“Take one step in the direction of your dreams and watch the Universe perform miracles to help you.” – Alexandra Domelle – Founder of Mindful Moment

“You will either step forward into growth, or you will step backward into safety.” – Abraham Maslow – 1908-1970 – American Psychologist

“The best teachers are those who show you where to look but don’t tell you what to see.” – Unknown

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(notes provided by the erudite Mary Hodson)

CU Sunrise was #1 in football guessing for the last week and #3 for the year.

Mary Kay gave a year end wrap up:  We received a District Grant of $2,000 for “Reach Out And Read”, donated $1,000 to Polio Plus and $1,00 to Books for Congo, gained two new members, performed 120 hours of service just since August, and received a District Award for the Karaoke Night. 

We grossed $1,000 more in citrus sales this year, but our cost for the fruit also went up. 

There will be no meeting on Christmas Eve, but we will have a Zoom party at 7 PM on New Year’s Eve.   

Our Ambassadorial and Peace Scholar Shannon O’Rourke Kasali and her husband Baraka moved to be closer to her family in MI before the arrival of their little girl Nia Maeve. 
Ondine announced the Peace Committee’s plan for our January 7 meeting.   She is calling it “Dream Day”.   In the meantime, imagine a COVID free world and think about two questions:  1). If you had unlimited resources, what would you do?  and 2)  If CU Sunrise had unlimited resources, what would you do? 

PROGRAM

Several members spoke about their childhood holiday traditions.

Ondine’s immigrant grandparents wanted to celebrate Christmas.   Hanukkah was not as important as Rosh Hashanah and Passover.  It wasn’t until she married that she and her husband began to celebrate Hanukkah.   She showed a cute YouTube video, “Elf Yourself”.

Oktay grew up in Cyprus, which was divided between the Greek Orthodox and Muslim Turks.  But Oktay remembered holidays from his childhood when they lived in peace together.  He used to help his grandfather make candy to sell to both Muslim and Orthodox children.  The Turks don’t celebrate the holiday, so his mother made wreaths and candles to sell to the Greeks. 

At the age of 15, Oktay had the opportunity to come to the US as an exchange student.  By this time, there was violence between the two cultures and fear was constant.  He asked to come to a small, peaceful town and ended up in Farmer City.  His host mother took him caroling at the homes of the elderly. 

Charlie moved from Panama to NYC when he was 5.  He wasn’t used to the cold.

Lou told how as a 4 year old, he took the ornaments off the tree and hid them in cubbies in the roll top desk.

Finally, Santa played a visit and asked for help in identifying childhood pictures of our members. 

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

*All meetings via Zoom unless otherwise noted*

December 24th – No meeting

December 31st – Regular meeting canceled; social at 7pm (location TBD)

January 7th – TBD (Ondine)

January 14th – TBD (Tom)

January 21st – TBD (Bob)

January 28th – TBD (Cary)

February 4th – Tom Hodson, Shelter Box (Charlie)

February 11th – TBD (Mary)

February 18th – TBD (Ondine)

February 25th – TBD (Tom)

March 4th – TBD (Bob)

March 11th – TBD (Cary)

March 18th – TBD (Charlie)

March 25th – TBD (Mary)

“Reading is the key that opens doors to many good things in life. Reading shaped my dreams, and more reading helped me make my dreams come true.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg – 1933-2020 – Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe – 1943-1993 – American Tennis Player

“A man’s mind, stretched by new ideas, may never return to its original dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. – 1841-1935 – United States Legal Historian and Philosopher

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Robb noted that it was another successful year for the fruit sale. Please get your money from the fruit sales or donation to Lou as soon as you can.

Get out that holiday sweater and wear it Thursday morning for this week’s Club meeting. Be sure to email Darrell any old Holiday photos you wish to share. 

PROGRAM

Ondine introduced Tracy Parsons as our speaker this morning. Tracy is the Community Relations Manager for the city of Champaign. He is responsible for managing the Community Relations Division of the City Manager’s office. He advises the City Manager on issues relating to human rights and community relations and serves as a liaison between the city and various community-based organizations, advisory boards and committees. Tracy also is responsible for facilitating the work of the Champaign County Community Coalition.

He has served as President/CEO of the Urban League of Champaign County and on several Boards of Directors in local businesses and social service organizations. Notably, Tracy was the first person to receive the joint keys to both Champaign and Urbana.

Tracy’s program this morning was on the Champaign County Committee Coalition and its vision, mission and activities. The Coalition has five areas of focus.

Police Community Relations

This focus area serves to bridge the gaps between law enforcement and the community, including building better communication. They hold “Listening sessions” where community members can bring discussion issues to the table for discussion.

Community Engagement

This focus area helps to bring together neighborhood groups by holding various block events and community gatherings. Many areas of our cities feel as if their neighborhood is isolated from the rest of the city and this group helps to break down this isolation.  The “Walk As One” activity is an example of one community engagement event.

Youth Development

The focus here is to provide support for youth activities and education. The initiatives include activities in the arts, culture, recreation, leadership and mental health. Over 500 young people were engaged in these activities last summer. Virtual programming has been made possible from several program partnerships.

Community Violence

Incidents of violence have risen to historic heights. So far this year we have had over 250 shooting incidents in Champaign County. Town halls have taken place to address gun violence. Police have been integral in addressing these town hall meetings.

Mutual Advocacy

Groups have been formed and meet to discuss race relations in the effort to get all groups together.

The Coalition currently holds monthly Zoom meetings in which are open to the public. The meetings are scheduled for every 2nd Wednesday of the month from 3:30 to 5:00pm. Please check the Champaign County Community Coalition’s website for more information about the organization and information on future monthly meetings with the Zoom connection.  

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

*All meetings via Zoom unless otherwise noted*

December 17th – C-U Sunrise Rotary Holiday Party (held during normal meeting time)

December 24th – No meeting

December 31st – Regular meeting canceled; social at 7pm (location TBD)

January 7th – TBD (Ondine)

January 14th – TBD (Tom)

January 21st – TBD (Bob)

January 28th – TBD (Cary)

February 4th – Tom Hodson, Shelter Box (Charlie)

February 11th – TBD (Mary)

February 18th – TBD (Ondine)

February 25th – TBD (Tom)

March 4th – TBD (Bob)

March 11th – TBD (Cary)

March 18th – TBD (Charlie)

March 25th – TBD (Mary)

‘Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Don’t teach a man to fish…and feed yourself. He’s a grown man. And fishing’s not that hard’ – Ron Swanson

“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.” – Rikki Rogers – Writer

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.” – Elizabeth Andrew – Author

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

Diana’s reflection was reciting The Object of Rotary.  The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideals of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster the following:

FIRST. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;

SECOND. High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarians occupation as an opportunity to serve society;

THIRD. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarians personal, business, and community life;

FOURTH. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

Football: Our Swami is killing it– CU Sunrise is (was) in 1^st place!

CU Sunrise Fruit Sale: So far, our club has netted $4600 from sales and expect a total of around $7000 once the cash contributions are collected.  Fruit is available from 430-6PM on 12/8/20 and 12/9/20 at the warehouse on N Elm St.  See Robb’s email for further details. 

Salvation Army Bell Ringing: Saturday 12/12, Walmart on Prospect, middle door. Contact Mary Kay if you can participate. There are slots open.

Bucket Bucks for November went to Grand Prairie Friends. You can now contribute at our web page using PayPal.

CU Sunrise Virtual New Year’s Eve Party, Thursday December 31^st at 7pm: stay tuned for more info, but get your holiday sweaters cleaned and ready because you’ll need them!

PROGRAM

This week’s speaker was Dr. Susan Zola, Superintendent of Champaign Unit 4 Schools.

Susan has been an educator for 37 years. In 1991, Susan started out in Unit 4 at Dr Howard School and has been in administration ever since.

Champaign Schools is the 3^rd largest employer in Champaign County after the University and Carle. There are over 2,000 employees serving over 10,000 students.

Under Susan’s leadership a new strategic plan was implemented in 2020, the first new plan since 2008. The updated plan guides Champaign Schools through the next 5 years with measurable metrics for each of its 19 campuses.

Susan also combined Unit 4’s executive team and cabinet, which totaled 20 administrators, into a more focused team of 8.

Construction on new/redeveloped school sites is ongoing, with some projects already completed. This redevelopment was an impressive undertaking, part of the $264 million project approved by voters.

One of the highlights of this construction project was in the architectural preservation and repurposing of many of the exterior brick walls into functional interior usage.

Susan talked about teaching during a pandemic as a significant undertaking, a learning process of implementation, and overall a successfully managed undertaking by all involved, from administrators, to staff to the teachers, and the students and their families. Bottom line, and what Susan always knew but found this exhibited in even greater ways is that “teachers always show up, teachers have a calling”.

Susan plans to retire as Champaign School’s superintendent in the summer of 2021.

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

*All meetings via Zoom unless otherwise noted*

December 10th – Tracy Parsons, Community Relations Manager for the City of Champaign (Ondine)

December 17th – C-U Sunrise Rotary Holiday Party (held during normal meeting time)

December 24th – No meeting

December 31st – Regular meeting canceled; social at 7pm (location TBD)

January 7th – TBD (Ondine)

January 14th – TBD (Tom)

January 21st – TBD (Bob)

January 28th – TBD (Cary)

February 4th – Tom Hodson, Shelter Box (Charlie)

February 11th – TBD (Mary)

February 18th – TBD (Ondine)

February 25th – TBD (Tom)

March 4th – TBD (Bob)

March 11th – TBD (Cary)

March 18th – TBD (Charlie)

March 25th – TBD (Mary)

“What’s better? Dogs or broomsticks? I mean will the world really ever know?” – Larry Bird – NBA player, coach, executive

“Gratitude connects us to others and feeling gratitude allows us to be our best selves. When we are truly grateful, we can count on living the life we want.” – M. J. Ryan – author

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” – Aristotle – 385 BC-322 BC -Greek Philosopher

ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTES

There was no meeting last week due to Thanksgiving.  However, today is the 33rd anniversary of the club.  Congratulations C-U Sunrise Rotary!

In honor of this important milestone the Newsletter Editorial Board wanted to share this photo of the their favorite #33 – Larry Bird.  Bird played for the Boston Celtics from 1979 until 1992 before injuries ended his career.  Known as the Hick from French Lick, Bird was a three-time NBA Champion, three-time Most Valuable Player, and 12-time All-Star.

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

*All meetings via Zoom unless otherwise noted*

December 3rd – Susan Zola (Mary)

December 10th – Tracy Parsons (Ondine)

December 17th – C-U Sunrise Rotary Holiday Party (held during normal meeting time)

December 24th – No meeting

December 31st – Regular meeting canceled; social at 7pm (location TBD)

January 7th – TBD (Ondine)

January 14th – TBD (Tom)

January 21st – TBD (Bob)

January 28th – TBD (Cary)

February 4th – TBD (Charlie)

February 11th – TBD (Mary)

February 18th – TBD (Ondine)

February 25th – TBD (Tom)

March 4th – TBD (Bob)

March 11th – TBD (Cary)

March 18th – TBD (Charlie)

March 25th – TBD (Mary)