Rotarians responded when the call went out for toiletries and paper products to send back to the Hope Haven Homeless Shelter with this week’s speaker. The mounds of donations were piled around the podium as certified counselor Suzie Geisler shared details about Hope Haven’s mission and operations. (Photo credit: Bob Brown)
Hope Haven Counselor Suzie Geisler connects Rotarians to the challenges of the homeless during this week’s meeting. Geisler told Rotarians that homelessness is at an all-time high and explained how Hope Haven is trying to help those who come to their shelter by finding them jobs and access to independent living. (Photo credit: Bob Brown)
Record numbers of people are seeking help at the Hope Haven Homeless Shelter according to counselor Suzie Geisler, but she told Rotarians this week how the agency is working to help move those in need to self-sufficiency. Geisler called Hope Haven “the place for a million chances.” She said many people may assume homelessness is driven by alcohol or substance abuse but said these are usually secondary issues. Geisler said root cause issues for homelessness tend to be the high cost of living, working poor, health issues, and even systemic discrimination.
Hope Haven has been serving the area for 39 years according to Geisler, but the need for shelter is ever growing. She said they are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. They are staffed by 30 employees and provided 17,314 nights of shelter in 2024. The main Hope Haven shelter can serve 30 males, 10 females, and 12 families. Hope Haven also operates a 26-unit apartment complex on Dresser Road in DeKalb and has specialty housing to help people diagnosed with mental illness. Geisler said Hope Haven is also an emergency warming and cooling center. She also explained that those they serve go into a 90-day treatment program in an effort to break the cycle of homelessness.
Geisler said Hope Haven has goals for reducing client days in their shelter, transitioning clients into permanent housing, and increasing employment and income levels of clients. She said their overall case management goal is to achieve residential stability. She noted that, thanks to volunteers helping with food and other services, the cost for a meal, a bed, and associated services is $25 a day. Further information about Hope Haven is available on their web site at www.hopehavendekalb.com.
Editor's Note: Due to some "technical difficulties", the summary of this month's Student of the Month was delayed. Apologies!
Congratulations to Thatcher Friedrichs, who was named the club's final Student of the Month for the 2024-2025 school year!
Thatcher is a senior student at Sycamore High School, who also takes dual credit classes at Kishwaukee College. These college-level courses include US History, College Algebra, and English.
He has been All Conference in football for three years, as well as All Academic in both football and basketball. He is also the President of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and a member of the Student Athlete Support Coalition.
Outside of athletics, Thatcher is Student Council Treasurer and a member of the Student Advisory Forum, Spartan Senate, and Pep Club. He is also an officer for the Orchesis dance production and took part in the Interstate 8 Conference Leadership Summit.
He has been an active volunteer, completing two mission trips (Kissimmee, Florida and Rapid City, South Dakota), packing food for Feed My Starving Children, and working at the high school's craft fair. He also raised money for pediatric cancer research using his football skills to kick field goals and extra points.
Thatcher worked as a canvasser for State Representative (and fellow Club member) Jeff Keicher as well as serving as a referee for youth basketball and football games.
Amanda is his mother and Jason is his father..
Thatcher plans to continue his studies next year at North Central College in Naperville, where he will also play football. Go Cardinals!
May 11, 1888 – Prolific popular song writer Irving Berlin, composer of such popular hits as Alexander’s Ragtime Band, God Bless America, Easter Parade, White Christmas, and There’s No Business Like Show Business, is born in Tolochin, Russia.
May 12, 1820 – The founder of modern nursing, British nurse Florence Nightingale, is born in Florence, Italy .
May 12, 1907 – Four-time academy award winning actress Kathryn Hepburn is born in Hartford, Connecticut.
May 14, 1727 – Physicist and perfecter of the thermometer Gabriel Fahrenheit is born in Gdansk, Poland.
May 12, 1949 – Soviet Russia lifts its blockade of Berlin that began June 24, 1948. American and British flyers had successfully executed an airlift that delivered 2.3 million tons of food and supplies during 278,000 flights to the isolated West Berlin citizens.
May 14, 1796 – The first documented medical test of the smallpox vaccine was initiated by Dr. Edward Jenner, a rural English physician.
May 17, 1875 – The first Kentucky Derby horse race is run at Churchill Downs in Louisville. It is the oldest continuously held major sporting event in the U.S.
May 17, 1954 – In Brown v. Board of Education, the U. S. Supreme Court unanimously rules the segregation of public schools “solely on the basis of race” denies Black children equal education opportunity. The case against segregation was argued by future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2024-2025
President – Steve Wilder
President Elect – Jonelle Bailey
Director (President Nominee) – Becky Springer
Director (President Designee) - Matt Nelson
Past President – Brandon Diviak
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, Paul Stromborg
November: Sue Emberson, Jeff Frank, Phil Meyer
December: Larry Berke, Ray Dembinski, Riley Oncken
Fellowship: Paulette Renault, Larry Berke, Sue Emberson, Dave Hamilton, Pat Shafer
Foundations:Paul Stromborg, Jim Buck, Sue Emberson, Matt Nelson, Jim Stoddard
Membership: Jonelle Bailey, Ray Dembinski, Brandon Diviak, Bob Hammon, Jeff Jacobson, Steve Kuhn, Phil Meyer, Matt Nelson, Riley Oncken, Jeff Petersen, Bob Wildendradt
New Generations: Chip Houdek, Julie Sgarlata, Becky Springer, Steve Wilder
Public Image: Bob Brown, Paul Callighan, Jeff Keicher, Joyce Klein, Tasha Sims
Scholarships:Tim Neubert, Don Clayberg, Ray Dembinski, Michele Jurkovic, Steve Kuhn, Julie Sgarlata
Service: Brandon Diviak, Alicia Cosky, Jeff Frank, Michele Jurkovic, Rob Mondi, Tim Neubert, Brendan Wilson
