Events

DRC Sponsor: Lorraine Borowski

Since 2007 Benji Nichols and his spouse Aryn have been the owners and creative catalysts of Inspire(d) Media, a quarterly publication featuring the positive people, places, and projects of the Driftless Region (NE Iowa, SE Minnesota, and SW Wisconsin). Benji will be joining us to share information about another labor of love that began in May of 2022 -- the "Rhymes with Decorah" Podcast.

The "Rhymes with Decorah" Podcast features positive stories, profiles, and exploration of challenges across the upper midwest and beyond. Since its inception over 57 individual podcasts have been released to the public. As Benji states, "The brainstorming session that my wife Aryn, our daughter Roxie, and I had for this podcast title was epic. It could have been called "Nichols & Sense", "Parts Missing", "Dogs, Beer, and bicycles", or "Nichols de Gallo" - But "Rhymes With Decorah" won out. Because after all - what rhymes with Decorah? Our goal is to tell the stories of the communities in our region, share the challenges and successes -- and find a way forward -- together. That's what life in the rural midwest is all about."

For more information on the "Rhymes with Decorah" Podcast please see the website at https://benjinichols.podbean.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.

After Hours Sponsor: Brecka Putnam

Rotary International President R. Gordon R. McInally has named prioritizing mental health as one of his three presidential initiatives that create hope in the world. This cause is particularly timely for Iowans, as death by suicide rates have increased nationwide and Iowa mental health providers struggle to keep up with demand for their services.

We are excited to dedicate our February 8 Rotary After Hours meeting to prioritizing mental health. Participants will hear short presentations (about ten minutes) from five professionals and leave with meaningful action items to help improve their own mental health and the mental health of those in our communities. Our speakers are as follows:

Melissa Fuhrman is a Nurse Practitioner, practicing in Harmony, MN. She holds undergraduate degrees from Augustana College and South Dakota State University and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Melissa will share about mental health and wellness in primary care, the prevalence of mental health issues, and the connection between physical and mental health.

Kimberly Keck has been a Registered Nurse for eleven years, starting her career in pediatrics, followed by eight years in long term care. Most recently, she is a Program Director with Psychiatric Medical Care/Senior Life Solutions. She will provide an overview of their program, which is designed to meet unique needs of older individuals experiencing depression or anxiety related to life changes often associated with aging. 

Sean Snyder is the Winneshiek County Emergency Management Coordinator and the Director of the 911 Communications Center. Sean has over 20 years of public safety experience, including fire department, emergency medical services, law enforcement, and emergency management.  Sean will be discussing the “Weight of the Badge” program, scheduled for March 28 at Luther College. This program focuses on mental health for emergency responders (fire department, law enforcement, emergency medical service, emergency management, dispatchers, jailers, healthcare workers, veterans, etc.) and is the first of its kind in Northeast Iowa.

Carrie Shepard is a Registered Nurse and Population Health Coach at Regional Health Services of Howard County. She has been in nursing for 18 years and is currently in school obtaining her BSN with a long-term goal of becoming a Psychiatric Mental Health Practitioner. Carrie will be presenting on helping your own mental health. This topic is appropriate for everyone, as we can all work to improve our own mental health. She’ll present proven strategies and tips that anyone can use.

Brecka Putnam is a Licensed Master of Social Work, providing hospice and bereavement social work services for six counties in Northeast Iowa and serving as the Public Health social worker for Howard County. She is a Certified Grief Specialist, QPR suicide prevention trainer, and facilitates the Howard County Behavioral Health Coalition, bringing together a variety of entities engaged in efforts to improve mental and behavioral health across Northeast Iowa. Brecka will be presenting on strategies to decrease death by suicide and suicide attempts, supports available for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, and actionable items we can all take to help our friends and neighbors struggling with mental health.

DRC Sponsor: Lorraine Borowski

Luther College President Jenifer K. Ward appointed Bill Smith as Vice President for Communications at Luther College on October 16, 2023. He serves as the head of the newly constituted Division of Communications, which encompasses the offices of Marketing and Communications as well as Campus Programming. Dr. Smith will be visiting our club to share his insights into his role at the college, the current state of affairs, and future plans.

Dr. Smith came to Decorah from Arkansas State University (ASU) where he served since 2013 and most recently as Chief Communications Officer. At ASU, he led external and internal communications efforts. He initiated a visual branding program, served as primary university spokesperson and managed crisis communications. For his work in university communications, he has won multiple regional awards from the Council for the Support and Advancement of Education (CASE).

He is a historian as well as a communications expert. Dr. Smith holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Arkansas, as well as an M.A. in History and a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He has taught history at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, and at Northwest Arkansas Community College. For the regional National Public Radio affiliate in Northwest Arkansas, he created and co-hosted a monthly “We’re History” radio program reflecting on the use of history in popular culture. His scholarly areas of expertise are in U.S. diplomatic and military history as well as 20th-century U.S. and European history.

As a crisis communications expert, he holds certifications in public information and the incident command system from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He achieved the National Weather Service’s StormReady Campus certification for Arkansas State in 2017 and 2022. 

An avid cyclist, Dr. Smith holds a certification as a safety course instructor from the League of American Bicyclists, and he has served as board president of the Northeast Arkansas Bicycle Coalition. His cycling interests brought him to Iowa in 2018 to complete RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa).

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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: Lorraine Borowski

Since May 2021 Kate Klimesh has been the owner and managing editor of Driftless Multimedia, LLC, established at the time her family purchased Decorah Newspapers, the publishing company serving as the souce of the Decorah Public Opinion and the Driftless Journal. Ms. Klimesh will share how she got into the business, describe the workings of Driftless Multimedia, and talk about her vision of the future media landscape.

In the three years prior to ownership of Driftless Multimedia, Ms. Klimesh worked as Administrator of the Rowley Masonic Community; as Nursing Home Administrator for Continuum Health Care Services; and as Administrator of the Riceville Community Rest Home. Prior to 2018, she worked for over a decade in Business Development at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah.

A native of Spillville, Ms. Klimesh received her B.A. in Biology, Psychology, and English from Luther College in 1992. She subsequently completed the Nursing Home Administrator Course through Des Moines Area Community College in 2017.

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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 - Shannon Duncan

Raechel Miller, volunteer coordinator at Riverview Center, will be joining us to discuss the services Riverview Center offers to the community and possible volunteer opportunities for our club.

Riverview Center offers counseling and therapy to survivors of sexual violence in Iowa and to survivors of sexual and/or domestic violence in Illinois. When a survivor decides that counseling or therapy is part of their healing journey, they are given choices. Riverview Center therapists create service plans based on the needs and wishes of the client, including treatment goals that the therapist and survivor agree on. Therapists will never force a survivor to discuss experiences that they are not ready to talk about; instead, therapists guide the survivor toward their picture of healing at the survivor’s pace.

Therapy and counseling services are available for child, teen and adult survivors, and for friends and family of the survivor. Sessions can be one-on-one, with family or in a group setting, depending on the client’s preference and comfort level. Therapy and counseling take place within the privacy of our offices or in an agreed upon, confidential location in the community that is convenient and comfortable for the survivor.

Each session is centered by the needs and wishes of the client, including goals, types of therapy methods, and timeline. While one survivor may need a place to discuss their experience in a safe environment, another may benefit from using art or sand tray therapy to process the abuse. This service may last weeks, months, or years, depending on the survivor’s needs. The path to healing is not linear; rather, it takes a unique shape for each survivor.

For more information, please visist https://riverviewcenter.org/about/.

DRC Sponsor: Lorraine Borowski

Les Askelson is the General Manager and locally well-known morning co-host voice at KVIK Radio in Decorah. He will be sharing information on the business and broadcasting developments at the station and provide insight into its day-to-day operations.

Les was born and raised on a farm in northeast Iowa. He graduated from Brown Radio Broadcasting in 1971. He has worked at WCCI in Savannah, IL, KCRG in Cedar Rapids, and KDEC in Decorah. He contributed 20 years of local public service as a County Supervisor for Winneshiek County and served two terms as Chairman, from 1997-2005 and again from 2011-2013 . His familiar voice may be heard as the track announcer for the Upper Iowa Speedway and sub-track announcer at the Iowa Speedway in Newton.

Formerly owned by Wennes Communications, longtime owner Greg Wennes exited the company in 2021 and in the process agreed to give up his 69% stake in six Wennes Communications stations and translators in Decorah and Waukon for $2.5 million in compensation. Concurrently, Les was able to increase his share of the ownership to a majority interest in KVIK and KNEI and retain his role as General Manager.

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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.

The Wisonsin Singers are coming to Decorah!

Wisconsin Singers is the only UW ensamble that combines song, dance, theater technology and leadership opportunities into one unparalleled opportunity.  We are blessed to have this opporutnity because a former Decorah high school student is a part of teh group.  To learn more, visit https://www.wisconsinsingers.com/our-story.

DRC Sponsor: Kim Bonnet

Dr. Colin Betts, Professor of Anthropology at Luther College, will be discussing the use of remote sensing technology to provide details about buried archaeological materials without excavating as a vital part of modern archaeology. Last November he shared fascinating details on a project investigating the history of the Ice Cave Mill. This talk will show how Luther College students have used these remote sensing techniques to discover details about the historic Highlandville School.

Dr. Betts is a Luther alumnus and has been a professor in the anthropology department since 1999. He also serves as the director of the Anthropology Laboratory. Some of his course topics include Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, Born to Run, Experimental Archaeology, and Remote Sensing in Archaeology. His research focuses on North American archaeology, mound construction, ethnicity, research methods and geophysical survey. His research is focused on the late prehistoric and early historic period in Northeast Iowa. The Upper Iowa valley has a fascinating and rich archaeological heritage that spans thousands of years of human habitation and provides an ideal natural laboratory for conducting research with students. His recent activities have focused on using a combination of archaeological and historic resources identifying the ethnic dimensions of the area’s most recent inhabitants as well as on understanding how the construction and use of mounds served both in the construction of the cultural landscape and as means of dealing with the impacts of European contact.

He obtained his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Illinois (U of I) at Urbana-Champaign in 2000. He also holds an M.A. from U of I and a B.A. in Anthropology and History awarded by Luther College in 1993.

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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: Kim Bonnet

Oneota Community Cooperative (Co-op) General Manager Nate Furler and Marketing Outreach Coordinator Tanya O'Connor will be providing some history and an update on the inner working of the Co-op on the 2024 occasion of its 50th year of service to the local community. They will share ways for local community members to be involved in the 50th Anniversary celebration.

The Oneota Co-op is a community-owned grocery store. It follows seven internationally recognized cooperative principles that serve as guidelines by which co-ops put their values into practice, including a democratically elected board of directors. The local Co-op prioritizes the building of bonds between the people who supply their products and the people who use them. It includes a commitment to local producers and other companies with a dedication to healthy food and goods, the quality of life for those who produce these things, and the impact of production on our planet.

For more information about the Oneota Co-op please visit their website at https://oneotacoop.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.

DRC After Hours Sponsor: Brecka Putnam

Tara McConnell, owner of Serenity Fitness on Water Street, will share how she went from participating in fitness classes to owning her own gym, becoming a certified
personal trainer, certified nutritionist, and teaching classes. She will also share more information on Serenity Fitness, which opened in January of 2021 and expanded to their new location in August of 2023.

Serenity Fitness serves a variety of clients including boot camp participants, individuals with special needs, rehab patients, and more. They offer resistance equipment, cardio, weight bench, free weights, group training, personal training, and nutritional and supplement coaching. Serenity Fitness is named after the Serenity Prayer, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” The motto at Serenity Fitness is come as you are and we will meet you there!

Tara moved to Decorah in 2004 to attend Luther College, met her husband in 2006, and ended up staying in the locale. Together they have two busy kids, McCoy, 10, and McKinnley, 8. She was led to Curves in Decorah by learning that she needed more resistance training to reach her fitness goals. After being a stay-at-home mom for eight years, the opportunity to own the gym presented itself and she knew that was a missing piece in her life. Tara feels blessed to have found success in her business and is passionate about cheering other local businesses on and helping them succeed. She became a Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassador in 2023 and loves learning about great businesses in the area.

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DRC Sponsor: Kim Bonnet

Jessica Rilling, Executive Director of the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce (DACC) will be speaking on the history of the organization, its contributions to the local community, and plannd special events that will celebrate the 100th year of its existence.

The DACC mission is to be the most trusted resource in the business community for advocacy, collaboration, and education. For 100 years, their vision has been to shape and inspire a vibrant business community holding on to four core values: (1) integrity of leadership; (2) responsiveness to business needs; (3) service as a dependable partner for area businesses and community organizations; and (4) commitment to serving members and the community.

Since 1924, the DACC’s has focused on keeping the Decorah area business community strong. Today, they represent more than 300 area businesses. Their membership spans every sector of business including manufacturing, healthcare, retail, restaurants, wellness, service, and visitor attractions.

For more information on the DACC please visit their website at https://www.decorahareachamber.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.

DRC Sponsor: John Anderson

Board members Jessica O'Mara, Gunnar Schwarz, and Nicole Schissel will be on hand to present information on the latest developments at the Depot Outlet. They will provide a general overview of the history of the Depot Outlet, how their board is structured, what they collect and sell, the number of employees and volunteers, and their granting process including the recent history of their benevolent giving and the process through which the grant proposals are adjudicated. They will also share insights into their future plans and use of new space.

The mission of the Depot Outlet is to encourage and assist generous area residents in recycling their discarded clothing, small household goods, furniture, and books and offer those items for sale at a low price. The goal is to provide area residents with opportunities to volunteer, train, and work in the organization’s recycling efforts. With the funds generated, the Depot Outlet provides grants to non-profit organizations throughout Winneshiek County.

Since 1973, over $2.5 million has been “recycled” by the Depot Outlet back to the community. Prior to 1984, volunteers were completely responsible for their day-to-day operations after which paid employees along with the volunteers comprised their staffing. Today there are over 25 full- and part-time employees along with many volunteers responsible for their ongoing success. 

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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.

The Weight of the Badge Program is the first of its kind in northeast Iowa. A four-hour conference dedicated to this program is scheduled for March 28, 2024 at Luther College, from 6 pm to 10 pm. The conference will focus on mental health for emergency responders (fire department, law enforcement, emergency medical services, emergency management agencies, dispatchers, jailers, and healthcare workers). Emergency responders are universally skilled at assisting callers who are seeking help in a time of need but are often reluctant to seek help for themselves. The Weight of the Badge Program represents an effort to mitigate such reluctance. Significant others/spouses are invited to accompany their first responder so they can learn first-hand how this new program can contribute to their family's well being.

The event is free however registration is required.  

Registration link: https://form.jotform.com/233324371045044 Or scan the QR code on the county flyer or Winneshiek Facebook page

Rotarian volunteers will assist with the social hour prior to the event.

DRC Sponsor: Jim Morrow

Luther College Professor of Mathematics and fellow Decorah Rotarian Phil Iversen will be offering information on a new class he is teaching at Luther College called "Mathematics and Democracy." The class provides another option for students to satisfy the Data Literacy requirement in the new Core Curriculum. A key premise for the class is that understanding basic but important mathematical concepts and calculations can help a person become a more engaged and effective citizen in a democracy. Topics include (1) measuring how democratic different countries are, (2) preference ballots and ranked choice voting, (3) weighted voting (e.g., the Electoral College), (4) voting districts, (5) gerrymandering, and (6) economic indicators.

Phil joined the mathematics faculty at Luther in 2017 after a previous career as an applied statistician in the pharmaceutical industry. His professional interests include statistical education, multi-factor design of experiments, data visualization, Bayesian methods, and statistical applications in the physical sciences. His hobbies include carpentry and home remodeling, trumpet, bicycling, and knitting. His spouse Sarah is owner and operator of Blue Heron Knittery in downtown Decorah.

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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.

Decorah Rotary is proud to once again partner with local groups in support of the Decorah Community Meal. Our assigned day is April 4, 2024. The event takes place in the Fellowship Hall (lower level) at Decorah Lutheran Church, 309 Winnebago Street.  The sign up includes spots for salads, desserts and workers.  Food items can be dropped off as early as 4:15 in the church kitchen the day of the event.  If you have a container that you need returned, please make sure it is marked with your name.  The event coordinators have requested that children under the age of 14 be accompanied by an adult.

For those of you signing up to work, you may be assigned to any of the following jobs:

Cut and serve desserts, refill dessert table
Mix and pour drinks, refill drinks
Floater/Runner; Keep main table stocked with dishes, silverware, napkins, entrées, salads.
Serve coffee and greet guests.                                                                                                                                                    Bus dishes and help in kitchen after meal                                                                                                                                    Dry washed pots, pans, bowls, etc.                                                                                                                                            Unload dishwasher and put dishes away                                                                                                                                  Wipe tables and chairs                                                                                                                                                        Vacuum/mop and help with take-down                                                                                                                                  Assistance to any of the DCM committee members as needed

DRC Sponsor: Jim Morrow

Raechel Miller, volunteer coordinator at the Riverview Center, spoke to the Rotary After Hours group about the services Riverview Center offers to the community and possible volunteer opportunities for our club. By popular demand, Raechel is returning to provide her insights for our noon Rotary meeting attendees.

Riverview Center offers counseling and therapy to survivors of sexual violence in Iowa and to survivors of sexual and/or domestic violence in Illinois. When a survivor decides that counseling or therapy is part of their healing journey, they are given choices. Riverview Center therapists create service plans based on the needs and wishes of the client, including treatment goals that the therapist and survivor agree on. Therapists will never force a survivor to discuss experiences that they are not ready to talk about; instead, therapists guide the survivor toward their picture of healing at the survivor’s pace. Therapy and counseling services are available for child, teen and adult survivors, and for friends and family of the survivor. Sessions can be one-on-one, with family or in a group setting, depending on the client’s preference and comfort level. Therapy and counseling take place within the privacy of our offices or in an agreed upon, confidential location in the community that is convenient and comfortable for the survivor.

Each session is centered by the needs and wishes of the client, including goals, types of therapy methods, and timeline. While one survivor may need a place to discuss their experience in a safe environment, another may benefit from using art or sand tray therapy to process the abuse. This service may last weeks, months, or years, depending on the survivor’s needs. The path to healing is not linear; rather, it takes a unique shape for each survivor.

For more information, please visist https://riverviewcenter.org/about/.

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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 After Hours Sponsor: Brecka Putnam

Jennifer Sime is a mother who will share how the love of her son and the grief following his death brought her to meaningful and healing advocacy work with the The Danny Did Foundation and Epilepsy Foundation. Bringing awareness to epilepsy and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), the condition that took her son Brendan’s life on November 28, 2017, Jennifer has raised much needed funds, volunteered countless hours and ran hundreds of miles.

The Danny Did Foundation (DDF) was founded by Chicagoans Mike and Mariann Stanton in January 2010 after the death of their four-year-old son Danny. The Danny Did Foundation works toward its mission to prevent deaths caused by seizures by advancing public awareness of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), enhancing SUDEP education and disclosure between medical professionals and families affected by seizures, and bringing to the mainstream, seizure detection and prediction devices that may assist in preventing seizure-related deaths. The name of the foundation originates from the last line of Danny’s obituary, written by his dad, “Please go and enjoy your life. Danny did.”

Jennifer has been involved with DDF since 2019, and a board member since 2021. She has been a volunteer with the Epilepsy Foundation of Iowa (EFIA) since 2018 and a member of the EFIA Community Outreach and Engagement board since 2020. In 2019, Jennifer became Iowa’s first SUDEP Ambassador and participates in panel discussions on grief and provides support to other bereaved parents. She speaks at family conferences, medical conferences and to students of all ages, including medical and research students. She shares her personal story of loss to raise awareness of the serious risks that accompany epilepsy. This fall Jennifer will be running her 5th Chicago Marathon as part of Team Danny Did to raise money for DDF while continuing to bring awareness for SUDEP. 

Jennifer grew up in Decorah, graduating from Decorah High School 1991 and Luther College in 1995 with a degree in nursing. After 4 years in Minneapolis, Jennifer moved back to Decorah with her family in 1999. She has 4 children, Brendan who would have been 26 this year, Josie 23, lives in Tempe AZ, Mya, 21, a junior at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, IA and Ivy, 10, a 5th grader at Decorah Middle School. Jennifer’s husband Todd is from Fairmont MN and has supported her every step of the way. Jennifer is an RN of almost 30 years, currently working as a nurse care manager with Gundersen Health System in La Crosse WI, managing their work
injury program.

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Our annual Spring Roadside Cleanup event is scheduled for Saturday, April 13.  Please meet at Shelter 1 in Phelps Park at 8am to pick up bags and safety vests.  A light snack and beverage will be available, and we will take a group photo. If you would like to assist with the project but are unable to participate on the 13th, please sign up for the section of your choice.  You may then pick up bags and safety vests at 702 East Broadway (Ward's house).  Bags and vests will be in the tote by the garage door. If you plan to do clean up on a different day than April 13th, please let me know either via email or at a meeting so that we don't wait for you the day of the event.

The Decorah Rotary Club is sponsoring a free QPR Suicide Prevention training for the community in the fellowship room at Decorah Lutheran Church.

QPR stands for Question, Persuade, Refer – the three simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR can save the life of someone experiencing a medical emergency; people trained in QPR can recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and summon the next level of help needed to prevent injury or death. This year the Centers for Disease Control shared that a record number of American people (49,449) died by suicide in 2022. As Rotarians, “we educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases” and are uniquely positioned to help reduce the impact of mental health crises in our community.

This event is open to adults 18 and older, but participants must register in advance at https://tinyurl.com/rotaryQPR1. The training will last from 1-2 hours.

DRC Sponsor: Jim Morrow

Decorah City Manager Travis Goedken will be visiting our club to share information on the various projects and plans in store for the city of Decorah during the 2024 calendar year.

Mr. Goedken assumed the duties as Decorah City Manager on September 9, 2021. He previously served as City Administrator of Humboldt, where he served for nearly six years. Prior to that, he served in diverse roles as a Deputy City Clerk, underground utilities heavy equipment operator, and firefighter/EMT. He is a two-time graduate of the University of Iowa in Political Science and Economics and obtained his master’s degree in Public Administration from Drake University. He was born and raised in the Dyersville area. While in Humboldt, he oversaw several major projects including a five block downtown streetscape project, construction of a community daycare facility (of which he served as President), and the construction and donation of a 71,000 square foot recreation center.

Travis and his spouse Tara have four children. In his limited spare time he enjoys fly fishing or ice fishing depending on the season.

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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: Jim Morrow

Our club has the pleasure and honor of hosting Rotarian pilots Peter Teahen and John Ockenfels. They will visit our club to provide a detailed recap of their history-making, around-the-world, single engine aircraft flight to raise funds for the fight against polio.

On November 1, 2022 Peter and John flew into the Decorah Municipal Airport, where our club hosted them while conducting our regular noon meeting. Their purpose was to describe plans for what seemed like a daunting challenge--a seven week, 20,000 mile around-the-world flight to raise awareness for Rotary International's polio eradication campaign. We were able to view their custom Cessna 210 (N732WP) on the airport tarmac and hear more about their goal of raising $1 million, with 100% of the proceeds going toward Rotary International's Polio Plus Program. Thanks to the 2-for-1 Rotary match from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, they hit the million-dollar mark even before they took off from the Eastern Iowa Airport on May 5, 2023. On July 30th around 9 am, they landed back at the airport after 90 days and 25,323 miles during their circumnavigation of the globe. N732WP had made 37 stops in 19 countries. There were unexpected challenges: John flying solo while Peter completd a short hospital stay; an electrical failure over the Pacific (repaired after a 90-minute detour to Brisbane, Australia); and an encounter with a squadron of armed soldiers in Karachi, Pakistan.

Peter is President of Teahen Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, an author, and a mental health professional. He serves on the faculty at the University of Iowa and is the founder of the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival. He has served in leadership roles on 67 major disasters throughout the world. He is recognized for his work on aviation disasters and is internationally known for his work in critical incident stress management and the psycho-social impact of disasters. He has served for 19 years as a national media spokesperson for the American Red Cross.

John maintains World War II aircraft, including his own North American Aviation T-6, a Boeing Stearman, and a Cessna 182 Skylane. Prior to his retirement, he served as the chief executive officer of City Carton Recycling, based in Iowa City, Iowa. He attended the University of Iowa and served in the United States Air Force from 1972 to 1976. For two of his four years in the Air Force, he was a crewmember onboard an AC-130 Hercules in Thailand.

For more information on the flight please visit https://www.flighttoendpolio.com/home.

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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 After Hours Sponsor: Brecka Putnam

 Since 2007 Benji Nichols and his spouse Aryn have been the owners and creative catalysts of Inspire(d) Media, a quarterly publication featuring the positive people, places, and projects of the Driftless Region (NE Iowa, SE Minnesota, and SW Wisconsin). Benji will be joining us to share the information he presented at the noon Rotary meeting on February 6th about another labor of love that began in May of 2022 -- the "Rhymes with Decorah" Podcast.

The "Rhymes with Decorah" Podcast features positive stories, profiles, and exploration of challenges across the upper midwest and beyond. Since its inception over 57 individual podcasts have been released to the public. As Benji states, "The brainstorming session that my wife Aryn, our daughter Roxie, and I had for this podcast title was epic. It could have been called "Nichols & Sense", "Parts Missing", "Dogs, Beer, and bicycles", or "Nichols de Gallo" - But "Rhymes With Decorah" won out. Because after all - what rhymes with Decorah? Our goal is to tell the stories of the communities in our region, share the challenges and successes -- and find a way forward -- together. That's what life in the rural midwest is all about."

For more information on the "Rhymes with Decorah" Podcast please see the website at https://benjinichols.podbean.com/.

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DRC Sponsor: Jim Morrow

Winneshiek County District 3 Supervisor Shirley Vermace will be honoring our club with her presence and will discuss ongoing plans and programs in Winneshiek County of interest to its citizens and our members.

Ms. Vermace is a strong proponent of local control of policies and regulations in Winneshiek County. She serves on several regional boards including the Iowa RC&D, the Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission, the Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation, the Northeast Iowa Rural Housing Trust Fund, Northeast Iowa Behavioral Health, the Winneshiek County Opioid Settlement Task Force, and the county safety committee. She represents Winneshiek County in collective bargaining negotiations with the three unions represented in the county. She has volunteered over the last two decades in several areas including Parent-Teacher Organization President for Decorah Schools, the Decorah Parks and Recreation Board, Decorah Community Meals, and the Winneshiek County Habitat for Humanity.

She is a graduate of Decorah High School and earned her B.A. from the University of Iowa in 1988. She and her spouse Mike returned to Decorah in 2000 to put down permanent roots. She is an avid hiker and can be frequently found with her dog Chop on one of the many trails around Decorah.

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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.

There have been a lot of changes in and near Carlson Park! Come see what’s new and get to know the original Carlson Park. Stop by the Decorah Rotary Club Binzebo Trailhead for hot dogs and ice cream sponsored by Decorah Rotary Club while admiring the new access to Minowa Heights being built at Miller Park. Explore the original Carlson Park core loop on your own or meet us for a guided hike or bike ride. Rock collectors, be on the lookout for rocks from Decorah Rocks! Take them with you to re-hide or to keep.

More details will be available as the event approaches. They will be available on the Facebook event page at:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1042102650666541

DRC Sponsor: Don Holmertz

Lisa Grusy is a retired public-school administrator who believes learning is a life-long journey. Never before a backpacker, she completed her first thru-hike in 2022. Lisa will share some thru-hiking basics, her experience, and different ways people support the hiking community.

Thru-hiking is the act of hiking an established long-distance trail end-to-end continuously. The term is most frequently used regarding trails in the United States, such as the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail.

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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 After Hours Sponsor: Brecka Putnam

Heart Animal Rescue is a small non-profit foster rescue organization that was started in 2016 by a group of animal loving volunteers. They do not have a shelter, are not animal control and do not do board and train. They rescue many puppy mill dogs within our area and are blessed with wonderful, patient foster homes that take on these dogs and acclimate them to home pet life. They also have wonderful supporters that welcome these scared, unsocialized dogs into their homes and give them a life the dog never had at the puppy mill. They do occasionally take in owner surrenders as well but are very limited on big dog foster homes and cannot take in any big dogs that are not good with other dogs or aggressive. They also have limited feline foster homes and are limited to taking in kittens when they can. They do not have foster homes for pregnant mama's or nursing kittens. They do a lot of TNR (trap-neuter-release), they assist with the recovery of lost dogs and cats by posting on social media and offering assistance of live traps when appropriate, and they go above and beyond to ensure every animal in our care gets the best medical care. Heart Animal Rescue is a small but mighty organization and always puts the animal first. Helping animals is what they strive to do each day and they feel lucky to have made a difference in their lives.

Katie Houlihan, Records Management Director and Julie Kriener, Animal Care Director will be presenting...with the assistance of a few furry friends! They have been part of Heart Animal Rescue since it started. Katie was previously on the board at the Humane Society of Northeast Iowa and Julie was the Interim Director. Both of them have significant experience in the animal care world.

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DRC Sponsor: Don Holmertz

The Luther College Trumpet Studio is under the direction of Dr. John T. Cord, Associate Professor of Music at Luther College. This ensemble performs regularly on and off campus, including performance tours to major cities and appearances at national and international trumpet conferences and competitions. The ensemble is made up of trumpeters of varying ages, backgrounds, academic majors and career ambitions. Future performers, educators, doctors, lawyers, and perhaps even Rotary members, this group loves performing together and will present a brief program of some of the exciting trumpet music being composed and recorded professionally throughout the world today.

For more information please visit their website at The Luther College Trumpet Studio.

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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: Don Holmertz

Adonai International Ministries (AIM) seeks to provide for the community in Canillá, Guatemala through healthcare, aviation and nutrition. Charlotte and Mike LaBelle traveled there in December as part of a mission team to connect with the people there through crafts, surgery and friendship. They will be speaking to our club about their experience.

AIM is a medical ministry incorporated in Marine, IL that works primarily to provide medical care in the remote highlands of Guatemala. In addition to medical care, AIM is involved in aviation and agriculture. The founders, Duane and Leslie Ficker, had been living in Guatemala since 1999 working at a children's home. After forming AIM as a 501(c)(3) in 2001, they moved to Canillá and began their work in the community.

For more informaiton please visit their website at Adonai International Ministries.

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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: Don Holmertz

Jackie Cooper, fellow Rotarian and Community Relations Manager for Mosaic of Northern Iowa, will be presenting an update on their work in the local area.

Mosaic serves nearly 4,500 people in more than 700 communities. Services are tailored to meet individual needs and goals, allowing people to be as independent as possible. Services are designed for people with disabilities, mental and behavioral health needs and autism, as well as aging adults. They develop a customized plan for each person they serve through natural conversations with staff, loved ones and guardians, as well as through more formal systems like Personal Outcome Measures® and Individualized Service Plans. Services span housing, community support, healthcare coordination, job coaching and more to ensure that all of aspects of a person’s health and life are addressed.

For more information please visit the Mosaic of Northern Iowa website at Mosaic - Northern Iowa.

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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

Tim Cronin, Superintendent of Decorah Schools and fellow Rotarian, will update us on Decorah's search for a new conference home.

Many members of Rotary have children or grandchildren who participate in Decorah school athletic events and contests. In August 2024 four of the six schools in the Northeast Iowa Conference will be departing leaving Charles City and Decorah. In May District Superintendent Tim Cronin filed a formal complaint and request for mediation with the Director of Education in the State of Iowa to help Decorah find membership in an Iowa athletic conference.

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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 Tuesday noon meeting will be hosted at the VFW, unless otherwise noted.**

DRC Sponsor: Alan Lerstrom

Professor Andy (John) Anderson, Hamilton/ESP International Associate Professor at the University of Northern Iowa, will be providing our members with an update on U.S. - China relations, the risks, dangers, and opportunities in the ongoing relationship between the two countries, and the potential impact of the 2024 elections.

Professor Anderson has previously shared his expertise with our club. His teaching interests include global supply chain management, optimization modeling, and operational management, which he has taught at Drake University, the University of Northern Iowa, and the China Agricultural University in Beijing, China. He has published in the China Quarterly, the Asia Pacific Journal of Management, and the International Business Review among other publications.  He has been involved in a number of consulting projects and founded a non-profit agency that focuses on strengthening female educational access in Tibetan regions of Qinghai, China. Professor Anderson lived in China for over five years and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.

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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 Tuesday noon meeting will be hosted at the VFW, unless otherwise noted.**

DRC Sponsor: Alan Lerstrom

People enter the ministry from a variety of career paths, and Catherine "Cat" Stokes came to the First United Methodist Church in Decorah with a strong science background as she has degrees in microbiology and chemistry from the University of Northern Iowa and Simpson College. She has worked in management and as a pharmacy technician at Walmart while completing an Masters of Divinity Degree from St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, MO. She was ordained by the Iowa Annual Conference in June 2023, and currently is serving in her third appointment.

While she was a student, Cat began to volunteer with “Women at the Well,” a United Methodist congregation located within the walls of the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women (ICIW) in Mitchellville, IA. The congregation is composed of a diverse community of women incarcerated at ICIW and many volunteers from outside the walls who regularly support the ministries and programs. According to Paul Witmer, Pastor of Women at the Well, “A weekly worship service allows the women to share in the teachings of Jesus Christ, and to experience the life transforming Spirit of God.” The reach of this church and congregation does not stop at the walls of the prison but continues into our very own communities. Come and learn more about a segment of Iowa’s population that we often do not consider.

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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 Tuesday noon meeting will be hosted at the VFW, unless otherwise noted.**

DRC Sponsor: Alan Lerstrom

Pat Seckar and Ferneva Brimacomb will be sharing information with our club on the historic Locust School.

Built in 1854, the one-room Locust School was established just after completion of the survey for the village of Locust and its settlement had begun. The schoolhouse remained in operation with all elementary grades until 1950, when it was reduced to specific grades. It was closed in 1960. The Winneshiek County Historical Society acquired the building and operates it as a museum. It was one of the first school buildings constructed in Winneshiek County. In 1978 the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Pat is a retired Decorah First grade teacher. For several years she accompanied her classes to the Locust School on their field trips. After retiring, she has volunteered at the school, giving tours of the school to children on their field trips in addition to filling all of the other needs at the school.

Ferneva is a board member of the Winneshiek County Historical Society. After Locust School committee chairperson Paul Hexom moved from the area, Ferneva assumed the role. She also volunteers at the Locust School, working with the school children on their field trips and taking care of other school needs.

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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 Tuesday noon meeting will be hosted at the VFW, unless otherwise noted.**

Jackie Cooper, fellow Rotarian and Community Relations Manager for Mosaic of Northern Iowa, will be presenting an update to the After Hours group on their work in the local area.

Mosaic serves nearly 4,500 people in more than 700 communities. Services are tailored to meet individual needs and goals, allowing people to be as independent as possible. Services are designed for people with disabilities, mental and behavioral health needs and autism, as well as aging adults. They develop a customized plan for each person they serve through natural conversations with staff, loved ones and guardians, as well as through more formal systems like Personal Outcome Measures® and Individualized Service Plans. Services span housing, community support, healthcare coordination, job coaching and more to ensure that all of aspects of a person’s health and life are addressed.

For more information please visit the Mosaic of Northern Iowa website at Mosaic - Northern Iowa.

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DRC Sponsor: Ward Budweg

Ms. Brandi Brecht and Ms. Sherri Carolan are associated with Guardians of Northeast Iowa. They will be speaking about the services their organization provides to individuals in the surrounding area and across Iowa.
 
Guardians of Northeast Iowa, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides guardianship and trustee services to vulnerable individuals in Iowa. Since 2016, they have provided legal guardianship and conservatorship services for adults age 18 and older who have no appropriate family members to make decisions for their care and estate. Their clients often live with impairments that impact their decision-making capacity. They serve individuals who live independently, in group homes, or rehabilitation/nursing care facilities. Services include help with medical appointments, crisis prevention, employment services, educational services and more.

Additional information is available on their website at Guardians of Northeast Iowa.

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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 Tuesday noon meeting will be hosted at the VFW, unless otherwise noted.**

Incoming Co-Presidents Mike Huinker and Phil Iversen will be hosting a club assembly to discuss plans and priorities for the 2024-2025 Rotary year.

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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 Tuesday noon meeting will be hosted at the VFW, unless otherwise noted.**

DRC Sponsor: Ward Budweg

John Wasta is the past Foundation Chair for Rotary District 5970. He will be visiting our club to discuss everything you've ever wanted to know about the Rotary Foundation and Foundation giving.

Mr. Wasta is a third generation Rotarian. He has been a member of the Cedar Rapids Rotary Club for 42 years and served that club as its 100th president, presiding over their 100th Anniversary Gala in 2014. His grandfather was a fifty-year Rotarian (perhaps the first 50-year member of the Cedar Rapids club). His father has been a member of the Cedar Rapids Rotary club for 65 years (so far). 

Mr. Wasta worked in the office furniture and office supply industry for 42 years. He was a third-generation owner in this industry until he and his brother sold their business in 2011. He then started working  Director of Finance and HR at Matthew 25, a local non-profit in Cedar Rapids. He retired in March 2024. He has been active in the Cedar Rapids community since his return in 1979 when he was first recruited to volunteer for the United Way by a family friend. He has worked with the United Way, the Chamber of Commerce (now the Economic Alliance), Junior Achievement, Leadership for Five Seasons, the Workplace Learning Connection and the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, along with other community work.

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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 Tuesday noon meeting will be hosted at the VFW, unless otherwise noted.**

DRC Sponsor: Ward Budweg

Organized in 2004, Safe Water International Ministries (SWIM) is committed to providing safe water around the globe. They distribute chlorine producing units (CPUs) to people worldwide. Over 2500 CPUs have been distributed in 35 different countries. A CPU is durable, lightweight, inexpensive, and simple to use – making it an effective tool for ordinary people needing safe, clean water.

Rev. John Battern of the Iowa Great Lakes Rotary Club has been working with SWIM for 18 years. He will be talking about his experiences with SWIM and in particular, his travels to Africa to bring safe water to the people there.

More information about this organization can be found at: https://swimforhim.org/

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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 Tuesday noon meeting will be hosted at the VFW, unless otherwise noted.**

DRC Sponsor: Ward Budweg

Habitat Solar is an initiative under the auspices of the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG). It represents an opportunity for Rotarians to partner with Habitat for Humanity to power Habitat homes with clean rooftop solar energy. The addition of rooftop solar to new Habitat homes will reduce the homeowner’s monthly power bills, thereby making the homes more affordable, decrease their carbon footprint, and strengthen the partnership between Rotary and Habitat.

Fellow Decorah Rotarian Tina Hall will give a summary presentation showing multiple Rotary District projects that save low-income families money, reduce air pollution, provide clean energy leadership, and result in significant environmental benefits.