Volunteers from our Club had a great time mulching at Washington Middle School at the October 3, 2025 United Way Day of Action (lead image). On October 6, Amy Rasing gave a rousing presentation on Springfield's Economic Development Outlook. On October 20, we had a Membership Club Assembly and welcomed new member Steve Schwark. We ended the month with a well attended Social Night and great fellowship at Papa Frank's on October 27. Join us on November 3 to learn about Rotary and our District from District Governor Bill Knake. Read about these programs and more in this Newsletter.
October’s Rotary International theme was Community Economic Development Month. While our Club delved into this theme, we also joined Rotarians worldwide in the fight to end polio for good by actively acknowledging World Polio Day on October 24.
We welcomed Amy Rasing, Director of Planning and Economic Development for the City of Springfield, as our guest speaker at Maldaners Upstairs on October 6 (image above). Director Rasing highlighted a variety of exciting developments shaping Springfield’s future. These developments to make Springfield an even more vibrant community included the Kings Daughter’s Home being renovated into apartments for medical students, the new Amazon Distribution Center hiring new employees, the progression of McArthur Boulevard improvements and planning for mixed-use buildings, a new arcade venue, and a minority business center. Thank you to Aldermen Lakeisha Purchase and Shawn Gregory for joining us for this presentation. See story below for more information.
October 24 was World Polio Day—a reminder of Rotary’s unwavering commitment to a polio-free world. Every child deserves a life free from this preventable disease. Our Club reinforced that commitment through awareness and advocacy efforts registered with PolioPlus, including daily social media posts, letters to the editors of major newspapers, and outreach to our congressional delegation. These actions highlight the importance of continued support for eradication as we near the end of a fight that once saw hundreds of thousands of children paralyzed each year.
This month brought both excitement and sadness to our Club. We welcomed Steve Schwark as our newest member on October 20 (image below), and just days later we were deeply saddened by his unexpected passing. Though his time with us was brief, Steve’s warmth and spirit were unmistakable. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. For more information, see the story below.
At our Club Assembly on October 20, Harry Mitchell updated us on companion clubs and the mixed results other Rotary Clubs have experienced with them, and Jim Applegate highlighted the positive outcomes of the Peace Builder Committee - notably the Peace Quilt and its inclusion in the Noir V: Resilience Exhibition at the Illinois State Museum (image below) - and the need for new leadership within the Committee to sustain these successes in the future. Finally, we again reviewed the work of our launch teams, whose efforts are helping us attract, welcome, and engage new members. Thank you to everyone making membership growth and retention a priority.
Service was at the heart of our October. We:
Participated in the United Way’s “Day of Action.” This year’s project focused on refreshing the front entrance of a Springfield middle school with new landscaping and repairing the school’s garden boxes (see story below).
Initiated the annual John Montgomery Memorial Rotary Citrus Drive. Proceeds from the sale of oranges and grapefruits support charitable grants made by the Springfield Rotary Foundation.
Restocked the St. John’s Breadline Little Library with books for both children and adults (image to right). During the restocking, Allison Montney helped a man in severe distress receive emergency medical assistance—thank you, Allison, for your quick and compassionate response!
Continued supporting families through the Ridgely Elementary School micro pantry.
Applied for a literacy grant to partner with Word Up of Central Illinois to provide board books that help low-income families introduce language to infants and toddlers during early brain development.
Met Allie Armstrong (image below), the 2025 John Giavaras Scholarship recipient, during the Lincoln Land Community College Scholarship Donor Appreciation Reception. Allie is a freshman biology major at LLCC. See story below for more information on Allie.
On another front, Rod Buffington formed a Holiday Party Committee and planning is underway for an All-Club Holiday Party to be held at Christ the King Parish Center on Tuesday, December 9th. Many thanks to Rod and committee members Shelia Mack and Brandy Zanger for their efforts to create and carry out this festive Rotary tradition.
Internationally, our Club connected with the Rotary Club of Vaxjo, Sweden. Their President, Lars Ekman, was especially pleased with the information we provided about our Club and Rotary in Illinois for his presentation series highlighting different U.S. states and countries. He also appreciated knowing we’ll raise a toast of Absolut in honor of his Club at an upcoming meeting.
Additionally, fellowship continues to thrive among our members. Our month-end social at Papa Frank’s on October 27 was a wonderful evening of good food, lively conversation, and genuine connection—the very essence of what makes Rotary so special.
We enjoyed a variety of candy bars (image below) during our October 20th meeting, thereby living up to the Halloween saying, “Here’s to less tricks and more treats this Halloween!”
As we step into November, we turn to Rotary’s next theme, Rotary Foundation, which is the charitable arm of Rotary International. This month spotlights the Foundation’s impact and encourages donations to help fund its ongoing humanitarian and educational programs. In addition, we look forward to hearing from our District Governor Bill Knake (shown below at Spring Training) on November 3rd, which is a good prelude to our Rotary District Conference at the UIS Student Union on Saturday, November 8th.
Happy Halloween, and … remember … final citrus orders and reports are due November 10th.
When we meet at Maldaner's, please submit your reservations for dinner! Click on the link embedded below and enter the date, your name, dine in/carry out and number of meals being consumed in the restaurant and/or carried out prior to each meeting. Preferably, everyone will fill out the form by noon on the Friday before the upcoming meeting. We have given staff at Maldaner's access to the view, so it will help them with planning. As always, we will direct him to have a few additional servings available for members who forget or last minute guests.
The same link will work for the entire Rotary year and will be shared within each Newsletter, so do not delete the Newsletter until you have submitted your dinner information. Please remember that the three most recent Newsletters can also be accessed from the Website Home Page (www.spirotary.org) so you can also access the link for reservations from the Website Home Page (www.spirotary.org).
Our Club was excited to welcome Dr. Steve Schwark as the newest member of the Rotary Club of Springfield, Illinois on October 20. Steve was sponsored by Naomi Lynn, who shared his academic background and friendship.
A University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate and Harvard Ph.D in Political Science, Steve recently retired after 36 years at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS), where he focused on policy and the Cold War, especially Russia, though his interests had expanded to the Middle East.
Steve was also a dedicated volunteer at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, where fellow Rotarian Bill Sturm encouraged him to explore Rotary. After learning more from Naomi, he decided to join and we’re so glad he did and wish we could have enjoyed his company longer.
A proud Badger, Packers, Red Sox, and Celtics fan, Steve bought both intellect and warmth to our Club. As noted in the President's comments in this newsletter, Steve passed away shortly after becoming a member of our club. Please join us in remembering and honoring this wonderful man.
We’re proud to share that Lincoln Land Community College has selected Allie Armstrong as the recipient of our Club’s $2,000 2025–2026 John Giavaras Scholarship!
Allie, a graduate of Athens High School and now a freshman biology major at LLCC, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the scholarship when we met her at the 2025 Scholarship Donor Appreciation Reception on October 28, attended by our Club President John Webb.
This scholarship is named in honor of John Giavaras, a remarkable leader in both our Club and District — a past Club President and District Governor who exemplified Service Above Self. John was deeply committed to the mission of The Rotary Foundation, our District, and our Club, and his legacy continues to inspire our service today.
We’re inspired by Allie’s dedication and wish her every success on her academic journey!
Several of our Club members joined fellow Springfield Rotarians, District Governor Bill Knake, and Springfield Park Board President Leslie Sgro at Rotary Park on Saturday, October 4 to dedicate the new Rotary Park Pollinator Garden and Springfield’s first Peace Pole.
Rotarian Brian Barstead led the ceremony, celebrating the volunteers who made the garden possible, while Jim Applegate highlighted the inspiring work of our Club’s Peacebuilder Committee, including the peace quilt that features quilt squares made by Springfield youth through a partnership among Rotary, the Outlet, and the Social Justice Sewing Academy.
Brian and Bill also recognized Susan Helm and Karla Frank Schumacher as Paul Harris Fellows for their outstanding leadership in coordinating and nurturing the garden.
Funded by a District 6460 Grant supported through Rotary Foundation Annual Fund contributions (2021–2022), this project certainly reflects Rotary’s ongoing commitment to peace, community, and the environment.
Our Club was pleased to welcome Amy Rasing, Director of Planning and Economic Development for the City of Springfield, as our guest speaker at Maldaners Upstairs (mage above)!
Amy opened with an inspiring analogy connecting the 4H values—Head, Hands, Heart, and Health—to Rotary’s 4-Way Test, emphasizing how both promote service and integrity. She also shared a personal story about her father, a proud Lion, who was laid to rest in his yellow vest—a touching reminder of lifelong community service.
Amy highlighted several exciting developments shaping Springfield’s future, including:
• The Kings Daughter’s Home—now a city landmark and birthplace of Marjorie Merriweather Post—is being renovated into apartments for medical students.
• The new Scheels Sports Complex, featuring a massive white dome, will draw youth sports teams and families to Springfield every weekend beginning in 2026–2027.
• The Transportation Hub and greenway walkway projects are enhancing mobility and recreation opportunities.
• Plans for mixed-use buildings, a new arcade venue, and a minority business center are underway to make Springfield an even more vibrant community.
• McArthur Boulevard improvements, driven by City, County, and IDOT efforts, are also progressing.
• Amazon’s new Distribution Center is hiring!
Amy also noted that funding for many of these projects comes from taxes and grants, including cannabis-related grants, and her office provides support for small business growth.
This program attracted some special visitors. A big thank-you to Amy for sharing Springfield’s bright outlook—and to Aldermen Lakeisha Purchase and Shawn Gregory for joining us (image below)!
Our Club was glad to roll up our sleeves for United Way of Central Illinois Day of Action on October 3. Our group worked at Washington Middle School! (Lead image and image above)!
We refreshed the front entrance with new mulch, gave a tree some much-needed care, and repaired the garden boxes in the back to keep them ready for students and staff.
Projects like this lighten the load for school staff and create a more welcoming space for students. Even on a hot fall day, our team was proud to pitch in and support the school community.
Rotary District 6460 Conference – November 8, 2025
We hope you registered for the powerful day of connection, inspiration, and celebration at the Rotary District 6460 Conference, happening Saturday, November 8th, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS). The registration deadline was October 28, 2025.
This year’s theme, "Unite For Good," celebrates the spirit of Rotary—working together to create lasting change in our communities and beyond.
Registered Rotarians will:
Hear from dynamic speakers and changemakers. Connect with fellow Rotarians across the district. Celebrate the impact we’ve made—together.
All Rotarians were encouraged to attend—let’s unite, celebrate, and continue our mission of service!
The annual John Montgomery Memorial Citrus Drive began at our October 6 club meeting. Packets with information about this year’s campaign were passed out at the time.
Selling citrus has been a fundraiser for our club since 1975. That was 50 years ago. When we started selling citrus, we looked to Florida because it was the best we could buy. That has changed dramatically due to hurricanes, droughts, a disease called greening, and commercialization of the land. The land is worth more for development than as a citrus crop. When the industry leader of citrus falters, uncertainty results in higher cost for citrus.
This year we are getting oranges from California and grapefruit from Texas or Florida. The selling price for all large 40 LB cartons is $65.00. The selling price for all smaller 20 LB cartons is $35.00. This is the third consecutive year that we have raised prices on the large cartons. There may be a point where our customers will resist paying higher prices for citrus. So far there has been limited resistance to higher prices because they are aware that our profits go to local charities.
Just so you know, the real expense is what we pay for citrus. Nobody gets paid to help at the warehouse or anywhere else. For many years we paid a small amount to a warehouse employee. But he has retired and no one else from the warehouse will help us in any significant way. We will need more volunteers to help at the warehouse (image below) on Friday, December 5 and Saturday, December 6.
In selling citrus, the question remains: How do you convince a potential customer to buy a large quantity of citrus? First of all, the citrus will keep for an extended period of time, so it doesn’t have to be used in a short period. The oranges can last for five to six weeks; the grapefruit can last for ten to twelve weeks. If there is still resistance to buying the citrus, you can always present the idea of buying citrus for the foodbank (image below). This choice provides citrus for food pantries, and the profit from the sale will be used to help other local charities.
This year’s Citrus Drive lasts for five weeks and concludes on Monday, November 10. Don’t wait until the last minute to get started. Good luck in your efforts to sell citrus!
Year 10 of the Rotary Flag Service has been completed. The profit from this year’s effort is $23,000. Since its inception, the program has provided $174,800 for community grants and Rotary projects!
The image below shows the happy recipients of our 2025 community grants, which were supported in part through proceeds from the Flag Service Project.
Now you can sign up to volunteer to fill the Ridgely Micropantry by using the Signup Genius App. Just download the app and sign up for a one week or two week timeframe that works best for you or you and a friend. What a great way to make a difference. Thank you!
Ridgely Micro-Pantry: Winter and Spring Dates Added to SignUp Genius
Please consider signing up for a two-week commitment to stock the pantry or partner with a friend. The link provided takes you to the sign-up sheet located online using the SignUp Genius program. The Signup Genius link is listed below to sign up and allows you to reserve those dates and to also shows which timeframes are unfilled. The app will also send you a reminder closer to your volunteer date.
New! One Week Shifts
There are several shifts that will only be one week in length instead of two making an appearance on this list during high traffic times around the holidays for the weeks of December 22, December 29 and March 30. We are testing this concept. Rotarians might have trouble committing to a two-week period around the holidays due to their own schedule but perhaps they could commit to a one-week timeframe. Also, typically the demand is higher around the holidays so keeping the pantry stocked during that timeframe for one week is a big enough task-and greatly appreciated!
School Address:
Ridgely Elementary School
2040 North 8th Street
Springfield, IL 62702
Micro Pantry Location
The Rotary Micro pantry is located on the east side of the building by the main entrance. It is a purple and yellow cabinet.
Sign-up Genius: Volunteer Link (download the app):
The Rotary Club of Springfield has agreed to host a Foreign Exchange Student for the school year 2025-2026. We are looking for one more host family to serve one semester of the school year, preferably with Springfield or Southeast High School boundaries.
We now know that the student will be a female from Taiwan. Preferably the host family will have a high-school aged student, but that is not a requirement. Single family hosts are allowed pending approval by both the student and the student's parents. Because the student is a female, I cannot serve as her Youth Exchange Counselor so we are also looking for a female Rotarian to serve in that capacity. Let me know if you are interested.
Please think of family and friends you think may be interested in hosting a Foreign Exchange student, preferable three if you can think of that many. You or they may contact me for additional information. My email is bkemp1100@hotmail.com, or phone 217-494-7467.
Finding host families has become difficult, so I would appreciate any assistance you can provide. I am attaching a list of host family requirements. Please note that COVID inoculations are no longer required.
I sincerely appreciate any assistance you can provide.
Please remember that we are including some social night meetings at locations other than Maldaners. Please pay attention to the meeting schedule listed in the Newsletter, on our website home page (www.spirotary.org), and on our Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram pages for the dates and locations of the meetings.
November 3, 2025: Rotary Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
District Governor Bill Knake: Rotary and District 6460
November 8, 2025: Rotary District 6460 Conference, UIS Student Center, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
November 10, 2025: Rotary Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Club Assembly on Membership
November 17, 2025: Rotary Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Amy Voils, Executive Director, M.E.R.C.Y. Communities: Programs and Services for the Unhoused and At Risk Women and Children.
November 24, 2025: Off-Site Social Night
Location to be announced
December 1, 2025: Rotary Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Club Assembly on Membership
December 9, 2025 (Tuesday) Rotary Holiday Party
Location to be announced
December 15, 2025 Rotary Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Speaker to be announced
December 22, 2025 No Rotary Club Meeting (Holiday Season)
December 29, 2025: No Rotary Club Meeting (New Year's holiday)
You can sign up using the new Sign-Up Genius online system featured in the above article by Ken Gilmore. We are now signing up one to two individuals for each slot.
I appreciate your help!
Thank you for signing up for a micropantry volunteer shift. Your time and effort are greatly appreciated by the community we serve.
Members who have supported this program realize the price of food and other products stocked in the pantry have become more expensive. Under a new program, a member may be reimbursed up to $100 when a purchase is made for the food pantry. Funding for this reimbursement was made possible by donations in the amount $1,739, which were received at the Rotary Open House last December that I hosted at my home
Below are the details including the location of the pantry, and suggestions on items to collect and distribute. If you are unable to complete your shift, please reach out and we'll work on a better period of time to meet your needs. If you have suggestions for future volunteers, please let me know and we'll adapt the program along the way.
.
Ridgely Elementary School
2040 North 8th Street
Springfield, IL 62702
Main entrance to the school (look for the yellow and purple pantry by the front doors).
The image below shows the location of the pantry at the entrance to the school.
These suggestions came from people who use food pantries to help feed their families.
1. Everyone donates Kraft Mac and Cheese in the box. They can rarely use it because it needs milk and butter, which is difficult to get from regular food banks. 2. Boxed milk is a treasure, as kids need it for cereal, which they also get a lot of. 3. Everyone donates pasta sauce and spaghetti noodles. 4. They cannot eat all the awesome canned veggies and soup unless you put a can opener in too or buy pop tops.* 5. Oil is a luxury and needed for Rice a-Roni, which they also get a lot of. 6. Spices or salt and pepper would be a real Holiday gift. 7. Tea bags and coffee make them feel like you care. 8. Sugar and flour are treats. 9. They fawn over fresh produce donated by farmers and grocery stores. 10. Seeds are cool in Spring and Summer because growing can be easy for some. 11. They rarely get fresh meat. 12. Tuna and crackers make a good lunch. 13. Hamburger Helper goes nowhere without ground beef. 14. They get lots of peanut butter and jelly but usually not sandwich bread. 15. Butter or margarine is nice too. 16. Eggs are a real commodity. 17. Cake mix and frosting makes it possible to make a child’s birthday cake. 18. Dishwashing detergent is very expensive and is always appreciated. 19. Feminine hygiene products are a luxury and women will cry over that. 20. Everyone loves Stove Top Stuffing.
The image below shows a fully stocked pantry.
The image below shows me stocking an empty micropantry on June 4.
Micro Pantry Coordinator: Allie Montney with assistance from John Webb
Phone 217-494-6901 (for the quickest response, please text)
Things I've noticed that may be helpful: Stocking the pantry on a weekend or after 4:00PM during the weekdays means less people and easier to get a parking spot. Ask friends and family to donate unused household items for the pantry that you can collect. If purchasing bags of fresh fruit or veggies, stock them individually so that more in need can take what they need. It's going to be freezing outside soon, so consider if the items will no longer be good if frozen. ALDI grocery stores have prices that cannot be beat.
Do you know or are you someone who has a passion to give back to your community? The Rotarians in this image are helping pack essential items for the Illinois Police Department to give to homeless individuals in our community. As a Rotarian, you adhere to the principles of the 4-way Test., which are:
Is it the Truth?
Is it Fair to all concerned?
Will it build Good Will and Better Friendships?
Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
If you find value in these ideals and want to be part of a great organization, right click on the attached link to open our online Membership Applicationin a new window. You can also click on this link to download an electronic copy of the Membership Application from our Club's website Home Page (www.spirotary.org) in the Download Files section. You can send the completed application to the Membership Committee at hmitchell11@comcast.net. We look forward to hearing from you!
Please remember to report your service hours and related contributions. You will be able to enter your hours and correctly assign them to the correct Rotary Calendar year. Just follow this link:
Please email images of service activities to Bonnie Styles at bonstyles@yahoo.com. It's easy to take pictures if you have a smartphone, but even an old style camera works just fine. Send me an email (bonstyles@yahoo.com) to let me know when you will be volunteering for a service project, and I will come out and take some images.
Be sure to turn in your hours for any volunteering that you do on behalf of Rotary.
The image below shows President John Webb after stocking the Ridgely School Micropantry during October, 2025. We thank John for stocking the pantry during October. If you haven't signed up for a shift, you can sign up using the link in the article by Community Services Director Ken Gilmore in this Newsletter.
Restocked the St. John’s Breadline Little Library with books for both children and adults (image to right). During the restocking, Allison Montney helped a man in severe distress receive emergency medical assistance—thank you, Allison, for your quick and compassionate response! 
Several of our Club members joined fellow Springfield Rotarians, District Governor Bill Knake, and Springfield Park Board President Leslie Sgro at Rotary Park on Saturday, October 4 to dedicate the new Rotary Park Pollinator Garden and Springfield’s first Peace Pole.
