President Marv Edelstein convened the meeting and Marcia Kazurinsky led the club in reciting our Rotary statement of purpose.
Announcements
Marv Edelstein asked the members to recommend other venues for periodic meetings in order to raise awareness of our club in the community.
Bruce Baumberger reminded the members that he had sent an email over the weekend regarding an ad hoc fellowship evening on Friday, December 1. Interested members and their guests would begin with dinner at Prairie Moon at 6 p.m. and then attend the Lakeside Singers Holiday Concert at the Music Institute of Chicago at 7:30 p.m. Concert tickets are $25. Contact Bruce by Tuesday, November 28, to reserve tickets.
Marissa Naujokas gave an update on the holiday sale, “Gifts of Giving.” The goal is to raise $60k with a net of $33,000. Delivery of greenery will be on Saturday, December 2, and food products will be delivered on Saturday, December 9. Volunteers will be needed on both dates and signup sheets were distributed on the tables.
Visiting Rotarian Jackie McGuire (Wilmette Harbor) also distributed flyers about her club’s Gifts for the Holidays sale. The order deadline for wines, salmon, sausages, chocolates, and popcorn is December 8. Raffle tickets are also on sale for two orchestra level seats for the March 2, 2018, performance of “Hamilton.”
Ann Searles announced that both Kristin Brown and Kea Gordon successfully completed the Miles for Polio bike ride in Tucson and that Kea was recovering from dehydration-related problems.
Kate Collinson thanked the club for members’ contributions of hats, scarves, and gloves for the ESCCA winter clothing drive.
Kate Collinson encouraged members to purchase nuts and gift packages as host gifts to take to Thanksgiving dinners over the weekend.
Helen Oloroso mentioned that all members should have received the email that allows them to RSVP for the Holiday Party at 6 p.m. on Sunday, December 10, at the home of Brad and Tiffany Weiss. Additional emails will solicit food and volunteers.
Marv Edelstein announced that the Nominations Committee has been named and will be submitting a slate of candidates for the 2018-19 Board in early December. He encouraged everyone to consider running for office.
Roasts & Boasts
Marv Edelstein announced that the club’s practice of having the Sergeant-at-Arms quiz the members on trivia questions would be replaced for the foreseeable future with volunteers who can answer questions related to why they became Rotarians.
John Searles boasted Ann Searles for having located and delivered his camera to the meeting before he even realized that he had not brought it with him.
Steve Steiber boasted his son’s new book, which has offers from seven different publishers.
Paul Harris Award
Louis Allred was awarded his Paul Harris+8 pin for substantial contributions to the Rotary Foundation over the years.
Louis Allred
Program
District Governor Don Brewer
Marv Edelstein introduced Governor Don, giving his background as both a patent attorney and a licensed pilot. Governor Don shared a short video entitled, “Seeing Red Cars,” about our tendency to see what we focus on. The central message of the film is that we can focus on what we don’t want and that results in the self-fulfilling prophecy of experiencing more of what we don’t want. When we focus on what we do want, we are more likely to get it. To make this process successful, the message is to make a commitment, focus on what we want, and be persistent.
He encouraged everyone to attend the upcoming District 6440 Conference, May 17-20, 2018, in Sheboygan, Wis.
Every member received a copy of the District Directory and was encouraged to reach out to others in the district who can offer mentoring and assistance with projects.
Don also praised the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club for being the first club in District 6440 to take up the tree planting challenge issued by RI President Ian Risely.
Governor Don reminded members that the best way to draw in more members is to engage non-Rotarians in our service projects. The opportunity to do good in the world is the most sustaining reason for becoming a Rotarian.
Using the experiences of Mitch Album as outlined in his book, Tuesdays with Morrie, Don encouraged us to value the “other” in our lives in order to increase our capacity.
District 6440 Governor Don Brewer
Guests and Milestones
Visiting Rotarians
Mary Back, Assistant Governor, Glenview Sunrise
Jackie McGuire, Wilmette Harbor
John Wertymer, Wilmette Harbor
Alice Atemo, Kakamega, Kenya, and guest of Kathy Tate-Bradish
Other Guests
Patida Phanithollandt, inbound Rotary Youth Exchange student from Thailand
Patrick Mballo, guest of Kathy Tate-Bradish and prospective member
Birthday
Charlotta Koppanyi, November 23
Club Anniversary
Keith Sarpolis, 12 years