Speakers

DRC Sponsor: Jim Morrow

Decorah Chief of Police Patricia Thein will be honoring our club with her presence at this meeting. She will talk about her background, her goals and objectives, and take questions from our members. She has served in this role since July 17, 2023 when she was sworn in by the Decorah City Council.

Chief of Police Thein brings a comprehensive set of valuable skills to Decorah Police Department. Her 26 years of experience include the Police Leadership School of Police Staff and Command from Northwestern University, Evanston, Il, an Associate of Applied Science in Police Science from Hawkeye Community College, Waterloo, IA; and Police Executive Leadership and Networking Executive Leadership from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA. Her work experience started as a Patrol Officer. She advanced from Waukon to Marshalltown, IA with a population of over 27,000. Her past skills as Police Lieutenant reflect her abilities in training police procedures and staff leadership. An engaging communicator, she has a long and noteworthy track record in departmental policy implementation.

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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

Shanna Putnam-Dibble will be sharing updated news from Kids Lunch Club, an organization with which Decorah Rotary has closely aligned itself over the past year. Throughout the school year students have access to lunch at school but during summer break, many kids and families struggle with food insecurity. Kids Lunch Club serves lunches (and often breakfast too) to ensure children and youth in our community have nutritious meal opportunities throughout the summer. Kids Lunch Club expanded this past summer by not only offering meals but also partnering with local organizations throughout the summer to support family engagement through literacy activities and "pop-up" family events. Kids Lunch Club seeks partnerships with community members and organizations for single volunteer shifts, preparing and/or distributing lunches, joining the steering committee, signing up for a long term commitment, and/or making financial contributions.   

Shanna is the Elementary Learner Advocate for the Decorah Community School District, the Kids Lunch Club Coordinator, and teaches classes across Iowa for teachers, childcare providers and parents. She is active in the community, serving as the President of the FEC (Family, Educator, and Community Organization), a member of the Decorah Public Library Board of Trustees and the Freeport Park Committee, and volunteers with many local organizations. She lives in Decorah with her husband Andrew and their two children.

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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: Shannon Duncan

Chloe Sabin will be joining us for the Rotary After Hours to speak about her involvement in the Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE). She was one of our outbound exchange students for the 2022-2023 academic year and will be sharing her experiences in Germany during her year abroad.

Through RYE, Rotary empowers young people to develop leadership skills while promoting global understanding and peace. The District 5970 RYE committee oversees and promotes youth exchanges in our district. They coordinate inbound and outbound youth exchange activities, communicate regularly with the District 5970 Governor and local clubs sponsoring exchange students, and ensures exchanges operate in accordance with Rotary requirements and local laws.

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DRC Sponsor: Don Holmertz

Details TBA

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DRC Sponsor: Don Holmertz

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. This talk will discuss the basic principles behind remote sensing methods and show how Luther College students have used them to provide new details about two historic Winneshiek County sites: the Ice Cave Mill and the Highlandville school.

Professor Betts has been with the Anthropology Department since 1999. He also serves as director of the Anthropology Laboratory. 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. He holds a BA in Anthropology from Luther College and an MA and PhD in Anthropology from the University of Illinois.

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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

Details TBA

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DRC Sponsor: Don Holmertz

Specific Details TBA.

Professor Travers has been with the Psychology Department at Luther College since 2006, focusing on memory, executive control processes, and aging and cognitive processes. Her course topics include General Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Cognitive Processes, and Psychology of Aging. During January Term, she leads a course on the study of adult development and aging. The course includes the physical, cognitive, and social changes that effect individuals aged 60 to 95, and examines some current findings in aging research. Professor Travers holds an AA from Bristol Community College, Fall River; a BA in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth; and MA and PhD degrees from the State University of New York, Stony Brook.

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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.