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Oranges Donated to Central Illinois Foodbank

On December 7, the Rotary Clubs of Springfield donated oranges to the Central Illinois Foodbank as a part of the annual Citrus Sale Fundraiser. All five Rotary Clubs in Springfield participated in this year’s Citrus Sale. Three of the clubs—our club, Springfield Sunrise, and Springfield South—allowed Rotarians and their clients to purchase oranges specifically for donation to the Foodbank. This year, we donated 190 40-lb. cartons of oranges (image on left)—about 23,750 oranges. This is Rotary’s largest donation of oranges to the Foodbank since our club added the option to buy oranges for them in 2013.

Bonnie Styles and Bill Smith arranged for the Foodbank to pick up the donated oranges at Humphreys Market on December 7. Humphreys Market helps with the Rotary Citrus order from Florida, and Hope Humphrey joined the group (above image far right). Bill Smith (above image, second from right and image below), Warehouse Manager and overall logistics director for the citrus fundraiser, was interviewed for the Central Illinois Foodbank Newsletter by Tim Kirsininkas, Public Relations Manager for the Foodbank (above image second from left and image below). Ed Reynolds (above image, far left), truck driver for the Central Illinois Foodbank) also joined the group and helped load the oranges on the truck.

Bill Smith described the benefits of the program for Rotary, the Foodbank, and those in need of food. “It’s a win-win situation all around.” Customers buy nutritious citrus to eat and gift during the holiday season and also purchase oranges for donation to the Central Illinois Foodbank. The Foodbank delivers the oranges to other foodbanks who distribute them to those in need. The gift keeps giving because the proceeds from the sale of the oranges and grapefruit by Rotarians, including the oranges purchased for direct donation to the Foodbank, support Rotary community grants that help combat hunger, promote literacy, and meet other community needs.

Community Service in 2021 and 2022

Service Above Self is Our Mantra!

Under the leadership of Community Service Directors, Vicki Megginson (2021-2022) and Megan Norman (2022-2023) and our Springfield Rotary Foundation, club volunteers have been actively serving our community. Continuing issues with Covid have not changed the Rotary Club of Springfield's commitment to improving literacy, eradicating hunger, and helping meet other needs in our community and across the World. A few highlights for our service over the past two years are provided below. If you enjoy working with People of Action, we hope that you will consider joining our club. Links to Membership information and applications are provided on this Home Page!

Following two years of Covid Pandemic issues, we have re-established regular work events with the Central Illinois Foodbank that include packing food boxes for distribution, sorting and bagging donated foods, and labeling canned goods (images below).

We have stocked our micro-pantry and little library at our adopted school Ridgely Elementary in Springfield (images below). We also provided supplies and donated monies needed to purchase supplies for the school, and gave them a community grant for a literacy project.

We continued our work to assist homeless individuals in Springfield by teaming up with three other Rotary Clubs, local high school students who participated in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Assembly, and the Salvation Army to pack Bags of Hope full of essential items (image below) and providing meals. This project was supported through a Rotary District 6460 District Grant that we helped write along with the 3 three other Springfield Rotary Clubs.

We also secured a 2021-2022 Rotary District 6460 literacy grant that supported a partnership with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority to pack backpacks (images below) to deliver to Springfield agencies who work with preschool children who are experiencing homelessness.

We continued our popular Flag Service Project, which installs flags throughout our community (image below) to commemorate patriotic holidays, for a subscription fee. This project helps make our community red-white-and blue, and the proceeds support grants for nonprofits that support community needs.

Our annual Citrus Sale (image below from the 2021 sale) is a major fundraiser supporting charitable grants made by our Springfield Rotary Foundation. This year's Citrus Campaign is again dedicated to the memory of John Montgomery, a member of our club for over 53 years who passed away in 2009. Nearly $1.4 million in grants have been provided to local charities through this annual event. Customers also purchase oranges for the donation to the Central Illinois Foodbank through this program so it's a win-win situation.

Our member volunteers annually purchase Angel Tree gifts for the Rutledge Youth Foundation, work with Home Alone to provide holiday cards and gifts cards for at-home seniors, ring the bells for Salvation Army (image below), and a whole lot more!

We also volunteer and donate to assist with disaster relief efforts in the United States and abroad and a wide variety of disaster relief, clean water, and other projects across the world. In August of 2022, our club partnered with Rotary District 6490, Midwest Mission in Pawnee, Illinois, to deliver 28,266 pounds of hand sanitizer and sanitizer wipes to Pikesville, Kentucky for distribution to Kentucky flood victims. Our club also donated funds to the assist in the delivery expenses for the products.

At the international level, we participate in fundraisers for the eradication of polio for the Rotary International PolioPlus Initiative. The funds raised from ticket sales for the 2022 annual Rotary Chicken Dinner were allocated to the PolioPlus Fund. Rotarians enjoyed serving up the delicious meals for customers (image below). Our club also contributes funds from our annual March Madness Fundraiser to Polio Plus.

At the International level, we are also contributing to Rotary International disaster relief in Ukraine, a Rotary International Grant project for increasing agricultural productivity in Zambia, and are participating in a Rotary International Grant project to bring clean water to a mountain village in Nepal.

We hope that you will consider joining our club. Service at the local and international level is rewarding.

Meet our 2022-2023 Officers and Board

Before our official installation ceremony, Barry Tobias presented Randy Erford with an official Rotary baseball hat (image above). The hat is emblazoned with the new Rotary International Theme logo (Imagine Rotary). The new logo is shown to the left.

We were honored to have the outgoing District Governor Ryan Byers and his wife Amy and the new District Governor Bill Durall at our installation event (image to right).

The following dignitaries assisted with the installation ceremony: Past RI Director and Past District Governor (PDG) Bob Stuart, PDG Rod Buffington, District Governor-Nominee Neal Miller, Past Assistant District Governor Harry Mitchell, and District Treasurer and our Foundation Treasurer Bill Smith (image below). All spoke during the ceremony. In the image below, Neal Miller is asking if Randy pledges to fulfill the duties of president, lead the club following the highest principles of Rotary, and conduct the service business of the club following the bylaws of the club and Rotary International, and Randy pledged to do so.

Rod presented Randy with his President's pin (image on left), and Bob Stuart presented him with his President's badge (image below)

Then the other officers, who are continuing in their roles, Secretary Loretta Meeks and Treasurer Sheila Mack were officially installed and pledged to perform the duties of their offices (image on right). Finally the the whole Board was called forward to be installed and pledge to fulfill their duties following the highest principles and the Constitution and Bylaws of the Club and Rotary International (image below). From left to right, the new leadership team includes Youth Services Director Dave Fowler, Club Service Director Ross Hodel, Community Service Director Megan Norman, President Randy Erford, International Service Director Bob Stuart, Foundation Treasurer Bill Smith (not on Board), Membership Service Director Tony Williams, and Board Member at large Vicki Megginson. Board members not included in the picture are Board Members at Large Bill Kempiners and Marty Michelson, and Sergeant at Arms Kirk Kellus.

Finally, Bob Stuart asked Club Members to pledge to support Randy and all the officers and Board members to achieve the goals of the club and Rotary International during the coming year. We enthusiastically responded in the affirmative with a sounding round of applause. Bob announced that the President, Officers, and Directors were officially installed for the 2022-2023 year.

Randy then presented some of his plans for the coming year with major goals to increase membership, enhance support for the Springfield community, and have fun (image above).

Barry then presented Randy with a helmet that will help him fulfill these goals (image on left).

In appreciation of Barry's service, Rod Buffington presented him with a print of his quilt painting of the 2021-2022 Rotary Theme logo: Serve to Change Lives, and then Randy again thanked Barry for his service and accomplishments (lead image for Newsletter and image below). Barry received a Club President's Plaque, a president's Rotary pin, and a past president's badge to recognize the important role that he played.

Special thanks are do to Tony for hosting us at his home. There are many wonderful images from the event, and we will put together a photo gallery for the website.

Remembering Jewish Salonica

Albert Bourla's story of how his parents survived the Holocaust provides a vivid picture of the Jewish experience in Thessaloniki. His story has important lessons today for all of us in our very troubled world.