“Commitment is the foundation of great accomplishments.” – Heidi Reeder – Author

“In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.” –

Davie Hollis – Author

“The real value of setting goals is not the recognition or reward, it’s the person we become by finding the discipline, courage, and commitment to achieve them.” – Anonymous

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Notes provided by Allan Penwell)

Bucket money for June is the Angel Fund administered by Cunningham Township to fund food, housing, and basic needs for Urbana residents.

Bucket money for May was $500 and sent to C-U at Home. In these difficult times, the board has increased the amount from $150 to $500. Members are encouraged to add to the amount taken out of the club treasury.

Dues are due soon. Many of us have been lucky throughout this unusual time, but some of us may have been furloughed or had their pay reduced. Please reach out privately, and we will make some kind of arrangements. While your dues and donations help the cause, your presence trumps all of that, and we want to keep our Rotary family whole during this time.

PROGRAM

Our Zoom speaker last week was Nicole Musumeci who is Eddie’s daughter. Her work embodies the goal of Rotary to help people, and she amazed us with her interesting life.

Nicole is a graduate of Central High School and the University of Illinois where she received a degree in Agriculture and Environmental Communications. In 2006 she signed up for the Peace Corps. She received 10 weeks of training in technical skills and the native language in country. After that she was sent to a small village in Zambia. Living conditions were very basic, and Nicole said that her family camping experience helped to adapt to conditions lacking electricity and running water.

For the first three months she spent time just getting to know the people and was lucky that a neighboring family took her in and helped her with the adjustments. Slowly she began helping the local farmers, of whom many had HIV, to become more efficient in growing and marketing crops. Although English is the official language of Zambia, it was not the native language. Nicole began teaching English to the villagers and started a small library. After she returned to the United States in 2009 she raised money to establish a library in a neighboring town, Chadiza. In 2010 and 2012, Nicole returned to Zambia to continue building the library and helping the local villagers.

Nicole continued her community work in Champaign and established Prosperity Gardens as part of her AmeriCorps service. Prosperity Gardens offers affordable, locally grown produce for Champaign-Urbana’s low-income residents. She partnered with UIUC students who were studying nutrition to begin this project in 2010. Later she worked with Champaign’s READY program and the Boys and Girls Club to employ students to gain job experience in growing and marketing vegetables. When they found needy people did not go to the farmers’ market, a mini-bus was purchased and produce was brought to the neighborhoods.

Presently, Nicole continues her work with Prosperity Gardens and is involved in work force development with CU at Work which is sponsored by Champaign Township.

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

*All meetings via Zoom*

June 4th – Gabe Lewis from the Regional Planning Commission will speak about the Census (Tom)

June 11th – Dean Plumadore, president of the Champaign County Sports Car Club will talk about the group’s activities and how you can participate (Cary)

June 18th – Arielle Gross Samuels (Ondine’s daughter), Head of Global Business Strategy and Engagement at Facebook, will provide an overview of Facebook’s response to the Pandemic and key lessons learned on how to keep people safe, build useful products, and support businesses of all sizes

June 25th – Pass the Gavel ceremony

July 2nd – TBD (Mary)

July 9th – Club Assembly

July 16th – District Governor Mike Step

July 23rd – TBD (Bob)

July 30th – Club Social

August 6th – TBD (Cary)

August 13th – TBD (Charlie)

August 20th – TBD (Ondine)

August 27th – TBD (Tom)

September 3rd – TBD

September 10th – TBD

September 17th – TBD

September 24th – TBD

October 1st – TBD

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”– Coretta Scott King

“Without commitment you cannot have depth in anything whether it’s a relationship, a business, or a hobby.” – Neil Strauss – Author

“The process of spotting fear and refusing to obey it is the source of all true empowerment.” – Martha Beck – Author-Speaker-Life Coach

“Commitment is an act, not a word.” – Jean-Paul Sartre – 1905-1980 – Novelist-Playwright

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

President Darrell opened our Zoom meeting with a rousing rendition of America the Beautiful sung by the US Army Chorus.

Eddie’s impromptu reflection quoted a native American proverb: Eh shi du tellana mantro translated as “Open my eyes so I can see.”

Bucket money this month will go support CU@Home.

District Governor Julie Dobski was our special guest in attendance.

PROGRAM

Jean Driscoll was introduced by Bob.

Jean Driscoll is an American wheelchair racer. She won the women’s wheelchair division of the Boston Marathon eight times, more than any other female athlete in any division. Her wins in Boston included seven consecutive first-place finishes from 1990 to 1996. Driscoll participated in four Summer Paralympic Games, winning a total of five gold, three silver, and four bronze medals in events ranging from 200 meters to the marathon.

Jean was born with spina bifida. She grew up in Milwaukee. She began using a wheelchair in high school and became involved in a variety of wheelchair sports. She was recruited to play wheelchair basketball at the University of Illinois where she also joined the school’s wheelchair track and field team.

Jean had a legendary racing career, winning major marathons and Olympic medals. However her mastery at the Boston Marathon is amazing, especially given the fact she wasn’t interested in distance racing in the first place and had to be cajoled into doing so by her Illinois coach Marty Morse.

At the 1990 Boston Marathon Jean set a world best time of 1:43:17, beginning a seven-year winning streak in that race. She set a world record at the 1991 race with a time of 1:42:42, and won her fifth Boston and broke the world record a fifth time in 1994.

With her win in 1996, she became the first person to win seven consecutive Boston Marathons. Her streak ended the next year, when the wheel on her racing chair got caught in a trolley track, causing her to crash and the tire to go flat. At the 1998 race, Jean was approaching the finish line in first place when she was caught and lost by half a wheel. Jean finished in second place for a third time in 1999. In 2000, Jean won for the eighth and last time, giving her more wins at Boston than any other person.

Training for marathons, especially Boston, wasn’t easy in central Illinois where the only approximations of Heartbreak Hill are the I-57 and I-74 overpasses. Training included 120-150 miles per week and strength conditioning. Jean was able to bench press 210lbs. Wheelchair sports were not NCAA events back then which allowed Jean to accept racing prize money, including $25,000 for her first Boston Marathon win which paid her way through college at the University of Illinois.

In 2012, Jean was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

In 2001 Jean became involved with Joni and Friends, a non-profit dedicated to helping people with disabilities around the world. Joni and Friends sponsors a program called Wheels for the World in which Jean joined and taught wheelchair track camp in Ghana, West Africa.

Polio was the primary affliction causing disabilities in Africa. Having a disability in Africa isn’t generally considered socially acceptable. It is believed to be a curse from God, and individuals with disabilities are thought to have no use to society.

Through the efforts of Jean and others, perceptions of people with disabilities in Ghana began to change. By 2004 Ghana qualified three representatives for the Paralympic Games in Athens. The national pride of seeing the Ghana flag carried at the opening ceremony was a special and memorable moment for the entire Ghana nation.

Jean, who lives in Champaign, is an inspiration for athletes in any sport and serves as a mentor for many.

In addition to motivational speaking, Jean serves as the Assistant Dean for Advancement in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois.

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

*All meetings via Zoom*

May 28th – Nicole Musumeci, Eddie’s daughter (Charlie)

June 4th – Gabe Lewis from the Regional Planning Commission will speak about the Census (Tom)

June 11th – Dean Plumadore, president of the Champaign County Sports Car Club will talk about the group’s activities and how you can participate (Cary)

June 18th – Arielle Gross Samuels (Ondine’s daughter), Head of Global Business Strategy and Engagement at Facebook, will provide an overview of Facebook’s response to the Pandemic and key lessons learned on how to keep people safe, build useful products, and support businesses of all sizes

June 25th – Pass the Gavel ceremony

July 2nd – TBD (Mary)

July 9th – Club Assembly

July 16th – District Governor Mike Step

July 23rd – TBD (Bob)

July 30th – Club Social

August 6th – TBD (Cary)

August 13th – TBD (Charlie)

August 20th – TBD (Ondine)

August 27th – TBD (Tom)

September 3rd – TBD

September 10th – TBD

September 17th – TBD

September 24th – TBD

October 1st – TBD

“Winning and losing isn’t everything. Sometimes, the journey is just as important as the outcome.” – Alex Morgan – Professional Soccer Player

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson – 1803-1882 – American Essayist-Poet

“If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place.” – Lao Tzu – Chinese Philosopher

PROGRAM
(notes provided by the erudite Mary Hodson)

Mary introduced Craig Rost, past president of Champaign Rotary and Commodore of the Clinton Lake Sailing Club.

Craig served the City of Champaign for twenty-five years as the Deputy City Manager for Development.   He has taught an economic development class in the UIUC Urban and Regional Planning Department for over ten years.  Following four years as Director of the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, Craig is now able to devote time to some of his favorite causes: the Public Art League; Champaign Public Library, and the Clinton Lake Sailing Association. 

Clinton Lake is owned by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Clinton Lake Power Company, and Dewitt County.   Therefore, there are no houses built around the beautiful lake.   It has a high water quality and is safe for swimming.  There are at least five species of fish, nesting eagles and blue heron.  Craig showed maps of the lake and an overhead view of the CSLA property.  

Craig outlined the four purposes of the CSLA: 

1)  The pursuit of sailing in all its forms;

2)  Socializing with CSLA members and guests;

3)  Education about sailing and boat safety; and

4)  Racing

A CSLA family membership is about $90 per year.  Membership includes the use of the club’s small boats and life jackets.   Members can park their own boats on CSLA grounds for a few additional hundred dollars per year.

Craig said sailing has many forms, sailing with small or large boats, windsurfing and kite surfing.   Members teach classes through Parkland and Heartland Community Colleges.  They offer summer programs for parents and kids to learn together.  

The club organizes lots of social and racing events including “The Glow” regatta which is held every summer.   “The Glow” attracts as many as thirty boats from as many as four states.  

Education and social events are temporarily suspended due to the pandemic.   But the lake is open for sailing.  Craig invited us to join him on his boat.  If you would like to try it out, just contact him at rostcr@gmail.com

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

*All meetings via Zoom*

May 21st – Jean Driscoll will discuss her experience as a wheelchair athlete as well as working for the University of Illinois (Bob)

May 28th – Nicole Musumeci, Eddie’s daughter (Charlie)

June 4th – Gabe Lewis from the Regional Planning Commission will speak about the Census (Tom)

June 11th – TBD (Cary)

June 18th – TBD (Ondine)

June 25th – Pass the Gavel ceremony

July 2nd – TBD (Mary)

July 9th – Club Assembly

July 16th – District Governor Mike Step

July 23rd – TBD (Bob)

July 30th – Club Social

August 6th – TBD (Cary)

August 13th – TBD (Charlie)

August 20th – TBD (Ondine)

August 27th – TBD (Tom)

September 3rd – TBD

September 10th – TBD

September 17th – TBD

September 24th – TBD

October 1st – TBD

“Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go.” – Hermann Hesse – 1877-1962 – Poet

“Feasts must be solemn and rare, or else they cease to be feasts.” – Aldous Huxley – 1894-1963 – Writer

“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” – Marie Curie – 1867-1934 – French-Polish Physicist

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Notes provided by Allan Penwell)

Bucket money for May will go to CU at Home.  For June, bucket money will go to Cunningham Township Angel Fund.

FROM THE DESK OF PRESIDENT DARRELL

For those members who paid ahead on meals, let us know if you would like a refund or would like to have it transferred to the foundation, and we could use it for purposes like the enchanted Bucket Money. This is an individual decision. The total amount is $1,337.

Oktay will be seeking nominations for the various awards. Please participate and make a nomination. A lot of different people have made sure we got a lot done this year, so take a few minutes and respond to Oktay’s request.

Dues are coming due soon. Many of us have been lucky throughout this unusual time, but some of us may have been furloughed or had their pay reduced. Please reach out privately, and we will make some kind of arrangements. While your dues and donations help the cause, your presence trumps all of that and we want to keep our Rotary family whole during this time.

PROGRAM

Phyllis introduced Debbie Hensleigh who is a local realtor and a volunteer for the food distribution program of Promise Healthcare known as Food as Medicine. Some of us have helped in re-bagging efforts, and Phyllis continues to send us volunteer opportunities. CUSR has also provided them with a $2,000 Rotary District Grant for their operations.

The Food as Medicine program teams with Frances Nelson Health Center to provide nutritious food primarily to low income Latino patients and families. Many of these families are from Guatemala and favor their own native foods such as masa flour, rice, dried black beans, and hard-to-get fresh produce. Debbie scours Champaign and Bloomington sources to find these specialties.

Sources she mentioned were Eastern Illinois Food Bank, Midwest Food Bank, and El Progreso grocery store. Each family is provided with a bag that provides 2-3 days of food and health information. The list of recipients has grown from 40 up to 80 families. These are families without food stamp benefits, and they are very, very grateful for this assistance. In addition to food, families desperately need diapers in sizes 4, 5, and 6.

Debbie talked about her focus on helping people approach the “ThirdThird” of their life (ages 60-90) with the purpose of making it the BEST Third. That’s completely possible with thought and action. She is leading the way and inspires others to design their own BEST “ThirdThird.”

In addition to all of the above, Debbie is hosting a dog as part of the breeding program of Leader Dogs for the Blind. 

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

*The following meeting dates and speakers are included for reference purposes only.  At this time, it is not clear which speakers will still be available to speak on the listed dates.*

May 14th – 

May 21st – Jean Driscoll will discuss her experience as a wheelchair athlete as well as working for the University of Illinois (Bob)

May 28th – TBD (Charlie)

June 4th – TBD (David)

June 11th – TBD (Cary)

June 18th – TBD (Ondine)

June 25th – Pass the Gavel ceremony

“Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world goes on.” – Mary Oliver – American poet

“Reading gives us somewhere to go when we have to stay where we are.” – Mason Cooley – American aphorist, professor

“Don’t let others decide who you are.” – Dennis Rodman – American Basketball Player

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Today’s “Zoom” CU Sunrise club meeting included our District Governor Julie Dobski live from Bloomington, Illinois and Rotary Cadre Wade Nomura live, awake and enthusiastic from Carpintera, CA.

After Oktay’s timely and moving reflection dedicated to today’s front-line workers, healthcare professionals and those families who have lost loved ones to the Coronavirus, the entire meeting was dedicated to Wade Nomura’s presentation.

PROGRAM

Wade is indeed an active and an exceptional representative of Rotary. While serving as Mayor of Carpinteria, California, he is also currently the Rotary International technical coordinator of Cadres for Water, Sanitation, Community and Economic Development in English and Spanish speaking countries. He is active in his community, a TV show host and producer, Rose Bowl Parade committee member, and a past BMX Champion and designer of Nomura BMX bikes. 

Wade began by explaining what his role as Rotary Cadre involves and what the various area of focus that are in Rotary Global Grants. His main focus this morning was on a Rotary Global Grant in Puerto Rico.

This Rotary Global Grant for Puerto Rico in the amount of $248,000, is to be used for economic development and agricultural projects. After hurricane Maria, Puerto was a devastated and isolated island. Puerto Rico has a history of importing 85% of its food and the strong need to become self-sustaining became overly apparent after Hurricane Maria. Historically most of the past agricultural lands on the island were used as plantations for sugarcane, tobacco and coffee.

This grant was designated for 50 farms scattered throughout the main island, the farms ranged from 15 to 70 acres, to help fulfill the need to feed the people of the island with locally grown crops. This grant’s emphasis is to help bring back family farming, grow a range of different food and teach men and women how to farm and prepare the variety of food.  The money went to these 50 farms which include family farms, co-op farms, restaurant owners, community farms and volunteers.

Each farmer selected how they would use the money. Wade gave several examples such as to purchase a tiller, purchase a large refrigeration storage unit, water irrigation, livestock, grafting and protecting and reforesting water sheds devastated by Hurricane Maria. Several slides shown during Wade’s presentation were of the various farms and locations he visited. The grant money has grown to nearly $300,000 and has a future phase to impact the larger cities on the island. 

So much information was presented and gained from this morning’s meeting. The information included a better understanding of Rotary Global Grants, how funds are distributed, and how we as Rotarians may be able to help throughout the world, and in our own community, during these difficult times.

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

*The following meeting dates and speakers are included for reference purposes only.  At this time, it is not clear which speakers will still be available to speak on the listed dates.*

May 7th – Debbie Hensleigh (Phyllis)

May 14th – Champaign Rotarian Craig Rost will speak about the Clinton Lake Sailing Association

May 21st – Jean Driscoll (Bob)

May 28th – TBD (Charlie)

June 4th – TBD (David)

June 11th – TBD (Cary)

June 18th – TBD (Ondine)

June 25th – Pass the Gavel ceremony

President Darrell opened our Zoom meeting at 7:00am.

There were no announcements.

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

Bob introduced Mayor Diane Marlin of Urbana.

Mayor Marlin was elected mayor in 2017. Prior to being mayor Diane served two terms on the city council – first in 2009 and re-elected in 2013. Diane was also president of the Urbana Rotary Club in 2016.

Diane is from LaSalle County, Illinois and first arrived in Champaign County in 1971 to attend the University of Illinois where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and a Master of Science in Foods and Nutrition. Diane met her future husband, John, while attending the U of I.

The major portion of Mayor Marlin’s presentation was to highlight the four major projects currently underway in Urbana.

1) Gather Point at Lincoln and University is a $45 million project of mixed-use hotel, apartments, commercial and common areas. This development will also be a visual gateway upgrade for visitors approaching the University of Illinois from Lincoln Ave.

2) University Avenue upgrade in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Transportation. This is a $8 million project to improve the surface, lighting, handicap ramps and pedestrian handrails at intersections.

3) Landmark Hotel is being redeveloped into a Hilton Tapestry property. $15 million has been designated for this project. The Landmark Hotel (the name will be changed) first opened as The Urbana Hotel in 1924. While the property is being renovated inside and out, the outside will maintain its familiar look to keep its historic building designation. A major part of the redevelopment plan is to weave into the renovation the history of the property and its associated identity. Having a brand such as Hilton is vital to the plan to attract more visitors to the property.

4) Goodyear development at Vine and Elm Streets will be a mix of two- and three-story apartment buildings. This project, being developed by Green Street Realty, is the first residential development in downtown Urbana in 15 years.

Other developments include a mixed-use construction on University Avenue on the site of the previous Niro’s Gyros restaurant. Also, phase 5 of the M-Core project is scheduled for this year which will resurface and improve Green Street from Busey Avenue to Race Street.  These improvements will be a significant corridor upgrade between the University of Illinois and Lincoln Square.

Other activities being managed out of the Mayor’s office include:

-The first city wide storm sewer update since 1980

-Facilities master plan project in which all city owned property will be assessed for ways to improve both building and employee efficiency. City employees are providing input as to how each facility can be upgraded to provide improved working conditions. Andrea Ruedi was hired from Fox Development to oversee the master plan.

-As liquor commissioner, Mayor Marlin oversaw the complete rewriting of the City liquor code to provide better flexibility for existing and new businesses. The new code was vastly streamlined by eliminating confusing and overlapping categories and making it more conducive to fit into modern business concepts.

-The City’s financial software was updated and is now cloud-based.  This update provides significant efficiencies and also provides access from city units not based in the city building.

Mayor Marlin was especially satisfied that, at least before the pandemic, the City’s financial position was meeting its goal of keeping 15% of its operating budget in reserve. This is especially important now putting the City in a much improved financial position to meet the demands of the pandemic.

Mayor Marlin was also excited to announce the May 2nd opening of The Market at the Square. This year’s market will be different to meet the restrictions placed on us by the pandemic. It will be a food only market, there will be no food touching until you make a purchase, and vendors will be trained to maintain the highest level of cleanliness and hygiene throughout the event. Masks will be worn by both vendors and shoppers. There will be an exception to the food only vendors, and that will be mask makers. The Market at the Square will not be quite the social event it has grown to be but as Diane said “It will happen, and will be part of the new normal.”

The meeting was closed with a rousing Zoom rendition singing Happy Birthday to Mary Kay!

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

*The following meeting dates and speakers are included for reference purposes only.  At this time, it is not clear which, if any, of these speakers will still be available to speak on the listed dates.*

April 30th – 

May 7th – Debbie Hensleigh (Phyllis)

May 14th – Club Assembly

May 21st – TBD (Cary)

May 28th – TBD (Charlie)

June 4th – TBD (David)

June 11th – Champaign Rotarian Craig Rost will speak about the Clinton Lake Sailing Association

June 18th – TBD (Ondine)

June 25th – Pass the Gavel ceremony