Black History Month photo montage courtesy of Maricopa Community College District. Top Row from left to right: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Thurgood Marshall, Dr. Mae Jemison. Bottom row from left to right: Nat King Cole, Rosa Parks, Barack Obama, Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph, George Washington Carver.
Mark Spiegelhoff, Sycamore Rotarian and Kishwaukee YMCA Executive Director, speaks to the group about managing the local organization through the pandemic.
Kishwaukee YMCA Executive Director and Sycamore Rotarian Mark Spiegelhoff opened his remarks at this week’s meeting by saying when a pandemic gives you lemons, you make lemonade. He then proceeded to report on how the “Y” responded since being abruptly shut down last March due to mitigation restrictions.
Spiegelhoff noted the entire fitness industry was hit hard by Covid-19 restrictions. By fall of last year, 15% of gyms closed, the industry lost more than $15 billion and was forced to cut 48,000 jobs. Nationwide, 22 “Y” Associations closed 31 locations. The Kishwaukee “Y” completely closed from mid-March until June. With membership revenue and traditional fundraising curtailed, the “Y” had to lay off 98% of staff (retaining only six people).
Nevertheless, Spiegelhoff said the “Y” continued to find ways to bring impact to the community. For example, they hosted a food distribution event in partnership with the Northern Illinois Food Bank; they became a drive-through Covid-19 testing site; “Y” members could check out a “Fit Kit” with equipment to assist in workouts; in place of their traditional Halloween event they did a “trunk or treat” drive-through in their parking lot (over 200 cars came through with candy distributed to more than 550 youngsters); and a proactive telephone outreach was made to check on seniors. A previously funded renovation of their “Kids Zone” space was also accomplished.
Mitigation rules changed in June allowing a partial reopening and 100% of laid off staff returned. Programming with required limitations resumed. Traditional child-care programs and camps could not be offered, but a special e-learning space was created for youth needing a place to go while a parent was working. The swim team was also able to be reactivated.
Spiegelhoff says funding challenges remain. Some help came from Federal grants and loans totaling $1.26 million. Stepped up donor requests brought in gifts, some as much as $25,000 or $50,000. Also, some members continued to pay their dues even when the facility was closed. As people feel more comfortable getting out, Spiegelhoff expects membership to begin to get back to pre-COVID-19 levels. In the meantime, he urged those wanting to help the “Y” to donate, volunteer, and participate through membership. Their website is: www.kishymca.org.
On March 6th, 2021 our Rotary Club booked a night with exclusive access to the newly renovated Egyptian Theatre. We have planned a great night out! This fellowship event will include a cocktail get-together at 6:00pm with great appetizers, followed by a movie starting at 7:15pm. There will be a cash bar, and movie concessions.
Get out of the house and dress-up! Come and enjoy the company of your fellow club members, and the beautiful theatre.
Tickets are available now at $15 per person. Limit of 50 to be in attendance. Use the below link or email me to reserve your spot.
February 9, 1773 – The 9th U. S. President, William Henry Harrison, is born in Berkeley, Virginia. He was sworn into office on March 4, 1841 but died 32 days later from complications from a cold he caught during his inaugural ceremonies.
February 12, 1809 – The 16th President of the U. S., Abraham Lincoln, is born in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. By the time he was a young man his family had relocated to Illinois where he became a self-taught lawyer, then served in both the state General Assembly and U. S. Congress. He became President in 1861, guided the Union through the Civil War, and abolished slavery. He was assassinated just a few days after Lee’s surrender to Grant at Appomattox.
February 7, 1812 – British novelist Charles Dickens (“David Copperfield”, “Oliver Twist”, “A Christmas Carol”) is born in Portsmouth, England.
February 11, 1847 – Prolific inventor Thomas Edison is born in Milan, Ohio. Throughout his lifetime he acquires over 1,200 patents.
February 13, 1635 – Boston Latin School is established and becomes the first taxpayer supported public school in America.
February 8, 1910 – The Boy Scouts of America was founded by William Boyce in Washington, D.C. modeled after the British Boy Scouts (founded by General Robert Baden-Powell).
February 11, 1929 – Italian dictator Benito Mussolini granted political independence to Vatican City and recognized the sovereignty of the Pope over the 110-acre site.
February 9, 1964 – With his now famous words, “Ladies and gentlemen…The Beatles”, TV host Ed Sullivan brought the British singing group to American television in a program viewed by what was then a record audience estimated at 73 million viewers.
