President Brad Weiss presided at the meeting and also presented the thought for the day from Martin Luther King, Jr. which follows: We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive.  He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.  There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the rest of us.  When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”

 

A picture of a gentleman and little girl appeared on the screen and members were invited to guess who it was.  After several mistaken guesses it was revealed that Paul Brown and Kristin were depicted.  Happy Birthday song followed for Paul.

 

 

President-elect Marv Edelstein will be installed on Tuesday, June 27, at an evening club meeting, probably held at the Hilton Garden Inn.

 

Volunteers were requested to help with the Evanston Summer Arts Festival, formerly known as the Fountain Square Arts Festival, on June 24 and 25.  Helpers are needed for ticket selling/taking as well as help with set up on the night of June 23.

 

Marisa Naujokas asked that club members “like” the club’s Facebook page. Sharing the information on the Facebook page as well as other social media may help with attendance and sponsorship for Taste of Evanston and other events of the club.

 

Eric Schmelling gave a quick update on polio eradication.  There were only five cases of wild polio virus so far this year.  At the convention there will be a birthday party for the Rotary Foundation with 9,000 or more in attendance.  Additional donations to the Rotary Foundation are expected during the last few weeks of the Rotary year (June 30) with the hope that the goal will be reached.

 

 

Yves Lassere boasted his son who recently received his Master’s degree.

 

Linda Gerber boasted Debi Genthe’s successful benefit for Meals at Home.

 

Neil Gambow boasted the graduation of his granddaughter, the one who spent a Rotary exchange year in Paraguay.

 

Outgoing exchange student Cassie Tingley reported that she will be spending next year in Finland.

 

Bill Glader boasted Marisa Naujokas’s work on social media for the club.

 

Linc Janus roasted his son in Boston who rear-ended other cars twice recently.

 

Australian Rotarians Kathy and Tony Monley reported visiting Evanston on their way to the International Convention in Atlanta with many visits along the way, returning home June 17.

 

Sergeant Zbig Skiba offered a donation to Rotary for anyone who might know a place for him to store his four winter car tires.

 

Zbig then stumped/entertained meeting attendees with questions related to Nigeria.

 

 

The program today was the awards ceremony honoring grants given by the Vocational Service Committee and the Community Service Committee.

 

Elaine Clemens, Vocational Service Chair, led off by honoring Mrs. Barbara Gill with the Ethics Award.  Mrs. Gill excels at her job as Special Education Assistant at District 65 and was made an honorary Paul Harris Fellow in recognition of her exceptional ethics displayed at her job.

 

 

Luke Forbat is this year’s recipient of the club’s Vocational Scholarship.  He will attend Judson University in Elgin, Illinois where he hopes to complete their two-year vocational program pursuing his passion for math and computers.

 

 

Ken Green, Community Service Chair, announced the winners of grants selected by the Community Service Committee, totaling $15,000. Representatives from the organizations accepted the grants.

 

Sue Hagedorn, Bundled Blessings, expansion of the free diaper program to more families in need of the service.

 

Kim Hammock, Books and Breakfast, will expand the program to a third site. (Volunteers for the program are being sought at this time, one or more hours per week.)

 

Bill Vernon, Boy Scout Troop 929, funds toward a new trailer to haul gear and equipment for this troop which Evanston Lighthouse Rotary sponsors.

 

Jenny Merdinger, Child Care Center of Evanston, monies to increase the number and broaden the scope of books available in the five classrooms as well as staff development.

 

Susan Treischmann, Curt’s Café, providing Ventra cards for graduates for transportation to their workplaces.

 

Dave Moreno, Erie Family Health Center, Reach Out and Read program, to supply books for health professionals to give to young patients and their parents.

 

Karen Danczak Lyons, Evanston Public Library, support for Summer Reading Program’s Everybody Reads collection.

 

Steve Newman, Evanston Scholars, referral system for Evanston Scholars during their college career for mental health assessment screening and crisis intervention.

 

Mary Burke-Peterson, Infant Welfare Society of Evanston, support of initiatives to enhance development of early literacy skills with infants and toddlers.

 

Lexie Corcoran, North Shore Senior Center, extra funding for Grandparents Raising Grandparents program including the Ember Project (Kathy Tate-Bradish) with similar families in Kenya.

 

Elaine Clemens, The Floured Apron, grant to support a production kitchen for women enrolled in the project to help meet demand for their products.

 

Trimmy Stammell, YWCA Evanston/North Shore, for 1:1 Financial Coaching program for their clients who have participated in the Financial Education program.

 

Grants were also made to EatPlayLearn for field trips for the summer camp program and Y.O.U. (Youth & Opportunity United) for their Reading and Writing Workshops.

 

Committee members were thanked for their work in selecting the grantees.

 

 

 

 

Tony Monley, RC of Templestowne, Australia

Kathy Monley, RC of Templestowne, Australia

 

 

Luiz Abreau and Cassie Tingley, Rotary Youth Exchange students

Sue Hagedorn, Bundled Blessings

Kim Hammock, Books and Breakfast

Jenny Merdinger, Child Care Center

Susan Treischmann, Curt’s Café

Dave Moreno, Erie Family Health Center

Karen Danczak Lyons and Wynn Shawver, Evanston Public Library

Steve Newman, Evanston Scholars

Mary Burke-Peterson, Infant Welfare Society of Evanston

Lexi Corcoran, North Shore Senior Center

Trimmy Stammell, YWCA

Linda Del Bosch, Evanston Woman