The meeting was attended by 26 members. President Marie called it to order at 12:15; Joe Nash gave the “thought of the day” dealing with the importance of being grateful; he also led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Guests of the day were Laura Cunningham (Charlotte Marco guest) and Anne Scallen (Greg Nelson guest).
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Birthday celebration for Felicia O’Malley and the song was sung at her request.
- It was also announced that the first Rotary meeting was held 115 years ago (2/23/1905) with 4 members present—Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, Hiram Shorey and Paul Harris. They met in Loehr’s office which was Room 711 in the Unity Building in downtown Chicago. For those interested in Rotarian history Google ‘The First Four Rotarians’.
- Marie reminded members of Rik Borjesson’s project to furnish school supplies to a local school in Pinchollo, a remote village in the Andes. Members were encouraged to donate school supplies or at least $10 which can buy essential supplies for one student.
- Marie announced that RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program) will be having a golf benefit on May 22.
- Joe Nash reminded members of the 3rd Annual Benefit Concert supporting Kids Against Hunger to be held on February 27th from 7:30 to 10:30 at Little Ricky’s. The program’s volunteers pack 100,000 nutritious meals for starving children in Nicaragua.
- David Grant announced the Counseling Center’s annual benefit on March 6th from 6:30 to 9:30 at the Chicago Botanic Garden where there will be access to the Exotic South Seas Orchid Exhibit and will feature live entertainment by the Northern Trust Exceptions Band. David said that he would donate $100 for every one of our Rotary Club members who attends. He said that Connie Berman and Liz Taylor and their employers are very involved in supporting this benefit. More info and tickets are online at: https://www.ccns.org/benefit.html
- Barb Tubekis announced her Volunteer Center’s annual recognition event on March 4th which will celebrate the organization’s 60th anniversary—admission is $75 per individual. Chuck Norton reminded everyone of our Club’s annual Foundation fundraiser on May 15th at the Kenilworth Club.
HAPPY BUCKS: New Trier representative Melissa Duffy gave in honor of the two New Trier high school students who were selected to be part of Rotary’s RYLA program this year. They are expected to speak at one of our meetings within a few months after they attend the program to report on their RYLA experiences. Liz Taylor gave HB for having Kim Gore be our today’s speaker since Liz knew Kim’s father quite well.
DIG N GRIN: Greg Nelson gave an example of when it doesn’t really matter what color your pet rabbit is!!!
SPEAKER: KIM GORE—OWNER AND INSTRUCTOR OF HARD CORE PILATES IN HIGHLAND PARK. Kim explained that she has been active in the Pilates business ever since she hurt herself in 1998 when she was a ballet dancer for the San Francisco Ballet Company . She has ended up being one of the premier Pilates instructors in Chicago having run Pilates programs at the East Bank and the Equinox Clubs in town before opening her own facility in Highland Park. Another testimonial of Kim’s effectiveness with her Pilates instruction is from our own President Marie who realized a couple of years ago that she was 2 inches shorter than when she was in her glory days on the roller derby circuit! She has been one of Kim’s Pilates students for the last couple of years doing rehab work on her elbows and knees and during that time she has regained about an inch of her lost height. She’s not planning on continuing this spurt forever, but she knows that she no longer has neck or back issues and that her newfound spine health can be thanked for that.
Joseph Pilates would be pleased with Marie’s experience with Pilates. He was a German who developed the Pilates program when he was interred in England during WWI. He developed the program to help wounded soldiers recover from their injuries and the only equipment he had for the program was what he was able to salvage from bed frames and springs. He migrated to the U.S. in 1925 and started the Pilates business in New York catering to ballet dancers and elite athletes who were suffering serious injuries from their vocations. His motto was “you are only as young as your spine is flexible”. The philosophy of Kim’s operation is to focus on working the entire body while concentrating on core and spinal health; balancing muscle structure in the body using Pilates and other small equipment which can help protect against injury; and Pilates can be used for rehabilitation, stretching and muscle strength. The benefits are the system tones, strengthens, and elongates muscles; increases balance and coordination; develops a strong core/center; creates a strong and healthy spine; spinal and pelvic alignment; increases flexibility; and improves circulation.
The instruction is usually done in group classes with 1 instructor and 4 or 5 students working out for around 55 minutes. The exercises are slow and thoughtful with no quick movement. Most students attend class once a week, but they are encouraged to work on assigned exercises at home.
Joseph Pilates was quoted as saying “in 10 sessions you will feel the difference, in 20 you will see the difference and in 30 you will have a whole new body”—although Kim said that there is no “money back” guarantee!
The Ace of Hearts was not drawn and the meeting ended on time.