The Light for July 12, 2016 (Jul 16, 2016)

Call to Order: President Brad Weiss called the meeting to order. Ilana Seligman gave the thoughts for the day from Martin Luther King, Jr., and JFK.

New-Member Installation

President Brad, assisted by Kristen Brown, installed new member Jean Saunders. She is now a member of one of the 35,000 Rotary Clubs worldwide. Brad gave her her red badge and told her that she will need to get all club members’ signatures, attend a board meeting, and attend another Rotary club’s meeting to receive her permanent blue badge. Kristen was her sponsor.

Kristen Brown with new-member Jean Saunders

Announcements

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT NEXT WEEK'S MEETING, JULY 19, WILL BE HELD AT THE WORLD HEADQUARTERS OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL. DO NOT COME TO THE HILTON GARDEN INN.

Bill Glader updated the club on the success of our Taste of Evanston fundraiser on June 9. We raised $32,000 after expenses, and met most of our sponsorship and ticket goals. We will be giving Hillside Food Pantry and the Hunger Resource Network $8,500 each, and $15,000 will stay with our club to give away elsewhere. Bill indicated that the committee had talked about possible donor recipients for 2017, hoping we can partner with organizations that will help support our TOE fundraising efforts more actively. The committee also suggested three possible types of recipients for next year’s fundraiser: organizations that work on homelessness, joblessness, and issues around children, for possible “Take a Bite Out of Homelessness” and “Take a Bite Out of Joblessness” fundraisers (we will need to work on a different slogan if we select children’s charities as our main recipients). He wants anyone who has an idea for a charity recipient for next year to pitch it at next week’s club meeting on July 19, with the club voting on

July 26 for the charities that will receive next year’s TOE proceeds. The committee will then tally the votes and vet the charities, with an announcement of the targeted recipients in August.

Next year’s Taste of Evanston is scheduled for July 9, 2017, so save the date!

Charlotta Koppanyi introduced her friends Elisabeth and Frida Wennerstrom from Uppsala, Sweden. Elisabeth is involved with the Rotary Peace Center at Uppsala University. Charlotta explained that the Rotary Clubs of Uppsala, the Rotary Peace Center at Uppsala University, and the Uppsala City Theatre where Elisabeth works, as well as other organizations such as the local YMCA in Uppsala, are working on a Rotary district grant. Once they receive a district grant, that same group of partners will be working on a global grant that the Uppsala Rotary Club is applying for. Charlotta hopes our club will participate in the global grant, along with other clubs.

Charlotta said that the noon club is sponsoring a Peace Festival in September and that she is on the Committee. Visitors from the Uppsala City Theater and the Uppsala Rotary Club will also attend the Peace Festival.

Helen Oloroso announced that our club picnic will be August 9 at Fran Caan’s home. The club will provide the main course and members will provide sides. There will not be an auction this year, although there will be a food drive to restock Evanston food pantries.

Yves Lassere announced the EatPlayLearn Marathon will take place in early August to support Haiti Outreach’s efforts to build water wells in Haiti. Information about the fundraiser is in flyers on the tables.

Sunshine Lady Ann Searles reported that Gerry Bauman was patiently recovering from his broken ankle. She also noted we are glad to have Ken Green back on Tuesday mornings. And for those folks going to HAIR at Northwestern on July 15, you will be meeting at Bluestone at 5:30 p.m. for dinner.

President Brad announced that there are still Cubs tickets available for the game in Milwaukee with the District on July 23. Deadline for purchase is this Friday.

Ilana Seligman announced that we are serving at the soup kitchen at Second Baptist Church on August 1 and will need help from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. She will send an email with more information and a request for volunteers.

Gary Peterson announced that about 12 people helped on last Saturday’s Golf Road clean-up.

Marissa Naujokas reminded everyone to bring vases, preferably in boxes, for our vase drive on July 19 to support Random Acts of Flowers, as they use 600 vases every week!

Secretary Lesley Peters asked members to please sign in each week.

Zbig Skiba announced that the first Rotary Networking event with Rotarians and Rotaractors is July 28 between 6 and 8 p.m. at Firehouse Grill in Evanston. Please register for the event at https://rmbchicago20160728.eventbrite.com.

Program
Chicagoland’s Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP)

Zbig Skiba introduced Vince Mosca, an ecologist with Hey & Associates, who gave an interesting talk on the Deep Tunnel project. The priority of the project, known as the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, or TARP, was to eliminate basement flooding and combined sewer overflows.

In 1900, the flow of the Chicago River was reversed through the creation of manmade channels and canals. Prior to its reversal, sewerage that was discharged into the Chicago River flowed back into Lake Michigan. The reversal was a boon economically and socially for the City of Chicago, but had a less positive effect on St. Louis.

The Deep Tunnel was dug 275 feet below ground to address rain events that would otherwise result in basement flooding. Rain is collected through big collection drains in the middle of streets that look like urban crop circles and transported 250 feet below ground to tunnels and reservoirs where it won’t cause trouble.

Vince noted that one inch of rain results in approximately 15 billion gallons of water that the Metropolitan Water and Reclamation District (MRWD) of Greater Chicago must address. The three big reservoirs in the system can store that

water for later treatment by water treatment facilities, which means untreated sewage does not need to be discharged into the Chicago River.

The Chicago River, while still impaired, is coming back ecologically, and there were 70 species of fish documented in the River in 2005, up from only ten species in 1970.

Vince took questions and gave Debra Shore, commissioner of MRWD, credit for providing him with the slides.