Announcements
(notes courtesy of the striped-tie-wearing Allan Penwell)

Rob announced that we sold 795 cases of fruit which is slightly down from last year.

There wasn’t a lot of enthusiasm for football this year (I wonder why?), but Harold is running a bowl game pool again this year.  Twenty bucks makes you a player.  More later.

December 13th is our holiday party so be sure to let Patrice know if you are coming.  Sorry.  No gift exchange this year.  Boo-hoo, Jen.

President Jeff announced that DG Bidner is looking for a GSE team leader to go to Italy.  If we can’t find a team leader, then the Italian team can’t come here.  Diana?

Betsy Barringer was our honored guest, and we celebrated the life of her Rotarian husband, Larry, with a donation to Shelterbox, USA.  It was good to see Betsy again.

Marsha reminded everyone about the Caroling for a Cause event on Fri, Dec 7th in downtown Champaign.  The event is a fundraiser for the TIMES Center, one of our selected charities for the year.  The event will run from 6pm to midnight and will take place in front of Big Grove Tavern.  Several Rotarians have already signed up to sing, hand out coffee, and collect donations.  Contact Marsha if you are interested in participating.

 

Program

Our guest speaker last week was Jim Angel, climatologist, with the Illinois State Water Survey who discussed the 2012 drought.

Illinois is really a water rich state compared to the states west of the Mississippi, but last year was a relatively dry year.  A drought year is characterized obviously by below normal precipitation, but it also must have an economic impact.

Last year had a dry spring which was good for planting, but by July there was very little soil moisture left.  There was some rain in August, and Hurricane Isaac helped in October which brought in four inches of steady rain.  This was good for soil, but there was almost no run off to refill ponds, lakes, and rivers.

We have records going back to the 1800’s, and 2012 was the 7th driest on record.  July 1936 was the hottest, but last year was in third place with ten 100 degree days.

—

In the above photo Laura Auteberry and Phillip Holthaus are welcomed into the C-U Sunrise Rotary club.  Laura was sponsored by Penn Nelson and Phillip was sponsored by Jeff Van Buren.

—

Dec 6th Dec 13th Dec 20th Dec 27th
Introductions Harold Adams Curt Anderson Oktay Baran Alan Chalifoux
Invocation Hang Liang Barb Lintner BJ Lytle Ben Mast
Greeters Kris Young Curt Anderson Oktay Baran Alan Chalifoux
Dave Krchak Benny Lapid Hang Liang Barb Lintner
Song Leader Patrice Grant Bruce Hatfield Mary Hodson Larry Johnson
Notetaker Lintner Conforti Chamberlain Perry

—

Upcoming Schedule

Dec 6 – Essay winners

Dec 13 – Holiday party

Dec 20 – Kerri Spear, Austin’s Place – Emergency Shelter

Dec 27 – TBD