Speakers

DRC Sponsor: Kim Bonnet

First Lutheran Church Senior Pastor and fellow Decorah Rotarian Mike Wilker will be sharing images and stories from his recent delegation trip to Namibia. Discover the vibrant connections between Namibia and northeast Iowa through Luther College, local congregations, and regional partnerships.

This relationship continues a connection dating back to the 1970s, when educational exchanges first brought Namibian students to northeast Iowa. Mike represented northeastern Iowa Lutherans at the installation of two new Namibian Bishops in February. He witnessed firsthand how international cooperation has strengthened both communities over decades. Learn how this longstanding relationship between Namibia and Decorah continues to foster educational, cultural, and humanitarian exchanges that benefit both regions.

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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: Brecka Putnam

Trish Johnson from Helping Services for Youth and Families will share information on the Domestic Abuse Resource Center (DRAC). DARC provides services to those who have or are experiencing IPV (intimate partner violence) including domestic abuse, dating violence, stalking & human sex trafficking. They help with obtaining civil protection orders, safety planning, limited financial assistance, navigating the criminal justice system, medical advocacy and more. They also provide community education and presentations to middle and high schools on healthy relationships. Trish will share information on the dynamics of domestic violence and how to respond when someone discloses abuse.

Trish Johnson has been a Certified Victim Advocate for twelve years and is our area’s bilingual domestic abuse advocate. She has a BA in Communications and Linguistics from Luther College. DRAC is a program of Helping Services for Youth and Families, providing services to Howard, Allamakee, Winneshiek, Clayton, Fayette, Chickasaw, and Bremer Counties.

For more on the DRAC program please visit their website at Helping Services for Youth and Families - DRAC.

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DRC Sponsor: Jim Morrow

Luther College Professor of Biology Scott Carlson and selected Luther College students participating in the 2025 Luther January Term study abroad course offered by the Center for Global Learning entitled "Nepal: A One Health Perspective" will visit our club to share the highlights of their trip to Nepal and selected results from their investigation.

The World Health Organization defines One Health as "an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems." This course focused on Nepal to study the dynamic relationship between people, animals, plants, and the environment, and how they are interconnected in contributing to the wellness of a population. This course emphasized the work of the Center for Molecular Dynamics Nepal (CMDN), which is the leading public health and wildlife research organization in the country. Students participated in ongoing projects at CMDN involving disease surveillance, biomedical research, wildlife conservation, and environmental health. The itinerary also included travel to Kathmandu, Pokhara, and the Chitwan National Park.

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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

Luther College Professor of Social Work Britt Rhodes and selected Luther College students participating in the Luther Paideia 450 study abroad course offered by the Center for Global Learning entitled "Forging Paths to Peace (Northern Ireland)" will visit our club to share highlights of their experiences and report on selected results of their investigation.

This course examined the difficult yet inspiring Northern Ireland peace process through the lives of its participants. The participants explored the challenges and potential of political and grassroots peace building, with special attention to issues of identity, culture, and memory as challenges and the principles of compromise, forgiveness, mercy, justice, and peace as potential. An integral part of this course was the conduct of meetings with representatives of the main political parties of Northern Ireland, former members of paramilitary organizations, academic experts, police officers, members of inter-community organizations, and victims of past violence. The itinerary included trips to Derry, Belfast, and Ballycastle within Northern Ireland and Dublin in Ireland.

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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

Mike Bollinger, fellow Decorah Rotarian and Executive Director of Seed Savers Exchange (SSE), has offered to speak to our club about the SSE 50th Anniversary Celebration planned for August 8-9, 2025 at the SSE Heritage Farm site north of Decorah. The event will feature a variety of activities including speakers, farm and facilities tours, workshops, a seed swap, and live music.

SSE conserves biodiversity by maintaining a collection of over 20,000 different varieties of heirloom and open-pollinated plants, varieties with the ability to regenerate themselves year after year. These seeds (and tissue cultures or other plant materials, depending on how a plant reproduces) have the power to withstand unforeseen pestilence and plant disease, climate change, and limited habitat, and to stop dinnertime boredom forever. The SSE Heritage Farm serves as the headquarters of SSE and includes the Lillian Goldman Visitors Center and Gift and Garden Store, miles of hiking trails, a trout stream, display gardens and a historic orchard. The Heritage Farm serves as the principal location for housing the extensive seed collection and for hosting special events. The entire SSE team (including preservation and education staff, donor and member services, the garden crew, and order fulfillment team) is also based at the Decorah location.

Mike has a long and fruitful connection with SSE. He originally served as a member of their garden crew and contracted as a seed producer. For more than a decade, he has collaborated as the primary producer of transplants for the SSE plant sales with his wife, Katie, through their certified organic farm, River Root Farm. As co-founder of an agricultural solutions company, Mike has also provided support to SSE on greenhouse design and organic production practices. Mike has not only gained a practical understanding of organic and sustainable growing practices but also dedicated years of service as an active member on the board of directors for organizations focusing on farmer education services and local and regional food systems.

For more information on SSE and to register for the 50th Anniversary Celebration visit https://www.seedsavers.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 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

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 2025 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: Tim Cronin

Our club is pleased and honored to welcome accomplishd author, educator, and humanitarian Dr. David Markward, who will be speaking about his recent book From Dubuque to Selma and Beyond: My Journey to Understand Racism in America. In his book, Dr. Markward investigates the complex world of racism. It is a testament to his belief in humanity and the power of education to effect change. It invites readers to reflect on their own biases and work toward a more just and equitable future. From his upbringing in a predominantly white community to his lifelong pursuit of racial justice, the story is both inspiring and thought-provoking.

After graduating from Dubuque Senior High School and Augustana College, Dr. Markward earned two advanced degrees from Western Illinois University and a doctorate from Illinois State University. He started his career as a junior-high-school science teacher, then served as a coach, principal, school district superintendent (including for the Rock Island-Milan School District and Cedar Rapids Community School District), college instructor, and educational consultant.

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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

Merry Makers is a scripted comedy-based club formed at Luther College in October 2023. The club creates a space for Luther students to learn more about and practice various types of comedy including sketch comedy, improv, mime, slapstick and clowning. They also explore writing, direction, and acting in comedic theater.

The Merry Makers clown troupe "Cloupe Therapy" will be on hand to share their entertaining creativity with our club. Laughter is a guarantee!

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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.

 

***Location TBA***

DRC Sponsor: Don Holmertz

Luther College alumnus ('97) Erika Billerbeck has been an Iowa Conservation Officer for the last 25 years. In 2020, the University of Iowa Press published her book Wildland Sentinel: Field Notes from an Iowa Conservation Officer. In this book, Erika takes readers along for the ride as she and her colleagues sift through poaching investigations, chase down sex offenders in state parks, search for fugitives in wildlife areas, haul drunk boaters to jail, perform body recoveries, and face the chaos that comes with disaster response. Using an introspective personal voice, this narrative nonfiction work weaves stories of Iowa’s natural history with a cast of unforgettable characters. Wildland Sentinel touches on what it means to be a woman working in the male-dominated field of conservation law enforcement.

Erika plans to discuss her book, tell stories, and field questions at this special, all-member meeting of the club. She will have copies of her book available for purchase and personalized author signature for $20.

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