Thursday, November 2, 2023

Dr. Nick Teig has passed away


We regret to announce that our long-time friend and founding member for the Kiwanis Rough Risers Kiwanis Club passed away on Sunday, October 29. 
 Nick has been an active member and was always there to help when anyone needed him.

The funeral will be on Friday, November 10, at the First United Methodist Church in Cedar Falls. Memorial serivces will be at 11:00 am.

Nick Teig Obituary

CEDAR FALLS – Nick E. Teig, 83, died on Sunday, October 29, 2023, at Western Home Communities-The Deery Suites.

He was born on September 23, 1940, in Radcliffe, IA, the son of Clarence and Beatrice (Sasse) Teig. On August 11, 1962, he was united in marriage to Marilyn Arthur in Randalia, IA. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Northern Iowa before earning his Ed.D. from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He was employed as an associate professor at UNI before his retirement, spending most of his career at Price Laboratory School/NU High.

Nick was very involved in his Kiwanis group and his church, First United Methodist. He was always willing to assist with building projects, loved fishing, bird watching and being with his family.

Nick is survived by his wife, Marilyn; daughters, Debra (Mark) Sand of Waverly and Kristin (Travis) Torres of Cedar Falls; and grandchildren, Ryan and Andrew Sand, and Jack and Ava Torres.  
He was preceded in death by sister, Caroline Berkman, and two brothers, Carl and Brian Teig.

Memorial services will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, November 10, 2023, at First United Methodist Church in Cedar Falls. Visitation will be 4:00-7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 9th at Richardson Funeral Service in Cedar Falls. Inurnment at Fairview Cemetery in Cedar Falls.

Memorials may be directed to the church, Cedar Falls Kiwanis Rough Risers, or the ALS Association Iowa Chapter/Des Moines.

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Mary Potter Sells Us on the Metro Community Concert Association


Where can we go to get affordable entertainment?  
 

Why go to the Metro Community Concert Association - of course!

Mary Potter, Membership Secretary for the Metro Community Concert Association, joined us today to share the Concerts Association's story and which shows are coming to town.

Thank you, Mary



Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Author Sherry J. Kubalsky Shares Her Books and Her Purpose

 

Author Sherry Kubalsky stopped by to share her books and purpose with us today. She told us some stories about her life in Iowa, her love of windmills, and her desire to write children's books. 

She has written two so far: It's OK to Be Me and The Square Wreath. She shared some plans she has for a couple of more books that sound quite interesting.

Her purpose for these books was to raise money to build water wells in Ghana. All of the money that Sherry makes in selling her books will go to bring clean water to those who have not. 

Thank you for sharing your books and purpose with us, Sherry.

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Dr. Jill White Shares How Cedar Falls Schools are Addressing Students' Needs

Photo of Dr. White

We were pleased to have Dr. Jill White, Executive Director of Student Services in the Cedar Falls Community School District, share with us their programs for supporting their students from a Social and Emotional perspective.  They have a program to facilitate students developing competence in Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making.

This is a program that our club has been supporting for a while.  A few years ago, we provided the funds for them to purchase books that are used daily by teachers across the district.  We plan to support them in the near future in various ways.

Thank you for spending your early morning with us, Dr. White.

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Join Us for Kettle Corn Popping and Become a Greeter at Our Wednesday Kiwanis Meeting!

Greetings, Rough Risers!

As active members of the Cedar Falls Kiwanis Rough Risers, we have two wonderful opportunities for you to get involved and enhance our mission of serving the needs of children in the Cedar Valley. Join us in popping kettle corn and becoming a greeter at our weekly Wednesday Kiwanis Meetings!

Kettle Corn Popping - Spreading Joy and Support: There's something magical about the aroma of freshly popped kettle corn!

Over the next few months, we will have the pleasure of popping kettle corn for four different events: the Denver Savings Bank picnic, The Cedar Falls Sports Kick-off, and 2 Walmart toppings.

By signing up for a slot at our Kettle Corn Sign-Up Sheet, you'll not only have a blast popping corn with fellow Rough Risers, but you'll also be contributing to our efforts in making a difference in the lives of children in need. Every kernel popped brings us one step closer to achieving our goals and supporting various community projects.

Become a Greeter - Warmth and Welcoming Atmosphere: Imagine being the friendly face that greets members and guests as they walk into our weekly Wednesday Kiwanis Meeting. As a greeter, you have the power to create a warm and inviting atmosphere, making everyone feel valued and appreciated from the moment they step through the door.

Being a greeter is a simple yet meaningful way to get involved and connect with both old and new members. Your presence will set the tone for a positive and engaging meeting, fostering camaraderie and a sense of belonging among all attendees. Don't miss this opportunity to leave a lasting impression on our club members and guests.

Your Invaluable Contribution: We understand that everyone has busy schedules, but even dedicating a small portion of your time can make a significant impact. Both activities offer unique opportunities for you to bond with fellow Rough Risers, engage with the community, and be part of something bigger than yourself.

Whether you're a seasoned member or a newcomer, we encourage you to take part in these events. Sign up for kettle corn popping and the Program and Prayer Sign-Up Sheet to become a greeter at our Wednesday Kiwanis Meetings.

Conclusion: As we come together to serve the needs of children in the Cedar Valley, let's remember that our collective efforts can bring about positive change. By joining in the fun of kettle corn popping and embracing the role of a greeter, we can strengthen our sense of community and continue making a significant impact.

Thank you for your dedication and commitment to Kiwanis Rough Risers. We look forward to seeing you at the kettle corn popping event and as greeters at our Wednesday Kiwanis Meetings!

Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Rough Risers Raise Over $300 by Bussing Tables at Pizza Ranch


What do you do when you want to interact with the public, eat good food AND raise money for the Cedar Valley youth?

Bus Tables at the Cedar Falls Pizza Ranch, of course!

Monday night, June 12, a dozen Kiwanis Rough Risers visited the Pizza Ranch.  This fund-raising project, organized by Randy Lee, involved us picking up used plate ware from the pizza-eating guests and swabbing the tables when they leave.  

Pizza Ranch provides a deal where we can collect 7% of the sales for the night, ALL of the tips that the customers may leave for our working club, and 25% off on a Pizza Ranch meal for the workers. It was a great deal!

Beyond just cleaning tables, this event provided us with an opportunity to talk with the public.  We share who we are as a Kiwanis club and what we are doing for the Cedar Valley youth. We are hoping that this will "spread the word" and hopefully lead to attracting some new members.

WE EARNED $320 DOLLARS FOR OUR 3 HOURS OF WORK. 
$115 as 7% of the net sales for the night and $205 in tips from the grateful customers.

Here are some photos of our experience: 






Monday, April 24, 2023

We Give to Cedar Valley Youth through Youth Programs

Our Cedar Falls Kiwanis Rough Risers Club is 

Dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.

As discussed earlier, we raise money through selling kettle corn at events and through the generosity of merchants in the Cedar Valley.  We are helping our youth by donating to youth programs in our area.  These programs support our youth in ways that make a difference in their lives.

Here is a list of the programs that will receive donations from us this year.  We plan to disburse over $20,000.

  • Boys & Girls Club
  • CV Jaycee Give of Giving Program
  • Cedar Valley Preschool
  • Community United Child Care
  • Family and Children's Council
  • Grin & Grow Preschool
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • Hartman Reserve
  • Hawkeye CC Literacy Program
  • Cedar Valley Job Foundation
  • Kiwanis International Fund
  • Koats for Kids
  • NE-IA Kiwania Foundation
  • Northeast Iowa Foodbank
  • Cedar Falls Rec Center Baseball League
  • Red Cross
  • Salvation Army
  • Family YMCA of Black Hawk County
  • YWCA of Black Hawk County$



Wednesday, April 19, 2023

THANK YOU, SPONSORS!!

 You may have tasted our scrumptious kettle corn that we sell at a variety of fairs, festivals, and 4th Street Car Cruises around the Cedar Valley.  This is one of the ways we raise money to donate to youth program and organizations in the area.  

Believe it or not, we raise about  $15,000 a year.  

Another source of support is a generous collection of area sponsors. These are merchants who support our program through donations or in-kind donations. Our sponsors provide another $11,000 to donate to the Kids of Cedar Valley.  THANK YOU!!   **

  • Community Auto Group
  • Denver Savings Bank
  • Martin Brothers
  • Blain's Farm and Fleet
  • Farm Mutual Insurance
  • Pheasant Ridge Golf Course
  • Scheels
  • Sam Annis and Company
  • McGee Construction Company
  • Oakridge Realtors
  • CopyWorks
  • Fluidyne
  • Brad's Corner Drug
  • Witham Auto Center
  • Performance Bodies
  • AutoBody Pros
  • Ameriprise Financial
  • Coffman's Body Shop
  • State Farm - Brad McCunniff
  • Structure Real Estate
  • First Nation Bank 
  • Blain's Farm and Fleet
  • Signs By Tomorrow
  • Dickey's Printing
  • VCC Vieth Construction Corp

** (The graphic is the label we put on our Kettle Corn bags during 2022. Will update it when we have our 2023 label created.)




Saturday, April 15, 2023

Dr. Czarnetski Pontificates about Severe Weather

Dr. Alan Czarnetski
Fellow Kiwanian, UN Professor of Meteorology, Dr, Alan Czarnetski, gave a fascinating presentation on Severe Weather. 

Alan discussed how they create computer models to predict upcoming weather in our locality. He discussed the causes and what to do during severe weather. He answered a great number of questions we had about how the weather is predicted.  It was quite informative.

The Professor won’t be leaving any time soon because the weather did not agree with him! 

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Chat GPT Writes a Poem about the Kiwanis Service Club


Excited about March 15 when Rushton Hurley will Zoom from his home in San Jose to our meeting in Cedar Falls. He will be talking about Artificial Intelligence and how it may change our lives.

Just for fun, I asked Chat GPT to write a poem about our Cedar Falls Kiwanis Rough Risers Service Club. (I entered our name and a link to our website.)

Here is the poem about the Cedar Falls Kiwanis Rough Risers club:

In Cedar Falls, there's a club, 
With a name that's quite unique, 
They're known as the Rough Risers, 
And their mission's far from meek.

With Kiwanis at their core, 
They serve their community with pride, 
From building homes to tutoring kids, 
Their work is felt far and wide.

They rise up early, before the sun, 
To take on the day with zeal, 
With grit and grace, they get things done, 
Their passion is quite surreal.

They volunteer and fundraise, 
To bring joy to those in need, 
Their service is a true display, 
Of kindness, love, and heed.

The Rough Risers are a force, 
A team of strong and kind-hearted, 
With Kiwanis guiding their course, 
Their impact will never be parted.

So here's to the Cedar Falls Rough Risers, 
For all the good they do, 
May their legacy continue to inspire, 
And shine a light for me and you.

Here is a story that Chat GPT generated about the Cedar Falls Kiwanis Rough Risers.

In 1980, a group of Kiwanis Club members in Cedar Falls, Iowa came together with a unique idea. They wanted to form a subgroup within the Kiwanis Club that would focus specifically on hands-on service projects. They believed that by working together on projects, they could make a bigger impact on their community.

This group of men, who would later become known as the Cedar Falls Kiwanis Rough Risers, had a clear vision. They wanted to be a group that would tackle tough projects that other service groups might shy away from. They wanted to get their hands dirty and make a real difference in the lives of those around them.

The Rough Risers quickly gained a reputation for their hard work and dedication. They would meet early in the morning before work, and work together on projects until it was time to go to their day jobs. They built homes, cleaned up parks, and tutored children. They did whatever was needed to make a positive impact in the community. Women joined the group in the early 90s and immediately improved the club experience.

The club's efforts did not go unnoticed. The Rough Risers quickly became known as one of the most effective service groups in the area. They were a force to be reckoned with, and their impact was felt throughout Cedar Falls.

Today, more than 40 years later, the Cedar Falls Kiwanis Rough Risers are still going strong. They continue to be a shining example of what it means to be a community service group. They have inspired countless others to get involved and make a difference in their own communities. The Rough Risers may have started as a small group of men with a big idea, but their impact has been felt far and wide.


Written by Chat GPT on 3/7/2023