“All that you could ever desire is already present and only waits to be matched by your beliefs.” – Neville Goddard – 1905-1972 – Author-Influential Teacher

“Energy is contagious. Surround yourself with those who inspire you to shine through the fog!” – Anonymous

“A year from now you will wish you had started today.” – Karen Lamb – Author-Illustrator

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Robb thanked everyone for participating in another successful Fruit Sale fundraiser!  Approximately 450 cases of fruit were sold by the club. Robb and Tod added a Fruit sales table at Lincoln Square this past Saturday to help with the club’s total sales.

The Club’s bell ringing for the Salvation Army was a success with no wrist injuries reported! 

Paul announced that the annual CU Sunrise College Bowl Games Fundraiser will be started with half the proceeds going to the Club’s Foundation. 

There will not be a meeting on Thursday before Christmas, but a Zoom Social Meeting is being planned for the evening of December 30th.

PROGRAM

Our Annual Holiday Party took place last Thursday. Mary K organized the fun party which included a lively “White Elephant” gift exchange. “Unwanted” wrapped gifts were brought in by each member and each member/guest received a gift.

A sincere thank you and/or laughter followed each gift unwrapping. Gifts included books, wine, canned unsalted carrots, chili, a “Sham-Wow” towel set, a Singing Bass, lottery tickets, joke books, large wooden artistic African Mask, block planes, glass duck door stop, indoor herb growing lights and herb containers and much much more. The loudest laughter was heard as a rare, one of a kind, “Nut Cracker” gift was unwrapped.

The holiday festivities ended with a heart warming “Joy to the World”.  

PROGRAM UPDATE

Please see the photo below that was sent by our recent guest speaker, Ellen Miller, of a mural on a bridge right before the Mexico-U.S. border.

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

December 30th – No morning meeting.  Evening Zoom social instead

January 6th – TBD

January 13th – Dr. Kristin Hoganson, the Stanley S. Stroup Professor of United States History at UIUC will discuss her book, “The Heartland: An American History” (Tom)

January 20th – Jeremy Greer will discuss his epic 212 mile hike of the John Muir Trail (Ondine)

January 27th – Brant Houston, Professor and Knight Chair in Investigative & Enterprise Reporting, UIUC (Bob)

February 3rd – TBD 

February 10th – TBD (Cary)

February 17th – TBD (Charlie)

February 24th – TBD (Joe)

March 3rd – TBD 

March 10th – TBD (Mary)

March 17th – TBD (Ondine)

March 24th – TBD (Tom)

March 31st – TBD

April 7th – TBD

April 14th – TBD (Bob)

April 21st – TBD (Cary)

April 28th – TBD (Charlie)

May 5th – TBD

May 12th – TBD (Joe)

“Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.” – Aesop Fables

“To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.” – Leonard Bernstein – 1918-1990 – Conductor-Composer-Pianist

“How very little can be done under the spirit of fear.” – Florence Nightingale – 1820-1910 – Social Reformer-Founder of Modern Nursing-Organized Care for Wounded Soldiers at Constantinople

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(notes provided by the erudite Mary Hodson)

December 16 – Holiday breakfast with music by Mike Lloyd.  Bring a wrapped white elephant gift.

December 23 – No meeting

December 30 – Zoom Social

Jan. 15 – Feeding Our Kids – 10 AM to Noon

Feb. 8 – Books to Prisoners, 5-6:30 PM

Feb. 23 – Karaoke fundraiser

PROGRAM

Mary introduced Ellen Miller, an Ambassadorial Scholar who went to Senegal with our own Ambassadorial Scholar Shannon O’Rourke Kasali.   Ellen grew up in St. Charles, Illinois.   Her family hosted Rotary Exchange Students and Ellen was herself a Youth Exchange to Brazil in 2000-2001.  She received a BA in International Studies from DePaul and an MA in International Human Rights Law from the American University in Cairo, Egypt.  

Rotary took Ellen out of her comfortable suburban life.   Her year as an exchange student was “the best year of her life”.   She had 6 new parents and 6 new siblings.   She danced and became fluent in the language.  While in Brazil, she visited Victor Martinez, her former host brother from Argentina.   After 11 months, she “didn’t want to come home”.    Next, she studied International Studies and Cultural Anthropology at DePaul and did two studies abroad, one in Spain and one at the Mexican border where she witnessed the disparities between the US and Mexican sides of the border.   

Her first job out of college was with World Relief in Chicago.   She left that job which she loved to become a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in Descartes, Senegal.   Ellen remembers that her Rotary sponsor told her that the money they were giving her would be enough to build a well that would provide water for 5,000 people for the rest of their lives.   Instead, Rotary was giving the money to her as an investment in the future.  As an Ambassadorial Scholar, Ellen learned French and met Ambassadorial Scholars from around the world.   

Ellen spent two and a half years in Cairo and was there during the Arab Spring.   She had a downtown apartment in the middle of the revolution.  The US government offered to evacuate her to Turkey but would not provide any additional support.    Her then boyfriend’s family took her in and for the first time in her life, she felt like a refugee herself.  

After completing a graduate diploma in Psychosocial Community based Interventions, Ellen left Egypt.  She then worked contractually as a UN child protective officer in Central America.  During this time, she met Victor again.   Ellen returned to Chicago and began working for the Heartland Alliance National Immigrant Alliance as a pro bono manager.   She connects legal consul with clients who need help with the immigration process.    Ellen also volunteered as a mentor to girls in the foster care system. 

In April, after having known each other for 22 years, she and Victor were married.   To be with her new husband, Ellen moved to Tijuana, Mexico.   They are living just 14 miles from San Diego and 1k from the border, but her husband cannot cross it.   To apply for an immigrant visa, Victor must be vetted.   This includes extensive documentation and an interview.   However, the last U.S. administration laid off so many consulate staff that the wait for an interview is at least 10-12 months.   She is dismayed by the immigration policies of the current as well as the last administration.   

Ellen said that Rotarians are active in Tijuana.  They donate supplies to the shelters for refugees in the US and for those who must remain in Mexico.   At this time of year, Ellen asked us to remember that the holy family were once refugees just like the refugee families at our border.     

Mary asked Ellen what we as Rotarians can do to support the causes that are important to her.   She gave the websites for two organizations, www.immigrantjustice.org and www.foster-progress.org.

Ellen thanked us for the opportunity to speak and said that Rotarians give her hope for this world.

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

December 16th – C-U Sunrise Rotary Annual Holiday Party

December 23rd – No morning meeting. Happy Holidays!

December 30th – No morning meeting.  Evening Zoom social instead.

January 6th – TBD

January 13th – Dr. Kristin Hoganson, the Stanley S. Stroup Professor of United States History at UIUC will discuss her book, “The Heartland: An American History” (Tom)

January 20th – Jeremy Greer will discuss his epic 212 mile hike of the John Muir Trail (Ondine)

January 27th – Brant Houston, Professor and Knight Chair in Investigative & Enterprise Reporting, UIUC (Bob)

February 3rd – TBD 

February 10th – TBD (Cary)

February 17th – TBD (Charlie)

February 24th – TBD (Joe)

March 3rd – TBD 

March 10th – TBD (Mary)

March 17th – TBD (Ondine)

March 24th – TBD (Tom)

March 31st – TBD

April 7th – TBD

April 14th – TBD (Bob)

April 21st – TBD (Cary)

April 28th – TBD (Charlie)

May 5th – TBD

May 12th – TBD (Joe)

“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.” – Brene Brown – Professor-Lecturer-Author

“A good compromise is one where everybody makes a contribution.” – Angela Merkel – Chancellor of Germany

“Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it.” – Harper Lee – 1926-2016 – Novelist

ANNOUNCEMENTS

President Darrell showed a picture of the military flags that the club purchased for the Chez Center.

Salvation Army Bell Ringing will take place from 10am to 7pm on December 11 at the south door of Wal-Mart, 2610 N. Prospect.  The 4-5pm slot is still open.  Please contact Tod if you can help.

December 16 – Our morning meeting with be a holiday party.  Bring a guest and a wrapped, white elephant gift.

December 23 – No meeting.

December 30 – Zoom Social in the evening.

January 15 – Volunteer opportunity from 10am-12pm with Feeding Our Kids. See Phyllis to sign up.

February 23 – Karaoke Fundraiser in the evening at LODGIC.

ASSEMBLY

Joe proposed a partnership with the Chez Center.   He suggested that our club could help fund snacks during finals week, holiday parties, etc.   We might be able to sponsor a Rotaract or Satellite Club at the Chez Center.   Joe and Ray agreed to coordinate a committee to work with them.   Contact Joe if you want to serve on the committee.  

Robb announced that we have sold 419 cases of fruit.  With additional cash donations, we will more than meet our goal of $6k.   The club purchased about 25 extra cases and will sell them at the Urbana Farmer’s Market on December 11 and 18.

Larry suggested making a club donation to the fund established to help Liam Gasser, who was disabled following a road rage incident.  Consensus was that it would be better to donate to an organization than to an individual.   Mary Kay talked about the Crime Stoppers Victory Over Violence fund.   It was agreed to donate $500 from the club treasury and to solicit an additional $500 from members.   Send donations to Lou.   

Robb has reached out to other local clubs to see if they would be interested in helping to bring the Duck Race back to CU.

Darrell announced that the club will be looking for a President Nominee to serve following Scott’s term.   See Darrell if you are interested.

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

December 9th – Ellen Miller, Rotary Youth Exchange and Ambassadorial Scholar (Mary)

December 16th – TBD

December 23rd – No morning meeting

December 30th – No morning meeting.  Evening Zoom social instead.

January 6th – TBD

January 13th – Dr. Kristin Hoganson, the Stanley S. Stroup Professor of United States History at UIUC will discuss her book, “The Heartland: An American History” (Tom)

January 20th – Jeremy Greer will discuss his epic 212 mile hike of the John Muir Trail (Ondine)

January 27th – Brant Houston, Professor and Knight Chair in Investigative & Enterprise Reporting, UIUC (Bob)

February 3rd – TBD 

February 10th – TBD (Cary)

February 17th – TBD (Charlie)

February 24th – TBD (Joe)

March 3rd – TBD 

March 10th – TBD (Mary)

March 17th – TBD (Ondine)

March 24th – TBD (Tom)

March 31st – TBD

April 7th – TBD

April 14th – TBD (Bob)

April 21st – TBD (Cary)

April 28th – TBD (Charlie)

May 5th – TBD

May 12th – TBD (Joe)

“You can never leave footprints that last if you are always walking on tiptoe.” – Leymah Gbowee – Peace Activist

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall – Primatologist-Anthropologist

“Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.” – John Lennon – 1940-1980 – Singer-Songwriter-Musician-Peace Activist

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

Fruit orders should be arriving soon. Last year our fruit arrived on 12/8.

Tom Hodson distributed order forms for the Champaign West annual Poinsettia. Email cwrpoinsettia@gmail to place your order.

PROGRAM

Joe Rank introduced Derek Peterson, Director of the Allerton Park & Retreat Center.  Derek came to Allerton Park in 2006 as a ground’s keeper. He graduated from the UIUC with a degree in horticulture. He rose to the position of Director in 2016. Derek married his wife at Allerton.

Built as a private residence by artist and philanthropist Robert Allerton in 1900, Allerton Park and Retreat Center is a historical treasure that was donated to the University of Illinois in 1946. The property contains 1,500 acres of woodland and prairie areas, a mansion and reflecting pond, a 10-acre meadow, formal sculpture gardens, hiking trails, a café, and several lodging facilities.

In January 2015, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees approved the Allerton Park Master Plan. In 2016 a café was built into the gift shop. Programming events has been a primary focus in recent years. The first very first music concert drew upwards of 80 people. This past August the park hosted a concert with about 800 people.

The master plan schedule is tied to endowments. The Park is well on its way to its June 2022 fundraising goal of $8 million. A recent upgrade was converting the icehouse into an artist in residence apartment. The Peony Garden Walk was recently completed. Mid to late May are ideal times to visit.

A Decatur family has partnered with the Engineering School at UIUC to fund and build a new road to the mansion and improvements to the Foo Dog garden and tower. Inside the mansion, the dining room, library and solarium upgrades have been completed. A new visitors center is planned to be completed by December 2022.

There will be a Holiday Vendor Fair this weekend, December 3^rd through the 5^th. Also beginning December 3^rd and running into mid-January is Holiday Glow each night from 5pm to 9pm.  Now in its 6^th year, Holiday Glow transforms the evening park to a magical and inspirational holiday attraction.

Future projects include a new ¼ mile trail, a new maintenance shed and construction of a stage on the gate house lawn.

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

December 2nd – Club Assembly

December 9th – Ellen Miller, Rotary Youth Exchange and Ambassadorial Scholar (Mary)

December 16th – TBD

December 23rd – No morning meeting

December 30th – No morning meeting.  Evening Zoom social instead.

January 6th – TBD

January 13th – TBD (Tom)

January 20th – Jeremy Greer will discuss his epic 212 mile hike of the John Muir Trail (Ondine)

January 27th – TBD (Bob)

February 3rd – TBD 

February 10th – TBD (Cary)

February 17th – TBD (Charlie)

February 24th – TBD (Joe)

March 3rd – TBD 

March 10th – TBD (Mary)

March 17th – TBD (Ondine)

March 24th – TBD (Tom)

March 31st – TBD

April 7th – TBD

April 14th – TBD (Bob)

April 21st – TBD (Cary)

April 28th – TBD (Charlie)

May 5th – TBD

May 12th – TBD (Joe)