Our featured speaker: Ozaukee County Sheriff, Christy Knowles
After going to college, I started off my young professional career in the medical field. Still unsure of my life goals, in 1999 I applied to the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office and was hired as a Deputy-Jailer. As I began my law enforcement career, I realized that I found my “forever” job. I was promoted to Deputy-Patrol in 2001. I spent the next six (6) years in the patrol division. While here, I also was assigned as a field training officer, training newly promoted deputies. In 2007 I was promoted to Detective. I was a general investigator; however, I specialized in sensitive crimes. This is where my passion for helping victims shined. I spent the next five (5) years as a detective. I was promoted to Patrol Lieutenant in 2012. This position prepared me for the future as it taught me how to respond to personnel issues. In 2015 I was promoted to Operations Captain where I helped develop several programs that partner with the community. In 2019 I was appointed to the Undersheriff. Here is where I gained much knowledge about the key functions of the Sheriff’s Office that included managing personnel, the budget process, policy management and the jail. It was not until taking office as Sheriff in 2023 when I fully realized what the responsibility of running a Sheriff’s Office of 130 personnel was really like.
My educational experience was well rounded. I attended Marquette University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and MATC. I was beginning to think I would be a lifelong scholar before I was hired by the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office. I have three children, James, Madilyn and Vincent, all young adults now. They are still my number one priority, and I enjoy taking them on this journey with me. They experienced my first term as Sheriff and learned about service to others and always doing things for the right reasons, through the eyes of a Sheriff and a mother. My volunteer service has focused on my children. For six years I was a Girl Scout leader for my daughter’s troop, for two years I was the Boy Scout Advancement Coordinator for my son’s pack, and for six years I coached girls youth basketball. I always found a way to give back to the community while still being present for my children. I continue to do that through my son’s wrestling club, the Port Washington-Saukville Rotary club and Ozaukee Food Alliance.
I absolutely love what I do; being a mom, working for the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office and being Ozaukee County Sheriff. I take pride in serving the people of Ozaukee County. I have made lasting connections with members of this community who have helped me be successful as Sheriff. I look forward to another four years at making Ozaukee County a great, safe and fun place to live!
We have been nominated for this award and would LOVE a representative at this event.
Ozaukee Nonprofit Center is excited to announce the return of the “Ozaukee Impact Awards”—an award ceremony that celebrates individuals, groups, and companies that epitomize the spirit of giving in 2026. The Ozaukee Impact Awards seek to recognize local change-makers and the impact they have had within our community.
Recognize local change-makers and the impact they’ve had on the community in any or all of the award categories listed:
One of the major projects of the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club has been the City of Mequon Rotary Park, which was officially launched September 17, 1987 marking the fiftieth anniversary of the club's existence.
The site encompasses approximately 95 acres and is located on Highland Road near the Milwaukee Area Technical College's north campus. The Thiensville-Mequon Rotary club donated the site to the City of Mequon in 1991 and has remained actively involved in its development as a recreational resource for residents across the Thiensville-Mequon community.
In 1992, the T-M Rotary was awarded a "Significant Achievement Award" by the President of Rotary International, Rajendra K. Saboo, as a result of 5 years of effort in turning the club's vision for an active use park in the City of Mequon into a reality. District Governor Rick Luedke was so impressed by T-M Rotary's success with City of Mequon Rotary Park that he petitioned Rotary International to present this highest honor. Our club, and District 6270 is deeply honored by this award, as it is rarely awarded. Since the award was presented to our club, many additional improvements have been added to the park, including 2 pavilions and the gazebo, three baseball fields and two playgrounds.
A Letter From Our Leaders:
Dear Friends,
Parks have the power to bring people together. They positively impact a community by promoting economic development, a higher quality of life, and improved mental and physical health. Parks that accommodate all users—not just children, but people of all abilities and ages—are more important than ever.
With a motto of "Service Above Self," the two Rotary Clubs that serve Mequon and Thiensville have improved our local communities for over 100 years. Construction of an All-User Playground is a critical addition to Mequon Rotary Park. With the community's support, Rotary is committed to making it their signature project for all to enjoy.
The decision to pursue an All-User Playground was not made lightly. It was initially identified as a need in the City of Mequon's 2019 master planning efforts. COVID put the project on hold. Since July 2022, a significant amount of time has been spent discussing, studying, planning, and determining that it is sorely needed.
Most of the playground equipment in Mequon parks is over 30 years old. Some of it had already been used when donated. When speaking with other communities about their all-inclusive playgrounds, they overwhelmingly indicated that those playgrounds are their most popular, not just for children with special needs but for all users.
We are excited about this new, state-of-the-art, accessible, fun playground that will enrich the lives of our residents and be a place that Mequon and Thiensville residents can use and be proud of. When asked to contribute, we hope you reply with a resounding "yes" and a generous gift to address this unmet need.
A Message From the Port Washington Rotary President: Our club has arranged a tour of the Vantage Data Centers Lighthouse campus in Port Washington on Wednesday, August 12 at noon. Given the scale of this project and the impact it's having across Ozaukee County and the wider region, I'd like to extend the invitation to your clubs as well. It seemed only right to share the opportunity beyond our own membership.
A few details:
Date and time: Wednesday, August 12, at noon
Location: Vantage Lighthouse campus, Port Washington (exact meeting point to follow)
Vantage requires a confirmed attendee list in advance for site access, so registration is required.
Space may be limited, so before opening registration widely I'd appreciate a rough sense of how many from your club might be interested. If you could gauge interest and let me know, I'll coordinate with Vantage on capacity and then share registration details and the meeting location.
The first District Minute has been uploaded: https://youtu.be/Noi0mFD91so?si=RmjeYlVjhFGZTq08. These will go live on our district YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/@RID6270 every first and third Sunday of the month. Be sure to subscribe and check in regularly for the latest District 6270 information and highlights from clubs across our district!
Roughly half of all zippers in the world are stamped with these letters. Find out what YKK zippers are and what the YKK means.
We zip our jeans, jackets, boots and bags without a moment’s thought. The humble zipper, that tiny row of interlocking teeth, is an invention we use every day—and just as often take for granted.
But have you ever stopped to wonder why so many of the items in your closet have the letters YKK on the zippers? We’re here to help! Read on to find out the YKK meaning and all the little details behind this most utilitarian advance in technology.
What does YKK stand for?
The literal meaning of YKK is “Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha,” which translates to “Yoshida Company Limited” in English. The Japanese corporation produces roughly half of all the zippers made annually, which equates to about 10 billion zippers per year.
According to the company, YKK produces 3 million kilometers (or more than 1.8 million miles) worth of zippers every year–enough to circle the globe more than 80 times.
Why do zippers have YKK on them?
Zippers made by YKK are stamped with the company’s initials as a form of branding or logo. When you see YKK on a zipper, there’s no doubt as to its manufacturer.
Tadao Yoshida, who founded the company in Tokyo in 1934, wasn’t satisfied with existing zipper production methods. Initially, the company produced zippers for military uniforms and parachutes. Today, YKK zippers can be found on many different types of products, including clothing, accessories and luggage.
Did YKK invent the zipper?
YKK did not invent the zipper. American inventor Whitcomb L. Judson developed a type of hook-and-loop fastener for shoes in the 1890s. It looked like a zipper, but without the slider to draw both sides together.
Gideon Sundback, a Swedish-American engineer, is generally credited with the invention of the modern zipper as we know it. He registered his first patent for the device in Germany in 1909, but it wasn’t until 1917 that he received a patent for a device called a “separable fastener,” aka the zipper.
