September 29, 2021 -- A "Community Conversation" with Julie Wolf
On September 29, 2021 Julie Wolf, Chair of the Wilmette Environmental Commission, will be featured in the fourth "Community Conversation" in our series.
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 be available by Zoom in hybrid meeting form.
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 8:30 pm. The event will be a panel discussion furthering the Club's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative: "A Conversation on Race: A Welcoming Community."
September 22, 2021 Meeting -- Karen Tollenaar Demorest, Youth Job Center
The regular meeting of the Club held on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 featured a lively and informative presentation by Karen Tollenaar Demorest, Executive Director of the Youth Job Center. YJC’s mission is “Success for young people in the workplace and in life.” YJC is a leading youth workforce development agency in Cook County, founded in Evanston in 1983 and expanding services to Chicago in the last decade. YJC offers comprehensive workforce development services for youth and young adults ages 14-25, including job training and placement, personalized career advising, financial literacy training and coaching, work-based learning programs, career advancement supports for roughly 2,000 youth and young adults each year, the vast majority of whom are low-income Black and Brown youth. YJC is a certified Financial Opportunity Center through the Local Initiatives Support Corporation network and integrates financial guidance and literacy training into its programs and services. YJC programs are available to any youth who requests them, and the agency prioritizes serving youth from under-served and disadvantaged communities.
The Club particularly appreciated Karen's interesting discussion about the steps YJC is taking to implement its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative. Members of the Club look forward to opportunities to collaborate with YJC in that respect and others.
Karen Tollenaar Demorest has served as the Executive Director of the Youth Job Center (YJC) since August of 2014. YJC was founded in Evanston in 1983 to help youth find work and today, offers a robust set of services to youth throughout Chicagoland, designed to help participants identify and pursue career options while simultaneously supporting development of the skills, competencies, and resiliency to be successful in the workplace.
Other Recent Meetings
At the September 15, 2021 meeting of the Club members of the Rotary Club of Wilmette and the Rotary Club of Evanston Lighthouse joined us for lively and informative "Conversation Among Rotary Clubs." We shared information about the activities and goals of our clubs, and discussed how our clubs can better collaborate moving forward.
At the September 8, 2021, meeting of the Club Beth DeWall, Secretary of the Club, made a presentation on Pasek Garden, which is located in Gillson Park. Beth's presentation including an interesting discussion of the history of the garden, the various flowers and other plantings in the garden, and Club members who have contributed to its development and upkeep. Beth concluded with a walking tour of Pasek Garden.
Anyone who would like to obtain a copy of Beth's informative PowerPoint presentation on Pasek Garden is encouraged to contact Mike Bailey.
At the September 8, 2021 meeting, Club members also conducted a special election for our Club's President-Elect. The members of the Club present enthusiastically and unanimously voted to elect Brent Hendricks to be President-Elect of the Club, with his term as President starting on July 1, 2022. Brent will bring great enthusiasm, energy and new ideas to the leadership of our Club.
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.
Beach Sweep
Our Club hosted the Springman Middle School students again this year on Saturday morning, September 25th. Chris Simcox coordinated the event with a truly impressive turn out of volunteers. Club members Ben Ivory, John Wertymer, Puran Stevens and Mike Bailey also participated.
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. We will review suggestions at our next committee meeting in October.
Rotary Benefit Concert Rescheduled to Wednesday, September 29
The Rotary Benefit Concert fundraiser to support Our Place has been rescheduled to Wednesday, September 29. Same place: Wallace Bowl in Gillson Park, Wilmette. Same time: 5pm and will end around 8pm. The same information published last week applies:
Covid Precautions: All attendees are asked to maintain social distancing wherever possible. Unvaccinated people will be required to wear masks indoors and outdoors. Masks are required for all people when using the indoor restroom facilities.
Parking: The best place to park is in the main beach area lots. Enter through the north entrance which is straight east on Lake Avenue (Not the Sheridan Road entrance). Continue to the lot furthest south (right) after entering the parking lot area. There are no resident restrictions on parking.
Food: NEW A food truck from Flyin Hawaiian with amazing food choices will be near the south parking lot and the Event Check-in entrance. You can purchase food and eat anywhere in the park where there are tables, or bring your food to the seats in the Wallace bowl. See food options at https://www.flyinhawaiianchicago.com/ (I'm told that most of the food items listed will be available).
Check-in: There will be two check-in areas. The main check-in will be just west of the south parking lot, past the Food Truck. Also, at the top of Wallace Bowl. If you prepaid, your name will be on a list. If you pay at the entrance, you can use cash or credit cards. You will be given a wrist band to identify you as a paid attendee.
Seating: Our ushers will help you find seating and maintain distancing. Lawn chairs may be placed on the grassy area between the bleachers and the stage.
Raffle Drawing: All people who purchased Raffle Tickets online have already been entered in the Raffle. Those who purchase raffle tickets at the event will write their name and email on a ticket and add it to the jar.
We hope you will enjoy the evening and know that your attendance and donations are supporting the deserving participants of Our Place.
Not Too Late to Purchase Event and Raffle Tickets Online! This will save you time at Check-in. DO IT NOW. Use the link:
