Rotarian Sue Emberson contemplates her card choice after holding the winning ticket for this week’s 50-50 drawing.
And Sue draws the “Ace of Clubs” winning half the daily total of $90 to be split with her tablemates. The ongoing total in the raffle is now over $1,600 waiting for someone to draw the “Ace of Spades.”
“Sycamore the Movie Part II” was this week’s program:
The “Sycamore” movie continued to highlight families and traditions that are unique to the city. Perhaps the best-known is “Pumpkinfest” which was launched by Lions Club member Wally Thurow and became an official city celebration in the early 1960’s.
The festival includes a huge decorated pumpkin contest on the courthouse lawn and one of the largest festival parades in the state.
A number of other events were highlighted in the movie such as the city’s Christmas decorations with lights strung across the downtown streets and music played through loudspeakers throughout the downtown area. The movie highlighted various long-time Sycamore businesses such as Henderson’s Department Store, Downtown Shoes, the State Theater, the Fargo Hotel and the National Bank and Trust Company. Various individuals were also recognized such as legendary high school football coach Pete Johnson (achieving 10 conference championships and 8 undefeated seasons), veterinarian Russ Shelkopf (known for his extensive stuffed wild animal collection that was featured for a time at the downtown Midwest Museum of Natural History), and Special Olympics participants organized through the non-profit Opportunity House program in Sycamore.
The upbeat movie ended with the camera focused on one of several signs proclaiming “Life Offers More in Sycamore", a slogan submitted by Fargo Hotel and Dayton farms owner Dayton Ward for a contest by the Chamber of Commerce.
Our Annual Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser is HERE! Each member will create a Pop-Up Store—we keep 50% of all sales, and popcorn ships directly to buyers. Prices start at $11, and the popcorn is award-winning and delicious.
Fundraiser Dates:
Start:Jan 27, 2026 | 5:00 PM
End:Jan 31, 2026 | 5:00 PM
What You Need to Do:
Download the Double Good app
Enter Event Code:SNGACV
Create your Pop-Up Store
Download the app (iOS & Android): dgpopup.app.link
If you’d like the link texted directly to your phone, please let Jonelle know.
January 18, 1782 – American orator and politician Daniel Webster is born in Salisbury, New Hampshire. He served in both chambers of Congress, served as Secretary of State to three Presidents, and argued more than 200 cases before the U. S. Supreme Court.
January 19, 1809 – Poet and mystery/suspense writer Edgar Allen Poe is born in Boston, Massachusetts.
January 20, 1930 – American astronaut and the second person to walk on the moon, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, is born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. He remains actively involved in space-related discussions and events including advocating for a mission to Mars.
January 21, 1940 – Golf legend Jack Nicklaus (the Golden Bear) is born in Columbus, Ohio. He holds a record 18 major titles and 73 PGA Tour titles.
January 18, 1977 – The Center for Disease Control identifies the bacterium responsible for 182 people becoming ill while attending an American Legion convention in Boston during the summer of 1976, 29 of whom died. Now commonly called “Legionnaires’ Disease,” its cause was traced to contaminated water in the air conditioning system of the Bellevue-Stratford hotel and led to new guidelines related to air conditioning water temperature in public places.
January 20, 1944 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated to an unprecedented fourth term as President of the United States.
January 21, 1954 – The USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear powered submarine, was launched at Groton, Connecticut. It shares its name with Captain Nemo’s ship in the 1870 Jules Verne classic “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.”
January 24, 1848 – The California gold rush begins in the Sierra Nevada foothills with the accidental discovery of the precious metal during construction of a sawmill near the town of Coloma.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2025-2026
President – Jonelle Bailey
President Elect – Becky Springer
Director (President Nominee) – Matt Nelson
Director (President Designee) -
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
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
