The Spoke -- March 16, 2017 (Mar 16, 2017)

Classification Speech: Mark Borowicz

When couples have upwardly-mobile careers, often one has to follow when the other takes a new job in another city; but for Mark Borowicz, the move to the DeKalb/Sycamore area was relatively smooth...as he found himself in a familiar lifestyle.

When his wife Laurie accepted the job of President of Kishwaukee College, he and their family had to relocate from their home in Wausau, Wisconsin; he says the transition wasn't difficult, because the people and the town felt familiar to them. He had to find his own job in town, and eventually got his own position in academia -- working at Northern Illinois University.

Mark says his family has always made an effort to give back to the community wherever they've lived, and he chose Rotary because he believes our organization does just that at every level. He says they've enjoyed their time so far in our area, and look forward to more years among us.

Sycamore High School Interact donates to FMSC

Officers from the Sycamore High School Interact Club reported on their annual winter fundraiser; proceeds from their Senior Formal will be donated to Feed My Starving Children, which their members annually support by their participation in the annual food packing project at The Suter Company.

Members also say they plan to lend a hand during the upcoming Rotarians at Work Day; while RYLA falls on the same weekend, they will still be able to help out with the Amazing Grace item donation drive which will begin in April.

Pictured: Libby Swedberg (left) and Brianna Jacobson, Co-Presidents of SHS Interact

Projects being readied for Rotarians at Work Day

Once a year, Sycamore Rotarians roll up their sleeves and give back to the community by helping local not-for-profit agencies with crucial tasks -- jobs which their relatively small staffs could never get done, without our help.

The annual Rotarians at Work Day is scheduled for Saturday, May 6th; volunteers from our Rotary Club will be joined by ones from DeKalb, Kishwaukee Sunrise and Interact at project sites including:

-- Sycamore Pay it Forward House (gardening)

-- Rotary Park (cleaning and weeding, as part of Park Pride Day)

-- Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association (office work, shelter clean-up, interactive garden)

-- Amazing Grace Organization (donation drive for cancer patients' care packages) To be conducted by Sycamore High School Interact Club

Volunteers will be sought beginning the first week of April; further details will be released at that time. For more information, please contact Brian Adams at any upcoming Rotary Club meeting.

Preparations underway for Hula-for-Loota

Rotary's annual taste of Hawaii returns on Thursday, April 20th as we host the annual Hula-for-Loota bash at Chapel in the Pines.

This annual night of fun will help raise monies for the Sycamore Rotary Club's scholarship fund; we will have the traditional draw-down raffle, with numbers being eliminated one by one...until we get down to the final number(s), and the winner of our grand prize of $3,000.

We'll also have a 50/50 drawing, gift baskets and cash prizes for giveaway during the drawing, food and a cash bar for all participants.

If you would like to donate a gift to our prize baskets, or buy a number in our draw-down, contact Paul Michel at any upcoming Rotary meeting.

Attendance Report -- March 15, 2017

Attendance: 56.52%

Visiting Rotarians: Laurie Borowicz (Rochelle)

Other Guests: Marcela Silva (exchange student); representatives of Sycamore H.S. Interact

Mar 22, 2017

Tara Russo

Elder Care Services

Mar 29, 2017

Jessie Butz

Director, Sycamore Public Library

Apr 05, 2017

Michelle Donahoe and Joyce Mathey

Give DeKalb County 2017

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Board Meeting

Blumen Gardens

Apr 05, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Hula-for-Loota

Chapel in the Pines

Apr 20, 2017
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

District 6420 Conference

Starved Rock State Park

Apr 28, 2017 12:00 PM –
Apr 30, 2017 12:00 PM

Board Meeting

Blumen Gardens

May 03, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Rotarians at Work Day

May 06, 2017
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Rotary Club of Sycamore, Illinois

We meet Wednesdays at 11:45 AM

Blumen Gardens

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
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

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, 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