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Upcoming Events
Installation of 2022-23 Board - Dinner on June 26
Lovelace Park
Jun 26, 2022
5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
 
International Service Committee Meeting
Jun 27, 2022
7:15 AM – 8:30 AM
 
NO CLUB MEETING
Jul 05, 2022
 
Golf Road Cleanup
TJ MAXX 3337 Golf Rd
Jul 09, 2022
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
 
Golf Road Clean Up
Meet at TJ Max Parking Lot
Jul 09, 2022
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
 
Club Meeting: Assembly
Jul 12, 2022 7:30 AM
 
Club Service-RI Cafeteria
Jul 13, 2022
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
 
Club Service Committee - Zoom
Zoom
Jul 13, 2022
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
 
Club Service Committee - Zoom
Zoom
Aug 10, 2022
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
 
View entire list
The Light for June 21, 2022
The Light for June 21, 2022
 
By Neil Gambow
 
President Linda Gerber called the meeting to order at 7:30 a.m. on the dot with the ringing of the bell.
 
Zbig Skiba - read “Why We Are Rotarians,” followed by these thoughts for the day:
 
"Beware, for I am fearless, and therefore powerful."  Mary Shelley, Writer, (Frankenstein)
 
"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough."  Mae West, Actress
 
Announcements
 
Albert Menard - The next Golf Road trash pickup will be Saturday, July 9, at 8:30 a.m.  Meet at  theTJ Maxx parking lot near Golf Road and McCormick .Boulevard.
 
Ann SearlesBruce Baumberger’s wife, Nancy, passed away earlier this week.  Many of our members knew her as a kind person that was easy to know and had a rich life.  Information about her funeral or memorial service will be announced soon.  Our condolences go out to Bruce and his family.   
 
Linda Gerber – She paid tribute to a project funded by our International Service Committee with our sister club in Vcaljeho, Mexico City, and their Interact club.   This was an eyeglasses program that was delayed from last year due to the pandemic.  Linda showed slides of the successful program that provided eye exams for 621 children. Some 341 were fitted with glasses, including 153 girls. 
 
Helen Oloroso – The end of the Rotary year is coming and there is still time to contribute to the Rotary Foundation. Our club has exceeded the goal of $19,000 and has contributed $22,080 so far.  Our total giving, including all programs, is $37,080.
 
Susanne Gibson – Announced that her Rotary Barrington Breakfast Club is having a 50/50 raffle.  There are a total of 400 tickets at $100 each being sold. A ticket can be bought on their website. She noted, also, that there are nine days left to join the Polio Plus Society.  This is a pledge to give $100 each year to the End Polio program until polio is officially eradicated.
 
Katherine Peterson - Announced that Club Service looks forward to welcoming registered members and their guests to the 2022-23 officer and Board installation event this Sunday, June 26, at 5:30 pm.  Food will be provided by Hecky’s and dessert by C&W’s new ice cream truck.  Please be reminded to bring outdoor seating, and a beverage and cup; everything else will be provided.  She reminded us that alcoholic beverages are not permitted at City of Evanston parks.
 
Bryant Wallace – The Chessman Club is sponsoring a golf outing on July 11.  Our Club is sponsoring a hole.
 
Kassandre McGovern – The Fourth of July parade is coming together.  Kassandre needs a few things, however:
  • A tow vehicle for the U Haul trailer that will carry the flag stand.  This is a small trailer and if anyone has a vehicle equipped to tow a trailer of any sort and is willing to drive in the parade, let us know as soon as possible. 
  • If no one has a tow vehicle, we have reserved a U Haul pickup truck.  We will need a driver for this.  If anyone wants to volunteer, also let us know
  • We need someone to get the flags from our storage locker, bring them to the parade site, and then return them to the locker after the parade.  Anyone with a hatchback or SUV can do this.  
  • Information on the location of the assembly place will be made available as soon as we get it, but it should be near the intersection of Central Street and Central Park Avenue.
Program
 
TopicSponges and Foams for Pollution Remediation
 
Speaker: Dr. Vinayak Dravid
 
Dr. Dravid is Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Founding Director, Northwestern University Atomic and Nanoscale Characterization.
 
The environment is something everybody cares about, but nobody wants to do anything about. Particularly, many of these issues are in marginalized communities and the areas and regions of the world with limited means. So affordable ways to remediate environmental pollution are one of the holy grails of pollution remediation.
 
Dr. Dravid and his team have developed a technology to reuse discarded sponge material, both polyurethane (packaging material) and celluloid (household sponges) to manage oil spills and other water contaminants.  This technology is based on a nanotechnology coating that covers all of the cells in the sponge material.
 
For oil spills. the treated sponge material is tossed into the spill and it absorbs the oil, but not the water.  The sponge material is retrieved and wrung out to release the oil into a container.  The sponge material is tossed into the spill again and it is a “squeeze and repeat” for up to 30 cycles.  The pilot demonstrations have been very successful and the problems associated with scaling the technology up are now in process.
 
By altering the nanotechnology, these sponges have been proven to remove phosphates from water.  This can solve a big problem of phosphate pollution around the world due to crop fertilization products runoff into waterways.   Current thinking is directed toward removing microplastics from water, which will solve another huge water pollution problem.
 
Dr. Dravid and his teams are working with other research institutions in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and the Great Lakes Consortium to move this technology forward.  We can stay up to speed on this by googling Dr. Dravid. 
 
Dr. Vinayak Dravid
 
Guests and Milestones
 
Visiting Rotarians
 
Suzanne Gibson – Barrington Breakfast Club
 
Robert Marta Rosean – Rotary Club of Winnetka/Northfield
 
Jose Lopez – Delta Waverly Rotary Club.
 
Birthday
 
Clarence Weaver
 
Club Anniversary
 
Jean Saunders – 6 years
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