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Guest Speaker: Marcela Silva
Exchange student Marcela Silva is preparing to wrap up her stay in Sycamore, and is looking forward to returning to her native Brazil; but she says while this has just been a year in her lifetime, she has lived a lifetime in one year.
 
Marcela comes from the city of Vicosa, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais; a number of mines are located around the state, but Vicosa itself is known for its open-air markets and for the university...where her parents are professors of environmental engineering.
 
She showed the Rotary Club pictures of her school -- which is located above a large supermarket.  She commutes almost daily by bus, which apparently is not a pleasant experience in Brazil due to crowding.  Her family has a large farm, with several horses; a pony born shortly before she left is now almost fully-grown.
 
Marcela often has to dispel myths about Brazil, or sometimes confirm them (the country is truly fanatical about soccer); but one stereotype is that much of the country is poor.  She does note that expensive buildings can often be found alongside slums in many Brazilian cities...and she hopes that her experience in Rotary can be put to use, helping to change that in the years to come.
 
Sign up now for the Sycamore Rotary Golf Outing on June 28th
The Sycamore Rotary Club's annual Golf Outing will be held on Wednesday, June 28th at the Sycamore Golf Course; it will be preceded by a make-up session at 12:00 p.m. at the clubhouse. Four-man scramble play begins at 1:00; the round will be followed by dinner at the clubhouse.
 
Each event that day counts as a separate make-up, so if you spend the whole day at the course you'll receive three make-ups -- and that may be useful, if you are close to making perfect attendance for 2016-17. 
 
Rotarians not playing must sign up separately for the pre- and post-golf events; golfers will automatically be included for the 12:00 make-up session, but must indicate on the sign-up sheet if they will be staying for dinner afterwards.
 
Since the traditional Installation of Officers will be held the previous Sunday during DG Steve Kuhn's Installation Brunch, the post-golf event will be strictly a dinner.
 
If you have questions, please contact Dan Gibble for details.
 
Volunteers needed for MS Bike Tour on June 10th
Rotarians are being asked to offer their time on Saturday, June 10th, to assist with the MS Bike Tour rest stop in Sycamore.
 
Sycamore Rotarians will be manning the stop at North School from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. that day.  Volunteers will set up the rest area, greet the riders as they check in, distribute water and other items to those riders and provide any other assistance needed.
 
A sign-up sheet will be passed around at upcoming Rotary Club meetings; shifts are from 9-12 noon, noon-3 p.m. and 3-6 p.m.  You can contact Ray Dembinski for more information.
 
Rotarians invited to installation for DG Steve Kuhn, President Eric Jones
Please join us for brunch on Sunday, June 25, 2017 for the installation of our new District Governor, Steve Kuhn.  The event will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Faranda's, 302 Grove Street in DeKalb.
 
The event will also feature the installation of Eric Jones as President of the Sycamore Rotary Club, and the announcement of this year's recipient of the John W. Ovitz, Jr. Rotarian of the Year Award.
 
Cost is $30.00 per person; the deadline to register is Monday, June 19th.  Reservations must be made in advance; no payments will be accepted at the door.
 
To register, please contact Sue Emberson at semberson@royal-travel.com
 
Send payments to:
     Sycamore Rotary Club
     P.O. Box 332
     Sycamore, IL  60178
 
Rotarians at Work Day finishes with Amazing Grace, YSB auction
 
 
This year's edition of Rotarians at Work Day saw volunteers at our three main project sites -- the Pay it Forward House, Rotary Park at Sycamore Lake and Hopkins Park with Kishwaukee SRA; about a dozen Rotarians from Sycamore were joined by their compatriots from DeKalb and Kishwaukee Sunrise, performing service projects for these local not-for-profit agencies.
 
Our collection drive for the Amazing Grace Organization was also completed, as two boxes of items were donated for use in care packages going to cancer patients.  Our Rotary Club also donated over $300 to Amazing Grace during Give DeKalb County on Thursday, May 4th.  Grace Waller founded the organization, after her own experience with cancer treatment; she says they raised over $2,000 during Give DeKalb County, and have taken in over $85,000 total with other fundraisers across the country; she thanked the Rotary Club for its help.
 
One project remains for 2017; volunteers are still welcome to join in with the Youth Service Bureau's annual bicycle auction on Saturday, May 20th.  It will be from 7:00 to 11:00 a.m. at their offices in downtown DeKalb (next door to Faranda's); assistance with set-up and movement of bicycles will be needed.
 
And for the future, we will be looking at splitting up the projects among the three area Rotary Clubs, giving each responsibility for at least one; on top of that, DGE Steve Kuhn plans to urge other Rotary Clubs in District 6420 to have their own Rotarians at Work Day next spring, to spread the project across northern Illinois.
 
Attendance Report -- May 17, 2017
 
     Attendance:  57.75%
 
     Guests of Rotarians:  Ken Brooks (Mark Hilde); Marcus & Jenni from Finland (Ben Swedberg)
 
     Other Guests:  Marcela Silva (exchange student)
 
Speakers
May 24, 2017
Pam Duffy and Vickie Guthrie
KCH Emergency Services
May 31, 2017
Malwina Bardoni
Midwest Museum of Natural History
Jun 07, 2017
Paul Stromborg
Reclassification Speech
Jun 14, 2017
Chase Goodeill
Classification Speech
Jun 21, 2017
Amanda Runge
Shelter Box USA
View entire list
Upcoming Events
Rotary Board Meeting
Blumen Gardens
May 31, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
 
Bike MS: Tour de Farms
North School
Jun 10, 2017
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
 
Installation for DG Steve Kuhn & Club Officers
Faranda's Banquet Center
Jun 25, 2017
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
 
Make-Up Session
Sycamore Golf Course
Jun 28, 2017
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
 
Sycamore Rotary Golf Outing
Sycamore Golf Course
Jun 28, 2017
1:00 PM – 5:30 PM
 
Rotary Board Meeting
Blumen Gardens
Jul 05, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
 
Club Information
Rotary Club of Sycamore, Illinois
Sycamore
We meet Wednesdays at 11:45 AM
Blumen Gardens
403 Edward Street
Sycamore, IL  60178
United States
DistrictSiteIcon District Site
VenueMap 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
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
 
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, 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