BULLETIN – April 16, 2025

By Tim Dempsey

 

Jon Robb rang the bell, Robin O’Connor gave the Pledge, and Greeter Bill Taranowski led us in prayer. The song today was Happy Birthday to Sheb Karasu who doesn’t look a day over 39!

 

-Highway cleanup is on Saturday at 7 am at Sunset Foods. Cleanup Chair John McDonald reminded us that Libertyville is our house, and we need to keep it clean.

-The Beacon Place service project last Saturday was a success. Patricia Bleck told us “They would love us to come back”.

-Scott Hezner announced 2 new scholarships for trade schools for LHS students. We had 4 applicants, and the district awarded 2 scholarships. These are for alternate paths in post high school study.

-We have a new website, and all are encouraged to view it.

-April 30^th is the 5^th Wednesday of the month so there will be no morning meeting. We will meet at Nirvana in Vernon Hills at 5 pm. Please advise Jon Robb if you plan to attend.

-There will be a breakfast at LHS tomorrow where we will award 7 scholarships.

-Jeff Harger told us that the Club has achieved Platinum status with donations to Shelter Box.

 

Sheb Karasu gave us a birthday quiz on her birthday!

 

-Bill Taranowski’s son received an architecture internship.

 

Today’s program was Matt Gordon and Bob Bachochin from Life Sport Libertyville talking about pickleball. Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island Washington by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum. The name comes from how the game was thrown together like the pickle boat in crew races. It is the fastest growing sport in the US. In 2003 there were 150 courts in the US and in 2024 that number was 24,000. The sport has grown by 311% in the last 3 years. Pickleball is a paddle sport that is a combination of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. 

There are 880 manufacturers of paddles. The ball is like a wiffle ball. The indoor ball has 26 holes, and the outdoor ball has 40 holes. There are finesse players and power players. Covid helped the growth of pickleball. In 2018 there were 3.5 million players and 19 million in 2023. By 2028 the number is expected to grow to 50 million. Life Sport has 3 locations in Libertyville, Lincolnshire and Vernon Hills. A popular paddle is the Gearbox and can be purchased at Pickleball Warehouse.

 

-Daily: $19 won by Jon Robb.

-Progressive: $630 (30 cards). Kim Smith drew the 9 of Clubs. ROLLOVER!

 

-Greeter & Prayer: Tim Dempsey

-Fun & Frolics: Jim Laverdiere

-Program: No Program.

 

The Rotary Foundation Cadre of Technical Advisors gives expertise and advice to those applying for grants. 

 

Tucker Olson led us in the Four Way Test.

 

“If you want your dreams to come true, don’t oversleep” Anonymous