The Rotary Club of
Springfield
 

July 29, 2021 Newsletter

On July 26, after Bob Stuart's and Dave Kromphardt's compelling description of the benefits of attending the 2022 Rotary International Convention in Houston, we toasted the convention with Jell-O shots provided by Dave!

President Barry's Message
August is Membership and New Club Development Month
As we move into month two of the new Rotary year, we see a focus on membership and new club development. Our international President Shekhar Mehta has asked every Rotarian to each bring a potential new member to our meeting to introduce them to Rotary. This is a great chance to use the coin that we handed out in July (image to left) and share with the guest the four-way test. We are also seeing new e-clubs form around the globe, and many of our potential new members may fall into an e-club versus a traditional club. We are looking to grow our club by another 8 to 10 members this year, which will enable us to utilize these new members in service projects. If you have any questions on membership, please reach out to Membership Director Travis Magoulias.
                                                          
Monthly Meeting of Springfield’s 5 Rotary Presidents
This past Tuesday morning all 5 Springfield Rotary presidents met with Assistant Governor Tate Hartman to discuss the possibility of a combined 6460 District grant and community project of all five clubs. We shared our ideas, and we discussed a project that could include our Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) students and the local community. With the District 6460 Grant deadline of August 15 approaching, we are running the idea by our boards to see if there is interest in combining our efforts. We will update you after we meet and give you more details.
 
A Toast to the Rotary International Convention in Houston
During the July 26 meeting, Bob Stuart (image to right) and Dave Kromphardt spoke to us about attending the Rotary International Convention in Houston, which will be held from June 4-8, 2022, and led us in a Jell-O shot toast in honor of it (lead image for Newsletter). Over 26,000 Rotarians will attend this convention. This is everyone’s chance to experience and learn from our leaders from around the globe. Many lifelong friendships are formed here, and it gives all of us a chance to see what is going on at the international level. To learn more about this convention, please check out Dave's article below, and reach out to Bob or Dave, along with many others in our club who have participated in RI conventions to learn more about the experience.
Participate in the 2022 Rotary International Convention! 
As noted above by President Barry, the Rotary International (RI) Convention is in Houston on June 4-8, 2022. This gathering brings Rotarians from all over the world together to celebrate, learn, and share. All Rotarians are invited to register and enjoy the experience!

At our July 26 meeting, Bob Stuart shared how he has developed lifelong relationships that started at RI conventions. For me, the 2020 RI International Convention in Hamburg, Germany was a life changing experience as I met Rotarians from all over the planet and heard of their worlds. The image on the left shows a group of Rotarians from our club and other Illinois clubs at the Hamburg RI Convention. We interviewed the successful candidate for the Menghini Ambassadorial Scholarship (Nicole Knoles, who was working in Germany at the time) at this meeting.

RI Conventions include large group sessions and targeted smaller breakout sessions to cover relevant Rotary subjects. All the sessions include outstanding speakers. There are also special events. For example, the Houston RI Convention will include trips to unique Houston locations such as Space Center Houston and NASA Mission Control.

For more information and registration for the 2022 RI convention, check out the Rotary International Website (https://convention.rotary.org/). Hotels are already filling up so don't delay if you are interested in attending. There are hotel rooms still available near the Convention Center but they are disappearing quickly. Registration for the Convention is $475 and room rates vary from hotel to hotel.
 
Consider this great opportunity to attend a gathering of Rotarians from all over the world in our own back yard. Some have already registered. Join the group!

And now for a little Rotary humor, Apple has confirmed that they are developing a translation app in time to help world travelers understand Texan for the Rotary International Convention in Houston.
August 2, 2021 Meeting Link
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August 2, 2021 Meal Reservation
Now that we are back to full capacity, we will no longer announce the menu for dining at Maldaners Upstairs or for curbside pickup. The meal will be Chef's Choice as it was prior to the pandemic.
 
 
 
 
Please continue to make reservations for in-person meals so we can estimate our seating needs and for curbside meals so Maldaners knows you are coming. The deadline for reserving dinner for the August 2 meeting is Sunday, August 1 at 5:00 p.m. Meals are $15 each. Please use the following link to make your reservations for the meal for indoor dining or curbside pickup by clicking: 
 
 
 
 
 
For curbside users, please place your meal tickets or cash in an envelope with your name and “for Sheila Mack” on the outside of the envelope and give it to the Maldaners staff member that gives you your food. They will get the envelopes to Sheila Mack. Curbside pickup is between 4:45 and 5:15 p.m. To pick up food, turn into the alley behind the building and pick up the food at the back door. It's easy to pick up your food an the food is delicious!
August 2 Program Features Overview of Goldstar Mission
Trent Thompson, President of the Gold Star Mission (image above) and Eric Murray, Director of Operations and Gold Starr 500 Ride Director (image to right) will join us in person at our August 2 club meeting and will provide an overview of the Gold Star Mission.
 
The Gold Star Mission was established in 2017 in Springfield, Illinois after several veterans and friends, moved by stories of the Gold Star Families that lost a loved one in Afghanistan or Iraq, took action to help others in need. What started as a desire to provide scholarships for surviving children has evolved into widespread efforts to assist Gold Star Families and others in need in order to preserve the memory of our Fallen Heroes.
 
The Gold Star Mission is a nonprofit organization that seeks to honor and support Gold Star Families by preserving the memory of our fallen heroes through service to others in need.
 
Please join us for this special presentation and learn more about this organization and the important work it does. 
Helped Needed for Rotary Youth Exchange
The Central States Rotary Youth Exchange (CSRYE) has announced it will be accepting applications for students interested in going to school in a foreign country during School Year 2022-2023. Applications from interested students must be submitted no later than November 1, 2021. The Board of Directors for our Club has voted to sponsor both an Outbound and Inbound student for the school year. Sponsoring and hosting an exchange student is a rewarding experience. The image to the left shows the delightful Sabrina Paez, the last Inbound Exchange student that our club co-sponsored (image to left). As the Youth Exchange Officer for our club, I need the membership’s assistance for 2022-2023 Exchange Students.
 
First, we need a minimum of two families willing to host a foreign student, and both families must live within the same school district, and in Springfield, within the boundaries for the same school. We will not be considered for an Inbound Student until we have the first host family recruited. If you know of any family that would be interested in hosting a foreign exchange student, please let me know their contact information or have them contact me (bkemp1100@hotmail.com).
 
Second, if you know of any high school student, preferably a sophomore this coming school year, that you think would be interested in becoming an Outbound Student, also please let me know or have the family contact me at my email address so I can meet with the entire family to cover the requirements with them. Applicants can be between the ages of 15 and 18.5 years old, but must complete the program by the time they reach 18.5 years old.
               
I would appreciate any assistance you can provide in this effort.  Additional information for a prospective student/family can be found at the Central States Rotary Youth Exchange website, www.csrye.org.  Thank you for any assistance you can provide.
 
Bill Kempiners, Youth Exchange Officer
Rotary Club of Springfield
Donations for Ridgely School Supplies Needed
School is starting next month, and this brings the return of our support to Ridgely School with school supplies. We have gathered and donated supplies based on the Back to School lists on the school website for many years, but last year with COVID sequestering, Tim Granzeau suggested we take an additional approach. Many members donated cash to the Springfield Rotary Foundation, then supplies were donated based on requests from teachers. For example, children were told to have separate writing utensils at school and at home to reduce the spread of COVID transmission, so this doubled the need for pens, pencils, and markers. We were able to fill all the requests the teachers gave!

You may also procure items for students based on the Ridgely School 2021-2022 Supplies list, which you can download from our website home page by clicking on the highlighted link in this sentence. Please bring your donated items to our club meetings over the next few weeks. Please also consider making a cash donation to the Springfield Rotary Foundation for the supplies identified by teachers. Checks should be made out the Springfield Rotary Foundation with Ridgely School Supplies written in the comment line. You may bring your check to our meeting or mail it to Springfield Rotary Foundation, P.O. Box 615, Springfield, IL 62705.
Service Opportunities and Thanks
Ridgely Food Pantry
Volunteers to check and add food items to the micropantry at Ridgely School are needed for September and October.
      
Chamber Golf Outing 
We thank all the Rotarians who helped greet people at the hole that we sponsored at the Chamber Golf Outing on July 22 and 23. It was a great opportunity to meet people in the community and invite them to be Rotarians. At our July 26, meeting, volunteer Jim Applegate, who shared a shift with Megan Norman, reported that it was exciting to see how interested young people are in Rotary.  
          
Little Libraries
Barry reported that we will be installing the four Little Libraries that we built with funding from our District Literacy grant soon (image to left). Thanks again to Garrett and Nicole Kinkelaar for volunteering to be Coordinators of our Little Libraries to ensure that they are well stocked with the numerous books that have been donated or purchased from our grant. We are so glad that they chose to be members of the Rotary Club of Springfield and to be of service right from the start. 
 
 
 
 
Other Opportunities
Volunteer readers are needed for IMagic Nations' Springfield Neighbors Festival. This event will take place at Comer Cox Park on Saturday, July 31 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event is designed to bring our community together and bridge the gap between the City's East and West sides. They are recruiting volunteer book lovers of all ages to come out and read your favorite picture book or poem. They will also be giving away free books. Lincoln library will join them and individuals with library cards will be able to get a book on the spot. The image to the right shows Vicki reading one of her favorite books at a previous volunteer event.
 
Start collecting School Supplies for Ridgely School, or consider writing a check for the purchase of supplies (see article above).
 
Please remember to sign up to help with preparations for or work at our Thank You 5K event, which will be held live at Southwind Park on October 30.
 
Don't forget to keep saving items for our RYLA Bags of Hope. Bags will be filled and distributed to the homeless this fall. These RYLA students are exceptional. Let's ensure that the bags are stuffed to the brim.
 
Daily Bread volunteers are needed at Senior Services.  Help deliver hot, nutritious meals to our seniors.  Contact Autumn Osborne at 217 528-4035, ext. 123 to sign up for one-day per week, Monday-Thursday. 10:00 a.m.-noon. 
 
Contact megginson.vicki@gmail.com to sign up for any of these great service opportunities. 
 
Buy Your Tickets Now for October 3 Baseball Game
We are thrilled to announce that we will have another Rotary Family Day at the Ballpark on October 3, 2021 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. We will watch the 2:15 p.m. game between our favorite rivals -- the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs. It may or may not be for the pennant! We have reserved right field loge seating in sections 234-228. Your discounted price for the tickets is $55.00.
 
You can download the ticket order form from our Website Home page by clicking on the highlighted link. Order your tickets before they are all gone! Please share copies of the order form with your friends and colleagues. Please remember that proceeds from ticket sales support our District Literacy Grant Program. It's a Win for Literacy! Stay tuned for details on transportation to the game. 
Encourage Membership in Rotary
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 Membership Application in a new window. You can also download a 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 illinoisdelta@hotmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you! 
 
Regards, 

Downtown Rotary Membership Committee
 
Thank you. 

Travis
 
Record Your Service Hours and Contributions
Please remember to report your service hours and related contributions. 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. The image on the right shows Tim Granzeau loading school supplies purchased for Ridgely School during last year's drive.
 

 
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