ROTARY CLUB OF CEDAR RAPIDS
RIPPLES FROM THE RAPIDS
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2005
Editor: Larry H. Christy * Telephone: 363-6301 * Fax: 363-6301 * E-Mail: crrotary@mchsi.com * Web Site: www.rotaryclubofcedarrapids.org * District 5970 * Club 2185 * Chartered June 1, 1914
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROTARY
ROTARY BEGAN ON THE EVENING OF 23 FEBRUARY,1905, WHEN PAUL HARRIS MET WITH THREE BUSINESS COLLEAGUES IN HOPES OF RECAPTURING IN A PROFESSIONAL CLUB THE SAME FRIENDLY SPIRIT THEY HAD EXPERIENCED GROWING UP IN SMALLTOWN AMERICA. THEY CALLED THEIR CLUB THE ROTARY CLUB OF CHICAGO, AFTER THE EARLY PRACTICE OF ROTATING WEEKLY MEETINGS AMONG MEMBERS' OFFICES. AS THE ROTARY MOVEMENT GREW AND CLUBS WERE CHARTERED AROUND THE WORLD (THE ROTARY CLUB OF CEDAR RAPIDS ON JUNE 1, 1914), ROTARIANS TOOK UP COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS AND PROMOTED ETHICAL STANDARDS IN BUSINESS.
A CENTURY LATER, OVER 1.2 MILLION MEN AND WOMEN ARE MEMBERS OF MORE THAN 31,000 ROTARY CLUBS IN 166 COUNTRIES UNITED UNDER THE BANNER SERVICE ABOVE SELF. THROUGH THE NUMEROUS HUMANITARIAN, INTERCULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL AND THE ROTARY FOUNDATION, ROTARY CLUBS WORK TO REALIZE ROTARY'S VISION OF IMPROVING THE HUMAN CONDITION AND TO ADVANCE WORLD UNDERSTANDING AND PEACE.
ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL VOLUNTEER SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, ROTARY IS NOW WORKING TOWARD MEETING ITS GREATEST CHALLENGE: ERADICATING POLIO WORLDWIDE. DURING THIS CENTENNIAL YEAR, ROTARY'S TOP PRIORITY IS STOPPING THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE IN THE WORLD'S SIX REMAINIMNG POLIO-ENDEMIC COUNTRIES.
"ERADICATING POLIO WILL BE ROTARY'S GREAT LEGACY TO THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD," SAYS RI PRESIDENT ESTESS.
SHANNON RAMSAY, PRESIDENT & CEO, TREES FOREVER
Trees Forever is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary. The organization was founded by Rotarian Shannon Ramsay and David Krotz in 1989. Shannon stated that the mission of Trees Forever is to plant and care for trees and the environment by empowering people, building community and promoting stewardship. Their first grant was received by the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation in 1990.
Trees Forever is active in Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota with field offices in Iowa and Minnesota. Its activities have been particularly focused on the Cedar Rapids area where 29 communities within a 30 mile radius of Cedar Rapids have been involved and 8 communities have completed their "visioning" process (landscape planning). In Cedar Rapids there have been 12 buffer and water quality projects including assistance with the Rotary Centennial Project at Cedar Lake and a special research project on developing in wooded areas (including a planting at George Washington High School). Major plantings have also been completed at Shawnee, Noelridge and Ellis Park as well as 115 school projects. Approximately 14,500 volunteers were involved with these projects and over 70,000 trees and shrubs were planted.
The City of Cedar Rapids and Trees Forever have been important partners and Shannon paid tribute to the City and its Forestry Department which she described as the best in Iowa and a leader among cities of comparable size in the nation. Almost 40% of suggestions from the Fifteen in Five process (endeavor of the Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation to identify fifteen projects that need to be completed in Cedar Rapids over the next five years to improve the quality of life) were related to green space, trees, the environment and recreation.
Shannon made the point that for a beautiful community, trees are essential. She recalled how until the late 1960s, Second and Third Avenue in Cedar Rapids were spanned with an arch of enormous and beautiful elm trees that were obliterated by Dutch Elm, a disease which spread like wildfire and for which there was no possible recovery. Trees Forever provides funds for tree planting and Trees Forever communities have a survival rate of 91% of community trees.
Over the past fifteen years, the organization has been responsible for the planting of 2.5 million trees and 5,202 acres and 117 miles of streams have been protected for water quality. There have been 150,000 volunteers involved with these and other projects and over 400 communities have been served. Programs seek to address improving water quality, caring for community forests, restoring and beautifying roadsides and working with diverse audiences.
The organization has had involvement with all 99 of Iowa's counties. They have conducted more than 1,000 plantings on school grounds. They have presented over 3.5 thousand educational seminars and coordinated 274 roadside enhancement projects, some with national recognition and they have facilitated visioning programs in 115 communities.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2005
THE CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL
MARK ACKELSON, PRESIDENT, IOWA NATURAL HERITAGE FOUNDATION
PLEASE ARRIVE IN TIME TO BE SEATED NO LATER THAN 12:15 P. M.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS & EVENTS
March 7, 2005 Scott Olson, Co-Chair, Population & Employment Task Force – Greater Cedar Rapids Economic Initiatives and Trends.
March 14, 2005 Joel Severinghaus, International Trade Specialist, Iowa Farm Bureau – Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About International Trade in Iowa.
March 21, 2005 Mike Blouin, Director, Iowa Department of Economic Development – Updates on the Iowa Department of Economic Development and the Iowa Values Fund..
March 28 Tom Cilek, West Bank, Iowa City – Creative Economy in the Corridor.
April 4, 2005 NO MONDAY ROTARY MEETING THIS WEEK.
April 7, 2005 Centennial-Bration at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
April 11, 2005 Bill Peterson, Executive Director, Iowa State Association of Counties and Jane Halliburton, Story County Supervisor, National Association of Counties Board Member and Chair of the Rural Action Caucus for the National Association of Counties.
April 18,. 2005 Tom Bredewig, Executive Director of the League of Cities for Iowa.
April 25, 2005 P. Barry Butler, Dean, University of Iowa College of Engineering and Mark J. Kushner, Dean, Iowa State University College of Engineering.
KARL CASSELL
SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY
CLUB NAME: K. C.
Director Jane Boyd Community House
943 14th Avenue SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403
Telephone: 366-0431
Fax: 398-33675
E-mail: coachcassell@hotmail.com
Sponsor: Monica Vernon
Karl was raised in Cedar Rapids. As a youth he participated in many Jane Boyd programs. He was a track star at Jefferson High School and at Iowa State University where he earned a BS degree. Karl has been Director of Jane Boyd since May 2004. He is in charge of programming, fundraising, community support and participant retention.
Since returning to Cedar Rapids, Karl has served on the Juneteenth Celebration Committee of the African American Cultural Museum and was on the selection committee for the Dr. Martin Luther King memorial scheduled for unveiling this June. He has served as a judge for the Iowa Teen Pageant, serves on the community relations committee at St. Luke's Hospital and is a regular speaker at clubs and organizations around the community.
Karl and his wife, LaNisha, are fixing up an older home and are expecting their first child.
THE 4,317th MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF CEDAR RAPIDS 2/21/05
Presiding: President John Bickel. Greeters: George Baldwin and Allen Witt. Badges: Greg Larson. Attendance: Bret Niemuth. Invocation: Dan Kolander. Guests and Visiting Rotarians: Tyler Olson. Music: Jason Wright and Carma Lou Beck. Speakers Gift: Trees Forever.
TOTAL MEMBER COUNT – 350 (24 HONORARY)
NUMBER USED FOR ATTENDANCE - 262 (EXCLUDES 88 HONORARY & EXEMPT MEMBERS)
MEMBERS PRESENT - 167 (6 HONORARY, 19 EXEMPT)
GUESTS PRESENT - 8
MAKE-UPS – 1
PERCENTAGE FOR THIS MEETING – 57.25%
PERCENTAGE FOR FEBRUARY 2005 – 60.54%
PERCENTAGE FOR ROTARY YEAR 2004-2005 (30 Meetings) – 63.77%
PERCENTAGE FOR ROTARY YEAR 2003-2004 – 67.56%
PERCENTAGE FOR ROTARY YEAR 2002-2003 - 67.21%
PERCENTAGE FOR ROTARY YEAR 2001-2002 - 69.14%
PERCENTAGE FOR ROTARY YEAR 2000-2001 - 67.66%
PERCENTAGE FOR ROTARY YEAR 1999-2000 - 67.42%
PERCENTAGE FOR ROTARY YEAR 1998-1999 - 66.16%
MAKE-UPS – LOCAL
CEDAR RAPIDS WEST, 01/26/05: No Report Received to Date. CEDAR RAPIDS WEST, 02/02/05: No Report Received to Date. CEDAR RAPIDS WEST, 02/09/05: No Report Received to Date. CEDAR RAPIDS DAYBREAK, 02/04/05: Steve Ovel. CEDAR RAPIDS DAYBREAK, 02/11/05: No Report Received to Date. MARION/EAST CEDAR RAPIDS, 02/15/05: Andy Anderson, Ed Brandon, Bob Carlson, Maxwell Grant, Debbie Green, Betty Hargraves, Jim Klinger, Bill Lewellen, Dick Meisterling and Nevin Meredith. CEDAR RAPIDS WEST, 02/16/05: No Report Received to Date. CEDAR RAPIDS SUNRISE, 02/17/05: No Report Received to Date. CEDAR RAPIDS METRO, 02/10/05: No Report Received to Date. CEDAR RAPIDS DAYBREAK, 02/18/05: No Report Received to Date.
MAKE-UPS - OUT OF TOWN
John Smith – Bonita Springs (4), Barbara Knapp – Bonita Springs, Jim Nikrant – Bonita Springs, Norm Nielsen (Bonita Springs), Tim Boyle – Iowa City, Amy Johnson Boyle – Iowa City, Ralph Savoy – Waterloo, Ron Fielder – Iowa City, Anne Cunningham - Estero. California. John Cunningham – Estero, California and Bill Gasway – Naples, Florida.
ROTARIAN GUESTS
Dennis Jordan (Daybreak) and John Vandenburg and Kim Harris (Metro).
GUESTS OF MEMBERS
Dave Machacek (Klaus), Eric Faaborg (Wagner) and Mark Pingenot (Ramsay).
CENTENNIAL-BRATION SOCIAL SCHEDULED – TICKETS ON SALE BEGINNING MONDAY
CELEBRATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
THE ROTARY CLUB OF CEDAR RAPIDS, MARION, WEST, SUNRISE, METRO AND DAYBREAK JOIN IN A CENTENNIAL-BRATION OF ROTARY
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005
THE CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL
5:30 – 7:30 P. M.
TICKETS $15 ($5 UNDERWRITTEN BY THE CLUB) – NET $10
PURCHASE BEGINNING MONDAY AT ROTARY
TWO MAKE-UPS GIVEN
(FOR ANY MEETING MISSED IN APRIL, MAY OR JUNE)
FUNDS FOR THE FUTURE GARAGE SALE
METRO HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS
ANNUAL GARAGE SALE
FRIDAY, April 22 (8 AM – 2 PM)
&
SATURDAY APRIL 23 (8 AM TO NOON)
METRO HIGH SCHOOL GROUNDS
1212 7TH STREET SE
ROTARIANS YOU CAN HELP!
SHOW SUPPORT FOR METRO SCHOLARS!
ATTEND THE GARAGE SALE!
DONATE NEW & USED GOODS!
(gently used clothing, household items, toys or furnishings)
and/or
A check in any amount, made payable to the "Dollars for Metro High School Student Achievement Fund" will be greatly appreciated
To Donate Goods - Call 558-1182
Questions – Call Rotarian Dennis VanAuken – 363-7821
ALL PROCEEDS ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE METRO HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND SENIOR RECOGNITION PROGRAMS
THE SECOND ANNUAL HOOVER WALLACE DINNER
Recognizing Iowa's Humanitairan Leaders
Honoring Iowa's Humanitarian Heritage
6:00 P.M., MARCH 14, 2005
DOWNTOWN MARRIOTT HOTEL
DES MOINES, IOWA
THE EVENT'S HONORARY CO-CHAIRS
Governor Thomas Vilsack
Senator Charles Grassley
Senator Tom Harkin
Governor Terry Branstad
SPONSORED BY
The Rotary Clubs of Iowa
The World Food Prize
SPEAKERS
The Honorable Walter Mondale
The Honorable Robert Ray
ORDER NOW
Tickets are $100 per person/$1,000 for a reserved table of 10
Make check payable to "The Hoover Wallace Dinner"
Mail to The World Food Prize, 666 Grand Avenue, Suite 1700, Des Moines, IA 50309
To charge on credit card indicate Credit Card # and Expiration Date
TICKETS
Tickets will be mailed out approximately two weeks in advance
QUESTIONS
Please Contact Kim Heffernan Moss 515-245-3783
METRO MOVES TO ELMCREST
Cedar Rapids Metro Rotary, which meets at noon on Thursday, will change its meeting location from the Marriott (old Collins Road Plaza) to Elmcrest Country Club beginning February 3. The meetings will still be held at noon. Two other area Rotary clubs also meet at Elmcrest. Sunrise Rotary meets weekly at 7:00 A. M. on Thursday and Daybreak Rotary meets at 7:00 A. M. each Friday. .
ROTARY CLUB OF CEDAR RAPIDS
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
JULY 1, 2004 TO JUNE 30, 2005
President John M. Bickel 365-9461
President-Elect Larry J. Helling 862-0919
Past President Charles M. Peters 368-8878
Director Deanndrea L. Baird 398-5886
Director George H. Brunscheen 363-1151
Director Lee R. Clancey 378-1807 | 
