Rotary Work Day at Camp Cedars

Post Project Report

On Saturday, May 2, the Rotary Club of Omaha proudly continued its long-standing tradition of service and partnership with Scouting America through our annual Rotary Work Day at Camp Cedars in Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska.

This year’s Rotary team included six Rotarians and one future Rotarian, Philip Hoffman III. Volunteers included Bill Harvey, who generously spent his birthday serving alongside fellow Rotarians, Charlie Peters, Sarah Robak, John Fullerton, Colin McArthur, and Yolanda Hoffman.

Together, the group helped prepare Camp Cedars for the busy summer season ahead. The work included removing old tent frames, installing new frames, drilling, lifting, securing materials, and helping improve campsites that will soon welcome Scouts for another season of outdoor learning, leadership, and character-building.

The day was more than a service project. It was a meaningful reminder of Rotary’s deep connection with Scouting and our shared commitment to developing young leaders. Working side by side on a beautiful morning, Rotarians strengthened a partnership that has served generations of youth in our community.

A special highlight of the day was celebrating Bill Harvey’s birthday after the work was done. The group gathered to sing “Happy Birthday” to Bill, a fitting tribute to a great Rotarian who chose to mark his special day through service.

Thank you to all who volunteered and helped make this year’s Rotary Work Day a success. We look forward to continuing this annual tradition and growing our impact at Camp Cedars in the years ahead.

Rotarians at Rotary Work Day with Scouting America L to R: Philip Hoffman III (future Rotarian), Bill Harvey, Yolanda Hoffman, Sarah Robak, Charlie Peters, Colin McArthur, and John Fullerton

John Fullerton is a Business Advisor and Franchise Owner of Transworld Business Advisors Omaha S, LLC and licensed Real Estate Broker-Owner of Transworld Commercial Real Estate Omaha, LLC serving the metropolitan Omaha-Council Bluffs area. He helps people buy and sell businesses, franchises and buildings as an experienced and trained Business Broker and Real Estate Broker. 

John worked in farming and construction in his youth, earned Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from the University of Kansas, is technically certified in computer networking, and has completed extensive coursework in real estate with a 4.0 GPA. He has more than twenty years' experience in senior management positions, working with educators and businesses as a non-profit executive, manager and entrepreneur. Fullerton formerly served as Executive Director of the Kansas Association for Career and Technical Education, Administrative Manager for the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association, Executive Vice President for the National Frame Building Association, President of Heartland Perma-Column (a company he started by himself and later sold), Manager of Astro Buildings, Inc. and serves as President of Ad Infinitum Limited Co. 

John is dedicated to helping buyers find the right business or franchise for their future, and helping those with mature businesses find the right buyers. He also enjoys scuba diving, fishing, camping and Boy Scout and Girl Scout activities with his children. He and his wife, Traci, have three children and reside in Bellevue, Nebraska.

Welcome to Rotary, John! We are delighted to have you as part of our Rotary family.

Kevin is a patent attorney and founding partner of Advent LLP, with more than 25 years of experience helping clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses and individual inventors protect their intellectual property in the United States and internationally.

Before co-founding Advent 16 years ago, Kevin served as Chief Intellectual Property Counsel for Garmin International and was previously a partner at Suiter Swantz IP here in Omaha. He began his career as an engineer with McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, where he worked on aircraft including the AV-8B Harrier, F/A-18 Hornet, F-15 Eagle, and MD-11.

Kevin holds degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri and Missouri University of Science and Technology, and received his law degree from Notre Dame Law School. He is a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the International Trademark Association, and the San Francisco Bay Area Intellectual Property American Inn of Court.

Kevin and his wife, Kristen, have been married for 35 years and have four children: James, Sarah, Katie, and Monica. Their oldest son, James, was married last June, and he and his wife, Shannon, are expecting their first child—Kevin and Kristen’s first grandchild—this June.

Kevin, we are so pleased to welcome you to the Rotary Club of Omaha. We look forward to getting to know you and to the many ways you will share your talents and spirit of service with our club.

Within hours of deadly floods and landslides that struck Mexico in October, Rotary members were responding. In hard-hit Poza Rica, Rotary and Rotaract members brought residents to safety, plowed mud-laden streets, and moved house to house to clean properties. The effort was supported by clubs throughout District 4185 and by neighboring districts and others abroad. The Rotary Club of Poza Rica joined the nonprofit Planet Water Foundation to install four water towers and a water block in the neediest area and deliver purified water elsewhere. The club also coordinated with World Central Kitchen to provide hot meals. Still, “we desperately need help to get back on our feet and return to our normal lives,” says club member Pepe Badillo. “The houses were a total loss. Everything was destroyed, from a single plate to the bedrooms on the second floor.”

India

The city of Thane, northeast of Mumbai, is recognized for its arts and culture scene. It’s home to drama troupes, an art expo, international film festivals, and comedy venues. What it was lacking, says Atul Bhide, of the Rotary Club of Thane Hills, was a large showcase for aficionados of the written word. To amend that, the club (which also sponsors a book-reading initiative for youth) launched the Thane Literature Festival. Over two days in November, bibliophiles toasted 22 authors and poets who read from their work and participated in panel discussions. The event honored journalist and writing coach Bachi Karkaria with the Thane Literature Festival lifetime achievement award, and judges critiqued entries in a short-story contest. “Encouraging reading habits and love for literature for Gen-Next is also our motive behind this literature festival,” says Bhide.

Source: https://www.rotary.org/en/rotary-projects-around-globe-april-2026