Rotarian Larry Berke (center) becomes the latest Sycamore Rotarian recognized for a milestone contribution to the Rotary Foundation. Berke received his Paul Harris Fellow + 1 pin from Club President Tim Neubert (left) with the portrait of Harris, founder of Rotary, displayed on the right. This means Berke has given a cumulative total if $2,000 to the Rotary Foundation.
Recognizing the 118th anniversary of the founding of Rotary on February 23, Rotarian Jim Stoddard talks about Rotary Foundation giving levels. Stoddard, who serves on the District Foundation Committee, noted that District Governor Laura Kann and her husband Charles “Wick” Warren reached the Foundation’s Arch Klumph Society giving level recognizing cumulative donations of $250,000 or more. Klumph served as the sixth president of Rotary during 1916-1917 and is credited with starting what is now the Rotary Foundation.
Happy 118th Anniversary, Rotary!
The City of Sycamore’s new fire chief, Carl Reina, updated Rotarians on the latest department happenings at this week’s meeting. Reina comes to Sycamore after a 27-year career with the Berwyn Fire Department. Reina began his duties in January following the retirement of Chief Pete Polarek.
The new fire chief for the City of Sycamore, Carl Reina, spoke enthusiastically about taking on his duties during this week’s Rotary Meeting. Reina comes to the Sycamore department after a 27-year stint with the Berwyn Fire Department. He follows retiring chief Pete Polarek and began his duties in January. Reina, 51, is in the process of relocating his family to Sycamore. He said he chose to apply for the Sycamore job because of the city’s fire service traditions and the “atmosphere” of the community.
Reina begins his work seeking to add firefighters to the city’s two stations as recently approved by the city council. He said the challenge is finding qualified candidates with firefighting training and paramedic certifications. Reina blamed Covid for the shutdown of training programs meaning the pipeline for certified candidates dried up. Reina said right now there are 260 firefighter job openings unfilled in the state. He says that turning around in the future now that training classes are back open, but it will take some time. He encouraged Rotarians to get the word out about a department apprentice program that gives scholarships to pay for the advanced training needed while candidates do other department work.
Reina stressed the importance of having a fully staffed department since only neighboring DeKalb has a full-time paid department available around the clock. All other departments in the immediate area are either paid-on-call or staffed with volunteers. For now, Reina says he is busy getting to know his “family” of fellow firefighters and serve the citizens of Sycamore.
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 Mission of the Rotary Club of Aurora Sunrise is to provide service by using our time, talent, and financial resources to inspire, initiate, and involve our members and friends in activities that help promote the general well-being of youth in our communities.
The Rotary Club of Aurora Sunrise is honored to host the 20th Annual Wine & Chocolate Extravaganza at the Stonebridge Country Club (2705 Stonebridge Blvd. in Aurora) on March 25, 2023 from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm.
Live & Silent Auctions, 50/50 Raffle, Games and Prizes. All proceeds from this event benefit our community!
For more information, including how to buy tickets, please visit rotaryaurora.org.
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)
February 22, 1732 – George Washington is born in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He served as commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and became the first U. S. President.
February 23, 1868 – African American educator and leader W. E. B. DuBois is born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He was one of the founders of the NAACP in 1909.
February 24, 1885 – Admiral Chester Nimitz is born in Fredericksburg, Texas. He commanded Allied naval, land and air forces in the South Pacific during World War II and signed the Japanese surrender document on September 2, 1945.
February 24, 1846 – American frontiersman “Buffalo Bill” Cody is born in LeClaire, Iowa. He became world famous through his Wild West show which traveled throughout the U. S. and Europe for 30 years.
February 21, 1965 – African American nationalist and religious leader Malcom X is assassinated while giving a speech at the Audubon Ballroom in New York. This followed a philosophical split with the more radical Nation of Islam and his founding of the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Three Nation of Islam members were eventually charged with his death (although later release of previously secret FBI documents showed only one person actually did the killing).
February 23, 1905 – Chicago attorney Paul Harris invites three other business acquaintances to a meeting at his office for fellowship and service. They continue to meet weekly and the group expands to eventually become today’s Rotary International.
February 24, 1582 – Pope Gregory XIII corrected mistakes on the Julian calendar by dropping ten days. The Gregorian or “New Style” calendar was then adopted by Catholic countries followed gradually by other nations.
February 24, 1867 – The U. S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Andrew Johnson following bitter opposition to his post-Civil War reconstruction policies in the South. The effort to remove him from office failed in the Senate by one vote.
Birthdays & Club Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
John Peterson
August 1
Dave Smith
August 14
Janice Docherty
August 19
Join Date
Bob Hammon
August 1, 1984
39 years
Clifford Golden
August 1, 2018
5 years
Troy Oates
August 1, 2014
9 years
Brandon Diviak
August 5, 2015
8 years
Dave Smith
August 8, 2019
4 years
Jeffrey Petersen
August 12, 2010
13 years
Stephen Hansen
August 17, 2011
12 years
________________________________________
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, Mark Spiegelhoff, Heidi Wright
December: Paul Barnaby, Larry Berke, Riley Oncken
January: Ray Dembinski, Joyce Klein, Rob Mondi, Tim Neubert
June: Stephen Hansen, Steve Wilder, Paulette Renault
Standing Committees
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, Stephen Hansen, Jeff Keicher, Joyce Klein, Tasha Sims
Fellowship: Paulette Renault, Pat Shafer, Mark Spiegelhoff, Sally Bruch, Sue Emberson Dave Hamilton, Paul Barnaby, Larry Berke, Paul Loner
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
To provide feedback or contribute content for this newsletter, please contact Tim Neubert at timneubert90@gmail.com.
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