December 1, 2016

 
The speakers at our December 1, 2016 lunch gathering were the Directors of our club's five Avenues of Service - Maggie Albertson for Vocational Service, Sue Duchek for Community Service, Mary Jablonski for Youth Service, Ron Crawford for International Service, and Neil Scheufler for Club Service/Administration.
 
The Avenues of International, Community, Vocational and Youth Services all involve the activities by which club and its members serve the outside world, and are all funded by our club fundraisers such as the Santa Run and Duffer golf outing.  The Avenue of Club Service/Administration involves the activities and events that the club establishes for its members. 
 
Sue Duchek spoke on behalf of Community Service, which supports club activities with the food pantry, holiday shopping project, Thanksgiving project, and Boy Scouts. Community Service also has approximately $20,000 in funds that will be used to fulfill grants from local applicants.
 
Maggie Albertson spoke on behalf of Vocational Service, of which one of the primary goals is to support the District 6440 vocational scholarship to be awarded to a qualified applicant to enter vocational school or obtain an associates degree or certificate.  The applicants are typically veterans, mothers reentering the workforce, for those involved in a change of career.  District 6440 will award approximately 16 such scholarships of $1500 each, and our club intends to submit two of those applicants.  If either of our applicants does not receive the district vocational scholarship, our club has a $3000 budget to award our own scholarship to those applicants.  Vocational Service also supports the literacy program at District 214 that was led by Mike Field for many years.
 
Ron Crawford spoke on behalf of International Service.  Our club continues to support the Ak Tenamit school in Guatemala and recently gave the school $2000 for much-needed new beds.  International Service is also focusing on sustainability projects including a potential micro finance project.  Through International Service, the club also recently purchased two shelter boxes which are to be deployed in 2017.
 
Mary Jablonski spoke on behalf of Youth Services, which is primarily much focused on development of our club's relationship with the Interact Club at Rolling Meadows High School.  Our club is also looking to start a new Interact Club at Prospect High School and Kerry Pearson and his son David have been active actively involved in that venture.  Youth Services is also looking to increase local high school student involvement at the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy, supports the E-scribe program which helps establish a penpal relationship between students at Rolling Meadows High School and Ak Tenamit students, and also runs the George Harris Book Scholar program.
 
Neil Scheufler spoke on behalf of Club Service/Administration, which is primarily focused on our club website, club communication with its members, club event signups, and lunch duty assignments. Club Service also runs all of the internal club events such as the holiday party, steak fry, Valentine's Day event and the Spring Fling.
 
Thanks to Sue, Maggie, Ron and Mary for your service to our Rotary Club and its mission.