The Spoke -- May 13, 2016 (May 13, 2016)

Sycamore Rotary donates $25,000 to Sycamore Park District

(L-R: Club President Russell Bishop, Sycamore Park District President Ted Strack, and President-Elect Sue Emberson)

At its meeting on May 11, the Rotary Club of Sycamore presented a $25,000 donation to the Sycamore Park District’s “Leaf a Legacy” fundraising campaign.

Leaf a Legacy supports the District’s long-range plan, ACTION 2020, to bring the community the recreational facilities it needs. In its commitment to serve the community, Rotary identified the opportunity to make a financial contribution as a return on investment that will prove to be invaluable to generations of residents for many years to come.

“The Rotary Club is proud to join this legacy that will serve this great community today and into the future,” said Rotary Club President Dr. Russell Bishop.

The Park District has received strong support from the Rotary Club in the past, as evidenced by Rotary Park at Sycamore Lake and the group’s annual participation in the community-wide Park Pride Day cleanup event. The Rotary Club has made this annual cleanup a part of its yearly Rotarians at Work Day, in which members lend their assistance to various not-for-profit agencies throughout the community.

“We find that our community’s service clubs have been longtime supporters of the great programs and facilities the Park District provides to children and adults in Sycamore. We are truly grateful to the Rotary Club of Sycamore for this great gift and for all they do” says Michelle Schulz, Vice President of the Park Board.

The ACTION 2020 projects that Leaf a Legacy will help fund include a recreation campus with a new community center, dog park, splashpad and sled hill as well as trail expansion and connections, Sports Complex expansion and a new irrigation system for the Sycamore Park District Golf Club.

Guest Speaker: PDG Bob Newlon

While many Rotary Clubs around the world -- Sycamore included -- devote themselves to helping underdeveloped nations and regions obtain fresh water, another related matter is of similar importance: proper hygiene.

Former District Governor Bob Newlon says many areas face water contamination from both human and animal waste; the lack of proper toilet facilities in private homes, villages and schools serves to spread disease...and in the latter case, discourages students from even attending.

Newlon works on behalf of a Rotary Action Group devoted to promoting proper hygiene around the world; he has personally gone to the Philippines and other locations to demonstrate an easy-to-construct, waterless toilet which can be used for safe disposal...and even recycling into fertilizer.

He recognizes that this subject is sensitive, and perhaps not as glamorous as providing clean water...but notes that the two problems are often interrelated, and require equal amounts of attention.

Local agencies benefit from Rotarians at Work Day

About two dozen members of the Sycamore Rotary Club and the Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary joined forces on Saturday, May 7th to benefit local agencies through our annual Rotarians at Work Day event.

Rotarians volunteered their services to local not-for-profit agencies and special projects, lending their talents and their work to agencies in need of assistance with major tasks. Among the projects we helped out with this year:

-- The Pay it Forward House had us prepare their Serenity Garden for the summer, spreading mulch on their flower beds

-- The Sycamore Park District, as part of its own Park Pride Day, had Rotarians weeding and clearing around the sign at the entrance to Rotary Park at Sycamore Lake

-- Rotarians helped prepare land near the historic Joiner Cemetery, for ceremonies to be held there on Memorial Day weekend

-- The Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association had Rotary help plant its sensory gardens at Hopkins Park; clean and put into storage all the items they'll need in the Hopkins Park Shelter for summer camp; and prepare flyers for mailing

Without the help of Rotary, each of these projects would be difficult or nearly-impossible to do for agencies with small staffs and few resources. This event allows Rotarians to directly benefit their communities, living up to our motto "Service Above Self".

May 25th Rotary Club meeting at DTMA

The Sycamore Rotary Club will be going on the road -- or more properly, the tarmac -- when it holds its regular weekly meeting on Wednesday, May 25th at DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport.

Rotarians will get a chance to see the airport hangars, equipment and aircraft up close...and learn more about the airport and its operations.

Monthly Committee assignments for 2016-2017

Here are the assignments for Monthly Committees, for the 2016-2017 Rotary Year:

July Curt Lang, Gary Evans, Jim Moris, Chip Houdek, Sally Bruch, Fred Peltz

August Barry Schrader, Ben Swedberg, Lloyd Larson, Jim Buck, Julenne Davey, Dave McCann

September Mario Fontana, Paul Michel, Rose Treml, Bert Gray, Jeff Jacobson, Tim Carlson, Brandon Diviak

October Jeff Frank, Marcy Buick, Dave Andrews, Jim Schwartzbach, Dave Miller, Don Clayberg

November Pete Johnson, Dave Galica, Julie Sgarlata, Kathy Countryman, Tami Armstrong, Troy Oates

December Steve Balster, Bob Wildendradt, Brad Waller, Eric Jones, Dan Gibble, Kathleen Merner

January Pat Shafer, Michele Jurkovic, Keven Dahl, Kreg Wesley, Paul Barnaby, Heidi Wright

February Brian Gregory, Nicole Stuckert, Riley Oncken, Ahmed Kamel, Jude Wilbers, Larry Berke

March Jeff Petersen, Paulette Renault, Russell Bishop, Ray Dembinski, Dave Hamilton, Steve Kuhn

April Paul Borek, Shelley Hendricks, Jim Bowers, Bob Hammon, Paul Callighan, Sajel Patel

May Darryl Wolff, Mark Spiegelhoff, Cliff Bottigliero, Rose Henton, Mark Hilde, Darion Page

June Paul Stromborg, Brian Adams, Lavarre Uhlken, Jeff Keicher, Jim Stoddard, Marijo Schwartz

First Rotarian listed is the Committee Chair

Sycamore exchange student Gracia Watson's Japan blog

This year's Outbound exchange student Gracia Watson is spending a year in Japan; to find out what she's up to, go to her blog at this link

Attendance -- May 11, 2016

Attendance: 52.63%

Visiting Rotarians: Tim Hughes (DeKalb)

Guests of Members: Mike Villalta (Eric Jones); Tim Kearney (Dave Galica); Max & Cindy Rose Adams (Brian Adams)

Other Guests: Ted Strack, Sycamore Park District

May 25, 2016
Meeting at DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport


Jun 01, 2016
Paul Stromborg
Re-Classification Speech

Jun 08, 2016
James McGuire
Little Free Libraries

Jun 15, 2016
Terry Hannan
Sycamore Forest Preserve

Jun 22, 2016
Sejal Patel
Hinduism from a Layman's View

View entire list

Golf Outing Make-Up Session

Sycamore Golf Course Clubhouse

Jun 29, 2016
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Sycamore Rotary Club Golf Outing

Sycamore Golf Course

Jun 29, 2016
1:00 PM – 5:30 PM

Sycamore Rotary Club Installation Dinner

Sycamore Golf Course Clubhouse

Jun 29, 2016
5:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Club Information

Welcome to our Club!

Service Above Self

We meet Wednesdays at 11:45 AM

Blumen Gardens Banquet Facility

403 Edward Street
Sycamore, IL 60178
United States

District Site

Venue Map

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015-16

President -- Russell Bishop

President-Elect -- Sue Emberson

Past President -- Riley Oncken

Secretary -- Sally Bruch

Treasurer -- Michele Jurkovic

Assistant Treasurer -- Lavarre Uhlken

Director -- Eric Jones

Director -- Ray Dembinski

Sergeant at Arms -- Brian Adams

Monthly Program Committees

July

Sally Bruch, Gary Evans, Curt Lang, Jim Moris, Chip Houdek

August

Dave McCann, Barry Schrader, Ben Swedberg, Lloyd Larson, Jim Buck, Julenne Davey, Nicole Stuckert

September

Tim Carlson, Mario Fontana, Suzanne Anderson, Paul Michel, Rose Treml, Bert Gray, Jeff Jacobson

October

Don Clayberg, Jeff Frank, Marcy Buick, Dave Andrews, Jim Schwarzbach, Lavarre Uhlken, Dave Miller

November

Tami Armstrong, David Galica, Pete Johnson, Julie Sgarlata, Kreg Wesley, Kathy Countryman

December

Dan Gibble, Steve Balster, Zac Sheedy, Bob Wildenradt, Heidi Wright, Brad Waller, Eric Jones

January

Paul Barnaby, Michele Jurkovic, Pat Shafer, Tom Sparacino, Jesse Boelter, Keven Dahl

February

Larry Berke, Brian Gregory, Ahmed Kamel, Fred Peltz, Richard Willey, Jude Wilbers, Rose Henton

March

Dave Hamilton, Jeff Petersen, Paulette Renault, Russell Bishop, Ray Dembinski, Phil Ruff

April

Bob Hammon, Paul Borek, Shelley Hendricks, Jim Bowers, Troy Oates, Marijo Schwartz

May

Cliff Bottigliero, Sue Emberson, Mark Spiegelhoff, Darryl Wolff, Eric Johnson, Mark Hilde

June

Jim Stoddard, Paul Stromborg, Michael Flora, Craig Mathey, Brian Adams, Jeff Keicher

New Generations

Chair—Julie Sgarlata

At-Large Committee Members – Kathy Countryman, Eric Jones, Don Clayberg, Julenne Davey, Nicole Stuckert, Darion Page

Sycamore H.S. Interact – Ben Swedberg

Sycamore M.S. Interact – Nicole Stuckert

South Prairie EarlyAct – Julie Sgarlata

North Grove EarlyAct – Mark Hilde

Long Term Youth Exchange – Chip Houdek

Short Term Youth Exchange – Tim Carlson

Group Study Exchange – Fred Peltz, Troy Oates

RYLA -- Ben Swedberg

Student of the Month – Steve Balster

Foundation & Grants

Chair – Paul Stromborg

At-Large Committee Members – Don Clayberg, Bob Hammon
Polio Plus – Paul Stromborg, Rose Henton, Curtis Lang, Bert Gray
Annual Giving – Jim Stoddard, Jim Buck, Riley Oncken, Jim Bowers
Foundation – Jim Stoddard, Jim Buck, Riley Oncken
Scholarships – Peter Johnson, Ray Dembinski, Michele Jurkovic, Don Clayberg, Darion Page, Julenne Davey

Service Above Self and Service Projects

Chair – Ray Dembinski

Multiple Club Project Coordination – Fred Peltz, Bob Hammon, Paul Stromborg

Water Project – Heidi Wright, Ahmed Kamel, Keven Dahl, Bob Wildenradt, Tami Armstrong, Julenne Davey, Lavarre Uhlken, Marijo Schwartz

Meals on Wheels (August) – Curt Lang, Bob Smith, Cliff Bottigliero

Dictionary Distribution (September) – Lavarre Uhlken, Brian Adams, Suzanne Anderson, Shelley Hendricks

Pancake Breakfast (October) – Marcy Buick, Michele Jurkovic, Jeff Petersen, Paulette Renault, Dave McCann, Jesse Boelter

Feed My Starving Children (November) – Heidi Wright, Jeff Frank, Eric Jones, Paul Stromborg, Paul Borek, Ed Eggers, Marijo Schwartz

Salvation Army Bell-Ringing (December) – Dave Andrews, Jim Moris, Kathy Countryman, Rose Treml

Adopt a Family (December) – Heidi Wright, Dave Miller, Brad Waller, Julenne Davey, Paul Callighan, Marijo Schwartz

Rotarians at Work Day (April) – Brian Adams, Pat Shafer, Bert Gray, Brandon Diviak, Sejal Patel, Mark Spiegelhoff, Rose Henton, Darion Page, Troy Oates, Marijo Schwartz

Public Image and Awareness

Chair – Brian Adams

Website – Eric Jones, Fred Peltz, Paul Barnaby

The Spoke – Barry Schrader, Paul Barnaby, Brian Adams, Shelley Hendricks

Public Image Campaign and Social Media – Brian Adams, Marijo Schwartz, Mark Hilde, David Galica, Jude Wilbers

Sergeant at Arms – Brian Adams, Lavarre Uhlken, Barry Schrader, Curt Lang

Club Fellowship

Chair – Jeff Keicher

Fines – Jeff Keicher, Marijo Schwartz, Darryl Wolff, Jeff Jacobson

Golf Outing – Dan Gibble, Brian Gregory, Steve Balster, Brad Waller, Jude Wilbers

100% Attendance Lunch (August) – Sally Bruch, Jim Buck, Robert Smith

Holiday Party (December) – Jeff Petersen, Zac Sheedy, Gary Evans, Dave Hamilton, Tami Armstrong, Paulette Renault, Craig Mathey

Rural-Urban Day (February) – Bob Wildenradt, Troy Oates, Eric Johnson, Lavarre Uhlken

Hula-for-Loota (April) – Paul Michel, Rose Henton, Tami Armstrong, Darryl Wolff, Jim Bowers

Membership

Chair – Sue Emberson
Recruitment – All members are expected to bring at least one prospective member as a guest
New Member Orientation – Bob Hammon, Ray Dembinski
Member Retention – Jim Stoddard, Bob Wildenradt, Larry Berke, Nicole Stuckert, Kathleen Merner

- See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/5772/Stories/committee-assignments-2015-2016#sthash.x7dtgs3j.dpuf

Monthly Program Committees

January -- Paul Barnaby, Michele Jurkovic, Pat Shafer, Tom Sparacino, Jesse Boelter, Keven Dahl

February -- Larry Berke, Brian Gregory, Ahmed Kamel, Fred Peltz, Richard Willey, Jude Wilbers, Rose Henton

March --Dave Hamilton, Jeff Petersen, Paulette Renault, Russell Bishop, Ray Dembinski, Phil Ruff

April --Bob Hammon, Paul Borek, Shelley Hendricks, Jim Bowers, Troy Oates, Marijo Schwartz

May --Cliff Bottigliero, Sue Emberson, Mark Spiegelhoff, Darryl Wolff, Eric Johnson, Mark Hilde

June --Jim Stoddard, Paul Stromborg, Michael Flora, Craig Mathey, Brian Adams, Jeff Keicher

New Generations

Chair—Julie Sgarlata

At-Large Committee Members – Kathy Countryman, Eric Jones, Don Clayberg, Julenne Davey, Nicole Stuckert, Darion Page

Sycamore H.S. Interact – Ben Swedberg

Sycamore M.S. Interact – Nicole Stuckert

South Prairie EarlyAct – Julie Sgarlata

North Grove EarlyAct – Mark Hilde

Long Term Youth Exchange – Chip Houdek

Short Term Youth Exchange – Tim Carlson

Group Study Exchange – Fred Peltz, Troy Oates

RYLA -- Ben Swedberg

Student of the Month – Steve Balster

Foundation & Grants

Chair – Paul Stromborg

At-Large Committee Members – Don Clayberg, Bob Hammon
Polio Plus – Paul Stromborg, Rose Henton, Curtis Lang, Bert Gray
Annual Giving – Jim Stoddard, Jim Buck, Riley Oncken, Jim Bowers
Foundation – Jim Stoddard, Jim Buck, Riley Oncken
Scholarships – Peter Johnson, Ray Dembinski, Michele Jurkovic, Don Clayberg, Darion Page, Julenne Davey

Service Above Self and Service Projects

Chair – Ray Dembinski

Multiple Club Project Coordination – Fred Peltz, Bob Hammon, Paul Stromborg

Water Project – Heidi Wright, Ahmed Kamel, Keven Dahl, Bob Wildenradt, Tami Armstrong, Julenne Davey, Lavarre Uhlken, Marijo Schwartz

Rotarians at Work Day (May) – Brian Adams, Pat Shafer, Bert Gray, Brandon Diviak, Sejal Patel, Mark Spiegelhoff, Rose Henton, Darion Page, Troy Oates, Marijo Schwartz

Public Image and Awareness

Chair – Brian Adams

Website – Eric Jones, Fred Peltz, Paul Barnaby

The Spoke – Barry Schrader, Paul Barnaby, Brian Adams, Shelley Hendricks

Public Image Campaign and Social Media – Brian Adams, Marijo Schwartz, Mark Hilde, David Galica, Jude Wilbers

Sergeant at Arms – Brian Adams, Lavarre Uhlken, Barry Schrader, Curt Lang

Club Fellowship

Chair – Jeff Keicher

Fines – Jeff Keicher, Marijo Schwartz, Darryl Wolff, Jeff Jacobson

Golf Outing – Dan Gibble, Brian Gregory, Steve Balster, Brad Waller, Jude Wilbers

Rural-Urban Day (February) – Bob Wildenradt, Troy Oates, Eric Johnson, Lavarre Uhlken

Hula-for-Loota (April) – Paul Michel, Rose Henton, Tami Armstrong, Darryl Wolff, Jim Bowers

Membership