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Upcoming Events
Rebuilding Together
Contact Don Gwinn
Apr 30, 2022
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
 
Club Service Committee - Zoom
Zoom
May 11, 2022
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
 
International Service Committee (ISC)
May 23, 2022
7:15 AM – 8:30 AM
 
Community Service Committee Grantee Presentations
Virtual (Zoom) and in-person (?)
May 24, 2022
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
 
A Site of Struggle
Block Museum - Northwestern University
May 27, 2022
5:00 PM – 6:15 PM
 
Club Service Committee - Zoom
Zoom
Jun 08, 2022
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
 
View entire list
The Light for April 26, 2022
 
The Light for April 26, 2022
 
By Katherine Peterson
 
Presiding was President Linda Gerber, who welcomed club members to the 42nd meeting of the 2021-2022 Rotary year. Stephen Goranson recited Why We Are Rotarians and Thought(s) for the Day:
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away!”  Shakespeare.
“What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.” Aristotle.
“Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.” – Sherry Anderson.
“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.”  – Oscar Wilde.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill.
“If you want to touch the past, touch a rock.  If you want to touch the present, touch a flower.  If you want to touch the future, touch a life.” – Author Unknown.
 
Announcements
 
Chris Joyce announced that Hillary Hufford Tucker agreed to become the Chairperson for Public Image for 2022-23.  A vote was taken at today’s club meeting, which approved Hillary’s nomination.
 
Stephen Goranson announced that as part of the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Adopt-a-Beach™ program, our Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club hosted a cleanup of Evanston Lighthouse Beach on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.  Our beach cleanup was opened to the public and volunteers from Evanston schools participated. About 15,000 volunteers participate in these cleanups across all five Great Lakes, including the five beaches in Evanston.  Volunteers remove tens of thousands of pounds of litter from Great Lakes shorelines. They also contribute data on what they find for researchers to use worldwide.
 
We want to thank the 33 volunteers who participated in the cleanup, including 12 Club Rotarians, especially Nick Powers, who helped registering volunteers and distributed gloves and bags.  Safety protocols were followed, such as wearing gloves, washing hands, and other Adopt-a-Beach protocols. 
 
A total of six pounds of trash could be put into the recycling bin out of 27 total pounds.  Most of the 648 pieces were tiny trash (49 foam, 49 food wrappers, and 263 plastic pieces) were picked up.  Although we didn’t have a huge volume of trash, the exercise of picking up the tiny, tiny pieces of foam and plastics really underscored two things: (1) cleanup efforts, while so well intentioned, cannot begin to get rid of the foam and plastics that pollute our waterways and (2) that we have to advocate with all the energy we have to stop producing and using items made from hydrocarbons that do not ever really go away.  Participants included Bruce Baumberger, Kristin Brown, Hillary Hufford-Tucker, Chris Joyce, Joy Joyce, Charlotta Koppanyi, Jose Lopez, Harvey Newcomb III, Katherine Peterson, Nick Powers, Kathy Tate-Bradish, and Kristin Brown.
 
Brien Johnson announced that The Wilmette Rotary Club (WRC) is hosting Hope Walk for the Homeless. Other area Rotary clubs, including EVLRC, have agreed to help promote this event. The Walk-a-thon portion of the event takes place from May 5 - May 14, with a separate 5K fun Run/Walk on May 14.
 
The proceeds from this fundraiser will go to support organizations that provide services to the homeless. Connections for the Homeless and LaCasa Norte are two of the organizations that WRC supports. WRC will split the total proceeds from the fundraiser among the participating Rotary Clubs, based on participation and dollars raised.  The more participants that are referred by our club, the larger the gain for our club's homeless relief efforts.
 
When registering online at the link below, each participant will be asked to identify the Rotary Club that referred them. Please remember to indicate EVLRC. In this way, our club's participation can be tracked.  At the 5K event on May 14, walk-ins will also be asked to identify the club that referred them.https://secure.givelively.org/event/wilmette-rotary-club-foundation/rotary-hope-walk-for-the-homeless/rotary-hope-walk-for-the-homeless
 
The co-promoting clubs have been asked to participate in the following ways:  Assign someone to be the liaison with WRC.  That person (Brien Johnson) will communicate the specifics of the event at each club meeting in April.  Try to get 50 paid registrations for the event (for either Walk-a-thon or 5K event). Promote the event and the names of the sponsors (with logos) somewhere on your website, newsletter and social media. Bring a banner, brochures, or other material to display at the May 14 event. Provide a few volunteers on the day of the May 14 event.  Reach out to Brien Johnson for a press release that can be used for the website, newsletter, and Facebook page.  
 
Helen Oloroso announced that the Rotary Foundation is asking for help to reach our goal of ALL of us making a contribution of ANY amount to the Annual Fund -- Share!  Currently, almost half of our members have made a contribution this year; let's make it EVERYONE! Remember -- when you contribute to the Annual Fund, your dollars will be invested for a period of three years and the investment returns will support TRF operations.  Our club benefits by being eligible to receive matching funds for our grant requests to support our service projects. Thank you for all of your support -- monetary as well as time and effort!  Visit rotary.org/donate to make a one time or recurring gift on line.
 
Katherine Peterson announced that Club Service is excited to be welcoming members back to in-person meetings that will also be on hybrid on Zoom next week, Tuesday, May 3, Third Floor, Rotary International. We’re doing all we can to keep members safe, and arrange in-person events that everyone will enjoy and look forward to. You’ll soon be receiving communication with an on-line portal to validate vaccine status for our in-person meetings at Rotary International. The RI cafeteria, Eurest, is running, and we will be offering coffee service and light refreshment for the first meeting or two.  When we get a sense of the number of participants, we expect to move back to a full breakfast model.  Please look for the notice that will be coming shortly asking if you wish to have coffee / hot beverage service.  Please work with us as we manage the details of reuniting in person.  Club Service members look forward to welcoming you to the first hybrid meeting and will be standing by next week. 
 
Program
 
Topic: Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)
 
Speakers: RYLA Participants
 
Chris Joyce introduced the RYLA students, stating that he was happy and very honored to be a part of RYLA.  He thanked Katie Petzer of Beacon Academy, Dave Finkel, ETHS Technology Club / Teacher, and Diane Balitaan, Community Service Counselor at ETHS, for their support of a successful RYLA 2022.  The following students participated in RYLA:  Laib Zemel, Michael Burrell, Michael Odulukwe, Daisy Frazier, Maria Gomez, Ava Moseley, Celister “Tre” Wright, and Oliver Roothan.  Together they answered many questions posed by Chris Joyce, Marv Edelstein, and others.
 
Chris welcomed the RYLA students and asked what specific “take away” did students get from RYLA camp?  Laib shared that he learned from a RYLA presentation that “the cards are stacked against us” and we need to push against our limits in order to do our absolute best to push past those limits, and to make the things you want happen.  Maria said, she didn’t need to wait for the future, she could make changes in the present, not wait to “grow up,” she could start now. 
 
Chris stated that attendees often comment that “RYLA is a life changing experience.” How would you respond to that, and was there any particular activity that challenged you? Daisy responded that she was often the person who took the lead, she learned to figure out how to work with other people who were also leaders, be open to other ideas, and work together, rather than doing all the leading herself. 
 
Ava totally agreed with Daisy.  She stated that there could be six people sharing all their ideas at once. It was too much, but she learned to play a supporting role, rather than take the lead.  She concluded that she could now take a step back and play a supporting role.  She could help her group by combining more ideas into one.
 
Chris commented that team building is a very important part of RYLA and was experienced in a number of ways at the event.  Can you describe one activity that simulated real life team building? Daisy said that they had a team building experience on a thin block of wood and needed to change positions.  It was the most fun because everyone had different ideas. 
 
Some students had interesting ideas to consider and they had to trust each other, because if you fell off the board, you had to start over. Michael B. said the climbing wall was 8 feet and it was difficult to figure out how to get everyone over, and to hear all the ideas and strategies.  It was a great leadership experience. 
 
Concluding comments:  Laib really appreciated the opportunity and encouraged more to join RYLA.  Chris Joyce added he wanted to get an Interact Club going as a result of this successful experience.
 
Guests and Milestones
 
Visiting Rotarians
 
Sean Nelson, Dist. 6440 RYLA Coordinator
 
Kevin Stevens, Dist. 6440 Governor
 
Mary Bak, Dist. 6440 Governor 2023-24
 
Karen Kring
 
Dave Stumpf
 
Jose Lopez
 
Other Guests
 
Ellen Zemmel, RYLA Parent
 
Adam Howard, Director of Officers and Gentlemens Academy
 
David Finkel, ETHS Technology Club Teacher
 
Birthdays
 
Michael Merdinger, April 26
 
Horton Kellogg, April 28
 
Club Anniversary
 
Ann Searles, 29 years, joined on May 1, 1993
 
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