Manning, Iowa Rotary Club

08/12/2026

Manning Regional Healthcare Center's CEO Shannon Black has made our hospital better since arriving a bit more than two years ago. Services are rapidly expanding. Revenue streams are coming from many segments. The hospital is financially strong and getting stronger. Shannon was our Rotary speaker on Tuesday August 11th, and she updated us on what's happening.

First, MHRC employs 142 people. According to the Iowa Hospital Association’s 2025 Economic Impact and Community Benefits Report, Manning Regional Healthcare Center generates an estimated $34.1 million in economic activity annually and supports 272 jobs in Iowa.

MRHC is a Critical Access Hospital with a 24/7 Emergency Department, but that is only one part of what it provides. MRHC also operates a family practice clinic and brings numerous specialty providers to Manning so patients can receive care close to home rather than traveling to a larger community. Services also include rehabilitation, wound care, Senior Life Solutions (an outpatient behavioral health program for older adults) and much more.

Another unique service is MRHC's 16-bed Recovery Center, which provides residential treatment for substance use disorders within the hospital. While most residential treatment facilities are stand-alone programs, MRHC's location within a hospital allows patients to have their behavioral and physical healthcare needs addressed under one roof.

What's new? MRHC has expanded women's health services, including prenatal care in Manning through its partnership with Myrtue Medical Center, with deliveries taking place in Harlan. A new podiatrist has also joined the growing list of specialty services available locally, providing comprehensive foot and ankle care. MRHC continues to expand its work in behavioral health and substance use prevention as well. Opioid settlement funding helped support the Hidden in Plain Sight mobile education trailer, which teaches parents, educators, law enforcement, and community members how to recognize signs that may indicate substance use. MRHC is also working to expand education, prevention, access to Narcan, and alternatives to opioids for pain management.

What's coming? MRHC has secured approximately $1.9 million in grant funding to support several projects and initiatives, including funding toward a nearly $3 million project to bring a permanent MRI to Manning. Ground has been broken on the addition that will house the new MRI. Having this technology available on-site will not only provide greater convenience and access for patients but will also strengthen and increase utilization of other services already available at MRHC.

Finally, MRHC's strength isn't only reflected in its growth or financial performance. A national employee engagement survey recently placed MRHC in the 88th percentile nationally, among the top 12% of participating healthcare organizations for employee engagement.

The Manning Regional Healthcare Center is a blessing for Manning. So is Shannon Black. Thanks to Rotarian and RN Jean Voege for inviting Shannon to speak.

Next Tuesday, UBI Bank President and IKM-Manning school board member Luke Potthoff will present decisions concerning the future use of the nursing home on Main Street. The public is invited to attend the meeting in the hospital conference room starting at noon.

Sincerely,
Tim Weible
Vice President Manning Rotary

07/23/2026

07/23/2026

The Wall that Heals is ready for public viewing 24 hours a day until closing ceremonies at 1:45 PM on Sunday July 26th.

The Wall is a traveling national monument honoring those that died in Vietnam, and it's 3/4th the size of the Washington DC memorial. It covers much of the football field at IKM-Manning School.

There are only 31 sites in our entire country where The Wall will display in 2026. Manning is honored to be chosen as one of those sites. Rotarian Jean Voege is responsible for getting Manning on that list.

There is much to see with the displays and pictures on the sides of the semi trailer. The entire field is a place of quiet reflection. Your heart will be moved if you come, and you will not regret making the effort to see it. A guided tour is highly recommended.

I've attached a picture of the Wall at night, which gives off a completely different ambiance. I've also attached a schedule of events.

Sincerely,
Tim Weible
Vice President Manning Rotary

07/10/2026

Manning Rotary was honored to get a rare on-site tour of a major employer in Manning that doesn't get enough attention. Alan Morris led Rotary inside his family's impressive factory called Plastico on June 9th.

Alan’s father Ted started a tool and die company in 1972 in St. Charles, Iowa. One of their customers was Plastico in Manning which was started up by Claus Bunz.

Claus eventually asked tool and die expert Ted Morris to become Plastico's manager. Ted and his family moved to Manning in 1983, and purchased Plastico in 1994. Ted has now retired, but still shows up regularly to help. Sons David and Alan continue to operate the company to the present day after purchasing Plastico from their Dad in 2014.

Evolving from a tool and die company to a mass manufacturer of plastic parts seemed to come naturally because they knew machines.The Morris’s have continued to modernize, upgrade and increase the number of machines for production as their business grows. The modern machines are high tech and expensive.

It all starts with a company needing a plastic part. Plastico pencils up an offer to design a mold to create that part. Their offer includes the cost of making the mold and the cost of producing the part. If the two parties agree, Plastico will design and create a mold, and place that mold in a machine that can create up to 290 tons of pressure to inject melted plastic and form a part. Out pops a quality plastic part matching very specific measurements and color. When possible, a mold can simultaneously form many of the same parts to improve manufacturing efficiency. One Plastico contract with a customer includes over 20 different plastic parts that are sold as a kit.

Building a mold combines science, math, and art. Plastic shrinks as it cools, so the molds are made a bit bigger to end up with the correct size part. Molds can also increase in size during manufacturing from the heated plastic. Allowing for expansion of molds and shrinkage of the parts is an art. Plastico sometimes has to throw away a mold that they spend weeks developing if the final product doesn’t meet specs.

Molds remain proprietary property and are owned by the company buying the plastic parts. Plastico starts with a block of high grade steel and they use 3D machine technology to design, carve cavities and drill injection channels into two steel blocks. The two blocks are combined to form one mold.

Add a system to eject the solidified plastic part, cooling channels to cool the mold, then Plastico is ready to install the mold in one of their 12 high pressure machines. Their biggest machine is around 50 feet long and creates 290 tons of pressure. If the molds are quality, they will withstand the abuse of extremely high pressure and last for generations. Plastico only makes quality molds.

Plastico goes through 30-40 thousand pounds of raw off-white plastic pellets every month. Pick your color for your plastic. Any color.

Thanks to Alan Morris for sharing his family business, which provides jobs for 17 people in the Manning area.

Our next meeting is June 14th at noon in the hospital conference room. The public is always invited to attend. Our speaker will be Jeff Cullen, Carroll County's Emergency Management Coordinator.

Sincerely,
Tim Weible
Manning Rotary Vice President

07/06/2026

Our Rotary meeting June 23rd featured Brandon and Hannah Kerkhoff sharing their unique farming operation. Yes, they fatten 2500 pigs a year from wean to finish. Yes, they grow corn and beans. They also find time to nurture daughters Lucy age 4, and Zoey age 1 and a half.

What makes the Kerkhoff's unique is they represent a new generation of farmers blazing trails implementing a diversified modern footprint that blends livestock, row crops, and active soil conservation with cover crops. They also offer custom cover crops to their farm neighbors to utilize soil health practices.

Brandon and Hannah live on a generational family farm just outside of Templeton. They have become active in regional agricultural leadership and conservation circles, including recent involvement with the Iowa Farm Bureau and both graduating from an ISU Extension soil health and conservation methods program.

Farming is actively experiencing a revolution discovering the value of cover crops. Cover crops control erosion, provide natural nutrition, and retain rainfall with less runoff. Cover crops feed existing soil microbes which makes more soil nutrients absorbable. This can reduce reliance on applied fertilizer which can reduce nitrates in the rivers.

You want rye after corn? You want aerial applied oats after soybeans? Government programs are available. There are currently seven different programs that subsidize the cost of cover crops that can be stacked for as much as $75 reimbursement/acre.

You can find Brandon and Hannah Kerkhoff's cover crop business on Facebook at Kerkhoff Covers.

Thanks to Rotarian Deb Hansen for inviting the Kerkhoff's. Thanks to Brandon and Hannah for sharing.

On Tuesday July 6th, our speaker will be Michael Herrera, new clinical Director of nine Vision Care clinics, including the one on Main Street in Manning. The public is always welcome to attend our meeting at the Manning Hospital at noon.

Tim Weible
Vice President of Manning Rotary

06/22/2026

Cam Buchanan representing Origin Homes had the floor at Manning's Rotary meeting on June 16th. Origin Homes is based in West Des Moines, and built 5 spec homes in our pocket neighborhood a couple of years ago. Three are now sold and occupied, and two remain available.

Origin is a subsidiary of Hubbell Realty which has been in existence for 170 years. Origin builds about 15 new custom and spec homes every year. They will start digging a new custom home in Manning near the nursing home in the next 30 days.

Origin offers a $1000 referral bonus to anyone that brings a buying customer to them. They also have significantly reduced the price of the remaining 2 pocket homes, and appliances are included in a special offer through June 30th.

There is more living space inside than what you would think, especially if the basement is finished. One of the available units is staged with furniture so it's easier for potential buyers to visualize what living in one would be like. Snow removal and lawn care are included with the HOA fee. Pictured below is a flyer showing the two homes still available.

Thanks to Rotarian Kyle Wagner for lining up Cam to speak.

Tomorrow, Hannah Kerkhoff will talk about their farming business feeding 5000 pigs, growing corn and beans, and their custom crop cover service.

As always, the public is welcome to attend at noon in the hospital conference room.

Tim Weible
President Manning Rotary