A Celebration of Faith, Leadership, and a Lifetime of Service
The Rotary Club is pleased to feature Rev. Fr. Lloyd Gnirk at our Weekly Meeting on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, for a special book launch celebrating his remarkable life and ministry.
Ordained to the priesthood in 1978, Fr. Gnirk dedicated his career to serving the Church, educating young people, and strengthening the community. His distinguished service includes leadership at St. Joseph High School in Omaha, a long tenure at Roncalli Catholic, and pastoral ministry at St. Pius X Parish and St. John the Evangelist Parish. At Roncalli Catholic, he was recognized for his lasting contributions to students, alumni, and the school community.
The book, Humble Ambition: The Story of Father Lloyd Gnirk, by Fletcher Reel, explores Fr. Gnirk’s life and vocation, inviting readers to reflect on the meaning of priesthood, faith, and commitment to a life of service.
This special occasion will celebrate not only the story behind the book but also the enduring impact of a life devoted to faith, education, and community.
We invite our fellow Rotarians and guests to join us in celebrating this meaningful milestone.
The Rotary Club is delighted to welcome Abigail Ybay as our newest member of the Rotary family!
Abby was born and raised in Shawnee, KS (a suburb of Kansas City), and the ethics of Rotary were a formative part of her childhood. Her father was (and is) a Rotarian, and she and her sisters grew up hosting exchange students and going on service trips through their high school Interact club. She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a specialization in entrepreneurship, from Kansas State University.
Abby joined the Episcopal Church while in college and later felt called to work for the church professionally. She is now the Dean of Community Life at The Benedictine Way, managing the daily life of the community, their fundraising efforts, communications, and young adult programs. The Benedictine Way was founded in 2018 and is a contemplative Christian community in the Episcopal Church in service to the poor and forgotten. They work alongside other churches and nonprofits to feed the hungry and build community in their neighborhood through a food pantry, community meal, and urban gardens.
Abby is passionate about community building and uplifting the underserved and marginalized. She is excited to connect with other professionals in Rotary who put service above self, and to support more of the outreach and civic programs in our Omaha community.
In her spare time Abby enjoys playing piano, rock climbing, and crafting. She is a gamer and adventure-seeker, and has introduced her husband JJ to snow skiing, SCUBA diving, and white-water rafting. He still loves her, and they live in Bellevue together with their cats.
Welcome to Rotary, Abigail! We look forward to serving, learning, and making a difference together.
Some Rotarians lead from the head table. Bill Harvey leads from the head table, the AV table, the serving line, and the airport arrivals gate.
On Saturday, October 24, at the District 5650 Conference Banquet at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum, Past District Governor Tom Kerfoot, chair of the Cadwallader Award Committee, presented Bill with the 2027 Cadwallader Award, the highest honor our District can give. First presented in 1963 in memory of Charles N. Cadwallader, the award recognizes Rotarians whose contributions to Rotary service have been truly monumental. Bill joins a distinguished line of past recipients, and The Rotary Club of Omaha could not be prouder of one of its own.
A Rotarian who shows up
Bill joined The Rotary Club of Omaha in April 1997 and has never stopped serving. He has been Club President (2017 to 2018), Club Secretary, a director, Club Rotary Foundation Chair, and a dependable committee leader. As District 5650 Rotary Foundation Chair from 2019 to 2022, he kept Foundation giving and project momentum alive through the pandemic. He then served as Endowment and Major Gift Advisor for Rotary Region 36 and as Corporate Secretary of the Zones 25 and 29 Foundation. This past June, he moderated an international panel on The Rotary Foundation Annual Fund and the Paul Harris Society at the Rotary International Convention in Taipei.
Yet ask any member at our weekly meeting and they will tell you the same thing. The Rotarian who has served on the regional and international stage is the same one quietly fixing a microphone so another member can be heard.
Service in every avenue
Bill’s service reaches well beyond meetings. He serves meals at the Stephen Center with our Club, packages meals with Kids Against Hunger, rings the Salvation Army bell during the holidays, joins Rotary Christmas Tree Recycling, and helps place the 9/11 memorial flags at Memorial Park. During his presidency he championed Rotary Youth Exchange, and he later personally welcomed an inbound student from Japan at the airport and helped make Omaha feel like home.
In his professional life as an attorney and as Managing Partner and General Counsel of EHPV Management Group and Big Red Keno, Bill has helped generate $395 million for community betterment across Nebraska over 33 years.
A family commitment
Bill and his wife, Gretchen Heizer Harvey, share a rare Rotary legacy. Both have served as President of The Rotary Club of Omaha, Bill in 2017 to 2018 and Gretchen in 2025 to 2026. Together they are Level IV Major Donors, Level IV Bequest Society members, members of the Paul Harris Society and the PolioPlus Society, and each a Paul Harris Fellow +8. They also founded a family fund within The Rotary Foundation that supports projects at home and around the world. The Foundation has also honored Bill with its Citation for Meritorious Service.
For nearly thirty years, Bill Harvey has shown up. Please join us in congratulating him on this well deserved honor.
Click here to purchase your tickets. Mark your calendar and bring your appetite! The Rotary Club of Omaha invites you to Mac & Mules: Create Lasting Impact! on Wednesday, October 28, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at Lucky Bucket Brewing Co., 11941 Centennial Rd., LaVista.
This is more than a night of great food and drinks. It is an opportunity to enjoy an evening with friends while supporting two meaningful Rotary initiatives: the Eighth Grade Honor Roll and the 9/11 Memorial.
Guests can enjoy gourmet mac & cheese and signature mules, with ticket options for individuals, couples, VIP guests, and families. General admission starts at $40, VIP tickets include unlimited drinks and mac, and youth tickets make it easy to bring the whole family. Children 9 and under are free with one mac and soda included.
But we need more than attendance. We need your help filling the room.
Buy your tickets early, then help us spread the word. Invite a friend, bring your family, share the event with coworkers, forward it to neighbors, or make it a night out with another Rotary member. Every additional guest helps extend the impact of the event and introduces more people to the work Rotary is doing in our community.
Mac & Mules is designed to be fun, relaxed, and family-friendly, so you do not have to be a Rotarian to join us. In fact, this is a perfect opportunity to introduce someone to Rotary without bringing them to a meeting. Let them experience the fellowship, community spirit, and purpose behind what we do.
Ticket Options: General Admission is $40 for one ticket or $60 for two. VIP admission is $75 for one or $100 for two and includes unlimited drinks and mac. Youth ages 10 to 15 are $15 with unlimited mac and soda, while children 9 and under are free.
Come hungry. Bring people you enjoy. Help us Create Lasting Impact and make this an evening that translates directly into greater support for our community.
Rotarians from across Nebraska and Southwest Iowa gathered October 23 and 24 at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland for Fusion 5650, the 2026 District Conference, and The Rotary Club of Omaha was proud to be well represented. Our members joined fellow Rotarians beneath the wings of aviation history for two days of learning, fellowship, and inspiration. Friday’s luncheon featured keynote speaker John Ockenfels, whose Rotary Flight to End Polio around the world raised more than $2 million for polio eradication. Sessions covered membership and club engagement, strategic planning, Foundation and Global Grant opportunities, Rotary Youth Exchange and RYLA, Women in Rotary, and Rotary Means Business, giving our members ideas they can put to work right here in Omaha.
The highlight for our Club came at Saturday’s banquet, when our own Bill Harvey received the 2027 Cadwallader Award, District 5650’s highest honor, presented by PDG Tom Kerfoot. Seeing a member of The Rotary Club of Omaha recognized in front of Rotarians from across the District was a moment of real pride for everyone in the room. Thank you to every member who registered, carpooled, and gave their weekend to Rotary. If you missed this year’s conference, make plans to join us next year. The friendships, ideas, and energy you bring home are well worth the trip.
Members of The Rotary Club of Omaha at Fusion 5650. Pictured left to right: Immediate Past Pres. Gretchen Harvey, Cadwallader Awardee Bill Harvey, Bob Keefer, John Marburger, Katelyn Sethi, Conference Chair and President James Mackiewicz, Yolanda Hoffman, Deb Skinner, Susan Koesters, Larry Guenther, and Scott Meyerson
Rotarians from across District 5650 gather outside the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum during Fusion 5650
Are you new to the Club or know someone who recently joined? Join us for one of our upcoming New Member Orientation sessions! These meetings are a great opportunity to learn about the Club, discover member benefits, meet fellow members, and ask any questions you may have.
Upcoming Orientations:
Wednesday, October 7 at 11:00 am
Wednesday, October 28 at 11:00 am
Whether you're just getting started or would like a refresher, we encourage you to attend one of these sessions. We look forward to welcoming you and helping you make the most of your membership!
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Yearling Chair Jill Slupe.
October is going to be a special month in District 5650, and I hope one of the highlights will be seeing many of you at Fusion 5650, our District Conference, October 23-24 in Ashland!
Our District Conference is more than an event on the calendar. It’s a chance to reconnect with Rotary friends, meet new ones, share ideas, celebrate what our clubs are accomplishing, and return home energized about what comes next. After spending the past several months visiting clubs throughout our District, I can tell you there is a lot worth celebrating!
As I write this, I’ve completed all but one of my official club visits. What an experience it has been! I’ve had the opportunity to see firsthand the incredible things happening throughout our District, to hear your stories, meet your members, and learn more about the communities you serve.
And one message has come through loud and clear: Rotary creates impact when we see a need and decide to do something about it.
That fits perfectly with October’s Rotary focus on Economic and Community Development. Across our District, Rotarians are strengthening communities in ways large and small. Sometimes that means a major project. Sometimes it means supporting a local organization, creating opportunities for young people, helping a neighbor, or simply bringing the right people together to solve a problem.
October also brings us one of Rotary’s greatest examples of sustained impact: our commitment to ending polio. World Polio Day is October 24, right in the middle of our District Conference. It’s a wonderful opportunity to remember what Rotarians can accomplish when we commit ourselves to a goal and keep going.
Throughout my club visits, I’ve talked a lot about the difference between change and impact. Change is what we do. Impact is what happens because we did it.
As I near the end of my club visits, I’m even more convinced that District 5650 is filled with Rotarians who are making an impact every single day.
So this October, let’s celebrate that impact. Let’s celebrate our communities, renew our commitment to ending polio, and bring all of that Rotary energy together at Fusion 5650.
I hope to see you in Ashland!
Yours in Rotary, Gretchen Bren District Governor, Rotary District 5650
The Omaha Downtown Rotary Foundation is now accepting grant applications for 2026-2027 Rotary year, with nearly $40,000 available to support projects that make a meaningful impact in education, veteran services, and senior citizen programs.
📅 Application Deadline: November 30, 2026 – Late submissions will not be accepted!
We invite community organizations and individuals to apply, recommend, or submit proposals for initiatives that align with our mission.
🔹 How to Apply: ✔ Review the grant criteria ✔ Complete the application form ✔ Submit by the deadline
For more details about the Omaha Downtown Rotary Foundation, click here. If you have any questions, please contact Foundation President Tobi Mathouser at 402-231-1972 or tmathouser@goodwillomaha.org.
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 1, 2026 volunteers at Stephen Center L to R: Brett Neely, Fletcher Reel, Scott Meyerson, Colin McArthur, Steve McCollister, Colleen Brennan, and Scott Kinnaird
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 at the Pachyderm Lunch— Left to right: Charlie Peters, Brian Kruse, and John Sullivan.
New Member Meeting: First of a series: Scott Meyerson, Yolanda Hoffman, Hal France, Chris Frohardt, Julia Palzer, Carmen Sirizzotti
Rotarians at the Women’s Fund Luncheon: Aileen Warren, Alexis Boulos, and Dawn Gonzales
Rotarians gather at the Goodwill Gala: Hannah Patterson, Matt Boulay, Kevin Baitey, Goodwill CEO Tobi Mathouser, Lisa Schiele, Craig Cope, and Ryan Lemmon
Habitat Women’s Build. From left to right: Lisa Schiele, First Lady Viv Ewing, and Mayor John Ewing.
Rotarians at Denise Powell’s Watch Party: (L–R) First Lady Viv Ewing, Mayor John Ewing, and Chris Rath.
Rotarians Meet Up at Church: (L–R) Matt Boulay, Hannah Patterson, and Sue Kutschkau
Rotarians meet up: Andrea Bellamy, Dakotah Smith and First Lady Viv Ewing
Rotarians at Creighton Prep Sports Banquet, L to R: Larry Guenther, Justin Dougherty, and Zac Treimert
Rotarians at the Citizen of the Year Awards: Former Mayor Hal Daub, Mayor John Ewing, and First Lady Viv Ewing
Rotarians connecting and catching up before the meeting L to R: Brad Burklund, Tom Adams, Colleen Brennan, Brett Frevert, Shelly Ruwe, and John Sullivan
Rotarians at the Walter Scott Jr. Citizen of the Year event, honoring the Cassling family. L to R: First Lady Viv Ewing, Mayor John Ewing, Chris Mehaffey, Jonathan Cartner
Rotarians at the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy Speaker Event at Baxter Arena: Chris Knauff, Susan Koesters, Sue Kutschau, and Howard Epstein (Suburban)
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 Sarah Robak at sarah.robakcfa@gmail.com.
American Express Online Giving
Archdiocesan Schools
Bennington Schools Foundation
Centris
Chase Bank
Club Foundation
Club Service Fund
CFO Systems
Creighton University
DA Davidson
Elkhorn Schools Foundation
EHPV
FNBO
Goodwill Industries
Jungle Driving
Metro Community College
Millard Schools Foundation
Omaha Massage Therapy
Omaha Public Schools Foundation
Ralston Schools Foundation
UNO College of Business Administration
Union Omaha
Westside Foundation
Individuals:
Anonymous Donor
Bill Harvey
Brad Burklund
Brett Frevert
Chris Rath
Colleen Brennan
Deb Skinner
Fletcher Reel
Fr. Lloyd Gnirk
Gretchen Harvey
Heidi McGinness
Jim Stewart
Jim Suttle
John Ewing
John Marburger
John Mock
Larry Guenther
Larry Johansen
Lisa Tonjes Moritz
Mary Daub
Hal Daub
Paul Cohen
Randy Voorst
Randy Wieseler
Sandy Lemke
Todd Lemke
Scott Buchholz
Steve Carper
Steve McCollister
Tom Gouttierre
Viv Ewing
Some Rotarians lead from the head table. Bill Harvey leads from the head table, the AV table, the serving line, and the airport arrivals gate.
