The Wheel for December 12, 2019
Listen to Adam K. Joseph & Gregory Gudenkauf – Opportunity Village
The Wheel
Adam K. Joseph – Opportunity Village
Adam K. Joseph is Opportunity Village’s Vice President of Philanthropy and also serves as member of the Executive Team helping set the strategic direction for the organization. Reporting to President and CEO, Bob Brown, Adam along with his dedicated team has oversight for all fundraising and donor relation initiatives, which include capital campaigns, annual giving programs, major gifts, grants, and event fundraising.
Adam is a result oriented, cross-functional senior executive with 20- plus years of expertise in scaling organizations through strategically focused leadership, direction, and profitability. Previously he was a CFO for a family office in Texas, which has investments in the areas of technology and hospitality. He is a disciplined and motivated leader who excels in leveraging high-performing teams and relationships at all levels.
Adam and his wife have now returned to Las Vegas for their second time. He is a graduate of the Conrad N. Hilton College at the University of Houston. Adam is honored to be an integral part of Opportunity Village, helping it to foster lasting partnerships in Southern Nevada and beyond. More importantly, he is committed and focused on creating a path forward for the future of OV for the next six decades and beyond.
Gregory Gudenkauf – Opportunity Village
Gregory has the honor of working in many roles at Opportunity Village over five years supporting people with disabilities in Southern Nevada. Gregory currently serves as the Director of Development, coordinating OV’s Major Gifts efforts, annual giving, legacy giving program and raising funds for OV’s Capital Campaign. Before joining Opportunity Village, Gregory served as a consultant for the Nevada Community Foundation and the Resource Development Manager for the Nevada Law Foundation. Gregory has served as Part-time Graduate Instructor for the Public Administration Department at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Gregory earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from UNLV and taught undergraduate courses as a Graduate Assistant. Gregory earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from The Ohio State University and worked in the Group for Attitudes and Persuasion Lab conducting studies on power, persuasion, and self-validation. Gregory is currently volunteering his time as the Treasurer of the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Las Vegas Chapter
Message From The President
Dear Rotarians,
Congratulations to all the 25 Club members of the Las Vegas Rotary Club! For the 14th year in a row, we raised more money than our Partner Service Club, Kiwanis. The final total for our club was $9485.13 which purchased 106,691 cans of food to refill the Salvation Army Food Bank. The Kiwanis Clubs raised enough money to purchase 76,278 cans of food. The truly wonderful benefit to our clubs’ 65th year of this competition is to help with the Salvation Army’s effort to feed the community’s homeless and hungry.
As we continue to enjoy the Holiday Season and plan to spend time with our families creating lasting Holiday memories, we are reminded that there are families who will not be so fortunate. One such group is our service members serving overseas and will miss the Holidays with their families here in the US. Our Clark High School Interact Club as their international service project, has put together care packages for our military and are sending them out as I write.
Another very sad situation is the rise of homeless in our city. Many residents are unaware that hundreds of homeless and homeless families are living underground in the sewer systems. Our city of Las Vegas is located in the Las Vegas Valley in the Mojave Desert, with the Spring Mountains surrounding the area which creates a unique issue. During the monsoon season of January and February, the heavy rainfall causes flash flooding that city planners countered by constructing an extensive labyrinth of storm sewers beneath the very streets that constitute some of the most expensive real estate on the planet.
The Las Vegas City Council has attempted to so something. An ordinance was passed making it illegal to sleep or camp on the streets if shelter beds are available. This ordinance will start being enforced next year. When Sheriff Joe Lombardo recently spoke at our club meeting and was asked about the homeless condition, he responded that his officers would ask the homeless if they wanted to go to a program or shelter. Oftentimes, the answer was no. Maybe the new ordinance will help guide the less fortunate to programs offered by many churches, civic organizations and get referrals from entities such as the Salvation Army. We can hope and do something ourselves by volunteering our time to help. Many Rotary Clubs have service projects that assist with the groups mentioned.
On a more positive note, another successful Santa Clothes this year, our 24th. Chair Jim Hunt, with co-chairs, Tom Krob and Randy Donald gave our club, surrounding clubs, other corporate entities, non-profits, friends and family members the opportunity to shop with the kids and bring Holiday joy in their lives! There were so many wonderful stories of the kids, the volunteers and all who had a part in such a wonderful and happy event! My personal thank you to all who participated and can’t wait for our milestone 25th year!
1.2 million dollars spent on clothing for 5,307 children in need!
Jackie Thornhill
President
Las Vegas Rotary Club
Member Highlights
Sergeant at Arms Rose Falcoco joins Bob Werner in exchanging banners with our guest from Lahaina, Hawaii.
Rotary member Major Randy Kinnaman made an announcement that Rotary had won the Salvation Army can drive by 30,000 cans in outdoing the Kiwanis Clubs again.
President Jackie presented our speaker Mark Hall-Patton with our Share What You Can Award.
PP Jim Hunt presented President Jackie with a check for $18,000 towards Santa Clothes from the Ralph Engelstad Foundation.
Our new President Elect PEE Mike Ballard was joined for lunch by two of his four children.
Larry Tomsic Returns
Holiday Party Magic
Holiday Party Ladies
Holiday Party Committee
Carey Grohs introduced her son Gaven.
Breakfast with Books
Annual Meeting with the Kiwanis Clubs
Santa Clothes 2019
Chair Jim, Jimmelle and the Kids
Clark Interact Club
Santa Clothes at UNLV
The Kids at JC Penney
Scribe – November 27, 2019
Las Vegas Rotary Club Meeting: November 27, 2019
- President Jackie Thornhill called the meeting to order.
- Phillip Colosimo, Kiwanis President led a welcome to the meeting. Len Yelinek led the Pledge of Allegiance; Jim Small gave the invocation, Howard Naylor led the club in signing “American the Beautiful”;
- The Sergeant at Arms was Rose Falocco;
- There were (0) International Rotarians, (1) visiting Rotarians and (6) Guests of Rotarians introduced;
- President Jackie reminded the club about the People of Action Campaign and the international convention in Hawaii.
- Deb Granada reminded the Club about the upcoming holiday party. President Jackie reminded everyone about the December 14th highway cleanup. Michael Williams announced the event on December 12th at the Magical Forest and reminded everyone about the Teen Leadership Camp December 6-8th;
- Phillip Colosimo introduced the speaker, Mark Hall‑Patton, Museum Administrator for Clark County who presented to the Clubs about his work for the museum and also his role on the television show – Pawn Stars, as well as the positive effect on the Clark County Museums from the show.
- President Jackie presented our speaker with a “Share What You Can” award to benefit the local USO; Major Randy Kinnamon from the Salvation Army then presented the 2019 Canned Food Drive Results – Kiwanis: 76,278 cans; and Rotarians: 106,691 cans. President Jackie then adjourned the meeting.