SEE YOU AT HULA FOR LOOTA ON THURSDAY, MAY 4 (6:00 PM)!
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Our Next Program is...
Pat Otto
Naturalist
St. Charles Park District
Wednesday, May 10, 12:00 PM
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Tim Neubert, Jonelle Bailey, Pat Shafer, and Paulette Renault (not pictured, as she took the photo) sample some of "mixologist" Dave Torson's specially-made concoctions. Those attending Hula for Loota on May 4 will be able to enjoy these wonderful beverages!
Thank you to Rotary members, Rotaract members, and Interact members who helped to clean up Rotary Park on Earth Day (Saturday, April 22)!
The club's newest member (and the world's newest Rotarian at the time), Alicia Cosky, was inducted during this week's meeting, flanked by her sponsor Sally Bruch and club president Tim Neubert. Congratulations, Alicia! The club president also apologizes for misspelling your name on the PowerPoint slide displayed behind you! How embarrassing!
During this week's meeting, Club Foundations Chair Paul Stromborg presented Paul Harris Fellow pins to members Sue Emberson, Cliff Bottigliero, and Ray Dembinski. Congratulations to all, and thank you for your generosity to the Paul Harris Foundation!
This week's speaker was Rose Treml, Executive Director of the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce, who shared updates on the organization and business activity within the city.
Rose was joined by Sycamore Chamber of Commerce staff members Ashlee Mecklenburg (Member Services Administrator) and Shelby Crackel (Events & Marketing Director).
The mission of the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce is to improve commerce by being a champion for business and advocate for our community. With three staff members serving approximately 500 members, Sycamore's chamber has grown significantly over the years.
Rose Treml shared that, in the past 18 years, the Chamber has advocated for Sycamore's business community in the following ways:
Written letters to the Governor and other legislative officials at the state and local level (e.g. COVID restrictions on businesses, minimum wage legislation, and small business tax credits)
Supported local taxing bodies (e.g. Park District, Kishwaukee Community College, courthouse expansion, and wind and solar farm legislation)
Actively participated on boards and committees (e.g. DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation Board and Sycamore Economic Development Committee, and City's Planning Commission)
In Rose's mind, however, the most successful program the Chamber has created in the past 20 years, which advocates and supports our communities and businesses more than any other, has been their Leadership Academy which began in 2011. The stated goal of this program (an offshoot of the Chamber's Young Professionals Organization which began in 2006) is to "build a better future for Sycamore by developing informed, effective, and dedicated leaders with a truly vested interest in our community." The Academy is a 13-month program with a maximum of 18 members who meet on Friday mornings throughout the year. Approximately 188 professionals have completed the program to date. Success is measured by what the program's graduates and current members are doing or have done for the community. Graduates include business owners as well as leaders within city and county government, the school district, the park district, the public library, and non-profit organizations.
The Chamber also organizes and promotes over 115 events and meetings each year, helping members to network and promote themselves to Sycamore residents and visitors. They also host three websites, thirteen social media pages, and have 23,442 followers across all platforms.
As with Happy Dollars and fines, 50/50 raffle proceeds have long been earmarked for the scholarship fund for Sycamore High School seniors. In an effort to "spread the wealth" and support more causes, the members of your Rotary Board have determined that 50/50 raffle proceeds collected each month will benefit a different cause.
For the month of June, 50/50 raffle proceeds will help support CASA DeKalb County, Inc. to advocate for and serve as the voice for children who have experienced abuse or neglect in DeKalb County. The Board has committed that the total amount given to this cause will be no less than $250.
Thank you for your support of this important cause...and best of luck with the raffle!
The Rotary Club of Sycamore is committed to supporting many great causes. Following are the causes we have support since July 2022:
$372.50 to Sycamore District 427 for School Supplies (50/50 raffle cause for August)
$300.00 to Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County (50/50 raffle cause for September)
$465.50 to Safe Passage (50/50 raffle cause for October)
$1,350.00 for Polio Plus (funds raised through Chicken Salad Tasting with Suter Company)
$2,761.00 for Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County’s 2022 Home Build (w/ Dist. 6420 Matching Grant)
$400.00 to Usborne Books (during District conference) to provide reading materials to Ukrainian refugees attending two schools in Chicago's Ukrainian Village
$896.00 for Adopt-a-Family
$1,000.00 to Coats for Kids
$1,000.00 to Feed My Starving Children/Make a Difference DKC
$352.50 to Spartan Food Pantry (50/50 raffle cause for November)
$1,000.00 to Sycamore Public Library to fulfill District 6420 Governor's "Nothing Reads Like a Book" initiative
$292.50 to Sycamore Food Pantry (50/50 raffle cause for December)
$500.00 to Pay-It-Forward House (50/50 raffle cause for January)
$400.00 to Navajo Water Project (50/50 raffle cause for February)
$365.00 to DeKalb County Community Gardens (50/50 raffle cause for March)
$297.50 to Tails Humane Society (50/50 raffle cause for April)
$500.00 to South Prairie Elementary School (Rotary Reader)
April 26, 1954 – The Salk polio vaccine field trials, involving 1.8 million children, begin at the Franklin Sherman Elementary School in McLean, Virginia. Children in the United States, Canada and Finland participated. One year later, researchers announced the vaccine was safe and effective and it quickly became a standard part of childhood immunizations.
April 26, 1994 – Multiracial elections were held for the first time in the history of South Africa. Anti-Apartheid leader Nelson Mandela was elected President.
April 28, 1789 – Three weeks into a journey from Tahiti to the West Indies, the HMS Bounty is seized in a mutiny led by Fletcher Christian. Captain William Bligh and 18 loyal supporters were set adrift in a small boat. Christian and other mutineers eventually establish a settlement on Pitcairn Island. Bligh survived and resumed his shipping trade.
April 29, 2004 – President George W. Bush dedicates the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.D. It consists of 56 pillars, representing U. S. states and territories, and a pair of small triumphal arches for the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of the war. It sits on the National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument.
Birthdays & Club Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Becky Springer
October 3
Paul Stromborg
October 3
Joyce Klein
October 21
Matt Nelson
October 22
Sally Bruch
October 29
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2023-2024
President – Brandon Diviak
President Elect – Steve Wilder
Director (President Nominee) – Jonelle Bailey
Director (President Designee) - Becky Springer
Past President – Tim Neubert
Treasurer – Dr. Michele Jurkovic
Secretary – Sally Bruch
Sergeant at Arms – Paulette Renault
Monthly Committees
July: Board of Directors
August: Jeff Keicher, Brandon Diviak, Pat Shafer
September: Dave Hamilton, Jeff Jacobson, Jim Stoddard
October: Paul Callighan, Matt Nelson, Paul Stromborg
November: Sue Emberson, Jeff Frank, Heidi Wright
December: Paul Barnaby, Larry Berke, Riley Oncken
January: Ray Dembinski, Joyce Klein, Rob Mondi, Tim Neubert
Membership: Jonelle Bailey, Ray Dembinski, Bob Hammon, Steve Kuhn, Jeff Petersen, Bob Wildendradt, Jeff Jacobson, Brandon Diviak, Matt Nelson, Riley Oncken
Public Image: Bob Brown, Paul Callighan, Jeff Keicher, Joyce Klein, Tasha Sims
Fellowship: Paulette Renault, Pat Shafer, Sally Bruch, Sue Emberson Dave Hamilton, Paul Barnaby, Larry Berke
Service: Brandon Diviak, Jeff Frank, Michele Jurkovic, Rob Mondi, Brendan Wilson, Heidi Wright, Alicia Cosky, Tim Neubert
Foundations: Jim Buck, Sue Emberson, Matt Nelson, Jim Stoddard, Paul Stromborg
New Generations: Chip Houdek, Julie Sgarlata, Becky Springer, Steve Wilder
Scholarships: Tim Neubert, Julie Sgarlata, Ray Dembinski, Steve Kuhn, Michele Jurkovic, Don Clayberg
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