The Spoke -- December 20, 2016 (Dec 20, 2016)

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!

Members are encouraged to bring spouses, family and special guests. Also, be sure to bring along at least six $1 bills...as the Christmas Party Committee has some special games planned.

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

Sycamore Rotary again holds Adopt a Family project

Continuing with an annual tradition, the Sycamore Rotary Club is again holding its Adopt-a-Family project for 2016; with the help of the Sycamore School District, we have identified several families in need of help this Christmas...and are helping them to get the gifts and other items they need, to celebrate the holiday season.

The Rotary Club, The Suter Company and Rotarian Riley Oncken are each helping to sponsor families this Christmas; each family submitted a wish list, and Rotarians obtained the gifts they were looking for -- items they would otherwise be unable to afford on their own. This year, we are also helping some individual students who have no parental support available for them; they would otherwise be on their own, without the help of Rotary and our sponsors.

All gifts are being submitted to the Sycamore School District, which for confidentiality reasons will deliver them to the recipients on our behalf. Whoever they are out there, we hope that the families so helped will find some joy during this holiday season.

Featured Program: DeKalb County CASA

Children whose parents lose custody or are otherwise launched into the court system are powerless to make themselves heard, and often don't understand the events swirling around them. But a dedicated volunteer service is available to represent these children, and have their needs brought to the attention of the court.

Court Appointed Special Advocates of DeKalb County consists of volunteers who act as the bridge between a child and the legal system; they get to know each child they represent, find out how the particular legal matter their parents or guardians is affecting them, and speak on behalf of the child before the bench.

Jill Olson (left) is Executive Director of CASA; she and President Ted Rosenow (right) are among those who stand with these children, who through no fault of their own find themselves embroiled in their family's legal issues. While the State of Illinois and DCFS are responsible for the physical safety and care of these children, CASA volunteers handle the legal needs and the issues which led each child to this situation.

Olson says the cases they get vary, but they generally involve abusive parents or neglectful ones with substance abuse or behavioral problems. She says she has encountered plenty of cases where a parent paid little attention to the needs of their child, who may have either a week family support system to help with their care -- or no system at all.

She and Rosenow say there is an ongoing need for volunteers to help; some are attorneys who take on these matters pro bono, but anyone with sufficient training and interest can advocate on behalf of a child. Anyone seeking more information, or to offer their services, can call at (815) 895-2052...or go to www.casadekalb.org

No publication of The Spoke the week of December 26th

The Spoke will not be published during the week of December 26th, due to the holiday season; the only official Rotary Club function will be the make-up session on Wednesday, December 28th.

Publication will resume the week of January 2nd, 2017.

Attendance: December 14, 2016

Attendance: 61.97%

Guests of Rotarians: Mark Borowicz (Barry Schrader) -- membership pending

Guests: Marcela Silva (exchange student)

Jan 11, 2017

Peggy Mechini

KCH Diabetes Education

Jan 18, 2017

Retired SFD Chief Gene Ege

1927 Fire Engine Restoration Project

Jan 25, 2017

Lisa Freeman, NIU Executive VP Provost

Impact of State Budget Impasse on NIU

View entire list

Club Assembly

Feb 01, 2017
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM

Board Meeting

Feb 01, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 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