The Spoke -- November 22, 2016 (Nov 22, 2016)

Thanksgiving Make-up Session on Wednesday

The Sycamore Rotary Club will have a Make-up Session, in lieu of its regular meeting on Wednesday, November 23rd. Attendance is optional, and there will be no formal discussion of business; all members present will receive a make-up credit towards their attendance record.

The Thursday edition of The Spoke will not be published this week, due to the Thanksgiving holiday; publication will resume on Tuesday, November 29th.

Citizen of the Month: Marlin Anderson

The objectives of the Sycamore Food Pantry have changed over the years; it began as an emergency resource for persons with a short-term problem...but has since evolved into a necessary supplement for persons who haven't got enough income to meet their needs.

Marlin Anderson has worked with the pantry since shortly after his arrival in Sycamore; the pantry is operated by Sycamore United Methodist Church, and provides regular food service as part of the DeKalb County Food Security Council.

The items offered include the traditional canned goods donated through food drives; but the organization also receives fresh bread, dairy products, produce and frozen meats from local food retailers. Grocers often wind up overstocked, and keeping food which isn't selling is unprofitable for them; so they participate in a local network with pantries including the one at Sycamore UMC, giving them fresh stock on a continuing basis.

And the pantry also obtains foods from the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva; its distribution center provides large-scale storage and an ongoing supply line of trucks bringing supplies to pantries all over the region.

On top of all this, the pantry often has to make direct purchases from local stores; volunteers take donations and buy up the items which aren't available from other sources directly from the shelves. Thanksgiving has increased the demand on the pantry, but its need is constant throughout the year...so donations of food and money are always welcome.

Make a Difference DKC makes over 1 million meals for 2016

The Make A Difference DKC mobile pack event was a great success again this year. Our goal was to pack $1.2 million meals, and ended up packing 1,251,936 meals with the help of over 5,019 local volunteers.

This was the biggest mobile pack ever; extra volunteers and packing time were added so that more meals could be packed in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew in Haiti. The mobile pack created enough meals to feed 3,429 children for an entire year.

This was a result of so many service organizations, businesses, churches, sports teams, youth groups, students, clubs, etc. etc. in our community coming together to do something miraculous that is only made possible by the joining of all our energy and resources.

The local Rotary Clubs donations were an important part of that fund raising effort:

DeKalb Rotary Club Cash Donation: $1,500

Sycamore Rotary Club revenues donated through raffle ticket sales: $3,132

Sycamore Rotary Club revenues donated through T-shirt sales - $240

Sycamore Rotary Club cash Donation: $1,000

Total Rotary Donations to date: $5,872

The goal each year is to donate at least $6,000 to the event from Rotary sources, so Make a Difference DKC came close to hitting the goal. This Rotary contribution will feed 73 children for a full year.

The $10,000 cash raffle was won by a local DeKalb resident, Ethan Guio. He bought his ticket from his mother, Ann Guio, who is a member of the local Altrusa Club.

Sycamore Rotary earned $8 for every raffle ticket sold, so the club will be receiving a check for $2,088.

New host families sought for exchange students

Our youth exchange committee is looking for host families for our long term exchange student (Marcela Silva) this year...as well as future host families for next year's long term and short term exchange students.

The committee is asking for all Rotarians to think about their own circle of friends and associates as potential host families. Families with high school aged students are preferred.

Please forward your leads to Jeff Jacobson at jeff@jacobsonandassoc.com.

Pumpkin Festival Bake-Off Winners

The winners of this year's Pumpkin Festival baking contest at Sycamore Middle School were on hand for the November 16th meeting, with samples of their winning items. Prizes for this year were awarded to:

Pumpkin Pie

1st Place -- Kameron Schroeder

2nd Place -- Madeline Lathrop

3rd Place -- Maxine Lathrop

Baked Pumpkin Goods

1st Place -- Maxine Lathrop

2nd Place -- Lily Rubeck

3rd Place -- Isaac Ward

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.

Salvation Army Bell Ringing on Saturday, December 3rd

The Sycamore Rotary Club will once again help raise funds for the Salvation Army; we will be manning the collection kettles outside the Jewel-Osco Store on Peace Road on Saturday, December 3rd from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

You can sign up at any Rotary Club meeting, or contact Dave Andrews for details.

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!

All proceeds from this event will be donated to the Sycamore Food Pantry.

Attendance: November 16, 2016

Attendance: 59.15%

Visiting Rotarians: Capt. Keith Graham (Kishwaukee Sunrise)

Guests: Mark Borowicz (Barry Schrader); Brittany Schmitt (pending new member)

Nov 30, 2016

Joe Munro

Sycamore LIFE Missions

Dec 07, 2016

Bruce Griffith

Sycamore H.S. Business Class

Dec 14, 2016

Ted Rosenow and Jill Olsen

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)

View entire list

Salvation Army Bell Ringing

Jewel-Osco

Dec 03, 2016
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Toys for Tots Toy Drive

Dec 07, 2016
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM

Board Meeting

Dec 07, 2016
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

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

Club Information

Welcome to our Club!

Service Above Self

We meet Wednesdays at 11:45 AM

Blumen Gardens Banquet Facility

403 Edward Street
Sycamore, IL 60178
United States

District Site

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