“Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. -1929-1968 – Social Activist-Minister

 

“Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence.”  – Ovid – Roman Poet

 

“The one thing I learned is to just give everything a shot.  You don’t want to live in regret.” – Chloe Kim – American snowboarder – two-time Olympic gold medalist

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

CU Sunrise will resume in-person meetings on February 24.   If you haven’t already done so, you can bring your February bucket bucks to Lou on that day.

 

Read Across America – March 26

 

 

PROGRAM

 

Charlie introduced George Roadcap, president of the Monticello Railway Museum.   Since his retirement from the Water Survey, George has been volunteering at the museum.

 

Founded in 1966, the Monticello Railway Museum is an all-volunteer organization with an operational main line yard.    They are unique amongst railway museums in that they own their own track.  It is the only museum in the country that has a stair tower signal system with an active lever machine.   They also own the Paxton freight house.  

 

Restoring and maintaining their collection of over 100 engines and cars is expensive and requires volunteers with special skills.  The Monticello museum has the advantage of a large barn that can house their equipment during restoration.   They also have a contract with ADM to store their unused equipment.  Thanks to student volunteers, the museum now has an engaging website and Facebook page. 

 

People today are looking for experiences and come from all over the country to visit.  You don’t have to be a railroad buff as there is something for everyone.  Their goal is to get more families to visit.   It is something grandmas and grandpas, moms and dads can do with their kids.  Train rides, starting at the 1899 restored train station, are offered on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from April through October.   Special events, including Mother’s Day and Father’s Day trains, Dinner Trains, the “Fireworks Special”, “Donut Train” and “Polar Express” are scheduled throughout the year.   More information can be found at their website, www.mrym.org.

 

The museum also has space in downtown Monticello that can be used for special events.

 

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  Feb 24th Mar 3rd Mar 10th Mar 17th
Introductions Scott Paceley Robb Patton Jerry Payonk Allan Penwell
Reflection Bob La Charite Phyllis Mischo Scott Paceley Robb Patton
Greeters Scott Paceley Robb Patton Jerry Payonk Allan Penwell
Jen Shelby Lou Simpson Charlie Smith Mary Kay Smith
Notetaker Conforti Perry Hodson Conforti

 

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

 

February 24th – Tom Teper will discuss the new home for special collections at the undergraduate library at UIUC (Joe)

March 3rd – TBD 

March 10th – Ginger Mills and Marlin Livingston, Cunningham Children’s Home, will discuss housing refugee children from the border (Mary)

March 17th – AG Michael Harris will discuss visiting Rotary Clubs around the world (Mary)

March 24th – TBD (Tom)

March 31st – TBD

April 7th – TBD

April 14th – TBD (Bob)

April 21st – TBD (Cary)

April 28th – Jordan Dziura, the Executive Director at Illini Media Co., will discuss the Daily Illini’s 110th anniversary, upcoming reunion for IMC alums, and the future of college media (Charlie)

May 5th – TBD

May 12th – TBD (Joe)

May 19th – Major General (ret) William L. Enyart (Mary)