The Wilmette Rotary Installation Luncheon will take place on Wednesday, June 25 at noon at the Wilmette Golf Club.  We will install our new President, Brian Bradley and the new Directors for Rotary year 2025-2026. The cost will be $30;  you will get your choice of six menu items, iced tea or lemonade, cookie or brownie, tax and tip are all included. Click to  RSVP for this important event.

 

 

 

The 2025-2026 Community Service & Environmental Committee (CS&E), co -chaired by Sarah Homan and Ben Ivory invites all interested members to join their first meeting of the upcoming Rotary year, being held via Zoom on Wednesday, June 25 from 6:30-7:30pm.  The committee will continue to meet monthly throughout the year.  During this first meeting they will review the grants application process; make preliminary grant budget recommendations for 2025; and discuss committee goals for 2025 and review the calendar.

 

This is a great opportunity for members to get involved with a very important part of what our Club does to support other worthy non-profits with funds and actions. The recommendations of this Committee will be submitted to the board to approve the allocations. If you have a specific organization or event you’d like to request a grant for, please attend and share your proposal for consideration. Let’s kick off a strong year for the CS&E Committee!  For more information, contact Sarah Homan or Ben Ivory.  Here is the Zoom link for the meeting:

 

The Community Service and Environment Committee will discuss our Rotary Club's volunteer involvement with the Village of Wilmette's annual Block Party on Saturday, September 6 from noon - 10 p.m.  Please contact Sarah Homan or Ben Ivory if you have questions about this.  More information to follow!

At the June 18 morning Rotary Club meeting, members received an update on the impressive activities of the International Service Committee.  Committee Chair Steve Jambor outlined some of the exciting projects and he and his committee have been focused on. Steve's professional background is in medical devices -- that knowledge has been very beneficial as the committee has worked with Rotary International and Rotary Clubs in Uganda on providing ultrasound machines as well as training midwives in the use of those machines.  Neonatal disorders is the number #1 cause of death in 8 countries including Uganda so this information is critical.  The success of this work on a smaller scale led to the Committee's application for a $2 million Program of Scale grant from Rotary International that would train 1000 midwives in 20 nations.  Unfortunately, the Program of Scale submittal came in second this year, but there are efforts underway to fund it at a smaller amount.

 

In addition to this effort, the International Service Committee supports work at AkTenamit in Guatemala -- a school and orphanage that has been supported by the former morning club for many years -- a number of our members have gone on service trips to assist with building projects.  The Committee also donates to other Rotary's Clubs' international efforts.  If you are interested in working with the International Service  Committee, contact Steve Jambor  srjambor@launchagents.com

                    

 

We have two new members! Please welcome Doug Oettinger and Jolie Garcia.  Doug is sponsored by Debora Morris and Jolie is sponsored by Heidi Voorhees. 

 
Doug Oettinger is Principal Emeritus at ZS Associates, a global management consulting  and technology firm. During 35 years with ZS, he helped to grow the company from 25 people to over 13,000 worldwide. Doug has a AB from Harvard and an MBA from University of Chicago. He is also active at the Youth Job Center as a board member and an executive council member of BPeace, an organization that connects entrepreneurs to personalized consulting. A resident of Evanston, Doug is interested in woodworking, reading, exercise, and he is currently building a 16 ft. boat from scratch.

Jolivette (Jolie) Garcia is a Senior Manager of Cyber Security with Rotary International, where she leads efforts to strengthen digital security and resilience. Beyond her role at Rotary, she is active in the broader tech community, serving on professional boards and leading programs that promote ethical hacking and innovation in cybersecurity and leadership. . She earned a degree from Virginia Tech and attended  Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University. Jolie is known for her collaborative leadership style and for bringing fresh, strategic thinking and community-focused initiatives.  A resident of Wilmette, Jolie enjoys playing golf, attending theater performances, and reading.

 

     

The July 1 Lunch-packing session, organized by the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club, had enthusiastic volunteers from both Evanston Lighthouse and Wilmette Rotary clubs. 160 lunch bags were prepared for delivery the next day to Connections for the Homeless.  Monthly lunch-packing sessions will by organized with Wilmette, Winnetka-Northfield and Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Clubs taking alternate months.  Next month is Wilmette Rotary.  Sign-up for the next Lunch-packing session on August 5.  Space is limited, so Sign-up  now to participate.

             

 

 

Monthly Lunch-packing on December 2,  6pm -  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.  

 

New Trier Food Pantry - The New Trier Food Pantry is in crisis mode.  They need volunteers to help organize the new donations that are coming in.   The Food Pantry is located at 739 Elm Street, Winnetka.  Please sign-up to volunteer to help:  Food.