!!!!! REMINDER: This week we meet at the Winnetka Park District Community Room – which is at the far North end of the Tennis center on Hibbard Road at Elm Street.
District 36 Superintendent Trisha Kocanda and CFO Brad Goldstein will present an overview of the proposed FutureReady facility plan.
The meeting in the Winnetka Community House was opened at 12:15 by President Tom Nash. Two anecdotal “Thoughts for the Day” were offered from Mark Kotz filling in for John Ford. It was followed by the pledge of allegiance from Tom Nash filling in for Joe Nash.
Lunch was served at 12:20 and the meeting started at 12:36. 28 of our 51 members were in attendance. A tuneful Happy Birthday was harmonized for Bob Baker, Barb Tubekis and Joe Fell..
ANNOUNCEMENTS: President Nash noted our annual W/N Rotary Club benefit will be next Friday, May 11. Thus, the regular meeting of May 10 will be at the Winnetka Park District Community Room – which is at the far North end of the Tennis center on Hibbard Road at Elm Street.
Rich Lalley again noted our District Meeting will be May 17-20 at a wonderful resort in Sheboygan. He also sold hard on the speakers and said “all in all, great place, great speakers and I urge you all to come”.
Robert Mardirossian pitched in $10 for the benefit and many others followed suit. He also sold his Cubs tix for an evening game on Tues 5/8 to Christina Gikas, with the proceeds also being donated.
SPEAKER : The speaker was Mike Starke, a lifelong Lake Forest resident. After college he joined, and then ran, his father’s advertising agency, Ideas+Design, Inc. A few years ago he launched the successful Highland Park Neighbors magazine. The founder of the new Winnetka Living magazine asked Mr. Starke to take it over this March, which he did. He currently is the publisher of both local magazines.
His talk was brief and he then spent 20 minutes in an in-depth Q&A with the audience mostly about local newspapers and their plusses and minuses.
The meeting closed at 1:34 p.m. with a recitation of the Rotary 4-Way Pledge.
Sixteen Area Charities to Receive Grants at Annual Fundraising Dinner
Our club will gather for our annual fundraising dinner the evening of May 11 at A. Perry Homes in Wilmette, celebrating Cinco de Mayo + Six and continuing it’s long tradition of supporting non-profit organizations who make our community and the world a better place. Members and their guests should register at http://wnrotary.org/event/annual-benefit-dinner.
“Our club has been an important contributor to local, regional and international causes since our founding in 1924,” said club president Tom Nash. “This year we are pleased to be supporting sixteen organizations that align with Rotary’s annual theme “Making a Difference.”
“Our Community Grants program is our foundational program,” said Brooke Peppey, President of the Winnetka Northfield Rotary Charitable Foundation, the club’s charitable arm. “Each year, our members nominate non-profit organizations whose work inspires them to receive a Community Grant. Funds raised at our prior year benefit dinner, along with donations received throughout the year, are granted to the nominated organizations after being vetted by our board. Since we are all volunteers, all of the money we raise goes toward these grants and our other service projects.”
Members may make additional contributions to any of the sixteen charities, which will be matched by an increase in award amount by our foundation. Contributions may be made at our weekly lunch and by credit card by clicking here. Click Read More for a list of grantee organizations.
This year’s Community Grant awardees are:
A Just Harvest (http://ajustharvest.org), who fights poverty and hunger in Rogers Park and the greater Chicago community.
Blues Kids Foundation (http://www.blueskids.com), who works to preserve, perform and promote the Blues among America's youth, parents and educators through its annual Blues Camp in Chicago and other cities.
De La Gente (http://www.dlgcoffee.org), who works with coffee farming communities to create economic opportunity that improves the quality of life for their families and communities.
Erika's Lighthouse (https://www.erikaslighthouse.org), who educates school communities about teen depression, eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness and empower teens to take charge of their mental health.
Hadley School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (www.hadley.edu) who creates personalized learning opportunities that empower blind and visually impaired people to thrive – at home, at work and in their communities.
Jewish Council for Youth Services (https://jcys.org), whose Champ Camp enables at-risk youth from low-income households in the North Shore to experience a traditional summer camp while also attending summer school.
Josselyn Center (https://www.josselyn.org), who provides affordable mental health services that make lives better for their clients, their families and the community.
Literature for All of Us (http://www.literatureforallofus.org), who uses books and writing to facilitate circles of connection, healing and growth in the face of social inequity.
NorthShore University Health System Integrative Medicine Department (https://www.northshore.org/integrative-medicine) who provides no-cost integrative health care, including acupuncture therapy, to low-income students in Evanston.
Operation North Pole (http://www.operationnorthpole.org) who provides a holiday season day of fun and fantasy for families who have a child battling a life threatening illness by hosting a fantasy trip to the North Pole.
Right to be Free (http://www.righttobefree.org) who funds the rescue and rehabilitation of enslaved children in Africa and broadens public awareness of human trafficking.
Samaritan Counseling Center (https://www.northshoresamaritan.org) who offers professional counseling services that provide hope, healing and growth in a manner that is ethical and caring.
Special Gifts Theatre (http://specialgiftstheatre.org) who provides children and teens with special needs a unique, creative drama experience enabling personal growth, while breaking down stereotypes related to disabilities within the community at large.
Volunteer Center (http://www.volunteercenterhelps.org) who helps residents and service groups of all ages in the New Trier Township, North Shore and greater NE Metro Chicago area volunteer or engage in days of service and service learning with 501C3 nonprofit organizations.
Winnetka Youth Organization (http://winnetkayo.org) who fosters individual development in junior high and high school youth in the North Shore by providing adult-to-youth mentoring, prevention services, and opportunities for leadership, citizenship, and, education within a safe, informal environment.
YouthBuild Lake County (http://youthbuildlakecounty.org) who provides underserved young adults in Lake County with the education and training necessary to become gainfully employed and build a better future.
We are pleased to announce our formal agreement with the Rotary Club of Les Cayes, District 7020, Haiti, to partner on a Global Grant project that will bring sustainable jobs and locally grown protein rich food to the Jeremie region of Haiti.
We are looking to raise approximately $20,000 for this project, which when matched $2.50 to $1 by The Rotary Foundation, will provide $70,000 in funding for this project. Rotary Clubs interested in participating should email info@wnrotary.org.
Areas of Focus
¨ Economic & Community Development
¨ Maternal & Child Health
¨ Bonus: Positive Environmental Impact
Project Objectives
¨ Restore and expand breadfruit production in Jeremie region of Haiti that was devastated by Hurricane Matthew
¨ Create a local, solar-powered breadfruit processing facility
¨ Provide vocational training to farmers, facility workers
¨ Develop the domestic and export market for breadfruit products
Planned Activities
¨ Propagate and grow 5,000 breadfruit saplings
¨ Provide ready-to-produce tress to small holder farmers and coop orchards
¨ Fund processing equipment for new facility (building funded by cooperating NGO)
¨ Provide packaged breadfruit breakfast meals to local schools
¨ Provide vocational training to farmers and workers
Expected Outcomes
¨ Produce 2.5 - 5 million lbs. of breadfruit annually
¨ Economic impact on region- $470,000 - $900,000 annually
¨ Good jobs and businesses for local population in poorest region of Haiti
¨ Provide nutritious meals to school children
¨ Develop an export industry for Haiti
Contribute to this project with the button below. Donations will be matched 2.5 to 1 by The Rotary Foundation.
Areas of Focus