Rotary Club of Ottumwa

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Rotary Club of Ottumwa

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The Rotary Club of Ottumwa meets at noon every Monday at Bridge View Center.

10/30/2026

🎉 Introducing Feature Friday! 🎉

We’re excited to start a new series highlighting the incredible people who make up our Ottumwa Rotary Club!

Each Friday, we’ll introduce you to one of our amazing Rotarians, share a little about who they are, what they do, and why they’re passionate about making a difference in our community.

We’re kicking things off with one of our longest-standing Rotarians, Tom Lazio!

Rotary is about more than meetings and service projects. It’s about the people, friendships, and commitment to making our community a better place.

Follow along each Friday to get to know the wonderful people behind the good work happening in Ottumwa! 💙💛

10/26/2026

🎀 Breast Cancer Awareness at Rotary! 🎀

We were happy to welcome Lisa, Alex, and Jodie from Ottumwa Regional Health Center (ORHC) to our meeting to learn more about breast cancer awareness and the importance of early detection.

Did you know that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime? Regular screenings play an important role in early detection, and ORHC is continuing to expand its breast imaging services to help support women’s health.

🩷 Here are some of the screening options available now and coming soon:

* Mammography: An important tool for breast cancer screening.
* Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS): Beginning in November, this additional screening tool will be available for women with dense breast tissue.
* Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Breast MRI: ORHC plans to add this option with its new MRI technology in the coming months, providing another tool for breast imaging.

Thank you to our guests for sharing their knowledge and helping us better understand the importance of breast health, screening options, and early detection!

💗 A reminder to prioritize your health and talk with your healthcare provider about the screening options that are right for you.

10/22/2026

📚🍎 Rotary Readers at Douma Elementary!

We spent time with the second graders at Douma today for Rotary Readers! ❤️ This week’s story was Becky and Lin’s Apple Orchard Park, a wonderful reminder that helping others doesn’t just make a difference for them — it makes us feel good, too!

We love sharing stories, spreading kindness, and helping our young readers grow! 💙💛

10/19/2026

🏫 What’s New in Ottumwa Schools?

Today, Ottumwa Rotary welcomed Landon Allen and Billy Strickler for an update on the progress happening across the Ottumwa Community School District!

Since launching the Be the Best initiative, the district has seen some exciting improvements, including 📈 better test scores, increased enrollment, and student gains following the implementation of the cell phone policy. The district is also adding preschool classrooms to support its youngest learners.

As the district enters the “Polished” phase of the Be the Best Initiative, the focus continues on building an even stronger school system through:
✨ Recruiting teachers and staff with innovative approaches, including TikTok and incentives
✨ Continuing to improve staff retention
✨ Implementing Kid Account, a safety and scheduling program
✨ Connecting school intercom systems for simultaneous communication
✨ Upgrading the Standard Response Protocol to strengthen school safety

It’s encouraging to see the district continuing to grow, adapt, and invest in students, staff, and school safety. Strong schools help build a strong community, and we appreciate Landon and Billy taking the time to share these updates with Rotary!

10/12/2026

🏛️ Rotary Meeting Recap: Wapello County Jail Bond Referendum

Today, we learned more about the proposed Wapello County Jail Expansion & Renovations Bond Referendum that voters will consider on November 3, 2026.

The proposed $45 million project would increase jail capacity from 196 to 316 beds and include renovations to the kitchen, laundry, and other support areas, along with security improvements and other facility updates.

We also discussed the challenges of housing inmates in other counties, including the $719,385 Wapello County spent from June 2025 through May 2026 on out-of-county inmate housing alone, not including transportation and other related expenses.

The goal of today’s discussion was to help our members better understand the proposal, its potential impact, and the information available to voters as they make an informed decision.

📅 Want to learn more? Public forums are being held throughout October at locations across Wapello County.

Visit www.WapelloCountyJailBallotMeasure.com for project details, estimated tax impacts, upcoming forums, and additional information.

10/05/2026

🍗 Chicken BBQ Wrap-Up! 🍗

Today, Eddie gave us a great Chicken BBQ wrap-up—and there’s a lot to celebrate!

Our incredible cooking crew cooked 2,200 chicken halves, and we estimate we served right around last year’s numbers. A portion of the extra chicken was also donated to area soup kitchens. ❤️

A HUGE thank-you to everyone who helped make the BBQ happen! Our volunteers from Ottumwa Job Corps, OHS Cheer Team, and Iowa 4-H: Wapello County were a big part of the day’s success.

And we couldn’t do it without our amazing sponsors: Edward Jones, Fareway, Ottumwa Legacy Foundation, Osborn, Mitchell & Goedken, Winger, Grahams Dairy, Dr Pepper, Mahaska Bottling, and Bridge View Center.

Thank you to everyone who bought a meal, volunteered, sponsored, cooked, served, or helped behind the scenes. Your support helps Ottumwa Rotary give back to our community! 💙

09/29/2026

We’re ready to serve you! Come on down to Bridge View Center until 7:00!! 🐓

09/29/2026

The chickens are cooking! We can taste it already! Join us tonight at Bridge View Center for our Chicken Barbecue.

📅 September 29
🚗 Drive-Thru: 3:00–7:00 PM
🍽️ Dine-In: 4:00–7:00 PM

Each meal includes chicken, baked beans, corn, and Grahams Ice Cream! 🍦

09/29/2026

Today’s the day!!

Address

Ottumwa, IA

Website

https://portal.clubrunner.ca/1668/

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