Events

DRC After Hours Sponsor: Diana Morrow

Steve Vanden Brink is a critical care paramedic, Director of Ambulance for WinnMed, public information and education office volunteer with the Decorah Fire Department, and American Heart Association cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) instructor. He will meet with the After Hours group to give his authoritative presentation on CPR and, time permitting, will speak about the automated external defibrillator (AED) and its proper use.

February is American Heart Month, a national observance to raise awareness about heart disease, encouraging everyone to learn about risks, symptoms, and lifestyle changes like healthy eating, physical activity, and knowing CPR to protect their cardiovascular health and that of loved ones. Key initiatives include National Wear Red Day and promoting resources from the American Heart Association and National Institutes for Health.

Mr. Vanden Brink has over 35 years experience in fire and emergency medical services (EMS) coordination and response. He is also experienced in training emergency services staff.

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DRC Sponsor: Kim Bonnet

Kristen Eggen, Executive Director of the Winneshiek Energy District (WED), will be on hand to provide information and insights into the WED's latest developments and initiatives.

The WED is a local 501(c)3 organization with the mission to lead, implement and accelerate locally owned, inclusive clean energy transition in Winneshiek County. Founded in 2010, they connect local communities with clean energy solutions, empower residents and businesses, and inspire other regions toward a clean-energy mindset. They believe a cleaner, more affordable, and equitable energy future starts with local ownership, community leadership, and long-term sustainability.

Ms Eggen first came to the WED as a Green Iowa AmeriCorps member in 2015. She is excited to be leading the grassroots clean energy movement in Winneshiek County. She deeply appreciates rural communities, northeast Iowa, community sustainability, and nonprofit management. She uses The Art of Hosting Conversations that Matter methodology and graphic recording services to drive strategic conversations around community sustainability, justice, fundraising, and nonprofit health.

For more information about the WED please see their website at https://energydistrict.org.

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**Please complete your noon 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

David Dahms, President of Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) and Heather Groth, NICC Executive Assistant to the President and Director of Advancement, will present information on the status of operations and initiatives at NICC. They will also provide a status report on the activities of the NICC Foundatiion.

The NICC Board of Trustees voted unanimously on October 20, 2025 to appoint Mr Dahms as president of the college. He plans to continue serving in that role until his anticipated retirement in June 2027. He previously served as the college’s vice president of finance and administration. Mr Dahms previously served as vice president of finance and Chief Financial Officer for both Sinclair and Precision Equipment, where he served on the executive leadership team and provided oversight for all accounting, information technology, legal and risk management.

NICC has served the region since 1966, providing accessible, high-quality education and training that strengthen communities and fuel economic growth. With campuses in Calmar and Peosta and service locations across northeast Iowa, NICC empowers students to build skills, pursue rewarding careers, and achieve their goals close to home. The college continues to evolve to meet workforce needs and support lifelong learning, including the establishment of innovative partnerships with area high schools and Luther College.

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**Please complete your noon 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: Diana Morrow

Jeni Melcher, who along with her spouse Tom is a sixth-generation co-owner and operator of Green's Sugar Bush, will join the After Hours group to talk about their renowned maple syrup operation, her family history, and the upcoming 35th annual Maple Festival.

Green’s Sugar Bush near Castalia is the oldest continually operational business in Iowa. The family has been producing maple syrup every year since 1851. The maple farm is about 60 acres in size, and the Melcher familiy taps the trees every spring to make their wildly popular syrup. It takes an immense and variable volume of sap to create maple syrup -- a single tap may only yield 1/2 pint to one quart of syrup. Every year beginning in 1991 the family has hosted the Maple Festival and Pancake Breakfast the last weekend of March and the first weekend of April.

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DRC Sponsor: Kim Bonnet

Brett Wilker, the Decorah High School (DHS) robotics coach along with many of the students from the DHS Robotics Club and their innovative creations will be on hand to recap the team's success at all levels of the 2026 "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology" (FIRST) Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics Competiton. For the first time in Decorah Robotics history, both the varsity and junior varsity teams qualified for the multi-day state FTC tournament to be hosted at the Xtream Arena & GreenState Family Fieldhouse in Coralville, IA on February 27-28. At the state tournament, 72 teams will be competing for the Iowa championship. The Decorah teams will be reporting on their journey to the state tournament, their results, and will be offering a hands-on demonstration of their robot creations.

FTC is designed for head-to-head competition in engineering and technology using a sports model. Teams of students design, build, and program robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Teams, including coaches, mentors, and volunteers are required to develop strategies and build robots based on sound engineering principles. Awards are given for the competition as for well as for community outreach, design, and other real-world accomplishments. Participating students perform real-world application of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) concepts and participate in an atmosphere that encourages team building, entrepreneurship and sportsmanship.

Decorah Rotarians may recall Brett and his robotics teams visiting the club in the upstairs room at T-Bocks back in April 2019 (<-story link) and again at the VFW in March 2025 (<-story link). Both demonstrations for Rotary were fascinating, entertaining, and inspirational and this 2026 iteration promises to be the same.

For more about the FTC state tournament please visit their website at 2026 FTC Iowa Championship.

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**Please complete your noon 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. Given the popularity and expected attendance, advance lunch reservations are particularly important for this meeting.

DRC After Hours Sponsor: Shannon Duncan

Fellow Rotarian and former Decorah Mayor Lorraine Borowski will gather with the After Hours group to reflect on her many years serving as the first ever female to hold the office of mayor and will share some of her most noteworthy experiences and accomplishments.

Prior to her terms as mayor Lorraine served for 16 years as Director of the Decorah Public Library where she acquired extensive exposure to the Decorah City Council through her direct interactions as well as recording and publishing each council meeting. She has considerable experience in community volunteerism including service as Chair of the Winneshiek County Community Foundation.

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