“The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.” ― Helen Keller 

“The depth of darkness to which you can descend and still live is an exact measure of the height to which you can aspire to reach.” ― Pliny the Elder 

“Every great work, every big accomplishment, has been brought into manifestation through holding to the vision, and often just before the big achievement, comes apparent failure and discouragement.” ― Florence Scovel Shinn 

PROGRAM

Last week’s meeting was our evening gathering to conduct the Visioning session.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

September 1st – Club Assembly

September 8th – TBD

September 15th – Michelle and Gary Olsen will discuss their recent trip to Cuba

September 22nd – TBD

September 29th – TBD

October 6th – TBD

October 13th – TBD

“Trust your hunches. They’re usually based on facts filed away just below the conscious level.” ― Joyce Brothers 

“The human body has two ends on it: one to create with and one to sit on. Sometimes people get their ends reversed. When this happens they need a kick in the seat of the pants.” ― Theodore Roosevelt 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Notes provided by Allan Penwell)

There is no Thursday morning meeting this week, but we will have our Visioning session beginning at 4:45 p.m. at our same location, the Hawthorne Suites.  See everyone there!

As a follow up to Visioning, we will have a club assembly at our meeting on September 1st.  Committee chairs should be prepared to update the club on their goals for this Rotary year.

The Rotary International Convention is to be held in Atlanta, Georgia June 10-14, 2017.  Plan to attend if you need a good dose of Rotary.

SPEAKER

Our speaker on the 18th was Cassie Carroll who is the Program Director for The Land Connection and a member of Rotary West.  The Land Connection trains farmers in resilient, restorative, farming techniques; informs the public about the sources of our food and why that matters; and works to protect and enhance farmland so that we and generations to come will have clean air and water, fertile soil, and healthy, delicious food.

The focus of The Land Connection is to help small-plot farmers to get started and sustain good farming practices to include organic farming.  Help is given to those who have only beginning knowledge of farming as well as those who are experienced.  Help is in the form of education, acquiring land, and marketing of the crop or livestock.  Education begins with a nine-week course on building a farm business plan for sustainable agriculture.  About 20 farm families participate, and students are linked with a mentor after the workshop series ends.

The Land Connection has trainings that include organic grains courses, the Food Safety Modernization Act, good agricultural practices, transition to organic production, and market readiness. Training has been provided to over 700 farmers in the last two years and over 170 farmers have attended the organic grains courses. Members participate in our local farmers’ markets by selling their produce and even connect in with the public on cooking techniques.  In particular, The Land Connection hosts the Champaign Farmer’s Market from 4-7pm on Tuesday evenings in the parking lot to the west of the Orpheum.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

August 25th – Regular meeting canceled; 5:00PM Club Visioning Session at (Xpm) at Hawthorne Suites

September 1st – Club Assembly

September 8th – TBD

September 15th – Michelle and Gary Olsen will discuss their recent trip to Cuba

September 22nd – TBD

September 29th – TBD

October 6th – TBD

October 13th – TBD

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” ― Dalai Lama 

“A true friend is the greatest of all blessings, and that which we take the least care of all to acquire.” ― Francois de La Rochefoucauld 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

President Rod channeled Frank Sinatra who led us in America the Beautiful.

On Saturday, 8/20, Rotary District 6490 is sponsoring a Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) at Richland Community College in Decatur. Visit http://www.hoa-rli.org/ for more info (these are excellent, and all Rotarian’s should go to one).
Our Thursday, 8/25, our regular morning meeting will be preempted by our club’s 8/25 evening Visioning meeting. Please find Bob LaCharite’s email, a response is requested from all club members.

President Rod announced that Rotary District 6490 has approved a $33,000 grant to sponsor an exchange student from Taiwan.

Phyllis Mischo announced that the Champaign Park District has awarded our club VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH for July, 2016 in recognition of our stewardship of the Decker Garden.

PROGRAM

Bob introduced our speaker this week, Deb Frank Feinen, the Mayor of Champaign.  Deb was elected Mayor of Champaign in 2015.

Mayor Deb Feinen has been a resident of Champaign for over forty years. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College in 1989 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Education. In 1991, she received a Juris Doctor from the Illinois Institute of Technology Kent College of Law, and in 1992 was admitted into the Illinois Bar.

Mayor Feinen’s presentation focused primarily on the development and evolution of the downtown area throughout the 20th century taking us through the growth and development of the past 15 years.

Between 1965 and 1980 over 50 buildings were razed, and that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. Older structures typically have not only character but also are made to last. In 1980 a TIF district was created downtown which has been renewed several times and expires for good in 2017. The city is looking to establish a wrap around TIF district to the north of downtown.

There has been $4M invested by the city in the TIF district with another $27M coming from private investment. Food and beverage taxes partially fund downtown decorations, sculptures and benches.

The next big project will be to develop a $95M downtown hotel and conference center.

Mayor Feinen’s approach is to create a culture in which investors look to Champaign as great place to invest in “places, buildings and fun”.  To contact her: Email: Deb.Feinen@champaignil.gov or Office Phone: 217-403-8720.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

August 18th – Cassie Carroll, Champaign West Rotarian and Program Director of The Land Connection

August 25th – Regular meeting canceled; 5:00PM Club Visioning Session at (Xpm) at Hawthorne Suites

September 1st – TBD

September 8th – TBD

September 15th – Michelle and Gary Olsen will discuss their recent trip to Cuba

September 22nd – TBD

September 29th – TBD

October 6th – TBD

 “If my world were to cave in tomorrow, I would look back on all the pleasures, excitements and worthwhilenesses I have been lucky enough to have had. Not the sadness, not my miscarriages or my father leaving home, but the joy of everything else. It will have been enough.” ― Audrey Hepburn 

“There is something in every one of you that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. It is the only true guide you will ever have. And if you cannot hear it, you will all of your life spend your days on the ends of strings that somebody else pulls.” ― Howard Thurman 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Our Rotary Slow Ride Peddle Bus group will meet at The Tumble Inn this coming Tuesday evening at 5:15 as the Bus takes off at 5:30. Be ready for some exercise, fun and bring your own liquid refreshments. 

August 20th is the Rotary Leadership Institute at Richland Community College. All Rotary members are welcome to attend. See Rod for more information.

Bob handed out a Rotary Club Questionnaire to everyone, asking it to be filled out and returned at next week’s meeting. He also reminded everyone that our meeting on August on 25th will be in the evening starting at 4:45pm instead of the normal morning time. The Club Visioning meeting will start at 5:00pm and all are requested to attend. A meal will be provided. 

PROGRAM

Phillis introduced Dr. Steve Sonka, University of Illinois Professor Emeritus, who spoke on food waste and prevention of postharvest loss. Steve joined the U of I faculty in 1975 and is the founding director of the National Soybean Research Institute on campus, serves as director of the ADM Institute for the Prevention of Postharvest Loss and also serves on many national and international committees.

Dr. Sonka began by describing the many issues of postharvest loss and noted that approximately 1/3 of agricultural products are lost postharvest in many international markets due to inadequate storage, transportation methods and pest control. With the ever increasing world population and the growing need for food, if these postharvest losses can be corrected it will help world hunger.

Using small farms in Africa and Central America as example markets, Dr. Sonka focused in on several methods that are working for better food security and reducing food loss. He noted examples of the use of metal and plastic storage containers for villages and individual families as well as insect and rodent resistant plastic packaging of the harvest during shipment and storage. Working with the Rockefeller Foundation, they are finding ways to help local farmers to buy in with the new methods by the use of current technology, training, financing and market analysis. They provide the needed support to the small farmers and work with in their agricultural methods.

Lastly, Dr. Sonka touched on food waste noting that it is an issue in the United States and Europe. While noting that food handlers are improving their methods to lessen food waste in the market place there reminds consumer food waste and that is a behavioral issue and while difficult has also begun to be addressed.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

August 11th – Deb Feinen, Mayor of Champaign

August 18th – Cassie Carroll, Champaign West Rotarian and Program Director of The Land Connection

August 25th – Regular meeting canceled; 5:00PM Club Visioning Session at (Xpm) at Hawthorne Suites

September 1st – TBD

September 8th – TBD

September 15th – TBD

September 22nd – Eliana Brown?

September 29th – TBD

“If love does not know how to give and take without restrictions, it is not love, but a transaction that never fails to lay stress on a plus and a minus.” ― Emma Goldman

“Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You’ll find what you need to furnish it – memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey.” ― Tad Williams

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

On September 1 we will have a Club Assembly and Rod would like to have the committees set.  So if you would like to make any changes to the committee list he emailed, please let him know ASAP.

Kathy Rector, our AG, announced that the next Rotary Leadership Institute will be on Saturday, August 20 at Richland Community College.  It is a great introduction to Rotary for new members so they will have a better understanding of how Rotary works.  All others are also welcome.

Keith announced that the preferred date for the Slow Ride outing will be Tuesday, August 9 at 5:30.  It is limited to 15 people so he needs to know right away, if you want to go and if you will have a guest.

PROGRAM

Our speaker was 6490 Governor, Kevin Yonce, CEO of TCTNA Industries and Champaign West past president.  Kevin has been in the field of specialty fabrics for many years and has served on industry boards as well as those boards in our community such as United Way and the East Central Illinois Foodbank.  He is a Paul Harris Fellow +8 and has received the Avenue of Service Award in addition to serving on various Champaign West committees.

Kevin began by taking a picture of the club to post on Facebook.  He talked about his Rotary DG Jacket and showed us his Converse sport shoes, which members of the Midwest Governors All Star group decided to wear during their visits to their clubs.  Kevin spent 17 days in three different cities in compulsory training as a District Governor among a group of 535 from all over the world.  Although he found this most rewarding, his favorite Rotary experiences are the trips he has made from 2009-2013 to the Champaign West sponsored orphanage in Honduras.

The year 2017 marks the 100th birthday of the Rotary Foundation begun in Atlanta, Georgia by Arch C. Klumph with a contribution of $26.50.  Over $3 billion has been issued in grants and scholarships via the foundation in the past 100 years.  Polio Plus marks its 30th year.  When it began there were 350,000 cases of polio per year.  Today there 19 cases have been reported in Pakistan and Afghanistan.  The rest of the world is Polio free.

The challenge is to provide continuing support for the Foundation.  Kevin asked us to contribute our Rotary experiences in writing so that he can compile a booklet to sell for $26.50 with proceeds to go to the Foundation.  In our zone there is also the opportunity to contribute on a sustaining basis by automatic withdrawals from a checking, savings, or credit account.  Kevin encouraged us to sign up for Rotary Direct and to designate our contributions to the Annual Fund share program.  This past year District 6490 members contributed an average $106 per member and he would like to see this grow.

Future District meetings are:  August 20, Rotary Leadership Institute at Richland; August 27, District Assembly at Carle, May 6 and 7, District Conference at the Hilton Garden Inn in Champaign.

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE

August 4th – Dr. Steve Sonka, Professor Emeritus, UIUC, will provide a presentation on food waste and prevention of postharvest loss

August 11th – Deb Feinen, Mayor of Champaign

August 18th – TBD

August 25th – Regular meeting canceled; 5:00PM Club Visioning Session at (Xpm) at Hawthorne Suites

September 1st – TBD

September 8th – TBD

September 15th – TBD

September 22nd – TBD