Presiding Officer: Sean Connolly Secretary: Gretchen Harvey Invocation & Pledge: Pastor Heidi McGinness Music: Jim Scott-Miller
Digital Experience: Adam Leong Sgt at Arms: Okley Gibbs Navigator: Josh Todd
Registration/Cashier: Need Volunteers
Admin Support: Kevin Baitey
In-Person Greeters: Harrison Abbott & Dee Haj
Speaker Host: Paul Cohen
Speaker: Martie Cordaro
No need to pre-register, just show up
Field Club 3615 Woolworth Avenue Omaha, NE
5/17/23 menu: main course TDB, green mix salad, bread, vegetables, fruits, and cookies for dessert. Lunch price: $9 for members, $14 for visiting Rotarians and guests.
MARTIE CORDARO President & GM, Omaha Storm Chasers Triple-Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and Union Omaha
Cordaro graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing, and served three seasons as director of marketing for his alma mater's baseball program. At the same time, he also worked as general manager in the property management department for Today's Realty, Inc. In 1991, he graduated from Ruston High School in Louisiana. He played drums in several bands, most notably in high school and college with artists such as Robert Schneider, of Apples in Stereo and The Elephant 6 Recording Company. He primarily played in a band called Stonybridge and Pummel with Brad Belanger.Martie currently plays drums in Nebraska band, Strange Pleasures.
Cordaro began his professional baseball career with the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (Double-A, Chicago Cubs) of the Southern League as a group sales representative in 1999. He then would go on to spend two seasons as director of sales for the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, before becoming general manager for the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays then the Single-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, for two years.
Cordaro moved to Omaha in 2007, joining the organization as assistant general manager before being promoted to the general manager the next year. Cordaro played a large role in every aspect of the research, negotiation process and project management to build a new ballpark for the Storm Chasers in Sarpy County, allowing Triple-A Baseball to remain in the Omaha metro area. He was also involved in orchestrating and negotiating the ballpark's naming rights partnership with Sarpy County-based Werner Enterprises for Werner Park.
Cordaro led the process of the rebranding and renaming of the Omaha Triple-A franchise that included much research and fan-aided voting. Under his leadership, the organization has posted its highest total revenues on record during the past five seasons. During the 2015 season Cordaro and the organization hosted the First National Bank 2015 Triple-A All-Star Game.
Recently, President Sean Connolly presided over the Permanent Badge Ceremony to Rotarians L to R: Justin Dougherty sponsored by Hal Daub, represented by Steve McCollister, Harrison Abbott sponsored by Sandy Lemke, Jason Lenagh sponsored by Cella Quinn, Cesar Garcia sponsored by John Sullivan represented by Larry Guenther, with President Sean Connolly. Graduating from Red Badge to Permanent Badge indicates regular membership in Rotary and along with it is the commitment to live the ideals of Service Above Self. Congratulations Justin, Harrison, Jason, and Cesar!
HETRA representative received a grant of $1,500 from the Omaha Downtown Rotary Foundation via the Committee on People with Disabilities chaired by Secretary Gretchen Harvey. HETRA serves a variety of participants including children and adults with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, brain tumors, head or spinal cord injuries, visual impairments, autism, developmental delays, and strokes. HETRA's mission is to improve the quality of life both physically and emotionally of adults and children of all ability levels through equine-assisted activities.
Planning for Rotary District 5650’s RYLA camp is well underway. Here are five need-to-knows for clubs!
#1. Who, Where and When: We will hold RYLA at Camp Kitaki from November 3-5, 2023. RYLA is designed to help high school sophomores and juniors improve their communication skills, work on problem-solving, and build community.
#2.Identifying and Supporting Student Participants: We are asking clubs to identify student participants. Our goal is to serve 40 students during our RYLA camp in 2023. If your club is unable to identify a student but would still like to provide financial or volunteer support, see #4 and #5.
#3: Student Sign-Ups: Although clubs will identify and select students, all students must complete their own individual registration form with a parent or guardian. We will be circulating that form to clubs soon.
#4: Financial Support: We understand that not every club will be able to select student participants. Your club can still help the RYLA students with financial support. The cost per student participant in 2023 is $300. Club sponsorships also will take place via an online form this year. In addition to indicating your club’s willingness to support student participants, the club sponsorship form will include an option for clubs to help offset specific costs related to running the camp, such as supplies, meals, etc. Keep a look out for that form in the coming weeks.
#5: Volunteer: RYLA depends on Rotary members to help the camp run! This ranges from working with small groups and providing on-site assistance to chaperoning and providing rides to participants to/from camp. If you have club members interested in volunteering, please email us and/or indicate your interest on the club sponsorship form.
April 26, 2023, was our 96th Honor Roll Program. We honored 437 brilliant 8th graders from 58 Middle Schools in the Metro Omaha area. The program was mainly virtual with live feed from Field Club to participating schools. Our special thanks to Honor Roll Chair Deb Skinner, Scholarship Committee Chair President Sean Connolly, Tech Chair Adam Leong, Bill Harvey for serving as Master of Ceremonies, Invocator Fr, Lloyd Gnirk, Keynote Speaker John Ewing, Scholarship representative Alessandra Kakish of Creighton University, and Honor Roll Representative Aidan McMahon of Grandview Middle School. Big thanks to our Honor Roll Sponsors and Donors. Our attendance at Field Club were Rotarians, Grandview Middle School Honor Roll students, their Guidance Counselor and Principal, and Grandview Parents. Here some photos from the 96th Honor Roll Program.
Sponsors: Centris- Dawn Gonzales, EHPV Management Group-Bill Harvey, DA Davidson-Susan Koesters, Hal Daub, John & Viv Ewing, and CFO Systems - Brett Frevert.
Donors: Aileen Warren, Sean Connolly, Dianne Desler, Gretchen Harvey, Steve McCollister, Jim Stewart, Dee Haj, Okley Gibbs, Paul Cohen, Bob Keefer, Jim Cavanaugh, John Marburger, Jim Scott-Miller, Mike Schlickbernd, Jim Murphy, Camille Metoyer-Moten, Gene DeBoer, Lloyd Meyer, Michelle Trawick, Larry Guenther, and Yolanda Hoffman.
Your Service Fund in Action! Recently, Omaha Downtown Rotary participated in a multi-club grant project of purchasing and packaging nutritious meals for the food insecure in our immediate community. Omaha Downtown Rotary, Omaha West Rotary, and Millard Rotary, with Rotarians, family, and friends, packaged 25,000 meals in partnership with Kids Against Hunger. Here's a video recap.
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 their 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.
Pictured here are hard working Rotarians L to R: Matt Boulay, Project Chair Steve McCollister, Franco Gentile, Scott Kinnaird, and Heidi McGinness
Connecting with fellow Rotarians is made easy with club service. Plus, you get attendance credit. It's a great deal! If you are a new Rotarian, it counts toward your Red Badge requirements. You may sign up as Greeter, Virtual Greeter, Check-in/Registration, Navigator, and Invocator. Click hereto sign up.
Pictured here are recent greeters Treasurer Jim Stewart and Mike Schlickbernd of Dreamvesting greeting Spencer Secor of Lund Company.
Here's a sneak peek of a weekly meeting at Omaha Downtown Rotary. It starts with a live concert with Jim Scott-Miller on the piano with certified singers, the Omaha Downtown Rotarians! Watch this video. You can feel the energy!
Jim Cavanaugh
Paul Cohen Sean Connolly
Hal Daub
Gene DeBoer Dianne Desler
John Ewing
Viv Ewing
Brett Frevert
Dawn Gonzales
Okley Gibbs
Larry Guenther
Dee Haj Bill Harvey
Gretchen Harvey
Yolanda Hoffman
Bob Keefer
Susan Koesters
John Marburger
Steve McCollister
Camille Metoyer-Moten
Lloyd Meyer
Jim Murphy
Jim Scott-Miller
Mike Schlickbernd
Jim Stewart
Michelle Trawick
Aileen Warren
MARTIE CORDARO
HETRA representative received a grant of $1,500 from the Omaha Downtown Rotary Foundation via the Committee on People with Disabilities chaired by Secretary Gretchen Harvey. HETRA serves a variety of participants including children and adults with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, brain tumors, head or spinal cord injuries, visual impairments, autism, developmental delays, and strokes. HETRA's mission is to improve the quality of life both physically and emotionally of adults and children of all ability levels through equine-assisted activities.
Rotarians are making a difference at Stephen Center. 
Connecting with fellow Rotarians is made easy with club service. Plus, you get attendance credit. It's a great deal! If you are a new Rotarian, it counts toward your Red Badge requirements. You may sign up as Greeter, Virtual Greeter, Check-in/Registration, Navigator, and Invocator. 
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