Written by Patrick Hart

 

Our president Rich Schoeneman presided over this week’s meeting and opened with a pledge and a prayer. Sadly for the music lovers though there was once again no song.

 

Rick Mittelman bragged about his extended trip to Florida where he played a lot of golf.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

 

In a sad note, at the board meeting on Tuesday evening a committee was appointed to study the possible unwinding of the club because of the leadership gap.

 

Our Rotary minute this week reminded us that Rotary has grants for vocational scholarships..

 

Elliott Pinsel is celebrating 15 years in Rotary this week.

 

We received an appreciation letter from the Northern Illinois Food Bank for the effort Greg Hill led to help the agency.

 

As we continue to move forward toward our winter fundraiser on Saturday February 26, at 6:00 p.m. we have made good progress toward reaching our goal, but we need to keep pushing to bring in more auction items and sponsorships and to sell more tickets.  So far we have sold 64 tickets, received 50 auction items, and have $9,000.00 committed in sponsorships.

 

 

Danny Caldwell presented his first time ever Fun & Frolics, and made a memorable debut with a combination of wine trivial quiz, and a presentation of visual puzzles related to the Super Bowl.  I never knew that it takes 800 grapes to make an average bottle of wine or that Vatican City is the country with the highest per capita wine consumption.  When I traveled to Vatican City my tour included a buffet breakfast, with only orange juice and water to drink, but now that Danny has let me in on the facts, I will attempt to schedule my next visit for lunch or dinner time, when it sounds like they might be serving some tasty wine as well. 

 

 

 

 

Our speaker this week was David Scheffler, Executive Director of Willow House.

 

Willow House is a non-profit organization providing grief counseling. They focus particularly on children, but they also concentrate on families and schools.  This is a much needed service, with an insufficient number of providers for those who require help. In Illinois one out of 15 children will lose a parent or a sibling, before they reach the age of 18.

 

Willow House worked with 58 schools last year. The organization provides support group services in Arlington Heights, Bannockburn, Chicago and Libertyville. Most of their work is in Lake, Cook, McHenry and DuPage counties, but they also help the occasional individual who comes to them from outside this area.  All of their services are free.

 

Willow House was founded in 1998, and in 2001. the FBI requested the organization to provide support to Chicago area families grieving the death of a loved one killed on September 11th. This program continued for six years

 

 

This week we had $34.00 in the sure prize, and $91.00 in the progressive pot with 52 cards left.  Scott Hezner got the first chance to try his luck, and showing a lack of adventuresome spirit he went for the $34.00.  Bill Rickert then drew the Queen of Clubs, as he went for the big money, which meant that he lost his chance for fame and fortune, but at least he tried.

 

Greeter and Prayer:  Tim Dempsey

 

Fun and Frolics:  Howard Jaffe

 

QUOTE FOR THE DAY:

“Between two evils I always pick the one I never tried before.”   Mae West