New district governor
Posted by Rick Hooks
Belleville Rotarian, Debbie Willard, will become the next Governor of district 6510. This article appeared in the March 1st issue of the Belleville News-Democrat.
Service, family keep Rotary's next district governor hopping
BY JAIME INGLE
News-Democrat
Looking for Debbie Willard?
Try the nearest Rotary Club meeting.
Then check her kitchen and her home office in Shiloh.
Debbie will become governor of Rotary International District 6510 in July 2010.
"You could say I'm their head cheerleader," said Debbie, 46, who owns her own Web site design company, Design to Delivery. She will attend meetings among the 48 clubs in her district, which extends from Interstate 70 south, excluding Madison County.
"I'm looking forward to going to places like Golconda and Cairo. I've been to Metropolis and seen the Superman statue." Debbie puts the Rotary's motto of "Service Above Self" to work in her daily life. "I'm always clipping coupons. If I don't need it, somebody else does and I donate it," said Debbie, who grew up with a mom who clipped coupons.
Debbie picked up extra toilet paper for a local food pantry while grocery shopping for last Sunday's dinner, sauteed scallops in a lemon-butter sauce with mushrooms and zucchini over linguine. "When I'm cooking, it's 'Out of my way!'" said Debbie with a chuckle pretending to clear everything off her counter. For Debbie, it's not so much about fancy food but who is at the dinner table. On Sundays, it's husband Tom, daughter Meaghan, 24, who lives in St. Louis, and Meaghan's boyfriend, Charlie Damon. "I cook three or four nights a week. The other nights we order pizza or I pick up something if I'm on the run." Meaghan's favorites? "She can make anything," said Meaghan, who recently graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in architecture. From the television show "Trading Space," Debbie got the idea to hang pots and pans on a weathered ladder in her kitchen. "Tom cut it to fit the space and then hung it from the ceiling. He had to anchor it in the attic, and we used hooks for birdfeeders from Wild Birds Unlimited," said Debbie. Among her most-used kitchen utensils are an 8-quart saucepan, a large skillet and a large spatula.Debbie will do just about anything for Rotary. On Memorial Day and Veterans Day, she lines a section of Illinois 159 with small American flags. "I've done it plenty of times in thunderstorms. When people see us working, they honk and wave." Debbie attended her first Rotary meeting 11 years ago in Fairview Heights at a friend's request. She was aware of the group's work helping children abroad. Locally, Rotary gives dictionaries to third-graders in St. Clair County schools and sponsors children from Belize who need orthopedic surgery, while housing them with host families. Local fundraisers include an annual winter citrus sale of oranges and grapefruit. Rotary's goals include raising money to combat hunger abroad and getting needed vaccines for children. Debbie transferred membership to the Swansea club, which has 46 members, in 2003 because it was easier to make their meetings. Debbie grew up in Peru, Ind. She and Tom married and moved to Colorado after graduating from Purdue University so he could fulfill his duties with the U.S. Air Force. Debbie's job was managing a Wendy's restaurant. The couple then moved to California where she opened a women's clothing store. In 1994, the Willards moved to Shiloh when Tom accepted a civilian job as an aerospace engineer at Scott Air Force Base. Debbie started her own Internet business in 1996. It began as an Internet service provider, then switched to creating Web sites for local companies. She sets her own hours so she can attend Rotary meetings during the day. She served as a Rotary secretary and later president. A fellow Rotarian asked her to apply for the top position. "My husband and daughter were 100 percent supportive," said Debbie.
Debbie is eager to share her knowledge about Rotary International. "Those who like to work with people and get involved gravitate toward something like this," she said. Interested in learning more? Contact Debbie at debbiew@htctech.net.
Rotary resume: Active in Rotary International since 1999; secretary from 1999-2002; Rotarian of the Year for Fairview Heights club in 2002-2003; Rotarian of the year for the Swansea club in 2007-2008; Swansea club president 2006-2007, Rotary District Governor 2010-2011.Education: Bachelor's degree in communication from Purdue University.
BY JAIME INGLE
News-Democrat
Looking for Debbie Willard?
Try the nearest Rotary Club meeting.
Then check her kitchen and her home office in Shiloh.
Debbie will become governor of Rotary International District 6510 in July 2010.
"You could say I'm their head cheerleader," said Debbie, 46, who owns her own Web site design company, Design to Delivery. She will attend meetings among the 48 clubs in her district, which extends from Interstate 70 south, excluding Madison County.
"I'm looking forward to going to places like Golconda and Cairo. I've been to Metropolis and seen the Superman statue." Debbie puts the Rotary's motto of "Service Above Self" to work in her daily life. "I'm always clipping coupons. If I don't need it, somebody else does and I donate it," said Debbie, who grew up with a mom who clipped coupons.
Debbie picked up extra toilet paper for a local food pantry while grocery shopping for last Sunday's dinner, sauteed scallops in a lemon-butter sauce with mushrooms and zucchini over linguine. "When I'm cooking, it's 'Out of my way!'" said Debbie with a chuckle pretending to clear everything off her counter. For Debbie, it's not so much about fancy food but who is at the dinner table. On Sundays, it's husband Tom, daughter Meaghan, 24, who lives in St. Louis, and Meaghan's boyfriend, Charlie Damon. "I cook three or four nights a week. The other nights we order pizza or I pick up something if I'm on the run." Meaghan's favorites? "She can make anything," said Meaghan, who recently graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in architecture. From the television show "Trading Space," Debbie got the idea to hang pots and pans on a weathered ladder in her kitchen. "Tom cut it to fit the space and then hung it from the ceiling. He had to anchor it in the attic, and we used hooks for birdfeeders from Wild Birds Unlimited," said Debbie. Among her most-used kitchen utensils are an 8-quart saucepan, a large skillet and a large spatula.Debbie will do just about anything for Rotary. On Memorial Day and Veterans Day, she lines a section of Illinois 159 with small American flags. "I've done it plenty of times in thunderstorms. When people see us working, they honk and wave." Debbie attended her first Rotary meeting 11 years ago in Fairview Heights at a friend's request. She was aware of the group's work helping children abroad. Locally, Rotary gives dictionaries to third-graders in St. Clair County schools and sponsors children from Belize who need orthopedic surgery, while housing them with host families. Local fundraisers include an annual winter citrus sale of oranges and grapefruit. Rotary's goals include raising money to combat hunger abroad and getting needed vaccines for children. Debbie transferred membership to the Swansea club, which has 46 members, in 2003 because it was easier to make their meetings. Debbie grew up in Peru, Ind. She and Tom married and moved to Colorado after graduating from Purdue University so he could fulfill his duties with the U.S. Air Force. Debbie's job was managing a Wendy's restaurant. The couple then moved to California where she opened a women's clothing store. In 1994, the Willards moved to Shiloh when Tom accepted a civilian job as an aerospace engineer at Scott Air Force Base. Debbie started her own Internet business in 1996. It began as an Internet service provider, then switched to creating Web sites for local companies. She sets her own hours so she can attend Rotary meetings during the day. She served as a Rotary secretary and later president. A fellow Rotarian asked her to apply for the top position. "My husband and daughter were 100 percent supportive," said Debbie.
Debbie is eager to share her knowledge about Rotary International. "Those who like to work with people and get involved gravitate toward something like this," she said. Interested in learning more? Contact Debbie at debbiew@htctech.net.
Rotary resume: Active in Rotary International since 1999; secretary from 1999-2002; Rotarian of the Year for Fairview Heights club in 2002-2003; Rotarian of the year for the Swansea club in 2007-2008; Swansea club president 2006-2007, Rotary District Governor 2010-2011.Education: Bachelor's degree in communication from Purdue University.