Thursday, May 30, 2019

Rough Risers are Interviewed for Cedar Falls Channel 15

What do Dean Dreyer, Sue Loy, and Lynn Barnes have in common?  

They were interviewed by Roy Justis for Channel 15.  It was a thoughtful and informative interview that shared what we do, why we do it, and how we get the job done.  

This 22-minute video is one that all of our members should enjoy and it provides a great opportunity for potential members to learn who we are.


Share your comments (click on Comments below) about this video so that we can get some discussion going.

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Mike Roth Shares His Restoration Stories

Wednesday, May 29, 2019 - It is never a gut "wrench"-ing experience when Mike Roth, owner of Autobody Pros in Cedar Falls; restores your old automobile to like-new condition.  Mike joined us for breakfast and shared his journey with us as he traveled from a kid working in his garage to one of the leading car restoration aficionadoes in Iowa.

Mike can make a custom Hot Rod from the frame up or customize your favorite daily driver old “Flivver” to showroom ship shape.  Mike can take an old Yugo or even a 2001 Ferrari 360 Spider and make it like new again. Mike took shared a restoration story that began with a car in horrible condition and ended with a car that looked like it was fresh off the assembly line.  Getting parts is the real trick for some older cars.  Sometimes, Mike needs to go out of the United States to get hard-to-find rare parts, but it is worth it.  The job is in the finish and Mike stakes his reputation on each restoration.

Thank you for sharing your stories with us, Mike.  
Written by Lynn Barnes and Leigh Zeitz

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Mark Kittrell Shares Future Plans for Cedar Falls Development

Wednesday, May 22 - Knock-Knock. Who’s there? Canoe!  Canoe Who? Canoe tell me about a great White Water River Project?  The man who can--Mark Kittrell--came to our meeting to share info about the Cedar River Project and other Cedar Falls development.  

Mark Kittrell is the Co-Chairman for the Cedar River Project and he is on a mission to improve the quality and the community of Downtown Cedar Falls. He discussed the future plans and goals of our beautiful Cedar River.  They plan to develop the river into a water playground for tubing, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and white water rafting. They hope that this will make Cedar Falls a destination city for tourists to enjoy the Downtown Plaza stores and Streetscapes.  

Mark also discussed the new housing developments in downtown Cedar Falls. New residents are streaming to Cedar Falls. The average age of residents in the condo developments is 26. It is a whole new world for Cedar Falls.

As the river area is enhanced to its fullest potential through bike paths, live music festivals, along with food vendors, etc. will bring new citizens to move into and live in the city - the Cedar Valley will prosper.
Written by Lynn Barnes

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Building Financial Success through the JOB Foundation.

Wednesday, May 15 - Building enthusiasm for academics and financial responsibility is an important goal in today's world. 

Kelsey Unthum, Director of Development for the JOB Foundation, joined us to show how they are making a difference in the lives of disadvantaged children by teaching them how to manage finances through education, mentoring, and economic advancement.  

The Job Foundation has different programs to help students by incentivizing them to earn good grades.  This is based on the tenet that the better the grade, the more they earn just like in real life.  They currently have 125 children working with the foundation and are working toward the goal of 200 in the next few years.
Written by Lynn Barnes and Leigh Zeitz

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Hops in the Cedar Valley Can Brew Excitement!

Wednesday, May 8 - The Cedar Falls Rough Risers learned to “Hop to It!” today. Our friend Keri Byrum, explained the beginnings and the workings of their Cedar Falls Hops Company located on their family’s farm west of town. She and her husband got hopped up to this endeavor in 2017 on a 7-acre portion farm set-aside to grow premium grade “cascade” hops for the Iowa craft brewing community. They knew they were on the rye-ght track. 

She said that the most difficult part of the hop business is the marketing of the ingredient, because they barley make it. Keri explained that hops are related to the apple family and it is extremely labor intensive to grow them; but that characteristic did not sober their spirits. She brought some hop pellet samples and passed them around.  They passed the smell test for the lupulin oils that gives beer that unique aroma and flavor beer lovers enjoy. Keri explained that all brewers use hops to make beer, but some use oranges once in a blue moon.

This provided a new perspective on beer and how it is brewed.  Thank you, Keri.

Written by Lynn Barnes