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Sycamore Rotary helps with Salvation Army kettle collection
 
Rotarians Sally Bruch (left) and Lavarre Uhlken on duty at the Jewel-Osco store in Sycamore; they were among the many Rotarians that assisted with the annual kettle collection on Saturday, December 3rd.
 
Guest Speaker:  Joe Munro
 
It started as a one-time invitation to help out with his church's youth group, and grew into a full-time passion...which has spawned a new youth service organization, which helps the teens who volunteer for it as well as those in need around the country.
 
Joe Munro took over the youth service group at Sycamore United Methodist Church in 2008, and sought to expand it into something more; from an initial team of 13 students, it evolved into what's now known as Life Missions.  Each year, dozens of teens embark on a nine-month effort to raise funds, to cover the cost of their one-week trip to a U.S.-based service project.  Life Missions is open to any teen of high school age, including eighth graders who will be incoming freshmen by summertime; they need not be members of Sycamore UMC, nor even affiliated with any church.
 
The first mission was to the impoverished town of Cleveland, Georgia; since then, they've ranged afield to locations between there and Native American reservations out west, helping to fix homes, clean up grounds and provide for the needs of communities which require their help.  This year, 187 youths and 24 adults are signed up -- so many, that they've had to split up into two units; each group will go to Kissimmee, Florida to serve the area families...as well as a camp for children dealing with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
 
So many participants have gone through Life Missions that they've had to expand into an adult program; while the teen missions are strictly to United States destinations, the adult groups go abroad to places such as Jamaica, Belize and this year to Nicaragua.
 
Munro says the missions not only bond together youths who might otherwise not interact with each other, but it also serves to help them realize what they can achieve in their faith and in their everyday lives.
 
Toys for Tots collection at December 7th Rotary Club meeting
 
The Sycamore Rotary Club will again be collecting toys from its members, for donation to Toys for Tots here in DeKalb County.
 
Rotarians are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the meeting on December 7th; these will be turned over to the Salvation Army, which is working with the DeKalb County Marines to round up toys for children across DeKalb County and Northern Illinois.
 
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.
 
All proceeds from this event will be donated to the Sycamore Food Pantry.
 
Attendance: November 30, 2016
 
     Attendance:  52.11%
 
     Guests of Rotarians:  Jesse Butz, Director of Sycamore Public Library (Sally Bruch); Mark Borowicz, NIU (Barry Schrader)
 
     Other Guests:   Marcela Silva (exchange student)
 
 
Speakers
Dec 14, 2016
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
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
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