The Spoke -- September 6, 2016 (Sep 06, 2016)

Gracia Watson says the year she spent in Japan not only made her better appreciate the country's culture and customs, but may have sparked an interest in working abroad when it's time to leave school behind.

Gracia spent a year as a Rotary exchange student, living in the Tokyo area with three different families. The trip there was long and arduous; she spent 14 hours in flight, with a five-hour layover; then, she wandered through the terminal trying to find her bearings...when she found her first host family -- and most of her sponsoring Rotary Club -- in the terminal, ready to greet her.

From there, it was a whirlwind year for her; her first host family included a Canadian father, who was able to help her bridge the language gap in the early days...and she spent plenty of time in school, trying to learn in Japanese while dealing with the notoriously heavy workload. She also spent time in the school's band; unlike in America, this is strictly a club activity...and students give up their after-school time to practice and rehearse for shows.

Gracia got to visit other parts of Japan during class trips, and the one which affected her most was a visit to Hiroshima. She says it's very different to see grainy, black-and-white historical footage...than it is to be in the place where it all happened, and experience the feeling of not wanting it to ever occur again.

She spent time with three different host families, made a host of friends and then said some reluctant farewells before coming home to Sycamore. Gracia says while it's good to be back, she has the feeling that she's a bit more grown-up than the friends who stayed here -- and that the experience will likely shape her life for years to come.

Tickets still available for Make a Difference raffle

Tickets are still available for the Make a Difference DKC raffle, to support the Feed My Starving Children Mobile Pack event in November.

Rotarians are encouraged to sell these tickets between now and November 13th; the grand prize is $10,000 in cash, and Rotary will get back $8 from every $20 ticket sold.

For more information, please see Heidi Wright at any upcoming Rotary Club meeting.

District 6420 Golf Outing on September 13th in Rochelle

The 2nd annual Ben Dover Golf Outing for Rotary District 6420, will be held on Tuesday, September 13th at the Fairway Golf Course in Rochelle.

The cost is $80.00 per person, with lunch at 11 a.m. and a shotgun start at noon. We'd like to see a Sycamore Rotary team play in this event; gather a few of your Rotary friends, and sign up today. For more information, go to this link

District Golf Outing
Fairway Golf Course, Rochelle, IL
$80.00/person includes lunch, drink ticket, raffle tickets & milligans!

11:00 - Lunch
High Noon - Shotgun Start Regulation Golf -- “Best Ball” Rules

Funds raised will be divided between "End Polio NOW" and funding of Youth Participation our District Conference. Traditional rules. Singles & Foursomes welcome!!

Host: Rochelle Rotary Club

- See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50144/Event/district-golf-outing---rochelle#sthash.idBKJI8L.dpuf

District Golf Outing
Fairway Golf Course, Rochelle, IL
$80.00/person includes lunch, drink ticket, raffle tickets & milligans!

11:00 - Lunch
High Noon - Shotgun Start Regulation Golf -- “Best Ball” Rules

Funds raised will be divided between "End Polio NOW" and funding of Youth Participation our District Conference. Traditional rules. Singles & Foursomes welcome!!

- See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50144/Event/district-golf-outing---rochelle#sthash.si7JiS9b.dpuf

District Golf Outing
Fairway Golf Course, Rochelle, IL
$80.00/person includes lunch, drink ticket, raffle tickets & milligans!

11:00 - Lunch
High Noon - Shotgun Start Regulation Golf -- “Best Ball” Rules

Funds raised will be divided between "End Polio NOW" and funding of Youth Participation our District Conference. Traditional rules. Singles & Foursomes welcome!!

- See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50144/Event/district-golf-outing---rochelle#sthash.si7JiS9b.dpuf

Northern Illinois Rotary Clubs begin joint ad campaign

The three Rotary districts serving northern Illinois are joining forces, in an effort to bring more people into the Rotary family.

Districts 6420, 6440 and 6450 are launching a joint campaign to inform the public about what Rotary does in this part of the state, and to encourage people to join their local Rotary Club. The campaign includes a website with information on all three districts, and public advertising including billboards (such as the one above).

Those seeking further information on Rotary here in our state, can go to www.northernillinoisrotary.org

District 6420 urges early Rotary Foundation donations

2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the Rotary Foundation. Our district is having a RF donor dinner in Deer Valley on November 5th and DG Scott Shore has requested all clubs make a special donation to the Foundation at that time.

At the Sycamore Rotary Club board meeting in August it was suggested that Rotarians be asked to consider making their annual donation to the RF before October 1 (if you are planning to give this fiscal year - July 1-June 30). The only alternative was to have a separate fund raising effort for this challenge, which would be difficult on such short notice.

Giving the annual contribution now to the RF would preserve the tax deductibility of your donation.

If you feel you can give your annual contribution before October 1, please make your check out to the Rotary Foundation and give it to Michele Jurkovic, with a note to add your amount to the club contribution.

Pat Shafer nominated for Rotary Board of Directors

Pat Shafer was nominated for a seat on the Sycamore Rotary Club's Board of Directors at the August 10th meeting; he would be taking over for Jude Wilbers, who resigned when he and his family decided to move to Batavia.

In keeping with the Club's bylaws, his name will stand in nomination for 30 days; after that time, the membership will be asked to vote on whether to allow him to serve on the Board.

Pat would retain a place on the board for five years, and he would serve as Club President for the years 2019-2020.

Attendance: August 31, 2016

Attendance: 61.11%

Other Guests: Marcela Silva, exchange student

Sep 14, 2016
Joe Ryan
Sycamore H.S. Football

Sep 21, 2016
Lisa Carlsen
NIU Women's Basketball Coach

Sep 28, 2016
Grace Waller
Amazing Grace Foundation

View entire list

DG Scott Shore -- Official Visit

Blumen Gardens

Oct 05, 2016
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM

Pumpkin Festival Pancake Breakfast

Federated Church

Oct 29, 2016
7:00 AM – 11:00 AM

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 -- To be determined

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, Kreg Wesley, 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, Kreg Wesley

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