Overview of the Northbrook Park District and New Places to Play this Tuesday!
Molly Hamer, Rotarian and more…
Molly will join us to share the organizational structure of the agency, fun facts about the services the Park District provides, and information about the two newest places to play in Northbrook.
About Molly:
Over 25 years of experience in Illinois Parks & Recreation with three different park districts
Served as a Commissioner on the Geneseo Park Board Geneseo for ten years
Undergraduate Degree from University of Illinois in Leisure Studies
Master’s Degree from Western Illinois University in Counseling
Areas of expertise include strategic planning, project management, motivational leadership
Our meetings are a great way to introduce prospective members to the club! Reservations are required, contact Helen Rivkin for membership details.
Practitioners: Our work fighting disease, providing clean water and sanitation, improving the health of mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economies directly builds the optimal conditions for peaceful societies.
Educators: Our Rotary Peace Centers have trained over 1,300 peace fellows to become effective catalysts for peace through careers in government, education, and international organizations.
Mediators: Our members have negotiated humanitarian ceasefires in areas of conflict to allow polio vaccinators to reach children who are at risk.
Advocates: Our members have an integral role as respected, impartial participants during peace processes and in post-conflict reconstruction. We focus on creating communities and convening groups that are connected, inclusive, and resilient
Peacebuilder Clubs are a Rotarian movement creating energy and momentum for peaceful conflict resolution around the world. In 2018, our RAGFP Leadership Team decided to champion this program in Rotary Clubs worldwide as an essential call to action for Rotarian peacebuilders.
The Peacebuilder Club program is designed to enhance Rotary International’s mission of, “advancing world understanding, goodwill and peace” through the promotion of programs and projects that align with our organization’s Seven Areas of Focus – in particular, the first: Peace, Conflict Prevention and Conflict Resolution.
The Barrington Club is a Peace Builder Club. To find out more use this link.
By S Marathe (full name withheld upon author’s request)
As a young Rotary member who has lived with a vision impairment, I have come to understand the importance of allies. An ally is anyone that actively aspires to be inclusive and is intentional through their thoughts, actions, and words to consciously promote a respectful and inclusive culture.
Many organizations are actively attempting to address the low employee representation across minority groups of gender, culture, and disability and are adopting a range of strategies. But many times, it’s the day-to-day actions that make the most difference. For International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 3 December, I wanted to share some of the characteristics that make a great ally.
Understand that we are all unique
Allies are deeply empathetic and appreciate that my life experience with a disability is unique to me. No two people with a disability are the same, even if they experience the same type of disability. Their life experiences, preferences, and opinions will be unique. Therefore, you should not take a “cookie cutter” approach and assume what support they need without asking them first. Although you may think you are doing the right thing, support to them may look very different and what you offer may not be helpful at all.
I am legally blind as I have no central vision; however, my peripheral vision is amazing! I don’t use a cane and I’m comfortable with my mobility and navigation – which often catches people by surprise as they think of a blind person with a stereotypically image of someone with a cane or guide dog.
Show genuine curiosity with a desire to learn and understand
Allies are not afraid to ask if they don’t know, educate themselves, and practise what they learn. They take responsibility for their behaviour and, if they don’t get it right the first time, sincerely try again.
Breaking down stigmas and stereotypes is only possible if you have a two-way conversation, are exposed to diverse individuals, and are willing to be open minded and appreciate things from different perspectives. I’ve found that sharing the story of what I can and can’t do helps remove barriers and build trust.
Many people, upon seeing me looking closely at my smartphone, will begin a conversation with “looks like someone needs glasses” or “didn’t your mother tell you not to watch the screen so close.” When I explain that I have no central vision, they are surprised and ashamed and go silent. The response I love to hear is, “that sounds interesting, tell me more.” My disability is a part of who I am and I’m not ashamed of it, nor should you feel ashamed on my behalf.
One in five individuals are living with a disability, so chances are you already know someone. I encourage you to challenge your existing assumptions and seek to understand from them first. Let’s keep the conversation flowing, tackle the deep issues, and change social norms so it is no longer taboo!
Create space for me to use my voice, feel empowered, act, and define my own identity
In my younger years, when I was still in deep denial, I found supportive individuals such as my parents and close friends invaluable, but I didn’t want them to advocate for me. I wanted their help quietly.
As I met other like-minded individuals and felt the power of community at conferences, I developed my own voice and advocated for myself at university.
The allies I found most impactful were the ones that didn’t just clear obstacles for me but taught me how to do so. Their role was to fill me with confidence and listen as I tested my ideas and developed my voice. When I did fall, they were there to unpack it, help me understand what didn’t work, and propose new approaches.
It’s my life and I want to live it! I want to try climbing up a mountain on a tandem bike feeling every bead of sweat dripping down my face. I want to travel solo around the world and taste that first bite of gooey centred jam donut in Poland. I want to feel the sense of accomplishment as I present my project in front of a board of executives. I want to be given the same opportunities and experiences – even though I might perform the tasks differently and reach a different outcome.
An ally is one who is there by my side, pushing me to keep going. I believe allyship comes to most Rotary members naturally – inclusive behaviour is strongly grounded in our values and Code of Conduct, “to be fair in all dealings with others and treat them with the respect due to them as fellow human beings”. If we apply that and The Four-Way Test, Rotary members will be well set up to be good allies.
Listen to Rotary stories on our new podcast, Rotary Voices Podcast, available on Anchor and Spotify. Episodes include a student mentoring program in Michigan and a discussion of women in Rotary.
Regional and State DECA Competition Needs Judges-Great Volunteer Opportunity!
David Burke the Judge Coordinator for Illinois DECA and North Suburban DECA is in need of people to serve as Regional and or State DECA competition.
Regional Competition which takes place in Rosemont, IL on Friday Feb 4th from 7:30 AM to Noon.
State competition which takes place in Rosemont, IL on Friday March 4th from 7:30 AM to 4PM.
Parking, continental breakfast and lunch are all provided for you (no lunch for the Regional Competition). You would be helping students from over 40 Illinois high schools develop, pursue and deliver on their interest in a wide variety of Business areas. Without the Event Judges, unfortunately, we are not able to run the competition (cue tearful music). Would love it if you can serve as an Event Judge. Just CLICK HERE to officially fill out the short Google Form. The full link to the form is below (if that helps).
Join Zoom meeting on the good old-fashioned telephone!
+1 312 626 6799 Meeting ID: 295 416 335 Password: 726580 for telephone only
Please note - Meetings are no longer recorded. If you do not attend on zoom or in person you will miss the fun! Meeting dates and times, or virtual access may change, always check our website for updates. In-person meetings are held at Hilton, 2855 Milwaukee Rd., Northbrook.
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