President Marv Edelstein presided over a Club Assembly or participatory meeting to discuss club practices.  Joan Borg offered the Thought for the Day.

 

 

Jean Saunders encouraged members to volunteer at the Open House Chicago event, scheduled to take place at venues throughout the Chicago area during this coming weekend.  One Rotary Center will be a host site on Saturday, Oct. 14, and two hour shifts are available between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. 

 

Elaine Clemens read a “thank you” note from Search, Inc. for the ELRC donation of $10,000 to support its work on behalf of the clients of JJ’s List.

 

Elaine Clemens announced that the Community Service Committee will meet on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m.  at her home.  She also thanked those who volunteered at Bundled Blessings last week.

 

Neil Gambow gave an update on the efforts of the Community Service Committee, which will be collecting used eyeglasses for the next three weeks. They are going to St. Nick’s church for delivery to those in need in South America.

 

Bill Vernon announced that Boy Scout Troup 924 has been able to purchase a new trailer due to support from the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club and others.

 

Gary Peterson announced the next Golf Road Clean-up will take place on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 8:30 a.m.  Volunteers will meet in the parking lot in front of TJ Maxx.

 

Brad Weiss announced the dates for the next Dental Access Days, Nov. 3 and 4, at the Levy Senior Center in Evanston.  Volunteers will be needed for set up on Nov. 2; details will be provided shortly.

 

Steve Steiber announced that the next meeting of the Fundraising Committee will take place on Monday, Oct. 16, at 7:15 a.m.  in the RI cafeteria.  All are welcome to attend.

 

Linda Gerber announced that Charlotta Koppanyi’s husband suffered a severe heart attack over the weekend and needs everyone’s thoughts and best wishes.  Feel free to reach out to her with your support.

 

Kea Gordon announced that the next meeting of the Vocational Service Committee will be on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 6:30 p.m.  at Jackie Mack’s home.

 

Marv Edelstein introduced Erin Splan, from the Hilton Garden Inn.  Erin oversees our banquet needs and is a prospective member.

 

Marv Edelstein announced that there was a prize envelope taped to the bottom of one chair at each table.  The envelope contained a $2 bill, which represents one week’s donation to The Rotary Foundation with a pledge of $100 each year.  He encouraged everyone to help TRF reach its goal of EREY – Every Rotarian Every Year.

 

 

Ann Searles boasted her husband, John, for having done the driving for their recent 1,500-mile road trip.

 

Jackie Mack boasted her oldest daughter for having reached the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army.  She is stationed in Alaska.

 

Bill Glader boasted Zbig Skiba and the volunteers who planted trees in Evanston parks over the weekend in order to help fulfill Rotary International’s commitment to plant a tree for every Rotarian.

 

Zbig Skiba boasted the tree planting team captains for their efforts to make the effort a success.

 

Kea Gordon boasted the Helena, Montana, Sunrise Club for their Planned Giving initiative, which she learned about on her recent trip to the club.

 

 

 

Facilitator:  President Marv Edelstein 

 

Marv Edelstein introduced the purpose of the participatory meeting as a discussion about how the structure and content of the weekly meeting should serve our core mission of service above self.  While emphasizing the need to examine all of the elements of the whole meeting that would inspire us, Marv acknowledged that the issue invoking the greatest concern from the members was that of the start of the meetings and its current lack of ceremony.  Until two years ago, the club began each meeting by singing “America, the Beautiful” or reciting the Pledge of Allegiance when musical accompaniment was not available.

 

Marv asked Helen Oloroso to give some background as to how the issue came to the fore and where we are now in considering our practices.  Helen gave a brief summary of our history with the pledge and the singing and how it was that we came to eliminate them from weekly practice.  The discontinuation of these practices left some members dissatisfied and eventually led to a reconsideration of the issue. 

 

She also told of the volunteer efforts of Dave Simmons, Jean Saunders and John Searles to come up with a "Rotary-centric" statement of purpose to substitute for anything that was solely American.  The microphone was passed from table to table around the room and the discussion that followed was heartfelt, inclusive, respectful, principled, and sensitive.

 

Helen Oloroso then read the statement that Jean Saunders had edited from a longer version and the club reacted with spontaneous applause.  Here's what she wrote:

 

“As Rotarians, we value: service, fellowship, diversity, integrity, and leadership.

We have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues.

We are always working to better our world, and we stay committed to the end.”

 

The mike continued around the room for people to express their opinion on whether or not a vote was necessary -- and if so, what would it look like.  While we never took a vote on the vote, the consensus appeared to give the discretion on club meeting structure to the President.  People who had originally favored a vote changed their position to that of the president's discretion, while others still felt a vote would be a good idea.  Our only visiting Rotarian was Jay Colingham from Montana, who now works for RI, and he shared his experiences with visits to clubs inside and outside of the U.S.  He echoed the idea that the club's practices should reflect its own culture and that the president has the discretion to establish meeting practices.
 

Marv Edelstein thanked the club for all of the feedback and said that he would share his decision by the meeting next week.  The meeting concluded with a robust, almost cathartic, recitation of the Four Way Test.

 

 

 

Jay Colingham, San Francisco Evening Rotary Club

 

 

Erin Splan, Hilton Garden Inn Banquet & Sales Office, and prospective member

 

 

Elaine Clemens, Oct. 4

Neil Gambow, Oct. 16

 

 

Randy Usen 23 years

Jim McGuire 30 years

Yves Lassere 4 years