metroQUARTERLY’S Spring (FEB/MAR/APR) 2015 Issue

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love of art CELEBRATING LOCAL LEGACIES OF LOVING

CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY

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SPIRITOFOMAHA.COM

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FEB/MAR/APR 2015

love of art Service is a great open door.

Anybody can do it and everybody is welcome. ~ KATHE OLESON LYONS DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CIVIC AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

UNO’S BARBARA WEITZ

community engagement center

CELEBRATING LOCAL LEGACIES OF LOVING UNO JUNIOR ART MAJOR HUGO ZAMORANO

CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY

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SPIRITOFOMAHA.COM

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FEB/MAR/APR 2015

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VanDeebBUILD-814_- 11/10/14 9:50 PM Page 1

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Van is a speaker with charisma, humility and impact and he’s a difference maker in the lives of the people he touches...

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in this ISSUE

CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY

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features

12 24 28 36 44 50 52

CIRCLE OF RED american heart association

RE•DEFYNE•D institute for career advancement needs (ICAN)

BETTER TOGETHER uno’s barbara weitz community engagement center

REFLECTIONS durham museum celebrates 40 years

JOURNEYS truhlsen eye institute

SALUTING SIX chamber of commerce hall of fame

connecting to new ideas

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connecting to our community

DO THE RIGHT THING rebuilding together omaha

connecting to our heritage

departments/columns

10 54

TOP VALENTINES DAY GIFT IDEAS HE SAID/SHE SAID mike & mary from KMTV’s morning blend

56 59 60 61 61

metroSPIRIT mulberry lane | mary e. vandenack

OCF OMAHA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION giving circles in omaha

PLANNING MATTERS PVW LAW charitable giving strategies & tax deductions

TODAYS SAVINGS SWARTZBAUGH, FARBER & ASSOC.

connecting the circle

executive benefits: myths & truths

IMPACT! VONDRAK DENTAL “if i could wave my magic wand…”

112 WAKING WORDS FROM ROB KILLMER it’s what flows through us.

12 events

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SCENE highlights from recent charity & cultural events

102 SAVE THE DATE

upcoming events for spring 2015

bravo! CELEBRATING THE ARTS

94 98

TAPESTRY ravelunravel | project interfaith

BREAKING THE MOLD • ACT TWO OF TWO opera omaha performance based fundraising

100 BRAVO! TOP 5

our picks for your cultural calendarr

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connecting to global care connecting to our elders

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mquarterly • FeB/Mar/aPr 2015

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FeB/Mar/aPr 2015 • VOl. 27 NO. 1 Press releases and other editorial information may be sent to: P.O. BOx 241611, OMaHa, Ne 68124 or e-mailed to: editor@SpiritofOmaha.com Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

Creative Collaboration

andrea l. “andee” Hoig

leo adam Biga Matt Darling Daniel Flanigan roger Humphries MOrNING BleND’s “Mike & Mary” Mulberry lane Jim Scholz Kara Schweiss Kirk Swartzbaugh Mary Vandenack Stephanie Vondrak D.D.S. lindsey Zentic

Editor/Creative Director

robert P. “rOB” Killmer Community Engagement

tracy Fisher Special Thanks

Counterparts Michelle Cleary and Omaha Print Printco Graphics

metroMaGaZINe /

quarterly is wholly owned and operated by the publisher and is not affiliated with any other publication, operating solely on subscription and advertising revenues and the good will of the agencies and charities we support; all of which are very important to the continuing growth and quality of this publication. thank you to all who support this endeavor.

OFFICE/SALES

402.932.3522 | sales@SpiritofOmaha.com MISSION STATEMENT alH Publications exists to inform, inspire and connect those who give back to the community through volunteerism and philanthropy, recognizing the ongoing efforts of area businesses, organizations and individuals who better our community.

Contents of this magazine are copyrighted by alH Publications, Inc. in their entirety. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written consent of the publisher. ©Copyright 1990 – 2015 alH Publications, Inc. all rights reserved.

402.932.3522 • sales@SpiritofOmaha.com

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MAKE THE CONNECTION! “Opera Omaha has benefited from our advertising relationship with metroMAGAZINE for many years. They have helped us immensely in getting our message out as well as driving ticket sales to our productions. A proven and inexpensive way for us to increase our awareness in the community.” ~ BETSYE PARAGAS, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING, OPERA OMAHA 7

mquarterly • FeB/Mar/aPr 2015

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words FROM MY HEART

mquArterLy • Letter FroM tHe PuBLiSHer

love I have been in the publishing business for nearly 25 years.

At times I really loved it and at times it has been so challenging I wasn’t sure how to get through the day. I am sure many of us have felt the same way when looking back on our careers. When things were challenging and even when they weren’t I would find myself trying to do more, achieve more, create more, acquire more…in effect to be more than was humanly possible.

When I fell short and I couldn’t live up to my expectations about the person I believed I was suppose to be I would lose a little part of myself each time.

As I stepped into 2015 I felt a shift take place. I have had many energetic shifts over my life, each one more profound than the last…this one was big. It felt as if I let go of a 200 pound suit case filled with ‘stuff’ that no longer served me. Items such as limiting beliefs, suffocating conditions, self imposed obstacles, unrealistic expectations and feelings of overwhelm and unworthiness dropped away.

I stepped into a place filled with Love.

AndreA L. Hoig ahoig@Spiritofomaha.com

Love of life, love of others, love of my surroundings and most important self love. Many of us are familiar with self love, the importance of loving yourself which can often times be the hardest and most challenging love of all. What I realized is that by embracing all of who I Am (all parts, even those that scare me a little) by loving all of me…the space available to love others expanded (and keeps on expanding.)

Love is energy that flows freely to and through those who are open to it.

Love is powerful and for those that allow the confidence that comes with self love… magic and miracles happen.

This new found self love has also opened my eyes to a new way of being in my business.

There is an ease and an effortlessness that greets me each day as I finish with my morning meditation and step into my business with love and appreciation.

I have a much greater desire to put myself out there, to be seen and to take risks.

I don’t concern myself with what others may think of me because what I intend, create and do…is all done with love.

Rather than merely thinking outside the box…I have thrown the box away.

“Do you want to meet the love of you life?

Look in the mirror.” ~BYRON KATIE

See our extended coverage of The BIG Event & $10K BIG Connection in our EXPANDED Online Edition!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS!

Love cannot be contained inside or outside…it is everywhere.

Self love inspires me to be more compassionate and more aware of how my words and actions impact others and myself. Self love allows me to be me…no more and no less.

Self love teaches me that we are all here to love…to love others and to love ourselves.

I love the quote from Byron Katie to the right…I share it, and this entire publication with you… with Love. ~ Andee

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mquArterLy • FeB/MAr/APr 2015

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• mquarterly

valentines day GIFT GUIDE

make every day valentine’s day Valentine’s Day only comes once a year, but why not make her feel like it’s every day?

Whether your love is years full of memories, or a spark of something new, celebrate with Borsheims to reveal the expression that is waiting to burst at the seams. Lagos Sterling Silver Caviar Heart Pendant for $295.

BORSHEIMS FINE JEWELRY AND GIFTS 120 Regency Parkway • Omaha 800.642.GIFT | www.borsheims.com

a bit of bliss for spring Surprise your valentine with a gift card from bliss boutique. The perfect gift of style, just in time for spring. At bliss, she will find just the right look to leave her looking and feeling her best. From polished casual to comfy loungewear to sophisticated glam, bliss has something for everyone. Specializing in women’s clothing, accessories and gifts. Uniquely you, Uniquely Omaha.

BLISS BOUTIQUE Bel-Air Plaza • 12100 W. Center Road #607, Omaha 402.991.3595 | facebook.com/BlissBoutiqueOmaha

a “one of a kind” shopping experience Attention Omaha, you have the right to drool upon entering Real Deals on Home Décor. Real Deals is the kind of store women plan a shopping day around, offering special customer events monthly with fun giveaways. Clocks, mirrors, lamps, metal art, canvas prints, floral, seasonal, and more! Follow us on Facebook to see what’s new!

OMAHA'S REAL DEALS ON HOME DECOR 10933 Harrison Street, LaVista | Thur & Fri 12 - 6 PM • Sat 10 AM - 3 PM 402.830.9581 | Facebook URL RealDealsOmaha

michael m.

Diamonds curve up the sides and shoulders of this 18 karat white gold engagement ring.

Round and Princess cut diamonds create a hand-crafted art deco design. Starting at $9300 (center stone not included).

Available exclusively at Gunderson’s.

GUNDERSON’S Village Pointe • 402.935.6332 | www.gundersons.com

a great way to say “i love you” Your valentine deserves the world’s most delectable cake. Our hand-made cakes are the perfect gift for saying “I Love You to Pieces”. These luscious cakes are made with the finest, premium ingredients, including fresh eggs, real butter and cream cheese.

Perfect for any occasion, the handcrafted recipes and inspired decorations celebrate special moments with a delightful charm and wit. The best cake you will ever taste, share and love!"

NOTHING BUNDT CAKES One Pacific Place, 10347 Pacific Street, Omaha 402.933.9305 | www.nothingbundtcakes.com

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mquarterly • FeB/Mar/aPr 2015

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valentines day paint a new holiday memory

Share time with friends, coworkers and family at Village Canvas and Cabernet, Omaha’s paint and sip art gallery in Aksarben Village. You will enjoy an artist-guided paint session and complimentary glass of wine or beer as you paint a new memory. Great for groups of all sizes; absolutely no artistic talent is required!

Gift certificates are also available. Give the gift of creativity!

VILLAGE CANVAS AND CABERNET 6457 Frances St., Suite 180, Omaha | 402-991-4278 www.canvasandcab.com

sparkling stocking stuffers These bangles look great stacked and are perfect for holiday gifting.

Dazzling birthstone bangles have just arrived and are perfect for fashionistas and new mommies!

Bangles start at $29

ELISA ILANA JEWELRY 13132 Davenport Street, Omaha | 402-926-3479 elisailana.com

making spirits bright An Omaha treasure, Spirit World has curated the best offering of beer, wine and spirits, not to mention the Monterey Chicken Salad from their always scrumptious cafe. For the holiday season only, receive a FREE $10 gift card with each gift card purchase of $100 or more. A thoughtful and generous gift for someone special on your list and a little something for you too.

SPIRIT WORLD 7517 Pacific Street, Omaha | 402-391-8680 www.spiritworldwine.com

give the gift of theatre "Marley was dead, to begin with…" – and what happens to Ebenezer Scrooge's mean, sour, pruned old business partner after that? To escape his own chains, he must first redeem Scrooge.

So begins a journey of laughter and terror, redemption and renewal, during which Scrooge's heart, indeed, is opened; but not before Marley discovers his own.

SPONSORED BY OMAHA STEAKS

THE BLUEBARN THEATRE 614 South 11th Street Omaha | 402-345-1576 www.bluebarn.org

holiday ornaments from dundee gallery

Give the gift of local artwork this holiday season! These beautiful hand blown ornaments are $25. Dundee Gallery has a great selection of handmade ornaments, jewelry, pottery and art - wonderful gift ideas available at all prices for everyone on your list.

DUNDEE GALLERY 4916 Underwood Ave. Omaha, NE | 402-505-8333 www.dundeegallery.com

CONTINUED

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heart HEALTHY

STORY BY KARA SCHWEISS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM SCHOLZ

• mquarterly

red the month of february brings fancy valentine hearts to mind, but it’s also an important period of awareness about the valentine’s biological counterpart, that will beat more than 2.5 billion times in an average person’s lifetime.

ON THE first

FRIDAY IN AMERICAN HEART MONTH (FEBRUARY 6 THIS fun opportunity for women to learn about heart disease how to put on many hats at the same time and we also know that if we get together we can make a difference.”

YEAR), WOMEN AND MEN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WILL and I think about the Circle of Red as providing seed money each year.”

It’s rewarding to know that the difference they make is PARTICIPATE IN THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION’S largely in their own community, Dodge said. “That ELEVENTH NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY TO PROMOTE “We raise awareness, we raise dollars and we also have a money goes right back into Omaha through research AWARENESS OF HEART DISEASE IN WOMEN. lot of fun,” she added. grants at the Med Center, UNL and Creighton. The resources here are wonderful and have been for years.”

A day of focused awareness is important, but a dedicated Heart and Soul group of Omaha-area women also seek to stimulate “Frankly, we’re very fortunate in our community because GAIL YANNEY, a Circle of Red member who served as year-round action. At the heart (so to speak) of local we have very good coverage for people with cardiac the 2014 honorary chair of Go Red For Women Expo efforts to support the ongoing work of the American in September said one of the major perks of Circle of Red problems. And a lot of that is because of funding from Heart Association – funding groundbreaking research, the American Heart Association,” Yanney said. is the social gatherings. developing guidelines to improve patient care and helping people lower their risk factors for heart disease “You feel like an important woman,” she said. “And you’re From the Heart and stroke, among other endeavors – is Go Red For Another driver behind the passion of the women of with other women who gave $500 to something Women, a national campaign with a local faction.

Circle of Red is the fact that cardiovascular disease Within that network, a group of influential local women because they cared.” called Circle of Red have committed to an annual personal contribution of $500 or more.

Heart of the Matter “Circle of Red is a subgroup of Go Red For Women, which is a program started 10 years ago (locally) by the American Heart Association for Omaha,” explained ANN STINSON, the 2015 Circle of Red chair. “Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association’s national campaign to increase awareness of heart disease and inspire women to take charge of their heart health.”

KATE DODGE, the founder of Omaha’s Circle of Red (now entering its sixth year and the with the largest membership number in the country even among counterparts in cities like Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles) said the group raised $60,000 in 2014, and because members pledge an annual gift, the total contribution naturally grows every year.

THIS GROUP WANTS TO empower WOMEN TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR OWN HEART HEALTH AND spread the word TO THEIR FRIENDS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE BELIEVE WHEN YOU GET MOTIVATED, DYNAMIC WOMEN TOGETHER, YOU CAN REALLY MAKE A difference.

With the new addition of a $1,000 giving level called the Crimson Society, the goal for 2015 is to raise $75,000.

“The Circle of Red is a group of women who want to ensure that the Go Red For Women campaign will continue year-round and year after year. This group wants to empower women to take control of their own heart health and spread the word to their friends and their families. We believe when you get motivated, dynamic women together, you can really make a difference,” Dodge said. “The Circle of Red has given us a vehicle to encourage women to annually support the Go Red For Women Expo event. It’s an educational and

~ KATE DODGE CIRCLE OF RED FOUNDER “It’s a group effort,” GERRY LAURITZEN said. Under her leadership in 2014, the Omaha circle grew from 60 members to 116, far surpassing the goal of 85.

“We’ve really built a group of women who understand the issue better and have gotten excited about supporting the Heart Association’s events and initiatives, and I think it’s had a significant impact. It’s women who are getting the word out there. We know how to educate, we know

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touches nearly every family. For instance, in Stinson’s family, her brother survived an unforeseen heart attack at the relatively young age of 41. Lauritzen has siblings diagnosed with cardiovascular health conditions.

“I’m the oldest of five and I can tell you that all four of my brothers and sisters who are younger than I am have all had heart issues; heart disease is definitely in my family,” Lauritzen said.

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KATE DODGE AND GERRY LAURITZEN

american heart association

CIRCLE OF RED

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heart HEALTHY

AMERICAN

red

heart ASSOCIATION

NOT ONLY IS IT THE number one KILLER OF WOMEN, BUT YOUNG WOMEN, TOO, OVER THE AGE OF 20. ULTIMATELY, one in three WOMEN WILL DIE OF HEART DISEASE, WHICH I THINK IS A VERY SCARY STATISTIC. ~ ANN STINSON CIRCLE OF RED MEMBER

Take it to Heart

“We’re just so used to – as women – being caregivers, and we’re wonderful at telling everyone else what they When it comes to heart disease, family history may or should do. And we say it with such caring,” she said. may not be a factor, past good health exams do not “But sometimes we just forget that we need to be healthy invariably project a future clean bill of health, and even a to make sure everyone can be healthy around us, too.” pristine lifestyle cannot always overcome a condition lurking in a person’s genes. According to the American According to the American Heart Association, the efforts A foursome of physicians were on a nearby court and Heart Association, more women die of cardiovascular of Go Red For Women are making a measurable impact.

CPR saved her husband’s life. But Dodge’s sister was not disease than all forms of cancer combined.

Fewer women are dying of heart disease, more women as fortunate; at age 36, the mother of three young are recognizing and talking to their physicians about children died of cardiac arrest. These experiences were “I do not have heart disease personally, but I’ve known for troubling symptoms, more women are getting the impetus for Dodge to become involved in advocacy a long time that heart disease is the number one killer of cholesterol and other indicators checked, and more efforts for CPR training and cardiovascular health women. Not only is it the number one killer of women, people (including medical professionals) have gained awareness, ultimately leading to the launch of Omaha’s but young women, too, over the age of 20,” Stinson said. awareness of gender differences in heart disease.

Circle of Red. “Ultimately, one in three women will die of heart disease, Nationally, the American Heart Association helped which I think is a very scary statistic.” increase funding for the Center for Disease Control to Yanney can speak about heart health from an even more provide screenings for low-income women, and helped personal perspective.

Lauritzen emphasized the importance of women not pass federal law in 2010 to keep women’s health only getting regular checkups, but learning about heart insurance premiums from costing more than men’s.

“The statistics were something that impressed me, mostly health, too. “I wanted to become not only a voice for because I have developed a bit of a heart thing; I have Circle of Red but I wanted to be an educated voice,” Dodge reported that Nebraska is seeing tangible results, experienced paroxysmal atrial fibrillation,” she said. she explained, adding that heart health education too. Hospitals are now required to perform a pulse should also include learning about the signs that could oximetry screening on all newborns to detect the indicate a problem.

She sought to become well-educated about her presence of possible congenital heart disease. And the condition, but Yanney said there are still many American Heart Association’s local advocacy team is “The symptoms for women are different for men, and unknowns, including the root cause for her particular optimistic that high school students will soon be case. But after becoming involved in Go Red For Women sometimes it will pass,” she said. “But it will only pass required to learn CPR as part of their graduation until it doesn’t, and then you are in real trouble.” and Circle of Red, Yanney discovered that she was far requirements. All good news that the Circle of Red from alone. Women of all ages opened up about living women take to heart.

Always in Their Hearts with heart conditions or risk factors, and Yanney was especially surprised to discover that people she already She also said that women need to take care of their own “I have learned so much in this last year that it will stay health as assertively as they take care of their families’. with me for the rest of my life,” Lauritzen said. knew shared her specific condition.

“A lot of people think this only happens to older people and a lot of women think this only happens to men,” Dodge said. “When my husband was only 40 years old, he had a cardiac arrest. He was a fit, athletic nonsmoker and nondrinker playing tennis on a Sunday morning.”

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mquarterly • FeB/Mar/aPr 2015

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GAIL YANNEY AND ANN STINSON

american heart association

CIRCLE OF RED

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go red FOR WOMEN EXPO

10 steps to go red

GO RED FOR WOMEN expo “HEART “HEARTDISEASE DISEASEDOESN’T DOESN’TRUN RUNININMYMYFAMILY…” FAMILY…”

Join Go Red. Sign up online and receive regular health reminders. Research shows that 90 percent of women who join Go Red take at least one step to live healthier.

“THAT’S “THAT’SA ADISEASE DISEASETHAT THATONLY ONLYAFFECTS AFFECTSMEN…” MEN…” “I’M NOT OVERWEIGHT, I DON’T NEED TOTO WORRY “I’M NOT OVERWEIGHT, I DON’T NEED WORRY ABOUT IT…” ABOUT IT…” “SHOULDN’T I BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT BREAST CANCER?” “SHOULDN’T I BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT BREAST CANCER?”

Participate in National Wear Red Day. Wear red on Friday, February 6th and help empower others to build awareness.

Truth: Heart disease can affect any one at any time.

It’s the leading cause of death for women, and kills more women than all forms of cancer combined. Ten years ago, research revealed that more women were dying of heart disease than men, and at a faster rate. It was time to take action to change those statistics and save the lives of our mothers, daughters, sisters, friends and family.

That’s when the American Heart Association formed GO RED FOR WOMEN, a national campaign to empower and educate women about their No. 1 threat; and to raise funds for research to understand how heart disease affects women.

“Up until that point, little research had been done on women and heart disease,” says American Heart Association Nebraska Communications Director KRISTEN WATERS.“It was still widely considered to be a man’s disease, which couldn’t be further from the truth.”

So the American Heart Association set out to find the truth. To find out why so many women were dying of a disease that is 80% preventable, and yet is the leading cause of death for all women above the age of 20.

New research showed that women’s signs and symptoms of a heart attack were much different than men, and that many physicians failed to diagnose women properly. Research also showed that women did not know that heart disease was even a threat, let alone their biggest threat.

In 2005, The Go Red For Women campaign launched its first GO RED FOR WOMEN EXPO in Omaha as a way to equip women with the knowledge and power to take control of their heart health.

“When people are armed with knowledge they feel empowered to make the changes they need to make in order to lead a heart healthy life,” said Omaha Metro Executive Director for the American Heart Association Jennifer Redmond. “They are also more likely to encourage their friends and family to do the same.”

Knowledge is power, and over past 10 years, Omaha’s Go Red For Women Expo has grown to more than 700 attendees and has the largest Circle of Red in the nation, with 116 members. Locally, the American Heart Association is also funding 2.3 million dollars in research.

Meanwhile, the national GRFW campaign has raised more than $300 million, to support research and education; and more than 627,000 women’s lives have been saved - that’s nearly 330 lives every day.

In addition, research shows that women who Go Red are more likely to make healthy choices: 90% have made at least one healthy change to their daily lives; more than 1/3 have lost weight; more than 50% have increased their exercise; and 6/10 have made healthy changes to their diet.

The GRFW campaign has made tremendous strides in the fight against heart disease, but there is still more work to be done. Cardiovascular disease remains the No. 1 killer of women, despite being the single most preventable disease. GRFW’s call to action for all women is to: know your numbers; know your risk factors; know the signs and symptoms of heart disease; and get involved. tay healthy. Be aware. Spread the word.

To learn more about Go Red for Women in Omaha, just go to www.omahagoredforwomen.org or call 402-810-6855.

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Speak Up. Spread the word to others that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women and empower others with information on how to live healthier.

Visit your doctor. Know your family history and get a health screening every year.

Know your numbers. Know your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and BMI and how to keep them in a healthy range.

Live healthy. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, lean meats, whole grains and low in sodium and sugar.

Get 30-60 minutes of physical activity in most days of the week.

Volunteer to be an ambassador for Go Red. Join the Omaha Go Red For Women Passion Committee to help spread lifesaving messages throughout the community.

Make a donation. Help support the advancement of life-saving research.

Advocate for women’s health. Learn CPR and join the American Heart Association’s “You’re The Cure” network where you can encourage elected officials to support public policies for a healthier community.

Shop Red. Visit ShopHeart.org and get your Go Red gear so you can represent the cause where ever you go.

mquarterly • FeB/Mar/aPr 2015

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STORY BY KRISTEN WATERS NEBRASKA COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION

• mquarterly

CELEBRATING 10 years OF RAISING AWARENESS mily...

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• mquarterly

heart HEALTHY

red FOR women shocked by the statistics on women and heart disease, a local business leader has stepped up to create omaha’s first men’s giving circle to support american heart association’s efforts.

WHILE GO RED FOR WOMEN AND CIRCLE OF RED CONTINUE TO THRIVE IN OMAHA, MORE MEN ARE SEEKING OPPORTUNITIES TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE WOMEN IN THEIR LIVES, AND, AS A RESULT THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION UNVEILED MEN GO RED FOR WOMEN AT THE 2014 GRFW EXPO. Go Red For Women Director Kelsey Ridder says that Men Go Red For Women, a counterpart to Circle of Red, is a group of men dedicated to making an impact on women’s heart health, by raising awareness and making a minimum gift of $1,000.

“Members will have the opportunity to become an advocate for local heart issues,” Ridder Said. “It’s also a way for members to network with others who are passionate about community wellness.”

Founding Chair, Derek Leathers, COO and President of Werner Enterprises, says he was shocked to learn that heart disease kills more women than men, and knew it was time for him to take action.

“I went out and asked 20 to 30 people in my life, predominately females, and as one might expect, the statistics were similar to all of the things we’ve learned about heart disease. It was not well-known that it’s the No. 1 killer of women, and it’s certainly not well-known that it kills more women than men,” he explained.

Leathers said forming a Men Go Red For Women group would be the best first step in making a real change. “Basically, I said, ‘Sign me up!’”

The work to build a solid foundation of men passionate about fighting heart disease is just beginning, and Leathers is raising the bar high.

“My goal at a minimum would be to try to come out of the gates and be able to achieve a 50-person, MGRFW membership group in 2015,” Leathers said, “And I’d like to think that it would be an achievable goal to raise $50,000 for our efforts in our inaugural year.”

That would make Omaha the largest inaugural MGRFW in the nation.

“Let’s put the marker on the table. If we’re going to do it, let’s do it right. I look forward to that challenge and I think the fact that we’ve never done it before in Nebraska makes it more challenging, but more interesting and more fun.”

To learn more about Men Go Red For Women, visit www.omahamengored.org or contact Kelsey Ridder at 402-810-6848 or Kelsey.ridder@heart.org.

LET’S PUT THE marker ON THE TABLE. IF WE’RE GOING TO DO IT, LET’S DO IT right. ~ DEREK LEATHERS, CHAIRMAN, MEN GO RED FOR WOMEN

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leadership ADVANCEMENT

I’ve always been very passionate about developing people as leaders. ~ SUSAN HENRICKS ICAN PRESIDENT AND CEO

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Re [ def•y•ne ] d ican is all about leadership development, and with its own change of leadership, the organization presses on in seeking fulfillment of one of ican’s primary objectives: to help men and women progress in their careers and move more women into senior leadership positions.

re[defyne]d

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NEW ICAN president AND CEO SuSan HenrickS IS RIGHT AT HOME IN THE C-SUITE, WITH PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN EXECUTIVE POSITIONS IN OMAHA, CHICAGO AND ST. LOUIS FOR COMPANIES SUCH AS FIRST DATA CORPORATION, RR DONNELLEY AND METROMAIL CORPORATION. SHE EXEMPLIFIES NOT ONLY THE BEST IN FEMALE CAREER LEADERSHIP, BUT ALSO SYMBOLIZES HOW FAR PROFESSIONAL WOMEN HAVE COME IN THE LAST THREE DECADES. When ICAN (Institute for Career Advancement Needs) was first created, there were very few Omaha-area women in senior leadership positions in any employment sector.

“ICAN was founded 33 years ago by a group of women here in Omaha, and they had the foresight to start an organization all about helping women become leaders.

Thirty-three years ago, there were not – obviously – many female leaders,” Henricks said. “So when you look at the brilliance the founders had and that it’s not only lasted but flourished – it’s an Omaha success story!

They started the first Women’s Leadership conference 22 years ago with fewer than 200 people. At this most recent conference in 2014, ICAN hosted 2,100 leaders.”

ican really can

a leader developing leaders “In my previous corporate roles here in Omaha, I sent quite a few people to Defining Leadership as well as the Women’s Leadership conference, and brought ICAN on-site to lead custom programs for my teams, et cetera,” she explained. “I saw when those individuals came back from their ICAN experience how they embraced their leadership roles a little bit differently, because that’s when they really started to learn how to become an authentic leader.”

It was Henricks’ longstanding interest in leadership development that led her to ICAN in the first place and was the impetus behind her ultimately becoming its president and CEO.

And the third primary objective is to actively address an unfortunate, lingering reality in the Omaha area.

“We have the highest percentage per capita of women working and the lowest percentage of women in senior leadership positions. They’re moving upward but only to a certain point,” she said. “I am working with a group of senior leaders to develop an initiative for Omaha to address what ICAN and the other women leader-focused organizations in the area can do to help women progress into more senior leadership positions. That’s the big goal.”

re[def•y•ne] Leadership Another element of the growth plan is continuing to enlarge the annual Women’s Leadership Conference (this year taking place at the CenturyLink Center on Wednesday, April 8) and drawing attendees from more than a dozen states, Henricks said.

“A lot of people ask me, ‘What has it been like to move from a for-profit, corporate environment to a nonprofit environment?’ I’ve always been very passionate about developing people as leaders,” she said. “So the fact that I’ve been doing that in my career for many years is really a wonderful intersection with what ICAN does and what “In 2014 we had 2,100 attendees and in 2015 our goal is 2,300 attendees. This event is the largest of its kind in ICAN is all about: helping people, guiding people, the Midwest, and we want to expand our reach to even offering programs to develop people to become better more women and organizations in the region.” leaders.”

2015: Big Steps, Bigger footprint In the principal role, Henricks said, she is eager to foster ICAN’s continued evolution and expansion.

The symposium is the largest single conference produced

by ICAN and has become such a major event that planning for each year’s conference begins almost immediately after the last one ends. The theme of the 2015 conference – ICAN’s 22nd – is “Re[def-y-ne] Leadership”, combining concepts that redefine what has been standard practice in the past.

Growing the organization’s premier event tenfold is just one of many ICAN milestones achieved since 1981, Henricks said. With a mission of developing inspired “Here are our key objectives for the next three years: business leaders to transform the communities they Number one, to grow the regional footprint of ICAN,” she serve, the nonprofit entity now offers leader said. The Omaha area is well-covered, but Lincoln is a development programs for both men and women at any target market as well as communities in Colorado where point in their career paths in any kind of business or ICAN already has a presence. “Beyond that we’re looking organization within the larger community. at Iowa as a possibility, but we’ll see how it develops as “Our focus this year is to redefine leadership. We want to challenge existing definitions and explore the idea that a we go west first.”

“My predecessor, Mary Prefontaine, took ICAN to a new definition has evolved – a definition that highlights new level and handed off to me an amazing Next up is partnering with institutions of higher learning key leadership capabilities necessary to carry companies organization,” Henricks said. “A large part of our mission to contribute to graduate-level business school into the future: collaboration, compassion, confidence is to help individuals prepare for and ssume leadership curriculum. and creativity – the four cs,” Henricks explained, positions. And that can be in the corporate world, the adding that successful female leaders tend to embrace nonprofit world, government – any or all.”

“A second key goal is to add or develop ICAN programs collaborative and compassionate styles, while both men that will be offered for graduate business college credit. and women display creativity.

Henricks, who was named to the president and CEO We are working with two universities to do this,” Henricks position last May, had already gained a unique insider’s said. One such partnership in development is with the perspective on ICAN by serving on its board of directors creighton Business institute of the Heider college of “One of the Four Cs I mentioned was confidence, and one of our keynote speakers will be katty kay, lead news for several years as well as utilizing its programs for Business and their Director of Leadership Programs and anchor with BBC World News America in Washington, development of her own employees in the past, and Professor of Management, toDD DarnoLD, to offer D.C., and she’s written a book with cLaire SHiPMan having become a proponent of ICAN well before her ICAN’s first program for graduate credit. The ICAN team anticipates this rollout in the spring. official affiliation. called The Confidence Code.

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d

It’s a book about how women are, generally speaking, less confident than men. Why is that? And what can we do about it?

We want to challenge existing definitions of leadership.

From the perspective of ICAN, it’s the ‘What can we do about it?’ that’s really important.”

“Everything we’ll talk about will fall under one of the Four Cs,” she continued. One discussion, for instance, will explore how leaders personify the C traits and how women and men adapt to these leadership styles if they aren’t innately there.

~ SUSAN HENRICKS ICAN PRESIDENT AND CEO

“We’ve made a conscious effort to increase the applicability of the conference content to our attendee’s interest in relevant business topics. It is our goal that everyone who attends will leave with at least one new skill he or she can take back to their work or personal life and with a new definition of leadership.” Henricks said. for more information on ican, including information on how to register for the 2015 Women’s Leadership Conference, visit www.icanglobal.net. re[defyne]d

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WHAT LEADERS ARE saying ovell Barbee Vice PreSiDent – HuMan reSourceS anD organizationaL DeVeLoPMent Blue cross Blue Shield of nebraska Leaders in the future need to be aware of the importance of both delivering results and modeling appropriate workplace behaviors. Those who are self-aware of their strengths and “opportunity” areas, can create environments which allow for maximum engagement from employees by knowing how best to leverage their personal leadership brand.

Mindy Simon OVELL BARBEE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF NEBRASKA

Vice PreSiDent of inforMation tecHnoLogy conagra foods Constant reinvention. Not only is the world changing, but our customer, consumers, and workforce are changing. We have three very different generations working together (Millennials, Gen X, Baby Boomers). We must be adaptable, yet be true to ourselves and lead others to not just understand our changing world, but thrive in it.

alexi Wellman VP finance yahoo!

As the business environment changes, we as leaders will need to evolve to be able to make quicker decisions, keep the focus of the organization on the key priorities, and continuously learn new technology. This means being able to bring real business intelligence to the table that will impact the key strategies of the company.

MINDY SIMON CONAGRA FOODS

ALEXI WELLMAN YAHOO!

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d Beth katz founDer anD forMer executiVe Director Project interfaith I believe successful leadership both now and especially in the future requires a great deal of nimbleness, creativity, collaboration, and humility. We are living in a time of significant global transition when many of the traditional institutional models and ways of doing business are no longer relevant or effective in many contexts. Successful leaders will embrace this time as one where they can be innovative and even more impactful with their work, but also will recognize that they cannot do this in a vacuum: their success is largely dependent on the quality and depth of the relationships that they can cultivate with others both in their organizations and in the markets and communities in which they operate.

BETH KATZ PROJECT INTERFAITH

Bob cronin cHief DeVeLoPMent anD oPerationS officer Prairie cloudware • ican Board Member Leadership today as well as in future requires the following core values and norms: Honesty/Trustworthiness - All things hinge on building trusting relationships, which can only happen if you act with honesty and trustworthiness.

Servant - Leaders must be exceptional listeners to hear what needs exist, and what they can do to address those needs.

Transparent - With the proliferation of social media and the availability of massive amounts of information, a leader must be transparent in their actions and motives.

Accountable - A leader must be willing to stand up and be counted.

BOB CRONIN PRAIRIE CLOUDWARE

Janel allen Director, HuMan reSourceS anD organizationaL DeVeLoPMent creighton university • ican Board Member Personally commit to and actively work to develop self and call forth the gifts and talents of others.

Demonstrate the confidence, courage and positive attitude to deliver what others think is impossible.

Possess a bifocal vision seeing the big picture across the enterprise as well as the operational detail.

Thirst for learning and possess the desire to remove barriers so others can learn, collaborate and innovate.

JANEL ALLEN CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY

Build strategic partnerships and strong community alliances. re[defyne]d

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KEYNOTES AND news notes katty kay LeaD neWS ancHor, BBc WorLD neWS aMerica author: Womenomics, the confidence code From Washington, Kay covers the full gamut of American and global affairs - reporting on U.S. elections, the White House, Congress, Wall Street, global economies and world trouble spots. Kay also witnessed and reported on the huge change in American policy and psyche brought on by the attacks of September 11.

Kay is a frequent guest commentator on nBc’s Meet the Press and MSnBc’s Morning Joe where she also frequently serves as guest co-host. Katty Kay is coauthor (with Claire Shipman) of two New York Times bestsellers. The latest is the confidence code: the Science and art of Self assurance – What Women Should know. In their first book together, Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success, Kay and Shipman explore how women can create a professional life that meets their needs - and in the process create more profitable companies with happier and more productive employees.

KATTY KAY LEAD NEWS ANCHOR, BBC WORLD NEWS AMERICA, AUTHOR

erik Wahl entrePreneur, artiSt, PHiLantHroPiSt author: unthink Erik Wahl is an internationally recognized graffiti artist, #1 best selling author and entrepreneur.

Erik redefines the term “keynote speaker.” Pulling from his history as both a businessman and an artist, he has grown to become one of the most soughtafter corporate speakers available today. Erik’s on-stage painting seamlessly becomes a visual metaphor to the core of his message, encouraging organizations toward profitabiIity through innovations and superior levels of performance.

His list of clients includes AT&T, Disney, London School of Business, Microsoft, FedEx, Exxon Mobil, Ernst & Young, and XPrize; Erik has also been featured as a TED presenter.

ERIK WAHL ENTREPRENEUR, ARTIST, PHILANTHROPIST, AUTHOR

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Erik’s bestselling business book UNTHINK was hailed by Forbes Magazine as the blueprint to actionable creativity and by Fast Company Magazine as Provocative with a Purpose.

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d What’s new for the 2015 conference?

• greater focus on business and workplace takeaways • Mobile application • Partnership with food Bank for the Heartland • coaching corner with ican’s team of certified coaches • Linkedin Profile Makeover Station with Linkedin official career experts • new ican Leadership Program announcement in partnership with creighton university • conversations on the main stage with prominent local leaders moderated by katty kay about the 4 c’s • erik Wahl’s on-stage painting creation to be provided to a conference attendee • announcement of a new Business Leadership award in partnership with kiewit

3 Breakout Sessions by local area speakers and leaders

SuSan courtney & Jennifer ricHarDSon “go together”: Building a culture of collaboration

karen LiSko, PHD “What Was i thinking?” converting our nonassertive thoughts into assertive communication

Stacey fLoWerS the Power of Women and collaboration

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community IN COLLABORATION

hallmark versity mission, collaboration is the in keeping with its metropolitan uni ctic setting nt center, perpetuated in an ecle of uno’s community engageme mon ground and partnerships. designed for conversations, com

SARA WOODS CEC DIRECTOR

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STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM SCHOLZ

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ch ar m ning last since ope Interaction unfolds transparently. Conference rooms UNITY ENGAGEMENT THE BARBARA WEITZ COMM CENTER AT UNO HAS SURPASSED EXPECTATIONS Y IN ITS ROLE AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE UNIVERSIT AND THE COMMUNITY.

have windows that allow participants to look out as passersby look in. The glass-fronted facade offers scenic l views of the campus and lets in ample sunlight. A centra and sed enclo e whos or interi atrium creates an open, airy commons areas invite interaction. ” unity, “We knew it was going to be a benefit to the comm CEC director SARA WOODS says, “we just didn’t “This is a very public place and we want to keep it that anticipate how much use it was going to get and how way.” Woods says. many organizations were going to take as much advantage of it as they have.”

She, along with UNO colleagues, students and community stakeholders, worked closely with In its first eight months alone the two-story, 60,000 orative e Holland Basham Architects to envision a collab square foot building located in the middle of the Dodg any than environment that, she says, “feels different Street campus recorded 23,000 visits and hosted 1,100 ility.” flexib ible by other campus building and offers incred events. The $24 million structure was paid for entirely were es “Spac Project designer Todd Moeller says, private funds. It’s namesake, BARBARA WEITZ, is a intentionally arranged so that users would be prompted She retired UNO School of Social Work faculty member. to utilize several parts of the building, thus increasing and her husband, Wally Weitz, are longtime supporters the opportunity for the spontaneous meeting.” of UNO’s service learning programs. The Weitz Family Foundation made the CEC’s lead gift.

Artwork by several community artists adorns the walls. at UNO junior art major HUGO ZAMORANO joined As an outreach hub where the University of Nebraska community artists in creating a 120-foot mural in the Omaha and nonprofits meet, the center welcomes users center’s parking garage. coming for meetings, projects and activities. uno community engagement center

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community IN COLLABORATION

uno’s barbara weitz

community engagement center

when it comes to omaha dramatic fixtures susan baer collins and carl beck the question more appropriately becomes, “who haven’t they been?”

Zamorano is a former tagger who found a positive outlet for his graffiti at the Kent Bellows Mentoring Program, under whose supervision he worked on several community murals. Now a mentor for the program, he joined two other artist mentors and three high school artists in creating the CEC mural symbolizing community engagement after input from UNO and community leaders.

Diverse partners and spaces Woods says the collaboration that went into the mural project mirrors the CEC’s intended purpose to “be a place where people gather, plan, collaborate to find ways to solve problems.” She says that’s exactly what’s happening, too. “People are holding workshops and meetings and conferences around critical community issues and these things are happening very organically, without any orchestration. We’re excited about the extent of use of it and the range of organizations using it. We’re excited about the debates, the dialogues, the forums.”

Nineteen entities – eleven nonprofits and eight university-based organizations – officed there last fall.

Among the nonprofits are the Buffett Early Childhood Institute and Inclusive Communities. Signature UNO engagement efforts housed there include the Service Learning Academy and the Office of Civic and Social Responsibility. All have different focuses but each is in line with serving the common good.

“They all work side by side in this great collaborative environment we created,” Woods says. “Those organizations are thriving here with us. They’re great ambassadors. They take advantage of our volunteers, our interns, our graduate assistants, our service learning classes. They have students work on special projects for them.”

HUGO ZAMORANO

Service Learning Academy director PAUL SATHER and Office of Civic and Social Responsibility director KATHE OLESON LYONS report new partnerships resulting from the ease of collaboration the CEC fosters.

Says Sathers, “I mean, you just walk down the hall to have conversations with people,” and new partnerships get formed.

Building namesake Barbara Weitz, who serves on many community boards, says the sheer variety and number of organizations that office or meet there means connections that might otherwise not happen occur.

“People engage in conversation and find they have common interests. There’s just so many possibilities.

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The communication just starts to ripple and in a way that’s easy for everybody and in an environment that encourages collaboration and creativity.”

She says many small organizations lack space of their own for meetings and the CEC, whose meeting rooms are free for nonprofits meeting certain criteria, provides a valuable central spot for confabs. Those rooms come in a range of sizes and are state-of-the-art.

Among the CEC’s many engaging spaces, the Union Pacific Atrium, honors the legacy of JESSICA LUTTON BEDIENT, a University of NebraskaLincoln graduate and UNL Foundation employee who devoted her short life to volunteering.

Nine additional organizations were slated to move in over the semester break. In a few years the current roster of community tenants will have moved out and a new group taken their place. Whoever’s there the center will continue being a funnel for community needs and a tangible expression of UNO’s metropolitan mission to respond to those needs.

Fulfilling a larger mission “A metropolitan university has an obligation and commitment to serving its urban community and we do that through purposely applying our student, faculty and staff resources through teaching, service and applied research,’ Woods says. “It’s reciprocal in that way.

We don’t just treat the city as a laboratory, although we want to learn from it and gain knowledge from it, but we try to do work that benefits the community as opposed to being in an ivory tower where the university exists within a metropolitan area but doesn’t necessarily give back.

“We really see ourselves as a thriving part of the metropolitan community and because of that we have an obligation to contribute to it. That’s our metropolitan mission. Not only is it part of our DNA, we believe urban universities like ours are going to become more and more important going forward.”

Woods says the ever enhanced reputation UNO enjoys nationally and in its hometown is a direct result of the university “connecting to our community and showing the value we offer our citizens in so many ways and you see a lot of these things come together in this building.”

She says UNO’s engagement legacy is strong and ever growing, evolving and emerging. uno community engagement center

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uno’s barbara weitz

community engagement center

when it comes to omaha dramatic fixtures susan baer collins and carl beck the question more appropriately becomes, “who haven’t they been?”

in december uno received the presidential award for economic opportunity, a designation certifying the university as a higher education leader in community engagement. the award, granted through the president’s higher education community service honor roll, is the highest honor a university or college can receive from the united states government for commitment to volunteering, service learning and civic engagement.

uno was one of only four presidential award recipients in 2014 and the only winner nationally for creating economic opportunity through community engagement efforts. more than 800 colleges and universities, private and public, were considered for recognition. uno is the only institution of higher learning in nebrasKa to be on the honor roll every year since the award’s inception in 2006.

“There’s a sea change taking place in faculty seeing engagement, whether through their research or teaching or service, as a natural part of what they do.

This campus allows that to happen. A lot of physical, student and faculty capital is going towards that.

It’s wonderful watching it grow. The CEC is one giant mechanism to promote engagement throughout this campus. We hope to support, encourage and promote engagement wherever it takes place at UNO.” She says the center is “the only stand-alone comprehensive engagement-focused facility of its kind in the United States,” adding, “We’re very unique and we’re getting a lot of national attention.” Because access is everything, the center’s easily found just south of the landmark bell tower and has its own designated parking.

Service learning projects Being intentional about engagement means that not only UNO faculty and staff connect with community at the center, so too do students, who use the CEC to find service projects and positions in the metro, thus volunteering opportunities connect students to the community.

“We know those co-curricular experiences are really helpful in building a student’s professional portfolio,” Woods says. “If we can engage students as volunteers or inservice they are more likely to do well in school, to be retained, to graduate, to get a good job in a profession.

When they are successfully employed they are more likely to be engaged in their community. We know that’s even more the case for first generation students and students of color.”

UNO annually offers more than 160 service learning courses across academic disciplines. In service learning projects UNO students gain experiential opportunities to apply classroom lessons to real-life nonprofits and neighborhoods. UNO students work collaboratively with K-12 students on projects. Some projects are longstanding, such as one between UNO gerontology students and seniors at the Adams Park Community Center. Other projects are nationally recognized, such as the aquaponics program at King Science Center, where UNO biology and chemistry students and urban farmer GREG FRIPP teach kids to build and maintain sustainable systems for growing food.

A new project recently found UNO political science students partnering with the Northwest High School student council on the NO PLACE TO HATE dialogue process taught by the Anti-Defamation League’s Plains States Region. The ADL invited 100-plus students from nine high schools to the CEC for a

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discussion facilitated by UNO-ADL. In small groups participants shared views on bullying and racial attitudes and strategies to increase understanding and compassion.

“It’s very much integrated learning where you take learning and combine it with the needs of a nonprofit or a neighborhood or a community organization,” Woods says. “Part of students’ academic credit is earned working with a partner organization.”

Students find other service avenues through the Office of Civic and Social Responsibility (CSR), whose the Volunteer Connection and the Collaborative pair students with organizations’ short term and long-term needs, respectively. Woods says these service opportunities are designed to “put more meaning into students’ volunteer experiences” by combining them with leadership, networking and planning activities. In the Collaborative UNO students may be able to serve as project managers for a year with the nonprofits they’re matched with, giving students resume-enhancing experiences that assist organizations in completing projects or events.

CSR director Kathe Oleson Lyons says, “Corporations are more and more seeking employees who are willing to engage in the community. We know service enriches students’ educational experience and that stimulates success in academics and in the soft skills of learning how to interact with others and gaining an awareness of the greater community. We know our students will leave with a rich set of skills transferable to any work environment upon graduation.”

“Service is a great open door,” Lyons says. “Anybody can do it and everybody is welcome. It allows for access to all and that’s a wonderful leveler for community and university. When you have students out in a neighborhood rehab-ing a home they’re interacting with neighbors, who see that these students aren’t so different from me. It’s a great equalizer. Students learn a great deal from the community, too. They learn more about what the needs are, what’s happening in areas of the community they’d never entered before.”

Lighting the way As a conduit or liaison for community collaboration, Lyons says the center “isn’t the end point, it’s the connecting point – we still need to be out in the community” (beckoning-reaching out). “That’s the power of the building. It’s kind of a beacon. It always feels like to me it’s the lighthouse and it shines the light both ways. It’s a reflection of who the university is and the university is a reflection of who the community is. uno community engagement center

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community IN COLLABORATION

uno’s barbara weitz

community engagement center

when it comes to omaha dramatic fixtures susan baer collins and carl beck the question more appropriately becomes, “who haven’t they been?”

a metropolitan university has an obligation and commitment to serving its urban community and we do that through purposely applying our student, faculty and staff resources through teaching, service and applied research. it’s reciprocal in that way. we don’t just treat the city as a laboratory…we try to do worK that benefits the community. ~ SARA WOODS CEC DIRECTOR

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“What a wonderful symbol of a metropolitan university – to be a lighthouse of stewardship and scholarship.”

Donor Barbara Weitz was turned on to the power of service learning as a UNO faculty member. She and her philanthropic family regularly see the benefit of engagement on the social justice causes they support.

Weitz sees the UNO Community Engagement Center as the culmination of what UNO’s long been cultivating.

“For me it’s the embodiment of what everyone’s been working towards at UNO, including the chancellor.

This idea that we’re a metropolitan university set in the middle of a community with rich resources but also huge needs. The fact that we can a have a place where we come together and through a variety of methods, not just service learning, and meet and talk about what we’re working, compare it with what other people are working on, and find ways to partner.

“It’s all about bringing people together to create the kind of energy it takes to make big change in a metropolitan area. It’s the kind of vital space that’s needed on a college campus.”

Connect with the CEC at www.unomaha.edu/community-engagement-center.

uno community engagement center

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community IN COLLABORATION

UNO’S BARBARA WEITZ

community engagement center

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uno community engagement center

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community IN COLLABORATION

UNO’S BARBARA WEITZ

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UNO’S BARBARA WEITZ

community engagement center

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uno community engagement center

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community IN COLLABORATION

UNO’S BARBARA WEITZ

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uno community engagement center

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community IN COLLABORATION

UNO’S BARBARA WEITZ

community engagement center

when it comes to omaha dramatic fixtures susan baer collins and carl beck the question more appropriately becomes, “who haven’t they been?”

make the connection!

YOU’RE CONNECTED to our extended online coverage!

connected!

mquarterly • feb/mar/apr 2015

• mquarterly

uno community engagement center

BETTER TOGETHER

community IN COLLABORATION

UNO’S BARBARA WEITZ

community engagement center

when it comes to omaha dramatic fixtures susan baer collins and carl beck the question more appropriately becomes, “who haven’t they been?”

connected!

mquarterly • feb/mar/apr 2015

• mquarterly

make the connection!

YOU’RE CONNECTED to our extended online coverage!

uno community engagement center

BETTER TOGETHER

community IN COLLABORATION

UNO’S BARBARA WEITZ

community engagement center

when it comes to omaha dramatic fixtures susan baer collins and carl beck the question more appropriately becomes, “who haven’t they been?”

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uno community engagement center

BETTER TOGETHER

community IN COLLABORATION

UNO’S BARBARA WEITZ

community engagement center

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM SCHOLZ

uno community engagement center

BETTER TOGETHER

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community IN COLLABORATION

UNO’S BARBARA WEITZ

community engagement center

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM SCHOLZ

uno community engagement center

BETTER TOGETHER

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community IN COLLABORATION

UNO’S BARBARA WEITZ

community engagement center

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM SCHOLZ

uno community engagement center

BETTER TOGETHER

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historic CONTRIBUTIONS

FORTY years THAT’S THE LENGTH OF TIME THE FORMER UNION STATION IN OMAHA OPERATED AS A PASSENGER TRAIN CENTER AND COME 2015 THAT SAME ART DECO-STYLE BUILDING MARKS 40 YEARS AS THE DURHAM MUSEUM. It’s not often a grand public space celebrates a dual legacy with a shared milestone of service. From 1931 to 1971 millions of rail passengers passed through.

Starting in 1975 the old Union Station became a cultural-historical venue that millions more have visited.

Much like the history it celebrates, Durham Museum was not built in a day. Neither was its home, Union Station. Union Pacific began construction on it in 1929, the year the Stock Market Crash triggered the Great Depression. The Gilbert Stanley Underwooddesigned structure opened in 1931, the year when a congressional resolution officially made the “Star Spangled Banner” America’s national anthem.

As soon as Union Station closed in 1971 the site’s future lay in doubt. Its survival looked bleak the longer it sat abandoned and untended. Even after UP donated the place to the City of Omaha in 1973, most officials regarded it as a burden or albatross, not a gift.

Many called for the “eyesore” to be torn down. Enter a group of preservationist-minded private citizens who formed the Western Heritage Society as a vehicle for reopening the former train station as a museum. If not for their efforts this monument to Omaha’s vigor may have gone the way of other historic buildings that got razed rather than saved.

Originally known as the Western Heritage Museum, the institution was resource-poor its first two decades yet managed to give new life to the old digs that had seen far better days. Most importantly it built a formidable body of artifacts related to early Omaha, including the Byron Reed Collection of rare coins and documents and the Bostwick-Frohardt Collection of late 19th century-early 20th century photographs.

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STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE DURHAM MUSEUM

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: 40 YEARS

2015 marks a dual milestone for an omaha historic landmark that is thriving in its new life, as Durham Museum recognizes its first 40 years of operation and its second 40 years of celebration, realized through the vision of a much beloved and honored champion and namesake.

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historic CONTRIBUTIONS

durham MUSEUM The Museum also originated events, such as Christmas at Union Station, that became community traditions.

Durham executive director Christi Janssen admires the vision and fortitude of those angels, including Itey Crummer, Emmy Baker and Ron Hunter, who made the old train station a museum.

“Their challenges were way different than our challenges today,” she says. “They were really fighting hard to raise money to turn the lights on essentially.”

champion | architect Then, in the mid-1990s, the struggling museum that long postponed much-needed renovations and improvements for lack of funds was gifted with tens of millions of dollars through a Heritage Services drive.

That campaign also brought the museum one of its greatest champions, the late Charles W. “Chuck” Durham, who grew HDR Inc. into a national engineering firm and became a major philanthropist.

“Fortunately, Chuck Durham showed up with a keen architectural and engineering instinct. Walking into this Union Station, Chuck could see beyond the collapsing roof, the peeling paint and the tarnished light fixtures and envision its magnificence with the right amount of money and the best of architecture and construction firms,” recalls Heritage Services President Sue Morris.

As an active museum board member Durham committed himself to helping it reach its potential and restoring the building to its former glory. His children note their father saw great value in the work the museum did and in the history the building represented.

Daughter Sunny Lundgren says, “He thought this is Omaha’s history and we need to preserve it and so the first thing he did was give money to this place and then he started knocking on doors and saying, ‘Do you know what an important building this is? It’s part of Omaha, we need to restore it.’”

“He led the charge in raising dollars from community leaders who responded generously,” daughter Lynne Boyer adds.

Among those Durham reeled in was then-Kiewit Corporation CEO Walter Scott. His support was recognized when the museum’s most iconic space was renamed the Suzanne and Walter Scott Great Hall.

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: 40 YEARS “The building and I have something in common. We were both ‘born’ in 1931,” Scott says. “Many years later it was Chuck Durham who introduced me to its role as a museum. He convinced me to help him establish the museum’s relationships with the Smithsonian, Library of Congress and National Archives. Chuck had a vision for what the Durham Museum could become, and I think he’d be pleased to see the board and staff have realized a good part of his vision.”

Sue Morris says Durham was persuasive enough that the Heritage Services-directed campaign raised more than $30 million for the museum. The funds underwrote a major 1996 project that entailed constructing a new parking deck, installing a new roof as well as new mechanical and electrical systems and creating new office spaces, classrooms and permanent exhibits. The Great Hall was repainted and restored and interactive sculptures added. A 22,000 square foot addition was built over Track #1.

new name | new mission In recognition of Durham’s efforts, the museum was renamed in his honor in 1997 as part of a general rebranding.

“It’s always been centered on Omaha’s history and western heritage,” Janssen says, “but as the museum has evolved we have aspired to be much more than that. We want to be a gathering place. The events we host are a great way to celebrate traditions. Beyond Omaha’s history and its western heritage our mission is to share the nation’s story. We are a significant piece of that. We mirror the national story in terms of rail travel and the industry that built this community. So we have broadened our scope quite a bit over the years.

Thus, we’ve been able to tap into a new audience.”

Janssen says “a very strong education focus now takes front and center,” adding, “We get into school classrooms, we host school field trips and summer camps down here, we offer a scholars in residence education series that is much sought after.” The museum does special programming around various history months, such as Black History Month (February), Women’s History Month (March), National Hispanic Heritage Month (September) and Native American Heritage Month (November).

The lecture hall is fully outfitted for distance learning.

Presentations made there are regularly fed to classrooms, community centers and other sites around the nation.

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historic CONTRIBUTIONS

durham MUSEUM A mobile video camera unit allows educators to focus on various architectural details of the Great Hall, for example, as part of distance learning history curriculum.

WALKING INTO THIS UNION STATION chuck durham COULD SEE BEYOND THE COLLAPSING ROOF, THE PEELING PAINT AND THE TARNISHED LIGHT FIXTURES AND ENVISION ITS magnificence. ~ SUE MORRIS HERITAGE SERVICES PRESIDENT

“We continue to look for ways to engage people and to make the museum a presence wherever we can,” Janssen says. “We want people to realize it’s not just about the permanent and traveling exhibits, it’s about lectures, films, concerts, the Ethnic Holiday Festival, Christmas at Union Station, the authentic soda fountain and more.”

As the building transformed from dusty relic to gleaming palace once again and the museum grew its programming, attendance increased. In the first decade of the new millennium Chuck Durham contributed a generous match to new philanthropic gifts that funded several more infrastructure needs and the building of the Stanley and Dorothy Truhlsen Lecture Hall.

public trust | corporate growth From that point forward the museum has seen its greatest growth in terms of attendance, membership and donations, Janssen says.

“I think the thing that gets people to invest in us is a proven record and we have that now because of the growth we’ve enjoyed and the hard work we’ve been doing. We can get their attention because they see something happening here. They see we’re actually going to do what we say we’re going to do. That’s foundational for us – we never say we’re going to do something and then don’t. We’re intentional to always under promise and over deliver.

“But I think the thing that continues to get people excited about the museum is that everyone leaves with an appreciation for the history and the experience they find here. We are a repository of stories and we share those stories through our artifacts and our programs. We have been able to capture and retell those stories, and again this building speaks louder than words.”

With the museum’s finances stabilized and the institution becoming an affiliate of the prestigious Smithsonian Institution (in 2002), whose popular traveling exhibits show there, Durham was pleased by how far things had progressed and how bright the future looked.

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: 40 YEARS

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40 YEARS OF OPERATION | 40 YEARS OF CELEBRATION

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historic CONTRIBUTIONS

durham MUSEUM new generations | fresh insights “My father enjoyed watching the museum come alive with outstanding programs and exhibits which attracted large numbers of visitors from all over the city, state and country,” Boyer says. “It gave him a sense of great satisfaction to know the museum would continue to educate and entertain visitors of all ages for generations to come.”

Right up until his death in 2008 Durham, then wheelchair bound, made a point of visiting the museum as often as he could.

“He enjoyed coming to the museum,” Janssen says.

“Of course, it probably didn’t hurt that we had ice cream. He appreciated the opportunity to visit the soda fountain.”

The Durham family remains involved. Lundgren formed the museum’s guild and served as its president one year. She supports various education efforts there and still volunteers at events. She says her family’s Christmas is not complete without visiting the museum.

Boyer enjoys taking her grandchildren there, saying, “When I visit the museum with them I view it through their eyes and gain an even greater appreciation for all it has to offer. It is an educational gem.”

Janssen says the Durham could not have blossomed without the generous support of individual members, families, corporations and foundations or without the committed work of board members, docents, volunteers and staff. She says the museum has been fortunate to have both good leadership and stewardship.

The Durham has become a major attraction – welcoming a record 204,000 visitors in 2013 and on pace to record a similar number in 2014.

Its household membership base is over 7,000.

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: 40 YEARS new directions | new neighbors That kind of support, she says, “just changes the way we can do business.” There’s no time to rest on laurels.

“Our job is always to take it one step further,” Janssen says. “A big focus going forward is incorporating technology into the experience, both in digitizing our photo archive and in making our gallery exhibits more interactive.”

After years of being an outlier the Durham is poised to be one of many anchor attractions along a revived South 10th Street. It can partner with such new neighbors as the House of Loom, the resurgent Little Italy district, KETV, which is moving into the restored Burlington Station, the new Blue Barn Theater and the coming Omaha Public Market. That’s in addition to North Downtown, the Capital District, the Old Market, Lauritzen Gardens and the Henry Doorly Zoo. All of it, she says, speaks to “a new vibrancy” in the area. “It’s not just about us anymore. It’s about everybody around us. We can do so much more if we do it together and we become a destination corridor.”

Follow the 2015 anniversary events at durhammuseum.org.

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40 YEARS OF OPERATION | 40 YEARS OF CELEBRATION

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global AWARENESS

unmc makes international eye care a priority and through its global medical missions and fellowships the differences being made fall nothing short of multiple, life-changing labors of love.

IT IS NO play on words to say the leaders of the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Global Blindness Prevention Division and its professional home, the STANLEY M. TRUHLSEN EYE INSTITUTE, share a big vision.

from long distances. Over and over again he “I was struck by [the fact that] here’s this major witnessed people’s lives changed by a short, component of human suffering that we haven’t inexpensive procedure that saw people come in blind cured that costs about 20 dollars and can be done in and walk out sighted. The impact of it all, Feilmeier about 5 minutes and can be taken anywhere in the says, “hit me like a lightning bolt.” world,” Michael Feilmeier says.

The personnel behind these endeavors want nothing “When you take the patient’s patch off after surgery less than to create an army of well-trained they just kind of light up,” he says. “This person who international eye physicians to retain addressing was previously maybe an empty shell of themselves preventable blindness around the world. kind of fills up and comes back to life. So for me it This cadre of care is already providing international was like, ‘This is it, this is how I want to spend a major part of my career.’” ophthalmology training and surgical opportunities to a next generation of eye physicians. Teams of medical students, residents and physicians are going There and on subsequent trips to Haiti he’s observed parents regain sight and thus be able to see their to remote places and giving the gift of sight to children for the first time and he’s witnessed children’s hundreds of patients during weeks-long medical lives turned around by sight restoring surgery. mission trips to developing nations on different continents. Global Blindness Prevention Fellows are “Being a parent I understand that joy of parents spending a year or more overseas learning how to seeing their child or having their child get the health deal with complex vision problems, training local care they need. Those are the stories that resonate eye medical professionals and performing lifemost with me. You could put together an amazing altering procedures. book of stories of the life changing transformations of people undergoing cataract surgery. We always In some instances eye physicians from the ask patients the question, ‘What are you going to do developing world are coming to Omaha for now that your sight’s restored?’ It’s amazing the way advanced training and clinical research unavailable people respond. The overwhelming majority say, in their home countries.

‘I want to work, I want to contribute.’”

Taken together, this international focus is extending its reach wherever people are in need. a new perspective The experiences, Feilmeier says, “changed me a great returning sight and more deal,” adding, “We all have these pivotal moments in For the Omaha ophthalmologists leading this charge, our lives and going to Nepal was one. It really making a difference beyond borders brings personal changed the course of my life forever. It changed the and professional satisfaction. Dr. Michael Feilmeier, trajectory of my life at a very young age and I’m medical director of the Global Blindness Prevention grateful for that. It changed my perspective in a lot Division, was a fourth year medical student at of ways.

UNMC when he got his first international ophthalmology experience. He’d already had his eyes “Obviously it makes you appreciative of what you opened to the “incredible need throughout the world have. It makes you realize your problems are so for well-trained health care providers” on trips to small relatively speaking to the problems of the Nicaragua and Belize. But his passion for global majority of people who live in the world.” blindness prevention was stoked when he joined the Feilmeier’s wife (and development director) Jessica, HIMALAYAN CATARACT PROJECT initiated by Dr. Geoffrey Tabin. accompanied him on trips to Nepal, Ghana, Haiti and the Dominican Republic and their experiences He spent several weeks in Nepal assisting Tabin and overseas compelled them to form the Global Blindness his team in giving sight to people who’d hiked in Prevention Division in 2011 with the help of donations.

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“I always knew I was fortunate to grow up in the U.S., but never realized how truly blessed I was compared to the rest of the world,” Jessica says. “I never knew the conditions that individuals living needlessly blind faced each day and the knowledge I gained from witnessing their struggles to complete the simple tasks we take for granted: walk unassisted to a bathroom, navigate across a busy street or meet the gaze of a laughing child changed me in the most profound way. I came to understand my true capacity in terms of what I could be doing personally and professionally to see that as few people as possible lived their lives in needless darkness.”

A broadened perspective is precisely the effect that Dr. Quan Nguyen, professor, chair of opthalmology and director of the Truhlsen Eye Institute, endorses.

He and his physician wife, Dr. Diana Do, came here from Johns Hopkins University with years of international medical travel behind them. Do serves as vice chair for education at the Institute.

Nguyen says, “We as physicians should recognize when we treat patients the care of the patient not only depends on the surgical-medical skills of the physician but also on the ability to incorporate the social-economic needs of the patient in order to achieve a successful outcome. I think that is the most valuable lesson for our residents, trainees and fellows when they travel. I truly believe the most important experience of traveling like this is to be able to gain additional perspective of what other people need so we can serve them.

“Yes, they will also have opportunities to operate on a number of patients and to enhance their own surgical skills but I think the most important aspect, which I hope is a lifetime experience for them, is to recognize and remember what the people there value and need. Then when they return home they can be advocates to help these people.”

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STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF STANLEY M. TRUHLSEN EYE INSTITUTE

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art of love: GIFT OF SIGHT HERE’S THIS MAJOR COMPONENT OF HUMAN suffering THAT WE HAVEN’T CURED THAT COSTS ABOUT 20 dollars AND CAN BE DONE IN ABOUT 5 minutes AND CAN BE TAKEN anywhere IN THE WORLD. ~ DR. MICHAEL FEILMEIER

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global AWARENESS

make the connection!

See the extended, enhanced and expanded version of this article online in our Digital Edition, featuring additional photos & content

global reach The ongoing program aligned perfectly with the arrival of Nguyen and his expanded vision for the Department of Opthalmology by way of the international mission he’s put in place at the Truhlsen Eye Institute, which opened last year.

A large photographic mural entitled “The Gift of Sight” in the center’s lobby dramatically expresses that global reach and the work being done by entities and individuals to prevent blindness. It pictures patients whose sight was restored and physicians who performed the surgeries.

“In the past. global eye care has never been a focus of the department,” Nguyen says. “The Truhlsen Eye Institute was founded on the basis of not only serving the citizens of Nebraska but patients from every corner of the world with the best possible eye care. To do so we must first demonstrate our expertise and our mission in education to bring people over and to train them.

“We would like to make it a place that serves patients wherever they live in the world. Whether it’s global or local, our goal is to preserve vision, prevent blindness and restore sight to people of different economic and social backgrounds.”

UNMC is doing that in several ways. One is by sending teams to high-need areas where they can directly benefit individual patients through what Feilmeier’s calls “blitzes” of intense, concentrated surgical visits.

Nguyen says, “We are at the same time training eye physicians and surgeons who can continue with our mission long after we have left a specific country because we know it is not possible for just a group of physicians and surgeons from Omaha to be able to prevent blindness across the globe or even in one country. We know that as part of our mission teaching is very important to be able to train the next generation of surgeons and eye physicians to carry on the work.

“We look for how we spread the ‘disciples’ from the Truhlsen Eye Institute in Omaha across the globe.”

A blitz may also impact underserved populations right in our own backyard. For example, the Division regularly provides eye services to Native Americans in Omaha.

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stanley m. truhlsen eye institute GLOBAL BLINDNESS PREVENTION DIVISION

art of love: GIFT OF SIGHT Collaboration with local partners is key to ensure high quality eye care continues after visiting teams leave. Before a team ever arrives, locals get the word out about their visits and perform screenings.

“Your success in a country depends not upon how much you want to do there and how much money you have, it’s who your local partners are,” Michael Feilmeier says. “So we continue to search for good in-country local partners – young, motivated people who work together as a team and who have good skill sets. We’ve found those in all of the places we’ve worked so far. We’re really fortunate.”

paying it forward Feilmeier wanted to create a vehicle for aspiring or emerging eye care physicians to have the same experiences he did overseas and thus the Global Blindness Prevention Division came about.

“We work with people at different levels in their training,” Feilmeier says. “For medical students we’ve developed a one-month rotation similar to what I did. We arrange everything for them for their experience in Nepal. They spend a month in Kathmandu. They’re mostly observing and feeding off the experience.

“In residency we take the third-year residents for one or two weeks abroad to actually engage in screening the patients, doing the surgery and being part of the whole process. Our two fellowship programs are for people who have graduated from residency.

They spend a full year or a full two years working abroad. So at different points in the training process we can engage people.”

For Feilmeier, it’s paying forward his own eyeopening experiences.

“I look at the opportunity someone gave me to engage in this kind of work and how it changed my life forever. My main focus is becoming more about engaging other people and making it easy for them to have an opportunity like that themselves because it will have the same impact on everybody who gets a chance to experience it. It will influence their life and career.

“I’ve never met a single person who did a medical mission who didn’t want to do another one.”

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global AWARENESS

stanley m. truhlsen eye institute GLOBAL BLINDNESS PREVENTION DIVISION Feilmeier adds, “Then you think about the ripple effect that those people have and all of a sudden you have this army of people who are aware of this problem, who care about this and who are actively engaged in dealing with it and finding solutions.”

Count Dr. Shane Havens a member of that army.

As a senior resident he went to Cap-Hatien, Haiti in 2013 as part of a team led by Feilmeier.

He had one “touching experience” after another with patients overjoyed at getting their sight back.

“A lot of times it gives them their life back.”

Feilmeier says, “It’s just really remarkable the amount of faith the patients put in the whole process and the emotional transition and transformation of patients and their family – seeing people laugh and dance and cry.”

Or in the case of one young man who regained his sight at the hands of Feilmeier and Havens, picking up his two surgeons in celebration.

Aside from the emotions elicited, Havens says a mission “offers you invaluable, unparalleled training experiences in the operating room and clinic you just can’t get from a textbook or any training program,” adding, “I think the skill set it takes to manage the mature or complex cataract we see there really benefits the patients we treat back here.”

On these trips, Feilmeier says, “you really get out of your comfort zone in a new environment and you really test the limits of your abilities. You learn to have a new set of tools in your tool box. The most beneficial surgical training I have is when I’m sort of tested and I don’t have everything I’m used to having.” It means adapting to rough conditions, even operating by flashlight when electricity and generators go out.

Havens says opthalmology is “a ready-made speciality” for international medical service “because it’s one of the few where you can go for a trip of a week or two weeks and maximize your clinical experience and leave a lasting impact.”

Feilmeier feels the earlier people have these international experiences the better.

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art of love: GIFT OF SIGHT “We want to make a difference early on in careers.

I think that’s probably the most impact we can have.

I could sit at the scope 13 hours a day and do thousands of cataracts but ultimately I think it’s far more impactful when you engage young people.

It’s about having that experience and feeling it in your heart and soul.”

Sustaining these international efforts requires financial support. The Global Division is an unfunded arm of UNMC, therefore the Feilmeiers work hard to find donors. Two fundraisers help.

The annual BIKE FOR SIGHT charity ride in April is growing in popularity. A NIGHT FOR SIGHT celebrates the life-changing work of these global initiatives.

The Oct. 25 event staged a Masquerade Ball for guests.*

fellows and funders The Global Blindness Prevention Fellowships are unique. The newest is in partnership with ORBIS INTERNATIONAL, an NGO dedicated to saving sight worldwide.

The Feilmeiers volunteer their time with the Division, covering all their own hard costs (food, travel, lodging) in order to give 100 percent of donated funds to curing blindness.

“We’ve made a pledge that for every $20 we receive, “There’s been two Fellows thus far,” he says. “Starting the cost of the consumables, we will give one free surgery to someone living needlessly blind and next year we’ll hopefully have two per year, maybe fortunately the community of Omaha has supported even three per year, all working full-time in us and donated generously, which has allowed us to developing nations. The two-year fellowship with perform 1,000 free surgeries to date,” Jessica Orbis will be started July 2015. With that one we’re Feilmeier says. trying to groom some of the next generation of leaders in public health and global eye care. Fellows “Our overall goal would be some type of endowment with naming rights to the Division,” Michael get a certificate in public health after completing it.

Feilmeier says. “If we could come up with a million They spend five months with us and seven months to a million and a half dollars in endowment that on the Orbis Flying Hospital – a fully functional, would secure what we want to do over the course of state-of-the-art operating theater – and they travel time. We want to provide eye care to people who around the world for a year. It’s just sort of the next desperately need it, assist in training opportunities level of being involved from a global standpoint. for international ophthalmologists in sub-Saharan Africa or Asia or Haiti to enhance their skills. And “We want the Fellows to see things they’ve never read we want to provide these opportunities to medical students, residents and fellows because it’s expensive about, they’ve never dreamed of seeing. We want to get involved in this type of work and you never them to expand their skill sets and to experience want that to be a limiting factor.” things they would never see here in the U.S.” The next BIKE FOR SIGHT is April 25.

Nguyen says it’s the only fellowship of its kind in the world. He and Feilmeier say there’s strong interest in Follow UNMC’s global eye care efforts and events at both fellowships from applicants around the country. www.unmc.edu/eye/international.htm. *See additional coverage of the Night for Sight Masquerade Ball in our SCENE section.

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global AWARENESS

connected!

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stanley m. truhlsen eye institute GLOBAL BLINDNESS PREVENTION DIVISION

art of love: GIFT OF SIGHT

make the connection!

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business corner

GREATER OMAHA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

bill cutler

robert a. reed

john s. “sid”dinsdale

partner • heafey-hoffman-dworak & cutler mortuaries

president & ceo physicians mutual insurance co.

chairman pinnacle bancorp, inc.

Bill Cutler is steeped in old-school attitudes and values which, in his business ventures, have translated themselves into a strong work ethic, emphasis on building relationships, and a lifelong aversion to drawing attention to himself.

Best known here in Omaha as a partner with HeafeyHoffman-Dworak & Cutler Mortuaries in Omaha, and the Cutler-O’Neill Funeral Home in Council Bluffs, his business ventures also include ownership of seven other funeral homes and four cemeteries.

Bill credits his business success to remaining faithful to his core values, and leaning on his greatest resource, his wife, Susan.

BOB reeD, in addition to his professional responsibilities, has contributed his time and energy to numerous community and national boards in the arts, education and not-for-profit areas. Including the Ak-Sar-Ben Board of Governors; American Council of Life Insurers; America’s Health Insurance Plans; Boy Scouts of America MidAmerica Council; Boys Town Board of Trustees; College of St. Mary Board of Trustees; Creighton University Board of Directors; Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce Board; Omaha Development Foundation; United Way of the Midlands; and Stratcom Consultation Committee.

SiD DinSDale is the Chairman of Pinnacle Bancorp, Inc., a private family owned bank holding company with $8.0 Billion in assets. The company has 130 locations in eight states and 1,800 employees. Mr. Dinsdale serves on the Board of Directors of five banks. Pinnacle also has insurance operations in Nebraska and Colorado. He serves on the board of directors for the University of Nebraska Foundation, Methodist Health Systems, Ameritas Life Insurance Corporation, the Platte Institute, governor with the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben organization, and director emeritus of Bellevue University. He also has served on numerous other boards.

BILL CUTLER

BOB REED

“SID” DINSDALE

For some, their names are as recognizable as a leading household brand, for others, their work stands as a testament to their innovative thinking or never-say-never commitment to their business, industry and the community. Every year, past and present outstanding Omaha-area business leaders become part of the Omaha Business Hall of Fame at a gala event. Initiated in 1993 as part of the Greater Omaha Chamber's centennial anniversary, the Hall of Fame event includes dinner reception, induction ceremony and dessert. Achievements are then showcased in a permanent display at The Durham Museum

chamber inducts six business leaders into business hall of fame

saluting six 50

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chamber of commerce hall of fame stan olsen

bill sapp

president stan olsen auto group

principals sapp bros. travel centers

Stan OlSen turned 90 in September. He retains the title of president of his auto dealership west of the Westroads, but his adult children, Jim, John and Jane, now run the company which was recently acquired by Performance Auto Group. How things have changed during 60 years in the auto business, and Olsen, for all of his 90 years, has been there to see it all. Even though his adult children, Jim, John and Jane, have been running the company, Stan Olsen’s thrifty, upbeat spirit has set the tone for the business. Mary Ann Olsen was his business partner – married the same year they got their dealership in Walnut – until shortly before her death.

Sapp BrOS. was has become an interstate trademark with its red and white coffeepot towers. Brothers Bill and Lee Sapp have a story of success that has expanded from a Ford dealership in Ashland to include a wide and familiar array of Sapp Bros. Travel Centers in eight states.

STAN OLSEN

lee sapp

W.D. (Bill) Sapp founded Sapp Bros. Inc. in 1971.

Under the Sapp brothers’ leadership, Sapp Bros. has grown to 16 travel centers in 8 states and the largest fuel and lubricant wholesaler in Nebraska.

Sapp Bros. exceeds $1.5 billion in annual revenue and employs over 1,400.

THE SAPP BROTHERS

tueSDay, april 14, 2015 | 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Celebrate. Applaud. Be Inspired. Celebrate exceptional achievement, enduring legacies and bold community impact at the Omaha Business Hall of Fame Gala. Initiated in 1993 as part of the Greater Omaha Chamber's centennial anniversary, the Hall of Fame celebration includes an hors d’oeuvres dinner reception, induction ceremony and dessert. Achievements are then showcased in a permanent display at The Durham Museum. Gala proceeds support Greater Omaha Chamber Foundation efforts to help attract and retain young professionals and maintain the permanent Omaha Business Hall of Fame exhibit. Reservations are due by Tuesday, April 7. Business attire.

Registration cost: $250 per ticket. *$150 of this ticket price is tax-deductible.

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non profit PROFILE

STORY BY KARA SCHWEISS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM SCHOLZ

• mquarterly

it’s hard to make even routine home repairs when you lack the resources or are physically unable to do the work. this omaha organization improves lives by providing free home repairs and accessibility modifications to low-income elderly or disabled homeowners.

THE EXECUTIVE director OF OPERATIONS FOR REBUILDING TOGETHER OMAHA, LYNETTE FARHART, HAS AN INTENSE DESIRE TO SEE THE ORGANIZATION’S VISION TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND HEALTHY HOME FOR EVERY PERSON BECOME A REALITY. BUT THE FACT IS, THE NUMBER OF ELDERLY HOMEOWNERS NEEDING THE ORGANIZATION’S ASSISTANCE IS DESTINED TO KEEP GROWING.

and live within the Omaha city limits) evaluators make home visits using whole-home evaluation software.

“Basically, they’re looking at everything to assess the condition of the home and if there’s anything that needs to be repaired. We have found that over the years that the homeowner might have what they want fixed, but they might also have a lot of other issues that need to be addressed,” Farhart said, adding that some homeowners “In 2030 there will be 70 percent more senior citizens adapt to deplorable conditions over time. “I think that, than in 2000. They call it the ‘silver tsunami’, she said.

“There is going to be an increased need for our services in unfortunately, sometimes they just get used to living in the environment they’re in. And I just have to say that the future; that’s why we’re so passionate about raising more money and expanding our services, because we do after my first Rebuilding Day, it took me a while to get over what I saw.” not like having a waiting list.”

Even if they cannot immediately help every homeowner who applies for services (which is Farhart’s admitted fondest wish), Rebuilding Together Omaha has already transformed thousands of lives. By improving houses, the organization helps people retain independence, continue to occupy their homes and live in a safer, healthier environment.

Foundation of hope “Rebuilding Together Omaha has been serving lowincome elderly and disabled homeowners with free home repairs in Omaha for almost 20 years, mainly through the efforts of volunteers,” Farhart said.

“We help grandmothers who are raising their grandchildren, veterans, widows, and many other elderly homeowners who do not have the resources to keep up on their home repairs. We served 193 elderly homeowners last year with emergency plumbing and electrical repairs, new roofs and home modifications that will allow them to age in place.”

The effects extend beyond the walls of the homeowners and families served. Entire neighborhoods benefit when individual homes are improved, because the value of those homes increase, Farhart pointed out. Occupied homes are also less likely to attract crime. “We see ourselves as a community revitalization partner,” she said.

Recipients of Rebuilding Together Omaha’s services usually connect to the organization through referrals from various service organizations or governmental entities. After prequalification (homeowners must occupy the home, be at least 62 years old or disabled,

MANY OF THESE [ELDERS] HAVE worked IN OUR COMMUNITY THEIR WHOLE LIVES…TO TREAT THEM NOW LIKE…IT’S OKAY FOR THEM TO BE LIVING IN THOSE CONDITIONS? THAT’S not right. ~ LYNETTE FARHART EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Building awareness Farhart, who has a nonprofit background, joined Rebuilding Together Omaha in 2013. One of her primary objectives is to increase awareness of the organization (which she referred to as “the best-kept secret in Omaha”) to help increase funding for services and ensure that the individuals who need Rebuilding Together Omaha are able to make a connection.

“I just really felt pulled to this organization...I have a huge heart for senior citizens. They have so much value in our society and I don’t think that as a whole we respect them as we should,” she said. “So many of these homeowners have worked in the community their whole lives and were part of our community for so long, to treat them now like they have no value and that it’s okay for them to be living like they’re living? That’s not right.”

(named for program manager Steve Cinnamon), try to take on one project per week, Farhart said.

Rebuilding Day 2015 Teams of volunteers are mobilized every year on the last Friday in April for a focused, multi-home effort called Rebuilding Day that reflects the foundation of Rebuilding Omaha Together, once called Christmas in April.

Christmas in April started in Texas 25 years ago and came to Omaha in 1996 as an annual event. It eventually grew to become a year-round organization offering emergency repair services, home modification (mobility support) and roofing programs, and was rebranded in 2002.

Last year’s Rebuilding Day attracted 30 teams of Farhart and program staff (Rachel Shenkle, client volunteers with a variety of skills. Through Farhart’s manager; Steve Cinnamon, program manager; and efforts, more sponsors now provide funding for Carla Patton-Ochsner, director of development) meet Rebuilding Day, and many of the corporate teams round weekly to decide who and how the organization can out their support by sending a team of volunteers to help based on available resources. They either schedule their sponsored house. repairs, coordinate services with other community partners, or make referrals to agencies that can provide “We have some amazing teams that come back year after specific assistance. The repair schedule has to be year,” Farhart said, adding that this year’s Rebuilding prioritized, with emergencies affecting health or Day—Omaha’s 20th—is scheduled for April 25 and will involving dangerous conditions taking precedence. Area focus on the South Omaha neighborhoods of Lynch Park, subcontractors are brought in for work requiring licensed Columbus Park and Deer Park followed by the professionals, but other projects use handy volunteers or organization’s first-ever community celebration with the even unskilled volunteers trained on site to work under homeowners and volunteers. Individuals or teams experienced supervisors. Two teams of interested in volunteering can visit the website at retiree/handymen volunteers, calling themselves rebuildingtogetheromaha.org or call the offices at CHARLIE’S ANGELS and CINNAMON STICKS (402) 965-9201.

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CLIENT MANAGER RACHEL SHENKLE, CLAUDELLA STATION AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LYNETTE FARHART

rebuilding together omaha

DOING THE RIGHT THING

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KMTV MORNING BLEND’S

SHE SAID

mike & mary What’s your favorite Love Story other than your own??

~ Mike DiGiacomo His ...

Hers ... ~ Mary Nelson

It’s the season of love. Everywhere we look we’ll find red roses, heart-shaped chocolates and fuzzy, little stuffed bears. We often relate this time of year to those romantic love stories.

But love comes in all shapes and sizes, and is more easily experienced than defined.

My Uncle Jesse and Aunt Naomi shared a remarkable love story. He was an author.

She was his editor. They struggled together, and thrived together. They exemplified unconditional love.

As someone who is still a relatively new parent, I’m reminded of the bond between child and parent. It’s a love as strong as any. I feel it in my relationship with my kids – with my parents.

Memaw and Theodore had an unconventional love story. They first met as teenagers, but married others and lived decades apart, before reuniting in their 80s. He made her feel like a queen. He’d gift her with things like blood pressure monitors. Is that the kind of love that inspires movies? Maybe not, but it was love.

A few years ago, I remember watching college football one particular Saturday afternoon.

In between games, I witnessed one of the most beautiful loves stories I’ve ever seen, involving a father and his son.

What may be my favorite love story was one free of bias, judgment, expectations, or conditions. It’s the story of my Mom, and our dog, Sue. She came into our lives as a stray.

Sue looked and behaved like a bluetick coonhound. She was mellow, yet playful. She was loyal and smart. She was also sensitive – even compassionate.

An 18-year-old named Patrick Henry Hughes was invited to be one of the trumpeters in the Louisville Cardinals marching band. But he didn’t understand how he could manage it. Hughes is blind and wheelchair bound, due to an extremely rare genetic disorder.

Growing up, times were tough. Life hit a particularly challenging patch when my parents divorced. The process created great emotional and financial stress for my mom.

Hughes’ dad, also named Patrick, helped his son more than one could ever imagine.

He pushed the younger Hughes’ wheelchair around the field, jogging, spinning and maneuvering the chair in the different marching formations.

When I was nine years old, I remember standing in the bathroom of our home, looking out at our front yard. My mom was sitting there. I could tell she was crying. But, she wasn’t alone.

Sue was there. In the most loving way, she tilted her head – laying it on Mom’s shoulder.

Hughes’ dad attended every single rehearsal, and every single game. The commitment required hundreds of hours of his time. He quit his job as a systems analyst to take a graveyard shift at UPS so he could spend the daytime hours with his son.

It was an honest, extremely powerful moment. Recalling that day still brings me to tears.

It’s an incredible story of how faith, perseverance, and unconditional love can make almost anything possible. Whether father and son, husband and wife, or two good life-long friends, there is nothing love cannot face. It’s one of life’s greatest blessings.

Sue knew Mom was hurting. She knew Mom needed a friend. She was there. That’s love.

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METROspirit “MULBERRY LANE”

WHAT WILL you be

whenyou

grow up?

I’M SURE IT HAPPENED TO YOU MANY TIMES WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER.

At Sunday brunch with Aunt Linda, at family gatherings, in the school cafeteria, and maybe even in line at the grocery store, you were probably asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And I bet you’ve asked this very question of at least one child in your life. And like most, the answers probably run along the lines of fire-fighter, nurse, veterinarian, or maybe rock star, superhero, famous actor, or President.

Funny. When you think about it, no other member of the animal kingdom worries about what it will be when it grows up. No one ever asks the family puppy. Everyone knows he’ll grow up to be the family dog. No one asks the goldfish, swimming in the tank what it will become someday. It doesn’t even cross anyone’s mind that the fish will be anything but a bigger fish when it’s fully grown. If Fido never becomes the cover model on the dog food can, or never dons a cape to play Underdog in the movies, no one is disappointed that he never reached his full potential. And Fido and Goldfish never bother themselves with a question that potentially weighs their self-worth. They’re just happy in their “dog-ness” and “fish-ness”.

So, although the question is fun to ask of kids and sometimes yields amusing answers, it could be possible that we’re putting unnecessary pressure on our kids (and ourselves) to live in the future, instead of just being who we are.

Maybe we could shift the focus a little. Maybe if we’re taught that the goal in growing into adulthood is to become Humans, that would be better.

The focus will no longer be on a job, fame or power, but it will become staying in touch with our humanity - no matter how famous or ordinary, powerful or common, rich or poor we end up. The message could be emphasized that no matter what we choose to do in life, we are inherently valuable just as we are – and we don’t need a job, a profession, or career to define us.

So whether we become doctors, presidents, CEOs, police officers, teachers, stay-at-home-moms or dads or entrepreneurs, our humanity is the priority – not the letters after our name, our income, the number of Twitter followers, or political power we hold. And if we are taught that our humanness is what we all share, and with that, each of us as a human is valuable, maybe we won’t become politicians who subvert rights for our own gain, employees who cheat on our time sheets, famous athletes who abuse others, CEOs who value dollars more than lives, or parents who push our kids to accomplish what we never did. We will see ourselves as Human first.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This is known to most of us a The Golden Rule, attributed to Jesus Christ, but it’s not only a Christian value, it’s a human value that reminds us that no one’s humanity is more or less important than anyone else’s, and by extension, the rights of a very powerful person is no more or less important than the rights of seemingly insignificant one. And there are many forms of power we can aspire to that empower others as well.

When we base our self-worth on how we treat others, we all win.

Sisters Rachel, Bo, and Allie are singer/songwriters who host a syndicated music, arts, and lifestyle talk radio show. The Mulberry Lane Show airs in Omaha on Saturdays, The Mighty 1290 KOIL, 10am – noon.

The show is sponsored by Elisa Ilana Jewelry. For more information visit www.mulberrylane.com.

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MARY E. VANDENACK Mary Vandenack, while a lawyer by profession, has studied extensively in mind/body areas of fitness and wellness. She is Yoga Alliance RYT-200, Power Pilates certified and ACE certified.

“health thoughts” TO KEEP OMAHA thriving ON THE MORNING OF THE WRITING OF THIS ARTICLE, I WAS SITTING AT A STARBUCKS DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW WAITING FOR MY HOT TEA WHEN I WATCHED A COLLISION OCCUR AT THE INTERSECTION IN FRONT OF ME.

My original plan this quarter was to share a collection of health tips from participants in the fitness classes I teach (and I will share them next time) but observing the accident shifted my focus to sharing thoughts and wishes for the health of our community. We have a great community here in Omaha, Nebraska and I can think of nothing better than keeping that community spirit evolving.

COMMUNITY GOALS. For 2015, I wish every member of the community and every business within it community would emphasize community oriented goals. I acknowledge many people (and a lot of them are in this magazine) are very active in the community (“THANK YOU”) and give a lot in terms of both time and money.

My dream is that community orientation spreads to every member of our community and not just in terms of checks to current charitable organizations (although keep those happening) but in terms of the way we live our lives every day. Personally, I’m going to get some first responder training so that if I am

ever the first arrival at the scene of an accident again, I will feel less helpless and know what to do.

KEEPING THE CARING SPIRIT ALIVE. One of the drivers in the accident was an older woman. She was taking responsibility for the accident but noting she had been driving 60+ years and had never been in an accident. The driver of the second car was a younger woman. Both had injuries (fortunately minor) but the younger woman came over and hugged the older woman telling her that as long as they were both here, all was okay. What if we all acted like that when someone “bumped into us” in some way?

MAKING SURE OUR COMMUNITY HAS THE SERVICES WE NEED – FOR THE AGING. Over the last many years, I have worked a lot with the aging population. One of the hardest days in the aging process is the day one is told he or she can no longer drive. While there are some services out there to assist with transportation, there are not enough, even for those who can afford it. I don’t know the

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details of the push against Lyft and Uber but I know that using Uber was a lifesaver recently when I was helping an older client get around a major city to attend the wedding of her niece. There are many services providing for the aging but the surface is just being scratched. I’m an advocate for other services as well but am choosing this one today.

CARING ABOUT ALL OF OUR CITY. I found the recent article citing Omaha, Nebraska as the most dangerous city in the United States for an African American to live in to be extremely disturbing. I also struggled with hearing that our city has become a prime target for drug cartels. Let’s fix this issue – together. Let’s make our community so strong and supportive that gangs and drug cartels want nothing to do with us. And let’s ask our elected officials to work together to make this happen.

When it comes to a safe city and strong community, I don’t care what party the official is from.

Improving our community matters to all.

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omaha giving

• OMAHA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

GIVING CIRCLES IN omaha

giving together

ACROSS

Giving circles are ideal for those who wish take their giving beyond just writing a check.

They offer the chance to give in a very hands-on way - through research, interaction with thought leaders and clients, site visits, and utilization of measurement and evaluation tools to determine the impact of their support. Through this collaboration, participants can experience strategic philanthropy, whereby the group collectively determines the change they wish to see in the world, identifies their preferred intervention strategy and then invites applications from organizations that are working toward making that change a reality.

There are countless ways to customize the structure and operations of a giving circle.

They can operate very formally, with staff and official voting, or conduct their work through casual conversations around a kitchen table. Additionally, giving circles can organize themselves around a specific issue area, contribution amount or demographics of their membership. Giving circles have become increasingly popular among young donors and groups that have historically been underrepresented (i.e. women, ethnic/racial minorities).

Locally, the Omaha Venture Group serves as a young professional’s giving circle within the Omaha Community Foundation. The group’s members pool their charitable dollars together and ultimately distribute small grants of up to $5,000 to small, grassroots organizations that fall within the giving circle’s focus areas of serving youth, adults/seniors and the community.

Amanda McMichael, an Omaha Venture Group co-chair, reflected that, “As young professionals, most of us do not have the resources to make large grants to nonprofits, but together we can provide a grant to enable more significant impact and also offer our unique talents to fulfill a great need for a small or start-up nonprofit.”

Jason Hiley, a past co-chair for the group, echoed these sentiments saying, “The great thing about a giving circle like Omaha Venture Group is that you not only get to leverage your dollars to provide a more meaningful impact on organizations, but you are also able to use the collective wisdom and insight of the larger group to expand your own understanding of issues and solutions within the community.”

Giving circles serve as a powerful tool in building a sense of community. They not only broaden members’ personal networks, but participation can also strengthen members’ professional and philanthropic networks. Through their consensus-based decisionmaking, giving circles set the stage for future philanthropic partnerships and collective impact. By their very nature, giving circles reinforce the adage that when individuals join together for a common cause, they can accomplish more together than any single person can acting alone.

For more information, contact us at (402) 342-3458 or www.omahafoundation.org.

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Matt Darling is Director of Donor Services at Omaha Community Foundation

the Omaha metro, people are coming together to make a positive change in our community through participation in an increasingly popular form of collective giving – giving circles.

Put simply, a giving circle is a group of individuals who matt darling pool their charitable dollars together and engage in decision-making about where their money goes, who benefits, and how the group’s collective funds can best be distributed to make the greatest impact.

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planning matters

• WITH PVW LAW

charitable giving strategies TO BENEFIT CHARITY AND GET A TAX DEDUCTION Benefit charity and get a tax deduction at the same time.

The Direct Gift The direct gift is the easiest and simplest strategy. You just write a check. Alternately, you can transfer securities. Direct gifts during your life may result in a charitable income tax deduction for you. The exact amount of the deduction and various limitations depend on the amount of the donation, your income, they type of donation, and the type of organization to which the donation is made. The use of appreciated assets to make a gift to charity is a longtime preferred strategy to make tax effective gifts. If you own a share of stock with little basis and much value, you would recognize gain on selling the asset. Instead of selling the asset, recognizing gain and then making a gift, you can transfer the appreciated asset to the charity, avoid the capital gain, and obtain a current income tax deduction.

Using Life Insurance to Make Gifts A life insurance policy can be transferred to a charity during your life. You would receive an income tax deduction equal to the fair market value of the policy transferred. You could then make gifts to the charity mary e. vandenack to pay the premiums and would likely qualify for income tax deductions for doing so. Once the policy is transferred, the gift does become irrevocable and you lose the ability to change your mind. An alternate way to use life insurance in benefitting charity is to name a charity as beneficiary upon death. Naming a charity as a beneficiary upon death will not result in lifetime income tax deductions but will result in an estate tax deduction.

Charitable Gift Annuity A charitable gift annuity is a way that you can make a gift to charity of the underlying asset but continue to receive a stream of income from the asset. Typically, you transfer an asset to charity in exchange for an annuity for life. Typically, your income tax deduction for the charitable gift annuity will be the fair market value of the asset transferred less the value of your annuity interest.

Charitable Remainder Trust A charitable remainder trust is a vehicle that allows you to make a gift to charity and receive an annual pay-out. This vehicle is often used with a highly appreciated asset. Transfer of the appreciated asset to a charitable remainder trust will avoid capital gain.

You may also receive a current income tax deduction.

Private Foundation A private foundation is a type of charitable entity that is typically set up as a family foundation for purposes of making direct charitable gifts. A private foundation might be used where a family or a small group of individuals want to remain involved in ongoing charitable gifting and maintain control over the nature and timing of gifts. This structure is often used to help cultivate philanthropy in younger generations. Significant tax benefits remain available through use of the private foundation although they differ from gifts made to public charities.

For more information visit www.pvwlaw.com

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todays savings

impact!

• SWARTZBAUGH-FARBER & ASSOCIATES, INC.

• YOUR DENTAL HEALTH

MYTHS &

IF I COULD

truths executive benefits

wave my magic wand

kirk swartzbaugh

WHEN

stephanie vondrak d.d.s.

AS a health-centered dentist, I spend much time getting to know my patients. In one-on-one consultations, we create plans to address specific dental needs focused on

you hear the words “Executive Benefits,” what’s your immediate impression? Do you think these are good for companies? Or do you feel like it’s just another form of discrimination in favor of the high-earners? I’m hoping the information below will give you a few things to think about on the subject.

Often times, Executive Benefits carry negative connotations with them.

In reality, many of the plans that we implement actually mitigate or prevent reverse discrimination issues. For instance, the $18,000 annual maximum contribution (w/ $6,000 Catch up Contribution for those over age 50) to a 401(k) in 2015 will allow most employees to save enough pre-tax monies to replace a majority of their income upon retirement. For high earners, the $18,000 (or $24,000) may not help them replace enough of their income upon retirement. In this case, we design Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation (NQDC) Plans to allow them to defer more of their own monies to prepare for their retirement. Those NQDC monies are subject to their personal creditors as well as their corporation’s creditors, which should encourage the executive to keep/leave the company in good financial condition so they can get their monies back out when they leave the company or retire. If we add an employer contribution or match, the contribution usually comes with a vesting schedule, which encourages the employee to stay with the company, creating a “Golden Handcuff”.

We also design combination Group and Individual Long-Term Disability (LTD) Plans to ensure a company’s high earners can have the same 60% income replacement that the majority of the company’s workers receive from the basic Group LTD plan . As I always say, “Nobody’s rich, we’re all simply breaking even at different levels.” Many high earners of a company are just as extended as the rest of the employees. Some people ask what compensation (salary, commission, bonus, etc.) should be covered in an LTD plan - which is easy to answer. If an individual is living off the compensation, we should protect it.

Executive Long-Term Care Insurance Plans have risen into prominence over the last 10 years; but mostly in C-Corporations and for non-owners in S-Corporations/LLCs where the premiums are tax-deductible to the firm, not includable as income to the executives, and the benefits will be received tax-free. As you can see, there are significant tax reasons to have these payments come from the corporation, not the individual.

We’ve also seen more requests from companies to assist the executives with their personal planning and wealth management. Some companies even pay a portion of the attorney and financial advisor fees to help spark the process. Many executives aren’t finding the time to get to their planning done due to their devotion to their companies.

individual goals and desires. During these planning sessions, I am often asked, “how would I treat my own mouth or what could I do to guarantee a better dental future?”

Many patients want to know how long their dental work “should” last and if insurance will help them pay for it. They want to consider all of their treatment options and they want to feel cared for completely. Thus…the concept of my magic dental wand was born. Below I have outlined: my top 4 wishes for helping patients achieve excellent dental health. I hope you enjoy these thoughts!

I wave my magic dental wand and poof…

Wish #1: Your mouth would always be clean! My first wish is simple: A clean mouth equals a healthy mouth. I wish for patients to take 10 minutes everyday (5 in the morning and 5 at night) to properly brush and floss. This simple act of excellent plaque control will protect their dental investment and prevent future dental needs.

Wish #2: All treatments were preventative verses reactive. My second wish would be to treat all dental emergencies before the emergency happens. For example, I could repair a cracked filling before it falls out and hurts. Or, I could place a crown on a damaged molar before the tooth splits and is lost. Preventative dentistry is always less time-consuming, more comfortable and less expensive. To treat before the emergency happens would most definitely be my second wish!

Wish #3: All patients could feel confident about their smiles! As I write my third wish, I am smiling. I am picturing the happy faces of those who have given me the opportunity to better their smiles over the years. I remember a mom whose husband surprised her with a ZOOM whitening gift card for Christmas. She would never have taken the time for herself and was so happy with the result. I also envision a certain retired business man who had always wanted straight teeth and was now ready to complete Invisalign and porcelain veneers. No matter the situation, my passion is to help others achieve confident, healthy smiles. For this, no job is more rewarding.

Wish #4: Your insurance would help you become as healthy as possible. My last wish would be impactful. I wish for the ability to delegate individual insurance benefits to cover the needs of each specific patient. In this this “dream,” I would not have to worry about “allowable amounts.” No plan would try to dictate what materials I should use. In fact, imagine this…I would use the type of crown or filling that best meets the need of the patient! Crazy! I would remove silly stipulations like only 2 cleanings a year if you need 3 or no coverage for crowns until the tooth breaks or is infected. This last wish would be based on logic, health and wellness!

As you can see, most of the Executive Benefits that we deal with are designed to protect, attract, and retain key employees of the company. This can range from a CEO to a key salesperson. In most cases, the company may not exist without these key people. Most people in the industry view Executive Benefits as a necessary tool to compete for top talent and retain that talent for years to come.

Dr. Stephanie Vondrak is a graduate of the University of Nebraska Lincoln, the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry, and a Fellow in the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain. The AACP is an organization dedicated to helping patients suffering from TMJ pain, headaches, and other craniofacial pain disorders. Additionally, Dr. Stephanie Vondrak is a Premier Provider for Invisalign orthodontics. Dr. Vondrak believes education is paramount to comprehensive patient care and has completed over 400 hours of post-doctorate education including the Pankey Institute and the Schuster Center.

For more information, please contact your trusted advisor at Swartzbaugh-Farber – ‘Client Centered – Client Advocates™’. This material is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or tax advice and is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified attorney, tax advisor or plan provider. Securities Offered through M Holdings Securities, Inc., a Registered Broker Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Swartzbaugh-Farber & Associates, Inc. is independently owned and operated.

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G

GET EXCITEDABOUT

IVINGBACK! CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY

FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF THE

IVING GUIDE 2015 AND

VENT BOOK

ARY EDITION

10TH ANNIVERS

ISHER OF FROM THE PUBL

3 Great Ways to Connect

with the most important events in the 2015 Charity & Cultural Calendar • The Event Book & Giving Guide 2015 Print Editon • The Giving Guide online at WWW.SPIRITOFOMAHA.COM/THE-EVENT-BOOK/ • Enter, update and search 2015 events 365/24/7 at WWW.SPIRITOFOMAHA.COM/METRO-MAGAZINE/COMMUNITY/CALENDAR/

Distributing Now in support of these great organizations: Advocates Board of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation Alegent Creighton Health Foundation American Cancer Society American Red Cross Angels Among Us Avenue Scholars Foundation Ballet Nebraska Boy Scouts of America, Mid-America Council Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands Boystown Catholic Charities Child Saving Institue, Inc. Children's Hospital & Medical Center Foundation Children's Scholarship Fund of Omaha Completely KIDS Fashion Institute of the Midwest Film Streams First Responders Foundation

Fontenelle Forest Food Bank for the Heartland Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska Heartland Family Service Hearts United for Animals Home Instead Senior Care Foundation Hope Center for Kids Institue for Career Advancement Needs, Inc. Joslyn Art Museum Kids Can Community Center Literacy Center Lutheran Family Services Merrymakers Association Methodist Hospital Foundation Metro Area Youth Foundation, Inc. Metropolitan Community College Foundation Midlands Mentoring Partnership Miss Amazing Inc. MVP4Life Nebraska Children and Families Foundation

Nebraska Children's Home Society Nebraska Humane Society Nebraska Wildlife Rehab Non Profit Assoc. of Midlands Ollie Webb Center Omaha Children's Museum Omaha Community Foundation - Omaha Gives!

Omaha Community Playhouse Omaha Home for Boys Omaha Performing Arts Omaha Public Library Foundation Omaha Symphony Association Omaha Symphony Guild Omaha Zoo Foundation One World Community Health Centers, Inc. Open Door Mission Opera Omaha Outlook Nebraska, Inc. Partnership 4 KIDS Playsmart

Quality Living, Inc. Rebuilding Together Omaha Red Basket, Inc. Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue, Inc. Siena/Francis House Homeless Shelter Special Olympics Nebraska Susan G. Komen Nebraska Teammates Mentoring Program Ted E. Bear Hollow The Durham Museum The Salvation Army United Way of the Midlands University of Nebraska Omaha Voices for Children in Nebraska Women's Center for Advancement (WCA) Women's Fund of Omaha Wounded Warriors Youth Emergency Services

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event galleries

look for the LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE EVENT BOOK 2014!

ANGELS AMONG US: AN EVENING AMONG ANGELS

JUSTICE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS – NE: ENVISION

OUTLOOK NEBRASKA, INC. 2014 VISION BEYOND SIGHT BANQUET

THE DURHAM MUSEUM: SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY GALA

CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER GALA

OMAHA SYMPHONY GUID DEBUTANTE BALL

ONEWORLD: MILAGRO DINNER

FILM STREAMS: FEATURE VI

• VIEW & PURCHASE ADDITIONAL PHOTOS OF THESE EVENTS now! AT SPIRITOFOMAHA.COM

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THE GIVING GUIDE & EVENT BOOK 2015 TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION LAUNCH PARTY

photography by dan flanigan aNd roger humphries

giving awarded make the connection!

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REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH OF THE 12 AWARD RECIPIENTS

ANDEE HOIG

KATHRYN SCHAPPER, ANDEE HOIG, LORI ECKLEBE, JUDY VARNER, KIM DAVIS AND GORDON KRENTZ

CHRISTI JANSSEN WITH THE DURHAM MUSEUM EVENT VENUE

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JULIE HORGAN WURTH, ROGER LEWIS, REGAN FAHEY MUHS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION

HOLLY WORTHINGTON AND MELISSA STEFFES WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

CARRIE SITTON WITH THE ROSE THEATRE

ANGIE PHILLIPS, KAREN DANEU AND MELLISSA BARTON WITH SUSAN G. KOMEN FOUNDATION

ZACH WALLINGER, TRACY FISHER AND DAN SCHNEIDER

ANDEE HOIG AND ROGER WEITZ

SARAH WERNIMONT, MEGAN MOSLANDER AND DAVINA LEEZER

DARRIN DUKART AND KAY TELFORD

ANDEE HOIG AND JUDY VARNER

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JASON MOORE, BRITNEY FOWLER, SHELBY BARTELS AND DONNY RODDEN

MIKE KLUG AND TRACY FISHER

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ANDEE HOIG

ANDEE HOIG AND CONNIE KINNEAR connected!

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BRITTANY HOEBELHEINRICH AND JESSICA BRUMMER

KIRK SWARTZBAUGH AND BETH OCHSNER

ERIKA OVERTURFF AND BRANDON DICKERSON

DONNA DOSTAL, JOHN JEANETTA, SALLY STALNAKER AND CHRIS FLAXBEARD

TAMI SOPER AND MICHAEL WATKINS

CAILAN FRANZ, EMILY KOZLIK AND RUTH HENRICHS

OVELL BARBEE, SABRINA WEISS AND ROB TREBILCOCK

SARAH NELSON AND NANCY WHITE

MACHAELA CAVANAUGH, BETSYE PARAGAS AND SABRINA WEISS

JODI TEAL, CAROL EBDON AND WENDY TOWNLEY

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ROD KESTEL, TRACY FISHER AND GREG CUTCHAL

KATHY O'CONNOR, BRENDA LANGENBERG AND CONNIE KINNEAR

ALICE SCHUMAKER AND CAROL EBDON

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BRUCE LAURITZEN WITH ANN AND KEN STINSON

CHARISSA HAUGE WITH HEARTLAND FAMILY SERVICE

BRUCE CARPENTER, CHRISTI JANSSEN, ROGER WEITZ AND MIKE KLUG

BRIAN BARKS WITH FOODBANK FOR THE HEARTLAND

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LISA BLUNT, MARY KATE GULICK AND KELLY MEDWICK

JUDY VARNER

RACHEL RICHARDS AND KATHY WELLS

ROBBIN ANDERSON AND RACHAEL WHITE

TRACY FISHER WITH KARI AND JEFF JORTH

CATHERINE HUGHES AND LISA TAFOYA

ANDEE HOIG

ELISSA DEFREESE-MARKING, TRACY FISHER AND RAECHEL DENNIS

ANDEE HOIG AND ROB KILLMER

WENDY TOWNLEY AND JULIE HANSEN

BENJAMIN AND CAMERON KROLL WITH SHAUN SYPAL

ANDEE HOIG

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CUPCAKES!

ANDEE HOIG, RACHAEL DENNIS AND ROB KILLMER

SARAH NELSON

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RICH AND SHARON SECOR WITH ROD KESTEL

MARY MAXWELL AND ANDEE HOIG

LIZ CROSSON, CONNIE KINNEAR, SALLY STALNAKER, CHRIS FLAXBEARD AND NANCY HANSON

DANNY AND LINDSAY NOLAN

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KARIE MILFORD AND MONIKA JOHANNSEN WITH JUSTIN AND SARA KOHL

ANDEE HOIG, TRISHNA HORKAN AND ROB KILLMER

LINDSAY WILSON, SUSIE GENTLEMAN AND CICI CHRISTIAN

TRACY FISHER, ANDEE HOIG, ROB KILLMER AND ELISSA JOY

MATT PETTIT

ANDREW RICHARDSON

GIGI’S CUPCAKES

ANDEE HOIG, TRACY FISHER AND ELISSA JOY

JOE THALLAS, CAROLYN SULLIVAN, LUICI DI RUOCCO AND HAMI ALLHIJJAWI

SUE MORRIS AND DAN NEARY

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CAROLYN SULLIVAN AND LUICI DI RUOCCO

BENJAMIN WRIGHT

DAN AND SUE NEARLY WITH WALTER SCOTT AND BETH OCHISNER

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JOLENE MANION, JEN MULLER, ASHLEY STARK AND ANGIE KILKER

KATHRYN SCHAPPER AND GORDON KRENTZ

KARI JORTH, BECKY CARRICO, TRACY FISHER, SYDNEY SMITH AND RAECHEL DENNIS

CHARISSA HAUGE AND CHRIS OLSON

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| The BIG Event 2015

ROB KILLMER AND ELISSA JOY AT THE GIGI’S CUPCAKES COUNTER

BRANDON AND RACHEAL TILLER

JENNY GODFREY AND ELLY MERRITT

PATRICK KINNEY AND CAITLIN LAVELLE

PATTY EL-KACHOUTI, DOUG MOATS, COLLEEN MOATS AND DIANE PROHASKA

BECKY CARRICO AND SIDNEY SMITH

HERITAGE BOARD

CHRISTI ANDERSEN AND DENISE NIEBRUGGE

ANDEE HOIG

JIM OWEN AND KRISTIN SCHEMAHORN

CARRIE CHAMBERS, ASHLEY WEDEKING AND TERESA SHADA

SUE MORRIS

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FLORAL CENTERPIECE

CARI AND TOD PRYOR

RICHARD AND SHARON SECOR

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BRADIE BENJAMIN, SCOTT MOORE, AND HOLLY RADKE WITH CONNIE AND TIM SULLIVAN

HOLLY WORTHINGTON AND MELISSA STEFFES

SARA BOYD AND ROGER LEWIS WITH PAT AND DICK BELL

RACHEL LINGENFELTER AND KASEY SCOTT

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| The BIG Event 2015

KAREN DANEU, MELLISSA BARON AND BARBARA RIZVI

GLEN AND TANYA SHAPIRO

DON FERRY AND BLAKE HOOGEVEEN

CARRIE SITTON AND KAREN GRANGER

KILEY KISER WITH SHARON SECOR

SABRINA WEISS WITH MELISSA MARVIN

STUART CHITTENDEN, ROGER WEITZ AND AMY CHITTENDEN

GAIL AND JOHN DEBOER

BRENDA LANGENBERG AND DONNA DOSTA

KAREN DANEU, MELLISSA BARON, ANGIE PHILLIPS AND BARBARA RIZVI

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JODI TEAL, LINDSAY NOLAN AND DANNY NOLAN

JENNY STRAKO, BRENDA HELGET AND HOLLY RADKE

JENNIFER AND MARK WILLIAMS

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BRANDON TILLER, RACHEAL TILLER, KARIE MILFORD, MONIKA JOHANNSEN, AND ANDEE HOIG WITH JUSTIN AND SARA KOHL

KALI BAKER AND JEN BARTELT

TODD RENSCH, MARY RENSCH, MIKE DOLLEY, ROXANNE DOLLEY, MIKE RIEDMANN, RACHEL TILLER, BRANDON TILLER AND JODEE DRAKE-SOTO

ROB KILLMER GIVES CLOSING REMARKS

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| The BIG Event 2015

ANDEE HOIG AND SUE MORRIS

SHELLI ZEEB AND TANYA SHAUL

BRADIE BENJAMIN, ANDEE HOIG AND SCOTT MOORE

MARY RENSCH, JODEE DRAKE-SOTO AND MARY SINDELAR

ANDEE HOIG AND ANDREA HOIG

KARIE MILFORD AND SARA KOHL

SUSIE GENTLEMAN, LINDSAY WILSON AND CICI CHRISTIAN

NICK HUDSON WITH ANDEE HOIG

MARY RENSCH, MARY SINDELAR, JODEE DRAKE-SOTO, ANDEE HOIG AND ROXANNE DOLLEY

LISA TAFOYA, CATHERINE HUGHES AND CARI PRYOR

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omaha synphony guild

debs & stags PHOTO COURTESY OF DWYER PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO COURTESY OF DWYER PHOTOGRAPHY 64

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| debutante ball 2014

KAILA, MIKE, MEGAN AND AMY CASSLING

PHOTO COURTESY OF DWYER PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN FLANIGAN

BRIGID, PATRICK AND STEVE WILKENING

TOMMY, JON, ELISE AND DIANE FULCHER

SUSAN NEMER-HADDIX, BRIGID WILKENING AND JULIE FRITZ

EMILY AND ANNA KNUTH

MICKELE, JACQUELYN AND LAKELYN HOGAN

JAMES JOHNSON AND JENNIFER KATZ

DAVIS ERKER AND CHRISTIAN CRANE WITH ELIZABETH WIGGS, SOPHIA SCHACK AND ANDREW CRANE

TERESA JOHNS, COURTNEY HELLMAN AND BECKY WINCEK

BOB AND BETSY REED WITH BETTY AND OWEN NEARY

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omaha synphony guild

DECEMBER 27, 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN FLANIGAN

debs & stags ESSENTIALS: WHEN: December 27th, 2014 WHERE: Windsor Ballroom at the Embassy Suites-La Vista WHY: The Debutantes and Stags are selected by virtue of their families support of the Omaha Symphony and the many other civic and cultural institutions in our community.

Special Guests: CEO and President of the Omaha Symphony James Johnson and President of the Symphony Guild, Courtney Hellman

CORA WATANABE, LIZ KUTILEK, KATIE ZETZMAN AND CHARLOTTE TJADEN WITH MADDIE SALERNO, CHELSEA KAVICH, BROOKE SCHNEIDERMAN AND JACQUELYN HOGAN

SPONSORS: The families of the Debs and Stags Event Planning: Omaha Symphony Debutante Ball committee: Chairman Brigid Wilkening, Danielle Bunz, Laura Doll, Denise Fitzgerald, Julie Fritz, Anne Jetter, Teresa Johns, Julie Liakos, Joni Lindquist, Laura Luther, Cindy Magid, Toody Moffatt, Susan Nemer Haddix, Janet Nichting, Lisa Strohmyer, Becky Wincek Multi-Media: This was the 26th year Robert Glaser and the Sing Sing Swing Orchestra has provided the Music and Dancing Attendance: 800 family and friends gathered to celebrate Funds Raised: $140, 000. Proceeds from the Debutante Ball support the Omaha Symphony's award-winning education program that benefits nearly 30, 000 children each year.

More information: www.omahasymphony.org

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BRIGID WILKENING AND ANNE JETTER

ELLIE KROEGER, MAGDALEN KROEGER AND CONNIE PFEIFER

GRACE NEARY, MATT BELFORD AND ELIZABETH DREWS

RICK KUTILEK, KATE KUTILEK AND DICK KUTILEK

NATALIE CAMPBELL, CAITLIN MCDERMOTT, ANGELA GIANFICARO, KAILA CASSLING, AND PAIGE ZEBLEY

KIM BANAT AND EMILY BANAT

ANNA, DAN, MARTHA AND ALEX PETERSON

TARYN BUECHLER, EMILY SUNDERLAND AND ABBEY FURLOW

EMILY, SARAH, LAURA AND RACHEL DOLL

KAREN FISCHER WITH JULIE, HAYLEY, KAITLIN AND FRANK BACON

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GRANTING

event galleries

Photography by dan Flanigan

Children's Hospital & Medical Center 2014 Children's Hospital & Medical Center Gala A crowd of 1,200 guests contributed nearly $600,000 at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center’s annual Gala on Nov. 15 at CenturyLink Center Omaha, setting new attendance and fundraising records for the pediatric healthcare leader’s signature event.

JAMIE FRIEDLAND AND LESLIE MAYO

HONORARY CHAIRS JIM & KATHY SIMPSON

Photo courtesy oF children’s hosPital & Medical center

Attendees enjoyed silent and live auctions, a raffle, dinner and entertainment by The Midtown Men—four stars from the original Broadway cast of Jersey Boys. WOWT’s John Knicely emceed the event.

The 2014 Gala’s theme was “Wishes Really Do Come True.” Proceeds from the evening will support Children’s new Carolyn Scott Rainbow House, a hospitality house for families of children being treated at Children’s who live 60 miles or more from Omaha. There’s no formal charge to stay at the Rainbow House—just a small suggested donation of $10 per day—and no one is turned away if they are not able to pay. The new Rainbow House at 7825 Farnam Drive features 56 guest rooms and improved amenities; it will welcome families this January.

Honorary chairs were Jim and Kathy Simpson.

Jamie Friedland and Leslie Mayo served as the event’s co-chairs. Sally English is the current president of Children’s Friends Board.

GARY PERKINS, FACHE, WITH WIFE CAROL

SALLY ENGLISH, CHRIS LAFEVER, WENDY MCMINN, LIZ OTTERBERG, AND SHELLY GROTE

ROGER LEWIS WITH MARIE AND BLANE MCCANN

JEFF AND AMY SCHMID WITH ANGIE AND JASON FISHER

Children’s Friends Board members along with Foundation staff plan the Gala each year, but scores of Children’s employees and community volunteers are crucial in making the evening a success. Hospital employees created more than 30 beautiful gift baskets for the silent auction this year.

“We are grateful to the Friends Board leadership, our hardworking Gala committee and everyone who worked together to make this year’s Gala so special and successful,” said Roger Lewis, executive director of Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Foundation. “I know the children and families we serve will be thankful, too.”

Live auction items included a Super Bowl 2015 ticket package, a $10,000 Nebraska Crossing Outlets shopping spree and 100 shares of Baby Berkshire stock. 350 silent auction items were valued at more than $80,000.

KAREN AND MARK CARSON WITH BERNIE AND KATHY LORKOVIC

DR. KEN AND ANNE BIRD WITH RACHEL AND ROB MAGLINGER

SALLY ENGLISH AND MARY LOU BRASEE

JANE PHILLIPS AND DENISE BOHLSEN

The décor was ‘60s- and cocktail lounge-inspired, featuring sleek black linens dressed up with purple orchids and bright green spider mums. The menu featured a petite filet, roasted potatoes, honey-glazed baby carrots and broccolini, brought to a sweet finish with a lemon and raspberry tart.

For more information visit www.ChildrensOmaha.org

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wishes

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VISIONARY

Photography by dan Flanigan

support

Justice for Our Neighbors – NE enVISION: Sowing the Seeds of Justice When It Happened: Thursday, October 23, 2014 Where It Happened: Laurtizen Gardens

JFON-NE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

RAMIA BASHARA AND ANTONIA CORREA

Why It Happened: To support free legal services for low-income immigrants. enVISION guests were among the very first visitors to the brand-new Marjorie K. Daugherty Conservatory at Lauritzen Gardens, opened Oct. 11th. The evening included saxaphonist Matt Wallace and acoustic bassist Mark Luebbe. The Peck Law Firm was honored with the first-annual "JFON-NE Founders Award" for diligent and compassionate assistance for our immigrant neighbors. Honorary Co-chair Jim Cavanaugh called the live auction to fund client services.

Special Guests: Guadalupe Sanchez Salazar, Mexican Consulate; Senator Burke Harr; Senator Brad Ashford; Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov; U.S. Marshall Mark Martinez;

MARC AND JOAN KRAFT

EMILIANO LERDA & ATHENA RAMOS

Attendance: 230 Funds Raised: $55,000 Mission: To welcome immigrants into our community by providing free, high-quality immigration legal services, education and advocacy.

For more information call 402-898-1349 or visit www. jfon-ne.org

MICHAEL AND MARY ZLOMKE

MELISSA BARON WITH JOAN AND LLOYD BYERHOF

SR. KATHLEEN ERICKSON, SR. MADELEVA COMISKEY AND KATHY HAVLIK

STEVE HUTCHINSON, ANNETTE & PAUL SMITH, SUSAN THOMAS, AND SHANNON LERDA WITH TODD & BETIANA SIMON

THANK YOU to all who made this event successful!

Special thanks to our

Honorary Co-Chairs:

Sowing the Seeds of Justice Barb & Bob Campos

BENEFACTOR SPONSORS

• •

National Justice For Our Neighbors Wally & Barbara Weitz and Katie Weitz, Ph.D.

CAPTIONS

Leslie & Jim Cavanaugh

ADVOCATE SPONSORS Anonymous Paul & Annette Smith Todd & Betiana Simon Foundation CAPTIONS Valmont, Inc.

• • • •

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CAPTIONS

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Megan Hunt & Watie White

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Photography by dan Flanigan

BLESSED

evening Angels Among Us An Evening Among Angels When It Happened: November 7, 2014 Where It Happened: Embassy Suites Old Market Why It Happened: Our Annual Gala/Fundraiser

HONORARY CHAIRS: COLLEEN AND BILL BARSTOW

GREG AND HEATHER SIMONS, RENEE AND JEREMY VOKT WITH BARB AND MATT GILL

Attendance: 340 Funds Raised: $125,000 Mission: To financially assist families with a child battling cancer About: Our beliefs are guided by the sheer statistics.

When a child has been diagnosed with cancer, not only is the news to the parents devastating emotionally, it soon can become financially difficult as one of the parents must quit work or minimally reduce hours to be with their child during cancer treatments. In the case of a single parent, the situation can be even worse. By providing financial assistance to those who qualify, we are able to allow the parent(s) to focus on the child rather than finances. To ensure proper and responsible use of our funds, all payments are made directly to the creditors of the families we are serving.

For more Info: 402-885-4840 | myangelsamongus.org Facebook: myangelsamongus | Twitter @AngelsAmong_Us info@myangelsamongus.org

ROBBIE AND AMY KENT

BRENDA AND KEN JANICEK

COURTLAND OLSON AND ANDREA BARSTOW

SHARI HOLL, AMY ROBBINS, DON ROBBINS WITH COREY AND DARCI SCHAECHER

HANNAH HOLL, KELLEN HOLL AND MONTE HOLL

LORRIE MORRIS, DARLA BLEVINS, TERI FAIRCLOTH, SARA ORTEGA AND LISA HARRIS

CHRIS SAUB

CAPTIONS

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SILVER SCREEN

event galleries

Photos courtesy of chris Machian and daniel Muller

salute

Film Streams’ Ruth Sokolof Theatre Feature VI Fundraiser Celebration A fundraiser celebration November 11th featuring directors Alexander Payne and David O. Russell raised more than $328,000 for Film Streams’ Ruth Sokolof Theater, Omaha’s nonprofit cinema dedicated to presenting film as an artform. That sum is a new fundraising record for the organization.

ALEXANDER PAYNE, DAVID O. RUSSELL, AND RACHEL JACOBSON WITH LAURA AND MICHAEL ALLEY

A crowd of approximately 1,200 enjoyed a discussion about film, creativity, and life. Topics ranged from remakes, the brilliance of CHINATOWN, and what drives Russell and Payne to create. Russell discussed his stable of actors, which includes Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Christian Bale, and Mark Wahlberg – and how Jennifer Lawrence’s SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK audition moved him to tears. He also told Payne about his comeback with THE FIGHTER and making his lone action film, THREE KINGS. Later, Russell announced the Record Store Day vinyl release of the AMERICAN HUSTLE soundtrack, and he and Payne threw a copy on the turntable.

KEN AND ANN STINSON

Feature VI was the sixth fundraiser celebration in support of Film Streams programs at the Ruth Sokolof Theater.

Past Feature guests have included have included Jane Fonda, Steven Soderbergh, Debra Winger, and Laura Dern.

Payne’s work was the focus of Feature V, when the director was joined by NEBRASKA stars Bruce Dern, Will Forte, and June Squibb for a conversation moderated by public radio host and Film Streams Advisory Board Member Kurt Andersen.

ANNETTE AND PAUL SMITH

Proceeds from Feature VI, held at the Holland Performing Arts Center in downtown Omaha, support year-round programming at Film Streams’ Ruth Sokolof Theater, including the presentation of new American independents, foreign films, documentaries, classics, director retrospectives and themed series, as well as an education program for students and a unique Community Development program that facilitates film-based collaborations with other nonprofits and community groups in and around Omaha.

LAURA AND MICHAEL ALLEY

BETIANNA AND TODD SIMON WITH JEFF GORDMAN

MOGENS AND CINDY BAY

MIKE AND ANNE FENNER WITH MAGGIE AND BOB MUNDY

For more information or high resolution event images, please contact Patrick Kinney, (402) 933-0259 ext. 11 or patrick@filmstreams.org.

ELLIE BATT AND MARK SHERMAN 72

BOB AND KIM DANIELS

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Photography by Dan Flanigan

POSITIVE

outlook

Outlook Nebraska, Inc. 2014 Vision Beyond Sight Banquet When It Happened: November 7, 2014 Where It Happened: Embassy Suites , La Vista

DANA AND CHARLIE PAYNE WITH SHILO STUECKRATH

TIFFANY AND MATT EVANS WITH MAE LOVELL

Why It Happened: To celebrate the capabilities of the blind and visually impaired.

Special Guests: La Vista Mayor,Douglas Kindig; Dr. Stan and Dorothy Truhlsen; Carol Russel Sponsors: UMB Bank, Industrial Packaging Co., Elections Systems and Software Attendance: 300 Funds Raised: $30,000+ Mission: To enhance the quality of life of the blind and visually impaired

KELLY AND SUMMER FAHNHOLZ

BILLY WEILAND WITH JILL AND MATT MCCLURE

CAROL AND RICK RUSSELL, WITH MARISA BEEKMAN AND TIM KERRIGAN

ERIC STUECKRATH AND KARI KRATKY

For more information call 402-614-3331 or visit www.outlooknebraska.org.

HALIE PLATT, CATHY KESSLER AND CLAIRE MACBRIDE

JESSICA COHN, MARISA COHN, STEVE AND LINDA COHN

KAREN GIBLER, STEVE HOUSTON AND SHELLY STOTTS

About: Established in 2000, ONI provides employment and workplace training, as well as other opportunities, to the blind and visually impaired. Recognized as the Greater Omaha Chamber’s 2014 Innovator of the Year, ONI is the largest employer of the blind and visually impaired in Nebraska and the only agency of its kind in a seven-state region. The organization provides independence and confidence-building services for its associates and the community, including social activities, education, training and health and wellness programs.

SARAH 73

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Photography by dan Flanigan

HONORING

healers

OneWorld Community Health Center 2014 Milagro Dinner When It Happened: November 13th, 2014

ALEJANDRA SINECIO, PETER EDELMAN AND DR. THERESE HENNESSEY

HONORARY CHAIRS SUSAN AND MIKE LEBENS WITH ANDREA SKOLKIN

Where It Happened: Historic Livestock Exchange Building Why It Happened: Our annual Milagro Dinner honors members of the medical community who have helped further OneWorld’s mission.

Attendance: 450 Funds Raised: $113,000 Mission: OneWorld Community Health Centers, Inc., in partnership with the community, provides culturally respectful, quality health care with special attention to the underserved.

LAURA RANGEL AND ANTONIA CORREA

SARAH MILLER AND CRAIG MCVEA

DR. JAMES HUERTER, JEFF LEBENS AND DR. KATIE SAGRERO

ALEC AND LAURA GORYNSKI WITH BRANDON GRIMM

DOUG AND ELENA NOVOTNY WITH TYLER BADJE

TOM AND TERI MCLAUGHLIN WITH PAT O'HANLON

STACIA AND BILL HOOVER

ROSIE AND DEAN JOHNSON 74

About: By providing a broad array of quality health and social services to meet the needs of individuals and families.

By creating an environment that fosters human dignity, respect and compassion for patients, family and staff. By practicing careful stewardship to secure appropriate resources to meet the needs of those we serve. By nurturing broad collaborative efforts to ensure we have the resources to meet the needs of those we serve for many years to come. Our vision is to be a visionary organization, nationally recognized for improving the health of individuals, families and the communities we serve.

For more information call 402-502-8845 or visit www.OneWorldOmaha.org

JIM HUERTER SR., CHRIS HUERTER, FR. TOM FANGMAN AND TIM HUERTER

TOM AND VICKY WALZ

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Photography by roger Humphries

star POWER Nebraska AIDS Project Night of a Thousand Stars When It Happened: December 6, 2014 Where It Happened: TipTop Ballroom– Omaha

JOSH HESS AND KASEY HESSE WITH BETH DAGLE, BEN AND KENORA INGRAM

Why It Happened: To raise money to support those living with HIV/AIDS and provide education to the community.

Attendance: 600 Funds Raised: $85,000 Mission: Nebraska AIDS Project leads the community in the fight to overcome HIV/AIDS and its stigma through education, supportive services and advocacy.

About: Founded in 1984 and serving over 600 clients across Nebraska and southwest Iowa For more info: 402-552-9260 | www.nap.org

JASON PAPENFUSS, CHRISTOPHER ZUBROD AND KRISTEN PAPENFUSS

JEFF WYATT AND DARA PAGANO

NORTIA COLLAR, STEFANIE BEDNAR, MARSHA MIXAN, ANNA WILCOXON AND CRAIG SAIGH

SHANA MORSE, NICK ARREOLA, BOJ TEPEDELENOV AND STEVE VAN BUREN

AJA AND RYAN PELSTER

SHERRI NARED-BROOKS, MARY HELMS, CHRISTOPHER FISHER, MARK THAYER, JJ REPLOGLE AND KRISTINE HULL

RICK AND MARY FULTON

LA TINA RENCHER, AJA ANDERSON AND BILLIE GRANT

JUSTIN HAYSE

GREG 75

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LASTING

Photography by dan Flanigan

impressions The Durham Museum Sentimental Journey Gala History came alive this year at The Durham Museum’s annual Sentimental Journey gala. Honorary Chairs Jack and Stephanie Koraleski welcomed nearly 300 supporters at The Durham on Friday, November 21, 2014.

The theme for the evening was “Built to Last” with festivities paying homage to the forty years of operation as a train station and forty years of operation as a museum.

The event began at 6 p.m. with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the Swanson Gallery. Guests were welcomed to the event by Koraleski and the museum’s executive director, Christi Janssen, who thanked participants for their continued support. Laughter erupted as guests enjoyed a special video presentation featuring humorist and “museum curator”, Mary Maxwell.

JACK AND STEPHANIE KORALESKI

DR. JOE AND OMAHA MAYOR JEAN STOTHERT

Guests enjoyed an elegant dinner, catered by Abraham Catering. A holiday musical performance by The Frontier Strings Ensemble and a video tribute to Union Station were followed by the lighting of The Durham’s magnificent Christmas tree.

The festive evening concluded with dancing in the Swanson Gallery to the sounds of The 75s. As a special tribute, guests of the event donated over 100 museum memberships to be distributed to area military families. Proceeds from the evening’s celebration exceeded $170,000.

CHRISTI JANSSEN WITH JACK AND STEPHANIE KORALESKI

STEPHEN AND JOY ABELS WITH JESSICA AND STEPHEN MANNA

MIKE AND MAGGIE MCMEEKIN, MIKE AND KATHY LAUGHLIN, DIANE AND HARLAN FALK

ANDEE HOIG AND TRACY FISHER

ROBYN AMIS, JUDY GRIFFITHS AND DIANE AMES

JOE AND DANA SULLIVAN WITH JIM AND MARSHA STEWART

“Union Station has had an extraordinary journey from passenger depot to one of the region’s premier museums. We are grateful to have had so many supporters together to celebrate the remarkable history of this iconic building,” said Janssen.

For more information call 402-444-5071 or visit www.durhammuseum.org

LYNN AND DAN WITTHAUS

WILLIE AND CRAIG JACOBS 76

ANDY BEHNE AND CRYSTAL PRIBYL

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MILESTONE

celebration Partnership 4 Kids

25th Anniversary Dinner When It Happened: November 5, 2014

MIKE AND GAIL YANNEY WITH JAMALIA PARKER AND RENAE KEHRBERG

Where It Happened: Omaha Country Club

DEB DENBECK, DICK HOLLAND AND SABIR BADAWI

Why It Happened: In celebration of 25 years of Partnership 4 Kids.

Special Guests: Mike and Gail Yanney; Senator John Murante and wife Melissa; former Mayor Mike Fahey Attendance: 170 Mission: To partner with our community and guide our youth toward academic success, from kindergarten to careers, through goal setting, mentoring and college access programs.

MELISSA AND SEN. JOHN MURANTE

BETH SMITH WITH JERRY AND COOKIE HOBERMAN

ANDEE HOIG AND DANA MARKEL

YOLANDA WILLIAMS AND JAMIE SNYDER

GIGI AND KELLY O'HARA

JAKE HOLDENRIED AND JESSICA WEYERS

About: Partnership 4 Kids is a goal setting and group mentoring program that builds hope for under-served students and helps them create a foundation for success from kindergarten to careers. It is also our belief that Partnership 4 Kids is strengthening the community through our network of partnerships with Omaha schools, local businesses and individuals as well as our formal program alliances with Avenue Scholars, College Possible and TeamMates Mentoring program.

We are all collaborating to transform the future of Omaha through educational advancement and student success.

For more information call 402-930-3000 or visit www.p4k.org

JOE AND DEBORAH NEARY WITH YOLANDA AND WILLIE BARNEY

JANET 77

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Photos courtesy of Merrymakers

ROASTED

peacock

The Merrymakers Association 24th Annual Merrymakers Roast

MERRYMAKERS BOARD MEMBERS DAVE MAYER, RANDY MUELLER, MARK QUANDAHL, CRAIG POHLMAN, SANDY PARKER AND PETE HANLEY

The Merrymakers celebrated their 24th Annual Roast at Embassy Suites in LaVista, celebrating Cyndy Peacock, the President and CEO of the Methodist Hospital Foundation on Thursday, November 13th.

Accompanying Ms. Peacock on the grandstand were Jack Koraleski, CEO of Union Pacific, his wife Dr. Stephanie Koraleski, founder and director of A Time to Heal, Lyn Ziegenbein, the former head of the Kiewit Foundation and Joyce Clare Davis, formerly with Creighton University.

Ms. Davis served both as a roaster and the emcee for the evening’s festivities.

JACK KORALESKI, DR. STEPHANIE KORALESKI, CYNDY PEACOCK, JOYCE DAVIS AND LYN ZIEGENBEIN

MARY KERR, CYNDY PEACOCK AND PATTI CRAIG

The Annual Roast is the Merrymakers Association’s main fundraiser, and this year’s total was $250,000. Virtually every dollar raised goes directly to the non-profit’s mission: providing live, professional entertainment to the senior facilities and the senior population throughout Nebraska, the Omaha metro and Iowa.

This year Merrymakers grew the number of facilities to 134, and provided more than 1,200 performances.

The audience for the evening was one of the largest, at 302 guests.

DR. STEPHANIE KORALESKI

CYNDI PEACOCK

During the cocktail hour, guests were entertained by a band made up of Merrymakers entertainers featuring Billy Troy, Joe Taylor, Paul Siebert, Johnny Ray Gomez, Hal Cottrell, Pam Kragt and Diane Thomas (Déja Blu), Diana Sapp and Mary Link (The Links), Joyce Torchia and Kim Eames. Their concert was a selection of music they frequently sing to the seniors we serve.

One of the highlights of the evening was a poignant video that celebrated the many gifts that former Board Member Mike Simmonds brought to the community and to Merrymakers. Simmonds passed away in September after fighting a 13 year battle with cancer.

LYN ZIEGENBEIN, JACK KORALESKI, DR. STEPHANIE KORALESKI, AND JOYCE DAVIS

SHELLEY SIEMERS

Traditional at the Roast is the spirited needling that roasters bring to the podium. For example, Joyce Clare Davis went to French sayings to find an apt description of Ms. Peacock: “The tulip is, among flowers, what the peacock is among birds. A tulip lacks scent, a peacock has an unpleasant voice. The one takes pride in its garb, the other in its tail.”

Another tradition at the Roast is the auctioning of a caricature of the honoree, an original watercolor by Omaha artist Tom Kerr. Auctioneer Jim Kalal sold the framed art for $4,000.

For more information call 402-651-8413 or visit www.merrymakers.org

SANDY PARKER, MARK QUANDAHL, CYNDY PEACOCK, DAVE MAYER, RANDY MUELLER, CRAIG POHLMAN AND PETE HANLEY 78

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Photography by lindsey Zentic

CREATIVE

connection Omaha Creative Institute 2014 Patron Party When It Happened: November 18 Where It Happened: Home of Mary and Kirby Zicafoose

KIRBY AND MARY ZICAFOOSE WITH MEREDITH FULLER AND JIM LUYTEN

Why It Happened: To celebrate completion of the first Artist INC in Nebraska, the program that connects artists of all disciplines to the tools and resources necessary to develop their entrepreneurial skills. Artist/facilitators who presented/performed: Mary Zicafoose, Rob Walters, Watie White, and Matt Mason Attendance: 60 Funds Raised: $30,000+

BOB CULVER AND DR. DEBRA REILLY-CULVER

CARL AND JANET ESKRIDGE WITH DR. ALI AND HANNAH MIRMIRAN

Mission: Omaha Creative Institute builds audience for the arts in the Omaha metro community and provides resources, emphasizing financial sustainability, to artists. OCI strengthens the creative fabric of Omaha by offering weekly hands-on workshops for the general public, by providing local artists the resources needed to enrich their careers, and by inspiring engagement between artists and the community to produce shared artistic experiences.

About: OCI offers twice monthly creative workshops taught by artists, facilitates public art projects (e.g. Play Me, I'm Yours), and promotes events in all artistic disciplines.

BILL AND KELLI STOTT WITH GERRY SULLIVAN

ELLIE BATT AND ANDY HOLLAND

CINDY FRAZIER AND DR. SHAHAB ABDESSALAM WITH HANNAH MIRMIRAN

MATT MASON, DENISE LEVY, JOHN ROGERS AND KRIS KHAN

For more information call 402-917-8452 or visit www.omahacreativeinstitute.org

MARY TALEN WITH JUSTIN AND KATIE KEMERLING

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NONPAREIL

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Photography by Dan Flanigan

nurses

March of Dimes 2014 Nurse of the Year Awards When It Happened: November 6, 2014 Where It Happened: Embassy Suites, La Vista Why It Happened: Honor and Celebrate Nebraska's outstanding nurses.

2014 TOP WINNERS FOR THE MARCH OF DIMES NURSE OF THE YEAR

Sponsors: Children's Hospital and Nebraska Medicine, Methodist, West Corporation, HDR, Nebraska Organ Recovery, Tenaska, CHI Health, Boys Town, Clarkson College, UNMC College of Nursing, Visiting Nurse Association Attendance: 410 Funds Raised: $70,000 Mission: To improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

For More Info: 402-496-7111 | www.marchofdimes.org

CO-CHAIRS ROSANNA MORRIS AND DEBBIE ARNOW

2014 TOP NURSING STUDENTS

NURSE OF THE YEAR LAUREL SALONEN AND COLLEAGUES

JEANNIE DUDZINSKI, ROSEMARY OPBROEK AND SUZANNE CHOINIERE

LIN HUGHES, KAREN JOHNSON AND MARILYN VALERIO

MATT AND GERI MCVEY WITH SHARON GREEN AND KRYSTINA EYMANN

LISA STRASHEIM, RACHELLE HESER, KAREN NAVIS AND MARY LARSEN

LAUREN DAHLQUIST, JESSICA SEMIN AND SHELLY SEMIN

The Giving Guide & Event Book

some great tools...

mQUARTERLY

SpiritofOmaha.com’s Robust Community Resources 80

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Photography by Dan Flanigan

TRUE BLUE

team spirit Creighton University Athletics Bluejay Jamboree When It Happened: November 8, 2014 Where It Happened: Mutual of Omaha Dome Why It Happened: To benefit Creighton University's men's and women's athletics programs and scholarships.

Attendance: 620 Funds Raised: $450,000+ Mission: Intercollegiate athletics is a vital part of the University, and like all parts of the University, should reflect a concern for intellectual, moral, and spiritual values, and for pursuit of excellence which is faithful to the Jesuit tradition and to the educational mission of the University.

About: Creighton aspires to recruit, retain and graduate the highest quality student-athlete and provide the finest possible facilities for athletics practice and performance.

For more information call 402-630-5604 or visit bidpal.net/bluejayjamboree

MEMBERS OF THE JAYS MENS SOCCCER TEAM

JOHN CERNECH, GREG MCDERMOTT AND BETTY CERNECH

ADRIAN RIDER, RACHEL GROSVENOR AND ANDY RIDER

MEMBERS OF THE CREIGHTON MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

TOM GROSS, BRODY DEREN, CHAD MILLARD AND JOHN GROSS

STEVE MERFELD, TRACY FISHER AND ROD KESTEL

BRANDON STRUEBING, CICELY BATIE, JILLIAN ANDERSON AND NARNOOR SINGH

JAYS DANCERS

COLE HUFF, ISAIAH ZIERDEN AND ZACH HANSON

EMILY MAUSER, LOGAN LUCAS, COURTNEY SAWLE AND VANESSA MILLER

101 Things to Love about the metro™ make the connection!

SERvinG YOU AS YOU SERvE OThERS! how can we support you today?

Our weekly e-newsletter

...to support your mission!

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Photos courtesy of truhlsen eye institute

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THE GIFT

of sight Truhlsen Eye Institute A Night for Sight Masquerade Ball When It Happened: October 25th, 2014 Where It Happened: Joslyn Art Museum

DR. QUAN NGUYEN, DR. HAL AND MRS. BEVERLY MAUER, DR. DIANA DO AND NGUYEN FAMILY

Why/How It Happened: A Night For Sight Masquerade Ball - An Evening of Unmasking Blindness and an Evening to Celebrate the Gift of Sight and specifically the 1,000+ Sight-Restoring Surgeries the Global Blindness Prevention Division at the Truhlsen Eye Institute has performed in the past 2 years.

Attendance: 225 Funds Raised: $50,000 About: We are an unfunded arm of the University of Nebraska that pledges to provide 1-Sight Restoring Surgery to a Patient living needlessly blind due to cataracts for every $20 donation we receive. 100% of every dollar donated to our division goes towards cost of consumables for the patient's surgery. Our staff, physicians and team all pay out of pocket any travel, housing or flight costs to allow for this.

DR. ROWEN AND JOAN ZETTERMAN

AWARD RECIPIENTS: MS. DANIELLE BOGERT, DR. MICHAEL FEILMEIER, MRS. JESSICA FEILMEIER, DR. KATHERINE JOHNSON, DR. AHMED GOMAA

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For more information call Jessica Feilmeier at 402-305-2852 or e-mail Jessica.Feilmeier@unmc.edu, or visit www.unmc.edu/eye/international.htm

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Photos courtesy of assistance league of omaha

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CARAVAN OF

caring

Assistance League of Omaha Christmas Caravan 2014 When It Happened: November 6, 2014 Where It Happened: Preview Party: Champions Run; Tour of Homes: Four West Omaha locations

EVENT CHAIRS: GAIL FORMANACK, CHARLENE LIESVELD, ANN MOSSBERG, ELAINE JOHNSON, SUZANNE HINMAN, KATHY HAYDUSKA, JAN JACKSON, AND LINDA ROEDER

Why It Happened: To benefit ALO's philanthropic programs including Operation School Bell®, annually clothing over 3,500 Omaha-area students in need through a partnership with JCPenney's Westroads location. Christmas Caravan proceeds also support other year-long programs such as Operation Bear Hug, Operation Teen Parent, ACT/PSAT Review Sessions, Assault Survivor Kits®, and Operation Recovery.

Attendance: 3,000+ Funds Raised: $80,000 Mission: Assistance League® of Omaha is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) volunteer service organization whose members identify, develop, implement and fund ongoing philanthropic programs to serve specific needs of children and adults in the Greater Omaha area.

EDY AHLVERS AND CAROLYN KESICK

JIM AND CHARLENE LIESVELD WITH STACEY AND MARK EVANS

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For More Info: 402-896-9061 | www.ALOmaha.org

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Photos courtesy of Girls inc. of omaha

TEACHING

strength Girls Inc. of Omaha Lunch for the Girls

JENNA BUSH HAGER AND BARBARA BUSH WITH MODERATOR ANGEL MARTIN

JENNA BUSH HAGER AND BARBARA BUSH WITH GIRLS INC. GIRLS

BARBARA BUSH AND JENNA BUSH HAGER

JENNA BUSH HAGER AND BARBARA BUSH WITH MODERATOR ANGEL MARTIN

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When It Happened: October 29, 2014 Where It Happened: CenturyLink Center Why It Happened: Annual fundraising luncheon to support Girls Inc.'s mission of inspiring all girls to be Strong, Smart and Bold Attendance: 920 Funds Raised: $110,000 Mission: Inspiring all girls to be Strong, Smart and Bold About: Girls Inc. has been serving girls of diverse races, ethnicities, backgrounds and abilities in Omaha for almost 40 years. We provide the developmental support, opportunities and experiences they need to become confident, contributing citizens of our community through our mission of inspiring girls to be strong, smart and bold. After school until 7 p.m. during the school year and from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. during the summer, we staff our two centers with professionally trained, caring adults. Our centers are well equipped with libraries, teen centers, computer labs, a playground, a gym, a woodshop, an art room and other appropriate facilities.

For more info: 402-457-4676 | girlsincomaha.org

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Photos courtesy of the salvation army

RUNNING

for rations The Salvation Army Red Kettle Run When It Happened: October 25, 2014 Where It Happened: Zorinksy Lake in Omaha Why It Happened: To raise money for and stock the shelves of our food pantry.

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL VOLUNTEERS

Attendance: 600 Funds Raised: 42,000 food items collected Mission: The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible.

Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

About: The Salvation Army has more than 20 social service programs that serve the Omaha community.

For more information: givesalvationarmy.org

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Photo courtesy of notre dame sisters

MEANINGFUL

mission

Notre Dame Sisters Luncheon On November 18, 2014, 38 guests attended a luncheon to hear about the impact Seven Oaks at Notre Dame is making on the community. A ministry of the Notre Dame Sisters, Seven Oaks at Notre Dame is an independent senior living community that provides safe, affordable apartments for senior residents in a community setting. Services provided ensure seniors can stay active, engaged and in their homes for as long as possible.

The luncheon was sponsored by long-time friend and supporter, Linda Stigge to raise awareness of the Notre Dame Sisters’ ministry by bringing together women from the Omaha community. Guests enjoyed lunch, catered by Hap Abraham and guest speaker Lori Hogan, co-founder of Home Instead Senior Care spoke about the challenges seniors face today and Dianne Lozier spoke about her father, a former resident of Seven Oaks at Notre Dame and the positive effect on his life.

Guests shared their own experiences as caregivers, received thank you gifts and were able to take tours of the Seven Oaks at Notre Dame campus.

DIANNE LOZIER, SR. MARIE ANGELE, RSM, LORI HOGAN AND SR. MARGARET HICKEY, ND

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KUDOS TO

kinship

Heartland Family Service Salute to Families When It Happened: November 20, 2014 Where It Happened: Mid-America Center, Council Bluffs; Happy Hollow Club, Omaha Why It Happened: The annual "Salute to Families" programs honor families who are placing a great priority on building and strengthening their family.

HANAFAN FAMILY

Attendance: Iowa: 294; Nebraska:174 Mission: To strengthen individuals and families in our community through education, counseling, and support services.

About: Since 1875, Heartland Family Service has responded to the needs of our area’s most vulnerable children and families. Every year the agency’s 50 programs serve more than 50,000 individuals of all ages – from infants in our Family Works program to seniors in our Senior Center – from more than 15 locations in east central Nebraska and southwest Iowa.

CHRIS OLSON AND DONNA DOSTAL

GREG AND DESIRAE BACHMAN WITH DAUGHTERS EMERSYN AND MADELYN

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For more information call 402-553-3000 or visit www.HeartlandFamilyService.org

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Photos courtesy of ne chapter of cystic Fibrosis Foundation

hope BUILDERS Nebraska Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Breath of Hope Event The Nebraska Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in coordination with the Nebraska Regional Cystic Fibrosis Care Center, is proud to announce that over $140,000 was raised for CF research through their October 16th Breath of Hope event. The unique event took place at The Omar Arts & Events Center and honors select individuals from Nebraska who’ve made a positive impact in the fight against cystic fibrosis. Among this year’s honorees were Kim & Eric Otten, the Nebraska Regional CF Care Center Team and Lisa Runco.

Breath of Hope featured food presentations from some of Omaha’s finest restaurants, complimentary beer and wine and an array of silent and live auction items.

Sponsorship, ticket sales, and auction for this event support the Foundation's mission to find a cure and improve the quality of life for those with cystic fibrosis.

If you are interested in the Nebraska Chapter and the fight against CF, please contact the Nebraska Chapter at 402-330-6164 or Nebraska@cff.org.

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You Y ou Make the List, W We’ll e’ll Make it Happen

C C./  .  / 

..

94-97-BRAVO-215_FINAL 1/17/15 1:32 PM Page 94

celebrating THE ARTS WALLACE

RELIGIOUS-SPIRITUAL-CULTURAL IDENTITY EXPRESSION IS AT THE HEART OF A PROJECT INTERFAITH PROGRAM INVITING PEOPLE TO TELL THEIR STORIES VIA VIDEOS. APPROPRIATELY DUBBED, THIS INITIATIVE HELPS RAVEL-UNRAVELS QUESTIONS OF WHO WE ARE. ONE COULD HARDLY IMAGINE an organization/undertaking more in harmony with this issue’s emphasis on the love of art blending with the art of love.

Individuals and groups wanting to participate so surpassed expectations the campaign was extended.

The Tri-Faith Initiative’s goal of creating a shared campus The campaign’s since been opened to the general housing the three Abrahamic faith groups is not the only public. More than 1,100 unique videos can be Omaha interfaith effort netting widespread attention. viewed at ravelunravel.com today. The submissions, Project Interfaith seeks to engage people in dialogue about all screened for content and minimally edited whenever their religious-spiritual-cultural identity and experience. possible, are from folks identifying with a myriad of What began as a one-woman crusade with founder religions and belief systems including Christianity, Islam, Beth Katz to foster interfaith work in Omaha now Judaism, Hinduism, agnosticism, atheism as well as every reaches far beyond Nebraska. imaginable variation that exists within each category. A wide range of ages and races are represented. Viewers are able to Reflective of its 30-something-year-old founder comment on their own and others’ videos. and her even younger staff, Project Interfaith has embraced the digital age through its online She says the program reflects emerging trends, such as a growing RavelUnravel video program and other segment of the population that does not affiliate with a particular educational resources. religion or belief system.

“We’ve always seen the potential for our work “I think we’re seeing an evolution of how people articulate their religious to have an impact on multiple levels and I and spiritual identities and experiences and how they connect to feel we’re just beginning to fully realize that,” established religions and belief systems.”

Katz says.

The organization recently became a formal partner of the President’s The RavelUnravel initiative began in 2010 Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge, a joint initiative when she and her team assembled of the White House and the Department of Education, thus volunteers to capture flip camera-recorded positioning it to actively solicit videos from across America. It’s going interviews with diverse people at various sites global, too. around the Omaha metropolitan area.

Each participant was asked to answer four “We’re in the process of entering into partnerships with some questions revolving around their religious or organizations outside of the U.S. who would incorporate spiritual identity, any stereotypes they’ve RavelUnravel in their interfaith work. We’re excited about the encountered around that expressed identity and the possibility of having videos from beyond the U.S. being part degree to which they find this community welcoming of the project.” or unwelcoming to their religious or spiritual path.

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STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA | IMAGES COURTESY OF PROJECT INTERFAITH

• mquarterly

TAPESTRY ravelunravel

PROJECT INTERFAITH

HARRISON

ORIANS

WILLIAMS

CONTINUED

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celebrating THE ARTS

ravelunravel PROJECT INTERFAITH let’s talk Katz emphasizes, however, it’s really not about the volume of videos “that makes this a meaningful, impactful program, it’s what people do with the videos and how they respond. Certainly we want and invite as many people to share their stories as possible but it’s really about what the stories do when people watch them and talk about them.” Conversation kits have been developed to guide productive dialogue around topics typically considered taboo.

“Hopefully what they’re doing is inviting people to ask themselves those questions and to do some important self-reflection. Hopefully they’re giving people a tool to enter conversations with other people about these core questions that really drive our experiences and speak to this underlying humanity that connects all of us.”

away so many of the labels, sound bites and preconceptions constantly being swirled around in our heads, in media, in advertising. I think there’s incredible power in that.

“What makes this work meaningful is that we have the potential to create new ways for people to connect and interact with one another.”

interfaith opportunities Katz is encouraged by more interfaith opportunities available today than when she launched her nonprofit nine years ago.

The videos’ intensely intimate content is moving to Katz.

“It’s exciting to see all the different ways people can explore these topics and enter into these types of “I have been so honored by what people have been willing to conversations.” share in their videos. This is not like do you prefer Coke or Pepsi. These are questions that really hit at the core of people’s She says Omaha is seeing increased activity with the identity and experiences as humans. There’s a video, for Tri-Faith Initiative, progressive religious studies programs example, of an individual that talks about his identity as a at local universities, open adult forums at Countryside gay Christian man and how for so many years that was Community Church and Urban Abbey and interfaith something he could not reconcile. It drove him to try exchanges among synagogues, mosques and churches. to commit suicide. He then talks about his experience . of really finding peace with it and where that’s “I think it’s remarkable so much is going on here.” brought him to now.

“It’s some of the most personal information a person could share. I think all of us at Project Interfaith feel an incredible sense of responsibility and stewardship with these stories people are entrusting with us.

Hopefully they’re presented in the most integrity-filled and authentic way possible.

We want to use this as a vehicle to encourage and inspire others to share their stories.”

She feels the program is an antidote for this age of dislocation.

On the other hand, she says, Omaha, like the rest of the nation and world, has a ways to go. “It’s still such a nascent and emerging field that I don’t think the idea of openly, respectfully talking and learning about a person’s religious identity and experiences is normalized. That’s really what we’re striving to do – to make this a part of people’s every day lives, so it’s a very comfortable process.”

She does like the direction interfaith efforts are going, however.

“There is a lot of innovative good work coming from a lot of different places. This is really about trying to elevate the quality of people’s lives and relationships and the strength of our communities and so it’s important we have a lot of different models we can look toward to find meaningful ways to engage each other and to work together.”

“There’s universal experiences that really connect us and I think RavelUnravel illustrates those. I get struck over and over by how deeply human the videos are. When you see a person’s video it’s the next best thing to sitting across the table from someone because these aren’t scripted. It’s real people sharing their experiences and I think it just melts

Technology both aids and hurts this movement.

“As we’ve seen with RavelUnravel it can be an incredible way of inviting access to these conversations, experiences and learning. The flip side is you also have a lot of

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TAPESTRY misinformation circulating out there. Extremist and hate groups are extremely sophisticated in their use of social media and technology to present their message and galvanize their base. We need to really become creative and sophisticated in our use of technology and social media to present a counter-narrative that engages people in thoughtful ways and connects them with credible information.”

ROMERO

Interfaith efforts may be more needed today than ever.

“I feel like it’s the best of times and the worst of times for this work. 9/11 brought to the forefront a lot of ignorance and curiosity people had about religious diversity. We see in surveys the level of polarization, social hostility and government restrictions on religious freedom increasing. Some of the RavelUnravel videos call us to think about these really complicated, rich experiences in a more humane way.

For a society to be really healthy and functional we have to have space for everyone to share who they are.”

unraveled As another way to spur conversation, Project Interfaith invited visual artists to respond to RavelUnravel. Fifty-two artists submitted and a jury selected works in various media by eleven from around the nation, including Omaha artists Molly Romero, Bart Vargas, Kathryn Schroeder and Paula Wallace.

The exhibit, titled Unraveled, opened in Omaha and is traveling to sites in Neb. and other parts of the nation.

“Using the arts to engage people has always been a track of our work at Project Interfaith,” Katz says. “Now that it’s traveling to a diversity of institutions and communities it’ll be really exciting to get feedback from those host sites about how it’s being used and what people are responding to.”

The exhibit premiered at Omaha’s Jewish Community Center, whose art gallery director, Lynn Batten, says, “What makes this exhibit

what makes this work meaningful is that we have the potential to create new ways for people to connect and interact with one another. ~ BETH KATZ PROJECT INTERFAITH FOUNDER

unique is its potential to develop community education and understanding around the concept of religious identity and how it permeates our every day lives and society as a whole. By asking the artists to represent their personal stories, the viewer begins to see the common denominator between them all. They begin to see that we are all universally connected beyond what our religious beliefs might be – that we are united through our experience of the human condition.”

“That’s part of what this is all about – trying to help people appreciate and delve into the complexity and the richness of identity and experience as it relates to religious, spiritual, cultural backgrounds and identities,” Katz says.

Unraveled’s next area stops include: Saint Paul United Methodist Church (Lincoln), Nov. 3 to Dec. 1; Iowa Western Community College, Jan. 12 to Feb. 6; and Countryside Community Church (Omaha), July 1 to July 31.

Follow Project Interfaith news at projectinterfaith.org.

View RavelUnravel videos or upload one at ravelunravel.com.

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that’s DRAMATIC! opera omaha performance based fundraising when it comes to omaha dramatic fixtures susan baer collins and carl beck the question more appropriately becomes, “who haven’t they been?”

OPERA OMAHA GALA A CONTEMPORARY OPERA ALL ABOUT TRANSFORMATION GOT ITS LEGS AT AN UNCONVENTIONAL SITE SLATED FOR REBIRTH, THE CROSSROADS MALL, DURING THE JANUARY 16 OPERA OMAHA GALA. The gala featured glimpses of A FLOWERING TREE, a 2006 opera by American composer John Adams, who adapted its romantic, mystical story from an ancient folktale from India.

This saga of love, betrayal, sacrifice and redemption set in an enchanted land unfolded in a 20th century space normally associated with shopping.

A 10 p.m. after party for the millennial crowd followed the gala.

Unlike the best known works in the Adams canon that draw on historical, politically-charged events, such as NIXON IN CHINA, THE DEATH OF KLINGHOFFER and DOCTOR ATOMIC, A Flowering Tree is purely metaphorical. Adams cowrote the libretto with Peter Sellars.

Kumudha is endowed with the magical gift of morphing into a flowering tree and returning back to human form. When a prince secretly observes her transformation he’s smitten and marries the enchantress. His obsession with her gift and his sister’s exploitation of it drives the couple apart.

Bereft without her, the prince loses everything, even himself. Kumudha gets stuck in a hideous inbetween state that makes her a curiosity. The couple can only be reunited, so the folktale goes, if true love leads them to find each other again.

the adams touch Wunderkind director JAMES DARRAH, who at 30 is a rising star, says, “It is a fabulous story and a fabulous piece of theater. It’s entirely based in storytelling, with large overarching themes of humanity.”

Musically-speaking, Darrah says, “The orchestral writing of Adams is just unbelievable – he is giving an audience an entire soundscape in the way he employs instruments and chorus and voice. The way he writes for the human voice is operatic and virtuosic and familiar in that way but also really surprising and beautiful. At times it can fluctuate from feeling incredibly intimate and simple to virtuosic and cinematic.

“He has the ability to both understand and interpret the immense musical history that comes before him and to be on the exciting electric edge of innovation.

He creates these worlds of sound that are sometimes totally unexpected but rapturously beautiful.”

Opera Omaha General Director Roger Weitz calls Adams “one of if not the most important American opera composers living today,” adding, “I

saw a performance of Flowering Tree at Chicago Opera Theater and I was blown away by the music, by the drama, by the potential for magic and transformation on stage. I really fell in love with it.”

They probably never expected what we did last time and, and they wouldn’t recognize this either. Parts of what we designed felt like a sheik, elegant gallery.

[People would] walk in and be totally in a dream.”

outside-the-box

immersive

Snatches of the opera on gala night happened amid the empty storefronts of a closed section of the ill-fated Crossroads Mall – specifically the two-story glass atrium at the north end. The mall is slated to be razed to make room for a new mixed-use village.

A Flowering Tree will have its main stage full production February 13 and 15 at the Orpheum Theater. The same team mounting that production produced the gala – Los Angeles-based director Darrah and a cadre of collaborators. They also designed last year’s gala featuring bits from the early Handel opera Agrippina as well as that work’s main stage production. After making the nontraditional space of the Omar Baking Building into a retro Roman banquet experience inspired by Agrippina, the team’s repurposing a symbol of American consumerism into a mythological garden inspired by A Flowering Tree.

Weitz has charged the company with making its galas singular events that go beyond the standard sites and programs for such events. The Omar experiment was such a success, he commissioned Darrah and Co. to surpass it at another unexpected site – the soon defunct mall.

Darrah says. “If you’re doing something different you want a space that architecturally and energetically has flavor to it as a set. If you go to a big empty room you have to put everything in there to give people some sort of feeling. You have to create atmosphere from whatever you put into it.

The thing I loved about the mall when scouting it is that even without us doing anything to it, it had this eerie energy of all these people that had been in there.

"It’s this place that had a different purpose and now it’s this empty thing. It had so much to do for me with the socio-political stuff John Adams writes about America, and the mall is such an American icon that is changing and morphing. I like the idea of using it in a different way. This piece is all about transformation and new beginnings and new growth.

The mall is going to be torn down and I love the idea we can see the echoes of what it once was.”

Then there’s the bold move of bringing opera to where people shop.

“I also think it gives us the right narrative of audacity. After last year’s success everyone was wondering what it was going to be. Well, I don’t think they knew what we were going to do.

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The idea is to so fully immerse audience members in this re-imagined environment that they find themselves inside the live performance. Because opera scenes will seem to spontaneously happen around them, guests will be intimate, active participants, not merely passive witnesses to the spectacle. Darrah says the same folks you have cocktails with before dinner may suddenly break into song or dance. It’s all about shattering the walls between performer and viewer so that everyone, actors and guests alike, becomes joined in the experience.

“I like the breaking of barriers in that way,” Darrah says. “It’s the whole point of the John Adams piece, and that’s what it all comes back to. It’s not about showing people the design of A Flowering Tree, it’s about saying this team has been hired to do this massive new production and if you listen to John’s music you will be exposed to the qualities of innovation.”

Darrah says the excerpts on display at the gala were intended to give guests a sense for his organic treatment of the opera.

“I didn’t want this to be a project where three singers and dancers move around them as they sing.

I want people not to know who the singer is and who the dancer is.”

collaboration He feels privileged to have worked with a stellar roster of creatives interpreting it, including ANDRIANA CHUCHMAN as Kumudha, ANDREW STAPLES as the Prince and FRANCO POMPONI as the Storyteller.

“It’s an unbelievably fantastic cast – a world-class, formidable group of people,” Darrah says. “I think of them as actors first who happen to have powerhouse, awesome voices. They’re all theater people who are also aware of art and culture. I love artists that have that kind of awareness and bring a lot to the table, that listen to Billie Holiday as much as they listen to opera. When you get these well-rounded individuals willing to throw themselves into new ideas, they bring a really good energy. They fit very well with my team. Like minds do very good work.”

His team includes associate director ZACK WINOKUR, set and lighting designer CAMERON JAYE MOCK, set and properties designer EMILY ANNE MACDONALD, projection designer ADAM LARSEN and costumer designer SARAH SCHUESSLER.

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STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF OPERA OMAHA

• mquarterly

part two of a two part series

ACT TWO

All but Winokur worked with Darrah on last year’s Agrippina gala and production. Together, they used lights, sets, music and dance to turn a banally familiar existing space into an enticing dreamscape for the gala. “[We were] not going to treat the stores – [we left] all the stores as dark, empty things, though we used certain storefronts for things like cocktail hour and catering,” Darrah says. “Beyond the tangible, this is a surreal dream you walked into.”

Atmospheric videos added to the trippy vibe.

mutual admiration Darrah says Adams took a keen interest in how the opera would be teased at the gala and produced at the Orpheum.

“He knows about this and he’s been very helpful and involved and supportive with the team and the choices. He’s very humble, so he’s not overly controlling. He answers questions. I sat down with him and he told me a bunch of things about why he wrote it, what he thought about. He’s been really great. He told me, ‘Do your thing.’”

Darrah and his team create harmony from collaborative give-and-take.

“So much of everything designers choose to do affects what a director is able to do on stage,” he says.

“At the same time a director can choose moments that actually give designers lots of opportunities to create. I think the interconnected qualities of that are something that aren’t often talked about but are absolutely true.

“Here in Omaha, for many reasons, including the time and resources we’re allotted, we actually get to explore that a lot more than normal.”

According to Darrah, Weitz’s vision and enthusiasm are attractive to talents like himself and his colleagues.

“For artists like us, Roger is an incredibly adventurous, interesting, proactive part of assembling the team, crafting, casting, all these things.”

Weitz, in turn, says Darrah has taken Omaha by storm.

“The community has really embraced him and is really interested in his work. I think he feels a lot of support here and feels like this is a place where he can do what he wants to do. We’re talking about next season right now and we’ll keep dreaming. I mean, there will come a day when he’s too big for us but I hope by establishing this relationship early on Omaha will always be a special place to him.”

Thsi year’s gala was chaired by Cindy and Mogens Bay. To learn more about Opera Omaha’s innovative approaches to performance based events, or to reserve tickets for performances of A Flowering Tree, visit operaomaha.org. opera omaha

…THE MALL IS SUCH AN AMERICAN ICON THAT IS changing AND MORPHING. I LIKE THE IDEA OF USING IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. THIS PIECE IS ALL ABOUT transformation AND NEW BEGINNINGS AND NEW GROWTH.

HOW TO PUT ON A PERFORMANCE GALA

~ JAMES DARRAH

SEE ACT ONE IN OUR NOVEMBER 2014 EDITION

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celebrating THE ARTS

• mquarterly

TOP 5 OUR TOP PICKS FOR GREAT upcoming attractions HANDS ON A HARDBODY How much will a group of hard-luck Texans endure to win a pickup truck? When a local dealership offers a free Nissan Hardbody to the last person standing in a competition of mental and physical endurance, heart and determination, only the strong survive. The rules are simple: don’t take your hand off the truck. And only one winner can drive away with the American Dream.

OMAHA SYMPHONY: PIXAR IN CONCERT Everyone in the family will enjoy beloved scenes from Disney/Pixar’s 13 feature films in a whole new way. Scores from A Bug’s Life, Brave, the Cars trilogy, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Inside Out, Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University, Ratatouille, the Toy Story trilogy, Up and Wall-E are played live and accompanied by visually stunning imagery from the movies on the big screen. With Thomas Wilkins as conductor.

NOISES OFF

Noises Off is a 1982 work by English playwright Michael Frayn and a play within a play, with a fictional ambitious director leading a troupe of mediocre actors performing a silly comedy called Nothing On. In this farce, lovers frolic, doors slam, clothes are tossed away and embarrassing hijinks ensue. By the play’s end, the characters are woefully unprepared for their performance, which turns out to be a catastrophe (but a comic delight for the real-life audience).

ZEN TIES

ZEN TIES A sweet children’s book comes to life in a world premiere performance presented by special arrangement with Scholastic Inc. Zen Ties is a disarming story that reaffirms the importance of our ties to one another. When Koo the Panda visits her uncle, Stillwater, he offers her a special challenge to listen. In the quiet, they not only discover that people are not always what they seem, but they also learn a lesson about patience, friendship and compassion.

OMAHA FILM FESTIVAL The 10th annual Omaha Film Festival showcases more than 90 films, selected from hundreds of entries from around the world. Narrative features, documentaries, short films, and animated shorts are screened during the week-long Festival, which includes a selection of Nebraska-made films as well. The selected filmmakers are invited to attend the festival and are given the opportunity to discuss their films with the audience after each screening.

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community CALENDAR

LEARN MORE details about any of these events by searching our extensive Community Calendar at mQUARTERLY’s website: http://www.SpiritofOmaha.com/Metro-Magazine/Community/Calendar/

FEBRUARY 6

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

save the date CONNECT WITH over 100 non profits and learn more about their mission and how you can help!

Order your copy of The Giving Guide & Event Book 2015 today at mQUARTERLY’s SpiritofOmaha.com.

FEBRUARY 19 – FEBRUARY 21

6:30 PM – 9:30 PM

AN EVENING WITH KATE AT THE DURHAM MUSEUM The Durham Museum’s On Track Guild

MURDER MYSTERY AT THE CASTLE Joslyn Castle

The Durham Museum | 801 South 10th Street | Omaha Join us in celebrating the new exhibit, Katharine Hepburn: Dressed for Stage & Screen at An Evening with Kate presented by The Durham Museum’s On Track Guild. $75 per ticket; $100 per patron ticket 402-444-5071 | www.DurhamMuseum.org

3902 Davenport Street | Omaha The annual Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Production returns to the Castle on February 19, 20 and 21st. All performances will begin at 6:30. This year’s original play is Mattress Mayhem: Mardi Gras at the Castle. Tickets are $75 per person before January 10. After January 10, tickets are $85 per person. Ticket price includes the production, dinner and one drink ticket. The Murder Mystery sells out every year, get your tickets now! $75, $85 402-595-2199 | www.joslyncastle.com

FEBRUARY 7

5:30 PM – 10:30 PM

ROSIE ROCKS THE FIESTA Hilton Omaha 1001 Cass St. | Omaha Presented by the Rose Theater Guild, this is the Rose’s largest fund-raising event. The adult only event will be held on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015 at the Hilton Omaha located at 1001 Cass St. This will be an evening of festivities including cocktails, silent and live auctions, dinner and socializing. “Fiesta” or themed attire is encouraged. $125 402-213-7810 | www.rosetheater.org

FEBRUARY 7

4:30 PM – 10:00 PM

FIESTA Mercy High School

7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

COMPETITIVE WINE TASTING WINTER SOCIAL Bacchanalian Society of Omaha Food Bank for the Heartland | 10525 J Street | Omaha Get ready for round three as we feature Food Bank for the Heartland as beneficiary on Friday February 13th, 2015! For more information please check us out on Facebook.com/OmahaBacch or at www.bachomaha.com.$20 402-310-3648 | www.bachomaha.com

FEBRUARY 14

6:30 PM – 10:00 PM

VALENTINE CHOCOLATE GALA Wings of Hope Cancer Support Center Ameristar Ballroom | 2200 River Road | Council Bluffs This is an annual fund-raiser for Wings of Hope Cancer Support Center. The event includes wine tastings, hors d’oeuvres, music and auctions. The money raised benefits Wings of Hope in the delivery of support services to and for cancer patients and their families. All services are offered at no cost to patients, survivors, and families in Southwest Iowa and Omaha. $65.00 per person 712-325-8970 | www.wingsofhope.org

FEBRUARY 14

6:00 PM

CARNIVAL OF LOVE GALA Heartland Family Service Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center | 12520 Westport Pkwy | La Vista The Heartland Family Service Carnival of Love Gala is a fun-filled evening featuring cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, carnival games, dinner, and both silent and live auctions. All proceeds benefit families and individuals in the Omaha metropolitan area.

For more information contact Charissa Hauge 402-552-7424 or Hauge@HeartlandFamilyService.org. $125 402-552-7424 | www.HeartlandFamilyService.org

6:00 PM

Il Palazzo | 5110 North 132nd Street | Omaha Fandango: All-Stars is the annual fundraiser for the Children Services program of Lutheran Family Services. Guests are encouraged to wear apparel representing their favorite sport or sports team. The casual evening is a great chance to kick back, have fun, do a little shopping and support the many terrific programs for children at LFS. Includes both a silent and live auction, dinner and a program. $100 402-591-5063 | www.lfsneb.org

FEBRUARY 20

Ramada Convention Center | 72nd and Grover St. | Omaha FIESTA is an annual fundraiser held for Mercy High School. The event is Feb. 7, 2015 from 4:30 to 10:00 p.m.at the Ramada Convention Center, 72nd and Grover in Omaha. It begins with Mass and includes a silent auction, dinner,live auction and raffle drawing. $125 each; alumnae and parents, two tickets, $75 402-553-9424 | www.mercyhigh.org

FEBRUARY 13

FEBRUARY 20

FANDANGO – ALL STARS Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska

5:30 PM – 8:30 PM

CHEERS TO THE ANGELS Angels Among Us Guild Champion’s Run | 13800 Eagle Run Drive | Omaha All Proceeds benefit the local non-profit Angels Among Us. Tickets available in advance and at the door for $50. Receive a handful of tastings and enjoy appetizers paired with each different wine. Come spend your happy hour with Angels Among Us and step into our majestic seating areas to enjoy conversation with new and old friends. $50 402-630-3151 | www.myangelsamongus.org

FEBRUARY 21

6:30 PM

AMERICAN HEART ASSOC. HEART OF NEBRASKA HEART AND STROKE BALL CenturyLink Center, Peter Kiewit Grand Ballroom | Omaha The 27th annual Heart of Nebraska Omaha Heart and Stroke Ball, presented by First National Bank and Lexus of Omaha, will be attended by more than 1,000 individuals from the business, medical and social communities. This annual event is a black-tie gala benefiting the American Heart Association’s (AHA) life-saving mission.$300 a ticket 402-810-6842 | https://omahaheartball.ahaevents.org/

FEBRUARY 21

5:30 PM

MARIANFEST 2015: UNDER THE SEA - DIVE DEEP FOR EDUCATION Marian High School 7400 Military Avenue | Omaha Join us for an evening under the sea as we celebrate our 33rd annual MarianFEST (Funding Education in the Servite Tradition)! The nautical-themed night will feature cocktails, fine dining and a silent and live auction, all while supporting tuition assistance at Marian. To learn more or to enter the raffle drawing, please contact Shari Gilg at 402.571.2618, ext. 1167 or sgilg@omahamarian.org $150/person 402-571-2618 x1167 | www.marianhighschool.net

FEBRUARY 21

6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

CRUISE AWAY TO THE BARBARY COAST Stephen Center Guild Champions Run Country Club | 13800 Eagle Run Drive | Omaha We invite you to join us in our mission to rebuild lives, restore sobriety, and create stability for those most in need in our area.Your support will change lives! We hope to see you on February 21st at Champions Run! $125.00 402-598-4265 | www.stephencenter.org 102

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• VIEW & PURCHASE PHOTOS OF THESE AND OTHER EVENTS 365/24/7 AT SPIRITOFOMAHA.COM

FEBRUARY 22

look for the LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE GIVING GUIDE 2015!

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

ART & SOUP Visiting Nurses Association Embassy Suites La Vista | 12520 Westport Parkway | La Vista Buy original artwork from local artists, taste incredible soups from local restaurants, bid on great silent auction items and enjoy live entertainment. All proceeds help VNA provide public health nursing services to children and adults living in Omaha and Council Bluffs homeless shelters. $100 for the Patron Party; $50 General Admission 4029304170 | www.thevnacares.org

FEBRUARY 28

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

RESTORE OMAHA CONFERENCE Restoration Exchange Omaha Metropolitan Community College - South Campus | 27th and Q Streets | Omaha Restore Omaha, is produced by Restoration Exchange Omaha, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and reviving the area’s older homes, businesses and neighborhoods. The annual spring conference gives old-home owners, restoration experts and amateurs, and history lovers alike the opportunity to spend the day networking and gathering ideas, solutions and inspiration for restoring older properties. $50 402-679-5854 | www.restoreomaha.org

FEBRUARY 28

6:00 PM – 12:00 AM

JDRF 18TH ANNUAL PROMISE GALA - ROCKIN FOR A CURE First National Bank CenturyLink Center Omaha | 455 N. 10th Street | Omaha Honorary Chairs, Alison & Dan O’Neill, along with Event Chairs Rebecca & Brinker Harding, Lori & Jeff Moehn, and Dana & Jess Zeiss, invite you to the 18th Annual JDRF Promise Gala to be held on Saturday, February 28, 2015, at the CenturyLink Center Omaha. This incredible evening features dinner, amazing auctions, an inspiring Fund A Cure program, and entertainment. This year’s special celebrity guest is Bret Michaels! $200 402-397-2873 | www.omaha.jdrf.org

MARCH 1

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

11TH ANNUAL WALK & ROLL FOR DISABILITIES Meyer Foundation for Disabilities Oakview Mall, 2nd floor by food court | 144th & Center | Omaha The 11th Annual Walk & Roll for Disabilities is sponsored by the Meyer Foundation for Disabilities(MFD).

The purpose of the Walk & Roll for Disabilities is to raise funds for recreational programs for teens and adults with developmental disabilities in the greater Omaha area. $25.00 per person 402 559 5771 | www.omahadisabilities.org

MARCH 4 – MARCH 6

8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

8TH ANNUAL SPEAKING OF CHILDREN LUNCHEON AND CONFERENCE Project Harmony Embassy Suites Omaha - La Vista Hotel & Conference | 12520 Westport Parkway | La Vista The three day conference provides morning and afternoon training sessions for professionals. Five training tracks include Law Enforcement, Legal, Medical, Prevention/Treatment and Advocacy $50 for the Luncheon and $125 for the Conference 402-595-1326 | www.projectharmony.com

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CONTINUED

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LEARN MORE details about any of these events by searching our extensive Community Calendar at mQUARTERLY’s website: http://www.SpiritofOmaha.com/Metro-Magazine/Community/Calendar/

community CALENDAR

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over 35,000 photos • over 33,000 visitors MARCH 4 – MARCH 5

6:00 PM – 1:30 PM

TABLE ART 2015 Omaha Symphony Guild Champions Run Country Club | Omaha Omaha Symphony Guild presents Table Art 2015 featuring co-founder of Juliska, David Gooding. Money raised from event will support the education programs of the Omaha Symphony. The two day event starts with a Preview Party on March 4 featuring an opportunity to meet David Gooding. March 5 is the luncheon and lecture. Both days will feature Omaha area designer tables and Omaha Family Historical tables, silent auction and raffle. $50 Preview Party/$75 Luncheon 402-660-1680 | www.omahasymphony.org

MARCH 5

7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

2015 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS SUMMIT Greater Omaha Chamber CenturyLink Center Omaha | 455 N 10th Street | Omaha The Young Professionals Summit is an energizing and inviting conference that brings together diverse young professionals, co-creators, business and community leaders to engage with one another and invest in themselves and our community. The event is organized by the Greater Omaha Chamber and a team of volunteers. $150 402-333-7150

MARCH 6

6:30 PM – 9:30 PM

CELEBRATION! Lifegate Christian School 15555 W. Dodge Road | Omaha Celebration is the annual fundraiser dinner and auction night for the Tuition Assistance Program at Lifegate Christian School. Over $100,000 was awarded last year to school families and the same amount will be needed again this coming school year. $80/couple, $50 single tickets 402-333-5153

MARCH 6

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

AMERICAN GIRL FASHION SHOW Junior League of Omaha Happy Hollow Country Club | 1701 S 105th Street | Omaha The American Girl Fashion Show is a fun-filled event for girls and their families, friends and favorite dolls.

Celebrate the experience of being a girl, yesterday and today, through a colorful presentation of historical and contemporary fashions. The American Girl Fashion Show fundraiser supports the Junior League of Omaha’s children-minded projects: A Book of My Own and Project Hope Pack. Join us for a fabulous weekend of shopping, fashion and fun! $35-$75 402.493.8818 | www.jlomaha.org/?nd=agfs

MARCH 7

5:30 PM – 11:00 PM

MOWBC START-UP ASSISTANCE GRANT MASQUERADE BALL & AUCTION Metro Omaha Women’s Business Center (MOWBC) Magnolia Hotel | 1615 Howard Street | Omaha The Metro Omaha Women’s Business Center’s (MOWBC) Fourth Annual Start-up Assistance Grant Masquerade Ball & Auction is a fundraiser to help us award start-up assistance grants to emerging women entrepreneurs. It’s a gala evening with dinner, auction, awards, and dancing. Corporate sponsorships are available. MOWBC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. $60.00 402-201-2334 | www.mowbcf.org 104

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CONNECT WITH over 100 non profits and learn more about their mission and how you can help!

Order your copy of The Giving Guide & Event Book 2015 today at mQUARTERLY’s SpiritofOmaha.com.

• VIEW & PURCHASE PHOTOS OF THESE AND OTHER EVENTS 365/24/7 AT SPIRITOFOMAHA.COM

MARCH 12

• mquarterly look for the LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE GIVING GUIDE 2015!

MARCH 22

5:30 PM – 9:00 PM

CELEBRITY CHEF FEATURING GEOFFREY ZAKARIAN Food Bank for the Heartland Embassy Suites Conference Center - La Vista | 12520 Westporty Parkway | La Vista Food Bank for the Heartland is thrilled to feature Geoffrey Zakarian at the 14th annual Celebrity Chef fundraiser on March 12. Proceeds from Celebrity Chef benefit Food Bank for the Heartland’s mission of providing emergency food for families in Nebraska and western Iowa. Guests: $150; Patrons: $500 402.905.4810 | www.FoodBankHeartland.org

MARCH 14

Scott Conference Center | 6450 Pine Street | Omaha The Notre Dame Sisters’ Annual Celebration of Spirit Dinner is scheduled for Sunday March 22 at the Scott Conference Center, at 6450 Pine Street, Omaha. This annual dinner raises funds to support the ministries of the Notre Dame Sisters. The cost of the dinner is $75.00 per person with discounts for seniors.

Reservations are required and a wide variety of sponsorship levels are available. Contact Melanie Ennen at 402.455.2994 ext. 101 or by email at mennen@notredamesisters.org. $75 402-455-2994 | www.notredamesisters.org

5:30 PM – 11:30 PM

IRISH FEST 2015: CRUISIN’ IN CLOVER Catholic Charities

MARCH 26

Embassy Suites La Vista | 12520 Westport Pkwy | La Vista Another spectacular Irish Fest filled with friendship and fun is scheduled for March 14, 2015 at Embassy Suites La Vista! This year’s theme is Cruisin’ in Clover! Proceeds from this event help fund the services Catholic Charities provides to over 100,000 people and families annually. Social hour begins at 5:30pm, Dinner at 7:00pm. followed by the live auction at 8:00pm. The band, Pink Kadillac, will wrap up the evening with great music and dancing! $150 per person 402-829-9260 | www.ccomaha.org/take-action/events/irish-fest

MARCH 14 KIDNEY CRUISE Nebraska Kidney Association

6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

ASSURE WOMEN’S CENTER Assure Women’s Center Embassy Suites - LaVista | 12520 Westport Parkway | La Vista A fundraising dinner for Assure Women’s Center with proceeds to provide resources to address the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of women facing an unplanned pregnancy. Keynote speaker is Laura Ingraham, the most listened to female talk radio host heard each weekday on the 1290 KOIL. Honorary Dinner Chair is former Nebraska Governor, Kay A. Orr. $40 402-740-7225 | www.assureomaha.com

MARCH 27 WISHBONE: An Event Supporting Kent Bellows Mentoring Program

Champions Run | 13800 Eagle Run Drive | Omaha Dinner/auction gala to benefit the Nebraska Kidney Association. Join us at Champions Run and enjoy dinner, live music, speakers and an auction, all to support Nebraskans impacted by kidney disease.

Varies; please inquire.

402-932-7200 | www.kidneyne.org

MARCH 21

4:00 PM

CELEBRATION OF SPIRIT DINNER Notre Dame Sisters

Joslyn Art Museum | 2200 Dodge Street | Omaha Join us for an evening of art, inspiration, and fun at the third annual Wishbone event supporting Joslyn’s Kent Bellows Mentoring Program. Dancing, cocktails, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and a pop-up art workshop will create an unforgettable evening. Held this year at Joslyn Art Museum, attendees will have the opportunity to view select works by the program’s alumni artists (some alumni work will be available for purchase). $50 ($30 tax deductible); reservations @ joslyn.org, Jan. 26 – March 20 402-661-3887 | www.joslyn.org

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

AMBASSADOR OF HOPE GALA Advocates Board of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

MARCH 27

CenturyLink Center | 455 N. 10th St. | Omaha The Ambassador of Hope Gala is a fundraiser for cancer research which benefits the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The event, held every two years, features a keynote speaker, an award ceremony, auction, and dinner. Amy Robach, co-anchor of Good Morning America, and a breast cancer survivor, will receive the Ambassador of Hope Award. Since 1998 the event has raised over $6 million for cancer research.

Tables of 10: $1,500, $3,000, $5,000 & $10,000; Individual tickets: $150 402-559-4179

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6:00 PM – 11:00 PM

BUCKAROO BASH Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation Omaha Mounted Patrol Barn | 615 Leavenworth St | Omaha Buckaroo Bash is the official kick-off to Ak-Sar-Ben’s River City Rodeo & Stock Show. Participate in adult rodeo activities, enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres, and bid on silent auctions to support Buckaroo Bash’s mission of supporting major programs such as the Omaha Mounted Patrol and Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund as well as Heartland youth organizations. $35 402-554-9600 | www.rivercityrodeo.com

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LEARN MORE details about any of these events by searching our extensive Community Calendar at mQUARTERLY’s website: http://www.SpiritofOmaha.com/Metro-Magazine/Community/Calendar/

community CALENDAR

save the date MARCH 27 – MARCH 28

IOWA MISS AMAZING PAGEANT Iowa Western Community College | 2700 College Rd | Council Bluffs The 3rd annual Iowa Miss Amazing Pageant for girls and women with disabilities will be held March 27-28, 2015 at Iowa Western Community College. Miss Amazing Inc. celebrates the abilities of all girls and women with disabilities ages 5 and up. The only cost to participate in the event is to bring 5 canned goods. Tickets to attend the finale are $10 each. Proceeds benefit the mission of Miss Amazing Inc. building confidence in girls and women with disabilities. $10 per person

MARCH 27

6:00 PM – 11:00 PM

HOPE BREWS: A DINNER FOR CYSTIC FIBROSIS Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Omaha Marriot Regency | 10220 Regency Circle | Omaha Hope Brews is a sit down, four course meal paired with five unique beers from an exceptional brewery.

This event is personal and interactive; guests enjoy silent and live auctions, a spectacular meal and relevant information about the food and beer’s ingredients, flavors and textures.

Sponsorship from $2,000 - $10,000 402-330-6164 | www.cff.org/Chapters/nebraska/

MARCH 28

4:00 PM – 11:00 PM

BIG BASKETBALL BASH Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands Champions Run | 13800 Eagle Run Drive | Omaha Guests will enjoy the thrills and excitement of the NCAA men’s college basketball semi-final games at a one-of-a-kind viewing party to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands. Ticket Price TBD 4029053346 | www.bbbsomaha.org

MARCH 28

7:00 PM – 9:30 PM

GIRL SCOUTS ARTVENTURE UNO’s Mammel Hall 6708 Pine Street | Omaha artVenture is a unique arts-based leadership program that celebrates collaboration and creativity. Small groups of Girl Scouts are matched with professional artists, working in a variety of mediums, to create original works of art. Their works of art, along with pieces submitted by professional artists, art sold at the silent auction event in March. Proceeds support the Girl Scout Leadership Experience offered by Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska. Patron Party, $125; Main Auction, $50 (402)779-8230 | www.girlscoutsnebraska.org

MARCH 28

6:00 PM

THE GATHERING CUES Embassy Suites Omaha-La Vista | 12520 Westport Pkwy | La Vista The Gathering is a fundraising dinner to help support Sacred Heart, All Saints, and Holy Name Schools and is sponsored by CUES. The theme for the evening is The Art of Inspiration. Students from the CUES supported schools will provide choral entertainment and a graduate will speak to the guests about the uniqueness of the school. $125 402-451-5755 | www.cuesschools.org/

MARCH 28

6:00 PM

BLUE JEAN BALL: ONCE UPON A WISH Make-A-Wish Nebraska Mutual of Omaha Dome | 3301 Dodge Street | Omaha Join Make-A-Wish Nebraska for an evening of wish stories celebrating the impact of a wish on Saturday, March 28th at 6:00 p.m. at the Mutual of Omaha Dome. For more information contact Brigette Young at byoung@nebraska.wish.org or 402-333-8999. $125 individual or $1,250 for table of 10 402-333-8999 | http://nebraska.wish.org 106

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CONNECT WITH over 100 non profits and learn more about their mission and how you can help!

Order your copy of The Giving Guide & Event Book 2015 today at mQUARTERLY’s SpiritofOmaha.com.

• VIEW & PURCHASE PHOTOS OF THESE AND OTHER EVENTS 365/24/7 AT SPIRITOFOMAHA.COM

MARCH 28

• mquarterly look for the LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE GIVING GUIDE 2015!

APRIL 9

6:00 PM – 9:30 PM

6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

CASABLANCA GALA Nebraska CASA Association

CELEBRATION OF PRIESTHOOD BANQUET Institute for Priestly Formation

Scott Conference Center | 6450 Pine Street | Omaha CASAblanca is a gala providing an evening of fun, food and drink to fundraise for Nebraska CASA programs. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) programs recruit, screen and train volunteers who are the voice in the courtroom for children who have been abused and neglected. $50.00 402-477-2788 | www.nebraskacasa.org

St. Robert Bellarmine Church | 119th and Pacific | Omaha The annual Institute for Priestly Formation Celebration of Priesthood Banquet will be held at St. Robert Bellarmine Church on Thursday, April 9, 2015. 6:30 p.m. Social, 7:15 Dinner followed by talk and award presentation. Tickets: $100 per person, $800 per table of eight. Sponsorships available. $100.00 402-280-3901 | www.priestlyformation.org

MARCH 28

APRIL 10

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

6:00 PM – 11:00 PM

MOXIE The Friends of Planned Parenthood

2015 ALL ABOUT OMAHA TORCHLIGHT BALL All About Omaha

OMAR Baking Building | 4383 Nicholas Street | Omaha The Friends of Planned Parenthood will put on the best party of the year where the proceeds support reproductive health care and education for women, men and teens. Please join us at our annual benefit where like-minded friends will honor Dick Holland for his support. $125 per ticket 402-557-6681 | www.ppheartland.org/events

Scoular Ballroom | The Scoular Building | 2027 Dodge Street | Omaha Proceeds from the Torchlight Ball will go directly to Memories for Kids to help create memories for children who have a parent with terminal cancer. The name Torchlight Ball conveys the idea of “passing the torch” of charitable giving and services to a new generation. For more information about the 2015 Torchlight Ball, please contact sarah.hanify@gmail.com. $50 per ticket for All About Omaha members; $75 per ticket for non-members www.allaboutomaha.org/

MARCH 31

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

2015 COMPLETELY KIDS AUTHOR LUNCHEON Presented by Physicians Mutual

APRIL 11

Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass St. | Omaha You will want to join us for the 2015 Completely KIDS Author Luncheon featuring Dr. Robyn Silverman and her book, Good Girls Don’t Get Fat: How Weight Obsession is Messing Up Our Girls & How We Can Help Them Thrive Despite It. Dr. Silverman is a body image and bullying expert, leadership and success coach, and child and teen development specialist who is frequently called upon by the Today show, Good Morning America, U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo and The New York Times. TBA 402-397-5809 | http://completelykids.org/

APRIL 7

Saint Cecilia Cathedral Campus, Msgr. Graham Bldg | 701 N 40th Street | Omaha Our lasting LEGACY of 108 years is our theme for this year’s event, as we continue to build on our success of academic excellence for our students. Cathedral Comedy and Cuisine is held in the Monsignor Graham Building on the Cathedral campus. Guests will enjoy cocktail hour, dinner by Abraham Catering, and silent and live auctions. Over 400 people will attend this gala event, and it sells out every year. $100 402-551-2313 | www.stcecilia.omaha.org

7:30 AM – 8:30 AM

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS 2015 Special Olympics Nebraska

APRIL 11

Embassy Suites Conference Center | La Vista An inspiring breakfast hosted by Special Olympics Nebraska. This year’s keynote speaker is Tim Miles, head mens basketball coach at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. A Special Olympics Nebraska athlete and Global Messenger will also share an inspirational message. Join us for a hot breakfast with friends and learn about the important work of Special Olympics Nebraska in your community.

Gold Table-$5,000, Silver Table-$2,500, Bronze Table-$1,000, Individual-$100 402.331.5545 x15 | www.sone.org

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5:30 PM – 10:00 PM

CATHEDRAL COMEDY AND CUISINE Saint Cecilia Cathedral

6:00 AM – 10:00 AM

NIGHT OF KNIGHTS The Strategic Air and Space Museum 28210 West Park Highway | Ashland Night of Knights is a Mount Michael Benedictine fundraiser that involves both a dinner and auction. This year the theme will be Superhero Knights! Along with their superpowers, which are the Benedictine values of Service, Community, Hospitality, Moderation and Integrity, the fine education provided will lead graduates down a promising path. Join in this wonderful event, all are welcome! $130.00 per ticket

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community CALENDAR

save the date

108

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CONNECT WITH over 100 non profits and learn more about their mission and how you can help!

Order your copy of The Giving Guide & Event Book 2015 today at mQUARTERLY’s SpiritofOmaha.com.

• VIEW & PURCHASE PHOTOS OF THESE AND OTHER EVENTS 365/24/7 AT SPIRITOFOMAHA.COM

APRIL 11

• mquarterly look for the LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE GIVING GUIDE 2015!

5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

HEART OF CAMP GALA Carol Joy Holling Center Embassy Suites Convention Center | 12520 Westport Pkwy | La Vista Carol Joy Holling Camp, Conference & Retreat Center is a summer camp, conference and retreat center and leadership development hub for the communities we serve. Our values, at the heart of who we are, provide us with the compass to live out our Christ-centered, Spirit-powered ministry. $85 per person 402-944-2544 | www.caroljoyholling.org

APRIL 12

5:00 PM

TOO MANY COOKS IN THE KITCHEN Omaha Restaurant Association Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass Street | Omaha A chef prepares a 5 course meal with wine pairings for a table of 10. $100 plus tax 402-493-4739 | http://dineoutomaha.com

APRIL 14

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

2015 OMAHA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME GALA Greater Omaha Chamber Holland Performing Arts Center | 1200 Douglas Street | Omaha The Omaha Business Hall of Fame Gala is a program of the Greater Omaha Chamber through which businessmen and women, living or deceased, whose accomplishments in business are both outstanding and historically significant, are selected for induction each year. Donations from the money raised at this event are given to The Durham Museum to support the Omaha Business Hall of Fame exhibit and to the Chamber’s Young Professionals Summit.$250 per ticket 402 978-7957 | www.omahachamber.org

APRIL 16

6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

PUTTIN’ ON THE PINK Susan G. Komen Nebraska Scoular Ballroom | 2027 Dodge St | Omaha Save the date! A night out with dinner, cocktails, live music and an auction benefiting Susan G. Komen¨ Nebraska. More details coming soon! $100 individual ticket 402-502-2979 | www.komennebraska.org

APRIL 17 – MAY 2

6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

BOWL FOR KIDS’ SAKE 2015 Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands

Email Editor@SpiritofOmaha.com... SUBJECT: “EARLY BIRD 2016!”

THE GIVING GUIDE 2016!*

Maplewood Lanes | 3030 North 101st | Omaha Each spring, corporate and community bowling teams support Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands by asking family and friends for donations to sponsor their participation in Bowl for Kids’ Sake. This fun-filled event features a free 90-minute bowling session including pizza, beer, soda and the chance to win fun prizes. Event dates are 4/17-18, 4/24-25 and 5/1-2. Each participant must raise a minimum of $100 402-905-3346 | www.bbbsomaha.org

APRIL 17

IT PAYS TO BE EARLY! DISCOUNT RATES FOR EARLY RESERVATION!

5:30 PM – 9:00 PM

WINE, WOMEN & SHOES Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Foundation Champions Run | 13800 Eagle Run Drive | Omaha Sip, shop and savor at this one-of-a-kind fundraiser that celebrates fashion and compassion! Taste luxury wines as you shop our fabulous Marketplace, full of hot shoes, cool jewelry and stylish accessories. This unique event gives you the opportunity to slip into your sassiest shoes and enjoy some time with your girlfriends while supporting the patients and families served by Children’s Hospital & Medical Center. $100 402.955.6851 | http://WineWomenandShoes.com/Omaha 109

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ESERVE NOW & SAVE!

RESERVE YOUR PROFILE IN THE GIVING GUIDE 2016* EARLY & RECEIVE A DISCOUNTED 2015 RATE! Email Editor@SpiritofOmaha.com... SUBJECT: “EARLY BIRD 2016!” *APPLIES TO mQUARTERLY ADVERTISING ALSO! RESERVE NOW & SAVE!

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LEARN MORE details about any of these events by searching our extensive Community Calendar at mQUARTERLY’s website: http://www.SpiritofOmaha.com/Metro-Magazine/Community/Calendar/

APRIL 17 – APRIL 18

CONNECT WITH over 100 non profits and learn more about their mission and how you can help!

Order your copy of The Giving Guide & Event Book 2015 today at mQUARTERLY’s SpiritofOmaha.com.

save the date 5:30 AM – 9:30 PM

APRIL 20

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

10TH ANNUAL KICKS FOR A CURE DINNER Kicks for a Cure, Inc.

NEBRASKA COALITION FOR LIFESAVING CURES TRIBUTE LUNCHEON The Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures

The Embassey Suites La Vista | 12520 Westport Parkway | La Vista Benefiting Liz’s Legacy, Kicks for a Cure is a charitable program that supports local cancer researc, education and patient care at Creighton University’s Hereditary Cancer Cent and the Fred and Pamela Buffet Cancer Center. The dinner is casual and is held to honor the participating soccer teams and the sponsors of the program. The soccer tournament is held the next day at the Creighton Soccer complex. $125 per meal 402-934-8961 | www.kicksforacure.org

Happy Hollow Club | 1701 S 105th Street | Omaha | $60 per ticket or tables of 10 for $600 4023902461 | www.nebraskacures.com

APRIL 18

Champions Run Club House | 13800 Eagle Run Drive | Omaha Enjoy time to browse and purchase items from many local boutiques, have a wonderful lunch and then sit back and enjoy women’s and children’s fashions from several local shops and stores. All proceeds go towards the Assistance League of Omaha’s philanthropic programs. ALO has been serving Omaha since 1972. Learn more at alomaha.org. Email: alo@alo.omhcoxmail.com $35.00 402-896-9061 | www.ALOmaha.org

6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME BANQUET Bellevue University 1000 Galvin Road So. | Bellevue Players and coaches can be inducted into the Bellevue University Athletics Hall of Fame. This event is a chance to meet some of our past and current players and coaches, as well as providing an opportunity for donating to our athletics to assist our student-athletes with tuition, books, travel and much more. $50

APRIL 18

5:30 PM – 10:00 PM

OMAHA SYMPHONY GALA featuring Martin Short Omaha Symphony Holland Performing Arts Center | 1200 Douglas Street | Omaha The Omaha Symphony Gala is one of Omaha’s most anticipated social events, celebrating the symphony’s role as a vital contributor to our community’s cultural and educational landscape. Gala honorees Rhonda and Howard Hawks will receive the Dick and Mary Holland Leadership Award. Funds raised support the symphony’s education programs, which serve nearly 30,000 children annually. The Gala concert features comedy legend Martin Short, who joins the Omaha Symphony for an evening of music and hilarity! $500 for Gala dinner and concert, $25-$85 concert only 402.661.8575 | www.omahasymphony.org

APRIL 18

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

A NOVEL AFFAIRE Omaha Public Library Foundation Millard Branch | 13214 Westwood Lane | Omaha The Omaha Public Library Foundation will host its second annual fundraiser, A Novel Affaire, on Saturday, April 18, at Millard Branch. Bestselling author Wally Lamb will speak about his life as an author and sign copies of his books. Proceeds will benefit the 2015 Summer Reading Program. $150 for patron tickets; $85 for general admission tickets 4024444589 | www.omahalibraryfoundation.org/

APRIL 18

9:00 AM

4TH ANNUAL 5K RUN & HEROES WALK Donate Life Nebraska Aksarben Village at Stinson Park | 2285 South 67th Street | Omaha The 4th Annual Donate Life Nebraska 5K Run & Heroes’Walk is unique in that it brings together transplant recipients and their families, living donors, donor families, medical professionals, the business community, serious runners and families with strollers from across Nebraska and beyond. Join us at this inspiring and motivating event promoting organ, eye and tissue donor registry. $10 - $35 402-559-3788 | www.DonateLifeNebraska.com

APRIL 18

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

MEN OF HONOR GALA 100 Black Men of Omaha Hilton Omaha | 1001 Cass Street | Omaha Annual fund development event that recognizes community leaders and volunteers who support our programming efforts. $100.00 per person 402-934-7065 | www.100blackmenomaha.org

APRIL 21

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF OMAHA’S SPRING STYLE SHOW, LUNCHEON AND BOUTIQUE Assistance League of Omaha

APRIL 23

11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

THE NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER LEGACY BOARD LUNCHEON The Nebraska Medical Center Legacy Board OMAR Building In 2013, the University Hospital Auxiliary (UHA) and Clarkson Service League, two philanthropic organizations with a combined legacy of service that goes back more than 100 years, joined forces to become The Nebraska Medical Center Legacy Board. Our inaugural luncheon will raise funds to continue our good works within the hospital. We are delighted to announce our guest speaker is Jeff Lewis, a witty, entertaining real estate developer and interior designer and star of Bravo TV’s Flipping Out. $75.00 for luncheon ticket 402-559-4150

APRIL 23

6:00 PM – 11:00 PM

TASTE AND TREASURES Salvation Army Auxillary Field Club | 3615 Woolworth Avenue | Omaha The Salvation Army Women’s Auxillary is hosting the fourth annual Taste and Treasures. Money raised will support Salvation Army programs. $75

APRIL 23 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man & Woman of the Year Ramada Plaza Omaha Hotel and Convention Center 3321 S 72nd Street | Omaha The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man & Woman of the Year (MWOY) campaign is a national 10-week campaign to raise funds to help find cures for blood cancers. The campaign involves individuals in the community who agree to utilize their leadership abilities and resources to conduct their own fundraising campaigns to help The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Their totals are then considered for the national title. Candidates run in honor of the Boy & Girl of the Year, who are local blood cancer patient survivors and sources of inspiration to others. $125 402-344-2242 | www.mwoy.org/ne APRIL 24

6:00 PM

DREAMWEAVER: MISS AMAZING GALA 2015 Miss Amazing Inc. Scoular Ballroom | 2027 Dodge St. | Omaha Miss Amazing Inc. will be hosting its first annual gala at the Scoular Ballroom on April 24, 2015. The gala will feature a feature a stunning jewelry and art silent auction, an elegant banquet, a spectacular program, and much more. All proceeds will support the mission of Miss Amazing Inc., which is to provide opportunities for girls and women with disabilities to build confidence and self-esteem in a supportive environment. $80 402-238-6152 | http://https://www.eventjoy.com/e/dreamweaver 110

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• VIEW & PURCHASE PHOTOS OF THESE AND OTHER EVENTS 365/24/7 AT SPIRITOFOMAHA.COM

APRIL 24

• mquarterly look for the LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE GIVING GUIDE 2015!

APRIL 25

6:00 PM – 8:30 PM

5TH ANNUAL: TOAST TO FAIR HOUSING The Fair Housing Center of Nebraska and Iowa Livestock Ballroom | 4920 S. 30th Street | Omaha This years’ goal is to help raise support for the Fair Housing Center of Nebraska and Iowa. This year’s keynote speaker is Marlin Briscoe. Marlin is South High School Alum and 1999 Hall of Fame inductee as well as the first African American to play quarterback in the American Football League. $50.00

APRIL 24

6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

CELEBRATION 31

6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

FEATHER OUR NEST Fontenelle Forest Guild Omar Bakery Building | 4383 Nicholas Street | Omaha Celebrate our love for all things local at our Farm to Table event featuring locally sourced food prepared by some of Omaha’s finest chefs. Fontenelle Forest’s annual Guild Fundraiser will take place at the Omar building on Friday, April 24, 2015. The evening will feature a silent auction, cocktails, dinner and a live auction. $175 402-731-3140 | http://fontenelleforest.org

Embassy Suites La Vista | 12520 Westport Pkwy | La VIsta CeleBration 31 is an annual dinner/auction to benefit the students of Gross Catholic High School. $100

APRIL 25

8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

BLOCK BY BLOCK FOR NATIONAL REBUILDING DAY Rebuilding Together Omaha Lynch Park | Omaha Block by Block for National Rebuilding Day is a community event bringing volunteers together with elderly homeowners to help repair and restore their homes so that they may live in a safe, warm and healthy home. Our focus this year will be in Lynch Park and surrounding areas. Volunteers of all skill levels are welcome to be a part of this event where you are able to bring hope and security to a elderly homeowner by improving their living conditions. Sponsorships available 402965-9201 | www.rebuildingtogetheromaha.org

APRIL 25 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM

APRIL 24

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

BASH Creighton Preparatory School

ROARING FASHION: THE JAZZ AGE | Omaha Law League Hilton Omaha 1001 Cass Street | Omaha This year’s theme, Roaring Fashion, is a nod to the Roaring 20’s. The fashion show will feature local merchants and boutiques as well as a line of Roaring 20’s inspired original fashions that will be available in the silent auction. All proceeds benefit the Omaha Law League’s Fourth Grade fieldtrips and its scholarships to UNL and Creighton’s Law Schools. $75.00 402-991-2100 | www.omahalawleague.org

APRIL 25

8:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Creighton Preparatory School | 7400 Western Avenue | Omaha BASH plays a very important role in Prep’s ongoing commitment to deliver educational excellence to over 1,020 young men. The monies raised during BASH are a key component in our ability to keep tuition affordable for everyone, as well as to provide more than $1.9 million in financial assistance annually to approximately 45 percent of our students. The evening begins with a cocktail reception and silent auction, followed by a gourmet dinner, live auction and raffle $150 402-548-3858 | www.PrepBASH.com

APRIL 29

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

UNO CLAUSSEN-LEAHY RUN & WALK UNO Athletics

LAURTIZEN GARDENS GUILD SPRING LUNCHEON FEATURING NATALIE BOWEN Lauritzen Gardens

Stinson Park in Aksarben Village | 2285 S. 67th Street | Omaha 2015 Claussen-Leahy Run/Walk Events Registration link : http://bit.ly/11iwZoy MINI SPORTS CLINICS In conjunction with the Kids’ Race, UNO will host a variety of mini sports clinics at Stinson Park for all youth race participants. The clinics will run 9 to 10 a.m. and will be hosted by various UNO teams. Runners must be pre-registered or may register day of the event. Runners that pre-register will be guaranteed a t-shirt. $25.00 to $45 day of race 402-639-9506 | http://OMavs.com

100 Bancroft Street | Omaha In its eleventh year, the Lauritzen Gardens Guild Spring Luncheon is the opening event for all of Lauritzen Gardens seasonal programming. Held the last Wednesday in April the event has been host to several nationally known floral designers who demonstrate their talents by creating several floral arrangements on stage. Bright and full of color the lecture and demonstration format attracts almost 300 guests and raises more than $40,000 annually. $75 per ticket, $150 for patron ticket 402-346-4002 ext 211 | www.lauritzengardens.org

Health-Centered Dentistry As a Health-Centered dental office, we understand the relationship between excellent dental health and overall wellness.

This means we spend time getting to know you and your individual dental needs. We work with you to create a personalized health plan for a predictable dental future.

We offer mercury-free fillings and metal free crowns.

Additional services offered include: Treatment for TMJ pain and Sleep Apnea www.drvondrak.com | 402.289.2313 | Facebook.com

Dr. Stephanie Vondrak • Dr. Ashley Rainbolt 111

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waking WORDS

mquArterLy • Letter FroM tHe editor

ROB KILLMER

through

It’s the “Season of Love”. It’s that time of year when we are urged, by a variety of devices (the majority of which are admittedly commercially driven) to turn our attention to all things “loving”. I won’t take up time reviewing these devices – we all understand what all of the commercials and promotions (and we’re running a few of our own at mQUARTERLY) are crafted to look, sound and feel like. Somewhere along the way, beginning with a Catholic festival honoring the martyrdom of chosen saints, and then transformed by Chaucer in the 14th century – through a poem dedicated to a royal marriage – February 14th has become a day dedicated to “love”. What was once the “St. Valentine’s Day Festival ” has become one of our core celebrations amidst all of our fascinations with “love”.

We spend a great deal of time, energy and resources in celebration of, preoccupation with, and dedication to, this thing we call “love”. But I wonder if, in the midst of a great deal of noise surrounding this beautiful thing, we’ve somehow misplaced a lot of what gives it real meaning and value. It’s a potential trap for all of us, because – for starters – English is not a very precise language (compared to more sophisticated and more ancient languages such as Greek, Latin, Spanish, etc.) We are stuck with one term – “Love” – to express a variety of feelings and experiences that other languages use multiple, specific terms to define.

“I love oranges” and “I love Sarah” aren’t referring to the same experience. (If they are, Sarah needs to walk away now!) In other languages, the differences between these two expressions would be more clear, but in English these (along with a variety of many other expressions) all get lumped into one word: love. So our language can make our relationship with love fuzzy. Our commercial culture adds to the noise.

We are absolutely bombarded, 365/24/7, with images, jingles, tag lines, tweets, billboards, TV spots, you name it – all designed to define for us what love is, how much we should need and desire it, and what we should be prepared to spend in order to “get” it and “keep” it. These messages aren’t entirely clear about what it really is, but they make it very clear that it’s essential to our happiness, and worth paying almost any price to possess.

If we were an alien race and were attempting to decipher these messages, we might conclude that, whatever love is, it’s largely about attracting and possessing someone or something we’ve become attached to; it’s about creating lots of enjoyable experiences and sensations with those someones and somethings, and maintaining a competitive advantage so that others looking to attract and possess whoever or whatever we are attached to, cannot “take” them from us.

They would also likely conclude that we need to spend a lot of resources on a wide array of goods and services to maintain this competitive advantage, which (depending on the object of our “love”) might include everything from…botox treatments, breast enhancements, boxes of candy, boxes of beer, boxes of bracelets, “X-Box”es, (love of lover) – to…bunches of bombers, battalions of troops, bases of operation for the troops, “beefed-up” security at home, bi-centennial bunting (love of country)…and all manner of other (love of ___’s) in between.

It’s likely that these aliens would note that a ton of “air-time” is given over to a lot of “drama” surrounding how humans relate to all of these “loves of” and that much of that drama makes it hard to determine exactly what “loving” behavior is. What they might “misinterpret” as pettiness, jealousy, revenge, despair, obsession, and other “sort-of-crazy” behavior, we would attempt to explain as all part of the romantic rituals of this thing called loving.

Valentine’s Day has become the center-stone for a lot of these rituals, and a great way to celebrate them (not to mention a great way to commercially capitalize on them.)

roBert P. KiLLMer editor@Spiritofomaha.com

I’d like to suggest that the things we really treasure about love run deeper than all of this.

Love isn’t about possessing anyone or anything. Love isn’t about buying or selling “stuff” to make ourselves more attractive or more “lovable”. Love is about being touched and known in a way that is sacred to us. It runs deeper than our desires. It is more primal than our experiences. It defies definition. It’s mysterious and elusive. It’s mystical and magical, and actually can’t be possessed. It’s something that possesses us. It knows more about us than we do about it. It understands that no matter how much we possess, how attractive we try to be, how much we spend to obtain it, it actually happens apart from (and often in spite of) all of our efforts to secure it. Genuine Love comes to us from outside us, it’s granted to us, and it flows through us, enriching us and then spilling over into others as we experience the miracle. It doesn’t matter how much effort we make, how much money or drama we invest, love is something we cannot quantify, cannot manufacture, cannot control.

Love is that “space” within us where we meet ourselves and others in sacred territory. We all know it when we find ourselves there but we usually can’t explain (or recreate) how we get there. All we know is that a huge part of what we feel when we are there, is that this is a gift. It’s a gift bigger than anything we could do to buy it, sell it, or even give it away.

When it finds us and possesses us, it brings us something bigger than anything we can create in and of ourselves, and it fills us up so big that we can’t help but allow it to pass through us.

It fills us up so big that our bodies can’t contain the energy of it, so we squeeze it out in tears, laughter, or in some other passionate expression of, “I can’t hold this! Here! Please have some!”

Love is bigger than our capacity to understand it, find it, keep it, contain it, or create it.

It originates from somewhere we have yet to fully discern, and is on its way to a destination we have yet to discover. All we know is that on its way, it sometimes sweeps us up and carries us for awhile in its vortex, and once it releases us, we yearn for more.

All of our noblest occupations to define, obtain, or create it, are merely base efforts at transmuting lead into gold. Love is the place where we know how special we are, and how special the others we encounter are as well. It’s so much bigger than romance. It’s so much bigger than attraction, attachment, attainment. It’s impossible to quantify, but when that elusive, mystical, magical quality hits, we feel it to our core. I’ve been feeling it as I attempt to share with you here. If I’ve somehow managed to pass along this sensation…then, by some miraculous process during this Season of Love, we’ve managed to experience it together.

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mquArterLy • FeB/MAr/APr 2015

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