering, and Decorah Rental for working with our club to facilitate this event. We thank all of the participants for their generous free-will donations. Finally, as always we recognize and thank the local land owners who help make the TRT such a special addition to Decorah and our community.

For photos of this event please visit the gallery at DRC Trout Run Trail Tour Day 2022.

Photo credits: Dacia Monson, Paul Scott, Gary Mineart

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Rotary Donates to the Decorah Community Food Pantry

(L-R) Decorah Rotary Club Pork Chop Committee members Melissa Fuhrmann, Brecka Putnam, and Shannon Duncan presenting a check to Steve Zittergruen, Vice President of the Decorah Community Food Pantry

The Decorah Rotary Club (DRC) was recently honored to donate over $700 in tips from pork shop sales at the 2022 Winneshiek County Fair and 2022 Nordic Fest to the Decorah Community Food Pantry (DCFP). Steve Zittergruen, Board of Directors Vice President for DCFP, gave an excellent presentation about the organization at the most recent Decorah Rotary After Hours meeting. DRC members who served on this year's pork chop committee formally presented the Rotary donation at this meeting.

The DCFP appreciates all donations but especially so during this recent year. "There has been a tremendous uptick [in demand] this year over last. Almost 50 percent more people need our services," said Zittergruen. "A lot of people who were struggling to get by but getting by are now coming through our doors."

The DRC extends its sincere thanks to all of its pork chop booth customers for their generous tips and for making this donation possible.

To learn more about the DCFP or to make a donation please visit https://www.decorahpantry.org.

Photo credit: Samantha Spilde

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Decorah Rotary Club 2022 Pork Chop Fundraiser

By all accounts the inaugural Decorah Rotary Club (DRC) Pork Chop Fundraiser was a smashing success. Held at both the 2022 Winneshiek County Fair on July 12-16 and again during Decorah's 2022 Nordic Fest on 28-30 July, the two events exceeded expectations for quantities served, funds raised, good fellowship shared, and customers made happy. Of course, none of it would have been possible without the DRC leadership planning, organizing, coordinating, and purchasing, along with the multitude of Rotary volunteers manning the booths and the generous support of partner organization volunteers assisting with the grilling, providing cooler space, etc. The list of names is far too long to enumerate but our club extends its sincerest thanks to each and every one!

For a variety of candid photos of our volunteers in action, check out the companion photo album: Rotary Pork Chop Booth 2022.

Photo credits: Brecka Putnam et al.

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Rotary's 2022 Nordic Fest Float

(L-R) Stephanie Folkedahl and Shannon Duncan manning the Decorah Rotary Club's 2022 Nordic Fest float during the parade

The Decorah Rotary Club thanks all of its members who worked on the design, construction, and operation of the superb 2022 Nordic Fest float. Those members include Jacky Budweg, Ward Budweg, Shannon Duncan, Stephanie Folkedahl, Ivan Hackman, Alan Lerstrom, Paul Pasche, Brecka Putnam, Uwe Rudolph, and Jeff Tomlinson.

For more float photos please see the companion photo album at Rotary Nordic Fest Float 2022.

Photo credits: Brecka Putnam, Stephanie Folkedahl

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Rotary donates $5,000 to Kids Lunch Club in Decorah

(L-R) Rotarian Jeff Tomlinson, his spouse Christy, and Rotarians Steph Folkedahl and Samantha Spilde at the Ice Cream Sundae Party

The Decorah Rotary Club (DRC) is proud to announce that Kids Lunch Club has been selected to receive $2,500 from the DRC and a matching $2,500 grant from Rotary District 5970. Area children using free and reduced lunch receive two meals per weekday at school during the school year but don’t have that option during the summer. Kids Lunch Club provides all area kids with free, fresh, and nutritious lunches throughout the summer. It was relaunched in 2022 after two years off due to COVID-19 and now includes periodic community building and enrichment activities.

“Approximately 22% of Decorah Community School District’s children receive free or reduced cost lunches during the school year,” says organizer Shanna Putnam Dibble, “but times are hard for many more families right now with increased food and gas prices.” By offering Kids Lunch Club to all youth, the program reduces the stigma of getting a free lunch and supports more families who are struggling. Local Rotarians selected Kids Lunch Club to receive these funds because of the DRC's commitment to child health, the innovative programming offered by Kids Lunch Club, and the opportunity for Rotary members to give their time. DRC members recently hosted an ice cream sundae party at Kids Lunch Club and look forward to packing lunches throughout the summer.

Photo Credit: Brecka Putnam

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DRC Veterans Memorial Park Service Project

Decorah After-Hours Rotarian Jesse Reyerson collecting debris and preparing the soil for seeding at Veterans Memorial Park

Many thanks to the Decorah Rotarians who helped rake the soil, collect stones and debris, and haul dirt at the Winneshiek Veterans Memorial Association’s Winneshiek County Veterans Memorial on Thursday, June 16th. Rotary is proud to honor our veterans and support this important project, both through our District 5970 grant process and our direct service contributions. The memorial is rapidly progressing toward its completion and our club is excited to be a part of the initiative!

For more photos see the companion photo album here: Veterans Memorial Park Service Project

Photo credits: Brecka Putnam

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