Stories

Two Rotarians (Dr. Ulrich and Mary Ludwig) are pictured with the same front-page article in the Wednesday “Messenger.”  ICCC announced that students have available to them a variety of scholarship programs to apply for.  This year there is a joint application for all of the various options, significantly simplifying the process for the students.  Kudos to ICCC.

Rotarian Fierke appeared on the front page of the Tuesday “Messenger.”  The accompanimg article summarized the ongoing city budget process.

Running ClubRunner

Thanks to Steve Hoesel for showing the club how to use ClubRunner, the platform used by the Fort Dodge Noon Rotary Club. Here are the very, very basics:

• Click here to get to the Fort Dodge Noon Rotary Club website:  https://www.fortdodgerotary.com/
• On this page, you can see such bits as upcoming speakers, club members in the news, a summary of the last meeting, the club Board members, the invocation schedule.
• In the top right corner, click on “Member Login.”  Type your username and password. If you need help on this step, reach out to Steve Hoesel, Elizabeth Stanek, Mary Kay Daniel, or Teresa Naughton.
• Once you are in, you can do any (or all!) of the following:
  • Update your information
  • Upload a new photo of yourself
  • Pay your dues
  • Check on your Paul Harris
  • Email fellow club member(s)
  • Donate to the Rotary Foundation
• …and so much more! 

Check it out today.

Rotarian Meyer provided the Second Opinion Section to the Monday “Messenger” by outlining bills currently moving through the system.  Contact your Legislator for informatioin or comment.

Astria Ferris was pictured in the weekend “Messenger”  as she presented to Friskies a plaqu  honoring 50 years the factory has been in Fort Dodge.

Cyber Crime is growing exponentially and once the money is gone in an electronic instant, there is little authorities can do to recover your money.  Therefore, what can one do to protect your assets - that question was the topic of discussion at Rotary provided by Kraig Barger (State Bank), Jeanette Porter (United Way and Community Foundation), and Alex Winninger (law enforcement).  Because recover is rare and difficult, one must concentrate on preventing Cyber Crime before it happens.  Suggestions are:

1. Be aware of signs of fraud
   1. The request is urgent and the person asking for your money gives you little time to think
   2. If you are hesitant the person asking for your money may resort to threats (you will go to jail)
   3. If you are required to give out secrets to the person asking for your money beware
   4. The person asking for your money has a “too good to be true” offer
2. Watch out for the following “pop-up” alerts on your computer or phone
   1. Text messages that tell you about your device being full of bad stuff and they can fix it really cheap
   2. The use of spoofed callers that when combined with AI sound like a relative
   3. The use of robo calls that are surfing for items that you often use in password protections.  Some spammers will take years to build a data base on you - do not fill out such requests on the Web such as what town do you live in
3. Very regularly access your financial information and see what has been entered into your record
   1. Verify entries on credit card charges and bank statements
   2. Participate in multi-factor verification methods
   3. Do not use public ATM machines - especially hotels to check on your accounts (these are most open to public access and scams)
   4. Begin to limit your use of checks - Scammers can wash ink from checks and redirect the payment
   5. Use unique passwords (most used password last year was - Administrator)
4. No Nos to especially avoid
   1. A site or request for the use of prepaid cards (most often a scammer)
   2. On-line Romances - enough said as scammers string you along and then begin asking for money for critical issues
   3. Set up some type of identification with your siblings - Scammers like to use AI to mimic a grandchild's voice and ask grandparents to help them out of jail.  need some type of identification code to set-up with your siblings to use.  
   4. Cash-transfer request - Never send cash
   5. You have won the lottery, but to get your car you need to pay shipping to you- right?
   6. Tech Support particularly on computers.  Your computer is full of viruses and for a small fee it can be fixed, but in the process the scammer loads on your device a program to access your financial records.  Best to have paid for a high quality virus protection program for both your computers and phones.
   7. Cryptocurrency - Never deal on-line in cryptocurrency when requested as payment.

This session could last hours with real examples given for many of the scams listed above.  Thank you, Jeanette, Kraig, and Alex.

Rotarian Meyer was pictured in “The Messenger” as she answered a constituent question on Hands Free Driving during the January session of “Eggs and Issues.”

Rotarian McCubbin, joint owner of the Better Way Development Group, have purchased another building in the Downtown's 1000 Block on Central they hope to redevelop.  The building is now known as the Atrium.

• Mission: Rotary is a service organization comprised of community leaders of various professions dedicated to humanitarian causes locally and throughout the world. Simply put, Rotary is an organization that is out to do "good" in the world. 
• Vision: It is incumbent upon the Fort Dodge Noon Rotary Club and its Board of Directors to be good stewards of available resources.  The club budgets dollars annually.  The budget may fund identified programs.  The club also has a small “Special Fund” available for requests made throughout the year for unbudgeted causes, which the club and Board may want to support. 
• Eligibility for the Special Fund:  Grants must have the support of one or more members of the Fort Dodge Noon Rotary Club. Funds are granted in support of humanitarian causes.  Causes may relate to youth, poverty prevention/intervention, community betterment, health care, human services, and more.  There are many, many good causes.  There are also limited dollars.  Grant awards will not exceed the dollars available in the special fund.   Preference may be given to one-time projects or to programs that are deemed to have sustainability.  For example, grants may be given to a building project to provide some seed money to start an educational program that the schools will fund in the long term.  Collaboration with other funding sources is encouraged.