The community groups (including Rotary) are working with SaLT (Service and Learning Together). In partnership with the City of Highland Park, the Village of Wilmette, and the Village of Winnetka, SaLT has created – "Take Care" Packages. Designed to assist migrants, who recently have been arriving via bus from Texas to Chicago suburbs while they await transfer to the Chicago Processing Center. Several locations in Wilmette and Kenilworth have received donations that need to be sorted and packed.
Volunteeers Needed - There will be two events at St. John's Lutheran Church, 1235 Wilmette Ave. Wilmette.
Sorting Event- Monday, March 11 from 9am to 5pm. and a Packing Event on Thursday, March 14 from 9am-5pm. Volunteers can sign-up for 2-hour shifts at SIGN-UP
Locations for dropping off clothing and other items are: St John's Lutheran Church, Wilmette; Body Science, Kenilworth; Salt Fitness Kenilworth; North Shore Music, Wilmette; First Presbyterian Church, Wilmette, Sanp Dance Studio Wilmette, La Cocinita restuarant, Evanston.
"Take Care" Packages will include water, non-perishable food items, personal hygiene products, first aid kits, winter clothing, baby items, and children's comfort items such as books/games/stuffed animals. Please visit the website HERE for more information, a detailed list of the requested items, and to volunteer to help.
Our continuing program of Lunch-packing for the Homeless took place on February 6 at St. Joseph Church. Volunteers from all the Wilmette Rotary groups and guests made 160 luncn bags. This is a well-organized event that has been providing monthly lunches since 2021. The lunches are given to Connections for the Homeless for distribution to those in need. The lunches include a sandwich, fruit, chips, condiments, napkins and dessert. All component items are purchased in advance by Brian Bradley and brought to the lower level room at St. Joseph Church. Volunteers put the items in individual lunch bags and make fresh sandwiches for delivery the next day. Members and the public are invited to join this project the frist Tuesday of every month.. The next date is March 5.
Tracy Mc Keithen, Executive Director of Family Promise Chicago NorthShore (FPC) spoke to us about her organization. FPC helps families with young children find stability and new homes. Last year FPC also helped 1000 individuals. FPC has been performing these services since 2010 to help families who are homeless (or at risk of being homeless) to get back on their feet and provide stable lifestyles for their children.
FPC provides food, shelter, sleeping facilities, education and work training to its participants. It intervenes with landlords to help keep the needy from being displaced without cause; it provides summer camps for the children of working parents; it provides information about tenants’ rights and responsibilities, how to avoid eviction, how to do “life skills” functions such as use of laundry equipment, and how to save some money for emergencies.
FPC offers families a daytime location with a mailing address and a place for their children to get picked up for school. Presently they have approximately 28 local church congregations and other organizations who help the FPC program.
2024 is the 100th anniversary for both our club and the Winnetka/Northfield Rotary Club. We plan to celebrate together. The Winnetka/Northfield Club has set June 20 in the beautiful Garden Room at the Winnetka Community Center for the combined celebration. We will also include the Installastion of Co-presidents for both club for the 2024-2025 Rotary year.. Several of our club members have volunteered to assist in the planning, Yvonne Sito, John Held, Mariana Alfar, Debora Morris, Terry Porter, Nick Dallas, Maurice Sullivan, Heidi Voorhees.
Rotary memoribilia is being collected by Jackie Grant and Joe Goldstein. Please contact Jackie (granatj@comcast.net)if you have any Rotary items that can be added to the collection or want to assit with collection and display at the June 20 event.
Brent Hendricks is looking for others to join him in the Polar Plunge on March 3. Hale and hardy individuals should contact Brent for date and coordination. bwh987@gmail.com
Member John Kessler has restarted a long-standing project to collect eyeglasses. The former Wilmette Harbor Rotary had been doing this project for many years. Collection stations have been placed in the post offices in Wilmette, Kenilworth and Winnetka. In association with the Lion's Club, the eyeglasses collected are recycled and distributed to those who need them, locally and abroad.
Hands-On Service Sub-Committee: John Held has agreed to help form a sub-committee that will focus on finding hands-on service opportunities for our members who want to be more involved and work directly with organizations and clients. Please reach out to John if that is something you want to become more involved with. johnjheld@gmail.com
Diaper Distribution: Had some follow up from Tina Kalil from Bundled Blessings, a diaper bank on the north shore. If anyone is interested in volunteering with them to load and unload diapers or coordinate a diaper drive for Wilmette, contact her at here
Building Peaceful Bridges: If anyone wants to volunteer to help build a team or assist a refugee family with the folks from Building Peaceful Bridges, please let me know and I will put you in contact with Lori or visit their website here
Bienvenidos Gala Event - April 6 at 5pm at Sketchbook Brewing Co. in Skokie for traditional Venezuelan dinner from Evanston restaurant La Cocinita, live music from a teen rock band of newcomer students (as seen on WBEZ!), plus unique raffle prizes and silent auction items as we raise money to support migrant families in easing their transition to our area. LAST DAY TO PURCHASE TICKETS IS SUNDAY, 3/31/24
Register soon because space is limited!Need to tune in from afar? Join us virtually for a reduced ticket price that still makes a difference - and allows you access to the live show and silent auction, plus one raffle ticket!
TEDxWilmette - On April 20, 2024 at Baker Demonstration School, TEDxWilmette will present six speakers with big ideas around the theme The Future Is Now. The pace of change in our world brings what once felt futuristic into the present. From climate to AI, media to healthcare, we face big technological, ethical and social questions, and the answers have implications not only for our shared future but also for our common present. Buy tickets HERE.
Club Information
Welcome!
Our Motto: Service Above Self
Wednesdays at 12:00 p.m.
Eva Dean's Bakery & Cafe
1115 Central Avenue
Wilmette, IL 60091 United States of America
Our Rotary Clubs meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 7:30am at the Wilmette Harbor Club (inside Gillson Park) at Noon at St. John's Church, Wilmette and on 1st Tuesday at 6pm at St. Joseph Church. Mailing address: PO Box 111, Wilmette, IL 60091
Ben Wozney, Executive Director and his daughter, Shale Wozney, Jr. Board President, will tell us about The Driven Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals and families with Special Needs and Disabilities. Their mission is to provide accessible vehicles to families with disabled children that grant independence, inclusion, and mobility in their communities." The meeting will be held in the Sheridan Shore Yacht Club located inside of Gillson Park.
This program will be repeated on September 25 at 12 p.m. at St. John's Church, 1235 Wilmette Avenue, Wilmette
Richard Koenig will speak to us about HODC, Housing Opportunity Development Corporation. HODC is a community-based nonprofit that makes an affordable home a reality for a diverse group of people who are unable to afford housing in their community. Affordable housing provides hope for individuals and families who are at risk of eviction, foreclosure, and homelessness.
Richard Koenig, PhD, has been Executive Director of Housing Opportunity Development Corporation since 1997. To date Richard has completed over 30 affordable housing developments valued over $150 million. He has a PhD in Community Economic Development and a Masters of Urban Planning from the UIC. Richard previously served as Chair of the Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County and now serves on the board of Collaborative Community Housing Initiative.
Location: St John's Church, 1235 Wilmette Ave, Wilmette
