banner
Stories
Featured Program:  Kishwaukee Education Consortium
 
Many students at our area high schools are interested in specialized careers, requiring tools and expertise which is beyond the range of most instructors...and most school district budgets.  To serve those students, the Kishwaukee Education Consortium was formed.
 
KEC combines the resources of five different school districts to provide these students with the background they need in various disciplines; 18 different courses of study, running the gamut from aviation to engineering, allow students to lay the foundation for specializing in their chosen field once they reach college and/or enter their specialty full-time.
 
Aspiring business students such as Jenee Carlson (pictured) and aspiring journalists including Emani Brinkman (see related article) have taken advantage of the opportunity to get intensive training in their chosen fields through KEC; the consortium has evolved and moved several times since its formation, finally settling into its own facility on the Kishwaukee College campus.
 
Bruce Griffith from KEC says the students who go there build up the college credit and the hands-on experience they need to get into their chosen university -- giving them opportunities that wouldn't be available through their home high schools.
 
Student of the Month:  Emani Brinkman
 
Like many recipients of the Student of the Month Award, Emani Brinkman has a busy life outside of school -- almost too busy.
 
She is not only active as a Sycamore High School student, but she takes part in plenty of extracurricular activities...ranging from Student Council, to the Spartan News, to National Honor Society.  She also has volunteered her time with the children's section of the Sycamore Public Library, with Spartan TV and with the in-school store Spartmart; and Emani has spent time as an events and communications worker for the school at home sporting events.
 
Once she graduates, she hopes to study journalism at either Syracuse, Minnesota or Carthage.  In recognition of her efforts, the Sycamore Rotary Club has donated $100 for the charity of her choice; she has chosen the March of Dimes, in honor of a cousin who died at a young age.
 
Rotary Christmas Party set for Wednesday, December 21st
The annual Rotary Club Christmas Party returns to its traditional afternoon format; Rotarians are invited to attend the regularly-scheduled meeting on Wednesday, December 21st at Blumen Gardens, for an afternoon of entertainment, raffles and fun!
 
Members are encouraged to bring spouses, family and special guests.  Also, be sure to bring along at least six $1 bills...as the Christmas Party Committee has some special games planned.
 
All proceeds from this event will be donated to the Sycamore Food Pantry.
 
No publication of The Spoke the week of December 26th
 
The Spoke will not be published during the week of December 26th, due to the holiday season; the only official Rotary Club function will be the make-up session on Wednesday, December 28th.
 
Publication will resume the week of January 2nd, 2017.
 
Attendance: December 7, 2016
 
     Attendance:  66.20%
 
    Guests:   Marcela Silva (exchange student)
 
 
Speakers
Jan 04, 2017
New Investigative Unit
Jan 11, 2017
KCH Diabetes Education
Jan 18, 2017
1927 Fire Engine Restoration Project
Jan 25, 2017
Impact of State Budget Impasse on NIU
View entire list
Upcoming Events
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
 
Board Meeting
Jan 04, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
 
Club Assembly
Feb 01, 2017
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Board Meeting
Feb 01, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
 
Club Information
Welcome to our Club!
Sycamore
Service Above Self
We meet Wednesdays at 11:45 AM
Blumen Gardens Banquet Facility
403 Edward Street
Sycamore, IL  60178
United States
DistrictSiteIcon
District Site
 
VenueMap
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
 
Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
Sage