October Student of the Month Caleb Fruit says he developed an interest in computers in eighth grade and is now planning a career in computer science and data coding. He told Rotarians how pleased he was when he could personally own a computer since school-provided computers could not give him the creative programming he wanted to use to develop sophisticated data systems. He also said he is not a fan of current Artificial Intelligence pronouncements about replacing people because he thinks people still need to be the central focal point of computer program development. Fruit excels in scholastic achievements. He is class Valedictorian, scored 35 out of a possible 36 on his ACT test, and successfully achieved top scores on all six Advance Placement (AP) subject tests when he took them. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Captain of the Track and Field team and Cross-Country team, and a member of Student Council, Sci-Fi Club, Youth and Government, Key Club, and Interact (holding leadership roles in many of these groups). Fruit is looking into multiple schools after graduation with Stanford, MIT, University of Illinois, and Northwestern as top contenders. He will be donating his $100 Rotary check to Safe Passage.
A primer on types and extent of insurance coverages was given by Comparion representatives Justin Talley (left) and Bradley House during this week’s meeting. House and Talley reviewed several different types of insurance products and the extent of their coverage, seeking to point out how claims payments work and common misconceptions on how much coverage actually comes with different types of policies.
An education-filled meeting on insurance policies and what to expect if you have a claim was given to Rotarians this week by Justin Talley and Bradley House of Comparion. Comparion is the agent-based arm of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company with agents able to offer a range of products beyond Liberty’s portfolio. House explained that educational programming is a key part of their outreach to help consumers understand the impact of their insurance choices.
House and Talley gave several examples of how wording on a policy can make a major difference in the way a claim is settled to avoid surprises. For example, he noted that replacement of a broken car windshield without making sure the insurance pays for Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) specifications could mean additional client costs to prevent voiding other parts of the vehicle’s warranty. House recounted a personal experience as a naive new homeowner where his roof was ruined in a hailstorm and his insurance company deducted the value of the roof for its years of service rather than pay replacement cost leaving him to cover the thousands of dollars difference.
The pair of insurance professionals said special riders or policies can bring coverage for unique loss situations not covered by standard policies. These include products like liability umbrella coverage that picks up where auto medical coverage ends or where injuries happen at home, on a boat, or where repair or delivery people come on one’s property. Also mentioned was special coverage for jewelry, collectibles, and water and flood losses. They said more recent concerns about cyber identity theft and new regulations coming for e-bikes are showing up as insurance concerns. Talley and House said the key is to understand insurance coverage needs and knowing what a policy covers so you have peace of mind but are not overpaying for your insurance policies.
October 4, 1822 – 19th U. S. President Rutherford B. Hayes is born in Delaware, Ohio. He is known for the phrase, “He serves his party best who serves his country best.”
October 5, 1830 – 21st U. S. President Chester A. Arthur is born in Fairfield, Vermont.
October 6, 1846 – Engineer and inventor George Westinghouse is born in Central Ridge, New York. He developed air brakes for trains and later promoted the adoption of alternating current (AC) systems for electric power transmission.
October 8, 1890 – Eddie Rickenbacker is born in Columbus, Ohio. He is awarded the Medal of Honor for his fighter pilot heroics during World War I, for a time is part-owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and heads Eastern Airlines from 1934 to 1963.
October 9, 1940 – “Beatles” star John Lennon is born in Liverpool, England.
October 4, 1957 – The Space Age begins as the Russians launch the first satellite into orbit. Sputnik I weighed just 184 pounds and transmitted a beeping signal for 21 days.
October 6, 1927 – “The Jazz Singer” starring Al Jolson is released becoming the first full-length feature film using spoken dialogue.
October 8, 1871 – The Great Chicago Fire erupted leaving 300 people dead, 90,000 homeless, and 17,450 buildings destroyed.
October 8, 1918 – During World War I in the Argonne Forest in France, Sergeant Alvin C. York single-handedly took out a German machine-gun battalion that led to the capture of 132 prisoners.
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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
