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Paul Stromborg receives Ovitz Rotarian of the Year Award
Paul Stromborg has been named this year's recipient of the John W. Ovitz, Jr. Rotarian of the Year Award; it was presented to him during the annual Installation Dinner on Wednesday, June 27th.
 
Stromborg serves as the Foundation Chairman for the Sycamore Rotary Club, putting him at the forefront of our efforts to support the End Polio Now campaign. This has proven to be a perfect fit for the retired physician, as he helps to educate the club and the public about the ongoing fight to wipe out polio worldwide.
 
The award is named for Dr. John Ovitz, who was the longest-serving Rotarian in the Sycamore club's history; Stromborg says he's honored to be receiving this particular award, since Doc was his sponsor when he first joined Rotary.
 
He previously won the award in 1997, making him the second two-time recipient in the Sycamore Rotary Club's history.
 
The evening also saw the installation of Ray Dembinski as Club President for 2018-19; this marks the end of a long effort for him to get into the position, have twice previously been chosen as Club President...only to be forced to wait, for health reasons.
 
Rotary golf outing cancelled due to wet course conditions
Due to heavy rains which hit the area, as well as downed trees from a severe storm, the Sycamore Rotary Club Golf Outing scheduled for Wednesday, June 27th was cancelled.
 
The other events set to take place at the Sycamore Golf Course clubhouse went on as scheduled -- the Make-Up Session at 12:00 p.m. and the Installation Dinner at 5:30.
 
A make-up date for golfing will be set at a later time.
 
 
No meeting on Wednesday, July 4th
There will be no meeting of the Sycamore Rotary Club on Wednesday, July 4th in observance of the Independence Day holiday.
 
We will resume our regular meeting schedule on Wednesday, July 11th at 11:45 a.m.
 
Everyone, please have a happy and safe 4th of July!
 
School supplies to be collected at July 11th meeting
We will once again be collecting school supplies, for donation to families in need for the upcoming school year.
 
The Salvation Army in DeKalb will help distribute these items; pencils, crayons, paper, scissors, glue, notebooks, folders, rulers, tape and backpacks are among the items needed.  Rotarians are asked to bring them to the meeting on Wednesday, July 11th.
 
Everything collected will be donated during the annual School Supply Drive Concert, on Sunday, July 15th at the Taylor Street apartments in DeKalb.
 
Rotary planning sessions, DG visit featured in July
The month of July marks the start of the new Rotary year, and the Sycamore Rotary Club will take advantage of a reduced schedule to plan out our objectives for the coming months.
 
We will begin on July 11th with a presentation by Club President Ray Dembinski on the club's goals for 2018-19; this marks the 75th anniversary year for the Sycamore Rotary Club, and Pat Shafer will head up the planning for our observance of that occasion in the spring.  We will also go over our other upcoming projects, and give committees time to get organized.
 
Then on July 18th, District Governor Kathy Kiwat-Hess will be making her official visit to the Sycamore Rotary Club; we will be one of the first stops on her journey around District 6420, and our Rotary Club will be among the first to hear her plans for the coming year.
 
Finally on July 25th, we will convene our formal Club Assembly; this annual meeting will be used to solidify our plans for the months to come, as the months of September through December are traditionally the busiest of the year for us.
 
All Rotarians are encouraged to attend these meetings, as we prepare to Be the Inspiration for our community...and the world.
 
Sycamore Rotary to have booth at downtown car show in July
Volunteers will be needed to help man a Rotary booth to be set up in downtown Sycamore, during the annual Fizz Ehrler Memorial Turning Back Time Car Show.  It will be in operation on Sunday, July 29th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
 
The Rotary Club will have a display about its upcoming and ongoing projects, and give the public an opportunity to find out more about what our Club does...and how they can join.
 
Rotarians will be needed to watch over the booth and interact with the public, answering any questions they may have. In addition, any Rotarian with a home or business located near downtown is asked to let the Club know if they'll have parking available that day, for volunteers to use.
 
Sign-up sheets will go around starting in July; please contact Brian Adams for further details.
 
Have an international experience...without leaving home
Your family can have an amazing international experience this coming year without a passport, airfare, or stuffing a suitcase. The international experience comes to you, when you decide to be a host family for an exchange student.
 
Exchange students are here to experience life in Sycamore, meet and make friends with Sycamore High School students, work on improving their English, and share their culture with the community.  Host families need to live in the Sycamore School District.
 
All you need is a spare bed at your house and a willingness to share your normal family life with a high school age student for about 14 weeks.  (Your family will be one of three families to share this unique experience.)
 
For school year 2018-2019 the Sycamore Rotary Club will sponsor a young man from Venezuela. He is a swimmer, loves books, and is looking forward to the personal growth this exchange year will provide.
 
For more details, call or text Bert Gray, Sycamore Rotary Club Exchange Coordinator, at (217) 521-0968 or e-mail rkgray1@sbcglobal.net
 
Upcoming Events
Club Goals Session: 2018-19
Blumen Gardens
Jul 11, 2018
12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
 
Oak Crest Satellite Club Meeting
Oak Crest Retirement Center
Jul 12, 2018
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
DG Kathy Kwiat-Hess
Blumen Gardens
Jul 18, 2018
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Club Assembly
Blumen Gardens
Jul 25, 2018
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Oak Crest Satellite Club Meeting
Oak Crest Retirement Center
Jul 26, 2018
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Booth at Turning Back Time Car Show
Downtown Sycamore
Jul 29, 2018
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
 
Meals on Wheels Deliveries Begin
Aug 01, 2018
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
 
Board Meeting
Blumen Gardens
Aug 01, 2018
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
 
Oak Crest Satellite Club Meeting
Oak Crest Retirement Center
Aug 09, 2018
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Oak Crest Satellite Club Meeting
Oak Crest Retirement Center
Aug 23, 2018
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Dan Escatel
June 7
 
Nicole Stuckert
June 8
 
Spouse Birthdays
Rachel Goodeill
June 9
 
Mary Bowers
June 27
 
Anniversaries
Paul Callighan
Cheryl Callighan
June 10
 
Ray Dembinski
Patricia
June 13
 
Join Date
Julie Sgarlata
June 6, 2012
6 years
 
Zac Sheedy
June 6, 2012
6 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
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2018-2019
President – Ray Dembinski
President-Elect – Pat Shafer
Past President – Eric Jones
Secretary – Sally Bruch
Treasurer – Michele Jurkovic
Assistant Treasurer – Lavarre Uhlken
Director – Michael DeVito
Director – Paulette Renault
Sergeant-at-Arms – Brian Adams
 
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Foundation & Grants – Paul Stromborg
New Generations – Julie Sgarlata
Service Projects – Michael DeVito
Fundraising – Don Clayberg
Public Image – Brian Adams
Membership – Sally Bruch
Club Fellowship – Chad Jewett
75th Anniversary – Pat Shafer
 
MONTHLY COMMITTEES
July – Board of Directors
August – Lloyd Larson, Jim Buck, Dave McCann, Ben Swedberg, Bob Wildenradt, Don Clayberg
September –Paul Michel, Bert Gray, Jeff Jacobson, Mario Fontana, Brandon Diviak
October – Dave Andrews, Jim Schwarzbach, Beata Palasiewicz, Curt Lang, Marcy Buick
November – Kathy Countryman, Julie Sgarlata, Fred Peltz, Chip Houdek, Troy Oates
December – Dan Gibble, Dan Escatel, Kathleen Merner, Steve Balster, Julie Sommese
January –Paul Barnaby, Chad Jewett, Jim Bowers, Gary Evans, Tatum Glas, Heidi Wright
February – Riley Oncken, Ahmed Kamel, Larry Berke, Brian Gregory, Nicole Stuckert
March – Dave Hamilton, Jeff Petersen, Doug Johnson, Mark Hilde, Tim Carlson
April – Bob Hammon, Suzanne Anderson, Sejal Patel, Paul Borek, Chase Goodeill, Paul Callighan
May – Mark Spiegelhoff, Zac Sheedy, Jeff Frank, Cliff Bottigliero, Renae Wilkinson
June – Marijo Schwartz, Paul Stromborg, Jeff Keicher, Steve Kuhn, Tom Mangan, Jim Stoddard
 
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