Click here to register for April 4 Rotary After Hours with T. Marni Vos.
Voted “Artist of the Year” in Nebraska, this award-winning speaker, former stand-up comedian, and educator now perform keynote speeches from New York to L.A. and every state in between. She has presented her inspiring, motivating and hilarious keynotes to over 10,000 people, in 46 states and Canada. She is a Master Speaker with a wealth of knowledge who is rich in experience and abundant in humor.
“I believe laughter is one of the graces granted to us all. It is a powerful tool that we were given the moment we took our first breath—because we would need it all our days.”—T. Marni Vos
T. Marni Vos became one of only seven women in 20 years to be one of the 5 finalists in the prestigious San Francisco International Standup Comedy Competition, where over 400 comics compete each year. She has performed on Life Time’s “Girls Night Out” as well as the Norwegian Cruise Lines.
Pre-registration for this event is required. Please register by visiting https://bit.ly/LNK14RotaryAfterHours. Tickets are $16 and include heavy hors d'oeuvres plus tea, coffee and water. A cash bar will also be available. This event will take place at Lazlo's Brewery & Grill in the Historic Haymarket.
She has been a proud Lincolnite since the summer of 1989 when she moved here from western Nebraska after she graduated high school. (McCook born and raised GO BISON!).
She has a college degree that really has nothing to do with her profession.
A proud single parent of a son now 24. Lincoln had so much to offer them! The variety of culinary experiences, many different parks and trails, lakes, museums, libraries, live music, and theatres. Always something different to explore and that they felt safe in.
Shannon Hanke with President John Gessert and her sponsor Secretary Chris Whitney
Ryan has been Director of Lincoln City Libraries since December 2022, having arrived from Michigan where he served as a library director in west Michigan for over 20 years. His passion is introducing—or in some cases reintroducing—today’s public library to residents and demonstrating the value and transformative nature it has for communities. He has been a Rotarian since 2001, most recently as a member of the Kalamazoo (MI) Rotary Club in District 6360. He is married to Molly and they have three grown kids scattered across the country: Ben, Sophie, and Matthew—and a fourth “adopted” son, Nasrullah, who attends Western Michigan University.
New Members Molly Wieber and Ryan Wieber with President John Gessert and their sponsor Gail McNair
Molly was born and raised in Michigan and moved to Lincoln in late November, 2022 with her husband Ryan. Her career has been spent almost entirely in the non-profit sector. Though her credentials are in Early Childhood Education, where she spent many years as an administrator in the public school environment, her passion for community development resulted in several years of community and economic development work in the small town of Otsego in southwest Michigan. In 2015 she was lured away by non-profit organization focused on the mission of global diplomacy. Since then, Molly has served as the Managing Director at FLAG, International (Foreign Links Around the Globe). FLAG is a Department of State designated sponsor of J1 Cultural exchange visitors. Molly is responsible for the placement and support of 450 international high school students each year, who are placed with volunteer host families across the United States. In addition to sharing this wonderful experience with families and communities in the US, she has the privilege of visiting many of FLAG’s partnering countries each year- a perk that she thoroughly enjoys.
Since 1988, Rotary #14 has been honoring Nebraskans, who have distinguished themselves through service to others in keeping with ideals of Rotary International. These Nebraskans have shown honesty, integrity, and concern for others through leadership and significant contributions to their profession and their communities. This award is open to ALL Nebraskans except elected officials, currently in office. Nominees do NOT have to be a Rotarian.
The goal each year is to select one honoree from a statewide field based on the following criteria:
Honesty, integrity and concern for others;
Service in charitable and civic causes and;
Leadership and significant accomplishments in his/her profession or volunteer activities.
The 2023 Nebraskan of the Year celebration will occur on April 25, 2023, from 12:00-1:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, 333 S 13th St.
Please submit your Nebraskan of the Year nominations to Chair Brendan Evans at bevans@leadershiplincoln.org.
Rotary Club 14 members are AMAZING!! Just in the past few months our Club launched a new campaign, 5/25, in recognition of the Foundation’s 25th anniversary. The single purpose for that new effort is to build the Rotary 14 Foundation’s endowment to $5M thereby ensuring ongoing support for projects both in our local community and worldwide. Nearly 30% of the Rotary 14 Club members have already pledged a new gift of $2500 to the Rotary 14 Foundation. That means there will be funding for scholarships, the Little Free Pantry Project and Gathering Place assistance as well as support for Rotary Youth Exchange, TeamMates and Youth Service Grants. Club 14 envisions more signature projects in the Lincoln community like the Rotary dome in the Sunken Gardens and the Teacher’s Fountain.
And, that’s not all! A recent report indicates nearly 45% of our Club members are Paul Harris Fellows. That recognition acknowledges members who have made contributions in their name to The Rotary Foundation. This garners more support for projects around the globe!
Rotarian Laurie Fraser gives wings to our potential when she says, “What I can do on my own is limited, but what I can do with everyone pulling is so much greater.”
Purple pinkies at the recently concluded Rotary District Conference indicate support for polio eradication. Pictured here are Rotarians at the district conference Deb Uttecht, Jay Wexler, and Area Governor Christina Usher.
Polio is a debilitating and life-threatening disease. A virus that can affect the brain and spinal cord, polio can cause paralysis or even death. Polio eradication is the signature project of Rotary International that all 46,000 Rotary Clubs worldwide actively support through much-needed donations and participation in national immunization in countries where polio is still present. Rotarians have been in the forefront and the world leaders in polio eradication since 1985. We are now on our final inch to eradicating polio from the face of the earth. As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we've helped to reduce polio cases by more than 99.9 percent.
Our efforts to support Habitat for Humanity continue this spring! With the support of a grant from Rotary District 5650, we have the opportunity to plant trees at two new Habitat homes in Lincoln on April 8th. We need 5 volunteers at each location to complete the plantings that morning. Click this link: https://rotary14.org/event/rotary-tree-planting-at-habitat-houses/ to sign up to help plant trees on West Saunders or Morton Street. Further detail and directions will be provided closer to the planting date. For questions, please contact Jennifer Williams: jennifer.j.williams.ne@gmail.com
The Rotary Foundation (International Foundation) has consistently received 4 stars out of 4 Star Rating by Charity Navigator. So you can donate with absolute confidence! Click here to donate online to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) of Rotary International (RI). Our goal this year for both the Annual Fund and PolioPlus is $32,000. So far, we have met $14,524. We still need to raise $17,476.00. We need your help. Your donation comes back to us in three years in the form of Global and District grants to spend on our projects. Thank you to those who have donated so far this year. The following are our YTD 2022-2023 Rotary International Foundation Donors as of January 8, 2023.
Here's the unedited live capture video of President John Gessert's rendition of Come Together Right Now, Rotary! The performance earned President John Gessert and his Rotary band a standing ovation from fellow Rotarians.
Club Information
Connect with Rotary 14
Rotary 14 is the place to be.
Tuesdays at 12:00 PM
Talon Room
230 N 12th Street, Suite 1
Lincoln, NE 68508 United States of America
The Rotary Club of Lincoln is meeting in a hybrid format. Join us at the Talon Room or on Zoom using the following information:
To join the meeting virtually, use this link: https://bit.ly/3YosV2W
Meeting ID: 849 7976 2224
Password: 661910