Brad Weiss convened the meeting, his last regular meeting as president of the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club.  Marisa Naujokas shared the Thought for the Day from Lao Tzu:  “From caring comes courage.”

 

Harold Bauer led the club members in a standing ovation for Brad’s year of service as our president.

 

 

Bill Glader gave an update on the preparations for next month’s Taste of Evanston fundraiser.  The event is scheduled for Sunday, July 9, at the Evanston History Center, 225 Greenwood St., from 4 to 7 p.m.  He thanked Kate Collinson for arranging to have chefs hats (toques) embroidered with the ToE emblem.  Bill Glader also recognized Dale Bradley for his recent addition as a sponsor.  Volunteers are still needed to help with a variety of tasks at the event.  Ticket sales have reached the 40% mark but are expected to increase closer to the date.

 

 

Brad Weiss reminded the club that June 30 is the deadline for contributions to The Rotary Foundation to count for the current fiscal year.  Checks should be made out to “The Rotary Foundation” or contributions can be made online at https://myrotary.org.

 

Zbig Skiba gave an update on a new initiative that he is spearheading for our club.  The new RI president, Ian Riseley, has asked each club to plant trees in its local community totaling the number of members in that club.  ELRC would aim to plant approximately 80 trees in Evanston to meet this goal but Zbig announced that the Rotary Club of Evanston (noon) will partner with us in this effort.

 

Neil Gambow gave an update on the club’s participation in the upcoming Fourth of July parade and thanked Dale Bradley for the use of his vintage police car.  Bruce Baumberger generously offered to drive the car in the parade.  Kea Gordon and Jean Saunders each agreed to encourage colleagues at RI to participate with us and the noon club in the parade.

 

Neil Gambow also announced that our inbound student will arrive from Thailand in early July.

 

Brad Weiss conducted a straw poll of the members present regarding interest in a lower cost option of “coffee only” for the meetings.  The board is considering a variety of approaches to the affordability of membership as well as the wide range of breakfast food preferences of the members.  Approximately one third of those present expressed support for the coffee-only option.  The board will consider that input as it discusses breakfast service with the Hilton.

 

Ann Searles gave the Sunshine report, welcoming Dale Bradley back and informing us that Ira Graham has been absent due only to a busy schedule and that he is fine.  Ann also reported that Louis Allred’s absence, however, is due to his wife’s hospice care.

 

Ann Searles also brought back a flag from a club in Puerto Rico, and Kathy Tate-Bradish presented a flag from a club in Carmel Valley, California.

 

 

Helen Oloroso reminded everyone that there will be NO MORNING MEETING on Tuesday, June 27.  Instead, the club will meet at 6:30 p.m. that evening at the Hilton Garden Inn for the installation of the 2017-18 Board of the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club.  Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. with a cash bar.  The appetizer buffet will be available at 6:30 p.m., and the installation program will begin at 7 p.m.

 

 

Marv Edelstein boasted the Interact Club at Beacon Academy for its water well project in Haiti.

 

Dale Bradley boasted his son’s acceptance to the University of Wisconsin at Madison.  Dale is also donating two signed and framed posters to the Taste of Evanston auction.

 

Harold Bauer boasted his granddaughter for her new job at the Claremont Hotel in California.  Another granddaughter was recently promoted to a new position at Deloitte.

 

Chris Joyce boasted the YWCA’s Ricky Birdsong Memorial Race Against Hate, which was held on June 18.  Some 2,500 people ran or walked and another 3,000 cheered the participants on.

 

Gary Peterson boasted the nine club members who helped clean up Golf Road on Saturday, June 17.

 

Lucas Albright boasted his Navy Seal son on his recent marriage.

 

 

Katie Peterson and Rachel Blair, students from Beacon Academy, told the club about the service project that grew out of the March 2017 Youth Leadership day at RI.  Katie, Rachel and other members of the Interact Club at Beacon have launched a fundraising effort to support one of the water wells under development by Haiti Outreach.  Their goal is $15,000 and they will partner with an Interact Club in Haiti.  One of the students has begun a GoFundMe website and already raised more than $1,000.  The students also plan to travel to Haiti during their Fall Midterm break and meet up with their counterparts there.

 

The fundraising will be highlighted by a series of walks that will take place over six Wednesdays in September and October.  Students and their supporters will walk from Beacon Academy on a route that will take them approximately a mile, ending at the lake.  On the return trip to Beacon, the students plan to carry buckets of water from the lake.  The walk is intended to highlight the effort it takes to bring water to homes in Haiti every day.

 

 

 

 

 

Braden and Brad Weiss gave a very impressive and moving program about their recent trip to Haiti where they provided dental care to those in need.  Brad’s interest in medical relief was sparked by a club program seven years ago on the work of Doctors Without Borders and was further motivated by Tracy Kidder’s 2003 book, Mountains Beyond Mountains about Dr. Paul Farmer’s work in Haiti in 1994.  Brad also introduced Dr. Babs Waldman, who worked with them in Haiti.

 

Braden gave the background of the current situation in Haiti stemming from the 2010 earthquake which left 300,000 dead and another 300,000 people displaced.  His first introduction to the vigilantism in Haiti was the sight of U.N. soldiers at the airport.  Braden and Brad both spoke of the condition of the clinic that they encountered and the work they did to help organize it.  Brad and Babs both emphasized the fact that Braden contributed significantly to both the labor and the dental work that was done while they were in Haiti.  Braden also found time to enjoy meeting Haitian kids by participating in soccer games with two donated balls.

 

Braden and Brad also talked about their visit to a town north of Port Au Prince for the inauguration of a new water well.  Babs described how important an inauguration ceremony is in the cultural life of Haitian communities.  No institution or facility is used until dignitaries are available for a proper inauguration event.

 

Brad thanked his parents for having set the example of service for him.  He also thanked Braden, Babs, Yves Lassere, his office team, and especially his wife, Tiffany, and their family for making this opportunity possible.

 

 

 

 

Babs Waldman, Rotary One, and friend of Brad Weiss

 

 

Katie Peterson, Beacon Academy, Interact, daughter of Gary Peterson

Vickie Maris, Brad Weiss' office

Tiffany Weiss, wife of Brad

Braden Weiss, son of Brad

Arina Dardynskaya, Brad's office

Alexander Dardynskaya, Brad's office

Rachel Blair, Beacon Academy

Jamee Gross, Brad's office

Babs Waldman, guest of Brad, Rotary One