Events

DRC Sponsor: Phil Iversen

In February 2026 career music educators, Decorah residents, and local philanthropists Jim and Liz Fritz presented a plan to the Decorah City Council for a privately funded, solar-powered performance pavilion and market plaza in downtown Decorah. Jim will be visiting the club to provide background information on the proposal and a status report on the progress of this initiative.

The proposal includes a central green space, an outdoor performance pavilion, a canopied farmers market area, public restrooms and adjacent playground areas. The proposed location is east of River Street between Day Spring Lane and Heivly Street. The project is described as being designed to complement the surrounding downtown architecture while maximizing use of what many characterize as underutilized space. A major component of the plan involves solar generation. Using waterproof solar arrays as canopy, the pavilion would generate up to 45,000 kilowatt-hours annually with the market canopy providing up to 250,000 kilowatt-hours per year. The energy production is envisioned as helping to offset long-term maintenance and management costs. Initial estimates of planning and construction costs range from $1.5 to $1.75 million.

The Decorah City Council and local committees have reviewed the proposal and discussed timelines, operational frameworks, and legal details. As of August 2026 the project remains in the planning and discussion phases.

Following retirement from their illustrious education careers, Jim and Liz founded Mission Green LLC, a local non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the local community’s transition to sustainable energy. More information about the pavilion proposal is available on the Mission Green website at https://missiongreen.llc/decorah-performance-pavilion/.

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**Please complete your meal sign-up prior to the meeting, preferably not later than close of business Monday. Our face-to-face meeting will be hosted at the VFW. The meal sign-up, meeting announcement, and any other logistical information will be distributed in advance to all members by email. 

DRC Sponsor: Jon Lund

Details TBA

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DRC Sponsor: Jim Morrow

Decorah Rotarian and past District 5970 Governor Ward Budweg and his spouse, Decorah Rotarian Jacky Budweg, traveled to Taiwan in June in conjunction with the annual Rotary International Convention being hosted in Taipei. As part of that journey, they represented our club and district in the End Polio Now Taiwan Cycling Tour. Ward and Jacky will reflect on and share their many amazing adventures and experiences while traveling in Taiwan.

The End Polio Now Taiwan Cycling Tour started from Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan and finished at the Taipei Music Center. The tour spaned seven days and six nights along the scenic east coast, visiting some of the most beautiful sites of Taiwan. Participants raised funds and awareness to help Rotary's End Polio Now campaign.

The 2026 Rotary International Convention took place in Taipei from 13-17 June. It was hosted at the Taipei - Farglory Dome and the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, with over 38,000 attendees from 140 countries and regions.

Most Decorah Rotarians know Ward and Jacky in a variety of contexts. In addition to their Rotary leadership roles, their yard and driveway were an annually recurring construction zone for the Rotary Nordic Fest float. They are co-authors of the 2020 book The World at 10 MPH. The book provides a fascinating look at their global, 1,106 day, 33,523-mile joint bicycle journey across six continents from 2007-2010.

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**Please complete your meal sign-up prior to the meeting, preferably not later than close of business Monday. Our face-to-face meeting will be hosted at the VFW. The meal sign-up, meeting announcement, and any other logistical information will be distributed in advance to all members by email. 

DRC Sponsor: Shannon Duncan

Chris Lindell serves as chair of Rotary District 5970’s District International Service Committee (DISC), a team of experienced Rotarians who help clubs expand and strengthen their international service. The DISC connects clubs with Rotary resources, expertise, potential partners and other clubs while encouraging greater collaboration throughout the district. Chris will provide an overview of the state of international service in District 5970 and highlight the many ways clubs and individual Rotarians can make global connections—from youth and cultural exchanges to international projects and Global Grants.

Expanding Rotary international service opportunities not only extends Rotary’s impact around the world, but also gives members more ways to become meaningfully engaged. Strong international connections can help clubs attract new members, retain existing members and provide the kinds of experiences that make Rotary membership rewarding.

A second-generation Rotarian, Chris has been a Rotarian for 38 years and has belonged to four Rotary clubs, including four years with the Rotary Club of Auckland, New Zealand. He is a past president of Cedar Rapids West Rotary and has held numerous club and district leadership positions, including serving as the District Global and Peace Scholarship Chair.

Chris is a native of Le Mars, Iowa, and married his high school sweetheart. They have two adult children. Following careers in jewelry, utilities, banking and engineering, Chris fully retired in 2024. He is an avid bicyclist and musician—and a self-described computer geek.

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**Please complete your meal sign-up prior to the meeting, preferably not later than close of business Monday. Our face-to-face meeting will be hosted at the VFW. The meal sign-up, meeting announcement, and any other logistical information will be distributed in advance to all members by email.