“Not in doing what you like, but in liking what you do is the secret of happiness.” – J.M. Barrie – 1860-1937 – Author

 

“There simply is no substitute for having your own positive attitude.” – Gill Hasson – Author

 

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

 

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

February 23, 2022 marks the 117th anniversary of the world’s first Rotary meeting. On that date in 1905, four individuals, each of a different background and different vocation, met for dinner in the spirit of friendship and fellowship. Today there are between 1.2 million and 1.3 million Rotarians, organized into more than 35,000 clubs covering 6 continents and most of the world’s countries. It is almost unbelievable how much Rotary has accomplished in the last 115 years in Rotary’s 6 areas of focus – promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, child and maternal health, education, and local economic development (plus the seventh and newest one, supporting the environment).

Upcoming service opportunities include:

*Habitat ReStore: February 19, 10am – Noon, Habitat Warehouse on Broadway in Urbana

*We will partner with Central High School Interact to unload a Habitat truck filled with donated items and then sort/price items that will be sold at ReStore. These items were donated by a retro store that went out of business.

 

CLUB ASSEMBLY

Robb suggested we thank Larry Craig for the use of his warehouse during our fruit sale. Larry exemplifies service above self in his generosity as well as helping our club members unload and load fruit. All agreed to thank Larry with a $100 gift card.

Mary started a general discussion on membership. Mary is the Rotary District 6490 Membership chair. New clubs, satellite clubs and special interest clubs are part of Mary’s agenda. All agreed that our social activities and our service projects are club attributes that should be attractive to new members. Mary will keep us posted on her membership activities within the district.

There is a possibility that next year Florida’s fruit harvest may not be good due to colder than normal periods this season. We had a discussion on possible replacement activities. Robb will form a group to discuss possibilities and report to the club.

Charlie talked about a new Rotary Foundation grant supporting the Malaria Project in Zambia. Malaria follows polio as a disease that can be eradicated and Rotary International is taking a leadership role in that endeavor.  The grant will allow Partners for a Malaria-Free Zambia to strengthen the country’s health system by working with Zambian health officials at all levels and training health facility staff members, as well as training and equipping new community health workers. This will increase access to malaria diagnosis and treatment for the more than 1.3 million people in heavily affected areas in the Central provinces and greatly contribute to the national effort to eliminate the deadly disease.

 

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  Feb 10th Feb 17th Feb 24th Mar 3rd
Introductions Bob La Charite Phyllis Mischo Scott Paceley Robb Patton
Reflection Ata Durukan Mary Hodson Bob La Charite Phyllis Mischo
Greeters Bob La Charite Phyllis Mischo Scott Paceley Robb Patton
Tod Satterthwaite Jarrod Scheunemann Jen Shelby Lou Simpson
Notetaker Perry Hodson Conforti Perry

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

 

February 10th – Dr. Nestor Ramirez  (via Zoom) (Cary)

February 17th – An official from the Monticello Railway Museum (Charlie)

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)