Welcome to ASHRAE Nebraska Chapter

I don’t know about you, but I’m enjoying the fall weather now that it has finally arrived. I’m also looking forward to fewer texts and calls from unknown numbers now that the recent elections are behind us.

I also want to take a moment to recognize the incredible efforts of our volunteers — and especially our chapter president, Sarah Bordenkecher — during the 2025–2026 ASHRAE year. The Nebraska Chapter earned the highest PAOE (Presidential Award of Excellence) point total of any ASHRAE chapter in the world.

What are PAOE points, exactly? Each year, ASHRAE Society publishes a long list of activities and initiatives that chapters can complete to provide value to their members. Each of those efforts is assigned a point value. By earning the highest total PAOE points across all ASHRAE chapters worldwide, our chapter has demonstrated just how strong and engaged we are.

That strength comes directly from our volunteers. We have an incredible group of people who give their time, energy, and talent to support this chapter and serve our community. I am humbled again and again as I watch our volunteers show up with such passion and commitment.

One great example of that spirit is an exciting volunteer opportunity coming up through our chapter: Lucy’s Engineering Adventure at Omaha Public Schools on Friday, November 20.

If you can read a short book aloud to a classroom of 2nd graders, you are qualified for this event.

Here’s how it works:

• Sign up using this form.
• Our Student Activities Committee will coordinate volunteer placements and communicate next steps.
• You’ll connect with your assigned teacher and schedule the best time to visit on November 20.
• Then you’ll head to the school, introduce yourself, read the book, share a little about ASHRAE and your job, and answer questions from the students.

And trust me — those students will ask some of the best questions you’ve ever heard. If you haven’t spent much time with 2nd graders, the way their minds work is delightful, surprising, and refreshingly honest.

This is such a simple and rewarding way to give back while helping young students become aware of engineering and our industry.

Please, please, please consider signing up for this volunteer event. And if you decide to do something similar at a school outside of OPS, that’s great too — do it, and let us know about it!

Abby Visty-Brophy

President – Nebraska ASHRAE

[email protected]