Jonelle Bailey closed a successful year as 2025-2026 Club President during the recent Induction Dinner. Unfortunately, the preceding golf outing needed to be cancelled due to weather.
Another peaceful transition of power in the Rotary Club of Sycamore as Becky Springer becomes our new President, while Jonelle remains on the Board as Immediate Past President.
Becky Springer, new Club President, swears in fellow 2026-2027 Board Members, including Matt Nelson (President Elect), Dr. Michele Jurkovic (Treasurer), Pat Shafer (Secretary), Paulette Renault (Sergeant at Arms), and Jonelle Bailey (Immediate Past President). Garrett Merboth (President Nominee) was not available to attend the meeting.
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DeKalb Mechanical owner Kurt Mattson tells Rotarians about their Heavy Metal summer camp for high school age youth. The camp gives them a chance to find out about trade careers in various construction, maintenance, and repair fields. It is co-supported with help from the DeKalb Chamber Foundation.
Local sheet metal contractor DeKalb Mechanical just finished a summer Heavy Metal camp for high school age students designed to bring awareness to skilled trade careers. Company President Kurt Mattson told Rotarians this week how they partnered with the DeKalb Chamber Foundation to bring a national program to the local area. The summer camp idea came from the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) in response to estimated shortages of candidates to fill hundreds of thousands of future job openings. Mattson said the local program attracted the highest number of applicants nationwide for a first-year site with 31 students, both boys and girls, participating for the two-week period in early June.
Mattson explained that the camp ran from 3-7 PM Monday through Thursday. Youth ages 15-19 worked side by side with skilled trades professionals learning about trades such as metal fabrication, welding, carpentry, brick work, plumbing, and electrical work. Besides letting participants get hands-on experience to find out if a certain trade is something they wish to pursue, Mattson said they learned about career paths available through apprenticeship programs that pay a salary as one learns a craft thereby avoiding any student debt.
Mattson looks forward to expanding awareness and participation in future Heavy Metal Summer Experiences. Participants must go through an application process. There is no charge to attend the camp. For a program overview go to https://www.hmse.org/campers/campoverview-campers.html. Mattson may be reached via email through DeKalb Mechanical at KMattson@DeKalbMechanical.com.
June 21, 1982 – Britain’s Prince William is born in London to Princess Diana and Prince Charles becoming second in line for the British throne.
June 23, 1859 – Industrialist Edouard Michelin is born in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Along with his brother, Andre, he turned the families struggling bicycle tire business into a successful all-purpose tire company that served the burgeoning auto industry. Michelin went on to own the car company Citroen and established the restaurant rating system of the Michelin star.
June 24, 1895 – Boxing champ Jack Dempsey is born in Manassa, Colorado, leading to his nickname “The Manassa Mauler.” He reigns as heavyweight champion from 1919 until 1926.
June 25, 1903 – British satirist George Orwell (known for “Animal Farm” and “1984”) is born in Monthari, Bengal.
June 24, 1948 – Soviet Russia began a blockade of Berlin. Two days later the U.S. and Great Britain began the famous Berlin Airlift. They ultimately deliver 2.3 million pounds of food, fuel, and medical supplies to 2 million isolated West Berliners.
June 25, 1876 – General George Armstrong Custer leading 250 men attacked an encampment of Sioux Indians near Little Big Horn River in Montana. Custer and his men were then counter-attacked by up to 4,000 Sioux Indians. Only one army scout and one horse survived “Custer’s Last Stand.”
June 25, 1950 – The Korean War began as North Korean troops crossed the 38th parallel and launched a full-scale invasion of South Korea.
June 26, 1945 – The United Nations charter is signed by 50 nations (formal ratification occurs October 24, 1945) at the United Nations Conference on International Organization held in San Francisco, California.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2026-2027
President – Becky Springer
President Elect – Matt Nelson
Director (President Designee) - To Be Determined
Past President – Jonelle Bailey
Treasurer – Dr. Michele Jurkovic
Secretary – Pat Shafer
Sergeant at Arms – Paulette Renault
Monthly Committees
July: Board of Directors
August: Brandon Diviak, Jeff Keicher, Pat Shafer
September: Dave Hamilton, Jeff Jacobson, Jim Stoddard
October: Paul Callighan, Matt Nelson, Scott Schramer
November: Sue Emberson, Dr. Jeff Frank, Phil Meyers
December: Kristen Campbell, Ray Dembinski, Riley Oncken
January: Joyce Klein, Tim Neubert
February: Jonelle Bailey, Tasha Sims
March: Jim Buck, Becky Springer, Brendan Wilson
April: Bob Hammon, Jeff Petersen
May: Bob Brown, Steve Kuhn, Julie Sgarlata
June: Paul Barnaby, Paulette Renault
Standing Committees
Fellowship: Paulette Renault, Sue Emberson, Dave Hamilton, Pat Shafer
Foundations:Matt Nelson, Jim Stoddard, Sue Emberson, Jim Buck
Membership: Jonelle Bailey, Ray Dembinski, Brandon Diviak, Bob Hammon, Jeff Jacobson, Steve Kuhn, Phil Meyers, Matt Nelson, Riley Oncken, Jeff Petersen, Bob Wildendradt
New Generations: Becky Springer, Julie Sgarlata, Brandon Diviak
Public Image: Bob Brown, Paul Callighan, Jeff Keicher, Joyce Klein, Tasha Sims
Scholarships:Tim Neubert, Ray Dembinski, Phil Meyers, Dr. Michele Jurkovic, Steve Kuhn
Service: Brandon Diviak, Dr. Jeff Frank, Dr. Michele Jurkovic, Tim Neubert, Brendan Wilson
