President Linda Gerber presided.

 “Nature’s balance was created by diversity which might in turn be taken as a blueprint for political and moral truth. Everything, from the most unassuming moss or insect to elephants or towering oak trees, had its role, and together they made the whole. Humankind was just one small part.”  -- Alexander von Humboldt (a German mathematician, geographer, naturalist, and explorer).

 

 

 

Bruce Baumberger and Linda presented a Paul Harris award to Chris Joyce.

 

 

Nia Tavoularis, Director of Development for Connections for the Homeless, thanked the Club for supporting Connections for the past four years and helping it serve more clients. She cited examples of how Connections helps folks by providing more than $700,000 in utility bill payments, $2,100,000 for hotel rooms, and $1,200,000 in rent payments. Connections has a $14,000,000 annual budget.

 

Bill Glader provided a Taste of Evanston update. About 180 tickets have been sold so far.  He asked members to pick up the pace of sales. He announced that a local BMW dealership has bought a $2,500 sponsorship to consider underwriting various aspects of the event. So far, underwriting commitments total $3,600.  Gary Peterson said that he is seeking more volunteers to set up, run, and take down the event. Bruce complemented the TOE committee for their hard work and urged members to consider how much they had saved in pleasure travel expenses this year and give some of that savings to TOE.  He said that RI’s president-elect and spouse will be volunteering at and attending this year’s TOE.

 

Ann Weatherhead spoke of going to the Perspective gallery for a photographic exhibit on the many faces of homelessness.

 

Ann Searles provided the Sunshine Report: Horton Kellogg reports that he is doing fine, always great on a sunny day. Ira Graham was looking forward to a nice birthday when Ann spoke with him. Chuck Bartling is recovering well from his hernia surgery. Early club member Bud Brock has died. He and his wife have been living at Three Crowns for awhile. Finally, the Sunshine Lady tripped on an uneven sidewalk in Chicago after she and John had helped to hang pictures in her granddaughter's apartment. Ann survived with just a hip bruise and no lost teeth or broken wrists! John did not fare as well, as he did a big twist to look back and see what the commotion was all about as Ann lay on the sidewalk! Sadly he must have pulled a muscle in the twist, but both are feeling better and didn't miss any activity that they had planned, including the architecture boat ride to which they were walking when the accident occurred, guests for dinner, an evening out with friends, and a weekend trip to Indy. Maybe old people bounce back better! Linda supplemented the Sunshine Report by noting that Helen Oloroso’s husband, Oly, is undergoing shoulder replacement surgery on an out-patient basis. We wish him the best.

 

 

 

Steve began by honoring his wife, who passed away in 2020. He noted that she had a 25-year career as an English teacher at ETHS and then, upon retirement, a 20-year career as a psychotherapist.

 

Steve was born in 1945. His father worked at John Deere as a marketing executive; his mother worked as a singer and teacher. Steve attended Grinnell College and earned a masters in statistics at the University of Iowa. He worked at the EPA in data base management. He often traveled to Eastern Europe as part of his duties.

 

Upon retirement in 2008, Steve has continued to be active in volunteering his time generously and has supported more than 20 non-profits. He joined Rotary in 2009.  He has continued actively to support environmental causes and noted that a Lighthouse Beach cleanup is taking place this Saturday, Sept. 18, at 10 a.m. All members are welcome to participate.

 

Steve noted how proud he is of his children. His son works in business and his daughter works as an actress.

 

Holly recounted that she was born in Springfield, Ill., where her father worked as a Presbyterian minister while her mother stayed home and cared for their six children (Holly was the only girl). She fondly remembered playing many competitive family games of knowledge around the dinner table.

 

Her family eventually moved to Rochester, N.Y. Her brothers all attended Princeton; she went to the College of Wooster in Ohio, where she devoted her senior project to the poetry of Robert Frost. She then married and moved to Los Angles, where her husband worked for The Rand Corporation.

 

Eventually, Holly and her husband moved to Chicago and divorced. She then married a citizen of New Zealand while both worked at the American Bar Foundation in Hyde Park (Holly was an editor there). She and her husband then moved to Canberra, the capital of Australia. Holly notes that she has four stepchildren. While in Canberra, she edited several volumes on political philosophy.

 

She and her husband then moved back to the United States and settled in Winnetka. Her husband worked at the University of Chicago, while Holly took a job at the Presbyterian Home as its marketing director.  As she put it, she went from connecting prose to connecting homes. She worked there for 20 years. She has 14 grandchildren and enjoys spending time at a cabin in the Adirondacks.

 

 

 

 

 

Dave Simmons – 20 years

Gary Peterson – 15 years