Toys for Tots received donations from Sycamore Rotarians and the general public during the 46th annual Toy Drive Benefit Concert, held on Sunday, December 6th at The House Cafe in downtown DeKalb.

 

Singer Gary Mullis has organized this event since 1970; a number of country musicians were on hand to play holiday music, and admission to the event was one new, unwrapped toy.  About a third of the donations for the day came courtesy of Rotarians, who donated toys during the December 2nd meeting.

 

Rotarian Brian Adams was the master of ceremonies for the event, held in conjunction with the DeKalb County Marine Corps League and The Salvation Army.

 

Mitchell Hawkins has been involved with various academic teams and pursuits while at Sycamore High School, but a lot of his time is devoted to helping kids with developmental disabilities.

 

He has spent the last three years with Best Buddies, a student group which has high school students befriend and work with children and pre-teens with developmental disabilities.  He says many of these kids have trouble getting to know people in the high school environment, and having someone take an interest in them can help build their confidence as they grow older.

 

Mitchell is a senior at Sycamore High School, ranked 6th in the class and on the High Honor Roll for four years; he has been on the math team, the Student Council, the Student Advisory Forum and JV soccer.  He is hoping to study pre-med at Michigan or Wisconsin.

 

In recognition of his achievements, the Sycamore Rotary Club has provided $100 for donation to the charity of his choice; he will donate it to Best Buddies.

 

Bert Gray and Kathleen Merner had decided to move out of their old home within five years...but Bert got the very first job he applied for, so she wound up having to come to Sycamore sooner than expected.

 

Merner had been a member of a Rotary Club along with her husband Bert; she says the club had a few activities and projects going on, but found that the Sycamore club was much busier -- and much more involving.  She hopes to become more active with our various projects, as they settle in to life here in northern Illinois.

 

Kathleen has a background in parks and recreation administration; she has been Executive Director for two different park districts, and held similar jobs for the McHenry County Conservation District and the Cook County Forest Preserve District.  She says the latter was challenging, not for the amount of work but because of the politics behind it; rank there is determined not by job title, but by how much power your patron holds --

and if an employee's benefactor is higher-ranked than yours, they they won't listen to you.

 

Kathleen is now looking forward to a quieter life in DeKalb County, and is taking college courses in something outside her area of expertise -- pastry baking.

 

The Sycamore Rotary Club will hold its annual Christmas celebration on Wednesday, December 16th; it will be at Chapel in the Pines, 15165 Quigley Road in Sycamore, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

 

"Christmas Around the World" will be an informal cocktail party; international appetizers and a cash bar will be featured, and international attire is optional.  The cost is $30 for individuals, $50 per couple.

 

If you haven't signed up, please contact Julie Sgarlata at (815) 762-7130.

 

Sycamore Rotarians can start making their holiday travel plans, as the schedule is set for our meetings in December:

 

Wednesday, December 23rd -- No Meeting.  Goodfellows will be setting up at Blumen Gardens for their gift distribution the next day