“There is no respect for others without humility in one’s self.” ― Henri Frederic Amiel 

“I know of no single formula for success. But over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm and their inspiration to work together.” ― Queen Elizabeth II 

Announcements

(notes provided by the crafty and courageous Barb Lintner)

Get your dues in ASAP.

Program

Pass the Gavel Day began with thanks to our outgoing president, Reuben Chambers.  Oktay Baran, awards chair, also thanked Tod and Rod for standing in as necessary during the year.  Special thanks were given for the board members, committee chairs, note takers, and the Facebook, website and newsletter managers.

Finn Kerins, son of Andrew, was given a special award for attending meetings and accompanying his dad at many service events.  Seven members were given Rotary caps for perfect attendance – Ata Durukan, Mary Hodson, Ed Perry, Scott Paceley, Oktay Baran, Jennifer Shelby, and Tod Satterthwaite.

The Alive, Alert, Awake, Enthusiastic Award was presented to Ed Perry. 

The Courage Award went to Neal Chamberlain. 

Mary Hodson received the Distinguished Service Award. 

The New Rotarian of the Year was presented to Darrell Hoeman. 

Ed Perry received the Rotarian of the Year Award. 

At the end of the presentation Reuben presented a new award, Unsung Hero to Oktay for all his work on the awards for this and many past years.

Reuben presented the gavel and a president’s pin to Rod Roberts, our incoming president.  Rod then presented a pin and gavel plaque to our outgoing president, Reuben Chambers with our thanks for his service. 

Rod acknowledged outgoing board member Cary Woolard for his service and thanked incoming board member Keith Brandau.  Special thanks were given to Mary Hodson and her committee for the outstanding programs this year.

Rod outlined his five goals for the coming year indicating that he wants to shake things up a bit.  The first is membership.  He challenges each of us to invite at least one person to a meeting this year.  The second is committee structure.  He asks us to limit the numbers of members so that we can be more efficient.  His third goal is to complete the strategic planning exercise to which we have already committed.  On August 25 we will cancel the morning meeting and instead have an evening meeting at the Hawthorn Suites to create a visioning design blueprint for the future.  As a fourth goal Rod wants to get our members more engaged, get them more involved, get out of our rut, and broaden our service to different parts of our community.  While doing this he wants us to focus on telling our story so that more people in the community are aware that we exist.  The fifth goal is to be a 100% Paul Harris Club.  Jeff reminded us that contributions may be made online to the Paul Harris Foundation.

Rod thanked Bob LaCharite, our president elect for volunteering his support during the coming year and for serving as our visioning coordinator.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

July 7th – Steve Carter will discuss the recommendation by the Unit 4 Facilities Committee for a new high school and other building projects

July 14th – Judy Miller, Environmental Program Manager for the Urbana Park District/Anita Purves Nature Center, will discuss their new nature playscape

July 21st – John Marlin, UIUC, will discuss prairie and woodland plantings on campus

July 28th – District Governor Kevin Yonce 

August 4th – Dr. Steve Sonka, Professor Emeritus, UIUC, will provide a presentation on food waste and prevention of postharvest loss

August 11th – TBD

August 18th – TBD

August 25th – TBD

September 1st – TBD

September 8th – TBD

“If you win through bad sportsmanship, that’s no real victory.” – Babe Didrikson Zaharias

“You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” ― Walter Hagen 

Announcements
(notes provided by the unconventional and unorthodox Paul Conforti)

Dues: Jack reminded everyone to make sure their dues are up to date. The new Rotary year begins with the July 7th meeting.

Visioning: Bob & Rod have set the evening of August 25th as our 1st Visioning meeting. More info to come.

Program

Ben LeRoy gave us a fascinating insight into Champaign’s zoning regulations. Ben earned a Master’s in Urban Planning and J.D. from UIUC, and is now an Associate Planner with the City of Champaign.  He is a great speaker, not quite as entertaining as Benny Lapid, who returned with a visit and almost stole the show (the old showbiz saying needs to be appended to “You never want to follow children or animal performers – OR Benny doing what Benny does”.) But Ben LeRoy held the CU Sunrisers captivated just about to the end of the time period with barely enough time to squeeze in a 78rpm version of Alive Alert Awake…

Driving around over the weekend I noticed that the huge housing structure at Green and Neil has alternating gray and white paint schemes. A purposed design enhancement possibly, but Champaign zoning law says you need to do that so your basic structure adds some level of aesthetic enhancement to this behemoth but essentially boring design.

The new student housing recently built along University Avenue (Latitude it is called) is built not as a straight wall facing a major thoroughfare, but with architectural insets, breezeways and cutouts (called articulation) and multicolored and differing exterior building materials – these are zoning requirements to enhance the look and feel of the structure to the surrounding area.

Apartments of any size may no longer have a featureless wall facing the street – the front must in some way interact with street in a way that is both inviting and blending with the neighborhood (think portico and walkway from the building front to the street rather than the all too common side entrance).

Apartments must have transparency features (windowed stairwells for example) to make them look and feel safer, as well as interact with the street view in a non-imposing way.

Apartments can no longer be built on stilts over parking unless this feature is not in view from the street, again to harmonize better with the neighborhood.

This is all part of a comprehensive zoning initiative Champaign has made in part to better respect market demands especially in the campus and downtown areas, foster greater overall creativity in urban design and to make student housing areas feel more like a neighborhood.

To follow up with Ben LeRoy contact him at ben.leroy@ci.champaign.il.us. 

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

June 30th – Pass the Gavel day and Club Awards ceremony

July 7th – Steve Carter will discuss the recommendation by the Unit 4 Facilities Committee for a new high school and other building projects

July 14th – Judy Miller, Environmental Program Manager for the Urbana Park District/Anita Purves Nature Center, will discuss their new nature playscape

July 21st – John Marlin, UIUC, will discuss prairie and woodland plantings on campus

July 28th – District Governor Kevin Yonce 

August 4th – Dr. Steve Sonka, Professor Emeritus, UIUC, will provide a presentation on food waste and prevention of postharvest loss

August 11th – TBD

August 18th – TBD

“Tragedy is like strong acid – it dissolves away all but the very gold of truth.” ― D. H. Lawrence 

“In this life, we have to make many choices. Some are very important choices. Some are not. Many of our choices are between good and evil. The choices we make, however, determine to a large extent our happiness or our unhappiness, because we have to live with the consequences of our choices.”― James E. Faust 

ANNOUNCEMENTS
(notes provided by the erudite Mary Hodson)

President Reuben presented a check to LaDonna Wilson, representing the Central Drama Club.  Their production of “Chicago” is one of five student productions selected for a national competition and they are raising money to send all of the kids who are in the show.

Phyllis Mischo gave a shout out to Jim Barham of Barham Benefit Group.  After seeing the Don Decker Garden on one of his bicycle rides, Jim paid to have the piano keys painted at the Mattis Park Don Decker Garden.

A news article about Rod Robert’s new business, “Slow Ride Pedal Tours” was passed around. Congratulations Rod, you’re famous!

This week’s meeting saw a record number of CU Sunrise Rotarians wearing their club polo shirts.  For next week’s meeting feel free to wear khaki pants and a red polo.  After the meeting we can all go to Target.

PROGRAM
 
Mary introduced Past District Governor Ron Schettler from Effingham.  He is the District Coordinator for Visioning Training and he gave us an overview of the training that is available to our club.  
 
PDG Ron explained that although “Visioning” is not an RI program, it is recommended by RI.   At a Visioning session, a trained Rotarian guides a club to a better future without telling you what to do.

There is no cost to the club except for the expense of an evening meal.   The club determines who should attend. A minimum of 8 people and a maximum of 30 can be involved.  Everyone who attends will be asked to participate. The Club designates a “Coordinator” and a “Club Champion”, who follows up after the initial session.

 The Visioning training lasts 3-4 hours.   Ideas on each topic are listed on a chart and then everyone goes around the room with three dots.  By placing the dots on the ideas that they designate as most important, a theme emerges.   After the meeting, the Club Champion merges the charts into a summary.   The first draft is distributed to the entire membership.   More discussion follows and then the whole club votes on a vision plan for the next three years.

The Champion or one or more key people are responsible for keeping up the momentum and the District Visioning Team continues to be available for consultation.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

June 23rd – Ben LeRoy, City of Champaign Planning Department, will discuss the proposal to change design standards in certain residential and commercial areas

June 30th – Pass the Gavel day and Club Awards ceremony

July 7th – Steve Carter will discuss the recommendation by the Unit 4 Facilities Committee for a new high school and other building projects

July 14th – TBD

July 21st – John Marlin, UIUC, will discuss prairie and woodland plantings on campus

July 28th – District Governor Kevin Yonce 

August 4th – Dr. Steve Sonka, Professor Emeritus, UIUC, will provide a presentation on food waste and prevention of postharvest loss

August 11th – TBD

August 18th – TBD

“I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.” ― Frederick Douglass 

 “There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things, and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded.” ― Mark Twain 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Notes provided by Allan Penwell)

Former member, Patrice Grant, visited us from her Benton Harbor Rotary Club and gave us her club’s flag.  She is on tap to be president for the forthcoming year.  Maybe next time she can bring blueberries.

June bucket money will go to the Central High School Drama Club.

PROGRAM

Nancy Greenwalt is the executive director of Promise Healthcare.  Promise includes Frances Nelson Health Center which was founded in a home at the dead end of Carver Street in Champaign in the 1940’s.  It also includes SmileHealthy which is a dental clinic.  Promise is located at 819 Bloomington Road but also has satellite operations at Presence, Community Elements, and Rantoul Head Start.

Promise provides quick access to health care for the lower income population of C-U.  There are 85 staff members including 11 primary care providers.  Services include prenatal care, wellness, prescriptions, mental health, women’s health care, dental health, and other social services.  Promise works closely with Carle and also with Presence. 

If patients are at the poverty level or below, then visits are only a $10 co-pay.  Medicaid and Affordable Health Care patients are 63% of the Promise clients.  Uninsured are 5%, and 12% of patients are funded by federal block grants.  Annual donations account for $1.5 million.  Promise averages 160 patients daily and over 10,000 patients each year.  In the last two years, the patient load has increased by 42%, and the clinics have capacity to add more patients.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

June 16th – Visioning Training

June 23rd – Ben LeRoy, City of Champaign Planning Department, will discuss the proposal to change design standards in certain residential and commercial areas

June 30th – TBD

July 7th – Steve Carter will discuss the recommendation by the Unit 4 Facilities Committee for a new high school and other building projects

July 14th – TBD

July 21st – TBD

July 28th – TBD

August 4th – TBD

August 11th – TBD

“It may be necessary temporarily to accept a lesser evil, but one must never label a necessary evil as good.”― Margaret Mead 

“The most glorious moments in your life are not the so-called days of success, but rather those days when out of dejection and despair you feel rise in you a challenge to life, and the promise of future accomplishments.” ― Gustave Flaubert 

Announcements

(notes provided by the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut, Eduardo Perry)

Many members in attendance this morning wore orange is support of “Wear Orange Today” as part of raising awareness about gun violence.  

Darrell noted that the premiere showing of the play “Long Lost” starts June 8th and will run 7 days at the Studio Theatre at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. It is directed by Tony award-winning director Daniel Sullivan.

Neal did not mention this publicly, but he regrets to inform everyone that he still a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Program

Mary introduced Jeri Wirth as our speaker this morning. Jeri’s education and career is in the medical field as a nurse, nurse practitioner, and administrator. Since retirement she has taken the volunteer position as the Executive Director of Avicenna Community Health Center. 

Avicenna is a free and charitable clinic for people who are uninsured. The clinic is operated by volunteer healthcare providers, healthcare professional students and community members.  It is an interfaith, academic and community partnership. Their mission is to provide healthcare to the uninsured, engage in preventive healthcare through community screenings and to promote health awareness through education and information dissemination.  

The hours of the clinic are from 1 to 4 on Sunday and during that time the work they do includes medical exams, lab work and dispersal of medication. They will provide information to the patient for use in further treatment and places for treatment. 

Avicenna sets up information stands at various locations through the area in order to get the word out to those in need. They also keep medical records for each patient and share services with other free clinics.

Avicenna is having a benefit Dinner on July 23 at the iHotel. You can register on line to reserve your seat at Avicennahealth.org or email at info@Avicennahealth.org. Or simply call at 217-416-1440.  Additional information about Avicenna can be found at their web site at www.AvicennaHealth.org. 

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

June 9th – Megan Casey, Frances Nelson and SmileHealthy

June 16th – Visioning Training

June 23rd – Ben LeRoy, City of Champaign Planning Department, will discuss the proposal to change design standards in certain residential and commercial areas

June 30th – TBD

July 7th – Steve Carter will discuss the recommendation by the Unit 4 Facilities Committee for a new high school and other building projects

July 14th – TBD

July 21st – TBD

July 28th – TBD

August 4th – TBD

August 11th – TBD