ANNOUNCEMENTS

(notes provided by the unconventional and unorthodox Paul Conforti)

 

2/6: Club Social @ Krannert Center’s Uncorked from 5pm – 7pm

2/15: Rotary Leadership Conference @ Richland Community College in Decatur being organized by Kathy Rector

2/22: Cary Woolard announced the Unity Booster’s A-Capella concert

3/12: All Area Clubs Rotary Meeting – 109th Anniversary of Rotary, organized by Champaign West @ Round Barn Center

Jeff Van Buren announced that host families are needed (starting at the end of August). Family does not need to be Rotarian to apply

 

PROGRAM

 

Our speaker for the day was Chris Catanzarite, Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities.

Chris gave a very entertaining presentation on the history of the Oscars (The Academy Awards).

Chris is a self-proclaimed “Oscar geek” and she attributes this beginning when as a 1st grader her Mom made her stay home to watch Fred Astaire in Top Hat on TV rather than go to school.  Her mom said she would learn more from watching the movie than attending class that day.

Chris regaled our meeting with Oscar history, trivia and nuances:

-This year’s show is later than usual (March 2) as NBC needs time to get its equipment from the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia back to Hollywood.

– Oscar, made in Chicago, stands 13.5″ tall and weighs 8lbs. Oscar’s pedestal is a 5-chambered film reel representing the 5 original award criteria: Production, Direction, Writing, Acting and technical.

-Oscar was named “Oscar” when Bette Davis noted it had a resemblance to her uncle Oscar.

-The first award ceremony was held at Hollywood’s Roosevelt Hotel on May 16, 1929. There were 14 awards, all given out in a 25 minute ceremony hosted by the Academy’s president Douglas Fairbanks.

-The 25th awards ceremony was the first televised in 1953, which changed the event to what we recognize now as a star laden extravaganza followed by billions worldwide.

Chris concluded with Oscar trivia. We learned about diamond dimmers and cleavage covers as well as how Oscar follows social norms of the times when in retrospect certain films, actors and songs have become footnotes compared to the films, actors and songs they beat out. Films such as The Greatest Show on Earth beat Singing in the Rain and High Noon. Oliver beat 2001 A Space Odyssey and Rosemary’s Baby and Fred Astaire, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick and George Lucas have never won an Oscar. And of course there was the famous 1973 streaker event!

 

—

 

Feb 6th Feb 13th Feb 20th Feb 27th
Introductions Ben Mast John McDaniel Phyllis Mischo Gary Olsen
Invocation Kris Young Amanda Alleman Curt Anderson Oktay Baran
Greeters Ben Mast John McDaniel Phyllis Mischo Gary Olsen
Lou Simpson Jeff Van Buren Cary Woolard Kris Young
Song Leader Rod Roberts Tod Satterthwaite Mitch Schluter Jen Shelby
Notetaker Chamberlain Perry Penwell Hodson

—

 

Upcoming Schedule

February 6th – Veronica Valli, Addictions Expert

February 13th – Ken Buel, Past District Governor from Missouri and current Champaign Rotarian, will discuss the Foundation

February 20th – Patrick Mackay, President, 004 Technologies USA

February 27th – Dr. Irfan Ahmad will discuss the history of Islam, the local Muslim community, and the Avicenna Community Health Center

March 6th – Rotarian Lin Warfel will discuss 21st century farming and his newly released book of poetry

Wednesday, March 12th – All Club meeting at the Round Barn Conference Center

Mar 20th – TBD