The Spoke -- October 18, 2016 (Oct 18, 2016)

New host family urgently needed for Rotary exchange student

We are urgently seeking families interested in hosting Marcela Silva, our Brazilian exchange student.

We need help from our fellow Rotarians to identify families with an interest and preferably with a high school aged female student. The family we had identified will not work out and we are in a bit of a scramble for a replacement family.

The transition would take place around the week of Thanksgiving.

We need a good Rotarian response for this wonderful young lady. She’s our guest and we need to see to it that she has an experience that exemplifies what it means to be a part of Sycamore.

Please let Chip Houdek know if you have a family in mind; call him at 815-501-1173.

Guest Speaker: Roger Briesch

Matthew was a high school student who seemed to have it all; he was successful in the classroom and in athletics, was popular with most of his fellow students and appeared headed for a bright future.

That was him on October 1st. On October 2nd, he took his own life.

Roger Briesch has encountered many stories such as Matthew's over the years, working with Operation Snowball and with a suicide hotline. And he says many teens face pressures which parents and teachers don't detect; it can happen to unpopular and popular students alike, pushed by bullying, a dysfunctional family, pressure to succeed and a host of other outside stresses.

Briesch says suicide has become the second-leading cause of death among youths, ranging in age from 15 to 24 -- and that this is a worldwide trend. Not only do they face social pressures in their homes and schools, but the advent of social media has accelerated these problems; general news about incidents around the world, as well as cyber-bullying directed specifically at them, now arrives instantly via phone...faster than they can process it.

He says parents and teachers need to help youths understand that there are less drastic ways to deal with their problems; but he notes that troubled teens may be more willing to talk to an outsider than to a loved one, and he encourages parents to make sure their children know that help and a friendly ear are always available -- inside or outside the family.

Student of the Month: Umar Siddiqui

Umar Mohammad Siddiqui has always been a believer in reaching out and grasping opportunity, and knows that opportunity can only be fulfilled with hard work. And he has devoted his high school years to achieving as much as he can.

Umar is a senior at Sycamore High School, getting a 4.0 GPA throughout high school; he is in the top 10 of his class, and is president of the National Honors Society chapter. In addition, he founded "Smash for Safe Passage," and annual video game tournament created to raise funds for the emergency shelter.

He has also shown his talents in performing, as a member of the Penguin Project cast of "Shrek: The Musical" this year and as a reporter and anchor on Spartan TV. He has also been on the track and cross-country teams, won 1st place in the NIB Lit Fest short story contest, and has won the NIB math contest for five years straight.

He hopes to attend Illinois-Chicago, Northwestern or the University of Illinois to study engineering.

Sycamore Rotary gears up for annual Pancake Breakfast

Preparations are underway for this year's Pumpkin Festival Pancake Breakfast, to be held on Saturday, October 29th at the Federated Church in Sycamore.

Rotarians wishing to help out can participate by doing the following:

-- Sign up for a shift at any upcoming Rotary Club meeting; volunteers are needed from 6 to 9 a.m. and 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday, October 29th...and for set-up on Friday, October 28th from 2 to 4:00 p.m. (The Club has discontinued its policy of giving members who do not participate a special assessment; all Rotarians are free to volunteer, at will.)

-- Sell tickets to friends, neighbors, colleagues, anyone in need of a hearty pancake breakfast. Tickets are $5.00 each, and are available at any Rotary meeting.

-- Take one or more of our posters; display them at your place of business, or put them up anywhere around town. These are also available at each Rotary meeting.

Be sure to contact Dave McCann for more information.

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.

Attendance: October 5, 2016

Attendance: 56.52%

Visiting Rotarians: DG Scott Shore (Putnam County); AG Jim MacMurdo (Kishwaukee Sunrise; Laurie Borowitz (Rochelle)

Other Guests: Marcela Silva, exchange student

Oct 26, 2016

Ryan Yantis

Pentagon 9/11 Survivor

Nov 02, 2016

Ben Swedberg

Ledil, Inc.

Nov 09, 2016

Illinois National Guard Armory

Veteran's Day Program

Nov 16, 2016

Sycamore Food Pantry

Also: Citizen of the Month; Pumpkin Baking Contest Winners

Nov 30, 2016

Joe Munro

Sycamore LIFE Missions

View entire list

Pumpkin Festival Pancake Breakfast

Federated Church

Oct 29, 2016
7:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Make a Difference DKC 2016

The Suter Company, Sycamore

Nov 10, 2016 10:00 AM –
Nov 13, 2016 5:00 PM

Make-Up Session

Blumen Gardens

Nov 23, 2016
11:45 AM – 1:00 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