The Light for August 16, 2016 (Aug 18, 2016)

Presiding was President Brad Weiss and the Thought for the Day was presented by Ann Searles.

Announcements

District 7610 Governor Janet Brown exchanged club banners with Club President Brad Weiss.

Charles Heberie, of Lakewood, Wash., spoke of the Inter-Country Committee founded in Europe after WWII. He requested club support for a potential friendship exchange with Russia.

Kristin Brown reminded the attendees of the upcoming Ride to End Polio. Kristin boasted the success of last year’s ride and invited members to join her, Dave Stumpf (president of the noon club) and 100-plus Rotarians on the Ride to End Polio in Tucson, Nov. 19.

Kristin also announced that our inbound Youth Exchange student, Luiz dos Santos de Abreu, is arriving today from Sao Paolo, Brazil. She invited anyone who would like to meet him to join for lunch in the RI Cafeteria today. Also, she will consider inviting him to the club’s Ravinia outing on Sunday.

Kristin announced that PDG Aswini Kar from India will be here Sept. 5-8. She invited members interested in sightseeing or a social activity to let her know.

Kristin is forming the Membership Committee and currently the committee consists of her, Jackie Mack, Jean Saunders, Marv Edelstein, and Ann Searles. She invited others interested in serving on the committee to contact her.

Kristin mentioned also that the club is sending five books for the 25 th anniversary of the Biblioteca Popular Infantil de Coronel Suárez in Argentina. She thanked Linda Gerber, Steve Goranson and Ann Searles.

Brad Weiss announced that there will be a special board meeting on Monday, Aug. 22, hosting the District Governor. The goal is to hold the meeting at one of the local restaurants that sponsored The Taste of Evanston event. Location is to be determined.

President Weiss also mentioned the following: the nomination process for district governor (2019-2020) is now open; 2018–20 19 RI President was nominated and is from Uganda. He also reminded the club of the block of rooms that has been reserved for next year’s Atlanta convention.

Ann Searles invited the club members and their families to an early evening of music and picnicking on Sunday, Aug. 21, at Ravinia. Members are to bring their own food, drink, and chairs. Food is also available for purchase at the park. The park opens at 3 p.m. The Tchaikovsky concert starts at 5 p.m. The program includes Symphony No. 5, variations on a Rococo Theme for cello and orchestra, and the ever-popular 1812 Overture, complete with cannon fire. The Searles and the Baumbergers will arrive early to stake out a listening area on the lawn just west of the ice cream carousel. Ann passed out a sign-in sheet for interested members in order to have an accurate count.

Susan Phillips requested help from members to volunteer at 7 p.m. this Thursday evening, Aug. 18, for approximately 90 minutes, for a rather easy task. The volunteers will be placing new and unused disposable diapers in plastic bags to be given to families that cannot regularly afford to purchase such crucial items. This is part of the "Bundled Blessings" program, which is a ministry of the Church and which is also supported now two years running by a Community Service grant from our club. The event will take place at the First Methodist Church in Evanston (just east of Chicago Avenue on Church Street). Volunteers may also enter from Hinman Avenue, just south of Church Street. Parking is available for free on Hinman, by meter along Church Street. or in the municipal garage entered on either the north side of Church Street, again just east of Chicago, or from Clark Street, between Hinman and Chicago. Church Street is only one-way eastbound, while Clark is a two-way street. Ken Green will also send an email message to the members with more details.

Dale Bradley reminded members of the upcoming Evanston Chamber of Commerce Golf Outing to be held on Monday, Aug. 29, at the Wilmette Golf Club. Dale currently has three golfers and needs another golfer for the foursome. No charge.

Dick Moenning requested volunteers in support of an upcoming Boy Scouts of America event.

Brad Weiss thanked Fran Caan for hosting last week’s club picnic. Brad also thanked all club members who attended the picnic.

Roasts & Boasts

Harvey Newcomb boasted about his picture published in the Evanston Roundtable.

Linc Janus boasted his son for the birth of Linc's grandson.

Elaine Clemens boasted herself for being back after a long solo trip across several states.

Sergeant at Arms Zbig Skiba quizzed the meeting attendees on several Olympics-related topics.

Paul Harris Presentation

Three members qualified for another rung on the Paul Harris ladder. A Rotarian becomes a member of the Paul Harris Foundation, named after the founder of Rotary, by contributing a cumulative total of $1,000 to the Foundation. Then he or she is recognized for each additional $1,000 contribution.

Today we recognized Kristin Brown for PHF +3, Steve Goranson +6, and Keith Sarpolis, +7. Congratulations to them all.

Brad Weiss confers PHF honors on Keith, Kristen, and Steve.

Program

John Syvertsen – Chicago Architectural Foundation (CAF)

Fran Caan introduced her brother, John Syvertsen. John has been an architect in Chicago and an Evanston resident for 40 years. He is past president of OWP and P Architects, a ﬁrm that was started in Evanston in 1958. For 15 years he has served as a trustee of the Chicago Architectural Foundation, including a term as chair. In addition, John is currently chair of the Board of Overseers of the American Architectural Foundation, based in Washington, D.C., and is also chair of the Board of Directors of Archeworks, a socially focused, alternative design school here in Chicago.

John received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Georgetown University; a master’s degree in Architecture from Princeton University, and was a Loeb Fellow in Advanced Environmental Studies at Harvard University.

John began his presentation by recounting the event that served as a catalyst for the founding of the Chicago Architectural Foundation. The imminent sale and destruction in 1966 of the Architect H.H. Richardson’s

Glessner House (completed 1887) motivated concerned citizens to launch CAF. The founding Board of Trustees convinced architecture firms and philanthropists to donate funds to purchase the building.

Most donors believed in their noble intentions but offered dire predictions that the house could not be saved.

John noted that Marian Despres, first Board of Trustees chair, knew CAF’s survival depended on inspiring others to appreciate architecture. This required knowledgeable guides, along with volunteers and historians. Despres initiated a rigorous training program, graduating the first docent class in 1971.

CAF’s tours are well-known around the world. In 2015, more than 300,000 people took a tour with CAF.

The volunteer docents—today often found wearing bright red—proudly earn their CAF badge, graduating from the program just as the first class in 1971. Due to increasing demand, additional boats have been added in 2006 and 2011. Docents and staff created new field trips specifically aimed at younger audiences. Students learn about the forces and structures that hold up buildings and then explore the Loop.

John mentioned that CAF is the only organization that sends high school students to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin and Taliesin West. Each year, the CAF Auxiliary Board supports groups of bright CPS teens for a week in residences at Wright’s studios where they learn about his organic architecture and solve design challenges. To cultivate the next generation of design thinkers and doers, CAF created a teen academy program. Through workshops, after school and summer programs, competitions, multi-year cohorts and internships, CAF teens discover design skills and career pathways.

John added that in October 2015, more than 85,000 people participated in Open House Chicago during a beautiful 2015 weekend. In the first five years, Open House Chicago has become one of the largest architectural festivals in the world. He then provided the following stats: 1 million+ site visits; 280,000 attendees; 440+ buildings and behind-the- scenes spaces; and $25.4 million in economic impact.

CAF used a donated 3D printer to recreate some 40 square blocks and more than 1,000 buildings. CAF’s City of Big Data exhibition transformed the city model as a visual animation canvas to explore how data shapes the design of our city and region. John also noted that CAF led the formation of the Association of Architecture Organizations (AAO), dedicated to enhancing public dialogue about architecture and design. AAO has grown to hundreds of member organizations in 64 cities and 9 countries. CAF is celebrating its 50th anniversary and asked 50 designers to create transformative proposals aimed at improving the quality of life for residents in each of Chicago’s 50 wards.

In concluding, John emphasized that CAF wants to drive certain key concepts, such as being a thought leader in design, taking into account all aspects of a society, from social, economic to environmental aspects. CAF is part of some current issues being discussed in the city such as the construction of the Obama Library in Jackson Park; City Planning issues and also lessons learned from the conversation related to the Lucas Museum.