Author: scohen

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The Salvation Army’s Ring the Town Red Campaign

2015: Vince reported back that we raised $690.14 ringing bells this year.

2016: Our Bell Ringing efforts raised $1,715.90. Awesome effort!

Dear Vince,

 

Thank you for your support of The Salvation Army’s Ring the Town Red Campaign which is part of the total Tree of Lights Campaign for Omaha.  You may have already heard that, through the generosity of our community, The Salvation Army in Omaha exceeded its $2.5 million Tree of Lights goal.  More than $150,000 was also raised in Council Bluffs.
 
We could not reach our fundraising goal without volunteer bell ringers, like the Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha, who graciously give of their time.  100% of every dollar you helped collect goes directly to our Human Needs Fund.  The fund supports year round social service programs including: housing, food, youth development, behavioral health, older adult services, material assistance and anti-human trafficking.   For more information on any of these programs visit www.salarmyomaha.org.  
 
Your group efforts assisted in raising $ 1715.9 during your 24 hours of volunteerism.  Thank you again for your gift of time during the 2016 Tree of Lights Campaign!
 
Ramona D. Arthur
Divisional Director of Volunteer Services
The Salvation Army Western Division



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Update Your Calendars!

Due to bad ice, Monday’s meeting was cancelled. We hope all got the word – emails went out – but general policy is – if school is cancelled, the meeting is cancelled.

  • Next Monday, 1/23, is a FIELD TRIP to Security National Bank on 35 and Farnam. Car pool is available if you check in with Rod. Free parking to the north side of the bank. 

  • Saturday, 1/28, Chinese New Year RSVP’s are due to Bill. If you haven’t done so, please let Bill know! 

  • Dale may need readers for Friday. Please check with Dale if you can read!
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Speaker: Seventy Five North

Othello Meadows is the manager of Seventy Five North.

Goal is to revitalize Pleasant View homes projects. This property is adjacent to Prospect Hill cemetery in north Omaha and the Charles Drew Center.
HUD cleared a large 40 acre site and was looking for an urban redevelopment project when they partnered with Seventy Five North. 
Seventy Five North is designed to be a mix use development. Homes, apartments, townhomes that will serve families with children that will attend Howard Kennedy elementary. The children population is a high free lunch program population and 26% are refugee students, 14% are handicapped.  
In 2011, Seventy Five North partnered with Purpose Built out of Atlanta. They purchased the land in 2014. In April 2015 got OPS to change the learning plan in Howard Kennedy. Includes a hands on learning curriculum and other learning initiates. 
Purpose Built plan includes mixed development housing. Cradle-to -College plan. Community Wellness.  
First apartments are scheduled to open in March. Followed by town homes and inter-generational row houses. There will be an incubator with offices, learning classrooms for adult and children, and a fish waste green house garden managed by Whispering Roots. 
Thanks Othello for the information presented to our Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha. 
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January Speaker


Jan 9th , Highlander Development: Othello Meadows, CEO 75 North
Jan 16 , Banister’s Leadership Academy: Akile Banister
Jan 23, Blackstone District Redevelopment: Matt Dwyer, Greenslate Development and Tom McCleay, Clarity Development:                           
Jan 30th, OPPD Power Station  redevelopment & Creighton Hospital redevelopment:
 Greg Rothermel, NuStyle Development and Martin Kluck, Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture
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Kiwanis In The News!

Strictly Business published:

Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha Donates $3,000 to Sacred Heart Elementary School

The Kiwanis Club of Great Omaha (KCOGO.com) awarded their sponsored 2nd grade class at Sacred Heart Elementary School a total of $3,000 at a holiday luncheon on Dec. 12. Students and school representatives attended this event, which was hosted by the Kiwanis Club at the German-American Society.

Members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha have raised $2,000 through various fundraising events and regular donations to benefit technology in the classroom. The group was awarded an additional $1,000 grant from the Nebraska and Iowan District Kiwanis Foundation that will go towards their Sacred Heart 2nd Grade Reading Project. These gifts will bring resources like tablets to the classroom and fund programs that teach students to use technology to its full potential.

Representatives from the school were presented the grants at the party and students were on hand to enjoy a special lunch, craft projects and special treats from the Kiwanis Club.
Kiwanis International is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha meetings are held on Mondays at noon at the German American Society. Visit KCOGO.com for more information

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2 Week Holiday Break


For all the holidays you celebrate, enjoy your time with family and friends.

No Monday meetings on 12/26 and 1/2. 

See you in the New Year, 

Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha

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Kiwanis Club Welcomes New Member

We want to give a warm Kiwanis welcome to our newest member, Dan!

Dan was formally installed at our last meeting but we have already put him to work at various volunteer projects including reading at Sacred Heart.

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RSVP: Chinese New Year

Kiwanis Chinese New Year

Saturday, January 28

5 – 8

Mike and Yan Knauss 
7222 N 125 St
(Deer Creek)
$15 per person
Please RSVP to BILL or MIKE by January 9. 

About the Chinese New Year 2017

 The Year of the Rooster will be a powerful one, with no middle of the road when it comes to
moving forward. This year, impressions count. You’ll want to look your best and be clear on your intentions concerning love, money, and business. Stick to practical and well-proven paths to ensure success, rather than risky ventures.

New Year, or the “Spring Festival” as it is known in China, is the longest and most important holiday in China. The Chinese New Year 2017 begins on January 28, 2017. The Chinese New Year’s festivities end two weeks later on the 15th day of the first month on what is known as the Lantern Festival.

During the Chinese New Year’s celebrations, there are many traditional activities, some local and others celebrated universally. The Chinese believe that as they enter a new year, they should start a new beginning. They clean their houses, pay off all of their debts, purchase new clothes, paint their doors, and even get new haircuts in order to have a fresh start for the new year.
Homes throughout China are decorated with special banners, many of which are red and gold; the traditional representations of happiness and prosperity.
One very fun tradition of the Chinese New Year is exchanging gifts. A traditional present that is given is small red envelopes filled with “lucky money”. These envelopes are given to children by their family and friends.
The dragon is a very popular symbol for the Chinese New Year. It is a symbol of strength and good luck. A Chinese New Year 2017 celebration would not be complete without a giant dragon parading down the street. The dragon costume is always very colorful and can be up to 100 feet long. People inside the costume make the dragon move up and down as it zigzags past the spectators.
During the Chinese New Year 2017 you will see fireworks and hear firecrackers! There are many beliefs about why fireworks are used. One belief is that the noise of the fireworks is supposed to scare away all evil spirits allowing the new year to begin without misfortunes.
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Speaker: Don Bacon Campaign

Deputy Campaign manager for Don Bacon to win election is our speaker, Colonel (Retired)
Ben “Felix” Ungerman

Don’s campaign had over 150 high school and college kids making calls and knocking on doors. Unprecedented. An amazing amount of energy. 
Don wants to work on deregulation.  The huge debt. Working for our communities. And simplifying the tax code. Part of this initiative is a balanced budget, Obamacare repeal/replace and entitlement reforms. 
Beating an incumbent is about 5% successful. Don went to ever event, got signs in yards and a heavy ground game. 
Don will be active in the community. Returning home for 2-3 days a week to engage in activities in Omaha and around Nebraska. 
Thank you Felix and congratulations. 
Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha 

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Holiday Meeting

New invocation list for 2017 is being designed by Bill. 

January 28. Mike and his lovely wife is again hosting Chinese New Year! Mark your calendar. More details forthcoming.  
Sacred Heart holiday lunch was last week. Reading resuming January 6. See Dale to sign up. 
Dan is our newest member. Welcome and thank you for jumping into service projects. 
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Holiday Party

With 17 energy filled children from Sacred Heart, lunch was great fun. Singing carols, talking about upcoming Christmas presents, and what they are reading in school, the kids kept the adults well entertained.

John also presented a check for $3,000 total from the Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha and the Nebraska-Iowa District Kiwanis Foundation for the Sacred Heart technology fund. This will purchase a number of iPads and headsets for the second grade.

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NE-IA Distric Kiwanis Foundation Awards $1,000 to Sacred Heart

Congratulations to our partner, Sacred Heart, in receiving an additional $1,000 for additional technology resources in the 2nd grade classroom. Earlier this year, the Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha donated $2,000 toward the purchase of computer tablets for the second grade class.

Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha submitted a grant proposal to the NE IA District Kiwanis Foundation and just received word of the award.

There will be 17 children for lunch at the German American Society on Monday, 12/12. Please plan on attending.

We look forward to our reading time so the kids can teach the Kiwanians how to use their new computer equipment.

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Kiwanis Out Ringing Bells

Last Saturday, Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha was at two locations ringing bells for the Salvation Army. Pictured below are Deb, Joe, Sally, John and Jack at Baker’s in west Omaha.
Thanks to all who participated and to the spouses that also contributed an hour of their time to our community. 
Vince

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Speaker: Douglas County Election Commissioner

Brian Kruse is the Douglas County Election Commissioner. This is a 4 year appointed position by the Governor of Nebraska.

The office is on 114 and Davenport.  There are 13 full time employees.  The chief deputy is mandated to be from an opposite party. 
This year the registration increased to over 350,000.  Registration is now available online. And this year was a record year. 
There was 69.8% turn out this last presidential election. Two other issues drove people to vote this year, according to Brian, beside presidential – the death penalty and the congregational race. 
In comparison, usually 28% of registered voters turn out for mayor election in May. 
Poll workers can be drafted in Nebraska.  This is unique to this state. Douglas county is the only county to use this method. 40% of poll workers are draftees.  A draftee has to work 4 elections. This process works similar to jury duty.  Poll draftees can seek exemption. Poll draftees get paid minimum wage. Employers are not allowed to penalize or otherwise interfere with draftees employment.
Thank you Brian for all the information. Kiwanis members can contact Brian for more information.