In-Person Greeters: Heather Legge & Tobi Mathouser
Speaker Host: John Ewing
Speaker: Willie Barney
No need to pre-register, just show up
Field Club 3615 Woolworth Avenue Omaha, NE
5/24/23 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.
Willie Barney Founder & CEO of the Empowerment Network
Willie Barney started the Empowerment Network 17 years ago, and his organization was recently named one of the nation’s ‘My Brother’s Keeper Alliance Model Community.’ by the Obama Foundation with a My Brother’s Keeper Award as a model community. Omaha’s Empowerment Network will receive an $800,000 grant with access to direct coaching, evaluation support, peer-to-peer learning, and continued technical assistance. Omaha is returning to 40-year lows in gun violence, thanks to collaborative efforts reflected through the Empowerment Network: Omaha 360, Step-Up Omaha, City of Omaha, Omaha Police Department s foundations, and the My Brother’s Keeper Partnership.
Rotary Social is on May 31, 2023, Wednesday, 1:00 PM Field Club Bar
No agenda; it's just purely social! Right after the meeting, just head over to the bar and enjoy a drink with fellow Rotarians. No cost to attend, just pay your drink, and you get attendance credit! Make sure to write down your name on the sign-in sheet.
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!
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.
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
Willie Barney
Rotary Social is on May 31, 2023, Wednesday, 1:00 PM
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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