Helen Oloroso presided at our Zoom meeting.

 

Kate Collinson gave thoughts for the day about HOPE:

 

 “No matter how bad life seems, there is always something you can do and succeed at. Where there’s life, there’s hope.”  - Stephen Hawking

 

“I don’t think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains.” –Anne Frank

 

“Hope costs nothing.” - Collette

 

 

Miguel Hernandez has requested that all communications and donations for the foundation be carried out digitally. If paper checks are the only option for you, please send them to his home address: Miguel Hernandez, 1058 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette, IL 60091.

 

Barb Miles, our club treasurer, has requested that checks be sent to her at 2306 Colfax St., Evanston, IL 60201.

 

Linda Gerber provided an update on the activities of the International Service Committee from their April 27 meeting to organize the initiation of the 2020-03 ISC Action Plan.  Two working groups have been formed. The ISC Impact work group consists of Patrick Mbullo, Linda Gerber, Yves Lassere, and Kathy Tate-Bradish. This group will focus on strengthening the impact and reach of ISC’s work and to improve the committee’s processes and effectiveness. The Communications Working Group consists of Kristin Brown, Bruce Baumberger, MaLu Simon, Kate Collinson, Ann Searles, and Sue Patel. This group will focus on communication within the ISC; increasing member participation, and developing a communication plan for the club in order to encourage more members to join the ISC; raising awareness in the community of ELRC’s international service, and creating opportunities for fellowship across the entire club membership emphasizing our international connections.

 

Bill Glader:  For Taste of Evanston, we have received a contract from Linda Bouvilom, our event planner, to set up a virtual fundraiser with an email and social media campaign to drive people to the website. It is being reviewed by Linc Janus, and once the board approves it, we can move forward.

 

From Kathy Tate-Bradish: We have a unique grouping of choices for this week's support of our Taste of Evanston partners. Please be sure to let Paul Weber know when you've ordered, as we're tracking our efforts. pdweber1@yahoo.com. Call YoFresh Yogurt Cafe at (847) 859-6408 for curbside pickup 2:00-8:00 p.m. Full menu: yofreshcafe.com. For Stacked & Folded, call (847) 328-9100 or order online.

Call Vinic Wine at (847) 733-7000 or email info@vinicwine.com and they will get your order together. Noir d'Ebene has a special menu. Text 847-361-1891 by Tuesday to order a family meal for 4-5 people on Thursday. Meals will be delivered on Thursday after 4 p.m.  More info on this week's menu.

 

From Ann Searles:  Mahmoud Ajamia, husband of Kristin Brown, has been hospitalized suffering from COVID-19. As is often true in a crisis such as this, it is difficult for the family to have the energy to receive and make phone calls and answer emails. Therefore, Kristin asks you follow his progress and express your support on https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/abugeorge. If you have not used the site before, you may have to register in order to receive the updates. Please contact Ann for further information.

 

 

BINGO—districtwide social event April 30, 7:30-8:30 p.m.  Join district leadership in this shelter in place fellowship opportunity for ALL district Rotarians. Yes, we can accommodate all who wish to join us. All members of the club are invited to join in on the fun. Just download your own personal fillable Bingo card and Zoom invitation. We will play five games with cash prizes, so print five blank Bingo cards.  It’s that easy!

 

The 100th Anniversary Celebration of the Rotary Club of Evanston will be on May 1. It’s a virtual gala, from 6 to 7 p.m. For only the second time in our district’s history, we have the opportunity to celebrate a club’s centennial anniversary. The virtual gala will focus on highlighting the club’s history, welcome special guests, including Rotary International President Mark Maloney and Rotary Foundation Trustee Jennifer Jones, and fund raise for building food security in Evanston and beyond.

 

COVID-19 Telethon: Facebook Live — Saturday, May 2, 10:00 -11:00 a.m.  Rotary International is pleased to share with you that we are championing a COVID-19 #RotaryResponds one-hour Telethon to raise critical funds for disaster relief.  This telethon will be simulcast on all Rotary International social channels and is anticipated to reach more than 100,000 viewers with a goal of raising more than $1 million.  Simultaneously broadcast in all official Rotary languages: Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, French, German, Korean, Italian, and Swedish.

 

Annual Business Meeting of District 6440:  May 9, 9 a.m.  All Rotarians are invited and have received information in separate communications. Every club is requested to complete the procedure for voting credentials.  Information about this was sent in a separate email. Registration is required for the virtual Zoom Annual Business Meeting. 

 

 

Paul Brown boasted Paul Weber as the real Paul who is handling the club’s program to support the Taste of Evanston restaurants.

 

Boast from Joy Joyce:  A big thank you to Linc and Myra Janus for providing a home for Potter and helping him navigate the unexpected challenges of this year’s Rotary exchange, including planning for his safe return home. Note from Myra and Linc: At this time, we do not know when Potter will be returning to Thailand, as one of the flights he was scheduled to take on May 18 has been cancelled. It is hoped that he will be able to leave soon on a Thai government repatriation flight.

 

Kathy Tate-Bradish boasted her NGO in Kenya, the ABC’s of Sex Education: Kufnaya Uamuzi Bora and the managing director, Phyllis Nasubo Magina, for pivoting to a COVID-19 response. They are now making and distributing masks for vulnerable people in rural Kenya.

 

Boast from Cassandra McGovern via Bruce Baumgartner:  “I would love to share my experience with our club when things settle down on my end. I was advised yesterday that my business school nominated me to serve as President of the student board for the upcoming academic year and I need to give a speech on COVID-19’s impact on the global supply chain ecosystem to my classmates later this year. Hopefully with my upcoming Rotary speaking event, you, my Rotary family, can help me prepare for my big debut at school.” 

 

 

 

 

 

Biz is an equity, diversity, and inclusion consultant and has taught classes on Civic Engagement, Diversity,  Gender and Agents of Change at the DePaul University’s School for New Learning. She served for many years as the Director of Programs at the Women’s Center of Northwestern University. She is a member of the District 65 Board of Education and her three children attend schools in the district. 

 

Biz opened up our eyes to the incredible complexity of gender roles and sexual identity. Sex is assigned at birth. Gender is a social construct. Gender identity is in our brain, such as identifying with being female.  Gender expression is how we perform every day (maybe enjoying activities considered to be more male even though we identify as female).  In addition to these we might consider who we are attracted to.

 

We may feel the current use of pronouns to be confusing or unnecessary, but for other individuals the use of these terms is highly personal and it is important for us to understand this. It is important for our social institutions to understand how such a thing as filling out information on a school form can impact upon the person doing it. We can learn how to be more socially inclusive in order to eliminate obstacles to creating space for all people and to learn how to be open, sensitive, and appropriate in learning about others who differ from us. These issues affect all children and our expectations for them.

 

 

 

Horton Kellogg, April 28

 

 

Ann Searles, 27 years on May 1 (and this was her second time around!)