“If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor.” – Eleanor Roosevelt – 1884-1962 – Former First Lady of the United States

“I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go.” – Langston Hughes – 1901-1967 – Poet-Social Activist

“I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life.” – Louise Hay – 1926-2017 – Motivational Speaker-Author

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Notes provided by Lisa Crane)

Instead of a typical reflection, Mary Hodson shared her followings of other clubs across the country and the world and read a poem from one of them about wearing your Rotary Pin.

Robb informed us that after all the trials and tribulations, the fruit finally arrived.

Mary Kay went to a Central Interact meeting which happens to meet at the same time we do
They discussed their Fun Run, Trivia nite and Caring Connection.  She was impressed by their
well-run meeting. The advisor indicated that truancy is increasing due to anxiety of attending school. They are working to get more students involved so they feel a sense of belonging.

December bucket money will go to Storybook.

It was moved and seconded, followed by a voice vote for 2023-24 election of officers. All approved.  The following officers were announced by the incoming President Ata Durukan: Lisa Crane, President-Elect; Jerry Payonk, Secretary, Tod Satterthwaite, Treasurer; and Board Members: Robb Patton, Jen Shelby, Joe Rank and Scott Paceley.

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

Dec 21 – CU Sunrise Christmas Party & White Elephant gift exchange. We will be in Savoy Room.

Ded 28 – No meeting

Dec 28 – Reunion of Robb’s band at Carmon’s. Everyone is welcome to come listen, 7-10:30.

Jan 3 – CU Sunrise Rotary Board Meeting at 7am via Zoom

Jan 4 – First 2024 club meeting

April 19-21 – RYLA

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES 

Dec 16 (8:30-noon) – Crisis Nursery Holiday shop @ Orpheum

Jan 10 (5-6:30pm) – Books 2 Prisoners

SPEAKER

Michael Hogue introduced Bruce Rainey.  Bruce is the voice of JBJ; he used to be the “face” of Champaign Meijer when it opened.

His grandfather invented and distributed pottery. His mother, Arlene Rainey, worked with the pottery until 95 years young. She passed away at 105 yrs.

Bruce took us on a historical journey of his family’s pottery business. In 1895, it started as Eagle Pottery with brothers who moved from Ohio to Arkansas. In 1901, the brothers returned to Ohio and Bullet (his grandfather) stayed in Arkansas. He brought pottery pieces to World’s Fair in 1904 St. Louis.

C.D. “Bullet” Hyten, a master potter started, Niloak Pottery in 1910. He operated the shop in Benton, Arkansas for 37 years.  They used the natural-colored clays from nearby Pottery Hill. They designed unique multicolored spiral pieces which were hand turned. Niloak is Kaolin spelled backwards and was used by several Arkansas Governors as the official state gift. No two pieces were ever alike. The pottery was sold on the international market with a peak output of 75,000 pieces annually.  Bruce passed around pottery pieces and a book cataloging many pieces. We were extremely careful not to break any pottery!

From 1915-1928, the Nikolak pieces were in exhibitions, department stores, made as party favors, special orders, pieces for hotels, resorts and a Masonic Lodge. Then the depression hit. Bullet lost everything in the depression including the clay pits, buildings and patent. A little Rock businessman stepped in and bought the company and never produced the swirl ware again. They hired Bullet as a salesperson and consultant, and developed the Hywood brand of pottery.

In 1941, Bullet resigned and left Niloak and went to work for Camark pottery in Camden, AR. He and Arlene Rainey (Bruce’s mother) maintained the gift shop located in the old Niloak showroom in Benton, AR until his death in 1944. His mother then became a travelling saleswoman from 1944-46 taking over some of her husband’s territory.

Bruce has quite a few of the pieces they have acquired over the years. He shared some of them with us.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee members listed in parentheses)

December 21^st – CUSR Holiday Party

December 28^th – No morning meeting

January 4^th – Lieutenant Commander J. P. Thompson, USN, Associate Professor of Naval Science, UIUC “Life as a Navy Surface Warfare Officer and Assorted Sea Stories.” (Joe)

January 11^th – TBD (Lisa)

January 18^th – Rachelle Langley from the Rotary built data base DACdb (Mary

January 25^th – TBD (Michael)

February 1^st – TBD

February 8^th – TBD (Tom)

February 15^th – TBD (Cary)

UPCOMING BIRTHDAYS

December 29 – Jerry Payonk

January 18 – Jen Shelby

January 27 – Rod Roberts

January 28 – Scott Paceley

“Do not be afraid to start over.” – Pam Munoz Ryan – Writer

“When you choose to collect experiences rather than things, you never ever run out of storage space.” – Joshua Becker – Author-Writer-Philanthropist-Pastor

“Gratitude is the closest thing to beauty manifested in an emotion.” – Mindy Kaling – Actress-Screenwriter

ANNOUNCEMENTS

There was no morning meeting last week.  Check your email for updates from Chief Fruithead Robb Patton.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee members listed in parentheses)

December 7^th – Dr. Beth Conerty, Associate Director of Business Development – IBRL & RIO for iFAB Tech Hub, and Carly McCrory-McKay, Executive Director – Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, will discuss the iFAB Tech Hub (Mary)

December 14^th – Bruce Rainey, grandson of C.D. (Bullet) Hyten who created Niloak pottery (Michael)

December 21^st – CUSR Holiday Party

December 28^th – TBD (Cary)

January 4^th – Lieutenant Commander J. P. Thompson, USN, Associate Professor of Naval Science, UIUC “Life as a Navy Surface Warfare Officer and Assorted Sea Stories.” (Joe)

January 11^th – TBD (Lisa)

January 18^th – Rachelle Langley from the Rotary built data base DACdb (Mary

January 25^th – TBD (Michael)

February 1^st – TBD

February 8^th – TBD (Tom)

February 15^th – TBD (Cary)

UPCOMING BIRTHDAYS

December 1 – Larry Johnson

December 29 – Jerry Payonk