.png)
Ann Meyer provided a major article for the Opinion Page of the Tuesday "Messenger" as she outlined upcoming activities of the Iowa Legislature in regard to Mental Health and Daycare. Both topics are on the "front burner" of the session and both can have far reaching effect for the Fort Dodge area.
Welcome to the Fort Dodge Noon Rotary
Service Above Self
We meet In Person
Mondays at 11:45 AM
Pizza Ranch
3311 5th Avenue South
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
United States of America
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
United States of America
President
Secretary
Treasurer
Rotary Foundation
Board Member to June 31 2023
Child Protection Officer
Board Member to June 31 2023
Treasurer Assistant
Board Member to June 31 2022
Board Member to June 31 2024
Immediate Past President
Rotary Club of Fort Dodge
Teresa Naughton, President
David, a foreign exchange student from the Czech Republic introduced Rotary to a very interesting taste of his native country. David is spending one year in fort Dodge through the FLEX program (Future Leaders Exchange program of the U.S. State Department. While in Fort Dodge he is staying with Pastor Hill and his wife of the First Presbyterian Church. Some highlights:
- Czech Republic is a small country approximately one-half the size of Iowa, but with 10.7 million people. In 1993 Czechoslovakia split between Slovakia and the Czech. Republic after the downfall of Communism in Easter Europe. They consider themselves as part of Europe rather than the area more associated with Russia. 1989 is a very important holiday for the country as it commemorates the Velvet Revolution which gained independence from the Russian Yoke.
- Primary crops are grains and Canola (used for cooking and other use oils).
- Major industries are Hyundai, Skoda (Volkswagen) Pilsner and Budweiser Beer. Kolache pastries are also a delicacy.
- The average citizen of the country drinks 49.7 gallons of beer per year.
- Olomouc, the home town of David has 100,000 people. The capital of Prague is a most beautiful city of 1.3 million.
Todd is new to Fort Dodge, arriving in 2009 as an instructor of Language Arts at ICCC. In 2018 he moved to CFR where he worked in several recovery programs for two years. In 2021 he began working for CJ Bio America as a Public Relations Specialist that will integrate various community development programs into the community's needs. He and wife Tricia have 5 kids aged 28-8.
Mary is a Fort Dodge native that worked through to a recent retirement from the Fort Dodge Community Schools as a counselor for Adult and Student Barriers. She earned her first dollar helping in the family milk store where she sold milk and ice cream. Welcome Mary to the Fort Dodge Rotary Club.
Kudos to many Rotarians providing service to their community as documented in the latest "Fort Dodge Business Connection" in the Fort Dodge "Messenger."
1. Janet Hubbell appeared on Page 7 in an advertisement for Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services. Janet has been instrumental in the company's "Time for Angels" grievance series;
2. Cameron Nelson appeared on Page 13 with an article outlining his beginning service on the Fort Dodge City Council;
3. A major article on Spin Market + Digital appeared beginning on page 22. Although not pictured, owner Cheryl O'Hern was mentioned multiple times;
4. Randy Kuhlman provided the monthly update for the Fort Dodge Community Foundation;/United Way.
5, Dr, Jesse Ulrich provided a multi page update on Iowa Central Community College beginning on page 26;
6. Although not identified,, multiple Rotarians appeared in a few Ribbon Cutting ceremonies in the later pages of the document.
Rotarian Teresa Naughton was captured twice in the Wednesday "Messenger" as she visited with the new Director of the Fort Dodge Fort during his welcome to Fort Dodge event. Thank you Teresa for being active in the community.
Monday's guest speaker was B.J. Stokesbary of ATI Group, the developers of the former Crossroads Mall into the new Corridor Plaza. There has been much activity on the site with a large portion of the old structure removed and new construction underway. Mr. Stokesbary outlined in an excellent narrative the future goals of the developer and what will become a major shopping center for Northwest Iowa. Some major points of discussion concerning the state of Malls:
- Malls were driven by the Big Box stores and small stores that located adjacent to them in Malls drew their business from traffic between the Big Box anchors. With the changing of shopping patterns to on-line and the financial demise of Big Box retail this format is no longer viable;
- Small stores have leases which permit them to exit the lease if the Big Box stores of the Mall cease to exist. Unfortunately, without the large traffic patterns many small stores can no longer survive financially with the reduced traffic;
- Consumers are shifting to a "park and walk in" model of shopping;
- To survive in the new retail market small shops desire to set their own hours, maintain their own utilities, not pay for large public spaces, establish entrance and exit routes, etc.;
ATI Group has established a 12 to 24 month schedule for redevelopment process:
- The company is in active discussions with 8-10 clients for locations;
- Several outlots have been sold/leased and construction will start shortly;
- A new four store strip mall will be under construction as soon as weather permits. Two of the sites have been leased.
- Approximately one-half of the former Younkers Corridor will be redeveloped to permit cheaper construction costs that will be appealing to small client stores;
- Once discussions are underway, the company must secure a Letter of Intent, than negotiate a lease, and then announce.
- To complete its tasks ATI encountered the following Hurdles:
- COVID
- Inflation making long-term leases most difficult;
- Supply chain issues that require redesign of some areas when pre-design materials are no longer available;
- Delivery delays;
- Consumer shift to smaller bricks/mortar buildings and on-line purchases.
Ann Meyer appeared on the front page of the Monday "Messenger" announcing that she has introduced four bills into the Iowa Legislature that would improve care for Mentally Ill Patients in Iowa. We look forward to Ann providing information as these bills move through the system.
January 24th - John Garton
January 31st - Hans Nielsen
February 7th - John Daniel
February 14th - Mel Schroeder
February 21st - Mary Ludwig
February 28th - Teresa Naughton/Steve Hoesel
Minutes and/or Financial Reports for the 2020-2021 Rotary Year have been posted to the members only section of the Website (Found under Folder Organization and then Subfolder Documents) and are available for viewing by accessing the Members Only Section. Please contact Steve if you need to refresh your password.
The latest addition:
- Minutes for the January 17th 2022 Meeting of the Board of Directors
- Financial Reports for Month Ending December 31st 2021
- Proposed Budget for Rotary Year July 1, 2021 to June 30 2022)
The following are identified as the key person each month that will schedule club meetings for that month. Please contact the appropriate person to ask for a program to be scheduled.
July - Cameron Nelson
August - Cheryl O'Hern
September - Derrick Joel
October - Jim Knight
November - Jim Knight
December - Casey Johnson
January - David Fierke
February - Kraig Barber
March - Randy Kuhlman
April - Elizabeth Stanek
May - Teresa Naughton
June - Cameron Nelson
.jpg?_=637787340875243625)
Rotary is a service organization comprised of community leaders of various professions dedicated to humanitarian causes locally and throughout the world. The club budgets funds annually for a variety of local causes that may be made available for requests made throughout the year for which the Board of Directors may want to support. To make application for funds, complete the application online by clicking HERE.
Fort Dodge Noon Rotary Club Grant Guidelines
Mission: Rotary is a service organization comprised of community leaders of various professions dedicated to humanitarian causes locally and throughout the world. Simply put, Rotary is an organization that is out to do "good" in the world.
Vision: It is incumbent upon the Fort Dodge Noon Rotary Club and its Board of Directors to be good stewards of available resources. The club budgets dollars annually. The budget may fund identified programs. The club also has a small “Special Fund” available for requests made throughout the year for unbudgeted causes, which the club and Board may want to support.
Eligibility for the Special Fund: Grants must have the support of one or more members of the Fort Dodge Noon Rotary Club. Funds are granted in support of humanitarian causes. Causes may relate to youth, poverty prevention/intervention, community betterment, health care, human services, and more. There are many, many good causes. There are also limited dollars. Grant awards will not exceed the dollars available in the special fund. Preference may be given to one-time projects or to programs that are deemed to have sustainability. For example, grants may be given to a building projects to provide some seed money to start an educational program that the schools will fund in the long term. Collaboration with other funding sources is encouraged.
Process: A Fort Dodge Noon Rotary Grant Application must be completed for consideration utilizing the on-line application form.
- Once received, the Club President will present the Grant Application to the Board at the next regular Board meeting. The President will also communicate the balance of the Special Fund.
- The Board will consider the Grant Application and vote on the request, deciding one of three outcomes:
- The request will be fully funded
- The request will be partially funded
- The request will not be funded.
- The Club President will communicate the decision with the grant requestor.
- If dollars are to be awarded, the Grant Application, with approval note, will be given to the Club Treasurer to pay and the treasurer will cut a check.
.jpg?_=637787340875244041)
Your Rotary Club provides an easy way for you to contribute to the Rotary Foundation, the major financial arm of Rotary that does Polio Plus and Foundation Grants. The program permits you to ask the Treasurer to add an amount each quarter to your quarterly dues statement as a contribution to the R.I. Foundation. The Treasurer then collects these amounts and writes a joint check to the Foundation for all funds contributed by members. If you are interested please complete the following form and provide to Treasurer John Nielsen.
