The Program Committee is excited to announce that our featured speaker this week will be Jordan Cedillo, a dedicated Community Health Worker at the Douglas County Health Department. Jordan will be presenting on his remarkable initiative, Project New Lens, which focuses on providing vital mental health support to youth from low-income families through innovative therapy methods.
Collaborating with Elevate Omaha, a prominent youth support research group, Jordan has gathered invaluable data to bolster the project's mission. He will be sharing insights into the program's findings and discussing plans for its expansion to reach even more youth in Omaha.
Rotarians, get ready to buckle up as Suburban Rotary turns its 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! 🌟
Recently, we were delighted to hear from Past President Curt Peters, a dedicated Rotarian of 21 years and a remarkable Paul Harris Fellow +8. Hailing from the heartland of Iowa, Curt's journey is a testament to his unwavering commitment to service and his vibrant spirit.
Raised in the Hawkeye State, Curt entertained the idea of pursuing "football school" because his Dad is a Husker fan but ultimately chose to pursue his passion for technology at Iowa State University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering. His entrepreneurial journey began in Florida, where he ventured into the nascent world of computing, founding Integrated Solutions—a pioneering company that flourished before laptops
and cell phones and continues to thrive 23 years later.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Curt's personal life is equally fulfilling. He has two children. He proudly shares that he recently married his high school sweetheart, jokingly noting that they met in junior year but tied the knot during her senior years.
Curt's dedication to Rotary is palpable, stemming from a profound family legacy. He fondly recalls his mother, Joanne Peters, joining Rotary on the historic day when the US Supreme Court mandated Rotary International to accept women. Curt has devoted two decades to Rotary, following his mother's footsteps, passionately supporting programs like Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE).
His involvement in RYE has been transformative, as he fondly reminisces about the impact of hosting a student from Kosovo who pursued her education in the United States. Curt's dedication to RYE is unparalleled, with countless hours of volunteer work dedicated to empowering young minds through international exchange.
In addition to his tireless service, Curt brings joy and levity to Rotary meetings with his penchant for dressing up in various costumes, even channeling his inner Marilyn Monroe to infuse laughter into special occasions. Here is a picture of Curt's 2019 Valentine's Day attire at Rotary, a photo courtesy of Don Leu.
Curt Peters exemplifies the spirit of Rotary—dedicated, compassionate, and always ready to make a difference. We are privileged to have him as part of our Rotary family, inspiring us to embrace Service Above Self.
Past President Curt Peters giving his vocational talk at the Suburban Rotary
The Community Service Committee for the Suburban Rotary Club has lined up yet another wonderful opportunity for our members to volunteer and help the community. We will be staffing a few shifts again this year for the Salvation Army Night Watch Program. For anyone who has done this in the past, you know this is such a positive and impactful outreach opportunity. For those who have not, you don't want to miss out on a chance to help your fellow citizens.
The Salvation Army Night Watch Program runs during the winter months. They take out three different routes with three different "Canteen" vehicles, which stop at specific locations throughout North, South, and Central Omaha. At each stop, they provide a warm boxed dinner to those who come for assistance, as well as provide those in need with coats, blankets, or any other clothing items needed for warmth.
The Suburban Rotary Club of Omaha has been asked to staff the Canteen Route on the following dates/times:
Thanks to the generous contributions from Rotarians to the Suburban Rotary Charitable Foundation, we have the opportunity to make a significant impact by providing 41,800 meals through a multi-club grant with funds matched by the Rotary International Foundation through the District Designated Fund. We invite you to join us in packaging these meals on February 24, 2024.
For any inquiries or further information, please contact our Project Lead, Eli McNichols, at elimci@cox.net. Your participation and support contribute to the success of this impactful endeavor.
For over three and a half decades, Rotary International has tirelessly dedicated itself to the noble cause of eradicating polio from our planet. Since our inception in this monumental mission in 1979, when we initiated vaccinations for six million children in the Philippines, Rotary has been at the forefront of the battle against this debilitating disease.
Through unwavering commitment and global collaboration, Rotary, alongside its partners in health and humanitarian efforts, has made remarkable strides in reducing polio's grip on humanity. Today, our collective efforts have brought us to a critical juncture where the dream of a polio-free world is within reach.
Despite the progress made, challenges persist, particularly in regions like Afghanistan and Pakistan, where polio remains endemic. However, Rotary remains resolute in its determination to overcome these obstacles and achieve our ultimate goal.
Rotary's efforts extend far beyond the mere distribution of vaccines. We have spearheaded community engagement initiatives, advocated for increased funding and support, and worked tirelessly to ensure that every child receives the life-saving polio vaccine regardless of their circumstances.
As we continue our journey towards a polio-free world, Rotary invites individuals, organizations, and governments worldwide to join us in this historic endeavor. Together, we can turn the tide against polio, safeguarding future generations from its devastating effects and leaving behind a legacy of health, hope, and resilience for all.
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.
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, Wheatfields Restaurant & Bakery, 1224 S 103rd St., One Pacific Place, Omaha NE 68124
Tuesday: Omaha Northwest, 12:00 pm, Sand Point, New England Fare, 655 North 114th Street. Omaha, NE 68154
Wednesday: Omaha Downtown, 12:00 pm, Trinity 113 N 18th St., Omaha, NE 68124
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, Charlie's on the Lake, 4151 S 144th St., Omaha, NE 68137
Email Yolanda for make-up/attendance credit at yolanda@suburbanrotary.org.
The Program Committee is excited to announce that our featured speaker this week will be Jordan Cedillo, a dedicated Community Health Worker at the Douglas County Health Department. Jordan will be presenting on his remarkable initiative, Project New Lens, which focuses on providing vital mental health support to youth from low-income families through innovative therapy methods.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Curt's personal life is equally fulfilling. He has two children. He proudly shares that he recently married his high school sweetheart, jokingly noting that they met in junior year but tied the knot during her senior years.
Peru
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