Events

Learn all about Lincoln’s newest park! Joining us will be officials from Lincoln Parks Foundation and Lincoln Parks and Recreation, who will take us on a walk through the exciting plans for the 8.5-acre South Haymarket Park, soon to be built at 7th and N Streets. Presenters include Randy Gordon and Susan Larson Rodenburg of Lincoln Parks Foundation, and Maggie Stuckey-Ross and Karen Nalow of Lincoln Parks and Recreation.

According to Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, “Our ambitious South Haymarket Park will transform Lincoln’s downtown area and become a beloved destination for our residents and for visitors from miles around. An investment in this park is an investment in the continued growth of residential living downtown, economic development and tourism, and a livable community for all Lincoln residents.”

In 1964, Gordon “Mac” Hull purchased the patented recipe and built the first factory in Columbus, Nebraska. Today, under Tasty Toppings, Inc., and the leadership of Hull’s daughter Marilea, the brand remains family-owned and proudly produced in Duncan, Nebraska. 

Dorothy Lynch is going through a rebrand with the help of Eleanor Creative their team will give you a sneak peek about the future of Nebraska's beloved salad dressing! 

- Wrap up of the year

- Brainstorming for the year ahead

Rotary 14 | Lunch by the Cascade Fountain
Tuesday, June 24, 12-1pm
1250 S 27th St., Lincoln 68502
 
Bring your own lunch!
 

Click here to sign up to volunteer.

Happy 4th of July holiday! 

Originally from Michigan, Ryan Wieber arrived as Library Director in Lincoln 2 ½ years ago. While in Michigan he served as library director for over 20 years at three different systems. He has degrees from Western Michigan University and Wayne State University, and he loves to share his love for public libraries and the positive impact it has on communities. He’s inspired in leading efforts to improve libraries and creating a shared vision for modern library services, while also being responsive to resident’s expectations. Ryan has been married to Molly for 34 years and they have 3 adult kids: Ben, Sophie, and Matthew who are scattered about in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Florida. He’s a Spartan and Bronco at heart but he’s adapted quickly and loves the Huskers, too.

Tracy Edgerton was appointed as President/CEO of the Lincoln Community Foundation in July 2024. Before her appointment to lead the Foundation, she served as its Vice President of Philanthropy Services and General Counsel. Throughout her career, Edgerton has led efforts to build community by investing in relationships. She has more than 25 years of experience in planned gift fundraising, nonprofit management, law, and estate and tax planning. Prior to her work at the Foundation, she managed the gift planning program at the University of Nebraska Foundation for more than 10 years. Complementing her professional experience, Edgerton has served on various civic and volunteer associations including the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission, Charitable Gift Planners of Nebraska, Nebraska State Bar Association and the Lincoln Estate Planning Council. She volunteers as a Lincoln Teammates’ mentor and has served on the Abendmusik at First Plymouth board of directors.

Click here to sign up to volunteer.

Robert grew up on a farm/ranch in South Central Nebraska. He became a Rotarian in 1994 after serving as Rotary District’s 5650’s Ambassadorial Scholar to the University of Edinburgh Law School, Edinburgh, Scotland in 1988-89. He was President of his Omaha Morning Rotary Club in 2020-21.

Robert earned his undergraduate degree in Business/Finance from Doane University and MBA from the University of Nebraska Omaha.

Robert’s professional background includes his work in economic/community development, international business consulting, and insurance and financial services.

He enjoys spending time working and relaxing at the family farm/nature reserve located near Johnson Lake in the Platte River Valley. His son, Alex and wife Allie live in Mesa, AZ. He and his partner, Pam, live in Elkhorn, NE. His hobbies include music, photography, and history.

DISTRICT GOVERNOR FOCUS Club Strategic Planning; Building Stronger Rotary Clubs; Membership Retention & Growth; Rotary Club Innovation, Community & International Projects; Rotary International Foundation Giving; Peace & Conflict Resolution

ROTARY AWARDS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS 

• Ambassadorial Scholar, District 1020, Univ. Edinburgh Law School, Scotland 1988-89
• Group Study Exchange Team Leader, District 4370, Venezuela, 2006
• Outstanding District Chair 2010 – Rotary Group Study Exchange Team
• Group Study Exchange Team District Chair 2010 – 2013
• Vocational Training Team Chair 2013 – Present
• Presidential Citation 2016-17
• Paul Harris Fellow, 2011, 2012, 2021
• Benefactor/Bequest Society Level 1 2020-21

Dr. John Skretta was appointed by the Lincoln Board of Education in January 2025 as the interim superintendent for Lincoln Public Schools.

Prior to returning to LPS in July as the associate superintendent for Civic Engagement, Dr. Skretta was the Chief Administrator for Educational Service Unit 6 from 2019 until 2024. Dr. Skretta started his educational career at LPS as an English and reading teacher at Northeast High School in 1995. In 2000, he became an instructional coordinator at Northeast High School and then associate principal in 2001. Dr. Skretta left Northeast High School in 2004 to be the principal at Norris High School. In 2008, he was named associate superintendent for Norris Public Schools for two years before becoming superintendent in 2010.

During Dr. Skretta’s nine years as superintendent at Norris, he was named Nebraska Association of School Administrators named Dr. Skretta Region 1 Superintendent of the Year in 2012, and State Superintendent of the Year in 2017. In addition, he earned the Distinguished Service Award from the Nebraska Association of School Administrators in 2021. He was announced the 2021 Nebraska Career Education Outstanding Administrative Leader by the Nebraska Department of Education.

U.S. Congressman Mike Flood was sworn into office on July 12, 2022. Through the years, he has dedicated his life to advancing conservative values, growing Nebraska's rural communities, and creating jobs.

Raised in Norfolk, Mike started working in radio in high school, a passion that continued throughout his time in college at Notre Dame and law school at the University of Nebraska. In 1999, he founded Flood Communications and grew the company from one Norfolk radio station, US92, into a statewide media network. News Channel Nebraska and Flood Communications radio stations deliver content important to rural communities, including local news and weather, high school sports, morning mass, and local entertainment. Mike has created hundreds of Nebraska jobs.

In 2005, Mike was elected to represent his hometown and surrounding Madison County in the Nebraska Legislature. In 2007, his colleagues elected him the youngest Speaker of the Legislature in Nebraska history. 

In June 2022, Mike won a special election to take over Nebraska’s 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He currently serves on the Financial Services Committee where he also serves as the Chairman of the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee, a Member of the Financial Institutions Subcommittee, and a Member of the Monetary Policy, Treasury Market Resilience, and Economic Prosperity Task Force. Additionally, he serves as a Member of the House Republican Policy Committee. 

Over the years, Mike has given back to Nebraska in numerous ways. He has long been active in Northeast Nebraska economic development and community efforts. Mike served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Children’s Scholarship Fund, advancing its mission to open the doors of educational opportunity for families with financial need. He has also previously served on the Board of Directors for Invest Nebraska, which is committed to growing Nebraska’s economy by assisting entrepreneurs and investing capital in companies with growth potential.

Currently, Mike is a member of the U.S. Strategic Command Consultation Committee and a councillor for the Aksarben Foundation.

Mike and his wife, Mandi, were married at St. Mary's Catholic Church in 2003 where they are parishioners. The Floods live in Norfolk, where they are raising their sons Brenden and Blake.

Since there is limited space and a larger expected attendance, we are asking that everyone pre-register for this meeting. 

Click here to pre-register.

Building an Orphanage in Ukraine – This is a story of an unbelievable number of seemingly incidental connections, all of which when put together have helped provide a home for orphans in central Ukraine. It’s a story of a young man from Moldova, a rather
small land-locked country in Eastern Europe who ended up in Nebraska, a somewhat larger land-locked state. It’s also a story of that young man meeting his wife, an immigrant from Ukraine when they were students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The story has an interesting connection to a dedicated group of people who answered the call to build an orphanage for children who have lost parents in the war with Russia. And, the story pulled in a reporter for Nebraska television stations, a Nebraska State
Senator, a Journalism Professor, a Lincoln businessman, friends from a Lincoln church who ended up in Poland greeting Ukrainians fleeing the war . . . Oh, and there’s a Rotary connection that you’ll have to wait to hear during the presentation. Don’t miss this fascinating story of an orphanage in Ukraine that will open in the near future as told by (Ewon) Ivan Gusanu (the young man from Moldova) and John Grinvalds, a reporter for KETV.

Click here to sign up to volunteer.

Rose Cat Coffee Co and Reading Society is the culmination of years of dreaming, and an unrelenting hope that together we can create a connected community that will change the way that individuals with IDD are treated, valued, accepted, seen, and integrated into their own communities.

Since there is limited space and a larger expected attendance, we are asking that everyone pre-register for this meeting. 

Click here to pre-register.

Click here to sign up to volunteer.

• Safety vests and garbage bags will be provided.
• Recommend volunteers wear gloves and sturdy closed-toed shoes.
• Each person walks one mile.

Agenda:

1. Uzbeki visitors
2. Grant cycle for the year
3. Intl Speakers

A proud multi-generation Lincolnite, Lily brings extensive experience in the nonprofit, government, and education sectors to her role at Civic Nebraska. As Director of Civic Health, she leads one of the organization's three core program areas, overseeing key initiatives such as the rural civic health initiative, civil discourse efforts, Capitol Experience Days, and Collective Impact Lincoln. Lily is dedicated to sustaining and growing these programs to strengthen civic health across Nebraska.

Club 14 will be hosting a delegation from the Uzbekistan Parliament Oct. 10-17th. This is a professional exchange bringing emerging leaders from Eurasia to the United States. It emphasizes immersive cultural engagement and authentic dialogue. Its core mission is to foster mutual understanding and democratic values by exposing delegates to the American legislative system—at federal, state, and local levels—and the principles of participatory democracy and civic engagement.

The delegation will act as a panel of speakers at our Oct. 14th regular meeting. 

Club 14's Global Engagement Committee will help find homestay hosts, transportation, and a warm receiption for our visitors. 

Join our delegation from Uzbekistan in a panel discussion with Nebraska State Senators. 

The delegation will take part in a panel discussion with Senators Tom Brandt, George Dungan and Jana Hughes, bringing perspectives from agriculture, environmental law, education, and business. Senator Brandt, a farmer and Chair of the Natural Resources Committee, is leading an interim study on the cost impacts of renewable energy goals for Nebraska’s public power system. Senator Dungan has proposed a constitutional “Green Amendment” to guarantee the right to a clean and healthy environment. Senator Hughes draws on her engineering and education background to inform her legislative work on workforce and economic development. Together, their diverse perspectives will give the delegation a broad view of how Nebraska legislators address key themes of economic development, environmental protection, and community priorities.

Jennifer Williams, a fellow Rotary Club #14 member, will serve as the moderator for the delegation’s panel discussion. She brings extensive public service experience as a Lancaster County Commissioner and most recently as Chief of Staff for the Mayor of Lincoln. She now works as a lobbyist, giving her unique perspective on the intersection of government, community leadership, and policy advocacy—making her an ideal guide for this conversation.

Rotary Club #14 Community Reception for our visitors from Uzbekistan

Immediately following the panel discussion, Rotary Club #14 will host a reception for the delegation. 

It is an excellent opportunity to speak with our Uzbeki visitors and the NE State Senators from the panel. This is taking the place of our normal Wine Down Wednesday event for October. 

There will be appetizers and a cash bar. 

Please come and help make our visitors feel welcome! 

*Hosted by Rotary 14 Fellowship Committee*

Schedule of Stops
11:00am - Nebraska History Museum ($5)
12:00pm - Lunch at Bison Witches Bar & Deli
1:30pm - Great Plains Art Museum (FREE)
2:00pm - Sheldon Museum of Art (FREE)
3:00pm - University of Nebraska State Museum - Morrill Hall ($13)

Additional Information
- Join at any stop, only pay for what you do. 
- Total walking time between all venues is about 20 minutes
- Enjoy fellowship while supporting Lincoln's cultural gems. 
- Guests and family welcome! 
- RSVP or Questions, email Jena Lambert, Event Chair.

Rhonda Mattingly is a seasoned nonprofit leader with nearly 45 years of executive management experience and more than 18 years specializing in nonprofit development and grant writing. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Bridges to Hope, a Lincoln-based nonprofit organization that supports individuals transitioning from incarceration—a position she has held since 2015. She is also the founder of Bud’s Thrift Shoppe and Hope Village, both established to address unmet needs within the community.

A native of Norfolk, Nebraska, Rhonda earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Wayne State College. Her early professional background includes service as a Child Protection and Safety worker for the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and as Executive Director of a Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault organization in Norfolk. Rhonda also held the role of Director of Operations for the Bureau of Sociological Research at the
University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she led a federally funded longitudinal study examining how the loss of language and cultural identity impacts substance use and violence on Native American reservations. She later served as Budget/Business Coordinator for the University’s College of Education and Health Sciences before returning to her passion for direct service and nonprofit leadership.

She is actively engaged in local and statewide collaborative efforts, including serving as a member of the Realtors Association of Lincoln Housing Committee, Give Nebraska, the Homeless Coalition, the Reentry Alliance of Nebraska, and the Clinton Neighborhood Organization. She is also a current member and past president of Cause Collective, a nonprofit network supporting human service organizations in Nebraska.

Outside of her professional work, Rhonda enjoys outdoor walks, golfing, and exploring Nebraska with her husband of 17 years, Dave, and their two Morkies. She is the proud mother of five children and grandmother to six.

Click here to sign up to volunteer.

• Meet at Van Dorn Park – Access the park from S. 10^th and High Streets; park is at the northwest corner of this intersection. From S. 10^th, turn west onto High Street and take the first right to drive north to the parking lot. We’ll meet in the parking lot.
• Ride – We’ll ride on limestone and concrete trails and some bike-friendly city streets; approximate 15-mile loop. Depending on the group, the ride will take about 60-90 minutes.
• Fellowship – After our ride, we’ll gather for a beverage.
• Donation – We are suggesting a donation of $30 per person, but all amounts, big or small, are welcome! The money raised will benefit Rotary International’s Polio eradication efforts and will be part of our club’s commitment to raise $7,000 this year for polio. Please bring a check to the event (or pass it to Landon at a club meeting) made payable to The Rotary Foundation (please note it’s for Polio), or cash (ideally in an envelope with your name on it).

Questions? Reach out to Landon Bartel or Pat Birch.

Click here to sign up to volunteer.