Representatives from the Spartan Food Pantry and Sycamore Food Pantry updated Rotarians on their efforts to feed the hungry during this week’s meeting.  Courtney Walz, the Sycamore School District “Out of School Care” (OSCAR) program manager, representing the Spartan Pantry and Joel Mauer, volunteer director of the Sycamore Food Pantry, explained how their respective organizations adapted to the Covid-19 pandemic and the services they are providing.  Both pantries were recipients of $2,500 contributions raised during the Club’s recent Harvest Raffle.

 

Walz announced that the Spartan pantry is expanding after next week to space at the school district warehouse near the district’s administrative office.  This space will replace the limited storage area used at West Elementary School since the pantry’s founding in 2018.  Besides more space, the new location is expected to help with increased volunteer access because it takes away restrictions they faced by being in a building with classrooms.  Walz said about 70 to 80 families are helped during each food distribution day with drive-thru pre-boxed items available.  The Spartan Pantry was created to benefit families of school district students.

 

The Sycamore Food Pantry, now in its 27th year and housed at the Sycamore United Methodist Church, is doing a hybrid version of their usual self-shopping model.   Maurer said most items are pre-boxed although some fresh items have been available for walk-up selection in the church parking lot.  With colder weather coming, plans call for moving these items just inside a nearby entryway.  Maurer noted their collaboration with Panera Bread, Aldi, and Meijer in obtaining items for distribution along with donations from the church congregation and community.  Because of the Covid-19 crisis, rules requiring clients to be from the City of Sycamore and a limit on number of visits a month have been relaxed.  Mauer estimated they are serving about 115 families a month.          

Our speaker this week will be Joel Maurer from the Sycamore Food Pantry with the latest on the organization's activities. Please note this meeting will be held at the SYCAMORE VETERANS CLUB (121 S. California Street).

 

Following is our schedule of upcoming speakers/presentations:

Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9777786533?pwd=aGN0WVYyWnJmZ3UxcXcwTHNrQnJCdz09

Meeting ID: 977 778 6533
Passcode: sycamore

 

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November 17, 1887 – British Field Marshall Bernard “Monty” Montgomery is born in London.  A veteran of World War I, he led the British army to a major victory over the Germans in North Africa in 1943 and commanded all ground forces during D-Day.

 

November 19, 1831 – James Garfield, the 20th U. S. President, is born in Orange, Ohio.  He was shot by a disgruntled office holder and died after being in office just a little over six months.

 

November 20, 1889 – American astronomer Edwin Hubble is born on Marshfield, Missouri.  He pioneered the concept of an expanding universe and the Hubble Space Telescope was named in his honor.

 

November 22, 1890 – Charles de Gaulle is born in Lille, France.  He leads the Free French against the Nazis during World War II and serves as President of France from 1958 to 1969.