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

Twelve Days of Christmas and Purdue

DONATE TO HACAP

Rotary has a goal to donate $1,000 to HACAP to help them meet the needs of local families this winter. The Rotary board has committed $500 from the club and several members have donated $100 towards the $1,000. If you'd like to donate $50 or $100 to help us reach that goal (and get a donation receipt), get a check THIS WEEK to treasurer Terry Engelken at Washington State Bank (653-2151).

Thanks for your support!

BRING YOUR KID TO ROTARY

Around the Holiday's, we get to see the kids of Rotarians making a trip home. Its great to see them and hear what they are up to. This week was no exception.

Dr. Ann Harris brought her daughter, the newly minted Dr. Mary Beth Harris, PhD!

Dr. Mary Beth Harris, PhD and Dr. Ann Harris DDS

Superintendent Jeff Dicks brought his son, Brady, who is attending Buena Vista University. Jeff is thinking through his upcoming spiel for the club about how he has never canceled or delayed school. Ever. No matter how bad it was outside.

Jeff Dicks and Brady Dicks

Sue Basten brought her son Kyle Basten, who is attending Iowa State University.

Kyle and Sue Basten

Twelve Days of Christmas

An old Rotary Washington tradition, started by Boyd White, was to sing an interactive version of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Thanks to Cheryl Kurtz for finding the old posters for each day (12 of them), we were able to renew the tradition this year!

Paul Horak (Dancing Lady) and Becky Patterson

Paul Horak and Becky Patterson were the favs for their interpretive dance for "Nine Ladies Dancing." You've got the moves, Paul.

Twelve Days of Christmas posters

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Ann Harris had today's program (her daughter Dr. Mary Beth Harris) and she gave a little background. Ann was the 3rd of 10 kids, and grew up in Chicago. She went to the University of Iowa and became a dental hygienists before going on to earn her MA and becoming a dentist. She is married to Dr. Jim Harris and has three kids, and one grand daughter I think.

Ann joined Washington Rotary in 1990 and was the first woman member! In 1991 she co-chaired the first Turkey Dinner fundraiser. She was club president in 1994-5.

PERDUE LANGUAGE and CULTURAL EXCHANGE (PLaCE)

Dr. Mary Beth Harris was our Christmas week program for the 2nd year in a row. This time, she's a PhD kind of Dr.! She filled us in on her new work at Perdue University.

Purdue University is a top destination for international students. Purdue Language and Cultural Exchange (PLaCE) supports those international students who learned English as a second language, and who will benefit from language and cultural support as they adjust to life at a U.S. university.
In PLaCE courses, you'll develop:

• Language skills through balanced learning across core language strands of meaning-focused input and output, language-focused learning, and fluency development.

• Intercultural awareness by learning to recognize your own cultural traditions and to understand, appreciate and participate in other cultural traditions.

Our mission at PLaCE is to provide a strong instructional and assessment program. We'll help you develop the academic, linguistic and cultural competencies needed to participate in university life and to compete for graduate school and employment opportunities.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

December 29: Tsalika Rich - Lorraine Williams

January 5: Bob Kennedy - TBD

January 12:  Lynn Koch - TBD

January 19:  Amber Trettin - TBD

Washington Capital Improvement Plan

It was a frigid day, but good conversation and lunch.

It was great to have a few guests, including Melanie Roth of LJ Roth Restoration. Welcome Melanie!

Melanie Roth

Thanks to Michelle Redlinger for inviting Candace Fulton from Pearl Valley Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center. Candace has also recently joined the Chamber's Ambassadors.

Candace Fulton and Michelle Redlinger

Washington Capital Improvement Plan for FY2018-22

Rotarian and City Administrator, Brent Hinson discussed the City's aggressive $25M capital improvement plan for the next five years. Averaging $5 million annually, the plan would address roads, water system, sewer system, storm water drainage, and other improvements.

Hinson also outlined where the revenue to pay for the projects would come from, including user fees, some general obligation bonds, state and federal programs and grants, and the Riverboat Foundation.

Brent Hinson

To see Brent's presentation, check out the following two graphics.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

December 22:  Ann Harris - 12 Days of Christmas??

December 29:  

January 5:  Bob Kennedy - TBA

January 12:  Lynn Koch - TBA

Gary Murphy

How to become a US Citizen

GUESTS

Allen and Merridy Leichty from Wellman Rotary visited Washington Rotary last week.

Allen and Merridy Leichty

It's always nice to have Assistant District Gov. Bob Freeman pop in to Washington Rotary from Wellman.

Robert Freeman

Susan Wellington brought her daughter, Katy, who is a pharmacist student at Drake University.

Katy and Susan Wellington

Tsalika Rich brought Cathy Rich from Lloyd McConnell Davis & Lujan LLP. Cathy may be Tsalika's mother-in-law, and is a former Rotarian herself.

Tsalika Rich and Cathy Rich

Ray Poe had today's program, and he invited Alex Scipioni and Lorraine Williams from Cafe Dodici to speak about Alex' 14-year saga about getting a "green card" and pursuing US citizenship.

Alex Scipioni and Lorraine Williams

Sue Basten had Marde McConnell as her guest. Marde has taught in the Washington Home School program for many years.

Marde McConnell

PAUL HARRIS FELLOWS

Ray Poe, our clubs Foundation director, helped Cheryl Kurtz award 3 (three) Paul Harris Fellow awards. Congratulations to Terry Engelken, Tsalika Rich, and Bob Wollenberg for your commitment to Rotary.


This is also Bob Wollenberg's last club meeting in Washington. He and wife Jean are moving to Decatur IL where they will be co-pastors at First Presbyterian Church. Sad to see you leave, Bob, and thanks for your 10 years of service in our club.

LONG TERM COMMITMENT

Rotary anniversaries were noted this week. Remarkably, Dick Colby is celebrating 55 years, and Bob Kennedy is celebrating 50 years as a part of Rotary Club of Washington, Iowa. Pretty amazing. That is about 2,750 club meetings for Dick and 2,500 for Bob.

Dick Colby

Robert Kennedy

NEW MEMBER

Matt Greiner feels a little more at home at #Rotary after Cheryl Kurtz presented him with his official name badge. Great to have you as a part of the club, Matt from Greiner Buildings Inc.!

Matt Greiner and Cheryl Kurtz

BECOMING A CITIZEN

Alex Scipioni (and wife Lorraine Williams) from Cafe Dodici gave a colorful program about Alex' 14-year saga of getting a #greencard and working toward US Citizenship this year. He just received word that he passed and will become a US Citizen later this month in Des Moines!

Alex Scipioni

Do you have what it takes to pass a US Naturalized Citizen test? Click here to take the practice, multiple choice test.

UPCOMING EVENTS

November 10 - Jim Gorham: TBA
November 17 - 7am Rotary Board Meeting, WCHC
November 17 - Dennis Hunger: TBA
November 24 - NO MEETING: ENJOY THANKSGIVING!

Emory and Colin