“People aren’t born good or bad. Maybe they’re born with tendencies either way, but its the way you live your life that matters.”― Cassandra Clare 
 
“When I hear somebody sigh, ‘Life is hard,’ I am always tempted to ask, ‘Compared to what?’” ― Sydney J. Harris 
 
“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” ― Ernest Hemingway 
 
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
(notes provided by the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut, Eduardo Perrie)
 
Bob and Robb handed a $3,500 check to Michael Ujcich of the Courage Connection. The money was made possible from our annual Fruit Sale fundraiser. The Courage Connection provides services so that individuals and families can achieve safety, stability and self-sufficiency.
 
Rotarian Nester Ramirez joined us this morning and brought us up to date on his life as he recently moved back to Champaign from Chicago. All his life, Nester has been very active in community service projects and various Rotary-related activities. 
 
David noted that the cookies that are part of our breakfast this morning were provided by his daughter as she is preparing to leave for France on the Rotary Exchange Student Program.
 
 
PROGRAM
 
Oktay was the master of ceremonies and presented awards for our annual club’s awards and pass-the-gavel meeting. He thanked Bob and the Club’s board of directors for their service this past year and gave special mention to Lou, Phyllis, Allan, Andrew, Rod, Mary, Adam, David, Darrell, program committee and note takers who work throughout the year providing the critical, behind-the-scenes service for our club and district. 
 
The following Rotarians received recognition and awards this morning for contributing significant amount of time and service to our club and community.
 
Perfect Attendance
Michelle Barbey, Keith Brandau, David Henry, Mary Hobson, Bob LaCharite, John McDaniel, Phyllis Mischo, Robb Patton, Allan Penwell, Rod Roberts, Charlie Smith, Mary Kay Smith and Oktay Baran. All receive Rotary hats as the award. 
 
Special Awards
Finn Kerins received an award wrist band for his attendance at many meetings and his great attitude, charm, passion and energy. 
 
Keith Brandau received a CU Sunrise Rotarian Captain’s Hat as a special thanks for hosting the club social events this past year on his boat at Lake Shelbyville. He captained the party boat cruise, provided boat rides in his speed boat around lake Shelbyville, and hosted get-togethers on his and Kim’s house boat.
 
Alive, Alert, Awake & Enthusiastic Award
Cary Woolard
 
Courage Award
Scott Paceley
 
Distinguished Service Award
Lou Simpson 
 
Special Presentations
John McDaniel for his considerable ground work for the Hot Air balloon Festival project. 
Lou Simpson for his 30 years of unending service to our club and Rotary.
   
The New Rotarian of the Year Award
Mary Kay Smith
 
Rotarian of the Year
Robb Patton for this year’s club service, leading our successful Fruit Sales fundraiser and is an excellent example of “Service above Self”. 
 
The meeting ended with Bob receiving his past president’s pin as well as his plaque/gavel.  Cary also received his new president’s pin. Bob cited our club’s many achievements of the past year, and Cary stated plans and thoughts for our club’s coming year. 
 
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UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee member responsible listed in parentheses)
July 5th – Mary and Darrell will discuss the Rotary International Convention
July 12th – Dylan Gunn, Champaign Central High School Senior, will discuss his trip to Guatemala  (Mary)
July 19th – Jayne DeLuce, President and CEO, Visit Champaign County  (Phyllis)
July 26th – Dr. Darren Pascavage, Founding Head of School, Academy High (Tom)
August 2nd – TBD (Bob)
August 9th – District Governor Pennie’s visit
August 16th – TBD (Charlie)
August 23rd – Ondine Gross, mediator and consultant who participated in the Conflict Management Training provided by a Global Grant (Mary)
August 30th – No regular meeting
September 6th – TBD (David)
September 13th – Lola Lewis, Donation Liaison, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network (Phyllis)
September 20th – TBD (Tom)
September 27th – TBD (Bob)
October 4th – TBD (Charlie)

 
 “I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next.” ― Gilda Rander
 
“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” ― Dalai Lama 
 
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” ― Anais Nin 
 
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
(notes provided by the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut, Edward Perry)
 
We presented a $1,000 check to Dr. Palmer for the Men’s Emergency Shelter. The Men’s Emergency Shelter in Champaign is one of the recipients of the beneficiaries of our fruit sale fundraiser. Dr. Palmer thanked the club as the Men’s Emergency Shelter averaged 48 men every winter night, doubling its previous number and increasing the need for more capacity.
 
Mary and Darrell, as well as their spouses, are headed to Rotary International’s Annual Convention in Toronto, Canada next week. They will report back with a club program at our July 5th meeting.
 
Darrell noted that our club will have a booth at two events this summer: Taste of Champaign and Urbana’s Sweet Corn Festival. These events take place the last two weekends of August, and volunteers will be needed.  
 
 
PROGRAM
 
Charlie introduced Mark Herriott of Columbia Street Roastery. Mark started the successful Coffee Roastery in Champaign, and now produces 250,000 pounds of roasted coffee per year. They also provide tea, but coffee remains the biggest seller. He also provides roasted coffee to the Chicago area.
 
Mark provided interesting information about the world coffee locations, the workers involved and the harvesting, preparation and the roasting of the coffee bean. Coffee is grown in the mountainous area of tropical locations in the world. Approximately 10 feet of rain is needed each year to grow coffee in those areas. Before purchasing coffee in its raw form, Mark will inspect the international locations, meet with the plantation owners, inspect the land and methods of harvesting, and see how the workers are treated as well as their living conditions.
 
He showed the various stages of coffee production from harvesting to your hot cup of coffee. He showed a video of the hand picking method of harvesting and had examples of, and went through, the processes of washing, depulping, fermentation, drying and husking of the coffee bean.
 
Mark purchases the raw coffee bean and does the roasting. Blending the beans from different locations that are washed with those that are dried provides the various coffee tastes. Roasting time and temperatures can also vary and provide different flavors. 
 
He provided interesting facts about and benefits of coffee, including: coffee is a fruit; coffee is a good “fat burning” source if taken before working out as it allows the release of fatty acids in the blood stream; coffee and tea have the same amount of antioxidants; two cups of coffee provides 15% of your Vitamin B and helps increase the good cholesterol and lowers the bad cholesterol.  Furthermore, a single coffee tree can be harvested 3 times per year and will produce 1 pound of coffee. 
 
Mark employs 16 people locally and expressed the joy he gets from providing good coffee and helping provide the field workers with suitable incomes.   
 
 
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UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee member responsible listed in parentheses)
June 28th – Annual Awards and Pass the Gavel Ceremony
July 5th – Mary and Darrell will discuss the Rotary International Convention
July 12th – Dylan Gunn, Champaign Central High School Senior, will discuss his trip to Guatemala  (Mary)
July 19th – Jayne DeLuce, President and CEO, Visit Champaign County  (Phyllis)
July 26th – Dr. Darren Pascavage, Founding Head of School, Academy High (Tom)
August 2nd – TBD (Bob)
August 9th – District Governor Pennie’s visit
August 16th – TBD (Charlie)
August 23rd – TBD (Mary)
August 30th – No regular meeting
September 6th – TBD (David)
September 13th – Lola Lewis, Donation Liaison, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network (Phyllis)
September 20th – TBD (Tom)
September 27th – TBD (Bob)
October 4th – TBD (Charlie)

 
“I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition.” ― Martha Washington 
 
“Confidence… thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live.”― Franklin D. Roosevelt 
 
 
 “Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!” ― Anne Frank
 
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS      
(notes provided by the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut, Eduard Perri)
 
Darrell thanked everyone who helped the last two weeks with the setup, clean up, and food preparation at our temporary location. Our meeting on June 21st will be back at the Hawthorne. The actual meeting room in the Hawthorne is unknown.
 
Lou thanked everyone for their help at last weekend’s volunteer project. Lou brought in a few treasures collected during the removal of honeysuckle from Weaver Park in Urbana.  
 
Bob announced that our club’s Hot Air Balloon Festival project will not take place this year. It will hopefully take place next year. Everyone was thankful to John for all the hard work he has done this year trying to get the Hot Air Balloon festival up and flying.
 
Cary noted that we have received a thank you note from Big Brothers/Big Sisters for our donations this past year. 
 
Mary noted that our Club’s Rotary Global Scholar, Miranda, has completed her degree and is now actively looking for a job. She will be headed back home in a couple weeks. 
 
 
PROGRAM
 
Bob introduced today’s speaker, Micah Putman, who is the assistant facilities manager at The Robert Allerton Park in Monticello. Micah, who has been with the park 11 years, gave an overview of Allerton Park.
 
Allerton is a 1,517 acre park, nature preserve, and conference center located just west of Monticello, Il. Robert Allerton donated the land and buildings to the University of Illinois in 1946. In the last few years, with the help of donations and endowments, the Park has completed many projects to improve the park and increase its many activities. Micah noted that more such improvement projects are on the way.
 
The Robert Allerton Mansion continues to host conferences of all sizes, the visitor center has added a new café, and the clearing/enhancement continues in the formal gardens and open concert areas. The number of visitors continues to grow with over 150,000 expected this year. Please check their website, allertoninfo@illinois.edu or their Facebook page for all the new activities.
 
Micah gave detailed reports on current projects such as the Mansion accessibility/driveway improvements, the Triangle Parterre renovations and the Picnic Area improvements. All of these projects are done with respect to the history of the park and its natural setting.
 
Micah noted that there are many ways to provide volunteer services. One project he mentioned would be to help plant redbud and dogwood saplings along the new access walk to the Mansion. Micah noted the timeline for this project is this fall or early next spring, and that he would be happy to partner with CUSR to complete it.
 
With all the current projects and planned improvements, Allerton Park, known as the hidden jewel in east central Illinois, will shine even more brightly. 
 
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UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee member responsible listed in parentheses)
June 21st – Mark Herriott, Columbia Street Roastery will discuss coffee, tea, and the roastery (Charlie)
June 28th – Annual Awards and Pass the Gavel Ceremony
July 5th – Mary and Darrell will discuss the Rotary International Convention
July 12th – Dylan Gunn, Champaign Central High School Senior, will discuss his trip to Guatemala  (Mary)
July 19th – Jayne DeLuce, President and CEO, Visit Champaign County  (Phyllis)
July 26th – Dr. Darren Pascavage, Founding Head of School, Academy High (Tom)
August 2nd – TBD (Bob)
August 9th – District Governor Pennie’s visit
August 16th – TBD (Charlie)
August 23rd – TBD (Mary)
August 30th – No regular meeting
September 6th – TBD (David)
September 13th – Lola Lewis, Donation Liaison, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network (Phyllis)
September 20th – TBD (Tom)
September 27th – TBD (Bob)
October 4th – TBD (Charlie)

“One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes… and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.”― Eleanore Roosevelt 

 “The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.”― Rabindranath Tagore 

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” ― Abraham Lincoln 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(notes provided by the unconventional and unorthodox Paul Conforti)

This weeks meeting was held at Good Shepard Lutheran Church at the corner of Prospect and Devonshire in Champaign.

Les Schulte from Illini After 5 promoted his club’s upcoming fundraiser, Brews for Books, to be held this upcoming Wednesday, June 13 from 5-8 at Riggs Brewery in Urbana.Tickets are $12. Each ticket is good for one of the following: a full-sized beer or three sampler-sized beers or a full-sized beverage (like wine or soda). Additional beer and beverages available for purchase. Rosati’s Pizza will be there with $6 slices. A portion of all pizza sales goes to support C-U Illini After Five Rotary literacy projects. Music by Wellspring Duo (5 to 6:00 p.m.) and Riders of the Golden Maize (6 to 8:00 p.m.)

Angela introduced Central High School student Mikaela Williams, the winner of our annual Rotary Scholarship. Mikaela, who attended with her mom, made a very nice acceptance speech and thought our breakfast offering was a big plus!

Lou reminded everyone about the volunteer activity to clear invasive species on Saturday, June 9 at Urbana Park District’s Weaver Park. Meet at the park at 8am, and plan on finishing by 10am.

Neal Chamberlain and his wife Bernie will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Saturday June 16th at 2pm at First United Methodist Church in Champaign. All are invited to stop by to celebrate this amazing milestone.

PROGRAM

Mary introduced our speaker, Timothy R Pauketat, who is professor of medieval studies in the Department of Anthropology at UIUC. Professor Pauketat’s spoke about his interest in the ancient Illinois civilization that existed near and around Cahokia.  He discussed the culture that nurtured it, why it thrived for several centuries and why it eventually declined and disappeared.

At its peak around 1050 AD, Cahokia had between 40,000-50,000 inhabitants. Professor Pauketat revealed what we know about early urbanization of a place this size that was able to exist for so long. Anthropologists are beginning to understand that communities of people can exist and thrive when an area appeals to the spirituality of the people, whatever that might be. Indeed, if you visit Cahokia, one of the more important historical places in Illinois, you will now be able to explore how the “city” was designed to align with a variety of astrological markers including a once per generation moon occurrence and how 12 specific mounds pertain to 12 astrological “months”.

Professor Pauketat has an amazing Wikipedia page that those curious about ancient Illinois civilizations will find fascinating.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee member responsible listed in parentheses)

June 14th – Alternate Location – Micah Putnam, Allerton Park and Retreat Center (Mary)

June 21st – Mark Herriott, Columbia Street Roastery will discuss coffee, tea, and the roastery (Charlie)

June 28th – Annual Awards and Pass the Gavel Ceremony

July 5th – Mary and Darrell will discuss the Rotary International Convention

July 12th – Dylan Gunn, Champaign Central High School Senior, will discuss his trip to Guatemala  (Mary)

July 19th – TBD (Phyllis)

July 26th – Dr. Darren Pascavage, Founding Head of School, Academy High (Tom)

August 2nd – TBD (Bob)

August 9th – District Governor Pennie’s visit

August 16th – TBD (Charlie)

August 23rd – TBD (Mary)

August 30th – No regular meeting

September 6th – TBD (David)

September 13th – TBD (Phyllis)

September 20th – TBD (Tom)

September 27th – TBD (Bob)

October 4th – TBD (Charlie)