Written by Patrick Hart

 

President Pinsel opened our meeting this week with a pledge, and Dennis Kratohwil then combined his song leader and prayer duties by leading us in singing “Spirit in the Sky.”

 

Dennis Kratohwil bragged about what a dedicated Rotarian, Elliott Pinsel was, a man who on top of having assumed the responsibilities of president this year, also volunteered to substitute for bingo this week.

 

Elliott Pinsel bragged that he is now an empty nester, which should allow him more free time, that should come in handy, as he strives to become a model Rotarian.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Next week there will be no morning meeting, since August 31 is a fifth Wednesday, and in lieu of gathering at dawn, we will congregate at the Joyful Gourmet from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. where a chef will provide a lesson in preparing appetizers.  It is supposed to be past the deadline for signing up, but who knows what might happen if you call Jon Robb and beg him to let you in.

 

Elliott Pinsel reminded us that even his burst of dedicated energy in leading our club upward and onward cannot last forever.  We need a president elect.

 

Douglas Fendon will turn 65 on September 6, and that of course means he will finally be eligible for Medicare and hopefully spend less time worrying about his access to healthcare. Congratulations Doug.

 

Our fall fundraiser, a continuation of our famous wine, beer and cigar festival, will be held on October 29, at the Libertyville Civic Center from 3:00 to 6:00. Tickets will be available shortly on line.

 

The Colon Cancer Coalition sent us a thank you letter for participating in their fundraising run.

 

Howard Jaffe recognized Carol August for becoming a Paul Harris fellow.

 

Dennis Kratohwil fulfilled another one of his multiple roles this week by hosting Fun & Frolics in which he asked the various tables to compete in presenting imitations of such great classic movies as “The Godfather” and “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.”  Reviving a long lost Sunrise tradition, he also called the applausometer back from its grave to help him determine the winning tables, which would only pay $2 fines instead of $3.

 

 

Our speakers this week were Szilvia Mark and Jim Zwiefelhofer from the Center for Independence Through Conductive Education. The center is committed to helping people with Cerebral Palsy and other motor disorders to achieve independence, self-reliance and their highest potential.

 

The Conductive Education method was developed in Budapest Hungary, and the Center for Independence Through Conductive Education now has three locations in the Chicago area, including one in Lake Zurich.

 

The center believes in intense training, and one child sometimes puts in up to six hours a day on the program. They also believe in the Power of the Peer. This means they work with children in groups, because they feel that observing other children in similar circumstances will help motivate the students. However, even though the children work in groups, each one is given individual goals.

 

The center focuses on teaching basic physical skills like walking, sitting, and putting on shoes.

The center believes that it is important to keep explaining to the children what they are doing, and they employ a lot of singing and rhyming in their educational process. 

 

The center is a non-profit organization. They charge $10.00 an hour for their service, and they have not raised this rate in the twenty-six years they have been in operation.  This fee does not provide enough revenue to cover their costs, and they frequently charge less for individuals in financial need, such as students on Medicaid who only pay $2.00 an hour.  They have never turned a child away for nonpayment.     

 

Our weekly drawing offered a $26.00 prize, while our progressive raffle was bursting into the stratosphere with the whopping sum of $772.00.  Tom Zengeler claimed the weekly prize and promptly donated his winnings to the food pantry, while Carol August shot for the big bucks, but sadly crashed back to earth, as she only drew the nine of clubs.

 

No morning meeting next week, instead we will hold a Fifth Wednesday evening social event at the  Joyful Gourmet.

 

QUOTE FOR THE DAY:

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.   Benjamin Franklin