We had another interesting presentation at Rotary this week with a visit from Father Steven Boes, Executive Director of Boys Town. This was a subject near and dear to my heart as Boys Town played a major part in my life. My father was a head counselor there for 30 years, my husband and I were Family Teachers there for 16 years, starting in Boys Town’s first girls home, moving on to working with boys and then again with girls before we left. My husband then stayed on as a consultant for 8 more years and then returned as the Protestant Pastor for several years. So I have a big soft spot in the place where I shared my dad with the BT youth and my own children shared their parents as well.
Ok enough about me…how do I manage to do that? Father Boes showed us a very informative video that covered many of the aspects of BT. Over the last 100 years the organization has evolved from boys staying in dorms with shift work staff to married couples living in a family style setting to nurture and care for both boys and girls through an effective behavioral modification program. The video gave personal testimonials by the children and the professional parents to the effectiveness of the program. There is an intense training program for the parents before they begin to work with the children with ongoing consultations to continue their growth and effectiveness with the youth. Boys Town has the family teaching model established around the country.
The organization is working to change the American system of care in youth care and health care. BT National Research Hospital was developed to help with communication in children. There is now a nationally required newborn hearing test because of their efforts. They are also working with technology to advance the ability to better understand the function of the brain and mental health. The brain can physically show, through technology, what depression and other mental health conditions look like. The actual biological basis for behavior is being studied in the Boys Town Child and Adolescent Psychiatric center.
Father Flanagan worked hard to change child welfare and create juvenile justice by passing child labor laws. Due to better information children are now more likely to be served in their own home with proper resources as opposed to being removed from the home. Therefore BT’s on campus population now sits at about 350 youth. They care for about 2000 children in the community. Since most counselors have been trained to help adults and not children, BT is training people to work with children across the US. The hope is the new treatment model will prove it’s effectiveness through a biological measurement which will change the way the world treats mental health and behavior. There was a lot of information in this presentation with great questions asked and if you missed it…you missed it. Code: No fines this week.
The Orpheum opened in 1927. It was home to vaudeville performers during the early days. It became a movie theater in the 1960s. Jerry Lewis was the last known live performer in 1961, before the Orpheum transitioned into a movie house.
For the rest of the 1960s and into the early 1970s, it served as a movie theater. The building fell into disrepair during that time. It closed in 1971. In 1973, The Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben bought the building and put in $2 million to renovate it. The Knights offered it to the city on the condition that the theater be used for plays, musicals, etc. The Orpheum reopened in 1975.
Today, the Orpheum is professionally managed by Omaha Performing Arts. The Orpheum underwent a major $10 million renovation in 2002 and the ornate splendor of this magnificent theater was enhanced to better serve patrons and artists. Recent renovations have restored its ornate splendor - and enhanced acoustics and views.
Our Tour Guide will be Jeff Brown, the Assistant Production Manager for the Orpheum Theater. Jeff is following in the footsteps of his father, the late Al Brown, who managed the Orpheum from 1974 to 1996. Jeff grew up backstage at the Orpheum, and continues to assume responsibility and care of the Orpheum today.
We have two locations to ring bells at the Nebraska Furniture Mart this year. East Doors of the Electronics Building (next to Subway) and the Main Furniture Building Entrance.
Rotary Leadership Institute provides educational opportunities for potential leaders to improve their Rotary knowledge and be exposed to new ideas of leadership. Clubs that care about their future will want the best leaders and members possible.
Participants need to plan to attend the entire day. Registrations must be made at least 1 week in advance.
October 19, 2019 - District 5650 – Dundee Presbyterian Church 5312 Underwood Avenue Omaha NE68132
Code: No fines this week. 
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