Mike Picard, Executive Director ENVY Volleyball. Navy Veteran. Executive Director & Head Coach at ENVY Volleyball Club; played volleyball for decades, coached girls’ middle school volleyball since 2016 & has trained & gained extensive experience as a compassionate volleyball coach. Named “USA Volleyball Youth Coach of the Year” in 2022. Holds an MBA & is Owner of American Structures Company.
Dr. Karalee Picard, the Senior Deterrence Analyst (J25) at U.S. Strategic Command, has decades of experience in effectively leading complex, matrixed organizations. She has a proven track record in supervising and leading multiple teams, managing diverse projects and programs, facilitating organizational change, promoting diversity, inclusion, and belonging, and instilling enthusiasm in both individuals and teams.
Karalee Picard, EdD, ENVY Board Chair. Navy Veteran. Senior Analyst at Defense Intelligence Agency. Owner of Insight Leadership Consulting & ICF-Certified Professional Coach. Trustee at Brownell Talbot College Preparatory School & Director at Nebraska Zen Center. Member of Omaha Night Rotary Club. Adjunct Faculty at Bellevue University. Member of Omaha’s Business Ethics Alliance & Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce. Holds a Doctorate in adaptive leadership & organizational culture & is a certified professional coach.
Hey Rotarians, get ready to buckle up because we're turning our weekly routine into a wild rollercoaster of awesome vibes! Cue the drumroll, please... It's time to unveil the shining star of our meetings: Vocational Speakers! 🌟
Last week, we had the pleasure of diving into the life story of the one and only PDG Terry Kucera. Brace yourselves because this guy is not your average Rotarian – his family's in the funeral home business! But hold on tight, Terry's professional career was very interesting as he shared tales of his "professional boxing" days and proudly claimed the title of a PHD (Professional Hearse Driver).
As Suburban Rotary President, Terry spilled the beans about his stint alongside Lee Terry Sr., father of Congressman Lee Terry, as his Secretary. The Terrys faced some ups and downs, with Terry's brother Mark Kucera making an early exit from Rotary even before Terry's grand inauguration. But fear not; the Terrys redeemed themselves by breaking the mold and welcoming women into Rotary. Talk about a plot twist – the U.S. Supreme Court mandated it, and Terry Kucera rode that wave to the glorious years of Rotary existence. Watch the video to see if Terry survived the RATS (Rotarians Against Terrys) saga during his presidential year without getting impeached!
But that's not all – Terry couldn't resist boasting about his golf skills. A hole-in-one? Nope, not once, not twice, but three times! Now, that's a swingin' Rotarian!
Celebrating 50 years in Rotary, Terry Kucera spilled the beans on why he's so passionate about Suburban Rotary. From introducing Pickleball champion Terri Greenwood to the notorious hanging judge Fritz Steklik, Terry has been a matchmaker for Rotarians. And let's not forget the friendships – Terry credits Rotary for connecting him with the finest men and women in the community. He might have been the youngest Rotarian 50 years ago, but he proudly handed over that title to John Hoich, who joined at 19 and still in training pants!
Generosity runs in Terry's veins. Terry is a Rotarian-Extraordinaire, a Patron of the Suburban Charitable Foundation, a Paul Harris Fellow +8, and a Major Donor Level 1 to the Rotary International Foundation. Now, that's a Rotarian who knows how to make an entrance and leave a lasting impression! 🎉✨
PDG Terry Kucera delivering his vocational talk
The Rotary paparazzi were ready to capture Terry Kucera's full vocational talk on video, and it has been uploaded to Suburban Rotary's YouTube Channel; click here to view the video.
In the heart of Suburban Rotary, there exists a figure whose dedication and commitment have become synonymous with the spirit of Rotary International. Terry Kucera, a beacon of inspiration for fifty years, recently found himself at the center of a celebration at the Rotary Club of Omaha - Suburban, led by President Katie Henry, District Governor Kathryn Schubert, and fellow Suburban Rotarians.
Terry's journey within Suburban Rotary began when he joined Rotary on January 17, 1974. Terry was later elected as President, a role he embraced with passion and foresight. Under his leadership, the club flourished, expanding its reach and influence. This commitment eventually led to his election as District Governor of District 5650, a testament to his profound impact on the Rotary community.
A true visionary, Terry has not only played a pivotal role in the local growth of Suburban Rotary but has also ensured its enduring positive impact on the community. As a Patron of the Suburban Rotary Charitable Foundation, his philanthropic endeavors have become an integral part of the club's legacy.
Terry's influence extends far beyond the borders of Suburban Rotary. Aligned with Rotary International's seven areas of focus, he has tirelessly championed causes such as promoting peace, fighting diseases, saving mothers and children, supporting education, growing local economies, and protecting the environment. Terry's efforts have not gone unnoticed, as he proudly carries the title of Paul Harris Fellow +8 – the highest level – and Major Donor Level 1 to the Rotary International Foundation.
In the latest chapter of his Rotary journey, Terry Kucera stands as a living testament to the principles and values that define Rotary International. His legacy as a Rotarian-Extraordinaire is not just a recognition; it's a reflection of a life dedicated to service, compassion, and making a positive impact on the world.
As we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Terry, we also express our deepest gratitude for his unwavering commitment. In celebrating Terry Kucera, we celebrate the essence of Rotary – a force for good that transcends borders and leaves an enduring mark on the lives it touches.
Here's to fifty years of Rotary excellence and to many more chapters in the extraordinary story of Rotarian Terry Kucera.
President Katie Henry presenting PDG Terry Kucera with the plaque of appreciation for his 50 years of Rotary service
Earl Knauss got a lesson in food waste when he received a neighbor’s gift of three bushels of red peppers that had been cast aside by a farm because they were misshapen. “I discovered that odd-shaped, blemished, and imperfect vegetables were dumped or destroyed,” says Knauss, of the Rotary Club of Hamburg in western New York state. He asked the farm’s owner for more of the unsalable produce and collected 18-gallon totes of vegetables that he sent to food pantries. The Farm to Family project has since expanded to include three farms, and the Hamburg club formally adopted it in 2018. From May to December, Rotary members and friends work alongside Knauss delivering vegetables to about 3,000 families. In 2022, they provided more than 100,000 pounds of vegetables to 23 distribution sites. Among them is the Resurrection Life Food Pantry in Cheektowaga, where pantry director Kim Reynolds says the site would not have many fresh vegetables without the program. “Our clients rely on Farm to Family to fill that gap,” she says.
Peru
Much of the milk produced in Peru never leaves the farm: It’s consumed directly by farming families, fed to calves, and used to make artisanal cheeses. The Rotary E-Club of Fusión Latina Distrito 4465 teamed up with the nonprofit CEDEPAS Norte to help subsistence farmers in the country’s northern highlands. Last year the club delivered stainless steel presses and molds to open two cheese production facilities. A global grant of more than $50,000 helped pay for the equipment, training, management, and marketing. “So far there are 21 new employees and 63 families served, and 25 pregnant cows were gifted” through the Peruvian government program Agroideas, says Club President Fernando Barrera, who lives in Trujillo.
As the world becomes more connected, experts increasingly view social issues from a global perspective. That’s true even when it comes to our minds. The emerging discipline of global mental health explores how different countries diagnose and treat psychological issues.
Rotary clubs and districts have recently sponsored four students to study global mental health at King’s College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Here, these scholars discuss the social trends, cultural practices, and political and economic contexts that affect our mental wellness – often without us realizing it.
This is a reprint from rotary.org. Use this link to read the entire article: https://www.rotary.org/en/scholars-take-global-approach-mental-health
In June 1999, a year after I joined the staff of Rotary International, I attended my first convention. It was then that I first witnessed the global power of Rotary and made my first batch of Rotary friends. And it was then that I was introduced to Singapore for a second time.
My first trip to Singapore occurred five years earlier when, as a journalist, I covered the third Europe-East Asia Economic Summit. At that time, Western financial media were referring to Singapore as the 20th century’s most successful development story, which meant that the summit lured scores of policymakers, economists, and businesspeople from across Europe and Asia.
Once a British Crown colony which subsequently merged with Malaysia, Singapore broke away and was founded as an independent sovereign nation in 1965. Despite predictions that a string of small islands that lack natural resources to survive, Lee Kwan Yew, who was referred to as the founding father of modern Singapore, turned the tattered outpost of the faded empire into a thriving modern nation. The archipelago of 64 islands that was once plagued by malaria and rife with ethnic conflicts among its Chinese, Malay, and Indian populations, now stands as a gleaming city state, known in the 1990s throughout the world as one of the four Asian Tigers for its robust economic transformation along with Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Having grown up in China, where decades of Mao’s draconian rule had impoverished the country, I, along with millions of other Chinese, became enamored of the Singapore model of economic success. My first impression of Singapore in 1994, which will forever be associated with the brightly illuminated skyscrapers that dotted the banks of the Singapore River, confirmed my belief that this was a place of modernity and prosperity.
R. Gordon R. McInally is president of Rotary International. He was educated at the Royal High School in Edinburgh and at the University of Dundee, where he earned his graduate degree in dental surgery. He operated his own dental practice in Edinburgh until 2016. Gordon was chair of the East of Scotland branch of the British Paedodontic Society and has held various academic positions. He has also served as a presbytery elder, chair of the Queensferry parish congregational board, and commissioner to the general assembly of the Church of Scotland. Read President McInally's biography.
Watch the video below of President McInally's address to the Rotary International Assembly:
Consider visiting another Rotary club for a make-up! Rotary.org has a club finder for locations around the world. Please see the District website at rotarydistrict5650.org for details on local clubs. Visit one of the following Metro-Area Clubs!
Monday: Omaha Millard Rotary, 12:00 pm, German American Society, 3717 South 120th St.
Tuesday: Omaha Morning 7:00 am, First Responders Foundation, 10605 Burt Circle, Omaha, NE 68114
Tuesday: Omaha Northwest, 12:00 pm, New England Fare, 655 North 114th Street. Omaha, NE 68154
Wednesday: Omaha Downtown, 12:00 pm, Field Club of Omaha, 3615 Woolworth Ave.
Wednesday: Council Bluffs Centennial: 7:00 am, Hy-Vee Community Room 1745 Madison Avenue Thursday: West Douglas County, 12:00 PM Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation 20272 Veterans Drive
Thursday: Council Bluffs, 12:00 pm, Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center, 1001 South 6th Street
Friday: Omaha West, 12:00 pm, Biaggi's, 13655 California St.
Email Yolanda for make-up/attendance credit at yolanda@suburbanrotary.org.
Mike Picard, Executive Director ENVY Volleyball. Navy Veteran. Executive Director & Head Coach at ENVY Volleyball Club; played volleyball for decades, coached girls’ middle school volleyball since 2016 & has trained & gained extensive experience as a compassionate volleyball coach. Named “USA Volleyball Youth Coach of the Year” in 2022. Holds an MBA & is Owner of American Structures Company.
Dr. Karalee Picard, the Senior Deterrence Analyst (J25) at U.S. Strategic Command, has decades of experience in effectively leading complex, matrixed organizations. She has a proven track record in supervising and leading multiple teams, managing diverse projects and programs, facilitating organizational change, promoting diversity, inclusion, and belonging, and instilling enthusiasm in both individuals and teams.
Hey Rotarians, get ready to buckle up because we're turning our weekly routine into a wild rollercoaster of awesome vibes! Cue the drumroll, please... It's time to unveil the shining star of our meetings: Vocational Speakers! 🌟 
PDG Terry Kucera
Peru
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