“Enjoy the journey and try to get better every day. And don’t lose the passion and the love for what you do.” – Nadia Comaneci – Former Gymnast-Gold Medalist

“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.”  – Herman Melville – 1819-1891 – American Novelist

“Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.” – Auguste Rodin – 1840-1917 – Sculptor

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Notes provided by  Lisa Crane)

Reflection: Phyllis remembered our wonderful member Lou Simpson, who passed away just  a little over a year ago, by rereading his obituary.

Ata and Lisa commented on their leadership training and thanked the club for supporting their attendance.

Ata presented the club with this year’s theme banner THE MAGIC OF ROTARY sharing a story that the International President Elect Stephanie Urchick from McMurray, Pennsylvania told. She got the idea of the theme after visiting a country helping to train a family with a home water filtration system. The child in the home asked her to “do the magic again.”

In March, our Bucket Bucks will go to the Child Advocacy Center.

In April, our Bucket Bucks will go to CASA.

UPCOMING EVENTS & SERVICE OPPORTUNITES

April 6 – Feeding our Kids (sign-up sheet passed around)
April 19-21 – Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) at Allerton
May 4 (9-noon) – District Assembly
May 4 (9-noon) – Newspaper folding @GSLC – save your newspapers
May 18 (9-3:30pm) – Rotary Leadership Institute @ Richland Community College in Decatur (the club will pay your registration fee).

SPEAKER  

Amy Heggemeyer moved with her husband to the Champaign-Urbana area in 2005 and is happy to call this place home. A mom to two girls, by day she works for the University of Illinois System and at night she’s a volunteer with the Champaign County chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gunsense in America, which is a grassroots movement that encourages a culture of responsible gun ownership and safe gun storage. Amy joined us today to share the Be SMART message. She gave a very informative talk despite the failure of the AV equipment.

The Be SMART campaign was launched in 2015 to promote responsible gun ownership in order to reduce child gun deaths. She discussed gun storage and referenced a website to discuss gun safety with kids: BESMARTforkids.org

Firearms are the leading cause of death for children. Six children die every day due to unsecure guns and 60% are homicide. Most of the tragedies occur in the home with unsupervised access to guns. She gave examples of news stories that occurred due to an unsecure gun left in a vehicle or home.

She defined the SMART acronym:

SECURE – Secure guns in homes and vehicles.  Hiding a gun is not securing a gun. Two guns are stolen every 15 min across the US.  She brought some free Cable locks. There are also Biometric safes and Trigger locks as well.

MODEL – Model responsible behavior. Many parents do not know that their child has handled a gun.

ASK – Ask about the presence of unsecured guns in the home where a child may visit.

RECOGNIZE – Recognize the role of guns in suicide. 90% of suicides with guns are successful. Remove guns from the home when a child or person is in distress. 20% of high school students have thought about suicide with a gun.

TELL – Tell your peers to be smart.

Amy also noted that her group is encouraging local laws about gun safety, including cold case second look after ten years, removing firearms access from persons involved in domestic violence cases, and increased safe storage bills.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee members listed in parentheses)

March 28^th –Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Kent Redfield (Tom)

April 4th – Rabbi David Tiechtel (Joe)

April 11^th –Al Nudo who will speak about Willard Airport (Tom)

April 18^th – Retired American Airlines Captain John Carey will speak by Zoom about his experience investigating U.S. Airlines flight 1549 that landed on the Hudson River in 2009 (Mary)

April 25^th – Jenette Jurczyk of The Family Room (Lisa)

May 2^nd – TBD

May 9^th – TBD

May 16^th – TBD

May 23 – Cooper, the Child Advocacy Center Comfort Dog (Joe)

UPCOMING BIRTHDAYS

April 3 – Mary Hodson

April 24 – Mary Kay Smith

“We first make our habits, then our habits make us.” – John Dryden – 1631-1700 – English Poet-Translator-Playwright

“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.” – Robin Williams – 1951-2014 – Comedian-Actor

“If you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.” – Erica Jong – Novelist-Satirist-Poet

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Thanks were given to the members who helped with “Read Across America” this past weekend.

Our club will be sponsoring Cooper the comfort dog for the Children’s Advocacy Center through a gift of Lou and Trina Simpson.

We will again be providing a $1,500 Parkland Community scholarship to a Champaign Central High School Student.

We will help sponsor activities for our very active Central High School’s Interact Club. 

We will also be donating to CASA and place their pinwheels in the Don Decker Garden.

Phyllis asked for help with the placing of the Flag at the Don Decker Garden on Federal Holidays.

Bucket Bucks for march will go to the Child Advocacy Center.

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES

March 16 & 17th: Ata and Lisa will be attending the Rotary PETS Training

March 19: Books to Prisoners

April 6: Feeding Our Kids

April 19-21 “RYLA” at Allerton Park

May 4: District Conference

May 4: Newspaper rolling for the Champaign County Humane Society

May 18: Rotary Leadership Conference 

SPEAKER

Michael introduced Jason Harden, Associate Race Director of the Christie Clinic Illinois ace Weekend. Jason, who has been involved in the annual race since it began in 2009, gave a history of the event and told of the many events that will take place this year on April 25, 26 and 27th. The weekend activities will include the Marathon and a Half Marathon, 4-person relay, 10k, 5k, mile and youth run and eight I-Challenge Events.

Since 2009 the event has had thousands of runners and has raised $1.734 million dollars for local charities. Our Community involvement has been the reason for its continued success over the years and volunteers are needed again this year. For more information please go to ILLINOISMARATHON.COM.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee members listed in parentheses)

March 14^th – Larry Kenemore’s Rotary Action Group (Mary)

March 21^st – Amy Hegemeyer from Mom’s Demand who will talk about the Be Smart Program

March 28^th –Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Kent Redfield. (Tom)

April 4th – Rabbi David Tiechtel (Joe)

April 11^th –Al Nudo who will speak about Willard Airport (Tom)

April 18^th – TBD

April 25^th – TBD

UPCOMING BIRTHDAYS

March – No club birthdays

“The smallest change in perspective can transform a life.”  – Oprah Winfrey – Actress – Talk Show Host – Producer – Philanthropist

“All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.” – Michael John Bobak – Digital Artist-Songwriter-Poet

“With confidence, you have won before you have started.” – Marcus Garve – 1887-1940 – Jamaican Activist

ANNOUNCEMENTS

There was no morning meeting last week.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee members listed in parentheses)

March 7^th – Jason Harden, Associate Race Director of the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend (Michael)

March 14^th – Larry Kenemore’s Rotary Action Group (Mary)

March 21^st – Amy Hegemeyer from Mom’s Demand who will talk about the Be Smart Program

March 28^th –Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Kent Redfield. (Tom)

April 4th – Rabbi David Tiechtel (Joe)

April 11^th –Al Nudo who will speak about Willard Airport (Tom)

UPCOMING BIRTHDAYS

March – No club birthdays