News Story for October 31, 2021

November 3, 2021 Community Conversation on Race: A Welcoming Community

The next meeting of the Club will be a Community Conversation on Race: A Welcoming Community.  This special event to be held at the Harbor Club in Gillson Park from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm on Wednesday, November 3, 2021.

Moderator:

Van Gilmer, Member, Village of Wilmette Human Relations Commission

Panelists:

Miya Hasegawa, Healing Everyday Racism in Our Schools (HEROs) member
John Jacoby, Village of Wilmette Historian and former Village of Wilmette President
Rev. Erin Raska, Associate Minister at Glencoe Union Church
Gerry Smith, Chair, Village of Wilmette Human Relations Commission

The meeting will be conducted in hybrid manner, so that you may participate either in person or view the presentation by Zoom.  The Zoom feed will be limited to viewing the presentation, although Zoom participants may raise questions by using the chat function.  Those interested are also invited to submit questions in advance of the panel discussion.

The Zoom link to the Community Conversation meeting will be emailed to members, guests and others within the community who express an interest in attending.  Those attending in person are reminded of recent Cook County directives relating to the wearing of masks indoors. 
 
An informal reception will be held from 8:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
 
Fundraising  to Support Refugees at Camp Atterbury
 
Over the past few weeks the Club has completed a very successful fundraising efforts to support refugees at Camp Atterbury in Southern Indiana.  Special thanks to Sue Watson for her service volunteering at Camp Atterbury, providing information about the refugee needs at Camp Atterbury and leading our Club's special fundraising efforts.  Thanks also to the other local Rotary Clubs who joined us in this effort.
 
The Club's Holiday Fundraiser is Now Underway
 
The Club has launched its annual Holiday Fundraiser.  Funds and contributions raised in this fundraiser enable the Club, through its Foundation, to support a wide range of charitable and other community organizations and programs.  The fundraiser includes a variety of gifts for purchase, a raffle and ways to contribute to the Club's Foundation.  Please see
 
www.rotarygifts.com
 
for more information or to order online.
 

October 27, 2021 Meeting

The October 27, 2021 featured an engaging and information presentation by Michael Clarke, owner of the Pit & Tap restaurant that recently opened at 1168 Wilmette Avenue in downtown Wilmette. Michael discussed his restaurant and his experience of the process of opening a new restaurant business in Wilmette.

The October 27, 2021 meeting also included an update of the Club's extraordinary fundraising efforts to support refugees at Camp Atterbury.

October 20, 2021 Meeting -- Linda Borton

The October 20, 2021 regular meeting of the Club featured a presentation by Linda Borton, District Trainer, District 6440. Linda's presentation was titled "I like my Rotary Club, BUT . . . . (I love Rotary and my club is just one part of it)".   She led a helpful discussion about how the Club and its members can continue to productively connect with the many resources of Rotary.

October 13, 2021 Meeting -- Exodus World Service

The October 13, 2021 regular meeting of the Club featured Carissa Zaffiro of Exodus World Service.  Carissa discussed the efforts of her organization to support refugees in this time of pressing needs. Her presentation was  complemented the Club's special initiative to provide support to refugees at Camp Atterbury in Indiana.

 
September 29, 2021 -- A "Community Conversation" with Julie Wolf
 
On September 29, 2021 Julie Wolf, Chair of the Wilmette Environmental Commission, was featured in the fourth "Community Conversation" in our series.  Julie offered an enlightening description of the development of the Village of Wilmette's Sustainability Plan.
 
Please contact Mike Bailey at Mike@mbaileylaw.com if you would like to obtain a copy of Julie's PowerPoint presentation.
 
Each Community Conversation provides an opportunity for one or more community leaders to discuss important developments the community.  The Community Conversations also present an opportunity for those in attendance to ask questions and offer comments.  Interested members of the community are invited to join us.
 
The Club usually will be holding Community Conversations on the last Wednesday of each month at 7:30 am at the Harbor Club in Gillson Park, and also usually be available by Zoom in hybrid meeting form (although please note that the next Community Conversation on November 3 will be held in the evening).
 
Regular meetings will continue to be held in hybrid form, so that members and guests can participate either in person and by Zoom. The link to the hybrid meeting will be emailed to members, guests and others within the community who express an interest in attending.  Those attending in person are reminded of recent Cook County directives relating to the wearing of masks indoors.  
 
More About the Community Conversation Series
 
Our first Community Conversation was held on June 30, and featured Steve Wilson, Executive Director of the Wilmette Park District.   Our second Community Conversation, held on July 28, 2021, featured Anthony Austin, Director of the Wilmette Public Library.   Our third Community Conversation was held on August 25, 2021, and featured John Jacoby with an interesting presentation about his new book Wilmette at 150.
 
The fifth Community Conversation in our series is scheduled for the evening of Wednesday, November 3, 2021, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm and will be the panel discussion furthering the Club's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative:  "A Conversation on Race:  A Welcoming Community."
 
World Polio Day -- the Club's Activities to led by Frank Hussey
 
World Polio Day was October 24.  Rotary and its partners have reduced polio cases by 99.9% since 1998.  See
endpol.io/wpd
 
Thanks to Frank Hussey for leading our Club's activities by fundraising activities on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 22, 23 and 24.  
 
Environmental Committee News:
 
Elmwood Dunes Volunteer Opportunity
The Wilmette lunch club After Dark (RAD) group has a project to help preserve the native plants at Elmwood Dunes Preserve by pulling out the choke weeks that threaten the natural plants in the upper garden.
 
They will be scheduling Saturday 10:30 am volunteer days and will welcome our club's support.  Ben Ivory will share details of their next volunteer day.
 
Environmental Book Suggestions
Based on the success of the DEI book discussion, the Environmental Committee is looking for suggestions for an environmental book for the club to read.  If you have a suggestion, please send to Ben Ivory or Maureen Barry.