Written by Patrick Hart

 

Our soon to be former president Rich Schoeneman presided over this week’s meeting, and we were blessed to have everyone’s favorite song meister, Dennis Kratohwil returning live after a long hiatus in Florida. In honor of the sixtieth anniversary of the song’s release, Dennis led us in singing Puff the Magic Dragon with great enthusiasm.  

 

After recently bragging that his final child has graduated from college, Steve Risley followed up this week by informing us that she even found a job.

 

Elliott Pinsel just finished a two week trial defending a homicide charge, and he is very relieved that it is over, even if his client is not nearly so pleased. 

 

Dennis Kratohwil proclaimed his joyful completion of 46 years of  wedded bliss, but fumbled a bit when he tried to explain the secret of a happy marriage.  I guess Dennis is one of those guys, who is most articulate when he burst into song.

 

Tom Stanczak announced that he is moving to Florida and said he has had a great time during the two years he has been with our club.  Tom is also celebrating his 31^st wedding anniversary, and while he did not seem to be able to define the secret of happy marriage either, apparently he knows it when he sees it.

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

This week we have two club members marking Rotary anniversaries, with Doug Fendon having been with us for 11 years, and Seb Karasu having clocked 18 years.

 

Our club spring highway cleanup has been rescheduled for May 14, when we will meet at 7:00 a.m. to tidy up Highway 137 between Butterfield and Milwaukee.  Contact Pat Hart if you can volunteer.

 

On May 19 Tucker Olson will be installed in the Libertyville Senior Center Hall of Fame for his outstanding service as a volunteer. He was nominated by Carol August who will be the luncheon speaker at the event.  If you would like to attend, please let Rich Schoeneman know.

 

The Rotary district conference will be held from May 20 to May 22 this year at Lake Geneva.

 

Bill Rickert is still accepting nominations for the club’s Service Above Self Award.

 

Our board has approved distributing $85,000.00 of contributions to 38 charities.

 

Our Installation Dinner this year will be on June 22, and once again Tom Zengeler will be hosting us at his home.

 

On May 25 in lieu of a morning meeting, we will have an evening social event at the home of Rick Mittelman.

 

This week the club honored Ron Lapins and Tom Stanczak, for the fantastic, tough but fair, and compassionate job they have done as sergeant at arms.  The ceremony included bestowing some enviable gifts, including antique Rotary pens. upon the pair, which I am sure they will enjoy for many years to come. The event also reminded Elliott Pinsel that he needs a sergeant at arms for next year.  So please contact our president elect if you are available.

 

Steve Risley chaired our Fun & Frolics this week and presented us with a list of rules that guys wished that girls knew. Such as “Foreign films are best left to foreigners,” and “If Columbus did not need directions, we don’t either.”   

 

Our speaker this week was Howard Jaffe who sought to expand our knowledge of the Rotary Foundation. Howard started with a little back ground on Rotary, pointing out that Rotary was founded in 1905 in Chicago, and it has now grown to 47,000 clubs in 195 countries.  The largest Rotary club is in Oklahoma City, which has more than 600 active members.

 

The Rotary Foundation was established in 1917 and by now it has distributed over $4,300.000,000.00, including $383,000,000.00 of gifts made during this last year. The organization distributes over 94% of contributions to actual charities.  One way it maintains this level is by waiting for three years to distribute funds it receives.  In the meantime the investment income earned on the money is applied toward the foundation’s overhead.  Currently the organization is holding approximately one billion dollars in assets. 

 

One major project of the foundation is the eradication of polio worldwide. This drive actually started in 1979 when a U.S. club wanted to eliminate polio in the Philippines.  It picked up a lot of interest quickly though, and in 1985 it expanded its target to the global elimination of polio. To date the program has vaccinated over three billion children.

 

Rotary Foundation has given over $10,000,000.00 to Ukraine disaster relief this year. Other projects include global grants, group study exchange programs, scholarships, and sponsorship of exchange students.

 

One way to support the foundation is to become a Paul Harris Fellow.  Our club currently has 24 Paul Harris Fellows and 10 major donors.

 

   

This week Steve Risley won $29.00 in our weekly drawing, while Diana Servos failed to pull the ace of spades out of 40 cards and thus caused the $424.00 progressive pot to roll over one more time.

 

Greeter and Prayer:  David Ritland

 

Fun and Frolics:  David Ritland

 

QUOTE FOR THE DAY: