Club Information
Cedar Rapids Sunrise

We meet In Person
Thursdays at 7:00 a.m.
1100 3rd St. SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
United States
We are meet at The NewBo City Market 1100 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids. Coffee is provided.
District Site
Bulletins
Venue Map
Home Page Stories
Highlights! 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  • Weekly Rotary Programs
    Now at NewBo City Market 7AM Thursdays! 
> June 26 - Jennifer Borcherding - The District update (New Bo, Czech Village)
> July 3 -   NO MEETING - Enjoy Independence Day weekend! 
> July 10 - Save CR Heritage - http://www.savecrheritage.org/
> July 17 - Sunrise Board Meeting at 7am Board Meeting. No regular meeting. 
> July 24 - Citizens’ Police Academy | Sergeant Jen Roberts
> July 31 - AI Micro Park - Solar powered learning park in Wellington Heights. 
 
  •  Recent Highlights: 
> June 19 - Sunrise Rotary served lunch to Vets at the Freedom Foundation.  A Rotary donation of $500 was also presented. 
> June 5 - CR Fire Department - Important home safety actions! 
> May 8  - Teeg Stouffer, Fascination Film Studio and Storytelling
> May 29 - Jeremy Hardy, Victory Leadership Coaching. 

Upcoming:
 
Rotarians serving lunch June 19 at the Freedom Foundation on Center Point Road.  Join us at 11:15am. 
 
Ashton Knatz - Our International Rotary Scholar:  She will spend a year in Edinburgh Scotland, furthering her studies of Environmental Science for a Masters Degree. Ashton's host club will be Edinburgh Rotary! She departs Cedar Rapids on August 28, 2025. Her application to be a "Resident Assistant" for her building was accepted! 
 
Sunrise 2025-2026 District Grant Submitted - We are supporting Indian Creek Nature Center, to clean up not-natural growth in the forest and plant pollinators.  Details will follow if our request is approved. 

Program/Speaker suggestions are always welcome.  Contact Bruce Lindholm or email CRSunriseRotary@gmail.com
 
We now hold our weekly meeting at 7am Thursdays at NewBo City Market 1100 3rd Street SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa   All are welcome!
 
 
Shakespeare Garden
June 9 2025 the Shakespeare Garden was the site of an 'open house' showing progress and selling flowers.  The area has really transformed!  2 Gazebos are complete. 
 
8 Rotary Clubs in the Cedar Rapids area have supported these improvements. Barnes Manufacturing in Marion supplied the steel structures. 
 
Visit the garden in Ellis Park facing Ellis Boulevard. The Northwest Neighborhood Association leads the improvements. 
 
 
    
  
 
April 20 2024, Sunrise and West Rotary Clubs joined the Shakespeare Garden volunteers for a clean up effort. 
 
The Shakespeare Garden is our 2024-2025 Linn County Rotary Community Project, funding major improvements and supported by ALL Eight Linn County Iowa Rotary Clubs! 
 
  
 
The metal gateway feature was fabricated by Marion/East Cedar Rapids Club, Rotarian Tom Barnes (Barnes Mfg, Marion, IA), and installed at the Ellis Boulevard entrance in June 2024! 
 
  
 
Other updated features are shown below. 
 
Fundraising continues for this beautiful riverside garden!    https://friendsofshakespearegarden.org/
 
 
 
 
 
 
Feb 23 1905 - First Rotary Meeting Office Re-creation
120 years ago today Paul Harris and 4 friends held the FIRST Rotary meeting, before it was "Rotary"!

See the video below showing the reconstructed office in Chicago where that meeting was held.  The office belonged to Gustavus Loehr where he was joined by Paul Harris, Silvester Schiele and Hiram Shorey.  The office building was demolished in 1989. 
 
This is a video made and posted by a visitor.  It is not an official Rotary International video.  

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DnQEh1zpF/
 

Alliant Energy - Duane Arnold Solar News
Kimberley Dickey, the Duane Arnold Solar project developer manager, presented their Duane Arnold I and II projects to our club earlier this year.
 
From our warm reception for her, we were invited to visit the Duane Arnold Solar II project site under construction, in July.  That project update is here.  
 
A recent public meeting introduced the Duane Arnold IV project, as reported here. It may be sized about the same at Duane Arnold I and II together.
https://corridorbusiness.com/nextera-energy-outlines-plans-for-duane-arnold-solar-iv-project-in-linn-county/   Solar is becoming an alternative to wind turbines for clean energy. 
 
Cedar Rapids Gazette Photo

Sunrise Rotary "Transform Week" Project at Matthew 25
Every year in the last week of June, Matthew 25 organizes volunteer teams from business, non-profits and clubs to work on home improvement projects.   The homeowners are challenged with funding and physical abilities, and are grateful for project teams who can fix, paint, replace and 'clean up' older homes! Up to 150 volunteer team members from many organizations made a big difference every day that week. 
 
This year Sunrise Rotary members joined the Lin-Mar High School Robotics Team on a project, to clean up the landscaping of weeks, brush, dig out old steel fencing, remove/haul away some trash and planting grass and flowers.  Photos of the boys (and our new President Bob Schell) highlight the "after" pictures.  Lunch was served to the 150 volunteers at Matthew 25.  

We forgot to get 'before' pictures of the yard! 
 
 
 
 
  

 
   

      
 
 
 

     

 

  
 
 

Rotary Year Wrap Up! 
The Rotary Year summary on June 25, 2024
 
President Lynette Markofski reviewed our many accomplishments of the 12 months ending.   
 
Incoming President Bob Schell received the president's gavel and our charter certificate. 
 
Club Secretary Ben Stutt was honored with Darrel Berry Rotarian of the Year award.  Ben handled the Secretary duties AND led the Annual Sunrise Rotary Golf Fundraiser!  Both were great accomplishments. 
 
Our new Rotary Year begins July 1.  Congratulations to all Rotary Members and Rotary Families! 
 
 
 
 
Families Helping Families Golf Event! 
Sunrise Rotary and Families Helping Families joined forces and hosted a great Golf Event on May 23
 
22 teams competed for fun-prizes on a beautiful spring day! 
 
A report will be coming from the golf committee and FHF in the week ahead. 
Flight to End Polio Report
    

ONE ENGINE, TWO PILOTS
AND A 2:1 DONATION MATCH

 
After nearly 90 days they are HOME!!!!

Cedar Rapids Gazette front page article April 9:  Read or Print PDF

https://www.flighttoendpolio.com/#

Use this link to Donate!   Contribute to Rotary Foundation - Polio Fund! 
 
Read their story, see photos, share the Facebook page with friends. https://www.facebook.com/flighttoendpolio
 
Peter Teahen and John Ockenfels raised awareness for polio eradication by piloting a single engine aircraft all the way around the globe! 
​
Peter and John departed from Cedar Rapids, Iowa May 5, 2023 in a Cessna T210M (single engine) airplane. Along the way, they attended events and encourage support of ending polio forever throughout the world.
 
YOU can promote the completed flight, start conversations, and encourage Polio funds for Rotary with friends and strangers!  
 
Rotarians and friends in D6000 and D5970 are promoting awareness and this fundraising effort. Donations will go toward PolioPlus Fund. 
 
Peter and John arrived home July 30 and are reunited with their spouses!
 
The crowd moving out to greet the brave Rotarian pilots!
 
 
 
 
 

Rotary International Conference in Minneapolis! 

Great News from our District Governor:

I am excited to share that the 120th Rotary International Convention will be hosted just to our north in Minneapolis, MN May 26-30, 2029!

More than 15,000 Rotary members and participants from around the world will gather in the Twin Cities to connect, learn from each other and various experts, and share ideas for bringing positive, lasting change to communities across the globe. 
 
Along with our sister District 6000, I have expressed to the host committee that D5970 will assist where needed. In my visits this year I have spoken about how RI Conventions have influenced me personally and how they show the impact Rotary has around the globe.
 
I invite you to take advantage of this opportunity, when it’s so close, to experience what a difference Rotarians make worldwide!
 
The 3 Sunrise Rotary Community Grants Completed in 2022. 
Sunrise Rotary awarded these THREE grants.  They were funded 50% by our fundraising and 50% by the Rotary Foundation.
  • Catherine McAuley Center.   Equip their new childcare center, enabling parents to learn without distractions. 
  • Abbe Health/Aging Services.  Prepare at-home older adults to use tablets to connect to others. 
  • ChildServe Coralville.  Assist with purchasing Speech Therapy Apps to help non-verbal children. 
Sunrise Rotarian volunteers engaged on completing these projects AND volunteered with the organizations in their critical work. 
 
Why we are in Sunrise Rotary

When asked this morning, "why are you a member of the Sunrise Rotary?" here are some member responses:

  • "I like the impact we have locally AND internationally"
  • "Carrying out service above self."
  • "I like the local service projects and the community relationship that comes from serving."
  • "It's an opportunity to grow in leadership and make a difference in the lives I care about."
  • "Interpersonal development, networking, and making a difference."
  • "Learning about local organizations and the services they provide this community."
We invite you to be part of the exciting service projects, amazing network, and morning breakfast meetings. If you are interested in learning more, please message us! Visit our Sunrise Rotary Facebook Page to learn more!  Contact us at CRSunriseRotary@gmail.com. 

 

Rotary Links
 
Speakers
Sergeant Jen Roberts
Jul 24, 2025 7:00 AM
Citizens Police Academy
Antonio Chambers and Chuck Crowley
Jul 31, 2025 7:00 AM
AI Micro Park
View entire list...
Join Great People at Rotary! 
Are you looking for a way to engage in the Cedar Rapids area community?   Serve alongside some great Rotarians!   
 
Check us out.  Visit our weekly meetings, any Thursday morning at 7:00 AM.   Just walk in - Coffee is on us.  NewBo City Market, 1100 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA
 
Contact us directly.   Click to Email CRSunriseRotary@gmail.com
 
Not sure yet which club to consider? Start your inquiry at our Rotary Leads portal and we will talk and point you to one or more clubs.  
Site Pages
Club Executives & Directors
President
Bob Schell
President Elect
Mary Schell
Secretary
Ben Stutt
Treasurer
Karen Nemecek
Foundation Chair
Bob Schell
Club Social Activities
Lynette Markofski
Club Grants Management
Bruce Lindholm
Programs Chair
Theresa Mickelson
Immediate Past President
Bob Schell
Service Projects
Lynette Markofski
Club Public Image
Theresa Mickelson
Home Page Download Files