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At the rear in his red End Polio hat, Sycamore Rotarian and Foundation Chair Dr. Paul Stromborg met with officers and members of our Oak Crest satellite club this week to share some of our sponsoring Club’s activities including Rotaract, Interact, Rotary Reader program, and our upcoming Pancake Breakfast during the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival. Along with his “sidekick” Bob Brown, Paul underlined the key responsibilities of being a Rotarian including their financial support of the RI Foundation as well as the eradication of Polio. We committed to trying to improve communication and local Rotary event participation and to better improve financial reporting.
 
Paul also mentioned District Governor David Bills’ visit to our Club and his expressed interest in also visiting Oak Crest.
Brendan Wilson, Ph.D (Lt. Col. US Army - Retired), a local resident with a storied career in the military and diplomacy (as well as many other interests), shared some of his perspectives on NATO during his presentation to the Rotary Club of Sycamore this week.
News/Updates
Brendan Wilson, NATO Diplomat...and So Much More!
Following 25 years of military service as a US Army ranger and paratrooper, Brendan Wilson retired as a lieutenant colonel and then joined NATO where he served as a defense planner and diplomat for the next 15 years. During the course of his 40 years of work as a soldier and diplomat, he saw service in war-torn Libya, Ukraine, Kosovo, Bosnia, and Iraq.
 
A former coach and team captain for a military martial arts competition team, he holds master ranking (8th Dan) in three different martial arts. He won the silver medal for taekwondo at the 2009 US Open. Wilson was co-founder of a martial arts style, Aristos, which currently has practitioners in ten countries.
 
In retirement, Wilson turned his efforts to filmmaking. He wrote and produce two award-winning short films: Doug's Christmas and A Child Lies Here; and he served as executive producer for ten episodes of the award-winning web series, Greetings! From Prison.
 
His science fiction novel, The Achilles Battle Fleet, will be released in October, published by Literate Ape Press. It is available in print, Kindle, and audio editions. During Wednesday's Rotary Club meeting, Wilson announced that club members would have discounted access to the book, and 100% of profits from all purchases using the discount would be given to the Club as a charitable donation. How very generous!
 
Wilson has a BS in Economics, an MBA, and a Ph.D. in International Relations. He is a graduate of the US Army Airborne, Ranger, and Air Assault schools. His professional publications include topics of military tactics, counter-terrorism, and NATO defense issues.
 
Moved by seeing human lives upended in war-torn areas, Wilson is earning his law degree and is in his final year. Once qualified as an attorney, he plans to volunteer to help refugees.
 
Wilson lives a quiet life in Sycamore. He spends his days writing, hiking, studying law, and practicing his martial arts.
And Next Week's Speaker Is....
Christi Coulter, MSW, CC, CRS A/D
Information and Assistance Supervisor
Elder Care Services of DeKalb County
Rotary Reader Assignments
11:10 AM - 11:25 AM (Please arrive at 11:00 AM to pick out your books.)
 
South Prairie Elementary School, 820 Borden Avenue, Sycamore
 
Tuesday, March 29 - Brad Hoey (NIU and DeKalb County legend)
Tuesday, April 5 - Sally Bruch (financial advisor)
Tuesday, April 12 - Christine Kalina
Tuesday, April 19 - Jeff Jacobsen (real estate appraiser)
Tuesday, April 26 - Julie Sgarlata (education director)
IMPORTANT: Monthly Committee Assignments
APRIL - Mike Villalta (chair), Bob Wildenradt, Fred Peltz, Bob Brown
 
MAY - Steve Wilder (chair), Larry Berke, Jeff Frank, Heidi Wright
 
JUNE - Paulette Renault (chair)
Food Pantry Donations Requested
Donations are currently being requested for the Sycamore Food Pantry. Bring a bottle of laundry detergent...or $10 for Julie Sgarlata to purchase one. Money is easier to handle.
 
Personal hygiene items (bar soap, shampoo, etc.) are also being sought.
Local Sites (Within 5 Miles) to Get COVID-19 Vaccine
Hy-Vee Inc. #1642
2700 DeKalb Ave, Sycamore, IL 60178
 
CVS Pharmacy, Inc. #17575
2555 Sycamore Rd, DeKalb, IL 60115
 
Walmart Inc #10-0786
2300 Sycamore Rd, DeKalb, IL 60115
 
OSCO Drug #3272
1322 Sycamore Rd, DeKalb, IL 60115
 
Walgreens Co. #5603
1340 Dekalb Ave, Sycamore, IL 60178
 
Meijer #313
541 Puri Pkwy, Sycamore, IL 60178
 
Walgreens Co. #4042
100 W Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL 60115
 
CVS Pharmacy, Inc. #02375
1022 W Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL 60115
 
DeKalb County Health Department
1525 W Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL 60115
 
OSCO Drug #3381
220 W Peace Rd, Sycamore, IL 60178
Candidate Search: Rotary District 6420 Governor for 2024-25
Dear Rotary Club Presidents, Club Secretaries, and All District 6420 Rotarians,  
 
It is time for our clubs to consider nominating a Rotarian to serve as Governor for Rotary District 6420 for the 2024-25 Rotary year.  
 
The qualifications to become Governor include being a member in good standing of a club in good standing, serving at  least one full term as a club president, and being available in person to meet with the Nominating Committee on the  date set by that committee. That interview date is tentatively set for Saturday, December 4, 2021.  
 
The successful candidate will join the Governor Line, serving as the District Governor Nominee Designate in the second  half of the 2021-22 Rotary year, District Governor Nominee in 2022-23, District Governor Elect in 2023-24, and District  Governor in 2024-25.  
 
There is an expectation that a Past District Governor will continue to serve the District in some leadership position for at  least two years following the Governor year. A high-quality Governor training program is provided by Zone, Region, and  Rotary International personnel.  
 
A prospective candidate should contact me or any past Governor with any questions.  
 
Each club is eligible to nominate one candidate, and the club must sign off on their full support for their candidate.  Official nomination forms are available by contacting me. Also, the nomination forms need to be returned to me by the deadline for nominations which is Monday, November 15, 2021. Candidates will be contacted to set up interviews  following the deadline.  
 
PLEASE MAKE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO ALL YOUR MEMBERS.  
 
Feel free to contact me with any questions, or for more information.  
 
Sincerely,  
David Bills, Governor  
Rotary District 6420  
Cell: 309-912-0789  
Famous Birthdays This Month
September 20, 1934 – International film star and Italy’s most renowned and honored actress, Sophia Loren is born in Rome, Italy.
 
September 22, 1791 – British scientist Michael Faraday is born in Surrey, England.  His discovery of electromagnetic induction results in the development of electric generators.
                                                                                            
September 24, 1896 – Writer F. Scott Fitzgerald (“This Side of Paradise”,  “The Great Gatsby”) is born in St. Paul, Minnesota.
 
September 24, 1936 – Puppeteer Jim Henon is born in Greenville, Mississippi.
This Week in History
September 20, 1973 – The much-hyped “Battle of the Sexes” took place in the Houston Astrodome as tennis great Billie Jean King defeated women’s tennis critic and former men’s champion Bobby Riggs in three straight sets.
 
September 21, 1949   - Following a civil war, the People’s Republic of China is proclaimed by its Communist Leaders as the Nationalist Chinese government  retreats to the island of Taiwan.
 
September 23, 1862 – President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation changing from slave to free the federal legal status of more than 3.5 million African Americans enslaved in the Confederate States.
 
September 24, 1957 – President Dwight Eisenhower ordered the National Guard to enforce racial integration of schools in Little Rock, Arkansas.
OCTOBER COMMITTEE
 
Paul Stromborg (chair)
Jim Stoddard
Paul Callighan
Birthdays & Club Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Heidi Wright
April 3
 
Robert Daniel
April 5
 
Clifford Golden
April 6
 
Trenton DeVito
April 11
 
Paul Loner
April 15
 
Nicole Linke
April 18
 
Troy Oates
April 22
 
Marcy Buick
April 24
 
Maylan Dunn-Kenney
April 25
 
Velvet Mason
April 30
 
Join Date
Dan Kenney
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
Gayle Thistlethwaite
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
James Lehan
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
John Peterson
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
Jonathan Crail
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
Kenneth Moeller
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
Larry Sill
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
Linda Sherman
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
Maylan Dunn-Kenney
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
Nancy Castle
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
Nicole Linke
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
Robert Meissner
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
Sally Stevens
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
Steven Johnson
April 3, 2018
4 years
 
Lawrence Sallberg
April 4, 2018
4 years
 
Thomas Mangan
April 4, 2018
4 years
 
Jeffrey Jacobson
April 10, 2000
22 years
 
Brad Hoey
April 12, 2018
4 years
 
Christine Kyler
April 12, 2018
4 years
 
Dorothy Stoddard
April 12, 2018
4 years
 
Janice Docherty
April 12, 2018
4 years
 
Jim Walter
April 12, 2018
4 years
 
Tim Neubert
April 18, 2018
4 years
 
Upcoming Events
Mr. Spartan Talent Show (Hosted by Interact)
Sycamore High School Auditorium
Apr 09, 2022
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
 
Sycamore Rotary Club: R. Riani, DeKalb Cty Airport
Apr 13, 2022
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Oak Crest Satellite Club Meeting
Oak Crest Retirement Center
Apr 14, 2022
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
 
Sycamore Rotary Club: P. Otto, Sycamore Park Dist
Apr 20, 2022
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Sycamore Rotary Club: Judge Susan Clancy Boles
Apr 27, 2022
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Oak Crest Satellite Club Meeting
Oak Crest Community Center
Apr 28, 2022 11:45 AM
 
Hula for Loota
Chapel in the Pines Wedding & Banquet Center
Apr 28, 2022
5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
 
Sycamore Rotary Club: Speaker TBD
May 04, 2022
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Sycamore Rotary Club: Speaker TBD
May 11, 2022
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Oak Crest Satellite Club Meeting
Oak Crest Retirement Center
May 12, 2022
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
 
Sycamore Rotary Club: Speaker TBD
May 18, 2022
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
View entire list
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To provide feedback or contribute content for this newsletter, please contact Tim Neubert at timneubert@sbcglobal.net.