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Russell Hampton
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Upcoming Events
Club Hybrid Meeting - November 30, 2021
Sherman Plaza Hospitality Suite
Nov 30, 2021
7:15 AM – 8:30 AM
 
Club Service Committee - Zoom
Zoom
Dec 08, 2021
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
 
ELRC 2021 Annual Holiday Party
The Residences of Sherman Plaza
Dec 12, 2021
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
 
Community Service Committee Meetings
Vitrual (Zoom)
Dec 14, 2021
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
 
Community Service Committee Meetings
Vitrual (Zoom)
Jan 11, 2022
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
 
Club Service Committee - Zoom
Zoom
Jan 12, 2022
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
 
International Service Committee (ISC)
Via Zoom
Jan 24, 2022
7:15 AM – 8:30 PM
 
View entire list
Meeting Notes from November 23, 2021
The Light for November 23, 2021
 
By Katherine Peterson
 
Presiding was President Linda Gerber, who welcomed club members to the 21st meeting of the current Rotary year. After visitor introductions, the club recited Why We Are Rotarians. We are observing Native American Heritage Month with two special guests: Kim Vigue, Executive Director from Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, and Wayne Vailiere, National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellow and public school teacher.
 
Thanks to member Dan Coyne, we are welcoming Wayne Valliere, one of the last remaining native birchbark canoe builders in the world. He is a 2020 National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellow and a public school teacher. He constructed a traditional Ojibwe canoe at Northwestern University, which was launched at what could have been the first native canoe launch from this area since 1833.
 
Kim Vigue was introduced by Linda Gerber. Kim is the new Executive Director at the Museum of the American Indian, an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation, a descendant of the Menominee Tribe, who holds a Master’s Degree in Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin. 
 
For the past 20 years Kim has advocated for indigenous people helping tribal organizations, federal agencies, and non-profits develop culturally relevant initiatives and campaigns designed to improve the well-being of Native American communities. Kim's work has been instrumental in addressing critical issues in Indian country, including suicide, substance abuse, intergenerational trauma, vaccination disparities, diabetes, homelessness, and educational attainment.
 
Her work has drawn on indigenous knowledge and cultural strengths to collaboratively implement programming that promotes healthy solutions, increases awareness, and generates positive change for native children, families. and communities.
 
In observance of Native American Heritage Month, Kim Vigue began the meeting with a land acknowledgement to honor the original indigenous peoples who belong to this land.  She declared that the Mitchell Museum is located on and near the traditional meeting place for many tribal nations. The museum acknowledges and honors the Three Fires Confederacy of the Potawatomi, Odawa, Ho-chunk,  Ojibwe, and many other nations that call this place home, past, present, and future. 
 
Announcements
 
Vai Ravikamur had several items to announce about the Holiday Sale. We have created good momentum currently at $26,000. Half-way, but below our goal of $50,000. Please keep pushing for the weeks following Thanksgiving. We have a grace period for citrus and ham, and deadlines coming up for Dec. 4 and 11. Holiday Sale needs volunteers for Dec. 4 and 11. Please sign up, and look for details forthcoming shortly. If you ordered COD or you want to write a check, please pass them on to Joan Borg. We believe we fixed all the dashboard bugs. 
 
Chris Joyce announced nominations for the upcoming 2022-23 Board and thanked his nominating committee and those who answered the call to volunteer.  Following are the nominations:  President, Kathy Tate-Bradish; President-elect, Bryant Wallace; Secretary, Clarence Weaver; Club Treasurer, Kate Collinson; Club Foundation Treasurer, Kristin Brown, with Willy Steiner assisting; Club Service Chair, Joan Borg, Career Service Chair, Charlotta Koppanyi;  Community Service Chair, Myra Janus; Fund Raising Chair, John Osterlund;  Housing Chair, Ann Weatherhead; International Service Chair, Patrick Mbullo, with Sue Bova assisting; Membership Chair, Steve Steiber; Program Chair, Zbig Skiba; Public Image Chair, Marisa Naujokas; Rotary Foundation Chair, Helen Oloroso; Technology Chair, Bryant Wallace and Young Leaders Chair, Chris Joyce
 
Charlotta Koppyani asked members to be reminded to mute themselves when not speaking, to keep the quality of sound optimal for everyone listening. 
Clarence Weaver reported on the Board meeting of Nov. 17.
 
Roasts & Boasts
 
Nick Power presided over Roasts & Boasts.
 
Kristin Brown boasted the success of the Tucson bike tour to raise funds to End Polio Now with special boast to Joe, their logistics manager.
 
Barb Miles boasted Kristin and Mahmoud for hosting them in Tucson with a beautiful place to stay and the invitation to join them.
 
Neil Gambow boasted Kathy Tate-Bradish for support on note-taking for a long meeting, applauding her for an excellent job.
 
Clarence Weaver boasted Bryant Wallace for his NAACP Award and for the many, many things he does in the community.
 
Bryant Wallace boasted the club for its support and congratulations as well to the NAACP event.
 
Paul Harris Award
 
Kathy Tate-Bradish was awarded the Paul Harris award and pin, congratulated by Linda Gerber and the club. 
 
Program
Topic: Artist in Residence, Northwestern University
Speaker: Wayne Valliere
 
Dan Coyne preliminarily introduced the speaker, Wayne Valliere, from Lake du Flambeau near the shores of Lake Superior at an Ojibwe School.  Wayne is one of six trained birchbark canoe builders in the world. He was mentored at age 14 by an elder who recognized that this skill was being lost, in 1950. 
 
That mentorship created an interest in birchbark building. Today, Wayne is more than just a canoe builder. He is a peacemaker between tribes, reigniting cultural awareness in their history, and how to interact with Grandmother Earth.  Wayne has been boat building as a Fellow with Northwestern University.  Just a few weeks ago there was a public boat launch, so moving and historically remarkable.  Dan shared several videos of the ceremonious boat launch.
 
Dan Coyne is a social worker and volunteer with Chicago Voyagers, who feels strongly that youth need to grow up in communities, and young people really need mentoring of the highest order. He wondered who mentored Rittenhouse, and who could have mentored him differently? The community in Waukesha, Wis., is reeling from a man who drove his car into a crowd. How could things be different if this young man was mentored by someone else?
 
Mentoring attracted Dan to the Rotary Club, and he appreciates the mentoring that happens in the community. He also talked about canoeing as a transformative tool for improving relationships, and a mentoring tool for youth. Dan added that there is the highest level of mentoring expression, like Wayne,who has worked a tradition that goes back thousands of years and was almost lost.
 
Linda Gerber applauded Dan for taking the long ride to Wisconsin to be with Wayne this morning.
 
Although Wayne Valliere was unable to join the meeting, many members, facilitated by discussion with Wayne, contributed thoughts. While speaking, the school loudspeaker interrupted, as we overheard many of the school’s mentoring opportunities and ideas that included wisdom, love, respect, courage, humility,and truth, with endorsements to remain humble, not arrogant.
 
Wayne described many positive attributes and opportunities to canoe in the area.  Bob Teska described a long ago Boy Scout experience that went around the bottom of Lake Michigan, connecting through many bodies of water, down to New Orleans, adding many of the challenges along the way.
 
Dan described leadership opportunities for troubled young people who go canoeing and learn many life skills through this process.  Zbig Skiba described an experience building a kayak with a friend when he was 20 years old. They launched the kayak immediately after completion without ever testing it, and used it for years.
 
Zbig added there are some mining tensions in that area. Dan added that copper mining is a part of that movement which can affect the balance of that entire region.  Marisa Naujokas described many canoeing opportunities in the area including the Skokie Lagoons. She added Northwestern University has kayaks available to rent open to the public, two ideas she highly recommends. Dan described guiding a group for a good day of canoeing, endorsing a safe, quiet, accessible experience for a positive experience.  
 
Guests and Milestones
 
Guest
 
Jennifer Wilbanks, neighbor and friend of John Osterlund
 
Birthdays
 
Charlotta Koppanyi, Nov. 23
Dale Bradley, Nov. 28
 
 
 
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