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DON'T BE A VICTIM ISSUE SEPTEMBER 5, 2026
VOL. 7 NO. 9
PROTECT YOURSELF!
NEWS-NOTES-NONSENSE
It's time for some wee travel. Look for your next Eastender News on October 10th. Back in a bit.
On Thursday we heard a very interesting presentation about fraud from Amy Roady, an area manager with Heartland Bank & Trust Company. When she began her banking career 20 years ago fraud was pretty rare, today, it's a daily occurance. Fraud comes in many flavors-love, gift cards, imposters. Artificial intelligence is making fraud even more difficult to detect. Amy advises everyone to keep a close eye on your bank and credit card activity and to not be offended when you make a wthdrawal and the teller asks what you want the money for. They have to ask, it's for your protection. If you answer your phone and you think something isn't right, trust your gut, hang up.
Early arrivals included AllenH, LoriP and TonyaS.
KendraG returned with hugs and love for everyone. Great having her and her energy in the house.
DianeS reminded everyone about the Soapbox Derby event on the 12th. There is still one 11:30- finish slot open.
Slide-right-inners-DaveA, GlennB, MikeK and SherryT.
Birthday wishes go out to KelliD-14th, BillP-15th and JeremyP-24th. Happy natal day to all!
Exchange student Lilly will be departing STL tomorrow afternoon via the Lufthansa flight to Frankfort, Germany, and then a conncecting flight to Milan, Italy. We wish her a memorable year with her host family in Crema, Italy. We look forward to sharing some of her adventures in this space.
DianeS announced that the new Interact club is coming together. It will include students from both EA-WR and RHS. The first meeting will be held at the Wood River Business Alliance office.
Congrats to LoriP on her 26 years of outstanding club service and to RobertP on his first year with us.
Opening duties were covered by TonyaS, KendraG and GlennB.
Now you know. During its 25 year history our district's Rotary Day at the Ballpark (Cards vs Cubs) has raised $600K to be used for literacy grants to district clubs.
Post-nooners included SherryT, MikeK, BradP and GeorgeM.
Our Service Above Self program resumes next month. We will be welcoming students from both high schools.
20 members dined on beef 'n noodles, steamed veggies, rolls, salad and cookies.
SAA RickH recruited MarkSm to serve as the Finemaster. Several folks paid Happy Fines including “granny” Prez Patti and beach wedding bound SherryT. We answered 2 out the 4 trivia Q's correctly. Birthday greetings were bestowed on MikeK. Willis Carrier's invention presaged a $ fine for all!
The jackpot rolls after MattK and LoriP failed to locate the elusive joker. Lori also won the scratch-off.
LUNCHIN' IT UP
ALL THINGS TRIVIAL
Zoox robotaxis are the first without steering wheels and pedals to charge for rides. Who is behind them?
A-Amazon
B-Google
C-Tesla
D-Geely
(Find the answer near the end of the newsletter)
Today is National Hummingbird Day
What regional sandwich is Philadelphia known for? Tuna melt Sloppy Joe Cheesesteak Turkey club
Philadelphia cheesesteaks are typically prepared with beef and onions, topped with American cheese, provolone, or Cheez Whiz. Two of Philly’s most popular cheesesteak vendors are Pat’s and Geno’s, though there are many others in the city.
POST-MEETING VISITS
FROM OUR ARCHIVES
Sourced from the Eastender News, Make-Up and Banner newsletters
September 2021
District Governor Ryan Byers was in the house.
Prez Lindsey encouraged everyone to participate in the “Why Rotary” program.
Rhonda Breslin told everyone that it was not too late to order your club merch from PattiA.
MarkSp announced that plans for the Chili Supper were progressing.
PaulG won $10 Baseball Mania bucks.
It's early September, why was WendellR in long sleeves?
There were two Pints 4 Polio events scheduled for October.
Leonard Berg reminded everyone about the Alton-Godfrey club's 100th anniversary dinner.
Prayers for TommieM were requested as she recovers from a medical issue.
SAA SherryT returned from her west coast swing and recruited BillP to help collect many $$.
MarkA failed to claim the $65 jackpot.
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
DATELINE:ROTARY
INTRODUCING THE JOY OF READING
By Mary Ann Norbom, Rotary Club of Annapolis, Maryland, USA
I had just celebrated my first anniversary as a member of the Rotary Club of Annapolis. I was still trying to find my way when I had the opportunity to see firsthand the difference Rotary members can make right at home without traveling halfway around the world. I watched more than a dozen children discover the joy of reading at our club’s newest Little Free Library installation. Their smiles were simply contagious. Sharing and trading books was clearly a joyous new experience for these boys and girls.
Maryland’s state capital is a city of just 40,000 people, often thought of as a well-to-do enclave. But it’s also a tale of two cities: the very comfortable and the very underserved. Our club’s Community Outreach Lane installs Little Free Libraries in the neediest neighborhoods.
Our latest installation, our 26th, actually has two boxes, one each for children and adults. We set it up on 10 July at a nearby apartment complex categorized as affordable housing and run by a nonprofit management company. It even has its own Boys & Girls Club on site.
While many clubs sponsor Little Free Libraries, ours may be unique in the collaboration involved. Some books are donated by the neighboring Rotary Club of Parole’s Books for International Goodwill project. Others come from the local public libraries.
Still others are purchased through our club’s innovative relationship with the United States Naval Academy. Club members run one of the concession stands at the Academy’s home football games, with the concessionaire paying us a flat fee plus all tips. Our club earned more than $4,000 during the 2025 season. These funds are essential for construction and installation supplies.
I had volunteered for one of those 2025 games, but it wasn’t until attending the grand opening of our newest library that I fully appreciated the impact our work had.
“Don’t ever forget two things I’m going to tell you. One, don’t believe everything that’s written about you. Two, don’t pick up too many checks."-Babe Ruth
“Letting your mind play is the best way to solve problems"-Bill Watterson
“Hope for the best. Expect the worst. The world’s a stage. We’re unrehearsed.”-Mel Brooks
“Oddly enough, the overriding sensation I got looking at the Earth was: My God, that little thing is so fragile out there."-Mike Collins, Apollo 11 astronaut
SMILE
•How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh? Ten-tickles.
• What did 0 say to 8? “Nice belt.”
• What do you call a pig that does karate? A pork chop.
• What did the football coach say to the broken vending machine? Give me my quarterback.
• What did the cake say to the fork? You want a piece of me?
Why did the strawberry cry? He found himself in a jam.
What did the lettuce say to the celery? Quit stalking me!
• What do you call a train carrying bubblegum? A chew-chew train.
• What’s small and red and has a rough voice? A hoarse radish!.
• Why shouldn’t you tell secrets in a cornfield? Too many ears.
• How did the two cats end their fight? They hissed and made up.
• “Did you hear about the guy who invented the knock-knock joke? He won the ‘no-bell’ prize.”
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THE NUMBERS
The average US consumer belongs to more than 15 loyalty programs as of 2024-BCG
Twenty-six percent of Gen Zers treat sports betting as a deliberate part of long-term financial strategy, compared with 14% of millennials and 12% of the general population-Betterment
The U.S. issued a record 27 million passports in fiscal 2025
Around 19% of jobs advertised on digital job boards in the second quarter were ghost jobs-Greenhouse
At the end of 2025, traditional IRAs held about $15 trillion while Roth IRAs held about $2 trillion, according to IRS and Investment Company Institute
Wholesale prices for boneless, skinless chicken breasts are down about 37% from 12 months ago-FactSet (Trivia answer-A)
ROTARY'S AREAS OF FOCUS These have been identified to help build international relationships, improve lives and create a better world to support our peace efforts and end polio forever Basic Education and Literacy Maternal and Child Health Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Disease Prevention and Treatment Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Community and Economic development Support the Environment
