The Spoke -- November 1, 2016 (Nov 01, 2016)

Guest Speaker: Ryan Yantis

All but forgotten in the retelling of 9/11 is the story of what happened at the Pentagon, and how military and civilians joined forces to help the injured in the wake of the attack there. For one Army veteran, his memories of the day are as vivid as ever...and he seeks to tell a new generation about what happened that day, so that they will understand and remember.

Lt. Col. Ryan Yantis, USA (Ret.) was a Public Affairs Office with the rank of Major that day; he says he understood immediately what was happening when he first learned that two planes had hit the World Trade Center -- that the Pentagon could be next. He immediately told his assistant, nine months pregnant, to get out of the building and head home; then he followed an officer to an emergency meeting which had been called for the recently-remodeled Air Force portion of the building.

But the officer didn't know where they were headed (it can be easy to get lost in the Pentagon), so Yantis headed back to his own office to get directions. A lucky break, as it turned out -- the place where they had stopped to discuss where the meeting was supposed to be, was hit just minutes later.

He immediately had his staff evacuate the building; once assured they were safe at the rally point, he went back inside along with others to effect rescue operations -- getting people out of the danger areas, moving them to triage and otherwise helping in a still-dangerous situation. Yantis dismisses the various conspiracy theories which have sprung up in the intervening 15 years; he saw for himself the injuries, the deaths and the people who risked their own lives to help.

And he says one aspect of the event which was overlooked was the days and weeks which followed at the Pentagon; while the building itself kept operating as best it could, hundreds of volunteers stayed on site to help with the recovery and clean-up effort. Local restaurants and stores provided meals and materials at no charge, and the community at large pitched in to help out.

Yantis now spends his time with American Pride, Inc. This non-profit organization is composed of 9/11 survivors, who travel around the country telling their story to civic groups, students and other organizations; he says anyone who was alive then is a 9/11 survivor, and it's up to those in close proximity to the attack sites to keep the memory alive for future generations.

Make a Difference DKC food packing event for Rotary set

The Rotary Clubs of Sycamore, DeKalb and Kishwaukee Sunrise are again joining forces to help with the annual Make a Difference DKC food packing event at The Suter Company. The Rotary Clubs will be on site Saturday, November 12th from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

In addition, at the request of Feed My Starving Children an extra shift has been added on Saturday evening, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Extra food is needed for the survivors of the hurricane in Haiti, and more than the usual 5,000 volunteers are needed to help fulfill that need.

Those wishing to join in should sign up at any upcoming Rotary Club meeting; a limited number of volunteering slots are available.

Salvation Army Bell Ringing on Saturday, December 3rd

The Sycamore Rotary Club will once again help raise funds for the Salvation Army; we will be manning the collection kettles outside the Jewel-Osco Store on Peace Road on Saturday, December 3rd from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

You can sign up at any Rotary Club meeting, or contact Dave Andrews for details.

Attendance: October 26, 2016

Attendance: 62.32%

Visiting Rotarians: Bob Pritchard (Kishwaukee Sunrise)

Guests of Members: Rick Amato (Paul Stromborg); Joyce Mathey (Brian Adams); Chad Jewett (Eric Jones)

Nov 09, 2016

Sgt. Ed Schafer

Veteran's Day Program

Nov 16, 2016

Sycamore Food Pantry

Also: Citizen of the Month; Pumpkin Baking Contest Winners

Nov 30, 2016

Joe Munro

Sycamore LIFE Missions

View entire list

Make a Difference DKC 2016

The Suter Company, Sycamore

Nov 12, 2016
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Make-Up Session

Blumen Gardens

Nov 23, 2016
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM

Salvation Army Bell Ringing

Jewel-Osco

Dec 03, 2016
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Board Meeting

Dec 07, 2016
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Sycamore Rotary Christmas Party

Blumen Gardens

Dec 21, 2016
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM

Make-Up Session

Blumen Gardens

Dec 28, 2016
11:45 AM – 1:00 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