Maggie Owen (lead image), Financial Program Manager for the Office of the Illinois State Treasurer will speak about their Financial Literacy Resources for Teens and Adults at our September 26 Club Meeting in Maldeners Upstairs. We will have an offsite Social Night for our September 23 Club Meeting. See upcoming programs and events for more information on both of these meetings.
September 9 Meeting Featured President of Springfield Kiwanis Club
Jerry Daniels (image on left), Kiwanis Club President, gave a lively presentation on their Service Projects and Youth Programs. See John Webb's post on our Rotary Club of Springfield Facebook Page for more details on his presentation. I enjoyed presenting him with his Rotary Mug and challenging him to our upcoming Salvation Army Bell Ringing Competition in December (image below).
Flag Service Project Helped Commemorate Patriots Day
I hope that you had a chance to drive through the Springfield area on September 11. Our flags were flying high throughout the community as we commemorated this sad day in our nation's history. For the remainder of the week, teams of Rotarians will be picking up the flags and returning them to the warehouse for the winter. See Roger Randoph's article in this Newsletter for more information on flag pick-up.
Women of Rotary Brunch on September 22
As announced at our club meeting on September 9, we are having our first Women of Rotary brunch/luncheon on Sunday, September 22nd at 11:00 a.m. at Finley's Tap.
Please feel free to bring a friend, and RSVP using the link below.
Please join us for an off-site Social Night on September 23. We are tentatively planning to convene in the Springfield Carriage Company Restaurant, 724 E. Edwards St., Springfield IL 62703. They normally are not open on Monday night, but are considering opening for us. The final venue will be announced through a ClubRunner email, our Website Calendar, and a post on our Facebook page.
Rotary District Conference and Foundation Dinner on October 12
The Rotary District 6460 Conference will be held at UIS Student Union on Saturday, October 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It will be followed by the Rotary Foundation Dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. The theme of this years District Conference is The Magic of Friendship. Don't miss this opportunity to hear some great speakers, learn about excellent projects and programs, celebrate the successes of Interact, Rotaract, and Rotary Clubs, and make some great new friends. Please register for these events on the District Website. The registration fee for the District Conference is $55 including lunch, and the registration fee for the Foundation Dinner is $80 including the dinner. See District Governor Dan O'Brien's article below for your personal invitation and access to direct links for registration.
Club Holiday Party will be held on December 17!
It official! Our annual Holiday Party has been scheduled for Tuesday, December 17. We will hold our event at the Christ the King Parrish Hall in Springfield. A delicious meal will again be provided by Chef Randy Williams. The Williamsville Madrigals will provide our musical entertainment. Mark your calendar now, and don't miss this wonderful chance to celebrate the holidays. Stay tuned for more details.
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 Jesse at Maldaner's access to the view, so it will help him 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).
This invitation was emailed to members in District 6460 on September 11. It includes working registration links for the invitation you received to the Rotary District 6460 Fall Conference on September 10.
I am excited to invite you to the Rotary District 6460 Fall Conference. Please join me at the Student Union at the University of Illinois, Springfield on Saturday, October 12th. The conference will begin at 9:30 and end at 4:00. This year’s Rotary theme is “The Magic of Rotary.” The theme was chosen by our president, Stephanie Urchick, to highlight Rotary’s power to save lives. We will celebrate the Magic of Rotary with award-winning entertainer, motivational speaker and sleight of hand artist Mitch Williams who will amaze, amuse and inspire you! This Canton Rotarian is an accomplished artist and authority on peak performance and human potential.
I hope you will join us as we highlight the achievements of and learn from our younger members in Interact, Rotaract and Rotary clubs around the district. You won’t want to miss Cambridge Rotarian John Taylor as he discusses the friendships he made during his service in Iraq. Aunt Dot will share her moving polio journey.
If you are new to Rotary or have never been to our fall conference, please join us. It is a great opportunity to learn what the other 1800 members in our district are doing and how they are connecting in their community and with clubs around the world.
Please sign up today at the Rotary District 6460 Website. Click here to register. The cost of the ticket is $55.00 and includes parking and lunch. There is also an option to participate online for $25.
Yours in service,
Dan O’Brien
District Governor 2024-25 Rotary District 6460 (217)-313-0425
P.S. Our Rotary Foundation Dinner begins at 5:00 pm in the same room. The cost for the dinner ticket is $80. There is also an option to participate online for $25. The foundation dinner will celebrate club achievements over the past year.
In July 2024, Rotary District 6460 awarded $3,000 Rotary District Scholarships to four outstanding college students from west-central Illinois.
The scholarships will help cover university expenses for tuition, university fees, and text books during the coming fall and/or spring semester. This year, students applied online through the District website, which greatly facilitated the application and review process. The Rotary scholarship committee selected eight finalists from the applicant pool, and interviewed these students.
All eight finalists were deserving of scholarships, making the selection of awardees a difficult process. The four awardees stood out as outstanding students and leaders, are committed to their chosen field of study, and are all pursuing careers that help others. They embody the Rotary ethic of service above self.
Payton Heise was raised in Springfield, IL and went to Springfield High School. She is an excellent student with a long record of being on the Straight A Honor Roll and was an active participant in the National Honor Society (NHS) in high school.
She received a Student of the Year Award in 2019 and later was recognized as an AP Scholar with Honor and an Illinois State Scholar. She was the captain of the Springfield High School cross-country and track teams and also played basketball. She worked as a lifeguard during high school and college and is certified for CPR and AED. She participated in numerous volunteer projects with the NHS, and also volunteered for the Special Olympics, St. John’s Breadline, and Toys for Tots.
She started as a student at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky in August 2023, where she continues to excel as a student and is serving as the lifeguard at the University Wellness Center. She is majoring in exercise science and is working to be an occupational therapist with a specialization in pediatrics.
After getting her bachelor’s degree, she would like to pursue a master’s degree and doctorate in the field. Her inspiration to pursue occupational therapy stemmed from helping a young relative who was born with spina bifida and autism. She is devoted to helping others to be able to perform the functions needed to live and enjoy normal and rewarding lives. She continues to excel as a student and volunteer and has already job-shadowed three occupational therapists.
Reaghan Henrichs is from Highland, IL. As a middle child of divorced parents, she noted during her interview that she has been through a lot. She helped raise her siblings and has worked hard, sometimes three part-time jobs at a time, to get where she is today. Throughout her life, she has loved and done well in school, and loves helping people, especially children.
A high school anatomy class stimulated her interest in how the brain and body work together. Serving as an aide for special education students in a high school physical education class and helping with her brother’s best friend, who had Down’s Syndrome, reinforced her interest in these issues. These experiences increased her desire to be able to help children with special needs and their mothers.
She has volunteered for her communities in high school and college, including assisting children with special needs, helping with the Special Olympics, helping with individuals experiencing homelessness, and helping maintain a local garden in Lebanon, IL where she goes to college.
She chose to go to a small university, McKendree University in Lebanon, where professors do most of the teaching and chances of receiving financial aid, which she needs, might be better. She is majoring in biopsychology as preparation for graduate coursework and a career in occupational therapy. Her references, resume, and college transcripts reinforce that she is a hard-working, straight A student with a strong passion for helping others. When she finishes her biopsychology degree in May 2026, she would like to go to SIU-C to pursue a master’s degree in pediatrics and a doctorate in occupational therapy with a specialization in pediatrics.
Breanna Fox was raised in Pittsfield, IL and went to Pittsfield High School. She relayed that the great English teachers in the Pittsfield schools instilled her love of English and writing and inspired her to want to become a teacher and to ensure that students have a safe place and the help they need in school.
She was very active in high school as a member of the National Honor Society, secretary for her senior class, vice president of the Art Club, and president of the Book Club. In 2021, she received the Danforth Award and was named the Saukee Citizen of the Month at her high school. She received an Academic Excellence Award and was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and a member of Pittsfield Leo’s Club. While in high school, she volunteered with the National Honor Society and with the Lion’s Club. She attended and received her Associate’s Degree in May 2024 from John Wood Community College in Quincy, IL. While at John Wood Community College, she had as many as three part-time jobs and served as the Rotaract Club President for two academic years.
The Rotaract Sponsor for John Wood Community College noted, “She lives the motto ‘Service Above Self’ every day.” For the past two years she has worked as a High Impact Tutor for Pittsfield students in grades 6-8. She has received numerous scholarships because of her academic and community achievements, but still has to work three part-time jobs.
She will begin work on her Bachelor’s degree in English Education at Illinois State University in Normal in August 2024. She is an English Education major and her dream is to be a high school English teacher in Pittsfield.
Alexa Kerley is from Manito, IL and attended Midwest Central High School. She was very active in high school in the National Honor Society, Science Club, and Student Council and served as an officer in each of these organizations. She was vice-president for her class during her sophomore and junior years. She also participated in Spanish Club, band, school musicals, and basketball, serving as team captain in her senior year. She was a member of the Interact Club and participated in volunteer service with them. As a member of the History League, she helped organize a yearly Veterans Breakfast. She was a member of the Tazewell County Youth Board for four years. An excellent student, she graduated in the top 5 of her high school class. She received awards for her scholarship and citizenship.
She has volunteered with many organizations and events, including with the Manito-Forest City Rotary Club, the local food pantry, the Park District’s Youth Basketball Program, Salvation Army, her church, and more.
Alexa has completed the first year of her exercise science (pre-physical therapy) major at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. Alexa has a long-term interest in learning about the human body and a passion for helping others. During the summer of 2023, she worked for a family with a five-year-old boy who was a patient at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This experience increased her desire to pursue physical therapy and to work with children who need physical therapy. Her dream is to obtain a doctorate in pediatric physical therapy and to work at St. Jude Research hospital.
Editors Note: This article by Bonnie Styles, District Grants Chair, appeared in the September issue of the Rotary District 6460 Newsletter
On Monday, August 26, 2024, our club's co-sponsored Rotary Foreign Exchange Student, Kyosuke Kawasaki (images above and below), arrived at 1:50 p.m. via American Airlines at Springfield Capital Airport after a long flight from Japan. Our club and Springfield South are co-sponsoring Kyosuke's exchange experience.
A group of Rotarians, including representatives from our club (me, Rod Buffington, and Bonnie Styles), Springfield South, Springfield Sunrise, and the District Rotary Youth Exchange Program gave him a warm welcome (image above). He was also met by his host family, who resides in Leland Grove (lead image and image below).
After he has a chance to recover from his long flight, I look forward to bringing him to a future Club meeting where you will meet him and learn more about his home life in Japan and plans for his time in Springfield and the Rotary Youth Exchange Program. Thanks to Bonnie Styles for taking these images.
Kyosuke started school at Springfield High on August 29. Thanks to Youth Exchange Officer Pedro Martinez-Bravo (Rotary South Club) for providing the image below of Kyosuke on his first day at Springfield High School.
Please remember that we are including some social night meetings at locations other than Maldaners. Please pay attention to the meeting schedule listed 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. I am in the process of scheduling speakers now and will provide more details as soon as they are available.
Monday, September 16, 2024 Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Maggie Owen, State Treasurers Office: Financial Literacy Resources for Teens and Adults
Join us to hear Maggie Owen (image to left), Financial Programs Manager in the Office of the Illinois Treasurer, speak about their financial literacy resources for teens and adults. Maggie has served in her current position since August of 2022 and before that was the Assistant Director for Advancement Engagement at UIS. She has a BA in Communication and Public Relations from Bradley University. She also has an ATD Training and Facilitation Certification from the Association of Talent Development (ATD).
Monday, September 23, 2024 Off-site Rotary Club Social Night, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
We are tentatively planning to convene at the Springfield Carriage Company Restaurant (724 E. Edwards St, Springfield, IL 62703). They normally are not open on Mondays, but are considering opening for our group. We will let you know the final decision on the venue via a ClubRunner Email, our Website calendar, and a posting on our Facebook page.
September 30, 2024 Rotary Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Mike Armstrong, Central Illinois Citizens Climate Lobby: Climate Change and Cultivating Climate Solutions
October 7, 2024 Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Dave Joens, Illinois Flag Commission: History of the Illinois State Flag
October 14, 2024 Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Club Assembly on Membership
October 21, 2024 Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
October 28, 2024 Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
November 4, 2024 Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
November 11, 2024 No Club Meeting. Celebrate Veterans Day with family and friends.
November 18, 2024 Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
November 25, 2024 Off-Site Rotary Club Social Night, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Location to be determined.
December 2, 2024 Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
December 9, 2024 Club Meeting at Maldaners Upstairs, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
December 16, 2024 No Rotary Club Meeting
December 17, 2024 Rotary Club Annual Holiday Party
I am encouraging you to participate in this volunteer effort. I participated in two previous bed builds and found them to be very rewarding experiences. This Springfield event will be on September 14 and is sponsored by Sleep in Heavenly Peace. It will be held at the Illinois Educators Credit Union, 3101 Montvale Dr., Springfield, IL 62704-4260.You need to sign up to participate in the event by following the link provided below.
Bunks Across America Bed Build in Springfield, IL: September 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Bunks Across America is a day for communities nationwide to get together to build beds for children who don’t have beds to sleep in. You can make a difference by getting involved to be a part of the solution.
A bed is a basic need for the proper physical, emotional and mental support that a child needs. Springfield’s Sleep in Heavenly Peace was formed because of the passionate volunteers who believe in the mission of getting kids off the floor and into beds. This organization was the recipient of one of our community grants from the Springfield Rotary Foundation.
On Saturday, September 14 with just a few hours of your time, you can make a direct, permanent impact in the quality of life for dozens of children in our community. You do not have to have specific carpenter skills to make a significant difference for so many children. The link to volunteer along with additional information is listed below. Come by yourself or invite your family and friends to participate.
On September 12, it will be time to start picking up flags. Your pick up route will be the same as your last deployment route, please use the deployment route sheet used for deployment as your pickup route. Contact me if you need the route sheet re-sent to you.
Put all flags with bent poles, torn flags and those with red colored fasteners in the back right corner of the warehouse. There will be labeled bins on the work table for plastic bags, velcro ties faded red caps and spikes from the broken lights. Non-faded plastic caps can be put in the box with the non faded caps. Put any broken lights in the red crates. Please email John Loftus at jlloftus@aol.com when you have completed your pickup. Please do not pick up the flags if it is raining and they are wet.
Please get some of the large washers and put them on any conduits which do not have a large washer. Some find the large washers helpful for locating the conduits.
At her presentation to our Club on August 12, Ridgely Elementary School Principal Jennifer Butcher noted that she would love for our Rotary Club to again provide school supplies for Ridgely School. During and immediately following the pandemic, the school had supplemental funding from the District for school supplies, but those monies are no longer available. You can download the Ridgely School Supplies List for 2023-2024 by clicking the link, and you can also download it from the Website Home Page (download files section). Because school has already started, students already have backpacks so there is no need to purchase backpacks.
I had previously suggested that members bring the school supplies they purchased to our September 9 club meeting at Maldaners. Thanks to everyone who brought school supplies to that meeting (image on left). Thanks also to the members who helped load them into my car. I delivered the supplies to Ridgely School on the morning of September 12.
If you didn't remember to purchase school supplies, there's still time! You may bring school supplies to the next club meeting in Maldaners on September 30. Clorox wipes, crayons, markers, dry erase markers, glue sticks, child sized headphones, Ziplock bags, Kleenex- truly anything will help ensure that no child goes without and teachers have plenty of supplies for the classroom. Check out the link to the school supply list (provided above) for other ideas on what kinds of supplies are needed.
Thank you so much for your support for our adopted school!
As mentioned at our July 22, club meeting, the United Way Fall Day of Action is actively recruiting teams and projects, and I would love for you to join my team! The image above shows our team for the Spring Day of Action!
Projects will take place on Friday, October 4th from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., and registration technically closed on September 6. However, if you want to volunteer but missed this registration deadline, please contact me and I will get you registered.
My email is mreynolds@uwcil.org, but you can also leave that field blank, and I'll know you're on my team. If you volunteered at the Spring Day of Action, please notate that you already have a shirt in the form.
Can't wait to volunteer with you and make a difference in our community!
Little Libraries are free book exchanges that aim to expand book access within our communities. The prevailing concept of “take a book, share a book” reigns.
Our Club supports this literacy initiative and has helped build up the Little Library system in our community with support from a District Grant. We continue to help Little Libraries at five locations remain stocked with books. The locations are as follows:
1. St. John’s Breadline, 430 North 5th Street;
2. Springfield Firehouse No. 5/“The First Black Firehouse,” 1310 East Adams Street (shown in the image above);
3. Ridgely Elementary School, 2040 North 8th Street;
4. Enos Elementary School, 524 West Elliott Avenue; and
5. The Outlet, 3306 South 6th Street.
We have been visiting these Little Libraries and adding additional books to their existing stock. If you are interested in helping stock books, please contact Allie Montney at onedirtymartini@gmail.com. To keep the supply of books up-to-date, the club is planning to have book drives to solicit book donations from members and community members. Stay tuned for more details and dates for these drives.
Here's your chance to be a pantry superhero! Join John Webb and I in stocking the Ridgely Elementary School micro pantry for two weeks. Your commitment will ensure that families and children have access to essential items when they need them most. Whether it's a can of soup, a box of cereal, or toiletries, your contribution will brighten someone's day. Reach out to Allie Montney at onedirtymartini@gmail.com or call 217-494-6901 to become a beacon of hope for those in need. Every item you place on those shelves is a small gesture that collectively makes a huge impact!
At our September 9 club meeting, a Food Pantry Volunteer Form was passed around. I’m glad to report we have 7 slots filled as well as some volunteers for April 2025. If you would like to pick up a shift, see the open slots below & e-mail onedirtymartini@gmail.com.
September 15 - September 30: Ross Hodel
October 1 - 14: OPEN
October 15 - 28: Ken Gilmore
October 29 - November 11: Bill Sturm
November 12 - 25: OPEN
November 26 - December 9: OPEN
December 10 - 23: Bonnie Styles
December 24 - January 6: Vicki Megginson
January 7 - 20: OPEN
January 21 - February 3: OPEN
February 4 - February 17: Rod Buffington
February 18 - March 3: Bill Kempiners
April Dates: TBD Sheila Mack, Judith Pensoneau-Feurer, and potentially Connie Locher-Bussard
Thank you for signing up for a micro pantry volunteer shift. Your time and effort are greatly appreciated by the community we serve.
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. Let me know if you are interested in taking a shift!
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.
We thank all the volunteers who gave and are giving generously of their time on service projects this Rotary Year. Work on our ongoing service projects continues, and we thank all who have stepped up to help coordinate these activities and especially Ken Gilmore, our Community Services Director for the 2024-2025 Rotary Year.
Bed Building for Sleep in Heavenly Peace
We have a volunteer opportunity on September 14. See article by Ken Gilmore above.
October 4 United Way Fall Day of Action
Please sign up to volunteer for this event. President Megan Reynolds is putting together a Rotary Club Team. See Megan's Story Above for details on how to register and participate.
Stocking our Little Libraries
Allison Montney (onedirtymartini@gmail.com) and John Webb (jwebb.dr@gmail.com) are coordinating the stocking of our Little Libraries. We previously built a series of Little Libraries with a support from a District Club Grant and secured a large number of books that were donated by a group in St. Louis. The books are stored in the Computer Banc warehouse. To keep the books up-to-date, they have requested that club members bring in books to supplement the donated books stored in the Computer Banc warehouse. Contact them if you would like to donate books and/or stock Little Libraries.
The image of the Little Library at Ridgely School (to the left) clearly shows that this little library needs to be regularly stocked. Thanks to Allison and John for coordinating this project and ensuring that it is well stocked. Let them know if you would like to help.
See the article in this Newsletter by Allison and John for more information on stocking the little libraries.
Stocking of the Ridgely School Micropantry
We previously installed a Micropantry at Ridgely Elementary School (our adopted school) with support from a District Grant. At our October 23, 2023 meeting, Allison Montney volunteered to coordinate the stocking of this micropantry with food, cleaning, and toiletry items. She maintains a schedule of volunteers to stock the pantry for a two week period, and John Webb has also volunteered to help with this project. If you would like to volunteer to stock this important and regularly used pantry, please let Allison know (onedirtymartini@gmail.com) and check out her article on micropantry volunteers for more information on this service project.
Flag Service
We are in the process of removing flags following the commemoration of Patriots Day. The flags will be stored in the warehouse for the winter. See the article by Roger Randolph in this Newsletter for more information.
Please contact John Loftus (jlloftus@aol.com) if you would like to help with any aspect of our Flag Service project. It's rewarding and raises lots of money for our community grants program!
John Montgomery Memorial Citrus Campaign
As noted by our Warehouse Czar Bill Smith, the 2023 campaign in memory of long-time Rotarian John Montgomery was successful and raised significant monies for our community grants program. We thank all the Rotarians who ordered and sold citrus, and all those who worked on the planning of the campaign and in the warehouse in 2023. Marty Michelson recently announced that we will launch the 2024 John Montgomery Memorial Citrus Campaign on September 30. The citrus committee is already holding planning meetings. If you would like to volunteer for this committee, let Marty know. All members should get ready to sell healthful oranges and grapefruit and raise monies for our community grants program!
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. Travis Magoulias has added the 2023-2024 Rotary Year to the form. You will be able to enter your hours now 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 shows Barry Tobias installing the conduit for a flag in May for a new customer for the 2024 Rotary Flag Service Project.
The images on the left and below show John Webb volunteering at the Animal Protective League's Donuts and Dogs Fundraiser. Service has its rewards, sometimes including a donut.