Recap from the Sept. 28, 2026, meeting.
Thought of the Day: Megan Francis – A Message About Gratitude
Challenge for the week: Notice one small thing you’re grateful for each day, and when that gratitude involves another person, tell them.
New Member: Today was the first reading for prospective member Heidi Fields from CBI.
Happy News/Announcements: All Happy News donations support Rotary scholarships.
- Greg Slonka – Exciting Hawkeye win over Michigan.
- Carlin Lawhead – Karma to Michigan! Loved the exciting Hawkeye win. Carlin also announced Addy Winger as the new associate at Lawhead Dental. Addy’s husband works at KENT Worldwide, and it is especially meaningful to have Addy on board because Carlin mentored her during school.
- Mike Wedell – Monarch season has officially come to an end. Mike and his wife tagged over 600 monarchs this season. He can’t wait to follow up on the butterfly migration.
- Megan Francis – A winning weekend for all her sports teams: KC Current 4-1, USMNT 4-1, Hawkeyes 20-19, San Jose Earthquakes 3-1, and 49ers 36-30.
Voluntell: Volunteer Hours & Opportunities
Volunteer Hours Reported:
- Last week’s in-meeting service project – 12.5 hours total: .5 hour for each member who donated and helped package diapers.
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities:
- Mike Ruby – The Jesus Mission needs sleeping bags. If you have gently used sleeping bags to donate, please bring them to the October 5 Rotary meeting.
- Highway Cleanup – Mark your calendar for the morning of October 9.
- Native Prairie Seed Collection – Mark your calendar for Friday, October 16, from 1-4 p.m. Registration will be available soon. Plan to wear closed-toed shoes, long sleeves and pants, and bring bug spray.
- Ongoing opportunities with The Bridge, Junior Achievement, and Flickinger Center.
Rotary Foundation Moment-
Mark shared why supporting The Rotary Foundation is an important part of living out Service Above Self. He began giving while a member of a Rotary club in Omaha and increased his support as he learned more about Rotary and the impact those dollars make locally and around the world. Mark noted that he feels confident his gifts are being put to good use. The Rotary Foundation currently holds a 99% score and Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator. Donations to PolioPlus have even greater impact through the Gates Foundation's 2-to-1 match of Rotary's contributions toward polio eradication. Members can give monthly, quarterly, or annually, and every gift matters. When many Rotarians give a little, together we can make a significant impact. Remember, cumulative giving of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation qualifies a donor for Paul Harris Fellow recognition.
World Polio Day – World’s Largest Polio Walk
📅 Saturday, October 24, 2026
⏰ 10 a.m.
📍 Vibrant Arena at the Mark, Moline
📅 Saturday, October 24, 2026
⏰ 10 a.m.
📍 Vibrant Arena at the Mark, Moline
Registration is now open!
Register for the World’s Largest Polio Walk
Register for the World’s Largest Polio Walk
Club Business:
- Hasham Jaber and Sherozna Teed received their Blue Badges today.
- RESCHEDULED – Our October 12 meeting will be off-site at MidAmerican. To RSVP, contact Michayla Horchem at Michayla@unitedwaymuscatine.org.
- Please consider supporting the Rotary Foundation, which funds both local and international service projects. Contributions may be made by ACH or check. Please contact Lindsey for more information. Thank you for your impact through Rotary membership and giving.
- Follow the Rotary Club of Muscatine Facebook page at @MuscatineRotaryClub.
Presentation:
Muscatine County Children’s Fiscal Map
Rotarian Yesenia Cruz, Children’s Funding Coordinator for Aligned Impact Muscatine County (AIM), introduced members to the new Muscatine County Children’s Fiscal Map and the work that went into creating it.
Yesenia explained that a fiscal map is not an audit or a judgment of program outcomes. Instead, it brings financial information from across the county together in one place to create a clearer picture of how resources are being invested in children and youth. The data can help community partners identify gaps, understand funding patterns, strengthen grant applications, and support advocacy with credible financial information.
The Fiscal Map represents a significant amount of research and collaboration and creates a tool that community organizations and leaders can continue to use and build upon for years to come.
The Fiscal Map can be viewed at https://alignedimpactmuscatine.org/fiscalmap/
Missed today’s meeting? Get caught up using the link below.
Passcode: aLn55FD*
Upcoming Meetings:
October 5 – United Way Reading Mentors
October 12 – Off-site meeting at MidAmerican (RSVP required)
October 19 – World Polio Day/ Polio Walk Event