Category: omaha kiwanis

Posted on

Speaker: Taylor Wilson, Nebraska Medicine

 Taylor Wilson (Nebraska Medicine) speaking at the Kiwanis luncheon on December 22. 

Taylor Wilson is the Media Relations Coordinator for the Nebraska Medical Center, now also known as Nebraska Medicine.  His presentation focused on how the Center prepared and managed the bio-containment suite for treating Ebola this year.  He applauded the medical staff both for the way they handled their respective duties for treating patients and how they conducted themselves with the media.  Taylor mentioned the enormous coverage the Medical Center received worldwide; that this “free” publicity had and will continue to provide focus on the facilities and staff at the Center.  He especially credited Kate Snow of NBC news for her in-depth reporting.  He said he was in constant communication with local, national and international media as frequent updates became the norm.  
Posted on

Speaker: Santa Monica House

Heather from the Santa Monica House spoke to our Kiwanis Club about the 42 year program serving women in our community. 

The Santa Monica House is a Halfway house serving women that are coming out of drug and alcohol dependence. 
They are raising funds to buy another facility to grow the program. 

Thank you Heather for all the information about the Santa Monica House program. 
Posted on

Speaker: Voices For Children

Carolyn is the Executive director of Voices For Children.

Safety is critical.  Judicial advocates is part of safety.   Voices For Children does extensive data research and provides information to the State Legislature and other agencies.

They research of what is helping and harmful to children in the legislature.  They also write laws if an issue is not addressed.

They work with Health and Human Services,  Judiciary, and Appropriation committees.

Research is ongoing about the immigration influx of children.

Their voices matter.

Thanks Carolyn for the exceptional information!

Posted on

Speaker: David Brown, Greater Omaha Chamber

Prosper Omaha

Putting money behind reaching out to business to locate in Omaha. GO! raised over $20 million to spend $5 million on economic development.  Goal was 50  new projects, with 25 being new companies to Omaha. 203 to 2013 462

20 years later. .. the Chamber retooled the process and became Prosper Omaha. 
Goals for Prosper Omaha:
Regional development of 6 counties.
Brand and image. 
Business climate. 
Talent development.

Thanks David for the update!

Posted on

Adopt A Highway

State of Nebraska,  Department of Roads has over 900 clean up areas including ours. We have been cleaning our area since 1998. Over 1,770 miles of highway are cleaned up across Nebraska.

Denise and Natalie described how Adopt a Highway started talking in Tyler Texas with one man asking his boss and service club to pick up litter.

The Department of Roads thanks Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha for our clean up efforts.

Posted on

July Speaker Schedule

Hey gang, just a quick reminder about our upcoming speaker programs for the next 2 weeks. 
July 21st – Anyone that’s ever done Highway Cleanup will not want to miss this meeting.  Denise Wallman, State AAH Coordinator and Natalie Clark from our District 2 Headquarters are scheduled.   
July 28th – David Brown, President of the Chamber of Commerce will be with us… come & find out about all the cool things they are working on. Maybe some political incite about some of the local hot issues too!

Thanks for strong attendance in July! 
Joe Grier
Posted on

Your Kiwanis Club Giving Back

Your Kiwanis Board votes for a $100 donation to thank one our speakers every month. 

Here are the two groups we recently honored: 
Open Door Mission
Child Savings Institute
Posted on

The Open Door Mission

Mimi from The Open Door Mission informed us about the new programs for 2014.


Mimi explained the faith based mission and how they help not only homeless but working poor with outreach, food and a thrift store. 

Thank you for sharing the mission! 
Posted on

Omaha Chamber of Commerce

Andy is part of the economic development team. Growing the entire area, not just Omaha.

The partnership includes having offices in downtown.

Andy works with business from all around the country looking at this area to locate.

Prosper Omaha is the current fundraising campaign. $23 million is the target. Retention, expanding,  enterpruership, and moving.   Target are agricultural,  military,  financial,  and more to be added.

Andy works finding local incentives to match up with the needs of that company.

Our business climate needs an industrial park. Need to focus on redevelopment of Eastern Omaha. Brand management. And legislation. 

Talent development is important. Attraction and retention.

Thanks Andy for the update on new business development in Omaha.

Posted on

What’s happening

Shawn has a new baby. William Donald.

Meet our new member, Allie. She is  as of July 1.

Bring your print cartridges for recycling.

Dues statements are out.  Pay Don Kluthe. 

Officers to be installed this summer.  Stay tuned for details.

Posted on

Alegent: Tanzania Project

Sally Carlson is in charge of the pastoral program for Alegent Creighton. She recently went to Tanzania for the ACH Tanzania Initiative.

Her mission was to find how the projects are doing now and to determine other mission sites. 

They partnered with one hospital and are looking for ways to improve. Over 11 years, there is a orthopaedic area, nursing school and dipensery. Equipment that has been decommissioned from ACH has been shipped over to provide XRAY’s, beds, medicine,  etc.

The nursing school has 300 enrollment.  Both men and women are allowed in the dorms – which is unusual in the other schools in Africa.  It costs about $1,500 per year. Which is about one year salary. About 92% passed the nursing exam the first class through the school.

There is a trip a year to Tanzania.  It costs about $5000 and a small group of 7-12.

Thanks Sally for all the information.

Posted on

Research that shaped the future of health care

Dr. Sara Myers  from UNO Biomechanics Research department.

This department studies various areas including Robotics, neuromuscular, and performance on athletes and patients with muscular disorders.

They use virtual reality, lab studies,  modeling.

Grants are the major source of funding.  

But what we research?

Robotic Microscopy Surgery.
Tools for minimum access surgery.  Including certified training that trains doctors to perform better – and then converted to virtual reality.  This changes the cost for training and raises the abilities of the surgeon.

Posture.
Improve the development of infants in sitting up.

Our virtual environment.
On the treadmill the VI gives the patient the ability to adjust to a changing environment.

This helps stroke patients,  for example, walk better after losing left side use.

Study Volunteers needed!  Testing waking devices and other studies.

Thank you Dr.Myers for the interesting information.

Posted on

June Speaker Schedule

Kiwanis Club of Greater Omaha

June 9  –  Sara Meyers – UNO

June 16 –  Luke Busskohl  – Arrow Stage Lines
June 23 –  Sally Carlson

June 30  –  TBD 

Posted on

Speaker: Curt Tomasevicz, Gold Medalist

Olympic Bobsledder Curt Tomasevicz is a Bronze Medalist 4 man bobsled from 2014 Sochi and a Gold Medalist from 2010 Vancouver. 


The town of Shelby is home. The 690 people raised $25000 for Curt for his first 2005 training to go to the 2006 Olympics. 

In 2010 Curt and his driver were on the USA Team 1 for 4 man and on the 2 man team as well. They place 13 in the 2 man but added steps to the push. This gave them the confidence going into the 4 man to get the gold. 

In Sochi, Curt and his team had a perfect second run to capture the bronze. 

Curt’s first bobsled trip was as scary and thrilling as his last in his 10 year career. 
In Curt’s time at UNL he spent most his football time on the scout team. He learned to be competive and face his fears when facing other athletes, like Kyle Vandenbosh. 

Thanks Curt for the inspirations! 

Posted on

Speaker: Project Harmony

From Project Harmony, Nick, spoke to us today.  

Project Harmony is located at 120 and Q. They are a child advocacy agency. 

Children will reach out to teachers, nurses and councilor, in that order. 
Project Harmony works with children right after the disclosure of abuse. They help the child with reporting, ending the abuse, CPS and the court process. Helping the child understand what is happening to them. 
48% are under age 6. 
Thank you Nick for all the valuable information.