Whenever a 5th Wednesday occurs in a given month, we host a social meeting called Happy Hour. July 29 was the second Happy Hour of the year. We had good attendance
and great weather, so everyone could eat and visit outside on the terrace at the Wilmette Harbor Club. We were recognizing our country’s 250th anniversary, by wearing
red, white or blue. Pizza, salad, cookies and beverages of all kinds were provided at no cost. Our next Happy Hour will be on September 30. Can't beat the view!

The next monthly Lunch-Packing project will be held on Tuesday, August 4 at St. Joseph's Church at 6 p.m. and is hosted by the Wilmette Rotary Club. We typically pack 160 lunches, which are delivered to Connections for the Homeless the next day.  Sign -up LUNCHES

District 6440 Mental Health Monday Series - After a robust discussion in July regarding PTSD and moral injury, John Bair and Chappy Ferrer will return on Monday, August 3 to continue with an extended discussion on assessment, treatment and wider implications. Over 5 million veterans suffer from mental health issues. The most common mental illnesses include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders (SUD). Veterans face higher rates of suicide and PTSD compared to civilians, with over half of those with mental illness not receiving treatment. We are fortunate in District 6440 that we have many resources to aid these individuals who have given their service to our country.  

This presentations will be made on ZOOM,  from 12:00 - 12:30.  There is no registration required. Here is the link to the presentation. Meeting ID: 899 9424 5708, Passcode: 227480. Video recordings of each speaker are available at https://www.youtube.com/@RotaryDistrict6440.

Do you love the Mental Health Monday speaker series? Our upcoming presentations will focus on individuals' mental health: identifying individuals in crisis, levels of care, and other. Be sure to mark your calendars for the first Monday of the month at noon, and remember there is no registration required, just use the link to the presentation above.

The Youth Philanthropy Board of Evanston and North Shore (website) is looking for mentors! Mentors can have experience on a volunteer board, in philanthropy, marketing, finance.  The program brings together students from NSCD, Regina Dominican, Loyola Academy, Evanston Township and New Trier to explore the art, science and business of philanthropy through hands-on experiences in fundraising, grantmaking and community service.  Mentors will have the opportunity to work with a talented and committed group of students from across the North Shore. Interested in getting involved? Contact Helene Genetos, Program Coordinator or Julie Koenigsberger at jkoenigsberger@rdpanthers.org to learn more or schedule a Zoom informational call.

Rotary is responding to the recent earthquakes in Venezuela through two trusted relief efforts. Rotary Districts in Venezuela have launched the Rotary for Venezuela campaign to provide emergency assistance and support long-term recovery. In addition, ShelterBox, Rotary's disaster relief partner, is providing emergency shelter and essential supplies to families affected by the disaster.  Both opportunities to give are highlighted by Rotary Zones 25B & 29. If you would like to help, please consider supporting one of these relief efforts.

Rotary for Venezuela: https://rotaryforvenezuela.org/   ShelterBox Venezuela Relief: https://shelterboxusa.org/venezuela-earthquake/

From Wilmette Park District Executive Director Chris Lindgren: “Thank you so much for awarding us these funds!  The new rain garden will do so much for the community and environment for many years to come.  The benefits of these all so important green infrastructure projects are endless and I am thrilled to be able to add it to our system.”  

The Rotary Club of Evanston Lighthouse is having its annual Taste of Evanston on Sunday, August 30th, again on the lakeside lawn of the Charles Gates Dawes House, home of the Evanston History Center. 3pm-6pm.  As live music plays, more than forty restaurants, wine shops and breweries will serve “great food for a great cause.” A silent auction and a raffle for exciting prizes will build suspense. Tickets  are available now at www.tasteofevanston.org

Big Book Drive started October 1 and will run until November 13 at all Wilmette public and private elementary schools and Loyola Academy, Regina Dominican  HS, and New Trier HS.  Start saving books for our Big Book Drive.  We will partner again with Bernie's Book Bank to collect books for under-resourced schools in Chicago, kindergarten through high school.  Contact Maurice Sullivan for more information mauricewsullivan@aol.com 

TEDxWilmette Salon - Burning Questions: What Are Yours? Join a panel of three TEDxWilmette speakers to discuss the most burning questions on their minds right now. What are your burning questions?    Sunday, November 8.  1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Baker Demonstration School, 201 Sheridan Road, Wilmette.  Purchase tickets ($20 each)

Convito Cafe & market - Thirsty Thursdays, now through November 19, after 5pm in the cafe, $2-5$ off wine and cocktails. https://www.convitocafeandmarket.com/

Many people are a bit confused about how to recycle properly. Knowing how to prepare items for regular recycling is integral in recovering resources and minimizing landfill waste. There are other ways to recycle compostables and other items, but for regular recycling, follow these simple tips to Recycle Right: 

• No plastic bags of any kind.  No Styrofoam and other hard-to-recycle plastics (there are other ways to recycle this).

• Empty and rinse bottles, cans, and containers to remove food or beverage residue
• Do not bag recyclables (even in paper bags) - they should be loose in the cart
• Flatten boxes
• Leave the caps on plastic bottles and milk jugs – do not crush!
• Remove tops from glass bottles (tops smaller than 2 inches should be thrown in the garbage)
• Remove wax bags from food boxes (such as cereal or cracker boxes)
• Labels can remain on jars/bottles and plastic windows on envelopes
• Keep the lid on your recycling cart closed at all times to keep materials dry