Welcome to Our Club


The Rotary Club of Wilmette has merged with the Wilmette Harbor Rotary Club, the combined clubs are now all officially the Rotary Club of Wilmette. The original Wilmette Rotary Club was chartered in 1924 and was known as the Noon Club.  In 1990, the Wilmette Harbor Club was chartered, and was known as the Morning Club.  In 2019, a satellite club was established as part of the Noon group.  Today there are over 80 active members who gather to do good for others while enjoying good fellowship, with the choice of meeting either morning, noon or evening.
 

Our Club members enthusiastically live the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self” both locally and internationally. Recent projects include water well installation at schools in Angola, food packing and providing necessities to the homeless in Chicago, supplying ultrasound equipment and related training to people in Uganda, providing disaster relief supplies to hurricane, typhoon, and other natural disaster survivors, providing winter coats and shoes to low-oncome children, food packing for people in Guatemala and Central America, and supporting local food pantries, literacy efforts and diversity.

NOTICE: Beginning May 14, our Noon meetings (the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month) will be at St. John's Church, 1235 Wilmette Ave. Wilmette. We will also meet in-person on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 6pm at St. Joseph Church, Wilmette and on the 3rd Wednesday at 7:30am at Sheridan Shore Yacht Club. 

We’d love to have you join one of our meetings!

Club Information
Welcome!


Our Motto: Service Above Self

We meet In Person
Wednesdays at 12:00 p.m.
St. John's Church
1235 Wilmette Avenue
Wilmette, IL 60091
United States of America
Phone:
(847) 722-2115
Email:
clubrotarywilmette@gmail.com
We meet monthly on the 1st Tuesday at 6pm at St Joseph Church, the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at Noon at St. John's Church, Wilmette and the 3rd Wednesday at 7:30am at the Sheridan Shore Yacht Club in . Mailing address: PO Box 111, Wilmette, IL 60091
District Site
Venue Map
2024 Rotary Images
CLUB NEWS
Project C.U.R.E. 
Organized by Ray Zeiss, several Rotarians from our club and others met on Saturday at the warehouse of Project C.U.R.E.  What an eye-opening experience! From this huge warehouse, donated medical supplies of every type imaginable are sorted and sent to hospitals all over the world, including many in Africa, Ukraine, Mexico. They are very meticulous about only sending quality, un-expired items.  Our volunteers sorted all kinds of medical supplies to ensure they were not expired.  These items will be reviewed several more times before they are shipped. 
        
Trivia Night Fundraiser
Trivia Night Fundraiser
Trivia Night is Wednesday, June 4. Join us at our most fun fundraiser!  It will take place from 5:30pm-9:00pm at the Sheridan Shore Yacht Club in Gillson Park. Pizza, salad, dessert and beverages will be provided. Invite your neighbors, friends and associates to join in the fun. Organize a team of 4 or come as a single (we will add you to a group). Cost: $50 per person. Doors open 5:30 pm; dinner at 6:00 pm; Trivia contest starts at 7:00 pm.

Purchase Raffle Tickets one for $10, five for $30 or ten for $50. Raffle winners will be drawn during the Trivia contest; winners need not be present Raffle prizes will include a gift card to a local restaurant or retailer! .  

Proceeds support our local, international, and End Polio Now projects. Recent grant recipients include: Building Peaceful Bridges, Connections for the Homeless, Go  Green Wilmette, Family Promise, Meals on Wheels, Our Place, Lawrence hall, Lemons of Love,  Family Service Center, Alliance for the Great Lakes.
 
Purchase Tickets HERE
Lunch-packing for Homeless - May 6
The Lunch-packing event on May 6 attracted Rotary members and other volunteers using an online Sign-up for the first time.  The Rotary Club of Winnetka-Northfield will coordinate the next session on June 3.  This ongoing project will have the three Rotary Clubs, Wilmette, Winnetka-Northfield and Evanston Lighthouse alternate responsibility for coordination of the sessions. This will include buying supplies, making sandwiches, packing bags and delivering them to Connections for the Homeless.  The Sign-up will again be required for volunteers, click HERE  
                
More Pics Hope Walk 2025
The 2025 Hope Walk for the Homeless was a fun and healthy way to spend a Saturday morning. The Rotary Club of Evanston Lighthouse provided great refreshments and amazing participation.  Brian Bradley was a wonderful emcee and kept the crowd involved. Many thanks also to the Rotary volunteers from Wilmette, Skokie Valley and Winnetka-Northfield who helped throughout the event.  
                 
                         
                 
April 23 Program - The Remarkable Life of Hedy Lamarr
April 23 Program - The Remarkable Life of Hedy Lamarr
We were thrilled to have Dick Farkus join us to speak at our April 23 meeting!  He discussed the remarkable story of Hedwig Kiesler, known to all of us as Hedy Lamarr, a pioneering actress and inventor who developed spread spectrum technology in the 1940s. This patented technology is still used today in various forms such as GPS, Bluetooth, and cell phones. Despite her significant contribution to wireless technology, Lamarr never received financial compensation or recognition for her invention. The discussion also touched on the cultural changes for women in the 1940s and how wars can accelerate change.
April 16 Program - Beth Drucker/Ben Ivory
April 16 Program - Beth Drucker/Ben Ivory
Beth Drucker (Go Green Wilmette) and our own Rotarian, Ben Ivory, gave a wonderful presentation on what we can all do to create a more sustainable community.  Both Beth and Ben noted our Club's ongoing commitment to sustainability through many of our projects and events.
 
Following his retirement, Ben went back to school and got a MS in Environmental Sustainability. Beth Drucker was a co-founder of Go Green Wilmette (Gogreenwilmette.org) which was the impetus for Go Green organizations across the State of Illinois! Visit their website and subscribe to their newsletter – it is filled with practical information and upcoming events, including a Plant Sale on May 10.  On May 31, our Club in collaboration with the Glenview Sunrise and Evanston Rotary Clubs will participate in Forest Restoration.
 
                         
Earth Day 2025
Rotary volunteers, Ben Ivory, Brian Bradley and George Pearce set up a tent in Keay Nature Center to join the Wilmette Park District in celebration of  Earth Day.  They gave away native plant and vegetable seeds, and talked to people about Rotary and our environmental focus.
                   
Operation Pollination Pledge
Operation Pollination Pledge
On April 16, Co-Presidents Heidi Voorhees and Debora Morris signed a pledge to support Operation Pollination, as requested by Ben Ivory our environmental chair. We support the goal of developing an interconnected mosaic of pollinator habitat to help restore and maintain populations of pollinator species throughout this region. A specific area in Wilmette has been selected for this continuing project. Volunteers will be needed when the date is set.
April 9 Program -- No Salt Sailing
Member William Shehan gave an inspiring presentation on April 9 about No Salt Sailing.  This organization organizes sailing outings and instruction for veterans and veterans families who have experienced PTSD and other disabilities from their time in the military. William has experienced firsthand the consequences of PTSD.  No Salt Sailing has several small sailing craft that can accommodate up to ten (including crew).  They sail and explore the Great Lakes around Chicago, all while promoting veteran well-being, both physical and mental.  
March 26 Program - Women In Music
March 26 Program - Women In Music
We had a wonderful presentation at our meeting on Wednesday, March 26.  We were so honored to have Lisa Torem and John Philip Shenale talk with us about "Influential Female Artists/Entrepreneurs."  John was in from Los Angeles and has worked with numerous female recording artists who are household names. He played some music and then and shared interviews with several the female artists.  One of the interviews was with Judy Collins who had polio when she was 11 and was trained as a classical pianist. 
 
They also shared an interview with Cindy Lauper who worked on costume designs for the Alice Cooper Band -- those costumes went onto inspire the costumes worn by David Bowie and Elton John.  Lisa is working on a book about the Beach Boys which will be out later this year and the two of them are discussing the development of a documentary so others can see these important interviews.
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SERVICE ABOVE SELF

How We Serve and Support:
Local Community Groups
International Groups
 
Speakers
Beth Gunzel
May 14, 2025 12:00 PM
World Bicycle Relief
World Bicycle Relief

World Bicycle Relief partners with communities to deliver specially designed, locally assembled, rugged bicycles for people in need. We’ve developed an efficient, innovative, and scalable model to empower communities of students, health workers, and entrepreneurs in rural regions with life-changing mobility.

Location: St. John's Church, Wilmette

Tricia Mullen
May 21, 2025 7:30 AM
Meals on Wheels Update
Gabriell Doyle
May 28, 2025 12:00 PM
Downsizing and Staying in Place
Don Crost
Jun 11, 2025 12:00 PM
ShelterBox Update
Steve Jambor
Jun 18, 2025 7:30 AM
Update on International Service Committee Projects
View entire list...
Club Executives & Directors
Co-President
Heidi Voorhees
Co-President
Debora Morris
Immediate Past President
Mariana Alfar
President Elect
Brian Bradley
Co-President Nominee
Frank Candioto
Co-President Nominee
Frank Hussey
Club Foundation Treasurer
John Flanagin
Secretary
John Kilner
Treasurer
Kent Meyers
Director
Nick Dallas
Director
Frank Cheswick
Director
Irene Paterno
Director
Laurie Cavalier
Director
Timothy Frenzer
Director
Terry Porter
Director
Jack Close
Director
George Pearce
Director
John Kay
Membership Chair
George Pearce
Public Image
Patricia Ohle
COMMUNITY SERVICE CHAIR
Brian Bradley
YOUTH SERVICE CHAIR
Jacqueline Granat
CLUB SERVICE CHAIR
Yvonne Sito
Web Site Coordinator
Debora Morris
Program Chair
Frank Candioto
Co-Bulletin Editor
Debora Morris
Co -Bulletin Editor
Heidi Voorhees
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE CHAIR
Steven R Jambor
Rotary Foundation
C. Raymond Zeiss
Finance Chair
John Flanagin
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITES
Monthly Lunch-packing on June 3 - Please Sign-up to participate.  Our monthly service project of preparing lunch bags for Connections for the Homeless is at St. Joseph's Church, Lake and Ridge, Wilmette at 6pm. Enter through the east lower entrance. A Rotary Club meeting follows immediately after the sandwiches are made. This is now a collaborative project with members joining us from the Winnetka-Northfield and Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Clubs. 
 
 Pollination Project with Village of Wilmette - Volunteers needed to plant native species that will attract pollinators in open areas near the expressway, Glenview Rd. and Long Ave. Date will be late May or early June. 
 
 
 Beach Cleanups by Go Green Wilmette!  Join them for our beach cleanups.  Bring a bucket and meet at Gillson South Beach. Every other Saturday, April 26-Oct 18 (except May 24), 9:00-11:00am.  
 
Housing Opportunity Development Corporation (HODC) -  Zion Woods HomeComing 
This is a community event to welcome the new residents of Zion Woods, a brand new 25-unit affordable housing development in Deerfield. Volunteers are needed for specific dates May-July to help assemble furniture ahead of resident move-in, as well as to welcome residents in person on behalf of Rotary at the inaugural on July 12th. The Deerfield and Wilmette Rotary clubs are also invited to donate linen sets and gift cards (through linked registry) for the new residents. Please SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER and/or MAKE A DONATION.
Please contact Sarah Homan at sarah.homan@ymail.com with any questions.
General
Upcoming Events
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Club Links
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