“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next.” ― Gilda Rander
 
“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” ― Dalai Lama 
 
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” ― Anais Nin 
 
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
(notes provided by the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut, Edward Perry)
 
We presented a $1,000 check to Dr. Palmer for the Men’s Emergency Shelter. The Men’s Emergency Shelter in Champaign is one of the recipients of the beneficiaries of our fruit sale fundraiser. Dr. Palmer thanked the club as the Men’s Emergency Shelter averaged 48 men every winter night, doubling its previous number and increasing the need for more capacity.
 
Mary and Darrell, as well as their spouses, are headed to Rotary International’s Annual Convention in Toronto, Canada next week. They will report back with a club program at our July 5th meeting.
 
Darrell noted that our club will have a booth at two events this summer: Taste of Champaign and Urbana’s Sweet Corn Festival. These events take place the last two weekends of August, and volunteers will be needed.  
 
 
PROGRAM
 
Charlie introduced Mark Herriott of Columbia Street Roastery. Mark started the successful Coffee Roastery in Champaign, and now produces 250,000 pounds of roasted coffee per year. They also provide tea, but coffee remains the biggest seller. He also provides roasted coffee to the Chicago area.
 
Mark provided interesting information about the world coffee locations, the workers involved and the harvesting, preparation and the roasting of the coffee bean. Coffee is grown in the mountainous area of tropical locations in the world. Approximately 10 feet of rain is needed each year to grow coffee in those areas. Before purchasing coffee in its raw form, Mark will inspect the international locations, meet with the plantation owners, inspect the land and methods of harvesting, and see how the workers are treated as well as their living conditions.
 
He showed the various stages of coffee production from harvesting to your hot cup of coffee. He showed a video of the hand picking method of harvesting and had examples of, and went through, the processes of washing, depulping, fermentation, drying and husking of the coffee bean.
 
Mark purchases the raw coffee bean and does the roasting. Blending the beans from different locations that are washed with those that are dried provides the various coffee tastes. Roasting time and temperatures can also vary and provide different flavors. 
 
He provided interesting facts about and benefits of coffee, including: coffee is a fruit; coffee is a good “fat burning” source if taken before working out as it allows the release of fatty acids in the blood stream; coffee and tea have the same amount of antioxidants; two cups of coffee provides 15% of your Vitamin B and helps increase the good cholesterol and lowers the bad cholesterol.  Furthermore, a single coffee tree can be harvested 3 times per year and will produce 1 pound of coffee. 
 
Mark employs 16 people locally and expressed the joy he gets from providing good coffee and helping provide the field workers with suitable incomes.   
 
 
—
 

  Jun 28th July 5th July 12th July 19th
Introductions Adam Wright Oktay Baran Michelle Barbey Keith Brandau
Reflection Ed Perry Rod Roberts Tod Satterthwaite Angie Schoonover
Greeters Adam Wright Oktay Baran Michelle Barbey Keith Brandau
Diana Dummitt Ata Durukan David Henry Mary Hodson
Song Leader Keith Brandau Ethan Chew Paul Conforti Diana Dummitt
Notetaker Hodson Conforti Conforti Perry
Decker Weeding Johnson Hodson Johnson Kerins
Next Weekend        
Decker Garden Johnson Johnson Simpson Simpson
Watering        

—
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee member responsible listed in parentheses)
June 28th – Annual Awards and Pass the Gavel Ceremony
July 5th – Mary and Darrell will discuss the Rotary International Convention
July 12th – Dylan Gunn, Champaign Central High School Senior, will discuss his trip to Guatemala  (Mary)
July 19th – Jayne DeLuce, President and CEO, Visit Champaign County  (Phyllis)
July 26th – Dr. Darren Pascavage, Founding Head of School, Academy High (Tom)
August 2nd – TBD (Bob)
August 9th – District Governor Pennie’s visit
August 16th – TBD (Charlie)
August 23rd – TBD (Mary)
August 30th – No regular meeting
September 6th – TBD (David)
September 13th – Lola Lewis, Donation Liaison, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network (Phyllis)
September 20th – TBD (Tom)
September 27th – TBD (Bob)
October 4th – TBD (Charlie)