President Linda Gerber called the meeting to order at 7:30 a.m. on the dot with the ringing of the bell.

 

Kathy Tate Bradish read “Why We Are Rotarians,” followed by the thoughts for the day, in celebration of International Women’s Day, March 8, 2022.

 

Wangarĩ Maathai  (1 April 1940 – 25 September 2011) was a Kenyan social, environmental, and political activist and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

 

"In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher moral ground. A time when we have to shed our fear and give hope to each other. That time is now." – her 2004 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech.

 

“We tend to put the environment last because we think the first thing we have to do is eliminate poverty. But you can't reduce poverty in a vacuum. You are doing it in an environment.”

 

“Sometimes I tell myself, I may only be planting a tree here, but just imagine what's happening if there are billions of people out there doing something. Just imagine the power of what we can do."

 

Announcements 

 

Kristin Brown - Edwin Velarde, my friend and fellow Cycling to Serve Rotarian, has biked to the last several in-person conventions to raise awareness about diabetes. He rode from Busan to Seoul, Chicago to Atlanta, Evanston to Toronto, and London to Hamburg. 

 

On Saturday, May 21, he will leave from One Rotary Center (ORC) to ride to the 2022 Rotary Convention in Houston.  Cyclists are invited to join him for a “kickoff” ride from ORC to Hyde Park (ish) to send him on his way. Those who don’t want to ride but want to support the effort are invited to the kickoff rally at ORC Saturday morning. Time to be announced closer to the date.

 

Linda Gerber - There is no club meeting on March 15.

 

Rebeca Mendoza – Asked club members to send her encouraging words of empowerment for young women, in support of the Girl’s Empowerment program.  There will be a social event on Thursday, March 31, at Koi to promote the program.  Contact Rebeca for further information.

 

 

Chris Joyce -  boasted the participants in the ETHS Civics Fair last week.  Joining Chris was Joy Joyce, Linda Gerber, Rebeca Mendosa, Willy Steinert, Steve Steiber, Kathy Tate Bradish, and Harvey Newcomb.

 

 

 

 

John is a graphic design consultant specializing in corporate communications and speaker support. He is a member of the Evanston Transit Alliance, a social group dedicated to community bike rides; visits to local businesses and attractions; and improving our regional connections.

 

Evanston has been developing bike lanes on many streets and is recognized as doing much for bike riders to make bike riding safe.  However, Evanston is also the dead-end for many of the area's regional bike paths.  There are no clear connections through Evanston to these regional bike paths including, for example, the Green Bay Trail, the Sculpture Park Trail, and the Lakefront Trail.  The regional North-South trail network goes from the Wisconsin border well into Indiana, with Evanston being a major trail gap.

 

The Evanston Climate Action and Resilience Plan has several goals, one of which is reducing auto traffic, increasing trips made by walking, bicycling and mass transit.  If we could connect the various bike trails through Evanston, we could gain safe transfer for students, families, and commuters.  We'd be able to facilitate recreation and tourism which would be good for the city.

 

The Evanston Transit Alliance works in Evanston to connect the regional trails and become the biking crossroads of the North Shore.  John showed several posters used to promote this idea.  He also showed several proposals, all of which are difficult to attain and some unlikely to happen but, nonetheless, worthwhile. There may be an opportunity opening up, employing an unused rail track on the UP line next to the tracks used by Metra.  Another idea is putting a bike path along the North Shore Channel.

 

 

 

Basil Lewis – UK Rotarian 

 

 

 

 

March 8 Vai Ravikumar

 

March 13 Joan Borg

 

 

Dale Bradley – 15 Years

 

 

Joan Borg – Congratulations!!