President Linda Gerber welcomed members to the meeting before Ann Searles led the group in the "Why We Are Rotarians" statement.  Ann also shared two Thoughts for the Day: “A truly wise man has an inner joy that is like a fire; it warms the world,” by  Dalai Lama.  “When you see something that is not just, you have an obligation, you have a mission, and a mandate to speak up, to speak out,” Rep. John Lewis, Aug. 29, 2016, at ETHS.

 

 

Hillary Hufford-Tucker explained that the Public Image Committee is working hard on a new club promotional plan. One piece of that is Rotary apparel. While we are very active in the community, sometimes people can’t tell that Evanston Lighthouse Rotary is at the party! Help show Evanston that we’re “people of action” in a visual way. If you don’t have one already, please consider adding a “Rotarian at Work” shirt to your wardrobe to “show” when we “show up.” You can buy t-shirts with the “Rotarian at Work” logo on the back at: https://www.bestclubsupplies.com/Rotarian-at-Work-Apparel/products/631/

 

Club Service Chair Katherine Peterson reminded members that the next Club Service meeting will be tomorrow at a new time – Wednesday, Feb. 9, 8:30 a.m. via Zoom. The March monthly meeting is rescheduled for March 16 at 8:30 a.m.  Everyone is welcome. Please contact Katherine for the Zoom link.

 

Kathy Tate-Bradish explained that our Club has been invited to take part in an ‘in person’ Civics Fair at ETHS on March 1 and 2. (FYI, ETHS Sophomores study Civics.)  While details are not yet known, please contact Youth Leaders Chair Chris Joyce or Kathy if you’d like to help out in some way.

 

Rebeca Mendoza shared a teaser for a social media campaign, focused on Girls Empowerment, that will soon be presented to the club.  As part of the effort, our help will be recruited to collect words of empowerment for girls.  Materials and further instructions will be supplied next week.

 

President Linda Gerber noted that the decision was recently made by the Board of Directors to create a club endowment fund at the Evanston Community Foundation. As explained and championed by Harold Bauer, this fund will provide a secure funding source (when needed) to supplement ongoing fund-raising or special projects.The fund requires an initial investment of $10,000.  A $5,000 match has been offered by an ELRC member to gifts made by April 1, 2022. The intent of the Board is to delay withdrawals for five years or until the Fund balance reaches $40,000.  Please contact Harold or Linda about this ‘savings account’ for our Club!

 

Kelly Fidei noted in the Zoom Chat that a Happy Hour will take place on Wednesday from 5 to 5:30 p.m.  Please check your email for a Zoom link.

 

 

 

 

 

Linda Gerber introduced artist and peace activist Indira Johnson, one of three curators of the ongoing Visible/Invisible (How silence is a tool of violence, allowing it to blossom and grow) juried Art Exhibit at the Noyes Culture Center.  Indira combines objects created in her studio with site-specific installations and interactive community-engaged projects.  As a child in Mumbai, Indira collected eggs and milk for a health-related community effort spearheaded by her mother.  She saw first-hand the difference that one person (or a small group) could make.   Indira’s work seeks to engage local voices and cultivate peace as individual action. 

 

Artists were asked to consider what kinds of violence are visible and gain widespread public attention, and what is excluded (yet damaging), remaining invisible.  Multi-disciplinary works are on display from more than 45 artists in the Second Floor Gallery at NCC from Feb. 4 – March 18, 2022.  From sculpture to painting to audio submissions, the diversity of art, artists, and mediums are impactful in the way they address this difficult topic, pervasive in our culture.  Other curators were artist Fran Joy and recent ELRC speaker Lisa Degliantoni of Evanston Made.  (Kathy Tate-Bradish noted that Evanston Made is hosting programs at Canal Shores each Saturday in February.)

 

A related and important Community Conversation (featuring Tiffany McDowell – YWCA Equity Institute, Kristen Kennard – Moran Center and Kim Vigue – Mitchell Museum) will take place on March 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the NCC. 

 

 

 

 

 

Linda Gerber introduced Taste of Evanston participant Journey Shannon Sudduth, maker of bean-to-bar hand-crafted pastries and savories and owner of Noir d’Ebène Chocolat et Patisserie, located at 1309 Chicago Ave., Evanston.   

           

While Journey Shannon’s journey was a geographically short one -- from Evanston’s Fifth Ward to her shop on Chicago Avenue – it took more than 25 years and involved important (Hawaii!) detours. 

 

A self-professed sugar lover, Journey noted that she --at 45 years of age -- and sugar are ‘still dating’.  (For the record, Journey is recently engaged!)  Sugar and chocolate inspire her to create!   Journey shared her fond memories of chocolate (Hershey bars, Hanukkah gelt coins) growing up.  Vividly remembering her mother’s homemade candies, she learned very young how powerful a small morsel of chocolate can be and how special it is to be able to share that happiness with others!  For most people, chocolate is pleasure!  It truly lifts us up!

 

A graduate of the Illinois Institute of Art Culinary School, Journey’s life changed ten years ago when she met two young chocolatiers (Madre Chocolate) at a Hawaii Farmers Market.  She had not previously realized one could make a living working with chocolate!   Chocolate has a rich history.  Cacao beans have even been used as currency.  Her education continued with Dylan of Manoa Chocolates. 

 

Journey returned from Hawaii and began buying equipment.  While she has been working for 25 years, chocolate has been her particular passion for the last 10 years.  Opening her store (Nov. 2020) allowed Journey to develop a greater appreciation for the community and her individual customers!  She urges people of any age: “Don’t let go of your dreams.  They are just around the corner.  (It may be different lengths to the corner.)”

 

While Belgian chocolates are well-known, much of that is due to marketing! There are three types of cacao beans – Forastero,  Criollo, Trinitario – which only grow within 20 miles north or south of the equator.  Local soils give beans from each location a unique flavor nuance.  This creates endless possibilities for the chocolatier.    

 

A bean-to-bar producer, Journey currently purchases her beans from a 50-farmer coop, ensuring fair prices and practices.  As a very small business, she has not experienced any supply chain issues.  Shannon and a part-time helper produce her wonderful chocolates and other treats in the basement commercial kitchen at Family Focus Community Center (where she attended after school programming as a child). 

 

Noir d’Ebène offers a wide variety of pleasures -- handcrafted gummies, milk chocolate (vegan, too), dark chocolate, pastries.  The boutique is open afternoons from Tuesday through Saturday. Chocolate should not just be a guilty pleasure.  Dark chocolate, in particular, enhances one’s mood and contains important anti-oxidants.

 

Journey loves what she does!  There is always something different (product, packaging, methods) that sparks her creativity!

 

As Journey explained, she is never sad in the kitchen – and she hopes her customers feel that!  Her passion is infectious!   Thanks to Journey and Noir d’Ebène for bringing her nuanced chocolates to our community and the club-sponsored Taste of Evanston. 

 

 

 

 

Indira Johnson, artist & curator - Visible/Invisible

Journey Shannon Sudduth, speaker, chocolatier & TOE participant

 

 

Gary Schultz – Feb. 18

 

Carol Pandak – Feb. 27

 

 

Harvey Newcomb – 21 years, Feb. 13