In lieu of a speaker program this week, club members were asked to sit with their fellow standing committees to eat their meal, and then have a discussion regarding what they hope the club can accomplish during this Rotary year in the areas of Membership, Public Image and Awareness, Fellowship, Service Above Self/Service Projects, Foundations and Grants, and New Generations. Based on committee reports which have so far made it back to me, the discussions were worthwhile and valuable. I will debrief with the club regarding each committee's takeaways in the coming weeks, following a discussion with my fellow board members.
Thank you for giving of yourself as best you can as we seek to make the Rotary Club of Sycamore's 2022-2023 year the best one yet!
During her remarks at our July 20 meeting, District Governor Laura Kann encouraged us to use the "Club Health Check" survey document developed by Rotary International to improve our club. The board members of the Rotary Club of Sycamore strongly support this idea, and we now ask that each club member complete and return this anonymous survey by Wednesday, August 10.
Printed survey documents were distributed to each club member in attendance at this week's meeting. If you were not in attendance, you can obtain a survey form at the next meeting (August 3) or use the following URL to download the 12-page document.
We are excited to report that our 2022-2023 District Grant Application for "Supporting Habitat for Humanity's 2022 Home Build" has been approved! In fact, we recently received two checks in the amount of $1,350. $900 came from Rotary International and $450 came from District 6420!
Our District Grant proposed to "partner with Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County to complete the construction of their 2022 home build in DeKalb County (through service hours by Rotarians) and appropriately equip the home for occupancy by a family in need (through the provision of a refrigerator, a clothes washer, and a clothes dryer) in late 2022 or early 2023." It went on to state that "while the primary beneficiaries of this project will be the family who live in the newly-constructed home, providing affordable housing and resulting economic opportunity to families has a positive ripple effect throughout the community."
In order to receive this grant, the club is committed to provide at least the same amount of $1,350 to this project. The estimated total cost to the Rotary Club of Sycamore will be $1,389.92 ($2,739.92 total).
In addition to the purchase of appliances, it is the intention that a significant number of club members provide hours of service at some point during the home build, while all Club members share and publicize the effort throughout the community.
Yet another example of Service Above Self! Thank you, all!
We will be building every Saturday through 2022, so if this week doesn't work for you, there will be many more opportunities to get involved.
In addition, I am also looking for someone who would like a non-construction volunteer task. There are some Saturdays when we need someone on the build site to greet volunteers, get necessary forms completed, connect with our lunch providers, make sure people are staying hydrated, etc. It really isn't a difficult task, but an important one. If this sounds interesting to you, please let me know. I will work with you on that.
If you have never volunteered with us before, see the notes below for more information.
Thank you for your interest and support of Habitat for Humanity!
Construction Volunteer Information
Habitat for Humanity DeKalb County Illinois welcomes volunteers to our construction sites. Regardless of your skill level (first time you’ve held a hammer or skilled builder), we will provide opportunities to work alongside our partner family and other Habitat volunteers. Examples of volunteer jobs include: framing, siding, painting, insulating, flooring, trim work, landscaping, and cleaning. We will provide instruction throughout the day.
Build Day Schedule:
7:45a.m.- 8 a.m. Arrival and sign-in. (Please complete the required waiver formif this is your first day with Habitat). Volunteers between the ages of 16-18 years are required to have adult supervision and waiver completed before volunteering. The minimum age to volunteer with Habitat is 16 years old.
8:00 a.m. We begin with a Safety Talk and construction goals for the day.
12:00 p.m. Lunch is provided. Habitat provides lunch and water for volunteers.
2:30 p.m. Site clean-up begins
3:00 p.m. Workday complete. Thank you!
What to bring: Please wear clothing that you do not mind getting dirty or possibly damaged. Sturdy, hard-soled, closed-toed shoes are required. Sunscreen is advised when working outdoors.
Habitat provides tools for volunteers. However, if you have your own tools/toolbelt and wish to bring those, that is fine. You can check with the volunteer coordinator for a list of recommended tools. Please label all of your tools ahead of time.
Port-A-Potty: Yes, that’s right. Just want you to be aware that we do not have indoor plumbing or running water on site.
It's always a good idea to bring a "bag" chair if you have one.
Covid-19 Safety Precautions:
Habitat for Humanity prioritizes the health and safety of our staff and volunteers. Currently, we have the following guidelines in place (subject to change based on case levels, as well as CDC, state, and local guidelines):
We ask that if you aren't feeling well, to please stay home out of precaution.
Use hand sanitizer throughout the day, especially before/after using tools.
Masks are no longer required; however, we welcome and support anyone that chooses to wear a mask.
We encourage volunteers and staff to practice social distancing when possible.
During this week's club meeting, I mentioned an upcoming Rotary Night at the Ballpark coordinated by the District 6420 Foundation Committee. Here are some more details:
The event will be held on Wednesday, August 3 at Rivets Stadium in Rockford. Special group discount tickets can be purchased with the following link:
The District 6420 Foundation Committee's on-field award ceremony for the World Series of Giving champions (Pecatonica Rotary Club) will begin at 6:00 PM. Arrive by that time to celebrate with them and join them on the field for an All-District photo! The game will then begin at 6:35 PM.
While I am personally unavailable to attend, I hope some of you will consider making the trip to support our friends from the Pecatonica Club as well as District 6420!
Members of the Rotary Club of Sycamore volunteer each August to deliver Meals on Wheels through the Voluntary Action Center, and we will do so again next month! Thank you to the following volunteers for covering the Sycamore West route on the following dates:
Tuesday, August 2 - Michael DeVito & Sally Bruch
Wednesday, August 3 - Paulette Renault & Mark Spiegelhoff
Thursday, August 5 - Nicole Linke & Sue Emberson
Tuesday, August 9 - Paul Callighan & Julie Sgarlata
Thursday, August 11 - Bob Hammon & Bob Wildenradt
Friday, August 12 - Brandon Diviak & Matt Nelson
Tuesday, August 16 - Ray Dembinski & Pat Shafer
Thursday, August 18 - Paul Callighan & Dr. Michele Jurkovic
Friday, August 19 - Jeff Keicher & Eric Jones
Tuesday, August 23 - Dolores Davis & Tim Neubert
Thursday, August 25 - Jim Stoddard & Paul Stromborg
Friday, August 26 - Tim Neubert & Heidi Wright
Tuesday, August 30 - Dave Hamilton & Brandon Diviak
NOTE: The actual route can change daily if clients cancel or return from time off. Here are just a few things to note about delivering Meals on Wheels. VAC asks that volunteers arrive between 10:35 and 10:50 at the Meals on Wheels office (Voluntary Action Center, 1606 Bethany Road, Sycamore) to pick up the meals and route sheets. The route takes about an hour or so to deliver. Someone must be home to receive the meal. Meals cannot be left without some form of contact. VAC requests volunteers to call the client if no one answers the door and then the office (815-758-3932 ext. 232). Thank you!
July 26, 1856 – Prolific Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw is born in Dublin, Ireland.
July 28, 1929 – Jacqueline (Jackie) Bouvier Kennedy is born in Southampton, New York.
July 29, 1905 – Dag Hammarskjold, Swedish public servant, second Secretary General of the United Nations (1953-1961), and posthumous Nobel Peace Prize winner, is born in Jonkoping, Sweden.
July 30, 1863 – Automotive pioneer Henry Ford is born in Dearborn Township, Michigan.
July 24, 1911 – American archeologist Hiram Bingham gets his first look at the ruins of Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca settlement in Peru that is now one of the world’s top tourist destinations.
July 26, 1953 – Fidel Castro begins his “26th of July Movement” to topple the dictatorship of Cuba by Fulgencio Batista. He is eventually successful when Batista flees Cuba on New Year’s Day 1959.
July 27, 1953 – The Korean War ends with the signing of an armistice at Panmunjom, Korea.
July 30, 1975 – Former Teamsters Union leader James “Jimmy” Hoffa is last seen outside a restaurant in Detroit, Michigan. He is declared officially dead in 1982.
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