Ashland KS part 2

Welcome to Ryan Sempf, the new public policy director at the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce. Ryan was a guest of Ed Raber.

Ryan Sempf

It is great to see our new-ish members, like Brandi Hemsley of JET Physical Therapy at the club meeting.

Brandi Hemsley from JET Physical Therapy

Innovation

Rotarian and rotating caterer, Tsalika Rich explains a time saving innovation she calls "bus your own plates over here as you leave."

Tsalika Rich

Don Patterson

Past Club President, Becky Patterson thanked the club members for their support and care in the passing of Past District Governor, Don Patterson on May 3rd.

Thanks to you Becky, for being a tremendous leader, club member, and wife to a great Rotarian. We appreciate seeing you at Rotary.

Past Club President - Becky Patterson

WASHINGTON COUNTY FAIR

John Moenck said that he was looking forward to being Rotary's coordinator for staffing the gates for the Washington County Fair, from July 16-21. He said he needs another leader willing to assist during the mornings or afternoons. 

Moenck is also going to be contacting Rotarians to work at least 1 shift taking tickets at a Fair gate. This is always some fun community service each summer!

John Moenck

Taking Hay & Supplies to Ashland KS

Thanks to Carol Horning for her touching story about how a group of Washington County farmers quickly coordinated a trip to Ashland, Kansas to deliver donated hay bales to devastated cattle farmers affected by tremendous fires in March. Numerous subsequent trips with supplies and hay have followed, and she has gotten very close to the Ashland community.

Carol Horning

Carol said that the fires impacted an area the size of Delaware. There were thousands of cattle that died in the fire, which accounts for 1.3 million lost meals.

Carol also reported that so far, they have taken $80,000 worth of equipment and supplies to Ashland. She said that a fencing company in Kalona has been generous enough to sell them equipment as cost, which has made the donations stretch a lot farther.

If you would like to donate to this ongoing effort, there is an account set up at Washington State Bank to accept donations.

Calendar

May 25: John Moenck - TBA
June 1: Gene Driscoll - TBA
June 8: John Thorne - TBA
June 15: Emory Van Gerpen - TBA
June 22: Susan Wellington - TBA
June 28: WEDNESDAY, Rotary Awards Dinner @ Marr Park, 6pm
June 29: No Club Meeting

Mission Trip to replace fencing in Ashland KS

Hello Washington Rotarians!

Member Spotlight

Dick Colby had the program and gave a little background on himself. He grew up in Minnesota, and eventually was managing a hotel in Des Moines before moving to Washington where he became the Administrator at the United Presbyterian Home. He has three grown children, all of which were taught social studies in school by Jim Cuddeback in his previous life.

Dick Colby

Mission Trip to Ashland, KS

Jim Cuddeback is a farmer and a member of the United Presbyterian Church in Washington. He related that the UP Church has sponsored an adult mission trip for 20 years. The group raises funding for the mission trip primarily by working a concession stand at Carver Hawkeye Arena at the University of Iowa for sporting events, and raises about $3,000 per year.

Jim Cuddeback & Club Pres. Cheryl Kurtz

Cuddeback said that the UP Church responded to terrible grassland fires in Kansas on March 6-8 by taking a group of 24 to help replace destroyed fencing around Ashland, KS. Cuddeback related that 2017 was such a bad year for fires due to unusual amounts of rain in 2015 and 2016 that resulted in exceptional grassland growth. Once the fires started, they were impossible to stop, reaching speeds of 60 mph.

The largest single fire burned 651,000 acres (Washington County is 368,000 acres).

UP Church Adult Mission Team on fire scorched ground

CALENDAR

May 18: Paul Horak - Carol Horning, Taking Hay to Ashland KS
May 25: John Moenck - TBA
June 1: Gene Driscoll - TBA
June 8: John Thorne - TBA
June 15: Emory VanGerpen - TBA
June 22: Susan Wellington - TBA
June 28: WEDNESDAY, Rotary Awards Dinner @ Marr Park, 6pm
June 29: No Club Meeting