“Women speaking up for themselves and for those around them is the strongest force we have to change the world.” – Melinda Gates – Philanthropist

 

“Change can be beautiful when we are brave enough to evolve with it, and change can be brutal when we fearfully resist.” – Bryant McGill – Author

 

“An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. When life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means it’s going to launch you into something great.” – Pablo Coelho – Author

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(notes provided by the unconventional and unorthodox Paul Conforit)

 

Bucket money for July will be for Prosperity Gardens. Send your bucket money check (CU Sunrise Foundation) to Lou Simpson.

Happy Birthday to former C-U Sunrise Rotarian (and all-around nice guy) Neil Chamberlain who turned 85 on July 15th.

Rotary Blood Drive: the last week of July will be Rotary Blood Drive week. Please visit Community Blood Services of Illinois (1408 W University Ave, Urbana) to participate. Our community is currently experiencing a 20,000-pint blood shortage. With medical procedures now resuming on a wider scale blood donation becomes much more critical.

Darrell announced that our Zoom meetings are being streamed live on our Facebook page and then each thrilling episode is archived on our You Tube channel allowing you to watch previous meetings and see if the notes are accurate. Having our meetings archived on You Tube can be effective in recruiting new members by emailing potentials a link if they would like to learn more about us. Having potential new members read these newsletters may also be effective, but only if they have a good sense of humor.  See the Cartoons section in next week’s edition.

5th Thursday Club Social: Keith announced our next social will be held July 30th at Rigg’s Brewery (1901 S High Cross Rd, Urbana) at 5:30pm. We have reserved 3 tables of 10 on the Party Porch to accommodate social distancing. LaPaloma’s food truck will be on hand as well. Masks are required inside the brewery, but not in the porch seating area.

 

PROGRAM

 

Past DG Mike Hirschi introduced our new District Governor, Mike Step.  Michael (Mike) Step of Paris, IL was installed as the new Rotary District 6490 District Governor Sunday, June 28, 2020 in a virtual ceremony seen by members of the 47 clubs that comprise the district.

Mike is a graduate of Paris High School and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology where he majored in chemical engineering. He was employed for 40 years by a petro-chemical company and has been involved in Rotary Clubs wherever he and the family lived. He was a member of clubs in Morris, Ill., Jackson, Tenn., as well as Tuscola. He retired in February 2014, moved back to his hometown, and has served two years as Paris Rotary Club president.

Under his leadership, the Paris Rotary Club helped establish an Interact Club at Paris High School with 29 charter members. He is a certified lay leader for the United Methodist Church and a member of the Paris church. He has been active in Faith in Action of Edgar County, building ADA-approved ramps and steps for residents. Mike also serves on the oversight board of the Paris Center of Fine Arts.

Mike and his wife Denise have been married 46 years and are the parents of two children and have seven grandchildren.

The theme for Rotary District 6490 during the 2020-2021 year under Mike’s leadership is Rotary Opens Opportunities – the “7 Country Roads” as Mike calls them: Promoting Peace, Fighting Disease, Supporting Education, Saving Mothers and Children, Providing Clean Water, Growing Local Economies and Improving the Environment.

In addition to his emphasis on fun (the 5th wheel in the 4 Way Test), Mike has set four priorities for himself this Rotary year:

1)      Work on new and innovative club models, such as interacting more with Rotaract and Interact Clubs.

2)      Schedule individual club strategic meetings to develop 5-year plans

3)      Membership development and growth. There are 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide and that number has stayed constant over recent years. The goal is to grow membership by recruiting individuals only if they are a good fit for the club.

4)      World Polio Day is October 24. The theme is One day. One Focus: Ending Polio. Mike would like the District to host a World Polio Day fundraiser.

The District expects Rotary International to approve a $25,000 grant from which individual clubs in the district will divide if they applied. CU Sunrise applied for a $5,800 grant. Phyllis was our point person on the grant application.

Mike ended his presentation by saying “Rotary connects everyone and opens opportunities to make miracles happen, for yourself, your club, your community and the world.”

 

 

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  July 23rd July 30th Aug 6th Aug 13th
         
Reflection Phyllis Mischo Scott Paceley Robb Patton Allan Penwell
Notetaker Perry Penwell Hodson Conforti
Decker Weeding Johnson Perry Baran  
Next Weekend        

 

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

*All meetings via Zoom*

 

July 23rd – Heather Stoa, 2021-2022 District Governor, will speak about the 2019 “Heart to Heart” trip to Mexico and new projects in honor of Mexico’s 100th anniversary of Rotary  (Bob)

July 30th – Club Social

August 6th – TBD (Cary)

August 13th – Trisha Crowley, President, League of Women Voters of Champaign County (Charlie)

August 20th – Evelyn Shapiro, Promotions Manager, Champaign Public Library (Ondine)

August 27th – TBD (Tom)

September 3rd – TBD

September 10th – TBD

September 17th – TBD

September 24th – TBD

October 1st – TBD