Dove Release!

Thanks to John Moenck for inviting Tom Marsh to talk to Rotary about his homing doves. After his talk, the club went outside to watch a release of his doves.

Tom Marsh works for Washington County Public Health and is an RN.

John Moenck handles the doves without any protective gloves, and in a short sleeved shirt!

Tom Marsh gives John Moenck some last minute advice on how to let go of a squirming bird.

Later that day, Moenck received word from Tom Marsh that the birds had returned home and were tired and hungry.

For some perspective, why not relive the WKRP Turkey Drop with Les Nessman?

UPCOMING EVENTS

June 4: Gene Driscoll - TBA

June 11: Dr. John Thorne - Dr. Mike Jorgensen, Senior Active

June 18: Emory VanGerpen - TBA

June 24: WEDNESDAY, Rotary Awards Dinner 6:00pm @ Marr Park

June 25: No club meeting

Hillcrest Family Services & Kids Against Hunger

Happy 98th Birthday to Harvey Holden! You don't look a day over 94.

HILLCREST FAMILY SERVICES

Mandi Grimm from Hillcrest Family Services talked about integrated health homes. Making all services and resources available at one point of contact for individuals with mental illness.

Kristin Helm from Hillcrest Family Services discussed new services, in the Emergency Room, and with opening up appointments for therapist and psychiatric services.

KIDS AGAINST HUNGER

Rotary Clubs of Washington, Kalona, and Wellman helped pack 12,000 meals at the Riverside Casino with their Winning Hands Employee Volunteer Program, for Kids Against Hunger on May 27. This cooperative event, in its 4th year, is becoming an important annual initiative! The Casino donated $1,500 and the three Rotary clubs added another $1,500 for a total of $3,000!

Leaders from Riverside Casino, and the Rotary Clubs of Washington, Kalona, and Wellman hand over big fake checks totaling $3,000 to Kids Against Hunger

PDG Don Patterson and Terry Engelken shine as volunteer meal packers

Wellman's Bob Freeman, with Kalona's Jeremy Statler and Pat Anderson

If you'd like to see more Rotarians in hairnets packing food for Kids Against Hunger, look back at our pictures from 2014.

UPCOMING EVENTS

May 28: John Moenck - Homing Birds

June 4: Gene Driscoll - TBA

June 11: Dr. John Thorne - Dr. Mike Jorgensen, Senior Active

June 13: Relay For Life in Central Park, 11am - 11pm

June 18: Emory VanGerpen - TBA

June 24: (Wednesday) Rotary Awards Dinner, Marr Park, 6pm

County Fair, Relay, Jeff Dicks, & Karl King

Kids Against Hunger - May 27, 2-4pm @ Riverside Casino

Don't forget about the Kids Against Hunger meal packing event on Wednesday, May 27th at the Riverside Casino Events Center from 2-4pm. The financial commitment is $1,500 from the casino and $500 from the Washington, Wellman & Kalona Rotary Clubs, for a total of $3,000.  This will allow us to package 12,000 meals!

What's going on?

Ed Rustioni updates the club on Relay For Life on June 13

Congratulations to Susan Wellington for receiving a Rotary Presidential Citation award from PDG Don Patterson. The Citation recognizes that Club President Wellington led the club through on-target activities and worked toward the Rotary mission.

Washington School's On-Deck Superintendent, Jeff Dicks, told the club a little bit about himself. He starts in June after Rotarian, Dr. Mike Jorgensen moves to "Senior Active."

John Moenck talked about Rotarians working the ticket gates at the Washington County Fair.

Last week, Dick Colby had a Music Appreciation class, focusing on Karl King. Take another listen to "Barnum & Bailey's Favorite"!

UPCOMING EVENTS

May 21: Kathy Salazar - Bobbie Wulf

May 27: WEDNESDAY - Kids Against Hunger @ Riverside Casino, 2-4pm

May 28: John Moenck - TBA

June 4: Gene Driscoll - TBA

June 11: Dr. John Thorne - Dr. Mike Jorgensen "Senior Active"

June 13: Relay for Life in Central Park, 11am - 11pm

June 18: Emory Van Gerpen - TBA

June 24: Wednesday - Rotary Awards Dinner @ Marr Park, 6:00pm (find out if Jim Mostek repeats as Rotarian of the Year!)

June 25: No Rotary Club Meeting

Also, Emily Johnson wants to remind folks about an upcoming play by area poet/playwright Mary Swander "Map of My Kingdom" at the Washington Public Library on June 6th. Yes, its free, Dick.

Club Forum!

Rotary District 6000 2015 Conference

The annual District conference is always a great way to learn about Rotary and what is going on in the District, youth exchanges, our internal and outreach programs, as well as Rotary International and Rotary Foundation initiatives.

It was great to see a big group of Washington Rotarians attend the keynote lunch presentation on Friday, April 17 at the Coralville Marriott. This was a great show of support for Rotary and for District Governor John Ockenfels.

Washington Rotarians attend District 6000 Conference luncheon

Club Forum!

Club President, Susan Wellington couldn't be here for the meeting, but we had a great club forum anyway. 

We got a few updates:

Annual Dinner, June 24
Wednesday, June 24 is the Club's Annual Dinner at Marr Park
Presentations at the Club Forum will include

• Bill Sitler Community Service Award - receives $100 to donate to charity of their choice
• Rotarian of the Year
• 2 scholarships for $800 to WHS seniors
• John Prochaska Rotary Service award to a WHS senior for $200

For a list of previous award winners check out our Awards & Scholarships page on the website.

Turkey Dinner, Sept. 13
Monday, September 13, 4-7pm Rotary Turkey Dinner. Sell tickets, make cole slaw, organize deserts, etc.
Last summer, the club received a Riverboat Foundation minigrant for $800 for new equipment to use at our Turkey Dinner.
Thanks to Dennis Purcel, we also received an $800 grant from Walmart toward food supplies for last Fall's event. We are hoping to get another grant toward our food supplies for this year.

Auditorium
Terry Engelken reminded the club we have reserved $5,000 of the club's money to go toward the Auditorium project at WHS. We are planning on a $5,000 District Community Grant for a total contribution to the Auditorium of $10,000.

Ed Lins was also looking for more volunteers for a team to compete at the Hospice Trivia Night!

Don Patterson awards Tsalica Drown for becoming a Paul Harris Fellow
for her donations to the Rotary Foundation 

Welcome back, John Moenck. Congrats on earning a pin for recruiting a new member - Amber Scott!

Welcome Lynn Koch, guest of Myron Graber. Koch is a new lender at Federation Bank.
Photobomb by Dick Colby.

Thanks to these Rotarians for attending Wellman Rotary for their 75th club anniversary dinner!
By height: Becky Patterson, Nancy Rash, Emily Johnson, Don Patterson

UPCOMING EVENTS
April 30: A great Rotary program
May 7: A great Rotary program
May 14: A great Rotary program
May 21: A great Rotary program
May 28: A great Rotary program
June 24: Rotary Annual Dinner at Marr Park

Ag Day & Wowie

ROTARY AG DAY

It was great to have a lot of guests for Ag Day. Thanks to Don Vittetoe for coordinating this annual event.

Dick Colby (R) & daughter Ann Haden (L)

Laura & Steve Bombei

John Winga & Dave Birney

Kurt Hora & Paul Horak

Tyler Friese & Ed Lins

Jeff & Dawn Ledger

Farm Bureau Chairperson, Rachel Fishback & Michelle Redlinger

Denise Erpelding & Aimee Reed

Thanks to Brad Johnson for the interesting presentation on Pfister Seeds.

Pfister's Brad Johnson & Eric Manz

Pfister presentation

EARLY CHILDCARE ADDITION TO STEWART ELEMENTARY

It was a pleasure to hear WOWIE board member, Debbie Stanton and Stewart Elementary principal, Adam Miller present about the proposed expansion of Stewart Elementary to include new preschool and early childhood classrooms.

The School District would operate 4 of the new preschool classrooms and the other 2 by partner preschool programs. The early childhood classroom would be operated by the Washington YMCA.

The WOWIE (Women Of Washington Iowa Endowment) has made a significant donation to the School District toward the project.

There will be a referendum on Tuesday, June 30, by the School District for bonding for $2.3 million to complete the expansion project.

Washington YMCA's Becky Harkema & Amy Schulte

Congratulations to Emory and Phylis VanGerpen on 65 years or so of blissful marriage. 

Emory VanGerpen & Dr. Ann Harris (contemplating being married 65 years)

Stewart Elementary Principal, Adam Miller & Debbie Stanton

Stewart EarlyChildcare Addition 2015

UPCOMING EVENTS
April 16: NO CLUB MEETING
April 17: District 6000 Conference Luncheon @ Coralville Marriott, 11:30-1:00
April 23: Club Forum!
May 2: Kalona Rotary Omelet breakfast, Methodist Church, 6:30a-11:00a

Our thoughts are with Barry Johnson! Hang in there, Barry.