Libertyville Sunrise Rotary Bulletin November 29, 2023

 

Written by Patrick Hart

 

President Babjak led the meeting this week and we opened with a prayer, a pledge, and singing “Over the River and Through the Woods” the obvious prime choice for a melody at this time of year.

 

Pete Govorchin joined us for breakfast this week.

 

Tucker Olson expressed his delight that he did not have to host Thanksgiving this year.

Tom Miller bragged about Cary Grove High School’s football victory.

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

We will be participating in the Salvation Army bell ringing this Saturday, December 2.

 

Next week we will have no morning meeting.  Instead we will hold our holiday party this year at Mickey Finns on the evening of  THURSDAY December 7 at 6:00 p.m.   Feliz Navidad

 

Elliot Pinsel will have a bus to pick up his holiday ornaments at our party at Mickey Finns on the evening of December 7.

 

For our upcoming fundraiser we need additional sponsors and silent auction items.  Also we hope to be launching the fundraiser website before Christmas.

 

The food pantry with our help supplied 25 Thanksgiving dinner baskets this year, and they are looking for our help in providing Christmas baskets.

 

Elliott Pinsel said we received a thank you card for our donation to BraveHearts.

 

The Libertyville Sunrise Rotary Club was rated number 3 in the district last year for per capita giving.

 

Stever Risley has a bunch of tubs left over from when we used to do the beer and wine festival along with some other Rotary paraphernalia, which he would like to get rid of, so he can have his garage back.

 

Elliott  Pinsel asked trivia questions about sports and music.

 

Our speaker this week was Ann Marie Mathis, Founder & CEO, of "Keeping Families Covered."

Keeping Families Covered is a charitable organization whose biggest contribution to society is providing diapers to low income families.  They also distribute some pads, tampons, infant formula, clothing and shoes.

 

Ann Marie started this mission in 2010 out of her basement, and it has now grown to supplying 150,000 diapers a month.  It operates out of buildings in Waukegan and McHenry, and it has eight paid staff members along with lots of volunteers. 

 

A healthy baby requires approximately 50 diapers a week, which costs $70.00 or $80.00 a month, and there are many families that cannot afford this expense. A child without diapers can obviously lead to health problems, but it can also produce a blow to family income.  Day care centers will not normally take infants without an adequate supply of diapers, which can prevent parents from going to work.

 

The people whom Keep Families Covered helps have to register with the organization for regular service, and once they sign up they are able to pick up diapers twice a month.

 

 

Bill Taranowski was reprimanded for showing up late as greeter, while John McDonald was chastised for not signing in this week.  Bill just paid money, but John agreed to manage the next highway cleanup, which I am sure will be an inspiring event under his leadership.

 

This was one of our big weeks for the raffle when Elliott Pinsel pulled the Ace of Spades to take home the $773.00 in the big pot.   Meanwhile Mary Cole won the $32 weekly prize and donated it toward the Christmas baskets which the food pantry is distributing.

 

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant."  Robert Louis Stevenson