Joe Ryan says the work that his team puts in at Sycamore High School is more important than the outcome – and that whatever the score, the lessons they learn about discipline and preparation are more important than the outcome of games.
As head football coach for the Spartans, Ryan has seen plenty of ups and downs in the past few years; it’s been three years since one of his teams has beaten DeKalb in their annual rivalry game, but last year’s team made it to the state semifinals in spite of early losses.
Ryan bristled at a newspaper description of last week’s loss as a “disappointment” – he says that while it can be disappointing to lose, no team which has put in the amount of work that his squad does each week to get ready for a game can be a disappointment to him.
He says his players open their season with two-a-day practices, plus film and walk-through sessions; then once the school year begins, they have to spend two hours on the practice field each day…with weightlifting sessions mixed in…all to prepare for each week’s contest.
Tyler Hull has been involved with many community service projects during his time at Sycamore High School; but he says his trip to a Native American reservation as part of a church mission made a major impression on him – reminding him of how fortunate he is, and how much he wants to provide help to those who need it.
The Sycamore Rotary Club’s September Student of the Month has been a member of the Interact Club for the past two years, is on the National Honor Society, has been on the football and track teams and has been on the Spartan Senate.
But his first trip to the reservation with Life Missions showed him how much people who have little must struggle each day…and how much delight the children there got from some of the simplest pleasures…taught him the value of serving others.
The Rotary Club has provided him with $100 for donation to the charity of his choice; he has selected the Gracie Center, which provides continuing education and employment opportunities for developmentally disabled persons from their location in Genoa.
Sycamore H.S. alumna Sarah Fischer took her real-life experience battling cancer, and adapted it into a screenplay...one she's been trying to get produced for years. Now she's in the running for a crowdfunding contest, which could provide her with the monies needed to begin her production.
Fischer's mother Tammy appeared at the September 13th Rotary Club meeting, urging members to consider backing her production. The crowdfunding site Seed&Spark will provide $25,000 to the winning entry; she says the more likes she gets on her fundraising page, the better her chances of qualifying for the grant.
"Other Almosts" tells the story of Emma, a college junior who is forced to take medical leave when she learns she is going blind. Emma reconnects with friends in her hometown, each of whom is going through their own struggles. Sycamore would be the setting for the film, with production in 2018 around the time of the Pumpkin Festival.
Anyone interested in helping Sarah with her production can go to her page at www.seedandspark.com
Many families of children in the Sycamore School District can’t afford coats for the upcoming winter; but Rotary plans to help them out – and needs the public’s help.
The Rotary Club of Sycamore and B-95 Radio are sponsoring Operation Warm, a fundraising drive to provide children with winter coats. Rather than collect used or leftover coats, Operation Warm provides brand-new, specially-made coats for children of all ages.
Rotary’s goal is to raise at least $1,200, enough to buy 60 coats for children in District 427; these will be distributed to the recipient children at an event later this fall.
You can contribute to our fundraising webpage atoperationwarm.org, or by sending your donation to:
Operation Warm
PO Box 822431 Philadelphia, PA 19182-2431
(Please be sure to note that your contribution is for the Rotary Club of Sycamore, IL)
Another Club Committee Meeting Day has been scheduled for Wednesday, October 4th; any and all club committees with pending business may use the time to meet and plan out their projects.
Pending projects which may utilize the time include the Pancake Breakfast, Operation Warm, Make a Difference DKC and November Program committees.
Other upcoming projects include the Salvation Army Collection, Adopt a Family and the Holiday Party.
Make a Difference DKC is again preparing for its annual food packing event on behalf of Feed My Starving Children...and Rotarians are being asked to help, by supporting their annual raffle or buying specially designed T-shirts.
Tickets are now being sold for $20 each, with $8 going back to the organization which sells the ticket; the grand prize is $10,000, to be drawn on November 12th at the conclusion of this year's food packing event.
If you would like to buy or sell raffle tickets, tickets are available now and at upcoming Rotary meetings; sales will continue through November 9th.
T-shirts for this year's Make a Difference DKC are also on sale; these shirts are designed by a local student, and cost $22 each. That will be enough to provide 100 meals for starving children (at $.22 per meal).
Shirts are available in adult S/M/LG/XL/XXL and youth M/L.
Volunteers will be needed for the food packing itself, to be held from Thursday, November 9th through Sunday, November 12th at The Suter Company in Sycamore. Our Rotary Club will again be sponsoring the event, and providing volunteers to help pack food for distribution to needy children in areas around the world.
Please contact Heidi Wright for more information at (815) 895-9186, or at Hwright@suterco.com
Attendance Report -- September 20, 2017
Attendance: 64.71%
Visiting Rotarians: Bob Pritchard (Kishwaukee Sunrise)
Guests of Members: Dan Escatel (Eric Jones), Tuija and Esa from Finland (Ben Swedberg)
Other Guests: Luca-Sophie Giese (exchange student)
Prospective Members: Dan Escatel, Michael DeVito (pending)
