Be sure to review "Posting of Proposed Club Bylaw Revisions Prior to Voting" within the News/Updates section below
Guest Chrystal Ciodyle was as stunned as anyone in the room when she pulled the Ace of Spades to win $360, when many cards were available for her to pick!
Melissa Amedeo, who joined DCEDC in September 2024, discussed the important role of her public/private partnership within DeKalb County. The organization has been part of the community for nearly 40 years.
Mark Your Calendars! DCEDC will be hosting a speaker from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago on Thursday, April 17 at Farandas in DeKalb. https://dcedc.org/events/
Melissa Amedeo, the new Executive Director of DCEDC (DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation), spoke to the club this week about the county's need for an integrated approach to economic development, including:
Public Policy & Incentives
Existing Business Support
Housing
Infrastructure & Transportation Mobility
Small Business Vitality
Economic Inclusion
Leadership
Talent & Education
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Sites & Buildings
Quality of Life
Human Health
She drew attention to the many area companies that have benefited from notable development in the past year, such as:
Meta
Kraft Heinz
The Suter Company
eo5 Hotels
Cole Pallet
Henderson Engineering
CMJ IT Solutions
Nehring (Conex, New Metals)
Custom Aluminum
Communities by Grainger
Riverside Properties
She also highlighted the DCEDC's plans to host more events in the future, including:
BMEC Training
Economic Outlook
IMA Round Tables/Legislative Updates
IDOT Grant Writing Training
Small Business Roundtables
Business Leadership
Small and Rural Community Roundtables
Melissa fielded several questions from interested club members before she was thanked with a Rotary mug from President Wilder.
To learn more about DCEDC, please visit their website at https://dcedc.org/.
Dear fellow members of the Rotary Club of Sycamore:
Fellow club member Brendan Wilson has successfully written and published 2 Science Fiction books as part of a trilogy. The most recent is titled: "Warrior Goddess". They are fast-paced, wonderful, engaging reads that I believe all readers would really enjoy! (Of course, available on Amazon, etc.)
Brendan has woven some of his amazing background as a former U.S. Army Ranger, NATO Advisor, and Martial Arts Master into these beautifully crafted action stories.
Anyhow...the favor that I'm asking is for you to take a minute and vote for him as "International Impact Author of the Year". See below for the easy process to vote for Brendan.
Section 1 - The annual election of officers and directors to serve for the ensuing year shall be held not later than May March 31. The term of service begins 1 July of the ensuing year. In June of each year, the annual installation of officers meeting will be held to facilitate the induction of all officers and directors who will serve in the new fiscal year.
Section 2 - The regular weekly meetings of this club shall be held on Wednesdays beginning at 11:45 a.m. Due notice of any changes in or cancelling of the regular meeting shall be given to all members of the club. All members excepting an honorary member (or member excused pursuant to the standard Rotary club constitution) in good standing in this club, on the day of the regular meeting, must be counted as present or absent, and attendance must be evidenced by the member's being present for at least 60% of the time devoted to the regular meeting, either at this club or at any other Rotary club, or as otherwise provided in the standard Rotary club constitution, Article 9, Sections 1 and 2.
Section 3 - One-third of the membership shall constitute a quorum at the annual and regular meetings of this club.
Section 4 - Regular meetings of the board shall be held on the day of the first regular club meeting of each month. Special meetings of the board shall be called by the president, whenever deemed necessary, or upon the request of two directors, due notice having been given. In the event the board is unable to physically meet, a meeting may be conducted via email as long as minutes are recorded.
Article 6 - Fees, Dues, Leave of Absence
Section 1 - The admission fee shall be $25.00 to be paid before the applicant can qualify as a member, except as provided for in the standard Rotary club constitution, Article 11.
Section 2 -There shall be four (4) three (3)categories of membership: Active Members, Corporate Members, R-85 Members, and Honorary Members. Active Member dues shall be $165 $125 per quarter, payable quarterly on the first day of the first quarter of the fiscal year or when billed (generally 1 July, 1 October, 1 January, and 1 April). This fee shall include the member's meals at regular, weekly meetings for the quarter and RI assessments. RI assessments include, but are not limited to District 6420 dues, Rotary International dues, and RI official magazine dues. Corporate Member dues shall be the same as Active Member dues and shall include the same expenses as Active Member dues. Corporate Membership shall be open to business, industry, non-profit, or other similar organization as determined by the Board. Corporate Members shall identify a single individual to serve as the point of contact for the Corporate Member. The point of contact may identify other individuals within the organization to attend meetings and Rotary events. R-85 Member dues shall not be required to pay for all meals during the quarter, but shall pay that sum necessary to cover District 6420 dues, international dues, and RI official magazine dues. Honorary members shall be billed only for the meals consumed during those meetings attended by the R-85 member. Honorary Members shall be identified and voted upon by the board. Honorary members shall not be billed any dues, except for meals consumed during those meetings attended by the Honorary Member.
Section 3 - Upon written application to the board, setting forth good and sufficient cause, leave of absence may be granted excusing an active member from attending the meetings of the club for no longer than 12 months. To be eligible, the member must have all dues paid in full, and must pay the equivalent of current District and RI fees that will be incurred by the club for that member during the leave period. Members who wish to resign may be re-admitted to the club as part of the regular application and induction process. Such leave of absence does not operate to prevent a forfeiture of membership; it does not operate to give the club credit for the member's attendance. Unless the member attends a regular meeting of some other club, the excused member must be recorded as absent except that absence authorized under the provisions of the Standard Rotary Club Constitution is not computed in the attendance record of the club.
Section 4 - Any member with an outstanding balance owed to the club of $500 - $1,000, will be placed for automatic review of their account by the board at the next stated board meeting in order to determine any action. Any member with an outstanding balance owed to the club that exceeds $1,000 must respond in kind and in good faith with a payment plan upon the board or treasurer’s written request.
Article 11 - Finances
Section 1 - Prior to July 1 of each year, the board shall prepare a budget of estimated income and expenditures for the corning fiscal year, which shall stand as the limit of expenditures for these purposes, unless otherwise ordered by action of the board.
Section 2 - The treasurer shall deposit all club funds in a FDIC insured bank named by the board in a timely manner, upon receipt. The club funds shall be divided into not less than three separate accounts: club operations, scholarship, and service projects.
Section 3 - All bills shall be paid by the treasurer or other authorized officer. Expenditures exceeding $100 requires board pre-approval. If the expenditure is over $500, two signatures are required on the check. All expenditures over $1,000 must be approved by vote of the club. The only exceptions to the above authorization requirement are the payment of the weekly meals which are charged per person and will be paid weekly without additional board authorization and payments made to Rotary International or the Rotary Foundation.
Section 4 - A thorough review of all financial transactions by a qualified person, who is not a member of the board, shall be made once each year and a report presented to the board by September 30 of each year.
Section 5 - Officers having charge or control of the club funds shall give bond as required by the board for the safe custody of the funds of the club with the cost of the bond to be borne by the club.
Section 6 - The fiscal year of the club shall extend from 1 July to 30 June, and for the collection of members' dues shall be divided into four quarterly periods. Members may also be billed for the Rotary Foundation donations, club events, and other financial obligations which may be incurred.
Section 7 - No board may commit the club to any expense or contract which exceeds the fiscal year of the board, unless by approval of 2/3 of members present at a meeting, provided that notice of such meeting and proposed vote has been published in the Spoke and via e-mail to members at least fourteen (14) days prior to such meeting.
March 23, 1912 – German-American rocket scientist (and Disney space consultant), Wernher von Braun, is born in Wirsitz (now Wyrzysk) Poland.
March 24, 1874 – Magician and escape artist Harry Houdini is born in Budapest, Hungary.
.
March 26, 1911 – American playwright Tennessee Williams (author of such works as The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) is born in Columbus, Mississippi.
March 29, 1867 – Baseball pitching legend Cy Young is born in Gilmore, Ohio. He holds the major league baseball record for most career wins; 511.
March 23, 1775 – Patrick Henry helps ignite the American Revolution with a speech in Richmond, Virginia. He delivers these now famous words to those assembled, “…I know not what course others will take; but for me, give me liberty or give me death.”
March 24, 1989 – One of the largest oil spills in U.S. history occurs when the oil tanker Exxon Valdez runs aground in Prince William Sound off the coast of Alaska. More than 11 million gallons of oil leak into the water stretching along 45 miles of shoreline.
March 25, 1911 – A raging fire erupted inside the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in New York City leading to the deaths of 123 women and 23 men. The tragedy spurred national attention to labor working conditions and resulted in legislation improving factory fire safety rules.
March 28, 1979 – At 4 AM, one of the worst accidents in the history of the U.S. nuclear power industry began when a pressure valve in the Unit 2 reactor at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania failed to close. Cooling water, contaminated with radiation, drained from the open valve into adjoining buildings and the unit’s fuel core began to overheat. Fears of a core meltdown that could release radiation and sicken area residents led to more than 100,000 people fleeing nearby towns. Slowly the reactor core cooled and no one outside the plant had exposure to adverse levels of radiation, but the incident greatly eroded the public’s faith in nuclear power.
________________________________________
BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2024-2025
President – Steve Wilder
President Elect – Jonelle Bailey
Director (President Nominee) – Becky Springer
Director (President Designee) - Matt Nelson
Past President – Brandon Diviak
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, Paul Stromborg
November: Sue Emberson, Jeff Frank, Phil Meyer
December: Larry Berke, Ray Dembinski, Riley Oncken
Fellowship: Paulette Renault, Larry Berke, Sue Emberson, Dave Hamilton, Pat Shafer
Foundations:Paul Stromborg, Jim Buck, Sue Emberson, Matt Nelson, Jim Stoddard
Membership: Jonelle Bailey, Ray Dembinski, Brandon Diviak, Bob Hammon, Jeff Jacobson, Steve Kuhn, Phil Meyer, Matt Nelson, Riley Oncken, Jeff Petersen, Bob Wildendradt
New Generations: Chip Houdek, Julie Sgarlata, Becky Springer, Steve Wilder
Public Image: Bob Brown, Paul Callighan, Jeff Keicher, Joyce Klein, Tasha Sims
Scholarships:Tim Neubert, Don Clayberg, Ray Dembinski, Michele Jurkovic, Steve Kuhn, Julie Sgarlata
Service: Brandon Diviak, Alicia Cosky, Jeff Frank, Michele Jurkovic, Rob Mondi, Tim Neubert, Brendan Wilson
.png)
