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Deadline extended to register for 2018 District Conference
The deadline to register for the 2018 Rotary District 6420 Conference has been extended to midnight on Sunday, April 22nd, this event will be held at Faranda's in downtown DeKalb.
 
The weekend begins on Friday, April 27th, with the District Strategic Planning meeting in the afternoon and the Leadership Dinner in the evening.
 
The conference proper takes place on Saturday, April 28th; registration opens at 7:00 a.m. and presentations will be held throughout the day,  The evening will be capped by dinner at 6:00 p.m. featuring guest speaker Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois).
 
Registration for the entire weekend is $130; for the Conference on Saturday, $100; and for the dinner only on Saturday night, $50.  Dinner comes with choice of three different meals.
 
You can register through Eventbrite at this link
 
 
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:
 
Friday, April 27th
12:00 pm         Registration Opens
1:00-5:00 pm  District Strategic Planning Group
5:00 pm           Social - Cash Bar
6:00-9:00 pm  District Leadership Dinner -- Speaker:  Julie Clark
 
Saturday, April 28th
7:00 am           Registration Opens
7:00-8:15 am  Literacy Breakfast Buffet
8:15-8:30 am  Opening Ceremonies -- MC Eric Jones/Jeff Keicher
8:30 am           Literacy Awards/Speaker
9:30 am           Speaker:  Bethany Lerch -- Rotary & Fulbright Scholar
10:15 am         Break
10:30 am         Jane Adeny Mem. School for Girls -- Teresa Wasonga
12:00 pm        Lunch Buffet -- District Awards
1:00 pm          Rotary Youth Exchange Students
2:00 pm          VTT Uganda Trip:  PDG Shannon Scheffel
3:00 pm          Break
3:15 pm          District Foundation Projects -- PDG Ruth Lee, Moderator
4:00 pm          Human Trafficking:  presented by Toni Lucas
5:00 pm          Social -- Cash Bar
6:00 pm          Gala Dinner -- Guest: Rep. Adam Kinzinger
8:30 pm          Adjourn
 
Read more...
Rotary moves forward with inclusive playground project
Students with disabilities often have little opportunity to use playgrounds; for those with physical issues, the equipment may simply be inaccessible...while for those with cognitive or autistic problems, the environment may not be safe for them to use.
 
But the Sycamore Rotary Club is now actively involved in an effort to provide a safe location in town, for use by children with such hurdles to overcome.
 
Citizens for Inclusive Playgrounds wants to erect the play area on the campus of South Prairie Elementary School; that is the site within the district where most children with such disabilities are assigned, and a safe location designed to let them play and interact with all students is needed.
 
Rotarian Marijo Schwartz, who is with the Sycamore School District, has been spearheading the effort to bring the playground to town; a goal of $130,000 is needed, and so far over $71,000 of that has been contributed by a combination of public and private donors.  Over $57,000 is still required to launch the project; the Sycamore Rotary Club will be seeking a grant from District 6420 to supplement its own donation, and some individual Rotarians are pledging to contribute.
 
There is no set deadline for the project, but all monies must be collected before work can begin; it's hoped that construction can be completed over the summer.  Anyone wishing to contribute should contact the DeKalb County Community Foundation, or Marijo at mschwart@syc427.org
 
Guest Speaker: Joyce Klein
It's larger, has better facilities and aesthetics, and offers more services...but it remains a jail, and it will soon be ready to hold DeKalb County's most dangerous criminals.
 
The nearly-completed county jail will be ready for use in May, with open houses and tours on the 17th, 19th and 20th of the month.  Joyce Klein, head of the corrections department for the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, says the new design is meant not only to better house the current population of inmates...but is meant to encompass expansion and modifications in the years to come.
 
The new jail has more cells for various types of inmates...ranging from minor offenders being held overnight, to those with psychological issues or under suicide threat who need constant monitoring.  The cells for more difficult inmates are designed to be accessible, safer and easier to view for corrections officers.
 
More up-to-date design elements including an increase in outside lighting, and color-coding for the various portions of the jail.  And there are larger kitchens for food preparation and service (provided by VAC), as well as up-to-date medical and dental facilities -- which reduce the need to take inmates out of the jail, thus reducing the risks involved with doing so.
 
Volunteers still needed for Rotarians at Work Days projects
We are still looking for Rotarians to help out at these remaining Rotarians at Work Days work sites:
       Saturday, May 5th at Rotary Park at Sycamore Lake
       Saturday, May 12th at the Pay it Forward House
       Saturday, May 19th, YSB Bicycle Auction at the DeKalb H.S. Fieldhouse
 
We have sufficient numbers for the Kishwaukee SRA project at Hopkins Park on May 19th.
 
Sign-up sheets are available at all upcoming Rotary Club meetings; you can also contact Brian Adams for more information.
 
Host families needed for new exchange student
Our incoming exchange student is Sebastian Colmenares.  He is from a suburb of Valencia, Venezuela and will be 18 when he arrives.
 
We must find three host families to share the 11 months he will be here.  Homes with high school aged child(ren) are preferred.  If you are interested (and want to know more), or know of families in the school district who might make great host families, please contact Bert Gray, Youth Exchange Officer, at rkgray1@sbcglobal.net or 217-521-0968.
 
Bert will provide the club with more details about Sebastian as they become available.
 
Parking area at Blumen Gardens to be repaved

Blumen Gardens received approval from the Sycamore City Council on April 16th to repave its northeast parking lot; this will be a welcome addition for customers, and Rotarians, who have been using this unpaved lot for shopping and special events.

The reconstruction work is scheduled to begin the week of April 23rd; Rotarians coming to meetings for the next few weeks are advised that parking around Blumen Gardens may be limited, and traffic on the grounds will be re-routed while the work is in progress.

 

Rotary Readers continues for spring 2018 semester
We are entering the second semester of the school year for South Prairie Elementary, which has hosted Rotarians each week as part of our Rotary Readers project.
 
Each Thursday, Rotarians come to the school with two book selections; one is read to the students, and both are donated to the library.  Each Rotarian also comes prepared to discuss his or her occupation, and what reading has meant to them in their lives.  Each visit runs from about 9:45 to 10:30 a.m.
 
 
For those signed up to read during this second half of the school year, here is the remaining schedule:
 
April 26                Lavarre Uhlken
May 3                   Sally Bruch
May 10                 Sue Emberson
May 17                 Michelle Jurkovic
 
Rotary Reader Tips:
  • Be sure to arrive early enough to have time to pick out your two books and rehearse the one book that you will read to the third graders.
  • Engage the children by asking questions of them during the time you are reading. Add your own personal comments to what is being read about the story or happening to the characters.
Read more...
Readers invited to Rotary Breakfast Buddies on Friday, May 4th
If you have been or will be a Rotary Reader this school year, mark your calendar for Friday, May 4.
 
South Prairie Elementary School is hosting its end-of-year Rotary Breakfast Buddies Event. All Rotarians who have read (or will read by the end of the year) are invited to the event.
 
Breakfast will be served from 7:55 a.m. to 8:25 a.m.  Please be sure to check in at the school office.
 
You will get breakfast and a chance to interact with the 3rd grade children you previously read to. Please make it a priority to attend this event and show our support for the children at South Prairie Elementary School.
 
Attendance Report -- April 18, 2018
 
     Attendance:  To be determined
 
     Guests of Members:  Wally Sundberg and Tim Bagby (Jeff Keicher); Mike Cullen (Marijo Schwartz); Michelle Jones (Eric Jones)
 
 
Speakers
May 02, 2018
NIU Men's Golf
May 09, 2018
Family Service Agency
May 16, 2018
North Grove School Association
May 23, 2018
May 30, 2018
View entire list
Upcoming Events
Oak Crest Satellite Club Meeting
Oak Crest Retirement Center
Apr 26, 2018
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
District 6420 Leadership Dinner
Faranda's Banquet Center
Apr 27, 2018
6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
 
District 6420 Conference
Faranda's Banquet Center
Apr 28, 2018
7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
 
Board Meeting
Blumen Gardens
May 02, 2018
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
 
Breakfast Buddies -- for Rotary Readers
South Prairie Elementary School
May 04, 2018
7:45 AM – 8:30 AM
 
RWD: Sycamore Park Pride Day
Sycamore Lake Rotary Park
May 05, 2018
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
 
Oak Crest Satellite Club Meeting
Oak Crest Retirement Center
May 10, 2018
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
RWD: Pay it Forward House
Pay it Forward House
May 12, 2018
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
 
RWD: YSB Bicycle Auction
DeKalb High School Fieldhouse
May 19, 2018
7:00 AM – 1:00 PM
 
RWD: Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association
Hopkins Park Shelter
May 19, 2018
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
 
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
MJ Schwartz
April 2
 
Heidi Wright
April 3
 
Troy Oates
April 22
 
Spouse Birthdays
Sue Spiegelhoff
April 5
 
Craig Anderson
April 7
 
John Bruch
April 19
 
Anniversaries
Heidi Wright
Paul Wright
April 2
 
Tatum Glas
Marc Glas
April 4
 
Daniel Gibble
Terri Gibble
April 23
 
Join Date
Douglas Johnson
April 1, 2017
1 year
 
Kathy Countryman
April 8, 2004
14 years
 
Jeffrey Jacobson
April 10, 2000
18 years
 
Club Information
Rotary Club of Sycamore, Illinois
Sycamore
We meet Wednesdays at 11:45 AM
Blumen Gardens
403 Edward Street
Sycamore, IL  60178
United States
DistrictSiteIcon District Site
VenueMap Venue Map
BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2017-2018
President -- Eric Jones
President-Elect -- Ray Dembinski
Past President -- Sue Emberson
Secretary -- Sally Bruch
Treasurer -- Michele Jurkovic
Director -- Pat Shafer
Director -- Michael DeVito
Assistant Treasurer -- Lavarre Uhlken
Sergeant-at-Arms -- Brian Adams
 
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
New Generations -- Julie Sgarlata
Foundation & Grants -- Paul Stromborg
Service Projects -- Ray Dembinski
Fundraising -- Don Clayberg
Public Image -- Brian Adams
Membership -- Sally Bruch
Club Fellowship -- Chad Jewett
 
MONTHLY COMMITTEES
July – Board of Directors
August – Ben Swedberg, Lloyd Larson, Jim Buck, Julenne Davey, Dave McCann, Curt Lang
September – Brandon Diviak, Paul Michel, Bert Gray, Jeff Jacobson, Tim Carlson, Mario Fontana
October – Marcy Buick, Dave Andrews, Jim Schwarzbach, Dave Miller, Don Clayberg
November – Troy Oates, Kathy Countryman, Pete Johnson, Julie Sgarlata, Fred Peltz, Chip Houdek
December – Bob Wildenradt, Brad Waller, Dan Gibble, Kathleen Merner, Steve Balster, Chase Goodeill
January – Heidi Wright, Paul Barnaby, Chad Jewett, Jim Bowers, Gary Evans
February – Nicole Stuckert, Riley Oncken, Ahmed Kamel, Larry Berke, Brian Gregory
March – Paulette Renault, Dave Hamilton, Jeff Petersen, Doug Johnson
April – Paul Callighan, Bob Hammon, Suzanne Anderson, Sejal Patel, Paul Borek
May – Cliff Bottigliero, Mark Hilde, Mark Spiegelhoff, Zac Sheedy, Jeff Frank
June – Jim Stoddard, Marijo Schwartz, Paul Stromborg, Jeff Keicher, Steve Kuhn
 
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