“I feel strongly about showing up and being prepared and not taking the opportunity for granted and being conscientious about my fellow co-workers.” ― Paul Schneider 

“I never thought of losing, but now that it’ s happened, the only thing is to do it right. That’s my obligation to all the people who believe in me. We all have to take defeats in life.” ― Muhammad Ali 

ANNOUNCEMENTS
(notes provided by the erudite Mary Hodson)

President Rod asked everyone to make a special effort to attend the July 28th meeting for the District Governor’s visit.

There will not be a breakfast meeting on August 25th.   Our Visioning Meeting will be held that at 5:00 that evening at the Hawthorne Suites

The Social Committee is planning a “Slow Ride” around Champaign – Urbana.   Sign up via email.

PROGRAM

Allan introduced John Marlin.   John received a PhD in Entomology from the University of Illinois.  He was a key player in the battle to save Allerton Park from the Oakley dam in the 1970’s.   He was the founding director of the Coalition on American Rivers which is now Prairie Rivers Network.

Governor James Thompson appointed him to the Illinois Pollution Control Board in 1983 where he served over nine years, including several as chairman.   He then spent 19 years at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center.

Now retired, Dr. Marlin spends much time as a volunteer coordinating the establishment of native planting projects on the campus to support bees, butterflies and other insects and birds that depend on them.

His wife Diane is currently serving as President of the Urbana Rotary Club.

John described a modern environment that is an ecological desert for birds and insects.  He explained that native birds and insects evolved over time feeding on the plants within their territory.   Landscapers sell plants and trees like Autumn Olive and Bradford Pear that are “insect resistant”.  That means that they are non-native species that local insects cannot eat.   Since birds feed on insects, a reduction of insect populations reduces the bird population as well.    Because non-native plants have no natural enemies, they become invasive.   Such plants take over swamps, woodlands and prairies.   

Farmers have eliminated fence rows and hedgerows and they mow the ditches, thus eliminating habitat for native species.   In urban areas, herbicides that kill everything but grass eliminate plants that our insects depend on.  Dead trees and leaves, natural insect habitats, are removed.   

If you like birds then it is recommended that you plant native trees and plants.   Yards and gardens should include native plants that bloom at various times.  Insects come out when the plants they eat are in bloom and then hibernate the rest of the year.    After plants are done blooming, leave dead stems for insects to live in during the winter months.  

Native plants can be purchased at the Grand Prairie Friends annual plant sale, held every Mother’s Day weekend, at Lincoln Square Mall.   Even a small area in your yard can provide a natural habitat for local species.  

John showed photos of the prairie East of the University President’s house.   He leads a group of students and volunteers who have cleared this and other campus areas of invasive species.  From the restored prairie next to the President’s home alone they removed 57 pickup truck loads of non-native and invasive species.   He recommended parking your car and taking one of five paths through the area.

John also recommended the book “Bringing Nature Home” by Douglas Tallmany for a good overview of graduate ecology.   
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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

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 – Deb Feinen, Mayor of Champaign

August 18th – TBD

August 25th – Regular meeting canceled; 5:00PM Club Visioning Session at Hawthorne Suites

September 1st – TBD

September 8th – TBD

September 15th – TBD

“A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.” ― Muhammad Ali 

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” ― Confucius 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Notes provided by Allan Penwell).

Bob announced that our Visioning meeting will be at the Hawthorne Suites on Thursday, August 25th.  Time is 5:00 p.m., and there is no morning meeting.  We will have a sandwich buffet, and the meeting should be over at 8:00 p.m.  We will need 20 club members, and there will be 10 district Rotarians to help with the meeting.

Rotarian Ellen Schmidt, director of the Parkland Foundation, attended our breakfast meeting.  Parkland is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and there will be a gala on August 20th.  At the gala, there will be a drawing for a 1966 Mustang, and tickets are $50 each.  Call Ellen if you would like a ticket. Here is a link to the story:   http://www.news-gazette.com/multimedia/photogallery/2016-07-17/parkland-college-mustang-raffle.

What are you doing on Saturday, July 30th?  For a fun time go to Champaign Urbana Design Organization’s PechaKucha Night at KCPA and see our own Darrell Hoemann present….well he didn’t say what he was presenting, but the KCPA website notes the following:  “Remember: adult language and topics are always a possibility.”  Be your own judge.

PROGRAM

Our presenter at the July 13th meeting was Judy Miller who was fittingly introduced by Laura since Laura worked for her at the Urbana Park District.  Judy is the environmental program manager at the UPD.  There are many nature areas in Urbana, but Judy is excited about developing Busey Friendship Grove at Anita Purves Nature Center.  The project is the Nature Playscape which is a hands-on, kid-directed outdoor play space where fun in nature is led by a child’s imagination, ingenuity, and industrialism. 

Judy looked at two or three other similar projects and believes it is unique in its design.  There will be forts and tunnels.  There will be trees to climb on, places to dig, and paths to investigate.  Bids are in the process of being let, and opening day will be April 22nd next year.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

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 – Deb Feinen, Mayor of Champaign

August 18th – TBD

August 25th – Regular meeting canceled; 5:00PM Club Visioning Session at (Xpm) at Hawthorne Suites

September 1st – TBD

September 8th – TBD

September 15th – TBD

“I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world.” ― Thomas A. Edison 

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” ― John Lubbock 

Announcements

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

President Rod noted several items:

1) Rotary District Governor Kevin Yonce will be visiting our club on July 28th.

2) The next board meeting will be this Tuesday.

3) Our Rotary “Visioning” session will be the evening of August 25th at the Hawthorne’s Grand Prairie room in lieu of our regular morning meeting. Bob is our club’s Visioning coordinator and will announce more information as that date approaches. 

Rod also handed out this year’s club committee listing for each member to fill out by selecting your 3 choices and return to him. If you do not know what each committee does please contact Rod.

Club History

We have met at several locations over the nearly 28 years our club has been in existence. Our first meetings took place at the restaurant currently call the Urbana Garden Family Restaurant on North Lincoln, Urbana. As the club grew we moved to North Cunningham at the location of the current Eastland Suites. Our next move for more space was to North Neil in Champaign at the Holiday Inn which is currently a vacant lot. Then we moved to South State street to a building which is now the parking lot just west of our current home the Hawthorne Suites.

Program

Tod introduced Steve Carter, retired City manager of Champaign, who presented an update on the current planning taking place for improving Champaign School Unit 4’s facilities. When you combine the years without investing in the buildings, the growth in student numbers, the age of the existing buildings, and the importance of high quality schools representing Champaign, much work is needed.     

Steve started with giving information about the new school board and its desire to be collaborative and transparent on all the planning for the future Unit 4 buildings. All the information, recommendations and drawings presented this morning can be found on Champaign Unit 4’s web site.

Steve continued noting that town hall meetings have been taking place with public input being received. The committees have formulated plans that include these objectives.

a) The continued improvement in the education of the student is most important.

b) The overall plan, while flexible, must look 10 to 20 years into the future and recognize student growth.

c) The plan must utilize existing structures while recognizing impact on the neighborhoods.

d) The Construction costs, operation costs and transportation costs must be recognized.

e) Central High School, Edison, International Prep Academy, Dr. Howard, South Side must all be addressed along with the purchasing of land around existing sites. All these schools are to be renovated, expanded or rebuilt. Steve showed each school’s schematic site plans showing the current thought.

The financing for all of this will be costly. Cost has been projected with these preliminary information to be $300 million for everything. Current methods of paying for this and how this work can be phased over time are other issues being reviewed. General obligation bonds, Working Cash Bonds, 1% sales tax, increase in property tax (Champaign currently has one of the lowest rates), joint venture on shared space with local governmental organizations, existing reserves, State payments and private fundraising, and others are all being looked into. 

The next steps include continuing public input, public surveys and further information gathering. The School board has set an August 22deadline to finalize the plan and put it on this fall’s ballot for public approval. 

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

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 – Eliana Brown, Outreach Specialist with the Illinois Water Resource Center and the Illinois Indiana Sea Grant

August 25th – Regular meeting canceled; Club Visioning Session at (Xpm) at Hawthorne Suites

September 1st – TBD

September 8th – TBD