Sunday, January 26, 2014

Double feature: Club Forum, Sultan from Pakinstan, and Sweet 16!

We didn't get an update last week, so this is a bit about the last two weeks. We apologize for any inconvenience.



Susan Wellington led the Club Forum when Club President, Becky Patterson was a little under the weather. This is what we have to look forward to next year...

Woah! It was great to have Rotarian Larry Fishback at the Meeting!

Denise Erpelding received a Paul Harris Fellow award from PDG Don Patterson. Steve Slaubaugh will have to wait until he shows up to get his.


Look, its new Rotary shirts. We will look great at the County Fair Gates this August!

We had a great presentation from Sultan Ahmad Khan Hoti, an exchange student from Pakistan.


SWEET 16!


Happy Birthday, Hannah!

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

January 30: Jim Gorham - something good I'm sure
February 6:  Steve Slaubaugh
February 13: Emory Van Gerpen
February 20: Don Vittetoe - Ag Appreciation Day

Monday, January 13, 2014

Your Darling is Back!

Thanks to Dennis Hunger for having Don Kline spoke about Lake Darling State Park. Don is a retired Iowa DNR fisheries expert.

Don brought an aerial map of the Park that shows the lake in green, because the water is drained and somewhat of a prairie now.

Don noted that virtually every major feature of the Park has been worked on over the past few years, and some going on right now while the Park is closed to the public. He said when the Park reopens this summer it will be like a new State Park.

  • The road is being repaved, including the parking area by the boat ramps and the new Day Lodge by the beach.
  • The campground area has been completely redone, including accommodating larger modern campers.
  • The dam has been rebuilt. It should hold water now.
  • The Lake is being dredged to remove sediment.
  • The lake level will be raised several feet to allow for more water in the Lake and better fishing.
  • A new bike trail will wind around from the campground down to the south end of the Lake.
  • New handicapped accessible fishing piers.
  • Planning to build 3 new year-round, 2-bedroom cabins. The selected site was chosen to be close to the existing campground but away from archeologically sensitive areas. Funding for the cabins came from Friends of Lake Darling, the DNR, and the Washington County Riverboat Foundation.
  • 3 additional cabins are planned by 2016 for a total of 6 year-round cabins.


The developed area on Lake Darling's south side is seeing a lot of improvements.


Don Kline takes Lake Darling very seriously.

Kline said that the annual economic impact of Lake Darling (when it is open) on the area is about $8 million. He said that the new cabins will rent for about $300 per week. After a couple more years for the fish to grow, the fishing will also be great.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

January 16, 7:00am: Rotary Board Meeting, WCHC
January 16: Club Forum!
January 23: Paul Horak - planning for Blood Drive!
January 30: Jim Gorham - TBA
February 6: Steve Schlabaugh

Thursday, January 2, 2014

The YMCA board is Commited to do Something

New Rotarian John Thorne can play the piano! No one knew that he had that special talent, maybe not even John.

Thanks for helping with the songs!


We sang to January Rotary birthdays - Larry Fishback, Ray Poe, Hannah Purner, Don Patterson, and to wedding anniversaries - Ed & Marjorie Lins, and Ray & Alta Poe.

We also acknowledged those that joined Rotary in Januarys past - Michelle Redlinger ('13), Jon Thompson ('13), Eric Turner ('05), Kathy Salazar ('02), Don Vittetoe ('98), Nancy Rash ('96), and Harvey Holden ('71 - 43 years!).

Welcome to new Associate Rotary member, Ed Rustioni! Ed is the new American Cancer Society community relations representative in Southeast Iowa (what Kierstan Peck used to do before a promotion).

Ed's special talent is being English.

Ed Rustioni (right) thinks before making a vegan joke

Also, welcome guest Amy Schulte! Amy is the new finance director at the Washington YMCA, working with Rotarian Becky Harkema.

Formerly, Amy worked as a bookkeeper at Blue Ribbon Accounting/Koller & Company with Rotarian Mark Kendall. As Kendall was over heard at Rotary, "she is dead to me now."

Amy Schulte (right)

The YMCA Board is Committed to do Something

Thanks to Rotarian Becky Harkema for giving the club an update on the YMCA's facility planning process. Starting in 2013, they did community surveys and conducted interviews with community leaders. 

They have hired SVPA Architects of Des Moines, who designed the new Washington High School (and are working on the proposed new Auditorium). They also hired Carl A. Nelson of Burlington as a construction consultant and project manager. Carl A. Nelson staff have worked on the Marr Park Education Center, new Washington High School, Stewart Elementary improvements, Washington Free Public Library, St. James Catholic Church expansion, the new Washington County Hospital & Clinics, and are partnering with SVPA on the proposed Auditorium.


Becky encouraged all Rotarians and the community to attend one of their upcoming community input sessions on the future location of the YMCA. These meetings will be held in the 3rd floor Y's Men room where we have our Rotary meetings. 
  • Monday, January 6th at 6:00pm (Next Monday!)
  • Thursday, February 27th at 6:00pm


UPCOMING PROGRAMS

January 9: Dennis Hunger - TBA but something special I'm sure
January 16, 7:00am: Rotary Board Meeting, WCHC
January 16: Club Forum!

January 23: Paul Horak - planning for Blood Drive!

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Alaska!

Happy 2014.

CHARITY MILES VOTING CONTEST

Thanks to Rotarians who voted daily in the United Airlines Charity Miles contest. Ok, Rotary International came in 2nd out of 35 organizations. Rotary lost by less than 1%. I guess those shriners know how to organize a click campaign just a wee bit better than Rotarians. http://www.10millioncharitymiles.com/charity/26

1st place - Shriners Hospitals for Children - 288,225 votes
2nd place - Rotary International - 286,189 votes (lost by 2,036)
3rd place - Wounded Warrior Project - 37,995 votes
4th place - Guide Dogs of America - 19,706 votes
etc.

The top vote getters receive complementary United Airline miles (most of which are donated). You could donate some extra United miles you have just lying around.

ALASKA!

Lyle Moen and Rotarian Nancy Rash shared pictures from their trip through Canada and Alaska. Nancy said they got "way too close" to several bears. They got to watch salmon spawn (photo missing), and whales that traveled 8,000 miles just so Lyle could take their picture. Some mountains and rivers and stuff too.

Lyle Moen and Nancy Rash

Be sure to see their photo exhibit at the Washington Public Library's upstairs Helen Wilson Gallery from February 24th through March 28th.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

January 2: Becky Harkema - YMCA Planning
January 9: Dennis Hunger
January 16: Club Forum!