Rotary will not meet on Monday, January 19. Join us on Monday, January 26 for guest speaker, Dimy Doresca with the University of Iowa Institute for International Business.  

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Rotarian, Judge Jack Broderick.  Jack  was an active member of the Davenport Rotary Club for many years, joining in 1973. He was President of the club from 1989-90, and a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a role model for many on what Service Above Self really means.

Visitation will be Monday, January 12 from 3-6 p.m. at Weerts Funeral Home, with a vigil service beginning at 2:30 p.m.  Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan.13 at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 4097 18th St., Bettendorf.  

Jack's full obituary can be viewed at http://weertsfh.com/obituary.html?id=2948

Rotarian and EICC Chancellor, Don Doucette, will provide an update on the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, including an update on the development of a full- service urban campus in Downtown Davenport to be located within several downtown Davenport buildings.  The new full-service urban campus will allow Scott Community College to more than double its capacity downtown to 1,500-plus students. In addition, EICC’s Continuing Education programs, currently serving more than 30,000 students annually, will be integrated into the new campus.  

Happy New Year Rotarians….Rotary is back in session! Join us on Monday, January 5 as we kick off 2015 with our club assembly, a time for the membership to weigh on what is being done right, what could be done better and even what needs to change.  Topics on the survey include membership recruitment and retention, membership satisfaction, club social activities and foundation giving.  This is a great opportunity to make sure your opinion is heard.  It’s also a great time to sign up and serve on a committee in 2015.  Don’t miss it! 

Rotary will not meet on Monday, December 22 or December 29 in observance of the holidays.  Join us on Monday, January 5 as we kick off 2015 with our annual club assembly session.

Have a safe holiday and a very Happy New Year! 

Regina Haddock is the Executive Director of Dress for Success Quad Cities.  Join us on Monday to hear more about Dress for Success and their mission to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

Regina is a social entrepreneur and longtime community advocate interested in creating social capital and improving civic engagement. She has extensive experience in Education, Health & Human Services, PR/Marketing, and Program Development. She holds a master’s degree in Education with an emphasis on educating in a culturally diverse and pluralistic society. During the 20+ years Regina had school-age children, she served in a variety of volunteer roles related to school improvement and parental involvement, including PTA, the Local School Improvement Advisory Committee and the Davenport Schools Foundation.

Jane Schmidt, Iowa Teacher of the Year will present “Iowa Core—The Game Changer,” at Rotary on Monday, November 17.

Schmidt is a 30+ year veteran teacher from Maquoketa Community School District where this past year she taught 8^th grade literacy in the morning and served as Director of Professional Growth and Student Learning in the afternoon.  This school year she is traveling Iowa serving as an Ambassador of Education as Iowa Teacher of the Year.  Her work is dedicated to nurturing not only a love of reading and writing but also a deep understanding of their importance in today’s informational age. Her career began in special education in a variety of settings – self-contained, resource, co-teaching, and eventually full integration of services.  While earning a Master’s in Special Education and working with special learners, she developed a passion for literacy, earning certification in both Reading and Language Arts.  In 2004, she achieved National Board Certification in Early Adolescence/English Language Arts.  She has worked in Maquoketa for 25 years with most of those years teaching middle school students writing and most recently literacy.  In May 2013, she earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership with a desire to influence change within a system. As Iowa Teacher of the Year, she serves on the Iowa Outstanding Educators Advisory Council and the Department of Education Bureau of Educator Quality. Yeats wrote, “Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.”  According to Jane, “As educators, it is this belief that we must light a fire that keeps us striving for continuous improvement for both our students and ourselves. Every year we have an opportunity for new journeys with students, and lifelong learning is the key for that journey to be meaningful.” 

Rotary will not be held on Monday, November 10 in observance of Veteran’s Day.  We will return on Monday, November 17 with guest speaker and 2014 Iowa Teacher of the Year, Jane Schmidt.  Jane is a longtime teacher known for her leadership, her ability to connect with students, and her commitment to improvement.  She is a 33-year teaching veteran from Delmar and is currently an eighth-grade literacy and language arts teacher at Maquoketa Middle School in the Maquoketa Community School District.

It’s time for the 6th Annual Chili Cook-Off.  It will be held from 6—9 PM at River Music Experience.  We have a variety of chili cooks lined up to share their cooking talents with the club.  There are also a number of other Rotarians who will be providing baked goods for the event.  PLEASE RSVP so food can be planned accordingly.  Plan on bringing your spouse/significant other, kids and friends for an evening of food, FUN and entertainment! 

RSVP to Johanna at davrotary@netexpress.net.

Rotarian and Figge Art Museum Executive Director, Tim Schiffer, will be the guest speaker at the Monday, October 27 membership meeting.  Tim will be presenting on the exhibition “Self-Taught Genius: Treasures from the American Folk Art Museum,” which will open at the Figge on November 15 on its first stop outside New York City on a national tour. The works in the exhibition range from paintings to quilts to woodcarvings, furniture and weathervanes that were made from the 18th century to the 21st. The exhibit explores the idea of the “self-taught” as a uniquely American trait.

Tim Schiffer is the Executive Director of the Figge Art Museum. Prior to coming to the Quad Cities in 2012, he was Executive Director of the Museum of Ventura County in Southern California. He holds 

P. Barry Butler was appointed provost of The University of Iowa in May of 2011, after serving as interim provost since October 2010. Prior to his appointment, Butler was dean of the UI College of Engineering, where he holds the rank of full professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering.  He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1979 and 1981, respectively.  He received his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering in 1984, also from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  He joined the University of Iowa faculty in 1984.

Butler has worked as a visiting research fellow for the U.S. Navy and Sandia National Laboratories and as a visiting faculty member at Université de Provence in Marseille, France.  He is active in a number of aerospace-related instructional and research activities at UI.  He currently serves on the boards of several state and national technology-based organizations committed to economic growth and the advancement of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, including the American Wind Energy Association, for which he also serves as research committee co-chair.  He serves as the Governor's delegate to the Aerospace States Association.  Butler is an active participant in Iowa’s STEM Initiative, and has been a strong advocate for working with industry, community colleges, and Iowa’s K-12 educators to promote STEM education.  

Biography from the University of Iowa at http://provost.uiowa.edu/about/p-barry-butler

Rotary will not be held on Monday, October 13 in observance of Columbus Day.   We return on Monday, October 20 with guest speaker, Barry Butler, University of IA Provost.  

On Monday, The Rotary Club of Davenport Charitable Giving Committee in partnership with the Davenport Rotary Board of Directors will award over $16,000 to fund projects and support organizations in the community and abroad that provide basic human services, serve youth, and meet community needs.  Proceeds generated from the 2^nd Annual Rotary Club of Davenport WingFest presented by M.A. Ford this past June, funded the awards. 

Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks is an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) who most recently served for three years as the Director of the Iowa Department of Public Health. During her tenure, she showed passion for improving the healthcare and quality of life for Iowans.  Dr. Miller-Meeks learned that a lot can be accomplished by putting partisanship aside for the greater good of the people of Iowa.

Mariannette enlisted in the United States Army at age 18 and retired honorably from the reserves as a Lt. Colonel. During those 24 years, active duty and reserve, she served as a private, nurse, and physician.

She and her husband, Curt, live in Ottumwa. They have two grown children, Jonathon and Taylor.

For more information about Dr. Mariannette Miller—Meeks, visit Miller-Meeks for Congress.

Statement from Miller Meeks for Congress at https://www.millermeeks.com/learn-more-about-mariannette-miller-meeks/

For almost 40 years, Chris McCormick Pries has worked at Vera French Community Mental Health Center and is currently a Board Certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner and the Clinical Director. Chris is also a major provider of community services for individuals, educators, counselors, and care givers in the Quad Cities. She is involved with Jason’s Box, the Mental Health Legal Task Force, Eating Disorders Consortium, the Safety Net in Peril Committee, a trainer for the Davenport and Bettendorf police and a public speaker bringing awareness to eradicate the stigma of mental illness. Chris has dedicated her life to providing quality, accessible and comprehensive care to those suffering from mental illness and has worked compassionately to make their lives more complete.

In January, she was honored by the Vera French Community Mental Health Center with the Courage and Compassion in the Advocacy of Mental Health Award for her efforts and contributions to improving conditions for people with mental illness.

Join us on Monday to learn more about Vera French Community Mental Health Center and their work to enhance the mental health of all in our community by providing quality, accessible and comprehensive care.

The Quad City Symphony Orchestra is turning 100!  Rotarian and Quad City Symphony Orchestra Executive Director, Ben Loeb, will be our guest speaker on Monday, September 8.  He will be sharing more on the 100 year history of the organization as well as what they have planned for the upcoming season.

Ben is an accomplished pianist and has performed in venues throughout the world.   He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Harvard University, a Master of Music degree in Accompanying from the Curtis Institute of Music, a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Accompanying from The Julliard School, and a Graduate Performance Diploma in Conducting from the Peabody Conservatory. In addition to the Greater Bridgeport (CT) Symphony Orchestra, Loeb was also the founder, executive director, and music director of the El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestras. Ben has extensive teaching experience; he was one of the first piano faculty members of the El Paso Conservatory of Music and is the founder, administrator, and member of the conducting faculty of the International Conducting Workshop and Festival, which has presented master classes around the world for over 11 years.

Rotary will not be held on Monday, September 1 in observance of Labor Day.  We will return with Rotarian and Quad City Symphony Orchestra Executive Director, Ben Loeb, on Monday, September 8.

Jack served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1985 to 1993. In 1993, he accepted the position of State Director with U.S. Senator Tom Harkin. He returned to the Iowa House after winning election in November of 2000 and then won his first term to the Iowa Senate in 2002.

Presently, Jack is chair of the Senate Health & Human Services Budget Subcommittee. He also serves on the Economic Growth, Human Resources, State Government, Labor & Business Relations, and Appropriations committees.

2014-2015 District 6000 Governor, John Ockenfels and his wife Deb will be traveling the district for the first six months of the year to visit all 64 clubs, and the Ankeny Evening Satellite.  They will be stopping by the Davenport club on Monday, August 18 to speak to the membership and visit with our club Board of Directors, Officers and Committee Chairs.  Members of the board, officers and committee chairs are invited to attend a special meeting with District Governor Ockenfels at 10:30 am on August 18.  We will be meeting in the lower level dining room at The Outing Club.

Rusty Boruff is the Founder and Executive Director of 180 Zone.  180 Zone Inc. is a faith based, non-profit ministry. It houses men, women, families, children, and youth while they are discipled in the local church. They have a 25 bed facility, Norma's Place, a men’s residential facility, and three outreach facilities around the Quad Cities Area. Many of those they reach are homeless, addicted, or poverty stricken.  The 180 Zone also has a faith-based program to help men and women overcome challenges in their life, no matter what the struggle. They provide many different facets of outreach such as helping move the elderly or less fortunate, furnish apartments and homes, provide counseling, tutoring, after school feedings, a food pantry, feed and clothe the homeless and needy, visit the nursing homes, and much more. 

The 180 Zone uses hundreds of volunteers on a monthly basis to serve thousands of people every week in the community.

Your RSVP is requested for the annual Corn Boil on Monday, August 4 at Duck Creek Park Pavilion #2. The Corn Boil will replace the regular membership meeting.  We WILL NOT meet at noon on the 4th. To ensure we have enough food and beverages for all, PLEASE RSVP to davrotary@netexpress.net with your total guest count.  Guests are $13 and kids are FREE.   Food service begins at 6:00 PM.  Please join us for an enjoyable evening of great food, family and friends.  Let’s have another record crowd. 

It’s a Rotarian favorite….our meeting at the Mississippi Valley Fair.   Our longstanding Davenport Rotary tradition continues as we head to the Fair on preparation day, Monday, July 28th. We will meet in the Pavilion, right across from the horse barns on the West side of the grounds.  Guests are welcome and encouraged to attend.  Guests are $13 and children are free.

To avoid delays ROTARIANS NEED TO ENTER THE FAIR THRU THE GATE OFF LOCUST STREET RIGHT ACROSS FROM McDONALDS.  Riefe's will cater lunch.

2014 will mark the 95th year for the Fair.  Far from its humble beginnings in the early 1900's it has grown from a small county fair into a grand regional event, attracting more than 300,000 people during fair week and over 600,000 people annually making it one of the largest fairs in Iowa.  The impressive grandstand line up for 2014 includes Eli Young Band, Lady Antebellum, Craig Morgan, Cheap Trick, Alan Jackson, and Jerrod Niemman.

Bill Ratzburg currently serves as the Director of Economic and Community Development  at Deere & Company.  He has served in this position since his appointment in 2008.  Ratzburg has worked for Deere since 1996, mostly in business development efforts for the company.  He also has experience as a chief financial officer and vice president at other companies and he holds an MBA and a BA in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.  He has been a Quad City resident for over 40 years.

Scott County Administrator, Dee Bruemmer, will present her annual “State of the County” to the membership on Monday.  She will cover the current programs at the County and the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Ms. Breummer will also highlight a few of the services available and give an update on the impact of new laws being discussed.

Rotary will not meet on Monday, July 7 in observance of the 4th of July.  We will return on Monday, July 14 with guest speaker, Scott County Administrator, Dee Breummer.

It’s time to pass the gavel to the 2014-15 Rotary Club of Davenport Board of Directors and Officers.  Join us as we take time to recognize and thank the outgoing board members and committee chairs as well as install the 2014-2015 Rotary Club of Davenport Board and Officers.

It's time for another vocational service round up.  Highlighting vocational service in the world of Rotary is a time for Rotarians to focus on their vocation and its importance to their local community and society at large. On Monday, we will focus on vocational service, spotlighting two Rotarians and their vocations.

The 2nd Annual Rotary WingFest Presented By MA Ford is Saturday, June 21, 2014 from 3-7 PM at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds in the Pavilion.  Tickets are $25 at the door with kids 12 and under free.  Enjoy a two (2)wing sample from six (6) vendors.  Attendees will also be treated to performances by The Unidynes, Jim Ryan and the Grey Wolf Band and Dan Hubbard and the Humadors.  All proceeds benefit non-profit charities.

The time has finally come to dedicate the Rotary Centennial Pavilion.  The members of the Rotary Club of Davenport will formally dedicate the Pavilion on Monday, June 16 in special ceremony at River Heritage Park at 4:30 PM.  The public is invited to attend this monumental celebration.

Gary Welch, Chair of the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy and Past District Governor, will be the guest speaker on Monday, June 9. He will give us an update on what Iowa Rotarians in Districts 6000 and 5970 are doing to develop leadership among the youth. Join us to learn more about RYLA and Rotary’s 6-day leadership conference for high school sophomores and juniors from throughout Iowa. The Rotary Club of Davenport will be sponsoring two students, one from North and one from West, at the 2014 conference taking place July 13-18 at Grinnell College

Join us on Monday, June 2 for guest speaker Doug Cropper as he discusses the Affordable Care Act.

Doug Cropper is the current President and CEO of Genesis Health Systems and is responsible for the operational and strategic plans for the health system and its entities.

Cropper grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, where his father was a dentist and volunteered at the local children's hospital. It made enough of an impression on him that he decided to pursue his own career in health care. His first job was an operating room orderly. Now, with more than 28 years of health care experience, he has fulfilled a life-long career goal to lead a health system. With a focus on safety and quality, Cropper is working to guide Genesis to national recognition for its patient care.

Prior to joining Genesis in 2008, he served as an executive vice president with Inova Health System, based in Falls Church, VA, and campus administrator of the 900-bed Inova Fairfax Hospital.  Between 1991 and 2003, Cropper held various leadership positions with HealthEast, based in St. Paul, MN. His last assignment with HealthEast was CEO of St. Joseph's Hospital and health system vice president. He is a 1984 graduate of the University of Utah and holds a Master's degree in Health Care and Hospital Administration from the University of Minnesota. Cropper and his wife, Lynne, have four children.

Rotary will not meet on Monday, May 26 in observance of Memorial Day.  We will reconvene on Monday, June 2.

Tim Wilkinson will speak to the membership on Monday about the Greater Davenport Redevelopment Corporation (GDRC), and their task of managing the city’s industrial park, known as the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center (EIIC).  

Tim Wilkinson is the CEO of Corporate Community Consulting LLC.  He retired from Alcoa in August 2009 after 34 years where he was Vice President of the North American Public Strategy Group from 2002 to 2009 responsible for 26 operations in a 6 state Midwest region.  From 1983 to 2002, he served as Communications Vice President of Alcoa’s aluminum sheet and plate rolling business unit that had operations in 5 states, employing 5500 people and sales of $1 billion.

In the Iowa-Illinois Quad City region, he provided volunteer leadership as board chair or board member to over 40 local non-profits.  He served on the Board and Executive Committee of the Iowa Taxpayers Association for 25 years. He also served on the Executive Committee and board of The Iowa Association of Business and Industry for 25 years.  Currently, he serves on the University of Iowa’s College of Engineering Advisory Board and Bettendorf’s Human Rights Commission.

Identity theft is taking the country by storm. Many feel a sense of security knowing that if they review their credit card and bank statements regularly they are pretty well protected. That is what people whose numbers were stolen in the Target debacle found. However, ID theft goes much deeper than credit/debit card numbers. Learn more about the five types of identity theft, and in so doing, learn which is the largest form; and believe it or not, it is not financial.

Kathy Middleton will be sharing information about Identity Theft and what you can do to protect yourself, your employees and your clients. She is a Regional Manager with LegalShield, specializing in the Small Business and Employee Benefits Divisions. A long-time resident of Davenport, Kathy holds BA and MS degrees in Education. She has combined the skills she gained as an educator plus her understanding of the needs and challenges of small business owners and is now helping her members protect themselves and their businesses. 

The Real World Design Challenge (RWDC) is an annual competition that provides high school students, grades 9-12, the opportunity to work on real world engineering challenges in a team environment. Each year, student teams are asked to address a challenge that confronts our nation's leading industries. Students utilize professional engineering software to develop their solutions and also generate presentations that convincingly demonstrate the value of their solutions. The RWDC provides students with opportunities to apply the lessons of the classroom to the technical problems that are being faced in the workplace.  This 2014 challenge was to increase corn crop yield by detecting the European Corn Borer through the use of a UAV.  

(Information taken from Joint Munitions & Lethality (JM&L) LCMC website.) 

Brigadier General Kristin K. French is a native of Glen Rock, NJ. She graduated from the United States Military Academy, West Point, in 1986 and was commissioned into the Regular Army as a Lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps. 

In 2011, she assumed command of the 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) at Fort Knox, KY, and in April 2012 deployed the unit to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. She relinquished command in June 2013 to move to Rock Island Arsenal, IL, as Commanding General, Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Management Command and Joint Munitions Command. 

Her command assignments include Alpha Company, 703rd Main Support Battalion, 3rd Inf Div (Mech), Kitzingen, Germany; Regimental Support Squadron, 3rd ACR, Fort Carson, CO; 406th Army Field Support Brigade, Fort Bragg, NC and 3d Sustainment Cmd (Exp), Fort Knox, KY. 

Under Heller’s leadership, the River Bandits have added many fun new features to the ballpark, including a new outfield bar, a new picnic area, five concourse-level “loge boxes,” an 80-foot long high-definition ribbon-board, a huge new 20’ x 36’ tall HD videoboard, a new playground, birthday room, additional office and storage space, a new concessions stand and more than a dozen new portable food carts, a Hall of Fame autographed jersey display, an unmatched collection of bobbleheads from across the country and a (sponsored) corn field from which the players are introduced at the game’s outset (after all, it is Iowa)!  

We bid farewell to our sixth round of Jr. Rotarians.  Best of luck as you finish your senior year. 

Pictured from L to R: Kennedy King and Alexis Flynn (Assumption), Ellen Nelson and AJ Petersen (West), Jasmine Maddox and Kristina Seier (Central), Allison Berens and Alissa Calsyn (North)

Ben Loeb, Executive Director of Quad City Symphony Orchestra, will giving an update on the Symphony and his vision for its future.  Ben is an accomplished pianist and has performed in venues throughout the world.   

Loeb holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Harvard University, a Master of Music degree in Accompanying from the Curtis Institute of Music, a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Accompanying from The Julliard School, and a Graduate Performance Diploma in Conducting from the Peabody Conservatory. In addition to the Greater Bridgeport (CT) Symphony Orchestra, Loeb was also the founder, executive director, and music director of the El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestras. Ben has extensive teaching experience; he was one of the first piano faculty members of the El Paso Conservatory of Music and is the founder, administrator, and member of the conducting faculty of the International Conducting Workshop and Festival, which has presented master classes around the world for over 11 years.

Mayor Bill Glub Bio

Bill Gluba was born in Davenport, Iowa on October 7, 1942. He was a second-generation Irish-American, the son of hardworking parents of modest means. He would be the first of the Gluba family in America to go to college.

His education, first at St. Ambrose Academy [now Assumption High School], and later at St. Ambrose University, deeply influenced his thinking and started him on a life journey in pursuit of social justice, equality and civil rights. Bill went on to earn a BA from St. Ambrose and a Masters Degree in State and Local Government from the University of Iowa.

Bill was active in the civil rights movement. He took part in the historic march on Washington in 1963 and has campaigned for the Equal Rights Amendment.

He was elected to the Iowa General Assembly in 1970. He then won a seat in the Iowa Senate in 1972 and was twice elected to the State Senate. Bill was the only Democrat elected to the all Republic Scott County Board of Supervisors in 1976. In 1978 he was elected its Chairman. In 2007, Bill was elected the sixty-fifth Mayor of Davenport, Iowa.

Bill Gluba and his wife Trish have been married 42 years, raised 5 children, 2 of whom make Davenport their home, and now are the proud grandparents of 3 grand children.

(Biography taken from Mayor's Office, City of Davenport website.) 

We bid farewell to our 5th round of Jr. Rotarians.  We wish you continued success as you finish your senior year.  

Pictured from L to R: Roy Schindler and Claire Honsey, Davenport Central; Parker Ewen and Rose Ripslinger, Assumption and Samuel Sierra and Kambridge Hayes, Davenport North.  Not pictured are Chi Dong and Dawn Vickers, Davenport West. 

Every charity you support will gladly accept a check or cash, but there are other tools you can use to better support your favorite non-profits and provide additional benefits to you.  This presentation will introduce you to some planned charitable giving options and the benefits of these tools.  We will also share some illustrations of how these techniques can work for specific assets and some typical situations.

Brian Wright serves as Vice President & Trust Officer for American Bank & Trust.  He is responsible for assisting clients with the planning and administration of investment agencies, philanthropic gifts, personal trusts, estates, conservatorships and guardianships.  Brian has 29 years of experience in financial, charitable and estate planning.  He formerly served as Director of Planned Giving for Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa and as Director of Planned and Major Gifts at Des Moines University.  Brian currently serves on the Board of the Humane Society of Scott County and is President of the Illowa Partnership for Philanthropic Planning.  He is a two time graduate of the University of Iowa with an undergraduate B.A. and a J.D. from the College of Law. 

A Family Resources representative will be introducing the Club to their SafePath Survivor Resources which are a comprehensive domestic violence, comprehensive sexual assault and sheltering/housing services offered through Family Resources.  They are excited to be updating the Club on their expansion of these service; allowing them to serve more victims of violent crimes so that they can find the path to feeling like survivors and rebuilding their lives. 

It is with sadness that we learned of the passing of Don Challed, an active member of the Davenport Rotary Club for many years, joining in 1958. He was President of our club in 1981-82, and a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a role model for many of us on what Service Above Self really means.

Funeral services will be held at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Davenport at 10:30 am on Tuesday, January 28th.  Visitation will be on Monday, January 27 from 4-7 pm at Halligan McCabe DeVries.

Due to the extremely cold weather forecasted for Monday, January 27, the Rotary membership meeting has been cancelled.  Membership meetings will resume on Monday, February 5 when we meet at Family Resources. 

Rotary will not meet on Monday,January 20, 2014 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  Membership meetings will resume on Monday,January 27 with the Club Assembly.

Pictured from L to R: Nicole Kraft, Davenport West; Troy Gipple, Davenport West; Samantha Dillon, Davenport Central; Elise Castro, Davenport Central; Julie Pham, Assumption; Sam Fer, Assumption; Jared DeFauw, Davenport North; Hannah Herington, Davenport North.

Due to the weather, Rotary is cancelled and will not meet on Monday, January 6, 2014.  Membership meetings will resume on Monday, January 13, 2014. 

Happy New Year!

Rotary will not meet on Monday, December 23 or December 30 in observance of the holidays. 

Join us on Monday, January 6 as we kick off 2014 with a presentation on the Rotary Youth Exchange Program.  We will hear from a Rotary foreign exchange student and the host family. 

Have a safe holiday and a very Happy New Year!  See you in 2014!

Melissa Mohr, Director of Education at the Figge, will be our guest speaker on Monday.  She will present on PechaKucha Nights (PKN), a worldwide event hosted at the Figge every month.

PKN began as a fun, informal way to share creative projects and ideas in Tokyo over 10 years ago and has spread to over 700 cities.  Organized by the Figge, PKN reaches the entire Quad City Community and has experienced great success in its first year. 

How it works!  Each PKN features 8-10 presenters from the community that speak on a topic of their interest - not necessarily something about visual art, just something they love.  Topics range from recent travels to scholarly research, from funny pet stories to newly composed songs. Accompanying each presentation are 20 images.  The catch is that each image is only projected for 20 seconds, making an entire presentation less than 7 minutes. Members will have an opportunity to experience two PKN presentations on Monday.

Melissa Mohr has been the Director of Education at the Figge since June, 2012. Prior to her role as Director of Education, she served as the Outreach Coordinator, providing educational arts-integration lessons to over 50,000 students and residents in the Quad City Area. Mohr received her BA in Classics from Knox College and her MA in Art History from the University of Iowa. In addition to working for the Figge, Mohr volunteers on numerous community committees and teachers a graduate level course on museum education through Western Illinois University’s Museum Studies program.

Pictured from L to R: Adam Kall, Davenport Central; Mitchell Diamond, Davenport Central; Haley Bugos, Assumption; Andrew Quested, Assumption; Austin Barton, Davenport West; Libby Burken, Davenport West; William Greer, Davenport North; and Sophia Daniel, Davenport North. 

The Rotary Club of Davenport will welcome Iowa Secretary of State, Matt Schultz to the Monday, November 25 membership meeting.  Secretary Schultz will speak to the club about the business services division of the Secretary of State's office.  Specifically, he will discuss the services being offered that have a positive impact on local companies and the various enhancements being made to help make Iowa's business climate more efficient.

From the Secretary's website:

Matt Schultz was elected to office in 2010 as the youngest secretary of state in the country, and is currently serving his first term as Iowa Secretary of State. He was first elected to public office in 2005 as a city councilman in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he was re-elected and served for a total of five years. 

Calvin “Cal” Litwiller “Cal” has been a member of the Mt Pleasant Evening Rotary Club since l991, serving as Club President, Assistant Gov., Matching Grant Committee Chair and as District Governor (2009-10).  Both Cal and his wife, Rachel, are multiple Paul Harris Fellows, making their family be a Paul Harris family, and are both Rotary
Benefactors.

Cal grew up on a farm in southeast Iowa. He has his Masters Degree in education from the University of Iowa, and has spent his career prior his retirement in 2008, in science education in the Public Secondary schools of Iowa, most recently Mt. Pleasant High School. The Litwiller’s spent some time in Holland where Cal taught in the American International School. This initiated the Litwiller’s enjoyment of adventure travel, which has taken them to 5 continents.  The Litwiller’s have two children, Cherie, currently an administrator with The Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar, and Tony who is the VP of sales for a medical device company in Philadelphia, PA.  Cal’s hobbies are photography, taking care of his honey bees and Rotary. In the last two years Cal had ridden his bike/trike across the US and 1000 miles north from the Gulf of Mexico, both with the support of Rachel in their SUV.

Rotary will not be held on Monday, November 11 in observance of Veteran’s Day.  We will return on Monday, November 18 with guest speaker Cal Litwiller.  Cal will present on international global grant service projects.  

The time has come for the 5th Annual Chili Cook Off!  Join us on Monday, November 4 from 6:00—9:00 PM at the River Music Experience.  It will be an evening of fellowship, family, chili and Monday night football. Chili will be flowing and the Bears vs. Packers will be on the big screens.  The following 12 Rotarians will be competing for “Best Taste” and “Best Presentation”

The competition will be fierce! Bring your spouse/significant other, kids and friends for a FREE evening of food, FUN and football!  Find out who will be crowned the 2013 champion.

October is Vocational Service Month in the world of Rotary, a time for Rotarians to focus on their vocation and its importance to their local community and society at large. The Monday, October 28 meeting will focus on vocational service, spotlighting two Rotarians and their vocations. 

The concept of vocational service

• The concept of vocational service is rooted in the Second Object, which calls on Rotarians to “encourage and foster”:
• High ethical standards in business and professions
• The recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations
• The dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society

Every year on October 24, people around the world shine a
spotlight on the importance of global eradication. 

We are indeed “this close!”  The United States has been polio free for many years, but this evil crippling disease doesn't stop coming back at us, even though we have diminished polio cases in the three endemic countries (Nigeria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan) by 40% this year.  It continues to spread back into countries that have been polio-free for years!  The number of polio cases for this year already exceeds the number of cases from 2012.  This includes cases in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and most recently in the Sudan. 

Rotary's commitment is to protect EVERY CHILD from this crippling disease. We can be extremely proud as Rotarians to state that by the time the world is certified polio-free, Rotary's contributions to the global polio eradication effort will exceed $1.2 Billion.  In addition, millions of dollars of 'in-kind' and personal contributions have been made by and through local Rotary clubs and districts for polio eradication activities.  More than one million Rotarians worldwide have contributed toward the success of the polio eradication effort to date.

It is already time to bid farewell to our second round of Jr. Rotarians.  We hope they enjoyed their time at Rotary and wish them continued success throughout their senior year.

Mara Sovey, President of the John Deere Foundation will be the guest speaker on Monday, October 21.  Mara will provide an update on the John Deere Foundation and Deere’s corporate citizenship efforts.    

Mara Sovey is the President of the John Deere Foundation and Director of Global Citizenship at John Deere.  In this capacity Mara is responsible for further developing and executing John Deere’s strategy for corporate citizenship, philanthropy and volunteerism on a global basis.  She serves as the company’s primary representative to many key economic development and non-profit organizations in the company’s worldwide headquarters area.  Working with the Chairman of the John Deere Foundation and its board of  directors, Mara determines the most effective ways of supporting key programs in education, community development and solutions for world hunger.   

In 1988 Tony set out to hike the world’s longest continuously marked trail, the Appalachian Trail which covers 2,184 miles spanning from Georgia to Maine. Having a young family and a business in the Quad Cities, it took him 23 years of section-hiking to complete the AT.

This summer he solo-hiked, 240 miles through the California wilderness. This trek, which took him three weeks to complete, is better known as the John Muir trail. This epic trail spans from Yosemite to Mount Whitney - the highest point in the continental United States.

Despite his love for hiking and the mountains, he always returns to the Quad Cities area where he calls home. He and his wife, Joyce, have raised three children together in this area over the last 25 years. They are both passionate about ecological conservation, spending the last 18 years developing a prairie and woodland preserve in LeClaire where they reside.

Through his determination and efforts Tony has also developed a successful business. The Singh Group at Merrill Lynch, which includes Tony’s daughter and business partner Aleeza Singh, has been providing wealth management, advice and guidance to a select number of families in the Quad Cities for over 25 years.

Tony is a great supporter of public radio and television, area arts and conservation. His family participates in the Scott County Adopt a Road program. He serves on the board of directors for Nahant Marsh Conservatory – a Quad Cities environmental treasure. In addition, the Singh Group at Merrill Lynch has supported WQPT Iowa Public Television, WVIK Augustana Public Radio and the Figge Art Museum consistently over the years.

Next year Tony plans to travel to South America where he will continue his lifelong hiking journey.

Pictured from L to R: Carolina Roa, Assumption; Sydney Verdi, Assumption; Gabby Hoeksema, Davenport Central; Jacob Behrendt Davenport Central; Caroline Emery, Davenport North; Aaron Reynolds, Davenport North; Brooke Garnica, Davenport West; and Alex Reed, Davenport West. 

Dougal and his wife Pam of 31 years, are both lifelong residents of the Quad Cities.  After graduating from Western Illinois University, Dougal went on to become Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Isabel Bloom for many years.  Driven by memories of his childhood years, his passion for the community, and wanting to give back, Dougal decided in late 2011 to leave Isabel Bloom and pursue a career in helping those less fortunate.  Dougal had previously volunteered at the Red Cross, Junior Achievement and for Habitat for Humanity.  Having witnessed what a community can do for those in need, it seemed like a natural fit for him to be closer to the missions he so believed in.  In November 2011, Dougal accepted the position as Director of Development with Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities.  His goals are widespread; however, eliminating generational poverty is most important to Dougal.

When he is not working, Dougal is an avid golfer, and also enjoys carpentry, cooking and working on vintage cars.  He is a current member of the North Scott Rotary.

The clubs fundraising efforts through WingFest and ROTO Bucks raised over $15,000 last year for the charitable giving fund.  On Monday we will meet the recipients of the funds and hear how they plan to use the support to further their mission.  The membership will also have an opportunity to hear about initiatives our club financially supports on an annual basis including FAMSCO, M.O.S.T. and Youth Harvest.  Finally, hear from Davenport Central student, Erika Allen, on her experience at RYLA this past July at Wartburg College. 

2013 will mark the 94th year for the Fair.  Far from its humble beginnings in the early 1900's it has grown from a small county fair into a grand regional event, attracting more than 300,000 people during fair week and over 600,000 people annually making it one of the largest fairs in Iowa.  The impressive grandstand line up for 2013 includes Toby Keith, Josh Turner, Dwight Yoakam, Lynyrd, Skynyrd, Diamond Rio and Jake Owen.

Rotarians and guests, join us after work on Monday, July 22 from 5:00-6:00 pm at the Freight House location of Front Street Brewery for a light hearted meeting, hors d’ouerves and beverages.  Rotarians Monica Forret and Brian Nagle will be highlighted as our vocational spotlights Please note, the evening meeting will replace our regular noon meeting on the 22nd.  RSVP to davrotary@netexpress.net.  Guests will be charged a fee of $12.

Club Officers:

• President: Gary Loss
• President—Elect: Paul Johnson
• Vice President—Betsy Pratt
• Secretary—Steve Gray
• Treasurer—Bob Sharp
• Sergeant-At-Arms—Brian Wright

Board of Directors:

• Rick Best
• Cheryl Goodwin
• Eloise Graham
• Gene Meeker
• Bob Morrison
• Rob Scott
• Mark Zimmerman

Thank You 2012-2013 Club Officers, Board of Directors and Committee Chairs!  We appreciate your time, talent and commitment to the Rotary Club of Davenport. You exemplify “Service Above Self.”

Lindsay facilitates “Parenting Inside Out” through the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.  The program is a partnership between the Extension and County Sheriff’s Office and is funded by Scott County Kids.  She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Iowa and her Masters in School Counseling from Western Illinois University. She has spent the past two years working as the Parenting Inside Out Coach and Educator.

Bruce is married to Faith Carter and they have two grown sons and two grandchildren.

ROTARY IS BREAKING GROUND!

The funds have been raised, the design is complete and the contracts are signed.  The Rotary Club of Davenport is ready to begin construction of the new Rotary Pavilion in River Heritage Park.  A special ground breaking ceremony will be held on Wednesday, June 5 @ 11:00AM.  Parking will be limited but if your schedule permits, please join us for this monumental day. 

On Monday, May 20, President Cheryl Goodwin and President-Elect Gary Loss, inducted seven new members into the Rotary Club of Davenport.  The new members include Dan Cosner, WalMart; Ken Freedman, KWQC; Kathy Halter, Russell Construction; Brad Martell, Scott County Family YMCA; Michelle Magyer, Mid-American Glass; Ed Rivers, Scott County Health Department; and Jim Wegener, Thrivent Financial. Welcome to Davenport Rotary!

Steven Leath is Iowa State University's 15th president. He assumed leadership of the university on Jan. 16, 2012.

Trained as a plant scientist, Leath served at three universities in teaching, research and economic development posts en route to the ISU presidency.

On Monday, the Club will award $56,000 in scholarships to five incredible high school seniors. The committee reviewed more than forty applications this year and has worked hard to find the most deserving students from each of the four high schools. Join us on Monday to meet the recipients.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 9, 2013 (Davenport, IA) – The Rotary Club of Davenport is partnering with the American Red Cross and the Davenport Fire Department to distribute educational materials for fire prevention and safety and emergency procedures in the home.

Rotary volunteers will work in conjunction with Red Cross volunteers and the Fire Department this Saturday,  April 13 from 9 am to noon to hand out materials in three Davenport neighborhoods. Volunteers will meet at a designated spot to park and then the Red Cross will provide vehicles and volunteers to transport everyone around the community.

Davenport Rotarian Eloise Graham is coordinating the project with two other Davenport Rotarians, Betsy Pratt, CEO of the American Red Cross of the Quad Cities Area, and Davenport Fire Chief Lynn Washburn.  The Rotary club has been collecting funds that the Red Cross uses to provide supplies to families that have experienced a fire. Through this new partnership project, we hope to prevent those tragedies by providing information about fire safety to Davenport residents.

“Fire safety is an important part of the mission of the American Red Cross of the Quad Cities Area. We’re honored that the Davenport Rotary has chosen this project that can help us save lives in our community,” said Betsy Pratt.

Additional volunteers are needed, and they do not need to be Rotary members.  To volunteer, contact Eloise Graham at grahamjg64@gmail.com, or call 563-359-8696.

For interviews, photos or video during the event, reporters should meet at 9 am at the KWQC parking lot, Perry Street entrance.

Rotary International Mission Statement

The mission of Rotary International is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

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Roger has been a Davenport Rotarian since 1996 and has served two tours of duty as a Board member of our club. He is President of Molyneaux Insurance and holds the professional designations of Chartered Life Underwriter, Chartered Financial Consultant and Certified Employee Benefit Specialist. He is very active in the community and has held leadership positions on many local non profit organizations and professional association Boards. He has three children and lives in Blue Grass with his wife, Lori.

Rotarians and guests, join us after work on Monday, April 1 at Front Street Brewery’s new Freight House location from 5:00—6:00 PM for a light hearted meeting, hors d’ouerves and beverages.  Please note, the evening meeting will replace our regular noon meeting at the Rotary Club on the 1st.

 Join us on Monday, March 25 as Mayor Bill Gluba presents the “State of the City.”  He will provide his yearly update on the condition of the city.  Guests are welcome and will be charged $12 per person.

Former Davenport Central Hall of Famer and local sports historian, Don Grensing will be the guest speaker on Monday, March 18.  Don was head basketball coach at Davenport Central from 1960-1984 and coached the Blue Devils to the state championship in 1970.  He is a native of Muscatine, served in the U. S. Army, graduated from Iowa Wesleyan in 1952, and coached at Le Claire and Wilton high schools before coming to Davenport.   He has been active in sports his entire life, playing, coaching and managing the semi-pro Muscatine Red Sox baseball team from 1945-2005.  He was athletic director and activities manager at Davenport Central from 1985-1999 and was Executive Secretary of MAC Conference from 1999 until last year.  In 2010 Don was inducted into the QC Times Sports Hall of Fame. 

After a month of touring the community, we are returning to The Outing Club on Monday, March 4.  Our guest speaker is Lori Elam, Director of Scott County Community Services.  She will speak to the club about Iowa’s Mental Health Redesign giving a brief overview of what the county’s responsibility is regarding mental health services and funding and about mental health redesign at the state level.   

Ms. Elam is a native of Scott County.  She graduated from Cornell College and attended Western Illinois University.  Ms. Elam has worked with disabled individuals in various capacities for over 28 years at Vera French Pine Knoll Residential Programs, the Handicapped Development Center and Scott County Community Services.   Currently she is the Scott County Community Services Director and oversees the mental health budget for the county, as well as the General Assistance program and the Protective Payee program.  She also serves as public guardian and conservator for several individuals who have no family and need assistance in making decisions.  Ms. Elam is passionate about helping others so they may become productive members of the community or at least live peacefully and safely in the community. 

Rotary is heading to the Figge! It is our last meeting before returning to The Outing Club in March.  Join us on February 25 at the Figge Art Museum located at 225 W 2nd Street.  Our speaker will be Executive Director,  Tim Schiffer.  Tim has been the Executive Director of the Figge since August 1, 2012. Prior to coming to Davenport, he spent 12 years as the Executive Director at the Museum of Ventura County, a history and art museum in Southern California.  Tim will speak about the history of the Figge and its plans for the future.  Rotarians will also have an opportunity to visit the galleries after lunch.

Rotary will not be held on Monday, February 18 in observance of President’s Day.  However, the Board of Directors will meet at 4:45 pm in the garage conference room at Trissel, Graham & Toole. 

The Rotary Club of Davenport will be holding theis annual Valentine’s Day luncheon on Monday, February 11 at The Rogalski Center at St. Ambrose. Entertainment will be provided by the local high schools.  Guests will be billed $12.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 5, 2013 (Davenport, IA) – Community non-profits are encouraged to apply for grants from the Rotary Club of Davenport.  The club will award individual grants of as much as $2,500 to any qualified non-profit organization in the Quad Cities. The application deadline is June 1st. Applications are available to download at www.davenportrotary.org.  Completed requests must be postmarked by June 1st and sent to: Rotary Club of Davenport, 1910 E. Kimberly Road, Ste. 310, Davenport, IA  52807. 

Grants are not awarded to groups for annual fundraising, organizational endowment funds, deficit financing, grants to individuals, scholarship funds, political groups or activities, Rotarians and their families or for sectarian purposes. Organizations that received funds last year are not eligible for the 2013 funding cycle.

Applications are reviewed and awarded by the Rotary Club of Davenport Board of Directors.

For more information, contact Johanna Smith at 563-322-3567 or via email at davrotary@netexpress.net. 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 5, 2013 (Davenport, IA) – Scholarship applications are now be accepted by the Rotary Club of Davenport.   In 2103, $56,000 in scholarships will be awarded (four $10,000 scholarships and one $16,000 scholarship) to five students graduating from the four high schools in Davenport. At least one student from each of Assumption, Central, North and West will be awarded a scholarship. Selection is based upon GPA, test scores, community service, interview, and recommendations.

The application deadline is March 1st. Applications are available to download at www.davenportrotary.org.  Completed requests must be postmarked by March 1st and sent to: Rotary Club of Davenport, 1910 E. Kimberly Road, Ste. 310, Davenport, IA  52807.  Applications are reviewed and awarded by the Rotary Club of Davenport Scholarship Committee.

The Rotary Club of Davenport Scholarship Program is one of the largest in the Quad Cities metro area, awarding over $1,000,000 in scholarships since its inception as the Rotary Memorial College Loan and Scholarship Fund in 1922.

For more information, contact Johanna Smith at 563-322-3567 or via email at davrotary@netexpress.net. 

It’s time for our month of touring the community.  Join us on Monday, February 4 for a presentation and tour of the
Davenport Police Department located in the 97,700 sq/ft. state of the art facility at 416 N. Harrison Street. Parking is available in the small lot on the northeast side of the building and on the streets Harrison and Fourth next to the building.

The Davenport Police Department has an authorized strength of 163 Police Officers and 28 civilian employees. The Department handles over 140,000 calls for service annually and has an advanced computer dispatch system, integrated in-car computers and an enhanced 911 service, supported by an outstanding, professional and dedicated group of men and women.

The Davenport Police Department is also very proud to state that the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) awarded the Davenport Police Department accreditation status in July, 2003 and two subsequent reaccreditations in 2006 and 2010. The national accreditation process included an examination of all
aspects of the Department's policies, procedures, management, operations and support services.

Rotarian and Davenport City Assessor, Becky Eiting will present a program at the Monday, January 28 meeting.  She will give an update on the state of the Davenport City Assessment jurisdiction and an overview of the assessment process in the Iowa.

Becky Eiting has been with the Davenport City Assessor’s office since October of 1980 after she relocated from the Dubuque County Assessor’s Office, where she was the Supervisor of Assessments and Personal Property Appraiser.  Eiting received her MRA from Lincoln Graduate in Chicago.  She attended numerous IAAO courses in various appraisal methodologies such as Income Approach, Principles, Standards, Fundamentals, Development and Analysis of the Assessment Ratio Study and numerous appraisal and management courses. 

CHANGE IN PROGRAM. . . Craig Malin, Davenport’s City Administrator, will speak at Davenport Rotary on Monday, replacing Bruce Carter, who was called out of town for a meeting.  Mr. Malin will speak to the CASINO issue that is at this time before the City Council.   

Also, Rotary will be meeting on the main level of The Outing Club and not in the ballroom. 

Happy New Year Rotarians….Rotary is back in session!  Join us on Monday, January 7 at The Outing Club as we kick off 2013 with a presentation on the direction of the Club in the new year.  Topics to include membership, foundation giving, fundraising and membership satisfaction.  Don’t miss it! 

Rotary will not meet on Monday, December 24 or Monday, December 31 in observance of the holiday.  Join us at The Outing Club on Monday, January 7 as we kick off 2013.

Happy New Year!

Brian Ritter is the Facilitator for the Nahant Marsh Education Center and the Department Coordinator for Conservation Technology for the Eastern Iowa Community College District.  He is responsible for the overall operations of the Center including staffing, research, fundraising, events, recruitment and organization of volunteers, public relations, partnership development, educational programming and the development of  EICCD Conservation Technology Program.  Mr. Ritter also teaches college courses that focus on Fisheries Management, Field Ecology, Conservation, Wildlife Habitat Management and Wilderness Experience.

Prior to his work with Nahant Marsh, Brian worked as an adjunct professor for the EICCD and for Kirkwood Community College.  Mr. Ritter received his Psychology degree with a Biology minor from St. Ambrose University (B.S.) in Davenport and his Community Health degree from Western Illinois University (M.S.) in Macomb.  He has also taken graduate course work in Biology at Western Illinois. 

Bill Stoermer is the Senior Communications Manager at Exelon Nuclear.  He is responsible for internal and external communications and public affairs for the Quad Cities Generating Station in Cordova, IL.  Mr. Stoermer has over 30 years of nuclear plant experience working for Exelon Nuclear and has held several leadership positions within the company in Maintenance, Human Resources, Government Affairs, and Communications.

Assistant District Governor , Doug Peterson, will join us on Monday, November 26 to discuss the Rotary Youth Exchange program.  Rotary Youth Exchange students spend up to a year living with host families and attending school in a different country.  Whether they participate in a long-term or short-term exchange program, they learn a new way of living, a great deal about themselves, and maybe even a new language. They are also ambassadors, teaching people about their country, culture, and ideas. You can help bring the world closer – and make some good friends in the process.
 
For over 75 years, students and host families have broadened their horizons through Rotary Youth Exchange. More than 80 countries and over 8,000 students each year participate in the program, which is administered at the regional level by Rotary districts and at the local level by Rotary clubs.

Join us and learn more about how Rotary Youth Exchange works.

Great things are happening in the club!  Join us on Monday, November 19 as five committee chairs update the club on their progress and future plans.  Updates will be given by the membership committee, world and local community service committees, foundation committee and fundraising committee.

Haven’t joined a committee, it’s never to late to sign up! Don’t miss Monday and the opportunity to here from the committee chairs and get on board. 

Dr. J. B. Penn is the chief economist of Deere & Company, a position he has held since 2006.  He is responsible for heading the office which helps guide the company’s policy development and corporate growth initiatives worldwide, through the analysis of global trends in economics, business conditions, and governmental policies. 

The Rotary Club of Davenport 4th Annual Chili Cook-Off will be held Monday, November 5, from 6:00—9:00 PM at the River Music Experience located at 129 N. Main Street in Davenport.  Twelve Rotarians will compete for the title of “Best Chili” and “Best Presentation.”  Plan on bringing your spouse/significant other, kids and friends for a FREE evening of food and FUN!  We will also be doing a 50/50 raffle in conjunction with the cook-off.  Tickets are $50 for one or $100 for three.  To RSVP or purchase 50/50 raffle tickets, please email davrotary@netexpress.net.  See you on Monday!

Reminder, the chili cook off will be in lieu of our regular membership meeting.  We will return to The Outing Club on Monday, November 12.

Join us on Monday, October 29 as Davenport Rotarian Maggie Tinsman, Founder and Chairman of Braking Traffik, and Cathy O’Keeffe, Executive Director of Braking Traffik, present on human trafficking and how it is affecting our society.  In addition to discussing the various forms of  human trafficking and the laws in place to stop it, Maggie and Cathy will give a voice to victims through sharing their stories from cases prosecuted in our own state of Iowa.  Davenport Rotarians will learn what Braking Traffik is doing in Iowa to combat this horrific crime, as well as how Rotary can get involved to make lasting change in our community.

Join us on Monday, October 22 as President/CEO of the Putnam Museum, Kim Findlay, updates us on the latest developments at the museum.

Prior to joining the Putnam, Kim worked with United Way of the Quad Cities Area from 1990 to 2004, where she served as President for the last nine years. She was instrumental in increasing annual funds raised by 30% as well as launching many successful community initiatives, including Contributor Choice; Outcomes Measurement for funded programs; the Community Partnership Grant Fund and the nationally-recognized Success By 6 initiative.