Sgt at Arms: Okley Gibbs Digital Experience: Adam Leong
Invocation & Pledge: John Mock
Navigator: Lisa Schiele
Cashiers/Check-in: Cella Quinn & Sarah Robak
Admin Support: Mitch Hunt
Greeters: Susan Koesters & Sandy Lemke
Speaker Host: Hal Daub
Speaker: Brad Ekwerekwu and Ryan Pickett
Buffet Lunch is $18 for members and $20 for visiting Rotarians and guests. Lunch ticket is back. Please collect your lunch ticket after check-in and put it in the jar at the beginning of the buffet line
Dr. Bradley Ekwerekwu (eck-where-eck-woo) grew up in Arlington, Texas, and currently resides in Omaha, NE. He is the President of Jesuit Academy, a faith-based educational institution aimed at supporting young men from grades 4-8. "Dr. Brad" relies on personal discipline, attention to detail, and teamwork to positively impact the community by combating the effects of poverty, and resulting inequities. Collaborating with the community allows him the platform to bring awareness to many issues, influence and provide educational opportunities, as well as sustain community activation efforts.
Ryan Pickett
Vice President of Advancement & Marketing
Ryan Pickett is the Vice President of Advancement & Marketing at Jesuit Academy, a role he began in September 2024. Originally from Kansas, he graduated from Kansas State University and started his career in public service as a police officer before moving into nonprofit leadership. Prior to joining Jesuit Academy, he served as Chief Development Officer for the Boy Scouts of America, Mid-America Council, where he oversaw development efforts across 58 counties in Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. Ryan brings extensive experience in fundraising, relationship building, and community engagement to his work at Jesuit Academy. He and his wife, Megan, are parents to a nine-year-old daughter and a baby boy born in January 2025, and in his free time he enjoys being outdoors and playing golf in the summer.
Recently, Pastor Heidi McGinness introduced our newest member, Yvonne Dooley of Creighton University. In her current role as Head of Research & Instruction at Creighton University Libraries, Yvonne Dooley reports to the University Librarian, serves on the library’s leadership council, and is responsible for leading and developing research and instructional services. Her department, the largest and most visible team for faculty and students, supports nine schools and colleges across two campuses (Omaha, NE and Phoenix, AZ) through a liaison librarian service model.
Yvonne has 25 years of experience in public, academic, and government libraries. Before joining Creighton, which boasts a first-to-second year retention rate of 94%, she worked as a business librarian at the University of North Texas and the Library of Congress. While also at the Library of Congress, she worked at the U.S. Copyright Office first as a project manager on a large-scale digitization project and later as a senior information specialist. Yvonne began her career as a business reference librarian at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
A past president of both the District of Columbia Library Association and the Library of Congress Professional Association, Yvonne is passionate about service and giving back to her community. She received her MBA and Masters of Library Science from the University of North Texas, and Bachelor of Arts in English from Texas Tech University. She is married to her husband, Andy, of 16 years and they have one fur-baby, a Siberian Husky named Finn. In her spare time, she enjoys attending concerts and theater productions, traveling, and scuba diving.
Rotary Youth Exchange Student Receives a Grand Omaha Welcome
Rotary Youth Exchange student Nonoka Kamada from Akita Prefecture, Japan, received a grand welcome upon her arrival at Eppley Airfield on the evening of September 9. Greeting her with smiles, banners, and warm Rotary spirit were Rotary Youth Exchange Officer Steve Gerdes, President Gretchen Harvey, Past Presidents Bill Harvey, Aileen Warren and Heather Legge with Doug Legge, Uniikye Washington, and Executive Director Yolanda Hoffman.
Reflecting on the evening, Steve Gerdes shared that in all his years serving as District Rotary Youth Exchange Officer, he had never seen such a strong delegation of Rotarians gathering at the airport to welcome an exchange student, proof of the excitement surrounding Nonoka’s arrival.
And the best was yet to come. The following day, at our September 10 weekly meeting, Nonoka was officially welcomed to Omaha by none other than the Mayor of Omaha,Rotarian and Past President John Ewing, who presented her with a City of Omaha pin. Nonoka was accompanied by her host mother, Bintuo Tall, and will be attending Westside High School during her exchange year.
Below are Mayor Ewing's remarks for Nonoka Kamada:
On behalf of the City of Omaha, it is my great pleasure to welcome you, Nonoka Kamada, to our community and to the United States.
As a Rotary Youth Exchange student, you are part of a remarkable tradition of service and friendship that Rotary has built around the world. We are especially proud that the Rotary Club of Omaha is your host and that you chose Omaha as your home for this journey.
We know you will make many memories here, and we look forward to the friendships and understanding that you will share with us.
As a symbol of our welcome, I am honored to present you with this Omaha pin. May it remind you of your time here, the people you meet, and the bond between Omaha and Akita Prefecture.
Welcome to Omaha, Nonoka, and welcome to the USA!
Nonoka Kamada with Mayor Ewing and her host mother, Bintuo Taal, at Rotary
Nonola Kamada with Rotarians L to R: Past President Todd Murphy, host mother Bintuo Taal, Zac Triemert, and Russell Vaughn
Recently, President Gretchen presented permanent Rotary badges to Colleen Brennan, sponsored by Fletcher Reel and Sean Kelly, and Chris Rath, sponsored by James Mackiewicz. Congratulations, Colleen and Chris!
Tribute of Flags Retired with Gratitude at Memorial Park
Conclusion held Thursday, September 12, 2025
As the 9/11 Tribute of Flags concluded on September 12, ten Rotarians joined a large and energetic group of Brownell Talbot students coordinated by Dean of Students Bill Harrell to respectfully retire the field of American flags at Memorial Park. Together, volunteers carefully lifted, rolled, and stored the flags so they’re ready for next year’s remembrance.
Project Chair Rotarian Dan Esch once again provided steady leadership, ensuring the work moved safely and efficiently and that the spirit of service remained front and center. The Tribute of Flags is a powerful, hands-on tradition for our club and community, honoring those we lost and the families who carry their memory.
Thank you to every volunteer: Rotarians, students, families, and friends who showed up to serve. We look forward to standing together again next September.
What’s next: Interested in joining future service projects? Watch this newsletter for sign-ups or contact the Service Above Self Committee.
Project Chair Dan Esch with Yolanda Hoffman, Okley Gibbs, and Bill Harrell, Dean of Students at Brownell Talbot
Omaha Downtown Rotary Foundation: Grant Applications Open October 1
The Omaha Downtown Rotary Foundation will begin accepting grant proposals on October 1, 2025. The electronic application will remain open through November 30, 2025. Applications will be reviewed in December 2025, and grant recipients will be announced in January 2026.
Rotarians, Local nonprofits, schools, and community groups advancing Rotary’s mission of Service Above Self are encouraged to apply.
The electronic grant application will go live on October 1, 2025.
Rotary District 5650 Rotarians: Where did summer go? Hard to believe, but September is here. Hope everyone enjoyed Labor Day weekend!!
Rotary District 5650 Rotarians, give yourself a great big round of applause for all the important things you did in August in service to your communities and the world! Simply amazing!!
In August I spoke to ten Rotary Clubs! Geneva, Hebron, York, Norfolk, Plattsmouth, Western Douglas County, Aurora, Shenandoah, Seward, and Omaha Suburban Rotary Clubs!! Thank you for making me feel so welcome and letting me share the Rotary International message for this 2025-26 year, “Unite for Good”!!
That brings me up to 27 Rotary Clubs visits since July 1st, with ten more Rotary Club to go in September. It has been an honor and a privilege to meet with all of you!!
Here are a few highlights from events that I attended:
Norfolk Rotary Club - Summer Concert Series annual fundraiser at the “Music in the Park” with Blue House!! The Norfolk Rotary Club cut a check to TeamMates and raised monies for Rotary’s PolioPlus campaign to eradicate polio. The music had everyone singing the blues! Thank you for letting me say a few words to the audience to get them excited before the concert.
Fremont Rotary Club - Fly-In Breakfast’s annual fundraiser for youth scholarships and activities at the Fremont Municipal Airport. The event featured "The Pancake Man", classic cars, interesting aircraft, a helicopter, face painting, balloons, and flight simulator for the kids.
Rotary Club of Omaha (Downtown) - Mac, Mules & Music at Lucky Bucket Brewing Company, La Vista fundraiser for their annual Rotary Honor Roll and Scholarships. The food, drinks and music were fantastic along with many generous donations!!
Lincoln South Rotary Club - UNL Stadium Tour and Haymarket Social at Salt Mine City Brewing. What a terrific way to spend your Friday afternoon with your Rotary friends from Beatrice Rotary, Columbus Noon Rotary, Lincoln #14 Rotary, Lincoln East Rotary, Omaha Morning Rotary, Omaha Suburban Rotary and Seward Rotary.
Rotary Club of Omaha (Downtown) – Annual Tribute of Flags at Memorial Park – “Each flag honors a life lost on 9/11.
For over two decades, Rotarians have placed nearly 3,000 American flags across the park, each one representing a life lost during the tragic events of September 11, 2001. This powerful visual display serves as both a solemn remembrance and a symbol of unity, resilience, and hope. The Tribute of Flags is more than a Rotary project. It is our gift to the community, a moment to reflect, to honor, and to educate future generations about the importance of service, sacrifice, and solidarity.” Rotary Club of Omaha website.
Rotarians are making a difference at Stephen Center. CLICK HERE to sign up.
Stephen Center partners with the community, families, and individuals to overcome homelessness, addiction, and poverty. Stephen Center has served the homeless and low-income in Omaha since 1984 through its three programs: Emergency Shelter, HERO Program, and Transitional Living Program. The Omaha Downtown Rotary partners with Stephens Center in serving hot meals to its residents.
September 2, 2025 Rotarian Volunteers at Stephen Center L to R: President Gretchen Harvey, Project Chair Steve McCollister, Kris Pojar, Scott Kinnaird, Heidi McGinness, Colleen Brennan, Back: Bill Harvey, Luke Drazic, and Fletcher Reel
At our July 16 meeting, Outgoing President Heather Legge proudly recognized an extraordinary group of members, our Perfect Attendance Rotarians!
Achieving perfect Rotary attendance is no small feat. It reflects dedication, service, and an unwavering commitment to our club’s mission. Whether it's showing up at weekly meetings (in person or via Zoom), joining service projects, attending committee meetings, helping with club operations, gathering with fellow Rotarians (3 or more), visiting other clubs, participating in online makeups, or engaging in board activities, these Rotarians show up, step up, and make a difference! Let's give a big round of applause to these role models of Rotary engagement!
See the full list of honorees below.
July is the perfect month to start your own journey to becoming a Perfect Rotarian! Join us, stay involved, and let’s make service and fellowship a way of life.
Where three or more Rotarians gather, it's called a Rotary Social, and you earn attendance credits. Rotarians may come from different clubs. Connect with Rotarians and enjoy the power of Rotary fellowship. Below are our recent Rotary Socials.
Rotarians enjoying Husker volleyball
CFO Systems annual meeting L-R: Brett Frevert, Leslie Volk & Steve McCollister
Three Rotarians enjoying St Pats fundraiser L to R: bill Harvey, President Gretchen Harvey, Susan Koesters
First Lady Viv Ewing, Mayor John Ewing, Boxing Champion Terence Bud Crawford, Rotary Past Pres Aileen Warren, Mayor Chief of Staff Tom Warren
At the Sister Cities Banquet on September 12 (L–R): Mayor John Ewing, Viv Ewing, and Bob Keefer. Also in attendance: Steve Gerdes.
Rotarian‘s at the prayer tribute to Charlie Kirk L to R: Yolanda Hoffman, Steve McCollister, Pat McCollister, Colleen Brennan, Fletcher Reel, and Chris Nwafor
Women Power! A Gathering of Rotarians L to R: Puja Kandel (Millard Rotary), Heather Legge, Jill Slupe, Seated L to R: Cella Quinn, Karalee Picard (Omaha Night Rotary), PDG Carol Horner (Council Bluffs Rotary)
Rotarians at Downtown Omaha Inc Breakfast Meeting recently at Peregrine Hotel: Former Rotarian Bill Seidler, PDG Bob Perrin, Dan Esch, Yolanda Hoffman, Lynn McCormack (Millard Rotary), David Greenberg (Suburban Rotary), and future Rotarian John Haverkamp of Kiewit Luminarium
Rotarians meet up at Pachyderme lunch held at German American Society L to R: Chris Mehaffey, Steve McCollister, Hal Daub, Fletcher Reel
Husker Tailgate L to R: James Mackiewicz, Brett Frevert, and Larry Guenther
The Rotary Club of Omaha is now recruiting more members! It's your opportunity to join the Rotary Club of Omaha, click here to complete the membership application form. For questions, please contact Membership Chair Franco Gentile at FGentile@sbgtv.com.
Aileen Warren
Adam Leong
Amy Tritsch
Aileen Warren
Bill Harvey
Gretchen Harvey
Bob Keefer
Brad Burklund
Camille Metoyer Moten
Brett Frevert
Charlie Peters
Colleen Brennan
Deb Skinner
Elkhorn Athletics
Josh Todd
Fletcher Reel
Gene DeBoer
Goodwill Industries
Heather Legge
Heidi McGinness
Huntrex.com
Jim Murphy
Jim Stewart
John Mock
Larry Guenther
Larry Johansen
LeRoy Swedlund
Lisa Tonjes Moritz
Michelle Trawick
Nash Mahupete
Okley Gibbs
Omaha Downtown Rotary Foundation
Omaha School of Massage Therapy
Paul Cohen
PDG Bob Perrin
PDG Roxy Orr
Ralston Schools Foundation
Randy Wieseler
Rick Waxman
Sarah Robak
Scott Buchholz
Steve Carper
Steve McCollister
Susan Koesters
Tobi Mathouser
Todd Chaney
Todd Murphy
Tom Gouttierre
Westside Foundation
Dr. Brad Ekwerekwu
Ryan Pickett
Recently, Pastor Heidi McGinness introduced our newest member, Yvonne Dooley of Creighton University. In her current role as Head of Research & Instruction at Creighton University Libraries, Yvonne Dooley reports to the University Librarian, serves on the library’s leadership council, and is responsible for leading and developing research and instructional services. Her department, the largest and most visible team for faculty and students, supports nine schools and colleges across two campuses (Omaha, NE and Phoenix, AZ) through a liaison librarian service model.
