President Helen Oloroso welcomed more than 40 members and DG Suzanne Gibson to the first virtual meeting of the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club. Before the recitation of our Pledge, Tech Committee Chair and Zoom “host” Marv Edelstein suggested some protocols for our virtual meeting:

 

You can generally expect to use the Zoom link provided for this meeting for future Tuesday morning meetings.  (If you receive an invitation just before a meeting, however, please use that more current information.)

 

When you’re connected, others will see you live (possibly wearing your robe, as Chuck Bartling noted).  You may turn off video when joining the meeting, but please make sure that a recognizable name is displayed so that others will know you are attending.   A ribbon running across the bottom of the screen contains a Participants tab, which provides the number and an alphabetized list of attendees.  If you hover your cursor over your display name, there are options to mute/unmute and rename (change your display name to one that is familiar to fellow Rotarians).

 

To prevent everyone talking at once and control background noise, please MUTE yourself when joining the meeting.  You can UNMUTE yourself any time that you need to talk.  Remembering to MUTE and UNMUTE yourself, as needed, will greatly improve the flow of our meetings.   During those times when all Club members would normally recite/sing together -- Why We Are Rotarians Pledge, Happy Birthday or The 4-Way Test -- only a designated speaker (Helen – Pledge, 4-way Test, Harold – Happy Birthday) will talk/sing.   Please keep your setting on MUTE to avoid a cacophony of voices and computer static.  You can certainly talk/sing in the privacy of your home! 

 

For Roasts & Boasts or Announcements, when you’d like to talk, please alert the Host/Marv.  You can do this in several ways.  If you press CHAT (another button on the ribbon at the bottom of your screen) you will then have the option to type a message to Everyone, to the Host/Marv, or anyone else.   (For example, To Marv, “I would like to make a boast.”)  You can also RAISE YOUR HAND.  At the bottom of the Participants List on the right side of your screen is a button to RAISE YOUR HAND.   This alerts the host that you would like to speak.  After you’ve been acknowledged, you can LOWER YOUR HAND.

 

Marv and Helen thanked the group for embracing technology.  While it may seem a bit confusing at first, use of MUTE, UNMUTE, CHAT & RAISE YOUR HAND will become second nature – and will lead to more productive and enjoyable meetings.

 

 

District Governor Suzanne Gibson began her remarks with kudos to the ELRC for the All Club Zoom Training offered last week.  Today’s attendance by more than 40 connected members illustrates the effectiveness of their efforts.  Marv, Bruce and the entire Tech Committee deserve credit for positioning us to hold impactful meetings while maintaining social distance.  Rich Lalley is taking this initiative to other clubs in the District, many of whom are trying ZOOM for the first time.  To ensure that all District 6440 clubs have the same nuanced tool, the District is offering funding for a Zoom Pro account to each Club.   The District is committed to clubs being connected!  The options are endless – virtual cocktail parties, dinner parties, pajama parties, etc.    During the coming week, the District will be hosting virtual meetings for incoming Presidents and President-Elects to ensure that they are comfortable with the tools available to them.  Suzanne encouraged our club to add to her list of best practices, suggestions and good ideas.   Her shared suggestions include a Club-wide phone tree (allowing members to quickly and easily check on each other), blood drives (meeting distancing requirements), donations to local Food Banks (whose buying power leverages the impact of individual donations) and retooling Little Libraries to be Mini-Food Pantries.  In conclusion, Suzanne encouraged the ELRC to stay connected and stay well. 

 

Helen noted that former member John Osterlund, a past ELRC President and Rotary leader, is seeking to rejoin the Club.   Secretary Linc Janus shared John’s membership information recently and it’s hoped that we can welcome him back to the club as early as next week. 

 

International Service Chair Linda Gerber reported on her Committee’s well-attended Zoom meeting yesterday. A group of ISC ‘regulars’, plus Patrick Mbullo (from Kenya) and new member Dil Eshete, reviewed a Global Grant (Area of Focus: Peace) to Train Advocates in Kathmandu, Nepal, Advancing Women’s Rights and Ending Violence Against Women.  Using a “train the trainers” model, the project will deliver 5-days of intensive training to 25 Nepali leaders, hoping to prevent and redress violence against women. The Committee approved a donation of $1,500 to this $122,000 effort.  The Committee also viewed slides capturing the 11-day construction of an eco-home for Mexican earthquake victims to which our Club contributed (coordinated by the Rotary Club of Vallejo, Mexico City).  Utilizing recycled and found objects (ecobricks, glass bottles, trash bags, scrap tires and tetrapak containers) and the labor of 180 volunteers (including Interact, Rotaract and Rotary participants), this third eco-house is providing shelter and inspiring other area residents.  The Committee continues to work on its Retreat Action Plan and will share details shortly.   

 

Bill Glader of the Taste of Evanston (TOE) Committee reported that his group also met last week via Zoom.   While it looks unlikely that the TOE will take place on July 12^th as scheduled, the Committee is exploring different options for a virtual or postponed event. TOE Committee members are encouraged to complete a survey developed by Yves Lassere, prior to further discussions at a meeting later this week.  Evanston’s restaurants are suffering right now and the Committee is considering options for supporting them.  If you have ideas or input, please contact Bill or any other member of the Committee.  As Helen reminded the group, TOE sponsorships are the way we make money on the event.  It’s a sensitive time for all businesses, but please let the Committee know if you have any thoughts on potential Sponsorships.   Helen also suggested that we keep our restaurants in mind, tipping heavily for deliveries, buying gift cards (effectively, short term “loans”) even if we never use them, and considering donations to GoFundMe or restaurant staff sites.  It’s important that we support those who have been so supportive of our work!   

 

Brad Weiss explained that Golf Road Clean-up is temporarily paused due to the current “stay at home” order, but will be started again when appropriate. In the meantime, members should feel free to pick up any trash they see as they travel Golf Road.  Brad’s family will be doing the same!

 

Chris Joyce reported that the March RYLA session was cancelled and all participants were notified.  It is assumed that the April session will be cancelled as well.  Hopefully, RYLA will be back on the calendar next year.

 

Sunshine Lady Ann Searles reported that Joan Lovering is home from Alden rehab. We continue to wish her and Sam well.  Please let Ann know if there are others to be contacted with offers of special help.

 

Helen noted that Ann has been leading an informal group of past presidents who are planning the Club’s 35^th anniversary celebration. The event is currently scheduled for Tuesday, June 23 at the Northwestern University Crown Center Clock Tower.  That location is particularly flexible (re: head count, menu, cancellation, reschedule, etc.), so we will continue in “wait and see” mode. 

 

 

Please remember to RAISE YOUR HAND (at the bottom of the Participant List) or CHAT (typing a message to Marv) if you’d like to Roast or Boast at a future meeting!

 

Chris Joyce boasted his wife Joy for using her new Zoom skills to set up, train and participate in a Family Meeting and Book Club remotely.  Joy, in turn, praised the Tech Committee for training her well enough to extend those skills to new groups. 

 

Zbig Skiba wondered how his oral surgeon would protect herself during his upcoming root canal.  Good luck, Zbig!   Holly Halliday reminded Zbig that Jonah came out alright when he was “down in the mouth”.

 

Don Gwinn briefly reported that he, wife Joanna and Joan Borg were lucky to complete their Ak Tenamit, Guatemala trip before coronavirus closed down travel options.  (They did endure a Customs bottleneck at Miami, however.)   They will give a more complete report on their successful efforts at a future meeting.  Rebuilding Together at Lula’s home is currently on hold.  When things return to normal, possibly over the summer, Don will schedule additional workdays.

 

Suzanne Gibson boasted the Club, commenting that she is personally inspired by all of our activities.  Helen repaid the compliment, thanking Suzanne for her leadership and commitment.

 

Marv boasted the club for navigating this virtual meeting.  As Marv noted, obviously this club has value to all of us!  The next step is to work with committee chairs to make sure that they can run their meetings to their satisfaction.  

 

The last item on today’s agenda – Community Conversation on impact of the Covid-19 Virus – was meant to be open-ended.  Helen directed some questions to member Kerstin Alischoewski, an infectious diseases specialist, who encouraged the wearing of masks or face covers, good hand hygiene, proper coughing techniques, etc.  Dealing with nursing homes, Kerstin is currently scared and can’t count on having appropriate protective gear.  Linc Janus offered to donate some spare masks to Kerstin.  Noting that individuals and Health Boards are currently swamped, Kerstin depends upon her curated Inbox for relevant Journal articles and information.  Kerstin stressed the importance of masks for all -- to prevent spread and infection.

 

A discussion of mask sewing followed.  Don Gwinn noted that Quality Cleaners on Central Street is making (and distributing) masks.  Joy Joyce offered her sewing skills, but she needs a machine and fabric.  Kerstin explained that the Joann’s Fabrics in Norridge had mask-making kits until recently.  They will hopefully be re-stocking the needed items.  Jean Saunders is currently making masks for a family member who needs them.  Kathy Tate-Bradish has researched mask sewing patterns and will send them to anyone interested.  Helen Oloroso has a sewing machine and could participate in mask sewing if she was able to find the needed items.  No one was aware of any Vogue Fabrics mask effort.  Myra Janus commented that Vogue is currently out of elastic, but she would be happy to share from her elastic inventory. The mask sewing challenge, at present, is to find the required materials.

 

Kassandre McGovern shared some favorite Thoughts for the Day at the close of the meeting: 

 

“When we love, we always strive to be better than we are.  When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too” -- Paolo Coelho, The Alchemist

 

“Do things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you are” --- Harold Kushner

 

Helen added, “As hard as this is, Anne Frank & 7 others spent two years in an attic apartment…”

 

And Anne Weatherhead reminded the group to think of those who have no home at which to shelter.

 

Stay safe and well, Rotarians!

 

 

 

 

Suzanne Gibson – District Governor 6440

 

 

None

 

 

Bruce Baumberger – March 18

Lesley Peters – March 23

 

 

Linc Janus - 5 years, March 17

Scott Kaplan – 30 years, March 20

Siessourby Soma – 1 year, March 25

 

 

 

 

Nick Powers