Our Satellite Club's first fundraiser was fun and attracted about 70 people, some of which may become new members.  Final numbers are not in yet, but they believe they raised well over $1,000 before expenses for the Kids   

Greg Trotter is senior manager of public relations and content for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. one of the largest food banks in the country. 
Greg presented a basic overview of the Food Depository, including some background on the organization’s 41-year history.  Founded in 1979 by volunteers from different backgrounds, the Depository partnered with 700 other agencies in 2019 to provide some 74 million meals.  In a post recession period, the need for food remains high as 1.4 million County residents live below the federal poverty line. Those served include the homeless, working families, military veterans, people with disabilities, and 2/3 of students at City of Chicago Colleges who are homeless.  A hidden gem of the Food Depository is the Chicago Community Kitchens program which offers culinary job training to prepare individuals for a new career in the food industry.
What’s next?  A new 46,000 square foot meal preparation kitchen on the West Side is planned for opening in 2021 to produce nutritious meals for older adults and individuals with disabilities.  Plans also include an urban garden and a University of Illinois program to promote healthy eating. 

Due to health concerns, our participation in The Caring Closet at Oakton Community College has been suspended. We are hoping to begin collecting these necessary items again soon.

  Next Saturday is the Day -Hope to See You There                                                   

The 2020 Kids Against Hunger food packaging event is scheduled for Saturday, March 14, 2020, 11am to 1pm at the Winnetka Community House, 670 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka. We are sponsoring this event again this year.  This project, which our club has participated in for several years, packages food supplements for hungry and malnourished children in Nicaragua.  It's always a fun gathering. Our Satellite Club will be there with almost 24 participants. This event is free to our members since we are sponsoring the event.

Our Board of Directors unanimously voted to approve the application for membership of Dale Davison.  She will be formally inducted on February 26.  We are very pleased to have Dale join our Club;  she will be a wonderful addition to our group of service-minded people who want to make a positive difference in the world.

Our club will be sponsoring three talented high school students with leadership potential or demonstrated skills to attend the nationally-regarded RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) academy in East Troy, Wisconsin during its March 12-15 or April 2-5 sessions. It’s an opportunity to explore and further develop skills with others. The RYLA academy stresses leadership, team-building, communication, presentations, group discussion and a great deal of fun.  RYLA attendees will learn new concepts of leadership and citizenship, have opportunities to express ideas and concepts, give acceptance to each other and experience the joys of learning and teamwork.  They’ll share opinions in a supportive group environment, meet new friends, learn how to make new friends without the usual conventions and cliques, and “Return to Serve” their communities.  Our Club will be paying all attendance charges.  More info to come.
 

We are pleased to announce that we have received an application for membership from John Kilner.  Sponsored by Terry Porter, John lives in Wilmette and is Emeritus Professor of Bioethics from Trinity International University. John gave a program some time ago to our club on this subject.  He is the author of 20 books; he has won the 2015 Paul Ramsey Award for Excellence in Bioethics, and the Educator of the Year Award from the National Christian Medical & Dental Associations.

 

John received his BA from Yale, his MA and PhD from Harvard and his Mdiv from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.  He has appeared in numerous interviews and debates in such television venues as NBC (with Tom Brokaw), FOX News (with Bill O'Reilly), CBS, CNN, and PAX,  National Public Radio, and such newspaper venues as the New York Times, Washington Times, and Chicago Tribune. Until retiring recently he held the Forman Chair of Christian Ethics & Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and was a Senior Fellow for The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity (CBHD) based in Deerfield, IL USA.