American Legion representative Cynthia Hupke promotes the 3rd Annual “Be the One” Walk being held Sunday, September 20th, from 10 AM until Noon at the Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Health and Wellness Center in DeKalb. “Be the One” is a national American Legion initiative seeking to reduce the number of veterans and service members who die by suicide. Alarmingly, Hupke said there are 22 such suicides a day. The “Be the One” walk is a symbolic 2.2 miles and includes carrying 22 rocks in commemoration of suicide victims. Hupke said their challenges to overcoming suicides are destigmatizing the asking for mental health support, providing sufficient peer-to-peer resources, and educating everyone how they can play a role in suicide prevention. Walk registrations as well as program donations may be made at www.runsignup.com/Race/IL/DeKalb/BeTheOneWalk. If you know of a veteran facing immediate crisis, call 988 and press 1 for mental health assistance. Hupke also promoted attendance at a free suicide prevention training course hosted by the DeKalb American Legion. Participants will learn how to interact with and respond to veterans who may be in crisis using the “Columbia University Protocol,” a leading evidence-based tool for suicide risk screening. The training will be on Friday, October 16th, from 5-7 PM and includes complimentary food. Reach out to the DeKalb American Legion at Americanlegiondekalb@gmail.com for more details.
Rotarians Jim Stoddard and Jim Buck gave a history of the Sycamore Club chartered in 1944. Stoddard said the impetus for the program came about as he came across a number of historical items while preparing to move to a new house.
The 50th Year Celebration Yearbook of Sycamore Rotary. Coming from the collection of Jim Stoddard, he noted that the Yearbook was regularly produced until several years ago and hinted that its revival might be well-received.
Long-time Sycamore Rotarians and attorney partners Jim Stoddard and Jim Buck gave highlights of the Sycamore Club with many of them coming from their personal archives. Old copies of the club’s once-annual yearbook were circulated with Jim Stoddard saying many of these items came out of storage as he prepared to move to a new house. They noted that the club’s charter was granted in 1944 and was formally presented at a fancy dinner at the Fargo Hotel on June 20th. The first club president was Earl Wetzel of Wetzel Brothers Jewelers. Other highlights over the years included the inaugural launch of the End Polio Now campaign in 1985. Today only Pakistan and Afghanistan are considered areas where there is an active polio virus. Several years later, the male-only membership rule for Rotary was lifted and women, previously relegated to a sub-membership category, could become full members. Sycamore Rotary’s first woman president was Mary Fasbender, an employee of Sycamore schools.
There were several special events in the club’s history that Stoddard and Buck recalled. One was a rural recognition day to recognize the impact of farm-related business. Buck noted that broadcast legend Orion Samuelson from WGN was a featured speaker at one such meeting. Member Larry Berke was remembered as the organizer of special trips featuring dinner and a stage show in Chicago. Member Paul Michel was remembered as creator of the long-running “Hula-for-Luta” numbered draw-down fundraiser. And in the spirit of early club protocol, both Buck and Stoddard offered songs for members to join in on as a tribute to meetings from the past.
September 6, 1757 – Marquis de Lafayette is born in France. He came to America in 1777 to volunteer in the American Revolution; became a key military leader in defeating the British; and established a life-long friendship with George Washington.
September 6, 1860 – Pioneering social worker and 1931 Nobel Peace Prize winner Jane Addams is born in Cedarville, Illinois (near Freeport).
September 7, 1533 – The future Queen Elizabeth I is born in England, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.
September 9, 1828 – Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy (Anna Karenina, War and Peace) is born in Yasnaya Polyana, Russia.
September 7, 1940 – The German Luftwaffe began its Blitz bombing campaign against London during World War II.
September 8, 1900 – A hurricane with winds of 120 miles per hour struck Galveston, Texas, killing over 8,000 people, making it the worst natural disaster in U. S. History. The hurricane and tidal wave that followed destroyed 2,500 buildings.
September 9, 1776 – The United States officially came into existence as the Continental Congress voted to change the name of the new American nation which was previously known as the United Colonies.
September 11, 2001 – The worst terrorist attack in U. S. history occurred as four jet airliners are hijacked and crashed; two into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, one into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and one into a field in Pennsylvania during a struggle between the hijackers and passengers. The attack leaves nearly 3,000 people killed.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2026-2027
President – Becky Springer
President Elect – Matt Nelson
Director (President Designee) - To Be Determined
Past President – Jonelle Bailey
Treasurer – Dr. Michele Jurkovic
Secretary – Pat Shafer
Sergeant at Arms – Paulette Renault
Monthly Committees
July: Board of Directors
August: Brandon Diviak, Jeff Keicher, Pat Shafer
September: Dave Hamilton, Jeff Jacobson, Jim Stoddard
October: Paul Callighan, Matt Nelson, Scott Schramer
November: Sue Emberson, Dr. Jeff Frank, Phil Meyers
December: Kristen Campbell, Ray Dembinski, Riley Oncken
January: Joyce Klein, Tim Neubert
February: Jonelle Bailey, Tasha Sims
March: Jim Buck, Becky Springer, Brendan Wilson
April: Bob Hammon, Jeff Petersen
May: Bob Brown, Steve Kuhn, Julie Sgarlata
June: Paul Barnaby, Paulette Renault
Standing Committees
Fellowship: Paulette Renault, Sue Emberson, Dave Hamilton, Pat Shafer
Foundations:Matt Nelson, Jim Stoddard, Sue Emberson, Jim Buck
Membership: Jonelle Bailey, Ray Dembinski, Brandon Diviak, Bob Hammon, Jeff Jacobson, Steve Kuhn, Phil Meyers, Matt Nelson, Riley Oncken, Jeff Petersen, Bob Wildendradt
New Generations: Becky Springer, Julie Sgarlata, Brandon Diviak
Public Image: Bob Brown, Paul Callighan, Jeff Keicher, Joyce Klein, Tasha Sims
Scholarships:Tim Neubert, Ray Dembinski, Phil Meyers, Dr. Michele Jurkovic, Steve Kuhn
Service: Brandon Diviak, Dr. Jeff Frank, Dr. Michele Jurkovic, Tim Neubert, Brendan Wilson
