Announcements
(notes provided by the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut, Ed Perry)

Jen passed around a listing for each club members requesting all to review the information and update it as necessary so she can send current information to Rotary International.

Our annual “football guessing” season began today. Harold and Paul will lead our club on to certain victory against the other local service clubs and Lou will be giving the weekly statistics.

Oktay presented Phillip Holthaus with our club’s “New Rotarian of the Year” award. Phillip also gave us his “Rotary minute”. Phillip was born and raised in Decatur and is a structural engineer with Bacon/Farmer/Workman’s local office. Phillip and his wife Kathleen are involved in their Champaign county family farm and also play in a musical trio (with Kathleen’s sister) on weekends.

Program

Andrew introduced our speaker Celeste Choate, Executive Director of the Urbana Free Library. Celebrating its 140th anniversary, the Urbana Free library continues to provide an important and wide variety of services to the surrounding communities.

Taking over the Director’s position just last April, Celeste presented information on issues such as library costs, funding, circulation, budgets, volunteer opportunities along with a host of activities and services the Library provides.  For children to senior citizens, from reading to animals to book clubs, from “Teen open labs” to Historical Archives, activities and programs are provided for all ages. From developing young minds to produce 3D computer printing, providing digital workshops to archiving an 1800’s journal of the historical Cunningham family, the list of activities and services goes on and on.

The energy that is apparent in Celeste will help keep the Urbana Free Library at the cutting edge of library services. Visit the Urbana Free Library’s web site for more information: urbanafreelibrary.org

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

September 4th – David Thiel, Director of Content for WILL TV

September 11th – Dr. Judy Wiegand, Superintendent of Unit 4 Schools

September 18th – Todd Gleason, Farm Broadcaster, UIUC, will discuss the commodities markets

September 25th – Club Assembly

October 2nd – Kevin Hambly, Head Women’s Volleyball Coach, University of Illinois

October 9th – TBD

October 16th – TBD

October 23rd – Dr. Paul Diehl, Henning Larsen Professor of Political Science, UIUC, will discuss international relations

 Announcements

(notes provided by the venerable Neal Chamberlain)

Meeting opened with Invocation by Gary Olsen.

The club celebrated Allan Penwell’s 70th birthday (in absentia).  According to sources, Allan had a golf outing with his special lady friend.  Full report to come in next week’s Newsletter.

Mary Hodson presented the Rotary Minute (it really was just 60 seconds):

-Mary is retired from various state and local government responsibilities.

-She is married to Thomas Hodson (a successful experimental endeavor).

-They have one son who is involved in some interesting research projects in various parts of the world.

-Mary has been a CUSR member since 1992, served as club president in 2003 – 2004.

-Mary is involved in numerous committees and endeavors at the District level.

Jeff announced that our CUSR exchange student, Antonia Rivera has arrived.  She has settled into her host family’s home and is now attendingCentralHigh School.

 Special Note

Rotarians, it’s time once again for the Ultimate Challenge. This week starts the 2014 version of Football Guessing for local service clubs. If you can’t be at the meeting this week but want to get in at the beginning, please complete and send the attached pick sheet to Lou by Friday Aug 29. Once again, you can elect to participate without using any brainpower by selecting that the swami or the betting line will make your choice for you. Please note that this year will be limited to 10 weeks. For a good bookie, talk to Krchak.

Program

Ed introduced our program speaker, Bruce Knight, Director, Planning and Development, City of Champaign.  Bruce Knight has 37 years experience in planning, 25 years in his current position forChampaign.

Bruce began his presentation by emphasizing that his department’s goal is to “develop Champaign as an inclusive community that will welcome all.”  Bruce explained that we have experienced some peaks and valleys in recent years in multi-family versus single family construction.  More growth recently has been in multi-family apartment buildings.

Increasingly our community has citizens who want to live and “hang out” in downtown environment. Therefore, Champaign has an increasing demand in urban residential development.  Champaign has been promoting in-fill construction (renovation and/or replacing outdated urban buildings).  He explained that this type of construction is generally more expensive; however it helps to revitalize the urban/downtown area.

Bruce shared numerous examples of urban developments in Champaign, including: One Main, Hyatt Place Hotel, Eden Supportive Services, Illinois Central Unit, and The Quarters.  There are also major projects in the University District (Green Street area) which includes Technology Plaza and several others which are in the construction or planning phase.

Bruce mentioned the importance of verifying the demographics of an area to prevent a situation, such as Country Fair Plaza.  Bruce assured us that although he graduated from Iowa State, he was quick to join our community of anti-Hawkeye fans and that he is now a committed Illini.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

August 28th – Celeste Choate, Director, Urbana Free Library

September 4th – David Thiel, Director of Content for WILL TV

September 11th – Dr. Judy Wiegand, Superintendent of Unit 4 Schools

September 18th – Todd Gleason, Farm Broadcaster, UIUC, will discuss the commodities markets

September 25th – Club Assembly

October 2nd – Kevin Hambly, Head Women’s Volleyball Coach, University of Illinois

October 9th – TBD

October 16th – TBD

October 23rd – Dr. Paul Diehl, Henning Larsen Professor of Political Science, UIUC, will discuss international relations

 ANNOUNCEMENTS
(notes provided by the erudite Mary Hodson)

Our Rotary Youth Exchange from Chile, Antonia Rivera, will arrive at Willard at 6 PM on August 17.   Jeff announced that we are still in need of a third host family.   Please contact him if you know of a family that might be interested in hosting.

This month’s bucket money will go to the CU Schools Foundation.

PROGRAM

Molly Delaney is the new Executive Director of the CU Schools Foundation.   The Foundation raises funds for IDEA Grants to teachers, the CU Scholars Program and the SOS Fund.

Last year, the Foundation gave out almost $22,000 in IDEA grants to area teachers.   The SOS fund is run by the Regional Office of Education and provides emergency basic services to homeless school children.

Molly brought with her Yalda Feiz, a Junior at Centennial, who was one of the CU Scholars who helped with last week’s Habitat Build.  The Scholars Program was begun three years ago and next year will have its first graduating class.

All area 8th graders are invited to join the program as freshmen.  CU Scholars must take a rigorous academic course of study and have a 95% attendance rate.   They are required to engage in 80 hours of service, including at least 20 related to what they want to study.  Enrichment activities help them develop financial literacy and business ethics and leadership and communication skills.

Molly encouraged us to make a contribution, participate on a committee or provide a workplace tour and talk to students.

She also encouraged everyone to visit, donate to and volunteer at the IDEA store at Marketplace.  It is a great place to purchase office and art supplies for pennies on the dollar.

Another fundraiser, “The Crazy K”, will be held on September 13.

For more information about the C-U Schools Foundation, or to talk about your training regiment for your next marathon, contact Molly Delaney at delaney1@cuschoolsfoundation.org

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

August 21st – Bruce Knight, Planning and Development Director, City of Champaign

August 28th – Celeste Choate, Director, Urbana Free Library

September 4th – David Thiel, Director of Content for WILL TV

September 11th – Dr. Judy Wiegand, Superintendent of Unit 4 Schools

September 18th – Todd Gleason, Farm Broadcaster, UIUC, will discuss the commodities markets

September 25th – Club Assembly

October 2nd – Kevin Hambly, Head Women’s Volleyball Coach, University of Illinois

October 9th – TBD

October 16th – TBD

October 23rd – Dr. Paul Diehl, Henning Larsen Professor of Political Science, UIUC, will discuss international relations

Announcements
(notes provided by Allan Penwell)

Phillip announced there will be another repack opportunity at Eastern Illinois Food Bank next Thursday, August 14^th.  Check your email for further info.

Rod thanked everyone who participated in the Habitat for Humanity project.  Turned out there was real heavy lifting to be done.

Program

Our district governor, Les Mitkos, member of Litchfield Rotary, was the program last week.  Les has a long resume of good works for community, church, the military, and people of the world.  He is a parish minister in the Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church. Les has a storied career as a military trauma chaplain.  While serving in Kosovo, he developed 18 radio and 10 television programs on trauma to educate soldiers and caregivers about dealing with those traumatized by war.

Les’s passion is the eradication of polio.  He is polio chairman of District 6490.  He has been in 120 different countries and has the seen the effects of polio but also the success of making countries polio-free.  The passion is very personal as his sister is a polio victim.  When she was young, she developed the disease and had to endure iron lung treatment away from home for several years.  She recovered and is now 70 years old.  The goal of Rotary is to completely eradicate polio by 2018.  Your contributions are important and please donate.

RI President Gary Huang has announced that his theme for the 2014-2015 Rotary year is Light Up Rotary.  Les wants us also to think “Light up the family of Rotary.”  We are all family, and as Rotarians, we can make a difference. We should be proud to be Rotarians as we are empowered to help the families of the world.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

August 14th – Molly Delaney will discuss the CU Schools Foundation

August 21st – Bruce Knight, Planning and Development Director, City of Champaign

August 28th – Celeste Choate, Director, Urbana Free Library

September 4th – David Thiel, Director of Content for WILL TV

September 11th – Dr. Judy Wiegand, Superintendent of Unit 4 Schools

September 18th – Todd Gleason, Farm Broadcaster, UIUC, will discuss the commodities markets

September 25th – TBD

October 2nd – Kevin Hambly, Head Women’s Volleyball Coach, University of Illinois

October 9th – TBD

October 16th – TBD

October 23rd – Dr. Paul Diehl, Henning Larsen Professor of Political Science, UIUC, will discuss international relations

 Announcements
(notes provided by the crafty and courageous Barb Lintner)

The CU Sunrise Courage Award was presented this morning to Coletta Ackerman.

If you haven’t purchased tickets for the auto raffle to benefit the Champaign Parks Foundation, you can still get them from Penn or Laura.

The CU Sunrise software project for DSC has been approved for matching District 6490 funds. Huzzah!

Special Note

Our new exchange student, Antonia Rivera from Chile, will arrive on Sunday, August 17th.  Jeff Van Buren would like several Rotarians present to help welcome Antonia when her plane arrives at 6pm at Willard Airport.  Please talk with Jeff if you are available to attend.  Please also talk to Jeff if you, or someone you know, is interested in serving as the third host family for Antonia.

Program

Our speaker was Deborah Miller, Director of Development for the Krannert  Center for the Performing Arts (KCPA).   She has a degree in arts administration and worked in San Diego and Chicago before coming to the University of Illinois.  She also hosted a CU Sunrise Rotary exchange student, Ida, and will soon do so again this coming year.

Krannert is one of the leading performing arts centers in the United States because of the acoustics in the great hall and because of its mission to provide for students a working environment with professional artists and staff.  “Through its multiple and integrated roles as a classroom, laboratory and public square, it serves as a touchstone for the exploration and expansion of human experience.”

Founded in April of 1969, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts will celebrate its 50^th anniversary in 2018-19 and 2019-20.  Herman and Elnora Krannert gave $16 million to found the center and then added $5 million more to provide a world class performance center for students.  Today, in addition to working with outstanding artists, U of I students have pay little to no fee ($10 or less) to attend Krannert performances.  All public programs are funded by grants and the foundation.

Deborah handed out publicity for this year’s series of performances which will include the St. Louis Symphony, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Renee Fleming, the Jupiter String Quartet, Rosanne Cash, Jazz at the Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, the National Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China, Cassandra Wilson in a celebration of Billie Holiday, the Mark Morris Dance Group, Circus Oz, and many more theatrical and musical performances.  Tickets go on sale for the general public on August 16.

When Krannert began there were 10 full time employees.  Now there are 90 full time employees, 150 part time, and 400 student staff who help with 300 performances a year and teach over 140 classes per year.  Krannert participates in community outreach placing artists in schools, public libraries, and working with special populations such as those with Parkinson’s.  The Youth series provides artists for school children within a 100 mile radius of Champaign-Urbana.

Go to www.krannertcenter.com for more information.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

August 7th – Visit from the District Governor

August 14th – Molly Delaney will discuss the CU Schools Foundation

August 21st – Bruce Knight, Planning and Development Director, City of Champaign

August 28th – Celeste Choate, Director, Urbana Free Library

September 4th – David Thiel, Director of Content for WILL TV

September 11th – Dr. Judy Wiegand, Superintendent of Unit 4 Schools

September 18th – TBD

September 25th – TBD

October 2nd – Kevin Hambly, Head Women’s Volleyball Coach, University of Illinois

October 9th – TBD

October 16th – TBD

October 23rd – Dr. Paul Diehl, Henning Larsen Professor of Political Science, UIUC, will discuss international relations