HARBOR LIGHT NEWSLETTER 2014-04-23

GREETERS:  Hank Hufnagel & John Baker

 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:  Karen Donnan

 

ATTENDANCE:  Linda Frothingham

 

SCRIBE:  Greg Michel

 

IVORY TICKLER:  John Ray

 

GUESTS:  

 

Karen Isaacson was the guest of Susan Fisher   

 

Our shortest visitor was Miss Sadie LaMoyne, who demonstrated her exceptional walking ability.  

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  

 

Three regular members were back among us:  Jackie McGuire from Florida; Mike Donnelly, who took time off to care for his wife while she battlied cancer (and all is now well!!); and John Kessler is back (with his annual crop of golf balls he “acquired” while in the sunny southwest).  They’re for sale @ $6/doz. with proceeds going to the Club Foundation.

 

Barry Miller – in noting the recent presentation of the Steve Jevelian Service Award – pointed out there would be a wonderful opportunity to reflect in a regular meeting each year on the many contributions made by members who left us too soon, due to illness. 

 

 

Rotary District 6440 Guatemala Trip Reunion
ALL Past, Present and Future Guatemalans are invited to a special celebration of present and future work in Guatemala.  It’s an opportunity to  reflect, share, & evaluate 2014 and to make suggestions for the trip in 2015.  (Typical cost for the next trip will be around $1,800.)  The Reunion/planning event will be held Sunday, April 27, 3:00 p.m. at the home of Wendy Davis, 1102 West Clarendon Road Arlington Heights, IL 60004.  Get more information and RSVP at this link:

 

 

Pam Kerr’s son, Drew, has accepted an offer from WildEarth Guardians to become their new Carnivore Advocate within their Wildlife Program. Guardians' mission is to safeguard the natural legacy of the American West by protecting and restoring wildlife, wild rivers, and wild lands.
 
Karen Donnan’s cousin Curtis Smith and his group Rebel Coast won on the Canadian TV show The Next Star Nation. The TV show is a Canadian version of American Idol. Rebel Coast has their first YouTube video called "We are the Brave" and a two year touring contract. The family is very excited for Curtis and hopes he does not turn into that other famous Canadian singer, Justin Bieber.

 

Joanne Aggens shared a story about our own Barry Miller.  The Aggens’ family dog was hit recently by a car. And Dr. Miller used kindles and special care to return the dog to normal.

 

SHENANIGANS:  

 

Will Daniels raised the bar for Shenanigans to a challenging new height with his rendition of an age quiz.  Highlight was his demonstration of different dances popular in different eras.  Which one is this?  

PROGRAM:   Terrence Black, Wind & Solar Energy

 

Terrence is Senior Solar Representative for kFind & Solar Energy Design Company.  WINDFREE sells products and services related to sustainable and renewable energies.

 

For potential clients, from institutions to private users and from architects to families, they assess energy needs, outline objectives, determine appropriate energy solutions, implement systems from purchasing to installation and from construction management to permitting, and perform ongoing maintenance and future energy planning.

 

A solar system for a 4-bedroom house in Wilmette would generally require a “4,000-watt” system.  Currently, purchase/installation costs are around $5,000 per 2,000-watt capacity.  So, the unit for the “average” Wilmette house would be around $20,000.  The “pay-back” scenario is rather unique.

The system uses an “inverter” inside the house, connected into the system before the outside electric meter.  Any energy produced by the solar panels that exceeds the usage o0f the household is actually pushed back out into the grid system.  That continues until the panel output is less than house usage, and then electricity flows into the house from the grid.

 

Currently, payback for the system comes from two revenue streams:  First the $500/year savings in purchased energy, and second a $500/yr rebate from the State of Illinois.  The rebate is generated through what are called Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), which credit the homeowner for electricity that has been fed back into the system.

 

Currently, 11% of energy use in Illinois is supplied by renewable energy.  The goal is 25%.  One-third of the state’s power come from nuclear plants.  Legislation in support of renewable energy will have considerable impact on the industry.  In some states, legislation is being enacted to actually tax those who install renewable energy units.

 

For information, contact save@windfree.us or go to www.windfree.us

 

NEXT WEEK’S PROGRAM:    Beth White & Ben Helphand 
The 606 bike path (Chicago)
- See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/2415#sthash.RDo83O46.dpuf
 
NEXT MEETING CLUB DUTIES (April 30):