Sgt at Arms: Okley Gibbs Digital Experience: Adam Leong
Invocation & Pledge: Luke Drazic
Navigator: Scott Kinnaird
Cashiers/Check-in: Luke Drazic & David Carrig
Admin Support: Mitch Hunt
Greeters: Lisa Schiele & Candi Jacobs
Speaker Host: Larry Guenther
Speaker: Colonel John Folsom
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
Colonel Folsom is a decorated Marine officer and founder of Omaha-based Wounded Warriors Family Support (WWFS), which has donated millions of dollars in support for families of wounded, ill and injured service members since 2003.
Now, on May 6, Colonel Folsom will break ground on the Dunham House, the country’s first-of-its kind, life-long assisted living residence specifically designed for U.S. combat soldiers who have suffered catastrophic combat injuries.
And the Colonel has an amazing story to tell. His inspiring speech covers:
• Service – His experiences as a helicopter pilot and then Air Boss in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the story of Smoke (the Donkey) and the leadership lessons he learned.
• Sacrifice – The challenges faced by wounded warriors and their families, and the problem that faces aging combat veterans with injuries such as TBIs (traumatic brain injuries) and multiple amputations.
• Support – How the Dunham House will help solve that problem by giving lifelong assisted care to those soldiers, and by acting as a blueprint for how we care for combat veterans.
🎶🧀 Mac, Mules & Music: Unite for Good! 🧀🎶 A Rotary Club of Omaha Signature Fundraiser
Fellow Rotarians,
Join us for an unforgettable evening of macaroni & cheese, mules, music, and community impact! The Rotary Club of Omaha invites all clubs, in addition to Rotary friends & family across the metro, to support our newest fundraiser, Mac, Mules & Music, taking place:
📍 Lucky Bucket Brewing Co 📅 Friday, August 22 🕔 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM 📌 11941 Centennial Rd, LaVista, NE
We’re uniting for good with a casual, family-friendly event that features gourmet mac & cheese, refreshing mules, and music! Proceeds from this fun night out will benefit three long-standing Rotary initiatives:
The Eighth Grade Honor Roll The 911 Memorial The Outland Trophy Dinner
We encourage Rotarians across the district to show up in support - bring your club members, families, and friends. Let’s show the strength of Rotary’s network and make this a city-wide success.
🎟️ Sponsorships and tickets are now available from $40 single tickets to $10,000 Title Sponsorships; there’s a way for everyone to join in and contribute.
👉 Let’s Unite for Good—because when Rotarians gather with purpose, great things happen. Visit https://square.link/u/ElDHVDJa to reserve your spot or sponsor today!
What a fantastic afternoon of connection, conversation, and community! The Rotary Club of Omaha Business Networking Social, held on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Big Red Restaurant & Sports Bar, was a resounding success.
Hosted by Big Red Restaurant & Sports Bar withPresident Gretchen Harvey and Past President Bill Harvey, the event brought together a great mix of Rotarians eager to connect in a relaxed, welcoming setting. The turnout exceeded expectations, and the energy in the room was lively and collaborative.
Guests enjoyed complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a first drink on the house, thanks to the generous hospitality of Big Red Restaurant & Sports Bar. Laughter and ideas flowed freely just as we hoped.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this networking event one to remember. Below are some photos captured during the event.
Are you a new Rotarian or just looking to learn more about how to get the most out of your membership? Join us for one of our upcoming New Member Orientation sessions! These gatherings are a great way to connect with fellow members, learn about club opportunities, and discover how you can make a meaningful impact.
📅 Orientation Dates:
July 23 at 4:00 PM – Regency Area
August 20 at 7:30 AM
September 24 at 12:00 Noon
Each session is designed to fit different schedules and provide valuable insights into our club's mission, projects, and pathways to getting involved. Whether you're brand new or just need a refresher, you're warmly invited.
Rotary District 5650 Rotarians: Welcome to August, one of my favorite months of the year!! Late summer vacations, county fairs, farmer’s markets, hot sunny days, and thoughts of going back to school and sports!!
A big thank you to every Rotary Club that has hosted me during my club visits over the past month!! I have enjoyed meeting all of you and celebrating the great projects you have planned for this Rotary year in your communities!! I hope that my message of community and peacebuilding is inspiring you to “Unite For Good.”
Here are a few highlights of my Rotary Club visits that you might find interesting.
Spoke at the Fairbury Rotary Club for lunch at Griffey’s Steakhouse & Lounge. President, Lana Likens, her husband Tony and Rotary Club members introduced me to Griffey’s pub food while at the same time they were helping to put on the Jefferson County Fair.
Spoke at the Falls City Rotary Club whose members meet at the John Philip Falter Museum on Main Street. John was an American artist who grew up in Falls City and is best known for his many paintings for The Saturday Evening Post whose covers highlight the Falls City Rotary Club. What an excellent location!! If you want to make new friends, make sure to make up a Rotary meeting with President, Merle Veigel, and the Falls City Rotary Club.
Spoke at the Beatrice Rotary Club, the piano playing/singing Rotary Club with President, Brian Daake. After the lunch meeting, they gave me a tour of their Rotary Veteran’s Memorial Park. What a beautiful park dedicated to the military men and women of the United States who served or are currently serving our country.
Spoke at the David City Rotary Club for lunch. Amazing meeting location at the Opera House on the town square. David City recently opened the Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art. The museum is in the former building where Model T automobiles were assembled and sold.
I look forward to continuing my August Rotary Club visits and meeting with you to learn about everything you are doing in your communities!!
Remember August is Membership & New Club Development Month https://my.rotary.org/en/learning-reference/learn-topic/membership
Enjoy this month of August. Remember to invite a guest to your Rotary Club meeting. Grow your membership. One meeting could change their life and yours as well. Focus on your Rotary Club experience for your members and guests. Take care of your family, friends, and community and I look forward to speaking/meeting with you at your Rotary Club meetings.
Candi grew up in a beautiful farm town in Sonoma County, California and was a third generation Petaluma High School Graduate. (Same high school from which Wynona Rider graduated.)
She has two grown children, Richard, 25 who lives in Omaha, and Sabrina, 23 who moved back home to Petaluma, California. If the town sounds familiar to any of you, then you may just be a movie buff.
On the 4 th of July, she became engaged to Randy Dubas, an Omaha native who understands her California side after spending 4 and a half years at Camp Pendleton in the early 2000s.
After moving to Nebraska in 2016, she went to work as the Membership Engagement Manager for the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce. It is there that she realized the importance of networking and helping others make the right business connections. She worked there for a few years (pre-COVID) and since October of 2021 has been the Senior Sales Manager at the Omaha Marriott in Regency. After winning the Pinnacle award for Sales Excellence twice, she is now working to improve individual business travel in addition to the corporate groups that have always relied on her for expertise in meeting and event planning.
Candi has been a Rotarian at the Omaha West Rotary and is transferring her membership to THE Rotary Club of Omaha. Welcome to your new Rotary home, Candi!
Ryan has spent the past 15 years in leadership roles across a variety of industries, with a focus on improving operations, building strong client relationships, and helping teams perform at a high level. Today, he works as a Strategic Partner with Schooley Mitchell, where he helps businesses find savings in areas like telecom, shipping, and waste, often in places they wouldn’t think to look.
Before that, he was Vice President of Account Management at Jet Linx, a private aviation company headquartered here in Omaha, where he led a national client services team. He’s also held leadership roles in the financial services and title industries, guiding teams through system overhauls, client onboarding, and continuous process improvement.
Ryan lives downtown and loves the walkable lifestyle. On weekends, you can usually find him trying a new restaurant in the Old Market and appreciating the fact that he hasn’t had to see his car in days. He’s happiest when he’s outside, whether that’s walking around Omaha or hiking in the mountains of Colorado, which he considers his favorite place to be.
He’s excited to be part of Rotary and looks forward to getting to know the group. Welcome to Rotary, Ryan!
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.
July 2, 2025 Rotarian Volunteers at Stephen Center
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 at Revive. L to R Mayor John Ewing, Aileen Warren, Viv Ewing, and Jim Suttle
Rotarians at Empower Breakfast L to R: Lisa Tonjes Moritz, James M, Stephanie Olson(West), and Dick Lerner (West)
Rotarians at the Mayor John Ewing street dedication. L to R: Camille Metoyer Moten, Lisa Tonjes Moritz, Mayor John Ewing, First Lady Viv Ewing, and Aileen Warren
Rotarians Meet Up at German American Society L to R: Hal Daub, Brett Frevert, and Fletcher Reel
Rotarians meet up on the green L to R; Shelly Ruwe, Angela Chaney, Todd Chaney, Josh Todd & James Mackiewicz
Rotarians at Christmas in July at Marriott L to R: Candi Jacobs, Zac Triemert, Jill Slupe
Rotarians at the Chamber of Commerce meeting L to R: Aspiring Rotarian Shannon Booth of WOWT, First Lady Viv Ewing, QLI CEO Nash Mahupete, and Mayor John Ewing
Rotarians Meet up at Stinson Park L to R: First Lady Viv Ewing, Deb Skinner, and Mayor John Ewing
Omaha Storm Chasers paid courtesy call to Mayor John Ewing. L to R: Alexis Boulos, Martie Cordaro, and Mayor John Ewing
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
Colonel John Folsom
Candi Jacobs
Ryan Lemmon
