The weekly virtual meeting was called to order by President Chris at 7:30 a.m. on the dot with Chris ringing his bell.   

 

This thought for the day was from Susan Prout: “The secret of living well and longer is: eat half, walk double, laugh triple, and love without measure.” A Tibetan Proverb

 

 

Sue Bova  delivered an International Service Committee monthly meeting recap of Monday May 24: Attendees included Patrick Mbullo, Linder Gerber, Kate Collinson, Don Gwinn, Albert Menard, Steve Carlson, Chris Joyce, Promugdha Chakraborty, Bruce Baumberger, Kathy-Tate Bradish, and Sue Bova.

 

Pram joined the ISC meeting from India. That country is facing a severe shortage of medical oxygen as it faces a second wave of deadly Covid-19 infections.  Pram, who has lost teachers, relatives, and friends to the virus, asked for our club’s assistance, which we all agreed to. She will set up a meeting between the ISC and one of the Rotary Clubs in Kolkata to discuss how we can work together to help meet the current need for more oxygen.

 

The ISC also approved the joint Community Service and International Service Committee’s project to contribute to two Evanston groups - The Evanston Latinos and C&W Market foundation.  This one-time $5,000 ISC contribution to our community, will be matched with D6440 DDF, if our District Grant application is approved. The combined grant, which will amount to almost $10,000, is our response to the emergency needs of the most impacted community in Evanston during the pandemic. It will provide for the immediate needs of new immigrants, including undocumented residents, who do not qualify for government assistance. 

 

Ann Weatherhead said she sent the club an email about the Connections for the Homeless virtual event that was scheduled for Tuesday evening. It is a short (30 minute) Milestone Celebration honoring the journeys of three participants from homelessness to housing.  One of the participants, Quandra, is a mother of six who passed the bar exam while experiencing homelessness.

 

Joining Forces for Affordable Housing, a part of Connections, is one of our Taste of Evanston’s beneficiaries. Ann says she hopes you will register for this event to learn more about how Rotary’s support is contributing to the end of homelessness. Although it is too late for you to register for this event by the time you read this, Ann strongly recommends that you join their email list so you can always stay updated.

 

Chris Joyce announced that Michael Merdinger and his firm have donated 10 laptops to the Evanston Library. He also reminded us of the District 6440 training that is coming up this weekend.

 

Joy Joyce asked that you participate in local efforts to improve natural habitats and provide community service at the same time. North Shore Channel Habitat Projects, for example, meets weekly on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. near the Ecology Center in Ladd Arboretum. The Harbert-Payne Park Habitat Project is Sunday, June 6, at 2:30 p.m.

 

Jean Saunders reminded everyone that the 2021 RI convention will be meeting virtually from Saturday, June 12, through Wednesday, June 16.  You can register online on the RI website.

 

Ann Searles is still collecting used medicine bottles.  Contact her if you have any. She also delivered a Sunshine Report that Sam Lovering is coming along and hopes to be back with us soon.  Kate Collinson’s mother passed away last week, Ann reported.

 

 

Bruce Baumberger boasted Katherine and Gary Peterson for their work in promoting club fellowship.

 

Neil Gambow  boasted his daughter, Jen LaMaster, for her new job with the Midwest Jesuit Province in Chicago.

 

Marv Edelstein boasted Katherine Peterson and suggested members reach out to her with new fellowship ideas.

 

Linda Gerber  boasted Kate Collinson, Kathy Tate-Bradish and Ann Weatherhead for their research into organizations supporting undocumented individuals.

 

Bryant Wallace boasted C&W Market, and particularly Clarence and Wendy Weaver. This weekend, he said, they hosted a community celebration and fundraiser outside in the parking lot at Church and Dodge to say thank you to the volunteers and sponsors who joined hands to distribute groceries for the many people in need during the pandemic. There was live music, great food, and a good time was had by all. Thanks to the Rotarians who came out to celebrate, including Katherine Peterson, Gary Peterson, Ann Weatherhead, and Linda Gerber. He labelled it an excellent opportunity to see people face-to-face and to be in community with those who made it all possible. The goal for 2021 is to continue to feed families in need as they recover from the effects of the pandemic.

 

 

 

 

Stove Team International is an organization founded by Portland, Ore., Rotarian Nancy Hughes in 2008 that provides improved cooking stoves to people in developing nations in Latin America.  A short video was presented and is available on their website www.stoveteam.org 

 

Open-fire cooking is a serious health problem, pollution problem, and safety problem for 4 billion people worldwide.  Some statistics:

 

Smoke from the open fires annually kills more people than AIDS.

Effects of smoke inhalation are the main cause of death for children less than five years old in the regions that rely on open fire cooking.

One fire emits 15 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere annually – a huge environmental problem.

Open fires are a serious burn hazard, especially for children.

Forests are stripped for the wood to burn in open fires.

Smoke from fires is equivalent to smoking three packs of cigarettes a day.

Open fires contribute to the black carbon buildup in the atmosphere.

 

More than 78,000 stoves have been provided since the start of the program and more than 500,000 people have been impacted favorably by replacing open fire cooking with a stove.  They are built by local businesses started for the purpose.  Two designs are available.  One is small and the other is a permanent brick structure with a larger cooking surface.

 

The stoves are very efficient and emit only 14 percent of the smoke that an open fire emits. The smoke from the stove can be vented through a stack which eliminates the hazard from the living space.  The stove efficiencies reduce wood consumption by 50 percent.  This reduces the time and effort collecting wood from 20 hours per week to 10 hours per week and is less stressful on the bodies of the wood carriers.    

 

The need for stoves is huge.  The goal for the future is to get stoves into the hands of 600,000 people in the region in the next five years.  That is still only a tiny part of the 20 million stoves needed. The team has created a model that can be replicated around the world and is actively promoting it. 

 

 

 

Vai Ravikumar – Returning member

 

Jason Kaiser – Interested in learning about our club.

 

 

 

 

Illana Seligman – 8 years