“What we all need to do is find the wellspring that keeps us going, that gives us the strength and patience to keep up this struggle for a long time.” – Winona LaDuke

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(notes provided by the erudite Mary Hodson)

Condolences to Larry Johnson, whose father passed away on February 20.

Darrell reported that he attended the chartering of the Champaign Community Rotaract Club.    He also announced that he is offering head shots at his studio after the March meetings.

PROGRAM

Tom Ulen introduced his colleague Professor Robert Lawless.   Bob received his BA and JD at the University of Illinois.  He co-authored “Empirical Methods in Law” with Tom who recruited him to return to the University of Illinois to teach.  Bob has also worked with Elizabeth Warren on research in the field of Bankruptcy Law and recently authored a NYT article entitled “The Graying of US Bankruptcy and Fallout from Life in a Risk Society”.

Professor Lawless described the “Consumer Bankruptcy Project” founded by Senator Warren and two others.   They collect public court records on bankruptcies.  They send paper surveys to a random sample and follow up with telephone interviews.  The major reasons for bankruptcy cited by the respondents are medical, job interruption and divorce.  When asked what they did to try to avoid bankruptcy, younger people are more likely to say that they worked more.   Older people are more likely to say that they took money out of their 401k.  

The findings show that bankruptcies among those 65 and older are “exploding”.   In 1991, one in  25 bankruptcies were filed on behalf of people over age 65.   Today, one in eight are over 65, a 478% increase, and the statistics show that it is not just because the population is aging.  

Across all age groups, 2/3 of respondent cite medical costs as a reason.  Among young people, 21% cite student debt.   Among those 65 and older, 22% say that they have helped someone else financially.  

Professor Lawless also believes that the shift from defined benefit to defined contribution pension plans is causing risks to be shifted to older individuals.  According to Lawless, “Resources that  used to be there are no longer there, and we need to fix gaps in the safety net.”   He also blames the increase in bankruptcies on the increased access to consumer debt beginning in  the 1980’s.  He said that campaign contributions from the consumer finance industry are the “poster child” for campaign finance reform.

—

—

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

February 28th – Dr. George Gross, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UIUC (Ondine)

March 7th – Don Wuebbles, The Harry E. Preble Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and University of Illinois Presidential Fellow, will speak about climate change (Phyllis)

March 14th – Kimberly Kendall will discuss Leisure, Aging, and Wellness (Tom)

March 21st – TBD (Bob)

March 28th – TBD (Charlie)

April 4th –  Kathy Sweedler, University of Illinois Extension, will speak about the Money Mentor program (David)

April 11th – TBD (Mary)

April 18th – TBD (Ondine)

April 25th – TBD (Phyllis)

May 2nd – TBD

Rescheduled – William D O’Brien, Professor Emeritus, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UIUC, will tell us about his current research in ultrasonic bioengineering (Mary)

“I’m fighting hard to make the world a better place, and you can, too. Get involved with your community, be a leader, set an example, be passionate, be your best.” – Gabrielle Giffords

“You’ve got to be confident when you’re competing. You’ve got to be a beast.” – Gabby Douglas

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Michelle passed out a signup sheet for a few more readers needed at “Read Across America”, March 2 at Lincoln Square in Urbana.

Cary noted that all members are asked to double check the club listings for your email address and phone number. The current listing is available at the next few meetings. The plan is to contact each member by text when and if a meeting is canceled due to weather or other emergency. 

PROGRAM

Charlie introduced Mark Kessler as this morning’s speaker. Mark is an instructor at Parkland College and an advisor for Parkland’s “CobraVenture.” The CobraVenture program was established to give Parkland College students with entrepreneurial business ideas the opportunity to get real-word experience. Mark has a very successful business background, and he shared his experiences with Parkland students in the classroom as well as through CobraVenture.

For the past nine years Parkland College Foundation has been honoring local “Entrepreneurs of the Year.” Now, with CobraVenture, an advisory board picked 11 students, from 32 applications, as its first CobraVenture class. These selected students will participate in 10 learning workshops this spring focusing on launching their own businesses. The workshop topics deal with defining and selling your potential business, identifying your customer and developing a marketing plan along with understanding business law and financial management. At the last workshop, the students will “pitch” their business plan in a competition to a panel of judges who will award a $3,000.00 scholarship to the winner as seed money to start the company. 

Mark’s goal is for the students to encourage, engage, equip, and execute their plan into reality. While this is the first year for CobraVenture, it will become an annual event with workshops in the spring as invitations are already out for accepting applications this coming fall.

For more information please see Parkland College’s web site: CobraVenture. 

 
—
 

—
 

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

February 21st – Dr. Bob Lawless, Max L. Rowe Professor of Law, UIUC, will discuss the elderly and bankruptcy (Tom)

February 28th – Dr. George Gross, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UIUC (Ondine)

March 7th – Don Wuebbles, The Harry E. Preble Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and University of Illinois Presidential Fellow, will speak about climate change (Phyllis)

March 14th – Kimberly Kendall will discuss Leisure, Aging, and Wellness (Tom)

March 21st – TBD (Bob)

March 28th – TBD (Charlie)

April 4th – TBD (David)

April 11th – TBD (Mary)

April 18th – TBD (Ondine)

April 25th – TBD (Phyllis)

May 2nd – TBD

Rescheduled – William D O’Brien, Professor Emeritus, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UIUC, will tell us about his current research in ultrasonic bioengineering (Mary)

 
“My passion for surfing was more than my fear of sharks.” – Bethany Hamilton
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
(Notes provided by Allan Penwell)
Mary announced that we have received many thank you notes from children who have received our books through Head Start.
 
Michelle noted that Read Across America is Saturday, March 2^nd at Lincoln Square Mall. Please volunteer to be a reader.
 
Bob mentioned that we had to cancel two previous builds for Habitat for Humanity because of weather. He is working on another date and will let us know of the opportunity.
 
 
PROGRAM
Dave’s wife, Tiffani, gave us an inspiring program on Rotary Youth Exchange. Several years ago she was an exchange student in the Philippines which opened her eyes to the wonders of knowing people from other countries. Unfortunately, there is no exchange program in our local Rotary clubs, but the Champaign club will have one next year.
Tiffani introduced two University of Illinois students who were in Rotary Youth Exchange who described their experiences. Aaron Blue was sponsored by the Jacksonville Rotary Club and Ellie Carpenter was sponsored by the Monticello Rotary Club. Both had terrific experiences with the host families in their destination countries. Aaron was in the Netherlands and said that he could not speak a word of Dutch, but he quickly learned so a language prerequisite is not necessary. Ellie was an exchange student in France and had a similarly wonderful experience.
Exchange students stay with three different host families, and all said these families have become life-long friends for them. In addition to staying in their designated country, both students were able to travel in Europe which was an added bonus.
Tiffani is working to get other local clubs back into Rotary Youth Exchange because it is such a good program. A club has to donate $1,000 to the program and find three host families for the exchange students. There are also certain requirements for the host families which must be met such as a bedroom for the student and desk. The other benefit to hosting students is that we can have outbound students which we have not had. I think many of our club members were surprised that area clubs have not been participating in this program.
 
—
 

—
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee member responsible listed in parentheses)
February 14th – Mark Kessler will discuss Parkland’s Cobra Ventures program (Charlie)
February 21st – Dr. Bob Lawless, Max L. Rowe Professor of Law, UIUC, will discuss the elderly and bankruptcy (Tom)
February 28th – Dr. George Gross, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UIUC (Ondine)
March 7th – Don Wuebbles, The Harry E. Preble Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and University of Illinois Presidential Fellow, will speak about climate change (Phyllis)
March 14th – Kimberly Kendall will discuss Leisure, Aging, and Wellness (Tom)
March 21st – TBD (Bob)
March 28th – TBD (Charlie)
April 4th – TBD (David)
April 11th – TBD (Mary)
April 18th – TBD (Ondine)
April 25th – TBD (Phyllis)
May 2nd – TBD
Rescheduled – William D O’Brien, Professor Emeritus, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UIUC, will tell us about his current research in ultrasonic bioengineering (Mary)

 
“I believe that the most important single thing, beyond discipline and creativity is daring to dare.” –  Maya Angelou
 
NOTES
There was no regular meeting last week.  Instead, we gathered for a social at Pour Brothers in downtown Champaign.  Thanks to all who made it!
 
—
 
 

 
—
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee member responsible listed in parentheses)
Rescheduled – William D O’Brien, Professor Emeritus, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UIUC, will tell us about his current research in ultrasonic bioengineering (Mary)
February 7th – Tiffani Henry will discuss Rotary Youth Exchange (David)
February 14th – Mark Kessler will discuss Parkland’s Cobra Ventures program (Charlie)
February 21st – Dr. Bob Lawless, Max L. Rowe Professor of Law, UIUC, will discuss the elderly and bankruptcy (Tom)
February 28th – Dr. George Gross, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UIUC (Ondine)
March 7th – Don Wuebbles, The Harry E. Preble Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and University of Illinois Presidential Fellow, will speak about climate change (Phyllis)
March 14th – TBD (Tom)
March 21st – TBD (Bob)
March 28th – TBD (Charlie)
April 4th – TBD (David)
April 11th – TBD (Mary)
April 18th – TBD (Ondine)
April 25th – TBD (Phyllis)
May 2nd – TBD