Events

DRC Sponsor: Don Holmertz

Quinton Liebl, owner and operator of Liebl Habitat Solutions in Decorah, will be introducing his business with our members and providing information on the cross-section of services his company provides to the community.

Quinton moved to Decorah in 2019 for a job opportunity. Relying on his background in Natural Resources, he started Liebl Habitat Solutions in 2022 as a side business, transitioning it to a full-time, full service business in March of 2024. Liebl Habitat Solutions focuses on assisting private landowners maintain, enhance, and restore their property and reach their habitat and land goals. They provide services such as tree cutting and timber stand improvement, invasive species removal; fenceline, yard, and storm damage clean up; prairie management including prescribed fire burns; and targeted pesticide applications. They prioritize customer service and performing work in a matter that is efficient for the landowner and low impact to the landscape.

For more information please visit their website at https://www.lieblhabitatsolutions.com.

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**Please complete your meal sign-up prior to the meeting, preferably not later than close of business Monday. Our face-to-face meeting will be hosted at the VFW. The meal sign-up, meeting announcment, and any other logistical information will be distributed in advace to all members by email.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Holiday Lights for Helping Services and Decorah Rotary is excited to participate again this year, not only by providing volunteers for the event but also by creating a Rotary wheel display that will be part of the event going forward.

Every night, visitors come from near and far to see the wonder of the holiday displays. These bigger than life depictions of Santa, elves, snowmen, and reindeer can range in size from 5 to 25 feet tall.

They fill the night with blinking lights and charming animations, capturing the wonder of the couples, friends, and family that travel through.

Every event of this type needs a feature display, and for Holiday Lights, it is the Tunnel of Lights. Consisting of eight rings, the lights are synchronized to light in order from first ring to last, making an exciting drive-through experience.

DRC Sponsor: Alan Lerstrom

Vesterheim President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Chris Johnson will talk about the Vesterheim Museum's plans for the upcoming year, including commemoration of the 200th anniversary of organized Norwegian immigration to the United States.

In 2025, Norwegians and Norwegian Americans will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the voyage of the Sloopers. On July 4, 1825, 52 Norwegian's departed Stavanger, Norway on the sloop Restauration taking three months to sail to New York in what would become the first in successive waves of immigration from Norway to the North American continent. Between 1825 and 1925, roughly one-third of Norway's population left their home country to start new lives in North America. Chris will talk about Vesterheim's plans to commemorate this important event as well as share exciting opportunities that folks here in the Decorah area have to take classes in Vesterheim's nationally recognized folk-art school.

Chris Johnson is in his tenth year serving as President / CEO of Vesterheim, the National Norwegian American Museum & Folk Art School. His ancestors emigrated from farms near Norway's Sognefjord in the 1860s and settled in parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, and South Dakota. Born and raised in New Hampton, Iowa, he remembers visiting Vesterheim as a child on school field trips. He holds a bachelor's degree in history from Luther College, and a master's degree in museum studies from the University of Nebraska. He has worked in the museum field for more than 35 years, holding positions at places such as Living History Farms, Arbor Lodge State Historic Site, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Decorah Rotarians may also recognize Chris as the father of Hallie Johnson, the club's Rotary Global Scholar who is presently in Scotland for graduate studies at the University of Edinburgh.

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**Please complete your meal sign-up prior to the meeting, preferably not later than close of business Monday. Our face-to-face meeting will be hosted at the VFW. The meal sign-up, meeting announcment, and any other logistical information will be distributed in advace to all members by email.

DRC Sponsor: Alan Lerstrom

Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx will visit our club to discuss the topic of scams, including the most common and recent trends. He will give examples of real-world, local encounters with scam artists and the ways they use to exploit their victims, often with veiled threats and promises of wealth or romance. 

Dan Marx’s family moved to the Decorah area when he was preschool age. His calling to service began early, as he became certified as an Emergeny Medical Technician prior to graduating from high school. As Sheriff, Marx serves as the chief law enforcement officer in Winneshiek County. In addition to his leadership responsibilities, his functions include patrols, investigations, jail operations, civil processes, court orders, court functions and community/public relations. Sheriff Marx has been involved with county law enforcement for the past 26 years. He was appointed to the position of Sheriff in 2015, was elected to that position in 2016, and was recently reelected to a third term. He holds a degree in police science and criminal justice and is a member of Iowa State Sheriffs' and Deputies' Association.

Decorah Rotarian Roger Huinker will be distributing "Fraud Fighter" pamphlets at the meeting.

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**Please complete your meal sign-up prior to the meeting, preferably not later than close of business Monday. Our face-to-face meeting will be hosted at the VFW. The meal sign-up, meeting announcment, and any other logistical information will be distributed in advace to all members by email.

DRC Sponsor: Ward Budweg

Dave Smutzler, founder of the paranormal investigative group P.I.G.s (Police Investigating Ghosts), will be sharing his group's techniques used in paranormal investigations (which differ from what most people are used to seeing on TV shows) and will share some spooky stories!

Dave's interest in the paranormal began in college. He didn't have any actual experiences at that time but the fascination continued into his career as a Decorah police officer, which began in 1991. He has a desire to help people even when a logical or obvious explanation isn't available, and that desire makes Smutzler and his team passionate about investigating perceived paranormal occurrences. Smutzler claims he’s participated in more than 100 investigations, including some of Iowa’s more famous haunted sites — like the Cresco movie theater, Edinburgh Manor in Scotch Grove, and many others.

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**Please complete your meal sign-up prior to the meeting, preferably not later than close of business Monday. Our face-to-face meeting will be hosted at the VFW. The meal sign-up, meeting announcment, and any other logistical information will be distributed in advace to all members by email.