Presiding was Past President Kristen Brown, who read the land acknowledgement statement recognizing the indigenous people to whom this land originally belonged. John Searles recited “Why We Are Rotarians” and shared the Thought for the Day by Babe Ruth: “Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.”

 

 

Keith Banks announced that there is an opening at Reba Place Development Corporation (RPDC) for an administrative coordinator.  A seasoned administrator is retiring by the end of 2022 who is eager to orient and train a successor. The job will involve administrative assistance to the executive director, managing a small office, overseeing the schedule and calendar, coordinating special projects and events, draft communications and documents, maintaining digital and physical filing systems, and other related activities. Interested parties should contact Martha Burns at marthaburns@rebaplacedevelopmentcorp.org

 

Joan Borg announced that next Tuesday, Nov. 1, at 9 a.m., there is a tour of RI planned.  There is an Emily Oaks fire pit event this Sunday, Oct. 30, at 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.  Also, mark your calendar for the annual Holiday Party, Sunday, Dec. 11, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Sherman Plaza. 

 

Joy Joyce announced that the Young Leaders Committee is hosting the Youth Leadership Day, Wednesday, Nov. 2, at RI.  Volunteers are still needed, and there are shifts of many durations. 

 

Kristin Brown announced the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Riders are returning to Tucson for the Ride to End Polio on Saturday, Nov. 19.  Team members (so far) include Kristin Brown and Mahmoud Ajamia, Evan and Michael Girard, Jean Saunders and Joe Moos, Barb and Nick Miles.  Kathy Tate-Bradish virtually reminded the club to remember to support the team at https://raise.rotary.org/KristinBrown/fundraiser2.

 

 

Harold Brown boasted his wife, Karen, who started the New Mather Singers three years ago.  They gave a concert last Sunday, and it was a wonderful success.

 

Marisa Naujokas boasted her daughter who returned from South Korea where she lived for three years.  Marisa is proud of her for going.  She is home reassimilating and looking for her next career, pivoting and exploring HR.  

 

Albert Menard boasted Louis Allred, John Searles, and Anne Menard, who all participated in the Golf Road trash pickup in 40-degree weather.

 

Ann Weatherhead welcomed her first grandchild, Tallulah Jane.  Ann is enjoying every minute of being a grandmother!

 

Marv Edelstein boasted General Motors.  He and his wife, and his 23-foot travel trailer, were stranded in the middle of nowhere in Colorado when his transmission went out at 2 a.m.  GM has a department that works to support you home. They picked up the cost of rental, and the vacation turned out to be great, in spite of the fact that the truck is still in Colorado waiting for parts.

 

Ann Searles boasted Joanna Green, who visited us again.  Also, Ann had a Sunshine Lady report and stated that President Kathy Tate-Bradish has Covid, and we were also informed that the Loverings had Covid. Sam was in the hospital for awhile, and we believe he’s home now. 

 

 

Aimee Resnick, a student at Northwestern University, was installed as our club’s newest member. She is supported by Ann Searles representing the Membership Committee, and mentored by Charlotta Koppanyi.

 

 

 

 

Neil Gambow is Chair of the Mayor's Employer Advisory Council (MEAC).  This partnership with Evanston Township High School helps students who are considering options to “traditional” four-year college.  The Oct. 11 Aviation Day held at ETHS is just a small piece of the puzzle that Neil has been developing to support the MEAC for years.

 

Stakeholders of MEAC include government, local employers, education, local non-profit organizations, and friends, and did not stop during the pandemic.  MEAC was launched in 2018 and it is not a non-profit, which keeps the voluntary contributors motivated and inspired to contribute their time and attention.

 

The mission is to “more closely align ETHS and the Evanston employer community in the mutual desire to enhance and sustain a vibrant local economy through the retention of ETHS students in Evanston by focusing on revealing local career pathways that do not require a college degree.” 

 

Evanston’s mayor, Daniel Biss, along with many other local officials make up the steering committee along with Neil and other invested organizations. MEAC has 142 individual members that include 56 employers, seven career pathways, 13 non-profit organizations, and five educational institutions.  MEAC and ETHS have moved the focus from “college for everyone” to “career for everyone.”

 

The reasons for the success started in 2018 and included an ETHS hired professional, career panels for students, Spring Break Job Shadow Program, iKit Summer Internship Program (paid!), Annual Career Options Night, after school career exposure program for the trades, and MEAC employers available in classrooms at teachers' request. 

 

The comments from the students were full of self-reflection about real learning opportunities that lead to careers that pay well and include focus on communication, flexibility, and adaptability, interpersonal skills, leadership, problem solving and critical thinking, teamwork and collaboration, timeliness, and work ethic.

 

Neil shared slides of job shadow participants and covered many of the details of the MEAC programs and encouraged members to view the Career Pathways Panel at the ETHS YouTube channel, which he shared in a communication to all members. 

 

Neil also discussed special programs that offered a large variety of ways students could get acquainted with careers in and around the community, including the enormously successful Aviation Day at ETHS. Aspire-North Shore Health System was another successful program that is getting students interested in the medical field starting in middle school with plans to connect into the high school.

 

There are more plans in store that include expanding summer programming, expanding job shadowing, promoting career readiness in ETHS curriculum, expanding work-based opportunities to students, and establishing a Certified Nursing Assistant program at ETHS. 

 

There are also plans in development outside of ETHS, including sharing the MEAC model in other communities. 

 

 

 

 

Chanda Lubinda,  Zambia