Announcements

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

Rod enthusiastically opened the meeting and the club set a new level in singing America the Beautiful and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Eastern Illinois Food Bank Re-Pack is scheduled for Thursday, April 30th from5:30pm to 7:30pm. Please let Phillip or Rod know if you plan to attend.

It’s never too early to start planning for this year’s Rotary District Conference. It will be May 2 and 3rd with many interesting sessions and noteworthy speakers.  Plus it’s in C-U this year!

We all gave Paul a hearty congratulations on his new grand child Sonny Indiana. He brought the first of the mandatory grandchild photos with him to the meeting.

Program

Phyllis introduced Kevin Ullestad, Associate Athletic Director for the State Farm Center, as our speaker this morning. Kevin oversees the total operations of the State Farm Center. His responsibilities include booking, scheduling, contracting and budgeting for the arena. However, an additional task includes working with the $170 million renovation of the building.  His program this morning centered on the current construction project and the design features for the all new] state of the art State Farm Center building.

When completed, the new State Farm Center will continue to perform as a multiuse facility for over 100 yearly events from Broadway shows to basketball games. Kevin presented photos of the current interior demolition work along with sketches of the finished design. Kevin told how the building project will include new scoreboards, sound systems, electronic digital displays of all sizes, new mechanical systems which will include air conditioning and better ADA access to all levels. There will be new entrance lobbies on the east and west sides and a new drive way approach from the east side.

The facility will also have new and better access for building operations, additional concession stands, additional toilets, larger mezzanine walkway at the upper level and retractable lower level seating for a larger lower floor area suitable for concerts and exhibit shows. This work has been in the planning for many years and it will bring the building into the 21st century, including air conditioning!

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

April 2nd – Don Fournier will speak about “The Future of Coal as an Energy Source”

April 9th – Denise Martin will discuss Cradles to Careers

April 16th – TBD

April 23rd – Dr. Richard Fredrickson, Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, UIUC, will discuss services and research in veterinary medicine

April 30th – TBD

May 7th – Winnie Crowder, Executive Director of the Reading Group, and former CU Sunrise Rotarian

May 14th – George Vargas, Champaign County Public Defender’s Office

May 21st – Sam Banks, Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club

May 28th – TBD

June 4th – Jen Shelby will discuss the Cannes Film Festival

June 11th – Kathie Spegal, Coordinator, Illinois Radio Reader, and former CU Sunrise Rotarian

June 18th – Andy Leipold will discuss grand juries and Ferguson, MO

 ANNOUNCEMENTS

(notes provided by the venerable Neal Chamberlain)

The invocation was provided by Larry Johnson.

We had a special welcome back to our former club member, Benny Lapid!

It was announced that the Rotary Tree Planting will take place on March 28 in Gifford.  Tod emphasized that it would be nice to have a representative from all area clubs present.

ROTARY MINUTE

Assignment: Remembering when you were about 9 years old, tell of an experience or situation within your family – by Neal Chamberlain. (Because the note taker is Neal, the following anecdote is likely embellished.

Neal told of the frequent fights which he had with his big brother – Neal always was the loser.  However, Neal was the winner of a corn cob fight (similar to a snow ball fight – using cobs) in which he hit his brother’s eye with an ear of corn – and that was serious.  Neal found it difficult to say to his brother, “I’m sorry”, while grinning.

PROGRAM

Phyllis introduced Valerie Hotchkiss, the Turyn Endowed Professor and Director of The Rare Book and Manuscript Library (RBML) at UIUC.  At UIUC she has focused on making the collections more accessible through processing, cataloguing and digitizing projects and by expanding public outreach at the library.

RBML as a wing of the main library on the UIUC campus, containing 600,000 rare books of theology, science, authors, wonders of the world and authors manuscripts. RBML is one of the ten greatest rare book libraries in the country. RBML is accessible to the public, students and staff.  Faculty and curators teach classes, in which students learn “hands on” in 200 classes per year in subjects such as math and botany.  She stated that students can “fill in the gap” of their education, learning from historical (ancient) rare books.  These books are stored in a controlled environment of 60 degree temperature and 44% humidity.

Valerie emphasized that although the value of the rare books stored at RBML exceeds the value of the Blue Waters super computer, we are welcome to come to the library to use these valuable books for our own reading and research.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

March 26th – Kevin Ullestad, Associate Athletic Director and State Farm Center Director, UIUC

April 2nd – Don Fournier will speak about “The Future of Coal as an Energy Source”

April 9th – Denise Martin will discuss Cradles to Careers

April 16th – TBD

April 23rd – Dr. Richard Fredrickson, Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, UIUC, will discuss services and research in veterinary medicine

April 30th – TBD

May 7th – Winnie Crowder, Executive Director of the Reading Group, and former CU Sunrise Rotarian

May 14th – George Vargas, Champaign County Public Defender’s Office

May 21st – Sam Banks, Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club

May 28th – TBD

June 4th – Jen Shelby will discuss the Cannes Film Festival

June 11th – Kathie Spegal, Coordinator, Illinois Radio Reader, and former CU Sunrise Rotarian

June 18th – Andy Leipold will discuss grand juries and Ferguson, MO

 Announcements
(notes provided by the unconventional and unorthodox Paul Conforti)

The Savoy Rotary Club Annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser was held on Saturday, March 14^th from 7am-11am. Tickets were $5 each, and the pancakes were good.

The Idea Store Gala will be on April 11 at the Hilton Garden Inn. A business may purchase a sponsorship to honor a teacher for $500.For more information on these events go to www.facebook.com/events/428282297320255 or talk to Molly.

All Rotary Event: Gifford Tree Planting
Saturday 3/28 (rain date is Saturday 4/11).  Shifts begin at 7am through noon.  You can participate in a number of tree planting activities. There will be 4 stages for each tree: dig, plant, mulch & stake. Teams will be made up for each stage. Meet downtown Gifford.

Larry, Oktay and the Awards Committee are looking for non-Rotarian nominations for “Outstanding Citizen of the Year” award. The winner will be awarded a $500 contribution to the charity of their choice. This award will be announced at our April 30 meeting. Nominees must be a resident of Champaign county and have shown community and or international humanitarian contributions either within the past year or cumulative over more than one year.

Illini Rotaract’s Alex Villanueva visited our club to announce 2 fund raising activities:

1) “End Polio Now” shot glasses were being sold for $5

2) Also for $5 any Rotarian can participate Illini Rotaract’s March Madness Bracket Pool. This is a 50/50 pool with proceeds going to Shelter Box USA. If you would like to join, do so prior to the start of the NCAA tournament this Thursday morning 3/19. Your contribution can be collected at our CU Sunrise meeting.

To enter go to yahoo.com. Under the “fantasy tab” click “Tourney Pick ’em.” Click “find a pool” and click “join a private pool.”  Enter group ID# 17759 Password “rotaract.” Log in with your Yahoo account, or create a new account. Make a new bracket with the bracket name as your first and last name. Questions can be emailed to Alex at illinirotaract@gmail.com

Benny Lapid led us in song (yes he was here!). Benny translated then sang the Shalom song from our songbook. Then the club joined in for 2 rousing verses!  Always good to see Benny.  🙂

Program

Brian Adams from the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS).  Brian’s topic was “Dixie Comes to Champaign County.”  The ISGS was asked to evaluate the ground in north Urbana as part of the Olympia Drive corridor project.

The State of Illinois contributed 259,000 soldiers to the American Civil War. Champaign County at the time had a population of 14,600.  25% of the men in the county served in the war, of which 220 did not return. Champaign County formed the 1st Militia as part of Company A of the 20th Illinois Volunteers. Training took place near the present fairgrounds under the command of Samuel Busey and Clark Robinson Griggs.

The ISGS uncovered a house foundation that stood from 1840-1890 and other artifacts. However one of the more unusual artifacts was a belt buckle marked “CSA” (Confederate States of America). It remains a mystery as to how the buckle got to Urbana. You can view several Civil War monuments at Urbana’s Woodlawn Cemetery. Of the Civil War era soldiers buried in various Champaign County cemeteries, 11 are veterans of the CSA.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

March 19th – Valerie Hotchkiss, Andrew Turyn Endowed Professor & Director of the Rare Book & Manuscript Library, UIUC

March 26th – Kevin Ullestad, Associate Athletic Director and State Farm Center Director, UIUC

April 2nd – Don Fournier will speak about “The Future of Coal as an Energy Source”

April 9th – Denise Martin will discuss Cradles to Careers

April 16th – TBD

April 23rd – Dr. Richard Fredrickson, Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, UIUC, will discuss services and research in veterinary medicine

April 30th – TBD

May 7th – TBD

May 14th – George Vargas, Champaign County Public Defender’s Office

May 21st – Sam Banks, Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club

May 28th – TBD

June 4th – Jen Shelby will discuss the Cannes Film Festival

June 11th – Kathie Spegal, Coordinator, Illinois Radio Reader, and former CU Sunrise Rotarian

June 18th – Andy Leipold will discuss grand juries and Ferguson, MO

 Announcements:

(notes provided by the crafty and courageous Barb Lintner)

The Savoy Rotary Club Annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser will be Saturday, March 14^th from 7am-11am.  See members of that club for tickets ($5 each).

The Idea Store will sponsor a Pie Day on March 14 (3.14.15) from 10am to 5pm.  You may order a full pie from Molly at http://goo.gl/forms/j6vqkBmCDK  for $20 to pick up on that date at The Idea Store or just come for a free slice with your purchase on the 3.14 of at least $3.14.

The Idea Store Gala will be on April 11 at the Hilton Garden Inn.  A business may purchase a sponsorship to honor a teacher for $500.  For more information on these events go to www.facebook.com/events/428282297320255.

We have two teams signed up for Bowl for Kids at Old Orchard this Friday at 6:00.  Spectators are welcome. Hecklers are even more welcome.

Four members have volunteered to read at Lincoln Square on Saturday during the Read Across America event which takes place from 10am to 1pm.

Watch for more information on an All-Rotary event to plant trees in Gifford, IL.

This year the CU Sunrise Rotary Club will sponsor a community service award for a non-Rotarian.  An application for the Outstanding Citizen Award will be available soon.  The award will consist of a certificate and cash award of $500 to a charity of the recipient’s choice.  Be thinking of people to nominate who have demonstrated outstanding service to the community in one or in multiple years.

Dave Krchak told a joke.  Some people laughed.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

March 12th – Brian Adams, Illinois Archaeological Survey, will discuss Civil War Archaeology in Champaign County

March 19th – Valerie Hotchkiss, Andrew Turyn Endowed Professor & Director of the Rare Book & Manuscript Library, UIUC

March 26th – Kevin Ullestad, Associate Athletic Director and State Farm Center Director, UIUC

April 2nd – TBD

April 9th – Denise Martin will discuss Cradles to Careers

April 16th – TBD

April 23rd – Dr. Richard Fredrickson, Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, UIUC, will discuss services and research in veterinary medicine

April 30th – TBD

May 7th – TBD

May 14th – TBD

May 21st – Sam Banks, Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club

May 28th – TBD

June 4th – Jen Shelby will discuss the Cannes Film Festival

Announcements

No meeting this past week so no recent updates.  However, previous updates included:

Rod announced that we still need bowlers for the Bowl A Thon on March 6 and readers for Read Across America on March 7.  Please contact Rod if you would like to participate.

Andrew announced that a free screening of the documentary Awaken The Dragon will take place at 7:00pm on Tuesday, March 3^rd, 2015 at The Art Theater.  The film deals with a group of people who take on an interesting activity in order to reclaim their lives after surviving cancer.  Admission is free, and donations will go to provide comfort items to patients receiving cancer treatment at Carle.  See here for more details: http://www.awakenthedragon.com/

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

March 5th – Kerris Lee, Parkland College and Unit 4 School Board member

March 12th – Brian Adams, Illinois Archaeological Survey, will discuss Civil War Archaeology in Champaign County

March 19th – Valerie Hotchkiss, Andrew Turyn Endowed Professor & Director of the Rare Book & Manuscript Library, UIUC

March 26th – TBD

April 9th – Denise Martin will discuss Cradles to Careers

April 16th – TBD

April 23rd – Dr. Richard Fredrickson, Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, UIUC, will discuss services and research in veterinary medicine

April 30th – TBD

May 7th – TBD

May 14th – TBD

May 21st – Sam Banks, Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club

May 28th – TBD