Swing for a Cause! Drive Change! The Club's Annual Golf Outing will take place on Wednesday, June 17! Scan the QR code or contact Jonelle Bailey to sign up! Her email address is jonelleb@sycparks.org and her phone number is (815) 895-3365.
This week's speaker was Kiara Rodriguez, Natural Areas Specialist for the Sycamore Park District. She was hired in 2024 and oversees natural areas, habitat restoration, and community education. Kiara has about 6 years in ecological restoration, a degree in Environmental Studies (life sciences focus) from University of Nebraska Omaha, and a passion for habitat-based conservation.
Pollinator Garden Project Status and Ecology Education:
Project recap: Rotary funding plus Sycamore Parks Foundation, Resource Associates, and volunteers enabled planting of 1,550 native plugs to create a pollinator garden in front of the Community Center.
Survival update: very few plant losses; all species still present; three species blooming so far—red columbine, Ohio spiderwort, and hairy foxglove—with more expected; Kiara expects a very full garden by year three.
Planting design: focus on native host plants and continuous bloom from late spring through fall.
Specific hosts mentioned: butterfly milkweed and whorled milkweed for monarchs; little bluestem and side-oats grama grasses for small moths and butterflies; blunt mountain mint, wild bee balm, red columbine, hairy foxglove, and gentian (noted for bumblebee-only access).
Emphasis that native bees are generally docile; males most often seen; many species lack stingers.
Overwintering Habitat, Maintenance Practices, and Burns:
Kiara stressed avoiding traditional “clean” spring/fall garden cleanups: removing dead stems and leaf litter removes critical overwintering habitat for native pollinators.
Recommended practice: leave leaf litter and dead stems through winter; maintain some bare soil patches.
Examples of overwintering strategies:
Bumblebee queens using soil, old rodent holes, or leaf litter; vulnerable to early cleanups and temperature swings.
Leafcutter and mason bees nesting in hollow stems or wood holes, lining chambers with leaves or mud plus “bee bread” (nectar/pollen mix).
Importance of leaving second-year dead stems (e.g., purple coneflower) for cavity-nesting bees.
Butterflies such as fritillaries relying on violets and leaf litter; skippers using dead grass blades; some gossamer-winged butterflies overwintering in ant nests.
Kiara cited scale of biodiversity: 500+ native bee species and 2,000+ native butterfly/moth species in Illinois.
Goal of the garden: accessible native flowers plus visible demonstration of “less manicuring = more habitat.”
On prescribed burns: Park District contracts with ENCAP for burns; ideal burn frequency every 2–5 years; benefits include refreshing prairie structure and allowing forbs to flush after burns; described mosaic-burning approach and safety parameters (humidity, wind, homeowner notifications).
June 8, 1867 – Renowned “Prairie School” architect Frank Lloyd Wright is born in Richland Center, Wisconsin.
June 10, 1922 – Internationally acclaimed film star and singer Judy Garland is born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
June 11, 1913 – Green Bay Packer legendary football coach and team motivator Vince Lombardi is born in Brooklyn, New York.
June 13, 1903 – “The Galloping Ghost”, Harold “Red” Grange, is born in Forksville, Pennsylvania. The University of Illinois star earned his nickname after a memorable game against Michigan where he returned the opening kickoff for a 95-yard touchdown, scored three more touchdowns in the first 12 minutes, scored a fifth touchdown in the second half, threw a touchdown pass, and made two interceptions while playing defense. After college he played professionally for the Chicago Bears helping legitimize the National Football League.
June 9, 1898 – The British signed a 99-year lease for Hong Kong; on July 1,1997, its sovereignty reverted to the People’s Republic of China.
June 10, 1979 – Movie star Paul Newman and his teammates take second place in the 47th Le Mans endurance race in their rookie outing. Their entry, a Porsche 935, would later famously sell for $4.8 million.
June 11, 1994 – After 49 years, the Soviet military occupation of East Germany ended.
June 13, 1971 – The New York Times begins publishing portions of the secret 47-volume “Pentagon Papers” detailing U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia from the end of World War II through 1967 raising criticism of the Vietnam War.
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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
