People of Rotary | Christina Usher
"Christina Usher Takes the Reins at Rotary" as published in the Lincoln Journal Star on July 16, 2021
By Randy Bretz
At the beginning of July, Christina Usher assumed her duties as president of one of the oldest Rotary Clubs in the world, Lincoln’s Downtown Rotary, also known as Rotary 14.
In this capacity, Usher will lead the club of nearly 300 members out of the era of online Zoom meetings and into a new hybrid style for the 115-year-old organization at a new location, the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Lincoln.
Usher said she has two primary themes for her year as Rotary president.
“First, building community," she said. "Post-pandemic lockdown, it is vitally important for us to gather in person, reinvest in our personal and business networks, and to again build friendships that stretch beyond our closest circles – circles we’ve been 'stuck' in the last year because of the pandemic. From this foundation of community, we can reach further and stronger in service to others."
Second, Rotary is all about sharing smiles, Usher said.
“We serve in order to bring hope to others; to provide funding or information or support to those around us," she said. "And, in turn, we share joy. As you look at all of our photos depicting the service and gifts we’ve given, the common theme across those pictures is smiles! Fun, joy, hope – all wrapped up in a smile.”
Usher is an attorney with the Mattson Ricketts law firm in Lincoln. She became a partner in the firm in 2018 after graduating from the University of Nebraska College of Law. She’s been a member of Rotary 14 since 2014 and is not only assuming formal leadership, she’s considered one of the real spark plugs that has helped keep the club young at heart.
Several years ago, when Usher lived in Colorado, she took part in a Rotary sponsored Group Study Exchange, which connected her with Rotary clubs in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia.
“I was immersed in Rotary through this program,” she said. “And once I resettled to Lincoln, I wanted to join Rotary in order to pay it forward – to give back to an organization that provided me with a life-changing opportunity.”
As president of Rotary 14, Usher follows Eric Drumheller, whose term was mostly during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, when many organizations ceased to meet and even lost members, Rotary 14 never missed a meeting and actually grew by more than 40 members.
During Drumheller’s term, the club initiated a new service of placing groceries in Little Food Pantries, contributed $200,000 toward refurbishing the Centennial Fountain (also known as Teachers’ Fountain), presented $18,000 to The Gathering Place to help with operational needs, adopted a stretch of a Lancaster County highway for trash pickup and hosted speakers from every continent, including Antarctica.
As Usher assumed leadership of the club, she noted, “The greatest thing about Rotary is the people. I love the people of Rotary. Rotarians are people of character, and they are doers. They want to serve. They look for peaceful and effective solutions to challenges in our community.
“This drive for service and solutions creates a common bond,” she continued. “You can meet a Rotarian anywhere in the world and become instant friends.”
Lincoln’s Downtown Rotary Club meets each Tuesday at noon at Lincoln’s Embassy Suites Hotel. To learn more about the club and the rich history it has in Lincoln, visit www.rotary14.org or drop in one of the club’s meetings.
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