Welcome to Our Club


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: We meet at Noon the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month, and at 7:30AM the third Wednesday of each month at the Wilmette Harbor Club in Gillson Park, Wilmette.  We also meet in-person on the 1st Tuesday of each month (for Lunch-packing) at 6pm at St. Joseph Church, Wilmette. 

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.
Wilmette Harbor Club
20 Harbor Drive
Wilmette, IL 60091
United States of America
Phone:
(847) 722-2115
Email:
clubrotarywilmette@gmail.com
Flexible meeting times, morning or noon (plus evening service project). No attendance requirements. Mailing address: PO Box 111, Wilmette, IL 60091
District Site
Venue Map
CLUB NEWS
2026 Holiday Fundraiser Has Begun!!
2026 Holiday Fundraiser Has Begun!!

Our largest annual fundraiser of the year has started!  Monies raised will fund local and international humanitarian projects and become part of the 2027-2028 budget process. This event is based entirely on purchases of gifts, raffle tickets and donations; there is no physical event to attend.  

Gift items include wines, chocolates, spice blends, olive oil and vinegar sets, smoked salmon, summer sausage and cheese. Something new has been added, a Gourmet Gift Box from Schaefer's.. All these products are from local businesses. Raffle prizes will include $500 cash, a 4-night stay in a luxury condo in San Francisco, restaurant gift card, theater tickets, Cubs and Bears tickets. Click this link I WANT TO HELP to see all the wonderful gift items, purchase raffle tickets or donate. Click Raffle to see prize detail.
 
Some of our local grants this year went to: Operation Warm, Go Green Wilmette, Haven Youth and Family Services, Our Place, Meals on Wheels, NE IL, Youth Job Center, Housing Opportunity Development Corp, Madonna Mission, Building Peaceful Bridges, Lawrence Hall, and other non-profits.
 
 
Winter Warmth for Connections

Connections for the Homeless' annual Winter Warmth Clothing Distribution took place on Nov. 7.  Frank Candioto, Brian Bradley and Debora Morris assisted with stocking coat racks for shoppers to make their selections.  This is a well-organized event where individuals can come and select a variety of winter wear for themselves and their family.   

 

Presentation on Medicare
Presentation on Medicare

Jim Pockross Presents on Medicare

Club Member Jim Pockross gave Club Members an overview of what is going on with Medicare at our Noon meeting on Wednesday, November 11.  Open enrollment lasts until December 7. Jim provided some of the pros and cons of the Medicare Advantage Plans as well as resources to contact should members have any questions.  Thank you Jim!

Wilmette Park District Thanks Us
One of our environmental grants this year went to the Wilmette Park District  to help plant a rain garden for drainage in Shorewood Park. We presented a check for $4500 at their November board meeting and the board members were very appreciative of our contribution. A colorful sign giving our club credit will be placed by the garden. 
 

Our Club Supports Lawrence Hall

Member Jim Waite presented a check to Lawrence Hall, one of the important non-profit organizations our club supports.   Lawrence Hall is a community-based service agency committed to helping heal the effects of childhood trauma. Their services are centered around helping youth and young adults heal from their past trauma and lead productive lives. 

Warm Coats Distributed - Nov 4

Members George Pearce, Terry Porter and Debora Morris were joined by potential member Jennifer Manning to distribute warm coats to grammar school children at St. Thomas of Canterbury School in Chicago's uptown neighborhood.  Coats were purchased new from Operation Warm which provides coats, shoes and sports bras for under-resourced schools throughout the US. 

Lunch-packing for the Homeless - Nov 3

The monthly Lunch-packing event for November was attended by several Northwestern Rotaract members as well as members from Wilmette, Winnetka-Northfield and Evanston Lighthouse Rotary.  170 lunches were prepared and Patti Van Cleave and Frank Candioto delivered them to Connections the next day.

 

Club Awards $1,800 Grant to Go Green Wilmette

Our Club awarded a grant of $1,800 to Go Green Wilmette to help fund the organization’s Internship Program, an initiative that gives young people hands-on experience in environmental work while advancing sustainability efforts across the community. "This grant will make a huge difference towards providing a front row seat for young adults to the action of local activism, how a small organization works and environmental stewardship”, added Meg Hagenah Go Green Board member and Internship Program Manager. “I look forward to working with our next class of interns, and I thank Rotary for helping us in our efforts to involve young people”.

World Polio Walk - Oct. 24

Several of our members joined other area Rotary clubs, and the public, in the World's Largest Polio Walk in Evanston.  The Walk was organized to create awareness that polio is not yet eradicated worldwide and Rotary is raising funds to help end polio forever. It was a wonderful day of multi-club camaraderie and sense of purpose.  You can still donate to help the cause. DONATE

Rotary Supports Our Place!

Rotarians Ben Ivory and Frank Candioto present Our Place with a grant for $2250.  Our Place provides a supportive environment and programming for teens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  This is one of many non-profit organizations we support with our fundraising events.

        

Our
Co-Presidents
           
    Frank Candioto & Frank Hussey

SERVICE ABOVE SELF

How We Serve and Support:
Local Community Groups
International Groups
 
ABOUT ROTARY

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Speakers
Dick Farkas
Nov 18, 2026 7:30 AM
Grandma's Recipe for Foreign Policy
Grandma's Recipe for Foreign Policy

Dck Farkas is back with another interesting and, no doubt, entertaining presentation.  Intriguing title as always, we are looking forward to hearing this.

Peggy Forbes, Executive Director
Dec 09, 2026 12:00 PM
Madonna Mission
Holiday Party
Dec 16, 2026 6:00 PM
Glencoe Golf Club
Stephanie Garrity
Jan 13, 2027 12:00 PM
Rainbows for All Childrem
Sarah Homan & Ben Ivory
Jan 20, 2027 7:30 AM
Community Service & Environmental Committee Update
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Club Executives & Directors
Co-President
Frank Candioto
Co-President
Frank Hussey
Immediate Past President
Brian Bradley
Co-President Elect
Sarah Homan
Co-President Elect
Kurt Zoller
Club Foundation Treasurer
John Flanagin
Secretary
John Kilner
Treasurer
Kent Meyers
Director
Irene Paterno
Director
Nick Dallas
Director
Frank Cheswick
Director
Ben Ivory
Director
John Kay
Director
Karl Behrend
Director
Michael Harper
Director
Thomas Ryan
Director
A. Robert Taylor
Membership Co-Chair
George Pearce
Membership Co-Chair
Debora Morris
Public Image
Gabriell Doyle
Co-chair Community and Environmental Service Committee
Sarah Homan
Co-chair Community and Environmental Service Committee
Ben Ivory
Youth Service Chair
George Pearce
Web Site Coordinator
Debora Morris
Program Chair
Frank Cheswick
Co-Bulletin Editor
Debora Morris
Co -Bulletin Editor
Heidi Voorhees
Fundraising Chair
Debora Morris
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE CHAIR
Steven R Jambor
Rotary Foundation
Terry Porter
Finance Chair
John Flanagin
AI Assistant 
Ask our AI Assistant, Avery, any questions about our Rotary Club.
 
 
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITES
Monthly Lunch-packing - December 1  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.
 
 The Rotary Club of Wilmette hosts  a Fall Village Clean up Event , Sunday, November 22, 2026.   Join us Sunday November 22 from 10 am to 11:30 am for the opportunity to express our gratitude for our community by working together collecting trash and debris around our Village Center. Family and friends are invited.  SIGN-UP HERE   Look for the Rotary blue tent in front of the Village Hall 1200 Wilmette Ave. If your schedule is tight, feel free to stop by for a cup of coffee.  If you have questions, contact Ben Ivory  benjamindivory@gmail.com 
 
General
Upcoming Events
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