Recap from the Oct. 26, 2026, meeting.
Thought of the Day: Bobby Fiedler
Happy News/Announcements: All Happy News donations support Rotary scholarships.
- Mike Wedell- Thanks to Iowa, the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team holds all three of their major historic rivalry trophies simultaneously for the first time since 1978. Little Brown Jug vs. Michigan, Paul Bunyan’s Axe vs. Wisconsin, and now Floyd of Rosedale vs. Iowa.
- Mark Roberts- Mark’s granddaughter became the all-time leading scorer for women in college football. She was interviewed by Holly Rowe about the accomplishment.
- Hashem Jaber- Daughter’s U15 Pearl City soccer team won state, 3-0 over the weekend.
- Megan Francis- ALZ Walk on Saturday was a success. We had 221 participants, 32 teams, and raised over $47K. We are recruiting new committee members if you know anyone looking to get involved. First da Vinci robot-assisted surgery at UPH-Trinity is scheduled for November 17.
Voluntell:
Volunteer Hours Reported:
- Mike Wedell- 6 hours total- 2 hours of genealogy, 4 hours Saturday at the QC Archive Fair
- Heidi Fields- 7 hours total- 2 hours Salvation Army board, 3 hours at The Bridge, 2 hours at the Walk to End ALZ.
- Mike Ruby- 1 hour landscaping Wesley Family Life Center with his pickleball group.
- Megan Francis- 9 hours at the Walk to End ALZ.
Including today’s hours, our club has reported 170 volunteer hours.
Submit pictures from your volunteer hours to megan.francis@unitypoint.org to help share Rotary's impact on social media.
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities:
- Highway Cleanup: Friday, November 13, 1:30–3:30 p.m. Meet at Crossroads at 1:30 pm.
- iLLUMINATE Build: October 29-November 1, 8am – 4pm daily. Contact Megan if you have a few hours to help.
- Adopt a Senior: We are adopting 3 seniors for our December 7 in-meeting service project. We will start gathering items for their baskets and assemble them during our meeting. Please use the Wish List Google Form to sign-up to contribute items for their gift baskets.
- Rotary Readers: The Tuesday Rotary Readers slot at Franklin has been filled! We're waiting for the schools to identify additional opportunities.
- Ongoing opportunities with The Bridge, Junior Achievement, and Flickinger Center.
Club Business:
- 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.
Rotary Social Gathering: You're Invited!
📅 Thursday, November 5, 2026
⏰ 5–7 pm
📍 The Creek: Ardon Creek Tasting Room, 411 W Mississippi Dr., Suite 2, Muscatine
⏰ 5–7 pm
📍 The Creek: Ardon Creek Tasting Room, 411 W Mississippi Dr., Suite 2, Muscatine
Join us for a relaxed evening of wine, charcuterie, and conversation! This is a great opportunity to introduce friends, colleagues, and prospective members to Rotary and the impact we make in our community. Please share the event and invite someone to join you!
Presentation:
Sara Carlson- NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness
Sara Carlson shared a deeply personal and courageous presentation about her family's journey navigating her son Gabe's serious mental illness, the challenges of finding appropriate care, and the importance of education, advocacy, and support.
Sara, a 26-year Muscatine resident, serves on the Board of Directors for NAMI Greater Mississippi Valley and is a certified instructor and support group leader. In 2025, she founded MakeItOK; Muscatine to help educate our community and break down the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Sara shared: 50% of lifetime mental health conditions begin by age 14, and 75% by age 24. Yet the average delay between the onset of symptoms and receiving treatment is 11 years. She discussed warning signs, the emotional stages families experience, and the challenges of navigating a complicated mental health care system. After years of crises, hospitalizations, and uncertainty, her family was connected with the University of Iowa in 2024, where Gabe began receiving treatment that has helped stabilize his condition.
Through NAMI's Family-to-Family education program and support groups, Sara found the understanding and resources that helped turn her family's experience into advocacy for others.
Her message was simple: We can all help break the stigma. Educate yourself, support local mental health organizations, attend and share events, check on friends and neighbors, and lead with kindness. Sometimes, when we don't know what to say, the most meaningful words are simply, "I'm here for you."
Thank you, Sara, for trusting us with your family's story and reminding us that no one should have to navigate mental illness alone.
Missed Monday’s meeting? Use the link to enjoy the recording.
Passcode: AN5oh#0p
Upcoming Meetings:
November 2 – Salvation Army
November 9 – National Direct Support Professional Ambassador