The Big Drop! Ping pong balls showered downtown Cedar Rapids at West Rotary’s The Big Drop! Congratulations to the winners: $3000 - Cecilia Rokusek $500 - Katie Treiber $250 - Bob Jacoby And thanks to everyone who bought balls to support The Academy SPS, LBA Foundation, and Kirkwood Community College! |
Big Drop ExtendedBig Drop August 15!Our rescheduled date for the Big Drop is August 15 at 11am. Join us at the Downtown Market for Cedar Rapids' most unique Fundraiser!Visit TheBigDropCR.com to buy balls or find us Saturday at the corner of 4th and 3rd as we raise funds to benefit The Academy for Scholastic and Personal Development, Leaders Believers Achievers Foundation, and Kirkwood scholarships. |
2026 Rotary West Scholarship Recipients One of our favorite meetings of the year is when we award scholarships to more than a dozen deserving high school seniors. Getting to hear about their academic and social accomplishments makes us feel very good about the future! Thanks to the Kirkwood Foundation for partnering with us to honor these young leaders. And mark your calendar for The Big Drop Aug. 1, when we raise funds for next year! |
Rotary West Supports Corda Teacher Store  Lace Becker from the Corda Teacher Store was a recent speaker to our club, reporting on how her organization used the donation we gave last year. She showed us examples of more than 900 items that went to teachers! The club has given the Teacher Store $1000 again this year to support their great work. Fine more information at CordaTeacherStore.org.
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The Big Drop! Ping pong balls showered downtown Cedar Rapids at West Rotary’s The Big Drop! Congratulations to the winners: $3000 - Benjamin Gander $500 - Barb Teply $250 - on behalf of IowaPBS. And thanks to everyone who bought balls to support The Academy SPS, LBA Foundation, and Kirkwood Community College! |
The Big Drop is Almost Here! The Big Drop will take place during the Downtown Farmers Market Aug. 2, at the corner of 4th Ave. and 5th St. at about 11:30 10am. Online sales are closed, but you can still buy balls at the Rotary West booth until 11am. Watch this page and the Rotary West Facebook Page for video of the fun! Good to luck to everyone who bought balls, and thanks for helping Rotary care for the students served by The Academy for Scholastic and Personal Development, The Leaders Believers Achievers Foundation, and Kirkwood Community College
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The Big Drop!  Join the fun Saturday August 2nd at the Downtown Market!Someone will win $3,000. It could be you!Click Here to buy your balls!Funds go to support the programs of The Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success and the LBA (Leaders, Believers, Achievers) Foundation. |
Cutting, Pasting, Sorting for Van BurenOur most recent service project was a variety of cutting, sorting and pasting papers, cards, and other items for our partner school, Van Buren Elementary. Aided ably by several student exports, members tackled various tasks aimed at making classroom life run a bit smoother. We love partnering with Van Buren and supporting education in our community. It’s all about making a difference and lending a helping hand wherever we can.     |
2024 Big Drop Check Presentation Rotary West recently presented checks to The Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success and the Leaders Believers Achievers Foundation, totaling a little over $12,000 each. Dr. Ruth White, founder of The Academy SPS and Al O'Bannon, director of the LBA Foundation, gave us an update on their organizations' activities before receiving checks from President Charles Kudej
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Staying safe with tips from Michael MulherinThis week Michael Mulherin, President and Owner of Informmics LLC, explained the importance of having an emergency action plan. How many emergency/safety captains do you have at your office? When was the last time you replaced your fire extinguishers? If you're traveling, do you know how far away the nearest exit is in the hotel? All good questions to ponder!  |
Almost Famous Popcorn Presentation Really Pops!Sydney Riekoff, CEO, of Almost Famous Popcorn explained her very interesting career journey to becoming a small business owner, which included a childhood experience interviewing Taylor Swift, college at Stanford, and being an entrepreneur since she was in middle school.  |
Big Drop Winners!Congratulations to our Big Drop Winners! $3000 - Ecumenical Community Center $500 - Carrie Hantz $250 - Dave and Betsy Kutter Robin Brunner from the Ecumenical Community Center attended our meeting the following week to tell us about her organization and receive the check. Their building recently received storm damage so the windfall was extremely fortunate!  In all, more than $24,000 was raised in sponsorship and donations for the LBA Foundation, Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success, and Kirkwood Community College. Funds will be presented to those organizations in the coming months.
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Goodwill of the Heartland visits West RotaryShannon Jamison and Danielle Priebe from Goodwill of the Heartland discussed the opportunities Goodwill brings to individuals in our community at today's meeting. Did you know they have more than 700 team members? They also enlightened our Club about the certification programs they offer.  |
West Rotarians Package More than 3,000 Diapers in an HourWest Rotarians served at YPN/Eastern Iowa Diaper Bank this month, packaging diapers in smaller bundles for their clients. In under an hour, volunteers packed more than 3,000 diapers!  |
Daria Bodrova Shares Stories from UkraineA very special program brought home the very real struggle going on in Ukraine. Daria Bodrova lives in Odessa, Ukraine where her day can be interrupted at any time by rockets and bombs destroying homes and businesses. She has lost several friends and colleagues to Russian attacks on civilian targets. Daria is an assistant Honorary Slovak Consul in Ukraine, which means she can act on behalf of Slovaks and the Slovak government in some areas. A current project for her is arranging for Ukrainian students to go to school in Slovakia, away from the violence. Daria is a friend of National Czech and Slovak Museum director and West Rotary member Cecilia Rokusek, and visits our area periodically.  |
2024 Scholarship Recipients
 One of our favorite meetings of the year is when we celebrate outstanding seniors from area high schools and recognize their scholastic, extracurricular, and citizenship accomplishments with scholarship awards to Kirkwood Community College. Congratulations to: Addyson Bulicek, Marion Keira Davis, Cedar Valley Christian Mason Dewitte, Kennedy Jackson Dybvig, Xavier Isaiah Harrington, Linn-Mar Mackenzie McWhorter, Jefferson Natalie Osterberg, Washington Patricia Robinson, Metro Curtis Sebetka, Prairie This is the 33rd consecutive year that West Rotary has awarded scholarships, and over the decades we've given over $130,000 in support. Congratulations to each of these deserving young people as they embark on their next act! |
One Above HROne Above HR was the topic of the day at West Rotary recently. Sarah Hermanson brought a fresh perspective to the recruiting and job fulfillment process.  |
Families Helping Families Service ProjectOur monthly service project took the Club to Families Helping Families where we organized children's clothing in preparation for their garage sale.  |
Revitalization of The Shakespeare GardenLisa Ramlo and Al Pierson, with Friends of the Shakespeare Garden, shared exciting plans for revitalizing the garden in Ellis Park. This project, chosen as the Metro Rotary Project for 2024-2025, highlights the impact Rotary is making right here in our community. Thank you to Lisa, Al, and everyone involved for their dedication to enhancing our city's green spaces! |
The Kutter's Experience in South AfricaClub members Betsy and Dave Kutter attended a life-changing conference in South Africa last year facilitated by Father Michael Lapsley. This week, they shared their insightful takeaways and encouraged us all to attend Father Lapsley’s speaking engagements later this month right here in Cedar Rapids. He'll speak on the power of forgiveness and healing in reconciliation. Let's join together in supporting this important dialogue and learning from Father Lapsley's experiences.   |
Rotary Rocks Book Sale PrepYesterday, our Rotary Club had a great time volunteering at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, helping prepare for the Friends of the Library Book Sale! We sorted books onto carts and organized bags for the sale, becoming experts in cookbooks and John Grisham novels in the process. Thanks to everyone who joined us for this fun and rewarding service project!    |
February Service at Linn Community Food Bank Our February service project was sorting and packing at the Linn Community Food Bank. The Linn Community Food Bank is an all-volunteer organization that's been around since 1972. We were happy to play a very small part in their mission to provide food for those in need in our local community.
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David Wendell Shares His Vast KnowledgeThis week we heard from historian David Wendell, founder and curator of the Wendell Air and Space Museum Online. He shared his knowledge on many topics including Paul Harris (near and dear to our Rotarian hearts), Frank Lloyd Wright and William Eugene Drummond, and the Beverly/Morgan Park neighborhood outside Chicago.   |
Dan Healy: An Irish StorytellerMeet Dan Healy- A musician, a retired police detective, and "an Irish storyteller." Dan shared some of his stories with Cedar Rapids West Rotary this week. Dan needed a release from the mentally and emotionally challenging work he did for the police department so he began writing westerns. When he retired, he was able to focus on his writing and cranked out four books in five years.   |
Van Buren CarolersOne of our favorite meetings of the year! A Christmas concert featuring the students of Van Buren Elementary. We enjoyed a wonderful selection of holiday tunes, capped off by a gift for every club member, hand-delivered by a student!   |
Fifth Wednesday FunRotary West members gathered at the Kilburg home for a wonderful "5th Wednesday" event. Club President-Elect Chuck Kudej showed off his culinary skills with a delicious spread. It was a great kick-off to the holiday season!    |
The Christmas Bells are RingingCedar Rapids West Rotarians showed their holiday spirit with this month's service project. We rang the Red Kettle bell for The Salvation Army at the Wilson Ave Hy-Vee. It was a beautiful day to raise money for a great cause in our community!  |
The Big Drop Proceeds Help Area Non-ProfitsCedar Rapids West Rotary was pleased to give proceeds from The Big Drop event to Kerry Crowell with the LBA Foundation, and Dr. Ruth White with the Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success. Charles Kudej also presented funds on behalf of American Family Insurance.     |
CRCSD Superintendent Tawana Grover Provides District UpdateNew Cedar Rapids School District Superintendent Tawana Grover gave the Club an update about their strategic plan for the district and discussed their next steps after the recent school bond vote.  |
Chief Deputy US Marshal Christopher BartherChief Deputy US Marshal Christopher Barther is the highest-ranking sworn law enforcement professional in the federal system for the Northern District of Iowa. He told us about the many varied and important operations of the US Marshal Service, locally and around the country. Perhaps his most unusual task? Keeping a fleet of forfeited Ferraris and Lamborghinis in working order until they could be sold!  |
Flight to End PolioRotary West member Peter Teahen and Iowa City Rotary member John Ockenfels shared stories from their Flight to End Polio adventure at our meeting last week. It was an amazing experience for them and truly touched the lives of so many people all over the world. We're extremely proud to call them fellow Rotarians! If you'd like to learn more, please listen to this recent podcast- https://pod.link/rotary/episode/9d6b9e25d1fa15b5f59d68907c651414 or visit https://www.flighttoendpolio.com/.  |
Linda McCann's Lost Towns of Linn CountyLinda Betsinger McCann has authored several books, including Lost Linn County: Vanished Towns of the Cedar Valley. She shared her knowledge of forgotten places in Linn County with the Rotary West.   |
Club Tours Jewel and Jim Plumb Heart CenterWest Rotarians recently toured the new Jewel & Jim Plumb Heart Center. We were all impressed by the modern tech and patient-centered touches in the design. Thanks to Tom Vandevart for making the arrangements, and to Center director Jim Atty for the informative tour!    |
Rotarians Describe Flight to End Polio Journey at 5th Wednesday EventWe were honored to have Cedar Rapids West member Peter Teahen and Iowa City AM member John Ockenfels discuss their Flight to End Polio at our 5th Wednesday event last week. It was incredibly interesting to hear about their journey, the challenges they faced, and the successes they celebrated along the way. Peter and John have already raised a tremendous amount of money to help eradicate polio worldwide. They don't hope... they BELIEVE it's possible. Even though their flight is complete, they are still raising money for this cause. Please consider donating today at https://www.flighttoendpolio.com/donate.    |
Olivet Neighborhood Mission ServiceClub members were back in action yesterday as we helped Olivet Neighborhood Mission process clothing donations, restock their pantry, and do some light cleaning. Once again, many hands made light work. Serving others is always rewarding but yesterday's project was even better because former Club members Betty and Cliff Ehlinger were able to join us while they were visiting from Mississippi.      |
Flight To End Polio Celebration Join us to hear the story of Peter Teahen and John Ockenfels' historic round-the-world flight! Members, friends, and guests welcome.
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Big Drop Winners!Thanks to everyone who bought balls for Rotary West's Big Drop! Congratulations to the winners: - 1st Prize: Olivet Mission - 2nd Prize: Kevin Mease - 3rd Prize: Matt Kudej But the real winners are the students served by The Academy SPS and LBA Foundation, who will share more than $17,000 raised in ball sales and sponsorships. We look forward to presenting some BIG checks in the coming weeks!  |
Welcome Home, Peter & John!West Rotarians were on hand to say Welcome Home as our own Peter Teahen and Iowa City Rotarian John Ockenfels completed their historic Flight To End Polio with a picture-perfect landing at the Cedar Rapids airport on July 31. They flew for 90 days, 25,323 miles, and raised more than $1 million for Rotary's Global Polio Eradication initiative. Read more in Diana Nollen's story in the Cedar Rapids Gazette.
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23 June ServiceOur June Service Project was at Freedom Foundation today. From food prep to pantry organization to clean up - we did a little of everything. If you're not familiar with Freedom Foundation, we highly recommend stopping by their new location at 4001 Center Point Road NE Cedar Rapids. Freedom Foundation provides numerous programs and services for veterans, including a pantry, recreational activities, a housing/shelter program, a veteran Emergency Financial Assistance Fund, and a free luncheon on Thursdays.     |
May Service ProjectRotarians and Quotarians joined forces to clean and prep books for the Cops N Kids Reading Program at our May Service Project. Volunteers cleaned, labeled, and stickered more than 530 books in just one hour.   |
23 Student RecognitionWe celebrate students making an impact in and out of the classroom each spring when we award a Kirkwood scholarship to a student from each area high school. We were impressed and humbled by the stories of how these students have excelled at school and serve their community. Congratulations to: Jayden Helle, Linn Mar Ava Clair, Cedar Valley Christian Olivier Mubengwa, Jefferson Ferlyn Soriano, Kennedy Eden Colguhoun, Marion Maraja Gibson, Metro Lauren Smith, Prairie Salomon Garcia Chavez, Washington Nicolas Halabi, Xavier         |
Flight To End Polio Takes Off! We gathered at the Iowa City Airport on May 4 for a sendoff party with Rotary West member Peter Teahen and Iowa City's John Ockenfels (pictured with their wives Janet and Deb) for their Flight To End Polio. Peter and John took off the next morning for their three-month round-the-world flight which we hope will raise $1 Million for Rotary's polio vaccination and education program. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is giving a 2:1 match for every dollar donated. You can track their progress at flighttoendpolio.com/ or using the FlightAware app. Enter the plane's tail number, N732WP.
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April Service-HACAP West Rotary's April service project was at HACAP in Hiawatha. Volunteers sorted food and checked expiration dates. We enjoyed playing a part in HACAP's meaningful work!    |
Teacher Appreciation Awards One of our favorite days of the year is when Rotary West honors some of the countless teachers in our area who are making a difference in the lives of students and our entire community. Congratulations to: Sara Young, Jefferson Brenda Havertape, Kennedy Sheri Crandall, Linn-Mar Josh Gerber, Marion Susanne Zahn, Metro Caleb Rheingens, Prairie James Burke, Washington Emily Moses, Xavier       |
March Networking EventWe had a great turnout for our "Be Our Guest" event at the Cedar Rapids Economic Alliance. We meet all kinds of cool new people, and heard a preview of the new CityView High School from principal Dan Devore, as well as updates from two of our charity partners, Ruth White from the Academy for Scholastic and Personal Achievement, and Al O'Bannon from the LBA Foundation. Thanks to everyone who joined us!     |
March Service Project-Central Furniture Rescue   Our March service project was at Central Furniture Rescue, a local nonprofit that collects basic furniture and household items to provide to those transitioning from homelessness into their own homes. We cleaned and sorted a variety of donated items so they could be distributed and make someone's home happier and more comfortable. If you want to serve your community and have fun while doing it, hit the Contact Us button to learn more about Rotary West!
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Eight Days of Hope Service Project West Rotary's January service project was at Eight Days of Hope, an organization which provides rapid response service to communities in need. Eight Days of Hope came to Cedar Rapids originally to help after the 2008 flood, and now has a permanent Cedar Rapids satellite office. It was especially fun to have former CR West member, Gary Pribyl, tell us about this great organization.
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Flight-to-end-polio   We recently received details about a vital event involving one of our own Rotary West members. Iowa City Rotarian John Ockenfels talked about Flight to End Polio, a round-the-world trip he and West Rotarian Peter R. Teahen will take in the spring 2023. Peter joined us briefly from Florida, where he is again working as a volunteer disaster relief coordinator for the Red Cross. John was presented with two hand-made angel wing ribbons by our Liz Durham, for good luck during the trip. Visit www.flighttoendpolio.com to learn more and contribute. All funds raised go to eliminate polio through the Rotary Foundation and will be matched 2-for-1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. |
Big Drop Awards  Two education charities that primarily serve students of color received $12,000 from Cedar Rapids West Rotary to further their missions. The Academy for Personal and Scholastic Success and the Learners Believers Achievers Foundation received proceeds from West Rotary's Big Drop fundraiser, along with a matching grant from American Family Insurance. Pictured (L-R): Dr. Ruth White, Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success, Rotary President Janette Fiedler, Al O'Bannon, Leaders Believers Achievers Foundation, Brandon Bieri, American Family Insurance, Charles Kudej, American Family Insurance and Big Drop committee member.
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Outstanding Student Scholarship WinnersEach year, Rotary West awards scholarships to one student from each Cedar Rapids and Marion-area school to attend Kirkwood Community College. The 2022 Rotary West scholarship recipients are: Gabriela Hovey - Cedar Valley Christian AnnaBelle Deam - Jefferson Nevaeh Mangrich - Kennedy Daniela Castro - Linn Mar Ella Bartels - Marion Sofia Bell - Metro Keegan Oehlerich - Prairie Louciano Johnson - Washington Landen Erdahl - Xavier Congratulations to these outstanding students! Thanks to Jody Donaldson and the Kirkwood Foundation for facilitating our scholarship program. |
Teacher Appreciation Awards Every year, Rotary West asks area high school administrators to nominate an outstanding educator for the Rotary Teacher Appreciation Award. We hosted principals and teachers on May 4 from Jefferson, Kennedy, Linn-Mar, Metro, Marion, Prairie, and Washington. Getting to meet these exemplary teachers and hear about their hard work and dedication to students is one of our favorite events of the year. From left: President Matt Teply, Julia Schreckengast (Jefferson), William Tuthil (Prairie), Sue Atwater (Linn-Mar), Shannon Ellis (Metro), Tiphany Phan (Washington), Nick Hayes (Kennedy) Sherryl Paige (Marion), Teacher Appreciation Chair Nick Kilburg |
Orchestra Iowa Piano Lab  Rotary West, with the help of a District Matching Grant and sponsorship from West Music, has placed a Piano Lab in the Orchestra Iowa School. There are now six keyboards in the lab, with equipment that allows the teacher to work individually with a student using headphones, even in a group class. Education Director Myron McReynolds (pictured, with Penny Olson and President Matt Teply) says the first session with students has been completed, and several of the young people have decided to continue piano lessons! Thanks to West Music, District 5970, and Penny Olson, who spearheaded the project.
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Live and In Person! Rotary West is now meeting in person! Join us Wednesdays at 12noon in the beautiful National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library. Plenty of free, indoor parking, too! Rotary meetings will also be live-streamed over Zoom until further notice.
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Cleanup at Indian Creek Nature Center Rotary West members gathered in person for the first time in many months on April 21, and took advantage of cool, but clear weather to have some socially-distanced fellowship and help Indian Creek Nature Center with a little spring cleanup. It was so good to see each other's smiling faces! Thanks to Jane Schlegel for organizing.
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Van Buren Says Thanks Just a few of the many cards sent by Van Buren Elementary students to say thanks for West Rotary's continued involvement with their school. Even though we can't be with them physically right now, our club has purchased winter coats, school supplies and other materials to make their days better.
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Salvation Army Bell Ringing A little thing like a pandemic didn't stop Rotary West from its annual project of bell ringing for the Salvation Army! Club members staffed the bell station at the Wilson Avenue Hy-Vee on November 21.
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Coats for Van Buren Kids West Rotarians recently raised funds to buy 24 coats for students at Van Buren Elementary in Cedar Rapids. Many of the kids who attend the school don't have proper cold weather gear. James Nelson presented the coats to Van Buren's Jan Hanks.
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Rotary West Awards $10,000 to Support KidsClub Distributes Proceeds from “The Big Drop” Fundraiser   The Big Drop was held without the usual audience to watch a shower of ping pong balls, but the outcome didn’t change: Thousands of dollars will support kids in the Cedar Rapids area. Larry Kudej, Cedar Rapids Rotary West president, presented $5,000 checks this week HACAP and Van Buren elementary. |
The Big Drop!The Big Drop! Congratulations to Sharon Laird, our $3000 grand prize winner, and to 2nd and 3rd place, Heartland Youth for Christ and Kathy Varney, who won $500 and $250. Thanks to everyone who bought balls. All the money raised will go to support the kids programs at HACAP and Van Buren School, who need all they help we can give them more then ever! Thanks also to our sponsors, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust, IMON, Oasis Paychex, Skogman, Bankers Trust, Anderson Bogart, Brecke Mechanical, RSM, Hills Bank, Larry and Kim Kudej, Greenstate, and our host, The Olympic South Side Theater, for allowing us to do a safe, socially distant event! |
Big Drop Sept. 5The Big Drop will take place at 10am September 5. Ping Pong ball sales have been closed. Watch this page and the Rotary West Facebook Page for video of the fun! Good to luck to everyone who bought balls, and thanks for helping Rotary care for the kids served by HACAP and Van Buren School.
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Rotary meetings suspendedRotary meetings are temporarily suspended as Cedar Rapids recovers from the devastating derecho storm that has destroyed hundreds of homes, thousands of trees, and shredded the electric grid. Watch this space and your email to learn when our Zoom meetings will resume.
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Rotary Fellowship over Zoom
Rotary West meetings are being held over Zoom until further notice. That's right, Rotary from the comfort of your office chair (or couch)! Contact us for the meeting link. |
The Big Drop is Coming! Rotary West's Big Drop Fundraiser is August 15 |
District Grant Fights Food Insecurity |
Rotary Fellowship Online |
