If you know where Cabela’s in Nebraska is located, you can visualize where our Rotarian of the Week grew up. Raised on a wheat farm and cattle ranch near the tiny town of Chappell, this Rotarian graduated in a class of 35 at Deuel County High School, home of the Buffalos. It should be noted that this high school senior participated in the traditional senior pranks! His class tapped into the school intercom system and interrupted class daily by playing Beatles music (which the teachers hated), and decorated several classrooms with themes - most notably laying sod and releasing live animals in one! His first job was unpaid working on the farm. He does remember driving various pieces of equipment at the early age of 8!!
In high school he lettered in football but was not considering college until he was offered a scholarship at Doane University, which he accepted. Once in college, he found that art, student government, fraternity activities and his growing love of flying would cause him to change course and focus. By saving his beer money for flight lessons he earned his private pilot’s license before he graduated and would eventually get his commercial pilot license as well. His first full time job out of college was as an art teacher and football coach in Lincoln, NE. He impulsively applied for a teaching position with the Department of Defense school system. He was offered a job and moved his wife and newborn daughter to Puerto Rico to teach Art and coach football at Ramey Air Force Base. There his family enjoyed Caribbean island life and our Rotarian spent his spare time SCUBA diving and flying. When that base closed, the family moved to Germany where his son was born. He taught for a few years traveling and camping around Europe before returning to the US to help the family farm operation.
This Rotarian then worked the ranch in partnership with his brother and father for 12 years. Our Rotarian of the Week was appointed by the Nebraska Governor to serve on the Board of Educational Lands and Funds, which operates similarly to Wyoming’s State Lands and Investments Board, and was otherwise involved in Nebraska politics, the local school board and Stockgrowers association.
Eventually the brothers realized their operation could not support three families in the farm economy of the 1980’s and this Rotarian changed course again. Another Rotarian, Jim Willms, can be credited (or blamed) with bringing the Rotarian of the Week to Cheyenne to work for Unicover World Trade Corporation where he was responsible for managing and marketing 11 different brands for the foreign stamp agencies, traveling extensively around the world while he was employed there.
In 1999 our Rotarian applied for the position of LEADS Vice President, was hired and continued to work with his board and LEADS team to benefit our community for 21 years and 1 month. In fact, his greatest accomplishment outside of his family has been the body of work that he did while with his team at LEADS. It was a deeply gratifying accomplishment that was often unseen but has had a positive impact on nearly every resident of Cheyenne in some way or another.
Randy Bruns has a daughter and a son and two grandsons, both of whom are training in different parts with the US Navy, one is a Midshipman at the Naval Academy and one that’s In a specialty school in Pensacola. Randy has served on the District Export Council, the Wyoming Business Alliance, the Wyoming Economic Development Association, the Cheyenne Symphony Board and the Leadership Wyoming Board, among others.
His most memorable Rotary Experience was the Rotary meeting where he learned that librarians could swear. Randy had just been diagnosed with cancer and made the conscious decision to openly share the news with his LEADS staff and board and fellow Rotary members. When then-President Chad informed the club, Lucy Osborn sought out Randy and expressed her opinion of cancer in terms that a feedlot cowboy could appreciate. That was when the collective caring of club members became apparent and was powerful medicine that helped Randy make it through cancer treatments, surgeries and healing.
He most likes the fellowship without judgment at Rotary and knowing that he can still be a part of it weekly even if he can’t fully participate. He also believes in the 4 Way Test, appreciates the genuine way his fellow Rotary members work to uphold it, and believes the world would be a better place if it were practiced broadly. He has yet to serve on a committee but has found other ways to contribute. Randy notes that attending the weekly meetings is the best thing a person can do to improve one’s outlook each week because you will always find a kind face, a positive attitude, a willing spirit.
His favorite meal is ANY meal with family and friends, but when nudged to get specific it would be a NY strip steak, medium rare with reduced au jus glaze, boiled potatoes and asparagus.
Randy made his last flight as a pilot this past April. Since retiring he stays busy maintaining his home, gardening, fishing, camping, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. He hopes (and we should encourage him) to spend more days getting back to writing poetry, and maybe even resuming his art.
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