The Spoke -- August 23, 2016 (Aug 23, 2016)

Sycamore Rotary welcomes new Brazilian exchange student

The Sycamore Rotary Club welcomes its newest exchange student, Marcela Silva.

She is here from Vicosa, Brazil; she has one older brother, and both her parents are university professors. She plays violin and soccer, and has three dogs.

Marcela has moved in with her first host family...who are also natives of Brazil, and will be able to help acclimate her to life in the United States. We look forward to seeing more of her in the coming year.

23 Rotarians recognized at 100% Attendance Lunch

The Sycamore Rotary Club recognized all members with perfect attendance during the 2015-16 Rotary year, at the annual 100% Attendance Lunch to be held on Wednesday, August 24th.

This year, 23 Rotarians were honored:

Brian Adams, Russ Bishop, Jim Bowers, Sally Bruch, Jim Buck, Paul Callighan, Keven Dahl, Ray Dembinski, Sue Emberson, Jeff Frank, Bob Hammon, Jeff Jacobson, Eric Jones, Michele Jurkovic, Steve Kuhn, Riley Oncken, Julie Sgarlata, Mark Spiegelhoff, Jim Stoddard, Paul Stromborg, Lavarre Uhlken, Bob Wildenradt and Heidi Wright.

Guest Speaker: Jim Buck

Divorce laws in Illinois had become arcane, and out of step with what other states are doing; but attorney Jim Buck says reforms to state laws implemented this year are designed to make the process easier on couples and their children.

Buck says major changes to divorce proceedings for 2016 include:

-- No-fault divorce has been adopted in place of established grounds; there were as many as ten factors which could be used as grounds for a divorce, but those have been eliminated.

-- Standards of proof for divorce have been changed; while parties must now provide more substantial evidence, they are now only required to have a preponderance of evidence in their favor.

-- Child custody has been revamped, to emphasize an equal role for both parents in a child’s upbringing; there is no longer a distinction between which parent has custody, and both parties are expected to evenly divide the parenting time and the decision-making for their children.

-- And reforms to maintenance and child support (introduced in 2015) have spelled out how parents should deal with special expenses involving children…everything from extracurricular activities in school, to unexpected needs not outlined in a divorce agreement. Buck also notes the formula used for maintenance agreements between couples has been further refined – and jokes that the process is now complicated and expensive enough to sometimes discourage divorces.

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.

Schedule for Meals on Wheels deliveries in August

Here is the schedule for Meals on Wheels deliveries for the month of August. All assigned Rotarians should report to the Voluntary Action Center by 10:45 that day; you will make deliveries on the Sycamore West route. All deliveries should be completed by noon.

Contact Brian Adams at (815) 762-5946 if you are unable to make your scheduled shift.

MON Aug 1 – Dave McCann, Brandon Diviak

TUE Aug 2 – Jim Stoddard, Kathy Countryman

WED Aug 3 – Keven Dahl, Michele Jurkovic

THU Aug 4 – Kathy Merner, Marijo Schwartz

FRI Aug 5 – Paul Callighan, Mark Spiegelhoff

MON Aug 8 – Jim Stoddard, Paul Stromborg

TUE Aug 9 – Dave Hamilton, Sue Emberson

WED Aug 10 – Bob Wildenradt, Jim Bowers

THU Aug 11 – Jeff Frank, Paulette Renault

FRI Aug 12 – Pat Shafer, Jeff Petersen

MON Aug 15 – Paul Callighan, Darion Page

TUE Aug 16 – Jeff Petersen, Paulette Renault

WED Aug 17 – Bob Hammon, Don Clayberg

THU Aug 18 – Dave McCann, Brandon Diviak

FRI Aug 19 – Eric Jones, Lavarre Uhlken

MON Aug 22 – Brandon Diviak, Brian Adams

TUE Aug 23 – Jim Buck, Paulette Renault

WED Aug 24 – Brian Gregory, Riley Oncken

THU Aug 25 – Brad Waller, Ray Dembinski

FRI Aug 26 – Tami Armstrong & Family

MON Aug 29 – Steve Kuhn, Troy Oates

TUE Aug 30 – Sally Bruch, Heidi Wright

WED Aug 31 – Curt Lang, Sejal Patel

Attendance: August 17, 2016

Attendance: 47.22%

Guests of Rotarians: Carolyn & Andrew Morris (Jim Buck)

Aug 31, 2016
Gracia Watson
Returning Exchange Student

View entire list

Meals on Wheels -- Deliveries End

Voluntary Action Center

Aug 31, 2016
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM

DG Scott Shore -- Official Visit

Oct 05, 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 -- 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