Greater Omaha Chamber selects newest leadership class: Short Takes (2024)

The Greater Omaha Chamber has announced its Leadership Omaha Class 47, following a rigorous selection process and continuing a four-decades-plus tradition of cohort-based leadership development.

“This is an exciting time for these leaders, and we are proud of our members in Leadership Omaha Class 47, who are preparing to embark on a journey to strengthen our region through effective communication, increased awareness, strong leadership and inspiration, both within themselves and for our city,” said Daniela Rojas Florez, director of Community Leadership Programs for the Greater Omaha Chamber.

As in the past, this year’s class was selected by a committee of Leadership Omaha alumni and Chamber board members. All honorees demonstrated strong community involvement and a vision for the future of Omaha.

The class will spend the next 10 months focusing on community trusteeship, community awareness and leadership styles, ultimately joining a network of more than 1,700 Leadership Omaha alumni.

The participants:

Aimee Gibson, BraveJoy Leadership; Andrea Edwards, Heartland Family Service; Andrew Norman, Rabble Mill (The Bay); Angeline Larson, Children’s Nebraska; Ann Anderson Berry, UNMC; Ashley Farrens, Nebraska Medicine; Benjamin Taxman, Kiewit; Brett Bruneteau, Kutak Rock LLP; Briana Phelan, Felius; Calli Hite, Fusion/Fusion Medical Staffing; Charles Ziegenbein, Enterprise Bank; Christopher Humphries, Omaha Public Schools; Christopher McCroy, 100 Black Men of Omaha, Inc.; Clark Ross, Mercury; Connor Jensen, Deloitte; Dan Svoboda, NP Dodge Company; David Penka, DLR Group; Davielle Phillips, Holland Basham Architects; Debra McKnight, Urban Abbey; Erline Chela Charles, The Hope Center for Kids; Jaime Burke, Buildertrend; Jason Hamilton, Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company; Jenna Ketchen, Leo A. Daly; Jonathan McCarville, Olsson; Joshua Kallsen, PowerTech; K.D. Thompson, Nebraska Humane Society.

Kari Webber, Physicians Mutual; Katie Herzog, Ervin & Smith; Kevin Baitey, Carlson West Povondra Architects; Kimara Snipes, One Omaha; Kristyna Engdahl, Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA); Lauren Medici, Opera Omaha; Loreno Jameson, Omaha Public Power District; Lori Kleinschmit, Fiserv, Inc; Marisa Mathews, College of St. Mary; Megan Heimes, Nebraska Realty; Merrick Brtek, Greater Omaha Chamber; Mustafa Alnor, Family Planning Council of Nebraska dba. Nebraska Family Planning; Nicholas Miller, Signature Performance; Peter Daliere, Conagra Brands; Peter Langdon, Koley Jessen, P.C., L.L.O.; Racquel Henderson, I Be Black Girl; Rebecca Armstrong Langle, Nomi Health; Robert Rutford, KPMG LLP; Sarah Hanify, Junior League of Omaha; Stacy Auman, FNBO; Tia Manning, Women’s Fund of Omaha; Timothy Hemsath, BVH Architecture; William DeRoin, HDR; Wynter Davis, Omaha Community Foundation.

Free backpacks available at Verizon stores July 28

To help ease the financial burden for families heading into another school year, Omaha-area Verizon Wireless retail locations will give away hundreds of free backpacks on July 28 at 1 p.m.

Verizon authorized retailer, Round Room, is hosting its 12th annual “School Rocks Backpack Giveaway” event, giving more than $3 million in backpacks to children at over 1,000 of its stores nationwide.

Store locations are 1405 S. 204th St., Suite 103 and 18940 Evans St., Suite 102, in Elkhorn; 13108 W. Dodge Road and 17940 Welch Plaza, Suite 103, in Omaha and 117 W. Broadway in Council Bluffs.

Singer featured at Kim Foundation fundraiser

John Ondrasik, the platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter known by his stage name Five for Fighting, will be the featured speaker and performer at A Time for Hope & Healing, The Kim Foundation’s annual fundraiser to shine a light on the importance of mental health advocacy and suicide prevention.

The event is scheduled for Sept. 12 at Steelhouse Omaha.

Each year, A Time for Hope & Healing features a national speaker to share their story to help normalize conversations about mental health and suicide. The fundraiser benefits The Kim Foundation, a nonprofit that serves as a supportive resource and compassionate voice for lives touched by mental illness and suicide.

Gregg will speak about homestead project today

Come to Homestead National Historical Park‘s Education Center today at 11 a.m. for a special program by Sara Gregg, whose work focuses on environmental change, agricultural history and land policy.

Gregg will present a program on her current project, “Little Piece of Earth: The Hidden History of Homesteading on the Great Plains.”

The park is located near Beatrice.

United Way raises funds for tornado victims

United Way of the Midlands created the Nebraska & Iowa Tornado Relief Fund in response to the April tornadoes that displaced thousands of people in Nebraska and Iowa.

The fund has raised $1,415,000 thanks to the generosity and compassion of corporate and individual donors.

Individuals from 45 states and three countries gave to UWM with 100% of every donation being directed to those in need of assistance.

In addition to information, referrals and other coordinating supports, UWM has distributed $295,000 in emergency financial assistance through the 211 Helpline and online request form.

In addition to $300,000 awarded to organizations in May, UWM invested an additional $685,000 into several organizations to strengthen their ability to respond to long-term recovery needs.

Genoa School to hold remembrance day Aug. 10

The annual Genoa U.S. Indian School Foundation Recognition and Remembrance Day will be held Aug. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Genoa, Nebraska.

The gathering will begin with remarks from foundation members in the St. Rose of Lima Community Center at 116 N. Elm St. The day’s activities include educational presentations and exhibits, tours of the Interpretive Center (with more than 40 Indigenous Nation Flags), a research center with resources for genealogical research and Indigenous jewelry and crafts. Call Nickie at 308- 991-5360 or Claire at 402-948-0462 to reserve a table.

Presentations begin at 10:10 a.m. with keynote speaker Cultural Liaison James Cadwell, who is Santee Sioux of Nebraska and raised on the Crow-Creek reservation in South Dakota. He will examine boarding schools’ historical and cultural dimensions and share his research findings.

At 11 a.m., everyone is invited to speak about their memories of loved ones, the school or any personal experiences related to boarding schools.

Following lunch, there will be a memorial presentation and the presentation of the Genoa U.S. Indian School/Wolfe Family Scholarship. At 1:30 p.m., Nickie Drozd and Savannah Berlyn Anderson will co-moderate a facilitated learning event involving the artwork I HAVE A NAME.

At 2:15 p.m., Nebraska state archaeologist Dave Williams and Judi gaiashkibos, executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, will provide an update on the search for the school cemetery.

Church festival is scheduled for Aug. 4

Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Omaha continues its 107-year tradition of celebrating summer by hosting its annual festival, The Greatest Festival in Town, on Aug. 4 from noon to 8 p.m.

The oldest, largest and longest-running annual church festival features continuous live music, games for children and the entire family, meat wheels, “pickles,” raffles and a variety of ethnic foods. Festival goers can savor homemade Polish and Italian sausages, BBQ lamb sandwiches, tacos, Croatian sarma (cabbage rolls), crab Rangoon, plus other ethnic treats from around the world.

The Greatest Festival in Town will be held on the Sts. Peter & Paul Parish grounds at 36th and X Streets in Omaha.

For more information, contact the parish office at 402-731-4578.

Talent show finals tonight at Leahy Mall

The Youth Talent Show Finals tonight at Gene Leahy Mall will feature more than 30 performing arts acts, representing the top talent from five prior youth talent competitions.

The finals will take place outdoors at 6 p.m. at 1001 Douglas St. The event is free and open to the public.

The Omaha Mobile Stage Youth Talent Show program is an outdoor amateur talent competition series for ages 3 through graduating high school seniors. The series is modeled after the Goodfellows Show Wagon, which was operated by the City of Omaha Parks Department from 1952 through 2010.

Help is available with FAFSA forms

College Possible Omaha will offer free FAFSA assistance to all high school and college students in the Omaha metro area throughout July and August.

This initiative comes in response to the challenges faced by students and families following the introduction of the Better FAFSA.

Thanks to a $100,000 award from the Educational Credit Management Corporation, College Possible Omaha is equipped to expand support.

According to the National College Attainment Network, as of June 28, Nebraska has seen a 13.4% decrease in FAFSA completions among the high school class of 2024.

To address the “Better FAFSA” issues, the organization is offering free FAFSA assistance both virtually and in person to any students needing support.

SHARE Omaha seeks help with school supplies

SHARE Omaha is partnering with 18 local nonprofits to encourage people in the Omaha metro to donate the school supplies needed to support 6,500 students.

The initiative, supported by Wells Fargo, aims to collect the items local students need to successfully begin a new school year in the fall. Items will be distributed to local learners by participating nonprofits.

Through Aug. 15, givers can view and shop school supply wish lists. Donors may give items to their choice of 18 local nonprofits for distribution to local students. Visit shareomaha.org/school for more information.

Short Takes is a compilation of lightly edited press releases from various organizations. If you’d like to have your information included, send it to ducey@owh.com at least 10 days before the item needs to run.