The Spoke -- January 10, 2017 (Jan 10, 2017)

Rotarians at Work Committee meeting postponed to January 18th

The Rotarians at Work committee meeting has been postponed to January 18th, immediately following the regular Rotary Club meeting. All committee members, as well as Rotarians who have joined within the past year, are invited to attend.

This year's event is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, May 6th; we may be returning to some of our previous project sites, as well as hold a week-long donation drive on behalf of the Amazing Grace Organization -- a local charity which provides care packages for cancer patients.

More details on these events will be provided as we prepare for this year's project; this is one of the major community service projects we stage during the spring, and all interested Rotarians are urged to take part. For more information, please contact Brian Adams at brianadams62@hotmail.com

Guest Speaker: Pete Polarek

Sycamore Fire Chief Pete Polarek says his department will be able to take advantage of a grant to upgrade the equipment and training it uses...to carry out its task of investigating fires.

During the January 4th Rotary Club meeting, Polarek said a $1,000 grant from Allstate Insurance will be put towards enhancing its fire investigation unit. According to state law, the Fire Chief is responsible for investigation of all fires; but until recently, the department had a severe shortage of trained investigators and couldn't keep up with the influx of cases.

He says that in the last few years, the department has been able to train six more personnel with the skills necessary to find out the cause of a given fire; while many fires aren't that serious, and sometimes the cause can be obvious, there are other cases where it's not so clear -- and takes plenty of study by fire personnel before they can make a determination.

Polarek also discussed last month's fire at the historic Boynton House; he says while the fire was indeed serious, intervention by his department, assistance from many others and a bit of luck kept the blaze from causing even more damage. He says it was fortunate that some of the doorways were closed, which slowed down the spread of the fire; on first glance, it appeared that the entire top floor would burn...but fire personnel were able to keep it from spreading, and saved over half of the historic mansion.

January Student of the Month: Jacob Madden

Jacob Madden has spent much of his spare time on school activities ranging from Student Council and National Honor Society, to track and cross-country; but one of his favorite memories involves his part-time job at the Sycamore Movie Theatre.

In receiving the Rotary Club's Student of the Month Award, Jacob recalls the effort it takes to keep the concession stand going...even as patrons flood the stand, and a constant supply of popcorn is needed. He juggles his time there with classes, his duties as Senior Class President, and his time with the Art Club and Math Team.

Jacob attended the January 4th Rotary Club meeting with his parents Jennifer and Todd; he hopes to study Computer Science or Business at Penn, Northwestern or Reed College.

In recognition of his accomplishments, the Rotary Club has provided $100 for donation to the charity of his choice; Jacob has picked the Sycamore Education Foundation, in thanks for the time the school system has put in on providing him with the best education it can.

Attendance: January 4, 2017

Attendance: 57.41%

Guests of Rotarians: Mark Borowicz (Barry Schrader)

Other Guests: Marcela Silva (exchange student)

Pending Members: Mark Borowicz

Jan 18, 2017

Retired SFD Chief Gene Ege

1927 Fire Engine Restoration Project

Jan 25, 2017

Lisa Freeman, NIU Executive VP Provost

Impact of State Budget Impasse on NIU

Feb 01, 2017

Sue Emberson

Club Assembly

Feb 08, 2017

Bob Shipman

Opportunity House

Feb 15, 2017

Brian Gregory

City of Sycamore

View entire list

Club Assembly

Feb 01, 2017
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM

Board Meeting

Feb 01, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Club Information

Welcome to our Club!

Service Above Self

We meet Wednesdays at 11:45 AM

Blumen Gardens Banquet Facility

403 Edward Street
Sycamore, IL 60178
United States

District Site

Venue Map

BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2016-2017

President -- Sue Emberson

President-Elect -- Eric Jones

Past President -- Russell Bishop

Secretary -- Sally Bruch

Treasurer -- Michele Jurkovic

Director -- Ray Dembinski

Director -- Pat Shafer

Assistant Treasurer -- Lavarre Uhlken

Sergeant-at-Arms -- Brian Adams

Monthly Committees

July -- Curt Lang, Gary Evans, Jim Moris, Chip Houdek, Sally Bruch, Fred Peltz

August -- Barry Schrader, Ben Swedberg, Lloyd Larson, Jim Buck, Julenne Davey, Dave McCann

September -- Mario Fontana, Paul Michel, Bert Gray, Jeff Jacobson, Tim Carlson, Brandon Diviak

October -- Jeff Frank, Marcy Buick, Dave Andrews, Jim Schwartzbach, Dave Miller, Don Clayberg

November -- Pete Johnson, Dave Galica, Julie Sgarlata, Kathy Countryman, Tami Armstrong, Troy Oates

December -- Steve Balster, Bob Wildendradt, Brad Waller, Eric Jones, Dan Gibble, Kathleen Merner

January -- Pat Shafer, Michele Jurkovic, Keven Dahl, Paul Barnaby, Heidi Wright

February -- Brian Gregory, Nicole Stuckert, Riley Oncken, Ahmed Kamel, Larry Berke

March -- Jeff Petersen, Paulette Renault, Russell Bishop, Ray Dembinski, Dave Hamilton, Steve Kuhn

April -- Paul Borek, Shelley Hendricks, Jim Bowers, Bob Hammon, Paul Callighan, Sajel Patel

May -- Mark Spiegelhoff, Cliff Bottigliero, Rose Henton, Mark Hilde, Darion Page, Rose Treml

June -- Paul Stromborg, Brian Adams, Lavarre Uhlken, Jeff Keicher, Jim Stoddard, Marijo Schwartz

New Generations

Chair—Julie Sgarlata

At-Large Committee Members – Kathy Countryman, Eric Jones, Don Clayberg, Julenne Davey, Nicole Stuckert

Sycamore H.S. Interact – Ben Swedberg

Sycamore M.S. Interact – Nicole Stuckert

South Prairie EarlyAct – Julie Sgarlata

North Grove EarlyAct – Mark Hilde

Long/Short Term Youth Exchange – Chip Houdek, Tim Carlson, Jeff Jacobson, Jeff Keicher

Group Study Exchange – Troy Oates, Fred Peltz

RYLA -- Ben Swedberg

Student of the Month – Steve Balster

Foundation & Grants

Chair – Paul Stromborg

At-Large Committee Members – Don Clayberg, Bob Hammon, Rose Henton
Polio Plus – Paul Stromborg, Curtis Lang, Bert Gray
Annual Giving/Foundation – Jim Stoddard, Jim Buck, Jim Bowers, Riley Oncken
Scholarships – Pete Johnson, Jeff Keicher, Ray Dembinski, Michele Jurkovic, Don Clayberg

Service Above Self and Service Projects

Chair – Ray Dembinski

Multiple Club Project Coordination – Bob Hammon, Dave Miller, Paul Stromborg, Keven Dahl

Water Project – Heidi Wright, Riley Oncken, Julenne Davey

Meals on Wheels (August) – Brian Adams, Curt Lang, Sejal Patel, Darion Page, Mark Spiegelhoff

Dictionary Distribution (September) – Lavarre Uhlken, Brian Adams, Shelley Hendricks

Pancake Breakfast (October) – Dave McCann, Marcy Buick, Marijo Schwartz, Brad Waller, Michele Jurkovic, Fred Peltz, Jeff Petersen, Paulette Renault

Feed My Starving Children (November) – Heidi Wright, Jeff Frank, Eric Jones, Paul Stromborg, Marijo Schwartz

Salvation Army Bell-Ringing (December) – Dave Andrews, Jim Moris, Kathy Countryman, Rose Treml, Paul Borek

Adopt a Family (December) – Heidi Wright, Dave Miller, Brad Waller, Julenne Davey

Rotarians at Work Day (May) – Brian Adams, Pat Shafer, Bert Gray, Brandon Diviak, Sejal Patel

Public Image and Awareness

Chair – Brian Adams

Website – Eric Jones, Fred Peltz, Paul Barnaby

The Spoke – Barry Schrader, Paul Barnaby, Brian Adams, Shelley Hendricks

Public Image Campaign and Social Media – Brian Adams, Marijo Schwartz, Mark Hilde

Sergeant at Arms – Brian Adams, Lavarre Uhlken, Barry Schrader, Curt Lang

IT/Audio-Visual – Eric Jones, Brian Adams, Dave Galica

Club Fellowship

Fines – Jeff Keicher, Riley Oncken, Paul Callighan, Marijo Schwartz, Jeff Jacobson, Jim Bowers

100% Attendance Lunch (August) – Sally Bruch

Holiday Party (December) – Jeff Petersen, Gary Evans, Dave Hamilton, Tami Armstrong, Paulette Renault, Julie Sgarlata

Rural-Urban Day (February) – Bob Wildenradt, Troy Oates, Larry Berke

Hula-for-Loota (April) – Paul Michel, Rose Henton, Julie Sgarlata, Tami Armstrong, Jim Bowers

Golf Outing (June) – Dan Gibble, Brian Gregory, Steve Balster, Brad Waller

Membership

Chair – Sally Bruch
Recruitment – All members are expected to bring at least one prospective member as a guest
New Member Orientation – Bob Hammon, Ray Dembinski, Brandon Diviak, Russell Bishop
Member Retention – Jim Stoddard, Bob Wildenradt, Larry Berke, Nicole Stuckert