“When we approve of ourselves, rather than always seeking approval of others, we find happiness.” – Unknown

 

“The words you use are far less important than the energy, intensity, and conviction with which you use them.” – Unknown

 

“All the forces in the world are not so powerful as an idea whose time has come.” –

Victor Hugo – 1802-1885 – Poet-Novelist-Dramatist

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(notes provided by the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut, Pedwar Errie)

 

Larry thanked the volunteers who signed up for helping in the Eastern Illinois Food Bank Operation Orange repack.

 

Scott sold the club’s packet of Rotary District Polio Day Raffle tickets. 

 

Robb announced that he has been contacted from the supplier of this year’s fruit for our Annual Fundraising Fruit sale. The price for this year’s fruit should be close to last year’s. More information on the sale will be coming in a few weeks. Robb also noted that CASA is looking for sponsors this year and anyone interested should see Robb.

     

Michelle thanked those who had their cars washed by the Champaign Central High School Interact Club as they raised over $300 in this year’s car wash. Michelle also noted that Central’s Interact Club will have their annual 5K run on Saturday, November 16, and volunteers from our club will be needed to help during the race. 

 

Diana mentioned she will be going to the Membership Meeting at this year’s annual Rotary District Conference on October 18th to attend a meeting on membership. She also noted that she would be happy to have 3 more club members join her and ride with her to the meeting. See Diana for details.  

 

PROGRAM

 

Ondine introduced our speaker today, Meghan Gentry. Meghan went to high school in Arcola where she was an “Arcola Rotary Senior Of the Month” and thanked our club for the opportunity this morning to talk about Foster Care in Champaign-Urbana.

 

Megan received her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Illinois and is currently the social worker at Centennial High School and is also a foster parent.

Meghan noted that the first mission of foster care is to reunify children with parents is a safe and stable environment. This is commonly done in several ways, by placing the child with a Kinship/Relative of the family, a traditional Foster family environment, a specialized foster care home for those with special needs or in Group Residential Homes such as Cunningham Children’s Home in Urbana. This year there are 329 youth in foster care in Champaign County alone and 16,318 in the state of Illinois.

 

The percentage of the age groups in foster care are as follows:

 

          Age                       %    

0 to 5 years old              44%

6 to 12                            31%

13-17                             19%

18+                                 6%

 

Of this group, 46% are white, 44% are African American and 8% are Hispanic.

 

These children are in care for various reasons due to neglect, drug abuse, caretaker’s inability to support or behavior problems. Children may be hyperactive, angry, withdrawn, runaways and lack social skills. The emotional needs of these children can also vary as they may have had various traumatic experiences including family violence or community violence. Finding a stable, loving home environment is a key.

 

Meghan stated that we all should care as the risk factor for these children is high as they become older and may enter a world of violence, sexual abuse and sex trafficking. The juvenile justice system is full of youth that were not supported as children.     

 

Foster parents can reach out for help from schools, friends and support groups. There are many local foster care support systems in the area including CASA (court appointed special advocates for children), Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Crisis Nursery, Courage Connection, Salt & Light, and Cunningham Children’s Home.  Individuals can also help by supporting these groups by volunteering and by donations.  

 

 

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  Oct 3rd Oct 10th Oct 17th Oct 24th
Introductions Eddie Bridges Cary Woolard Charlie Smith Mary Kay Smith
Reflection Oktay Baran Michelle Barbey Keith Brandau Paul Conforti
Greeters Eddie Bridges Cary Woolard Charlie Smith Mary Kay Smith
David Henry Mary Hodson Eddie Bridges Andrew Kerins
Song Leader Ata Durukan Ondine Gross David Henry Mary Hodson
Notetaker Penwell Hodson Conforti Perry

 

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

October 3rd – Lisa Wilson, Executive Director, East Central Illinois Refugee Mutual Assistance Center (ECIRMAC) (Mary)

October 10th – Club Assembly

October 17th – TBD (Cary)

October 24th – Rob Dalhaus from CU at Home (Charlie)

October 29th – Tuesday – C-U Sunrise Rotary Charter Anniversary banquet at Biaggi’s

October 31st – No regular meeting (5th Thursday) – 

November 7th – Shannon O’Rourke Kasali, who was both a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and A Rotary Peace Scholar (Mary)

November 14th – District Governor Julie Dobski

November 21st – “A geneticist’s perspective on how the brain works” – Dr. Stephanie Ceman, Associate Professor, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, UIUC, and the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. (Ondine)

November 28th – TBD 

December 5th – John Paul Buzard from Buzard Pipe Organ Builders will speak to our club about building organs (Bob)

December 12th – Club Assembly