Presiding was President Chris Joyce, who began the meeting with Why We Are Rotarians. 

 

The Thought for the Day was presented by Ann Searles, from Rotary founder Paul Harris:

 

“I have no hesitation in saying that world peace could be achieved and made permanent if reared on Rotary's firm foundation of friendliness, tolerance, and usefulness.”  1940 RI convention, Havana, Cuba

 

“Friendship was the foundation rock on which Rotary was built and tolerance is the element which holds it together. There is enough atomic energy in every Rotary club to blow it into a thousand bits were it not for the spirit of tolerance.” My Road to Rotary by Paul Harris

 

“Smiles are badges of friendliness. There are plenty of them within you. Do not hold them captive. Set them free at right times and places and their beneficent effects will carry to the very gate of eternity.” “The Rotarian,” February 1934

 

 

Chris Joyce announced activities this week in the Rotary World:

 

There is no limit to vocational scholarships from a single club.   We want to give out every one of our 15 available vocational scholarships for the 2021-22 school year. So, the limitation on submissions from an individual club (two, in the past) is SUSPENDED for this award period. Need information on the District’s Vocational Scholarship Program, or on how to identify candidates in your community? Contact Chair Margaret Resnick.   Application deadline is April 9!

 

RI President Holger Knaack and Trustees of the Rotary Foundation Chair K. R. Ravindrani have made a three-minute video encouraging Rotary members to support vaccination against COVID-19. Could be good for a future club meeting.

 

Katherine Peterson announced that Club Service is offering a Flash Walk tomorrow, Wednesday, March 31, at 4 p.m., departing promptly at 4:10 p.m. and returning at 5 p.m. from the parking lot of the Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd. in Evanston.  All are welcome.

 

Steve Goranson announced that as part of Earth Week, our Club is hosting a cleanup of Evanston Lighthouse Beach at 2611 Sheridan Rd, (Central & Sheridan) on Saturday, April 24, from 10 a.m. to noon.  This beach cleanup is part of the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Adopt-a-Beach program, where every year, about 15,000 volunteers participate in cleanups across all five Great Lakes. 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.

 

Steve Goranson has registered as the Team Leader and sent out a request to Club members to sign up on line for the cleanup of Evanston Lighthouse Beach. Thus far, 12 members have signed up.  Members’ children as well as Interactors and Rotaractors are welcome to sign up also. 

 

Steve will need some volunteers to set up tables, distribute gloves and bags, assign areas on the beach for each participant, etc.  Covid-19 safety protocols will include following social distancing, wearing face masks, wearing gloves, washing hands, and other Adopt-a-Beach protocols.  

 

Steve will send out another email asking for volunteers for assignments and will also issue the safety guidelines for the cleanup.

 

Bill Glader announced from the Taste of Evanston’s most recent meeting that they have sorted out many of the different jobs needed to be filled. There are still some jobs remaining, so reach out to Bill to volunteer for a role.  It seems many people will be on vacation at this time, so TOE may push the date out so members will not miss the event.  Stay tuned for details.

 

Kathy Tate-Bradish announced that yesterday was the first day of the first of four workshops that the ABCs of Sex Education committed to with our partner club in Kenya.  We are training local Kenyans to teach HIV prevention and early pregnancy prevention in their own communities.  Kathy shared photos of the exciting progress after years of preparation, introducing many of the Kenyan staff and new hires that are all making the work possible.  Kathy thanks the club for funds received through the International Service Committee with much excitement and enthusiasm for this long-awaited launch.

 

Ann Searles announced that she found some photos which she shared of the late Chuck Remen who was a past president of the club and No. 1 seller of the Holiday Sale back in the day.  She added that there is a bench in front of RI honoring him, along with a picture from the commemoration.

 

 

Nick Powers facilitated Roasts & Boasts as follows:

 

Kathy Tate-Bradish boasted Yves Lassere for being in constant daily meetings for ABCs of Sex Education in different time zones, and Gary Peterson for being the finance guy.

 

Neil Gambow boasted Rotarians Bruce Baumberger, Sue Bova, Miguel Hernandez, Zbig Skiba, Bryant Wallace, Kristin Brown, Charlotta Koppanyi and prospective Rotarian Evan Girard for serving as volunteers for the ETHS Career Options Night on March 17.  Neil roasted himself for leaving Zbig Skiba off the list by accident.

 

Linda Gerber thanked club members who delivered meals for Nakorn Kitchen, including Kristin Brown,  Evan Girard, and Ann Weatherhead. 

 

 

Louis Allred was recognized as a major donor Paul Harris Award recipient. 

 

 

 

 

Daniel Humphries has been in the Seafood Department of  Sunset Foods for 33 years. He is currently responsible for all the procurement, pricing, and promotion in the Meat and Seafood departments.

 

Dan described many issues preparing for Covid through the company’s tradition of customer service.  There was much hoarding that created problems in supply and demand that necessitated using many suppliers to satisfy single orders at times.  This was a problem that lasted about six weeks.  During Passover, most customers weren’t having large gatherings that call for large cuts of meat like brisket.  They were having small events and the store offered smaller cuts of meat, so they had to pivot to meet those needs. 

 

Sunset has 900 employees and did not penalize those who wished to stay at home.  The store hired a cleaning service that fumigated and sanitized after hours.  They also used a sanitizing /disinfecting light and more intense cleaning when they learned an employee became ill with Covid, although the store never shut down.   Sunset is beginning to see more customers, though employees are continually vigilant to safety issues, and continue taking extra steps beyond what is required by law.  Challenges have occurred when customers unknowingly violated safety protocols, but the store adheres to the high quality customer service that Sunset was founded on.

 

With the seafood service, Sunset did see shortages; however, the buyers were able to use the benefit of many suppliers.  Sunset has been constantly on the defense and will continue to be on the defense using reputable buyers, keeping the safety of shoppers in mind, as well as the overall shopping experience. 

 

Sunset seafood is sustainably sourced, investigated thoroughly through on-site visits by store officials.  The label will indicate things like color added, or antibiotics used. Farmed fish is not all farmed the same. Norway does not use antibiotics or other undesirable additives. The fish food is thoroughly tested for safety and absence of heavy metals or other unwanted substances.   Scottish salmon is organically farmed, but they cannot label it that way due to the US labeling requirements. Currently the store is checking out a Wisconsin farm that is growing microgreens hydroponically with fish living in the hydroponic water, providing waste that fertilizes the greens. 

 

Dan further explained that Miller Amish, a family farm operation in Goshen, Ind., was the store’s main chicken supplier that is naturally grown and free range.  The Amish family members stand by when Sunset does their site visits and makes regularly scheduled pick-ups.

 

The process of growing a natural chicken only takes eight weeks, and the on-site visits by Sunset Foods ensures that there is a high-quality chicken product sold at the store.  The chickens are allowed to move freely and are protected inside at night from predators. Miller Amish uses a high-quality feed, with no antibiotics or growth hormones. Sunset Foods sends a truck three times a week to Indiana to pick up fresh chicken, which allows the store to proudly say it’s local. 

 

 

 

Dan Humphries, Director of Meat and Seafood at Sunset Foods

 

 

Dave Simmons, March 31

 

Helen Oloroso, April 2

 

Ann Weatherhead, April 4

 

 

Louis Allred, April 1, 30 years.

 

Bruce Baumberger, April 1, 35 years.