One of the club's newest members, Matt Nelson, presented his classification speech to the group this Wednesday.
Matt grew up in Galesburg, Illinois, then attended Northern Illinois University. He began his career at Hy-Vee, but now works as a commercial lender for Resource Bank.
Matt and his wife Christina live in Waterman and have two children, Sadie Charlotte and Adam Arthur. The family enjoys sneaking up to the family cabin in Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin...and supporting their favorite team. Go Cubs Go!
As with Happy Dollars and fines, 50/50 raffle proceeds have long been earmarked for the scholarship fund for Sycamore High School seniors. In an effort to "spread the wealth" and support more causes, the members of your Rotary Board have determined that 50/50 raffle proceeds collected each month will benefit a different cause.
For the month of March, 50/50 raffle proceeds will help support DeKalb County Community Gardens to empower residents to choose healthy and sustainable foods through community education. The Board has committed that the total amount given to this cause will be no less than $250.
Thank you for your support of this important cause...and best of luck with the raffle!
We will be building every Saturday through 2022, so if this week doesn't work for you, there will be many more opportunities to get involved.
In addition, I am also looking for someone who would like a non-construction volunteer task. There are some Saturdays when we need someone on the build site to greet volunteers, get necessary forms completed, connect with our lunch providers, make sure people are staying hydrated, etc. It really isn't a difficult task, but an important one. If this sounds interesting to you, please let me know. I will work with you on that.
If you have never volunteered with us before, see the notes below for more information.
Thank you for your interest and support of Habitat for Humanity!
Construction Volunteer Information
Habitat for Humanity DeKalb County Illinois welcomes volunteers to our construction sites. Regardless of your skill level (first time you’ve held a hammer or skilled builder), we will provide opportunities to work alongside our partner family and other Habitat volunteers. Examples of volunteer jobs include: framing, siding, painting, insulating, flooring, trim work, landscaping, and cleaning. We will provide instruction throughout the day.
Build Day Schedule:
7:45a.m.- 8 a.m. Arrival and sign-in. (Please complete the required waiver formif this is your first day with Habitat). Volunteers between the ages of 16-18 years are required to have adult supervision and waiver completed before volunteering. The minimum age to volunteer with Habitat is 16 years old.
8:00 a.m. We begin with a Safety Talk and construction goals for the day.
12:00 p.m. Lunch is provided. Habitat provides lunch and water for volunteers.
2:30 p.m. Site clean-up begins
3:00 p.m. Workday complete. Thank you!
What to bring: Please wear clothing that you do not mind getting dirty or possibly damaged. Sturdy, hard-soled, closed-toed shoes are required. Sunscreen is advised when working outdoors.
Habitat provides tools for volunteers. However, if you have your own tools/toolbelt and wish to bring those, that is fine. You can check with the volunteer coordinator for a list of recommended tools. Please label all of your tools ahead of time.
Port-A-Potty: Yes, that’s right. Just want you to be aware that we do not have indoor plumbing or running water on site.
It's always a good idea to bring a "bag" chair if you have one.
Covid-19 Safety Precautions:
Habitat for Humanity prioritizes the health and safety of our staff and volunteers. Currently, we have the following guidelines in place (subject to change based on case levels, as well as CDC, state, and local guidelines):
We ask that if you aren't feeling well, to please stay home out of precaution.
Use hand sanitizer throughout the day, especially before/after using tools.
Masks are no longer required; however, we welcome and support anyone that chooses to wear a mask.
We encourage volunteers and staff to practice social distancing when possible.
September 13, 1851 – American Army physician Walter Reed (best known for his yellow fever research) is born in Gloucester County, Virginia.
September 13, 1860 – U.S. Army General John J. Pershing is born in Laclede, Missouri.
September 15, 1857 – William Howard Taft, who served as 27th President of the United States and later became 10th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, is born in Cincinnati, Ohio.
September 15, 1890 - Best-selling fiction writer of all time, Agatha Christie, is born in Torquay, England.
September 11, 2001 – The worst terrorist attack in U. S. history occurred as four jet airliners are hijacked and crashed; two into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, one into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and one into a field in Pennsylvania during a struggle between the hijackers and passengers. The attack leaves nearly 3,000 people killed.
September 13, 1814 – The Battle of Fort Henry in Baltimore Harbor occurred and was observed by Francis Scott Key. He was inspired to write the now-famous verse for our National Anthem after seeing the American flag still flying over the fort following a night of British attack.
September 14, 1741 – Composer George Frederick Handel finishes the “Messiah” after working on it nonstop for 23 days.
September 15, 1916 – Tanks are first used in combat during the Allied offensive at the Battle of the Somme in World War I.