The meeting was called to order by President Helen Oloroso at 7:30 a.m. on the dot, followed by reciting Why We Are Rotarians.  Thought for the day was given by Jean Saunders: “Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you.” L.R. Nost– George Elliot. 

 

 

Helen Oloroso – Installation of the new officers and board for the 2020-2021 Rotary year will be held on Tuesday, June 23, in Hardin Hall on the Northwestern campus.  There will be no morning meeting that day.

 

District News - February is Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Month.  Through service projects and Rotary programs, the Rotary family is committed to pursuing projects that assess the structural causes of conflict, including poverty, inequality ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources.  Something to keep in mind when we hear about the YWCA’s work on equity and inclusion at our meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25.

 

Susan Prout - The next Community Service meeting is on Wednesday, Feb. 12, from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m., at Westminster Place – 3200 Grant St. (main entrance to the Presbyterian Homes) hosted by Horton Kellogg.  The wording of the grant proposal request form will be discussed. 

 

Kathy Tate-Bradish – Anyone coming to the Sunday, Feb. 15, community meeting, please bring your nametags.  She is expecting about 100 people to attend, including 17-18 Rotarians.  The meeting is in the South Study Café at Evanston Township High School, at Church Street and Dodge Avenue.

 

Bill Glader – The next meeting of the Taste of Evanston Committee will be on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 5:30 p.m., at Fran Caan’s house. We have just about maxed out on ticket funds due to site limitations, so the best way to grow revenue is through sponsorships.  There will be a sponsorship guide published next week to help us secure more sponsorship funding.  The TofE date is Sunday, July 12.

 

Marv Edelstein – We have six members on the club’s Technology Committee: Bryant Wallace, Bruce Baumberger, Don Gwinn, Marv, Zbig Skiba, and Steve Goranson.  Anyone having any ideas for use of technology, both hardware and software, should contact Marv.

 

Ann Searles  Sunshine Report - Paul Weber is in the final recovery from back surgery. Dave Simmons is recovering from cataract surgery in both eyes.

 

 

Marv Edelstein  boasted Linda Gerber for her passion and listening.  She is a great example of both.

 

Potter  boasted Linc for taking him to a band concert.

 

Zbig Skiba boasted Davinci (not the artist!) for his successful hernia surgery.

 

Kristin Brown  boasted Zbig for answering the call for photos of our club in action to be used on our web site update. 

 

 

 

 

Cam is currently an elected member of the MRWD Board of Commissioners and a vice president at GEI Consultants, Inc.   He has a long history of advocating for the Great Lakes preservation in various Federal and State positions.

 

He started by reminding us that World Water Day is on Sunday, March 22, and Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22.  This last date is also the 50^th anniversary of the EPA.  He thanked our Club for participating in the “adopt a Beach” program. And thanked RI for understanding the global challenge of water conservation and use.

 

Some 20 percent of the world’s fresh surface water and 90 percent of the U.S. fresh water is here in the Great Lakes.  Our Great Lake system is fragile and faces many challenges, including habitat loss, pollution in the form of fertilizer runoff, invasive species, climate change, and industrial pollution.

 

The good news is there is pushback through the Great Lakes Restoration Project, federal funding of $300 million/year for control of invasive species, and land-based pollution reduction, including conservation by farmers, widening shore borders along waterways, reducing erosion, and  toxic hotspot cleanup.

 

It takes everyone to help, not only with the actions above, but simple things like the reduction of lawn and garden watering,

 

In answer to questions, he made these points:

 

The state agency responsible for managing Illinois’ shorelines is the Illinois Department of  Natural Resources.

 

We are losing the protection of wetlands with changes to the Clean Water Act if the current administration changes the rules as planned.

 

There is a “dead” spot in Lake Erie, but that is not unusual.  It is mostly caused by fertilizer runoff depleting the oxygen content in the water which drives off aquatic wildlife. 

 

Since the 2006 ballast water exchange requirement, where all ocean-going ships are required to replace fresh-water ballast with sea water before entering any fresh water channel, no new invasive species have been seen in the Great Lakes.

 

 

 

 

Mathias Dopke – Prospective Member

 

Sue Patel – Prospective Member

 

 

Harvey Newcom - 19 years