Biographies by members Sarah Homan and Maurice Sullivan at the September 25 morning meeting proved that these are always our best programs! Sarah brought props that told the story of her life and work including her love for Al Jarreau! She also described her varied and impressive career path from founding a highly successful Dog Walking Business (25+ employees) to leading cybersecurity teams at Federal Express! Her volunteer work is also very impressive from her work as a CASA volunteer (Court Appointed Special Advocate) to working with families through Safe Families for Children of Greater Chicago.
Maurice Sullivan provided us with her life and career history including the origin of her first name (family name for women!) She comes from a long line of strong women including her grandmother who graduated from college in 1904! Maurice started out teaching including time at Harper School in Wilmette. She transitioned into textbook editing with a long career at Scott Foresman, including becoming the company's expert in handling State Textbook Adoption processes in Texas, California and Florida. She tried to retire but was lured back part time by another textbook company who was familiar with her impressive career. We are lucky to have these incredible women in our club!
Monthly Lunch-packing on February 4 - Our monthly service project of preparing lunch bags for Connections for the Homeless is at St. Joseph's Church, Lake and Ridge, Wilmette. Enter through the east lower entrance. A Rotary Club meeting follows immediately after the sandwiches are made. 160 lunches were made on January 7 and there were a good many volunteers on hand to help with this project.
Radical Generosity Chicago - "Create COMFORT Before and On MLK Day! They will be assembling no-sew fleece blankets and toiletry kits for Chicago's most vulnerable, housing-insecure families! You can do this at home with your families, friends, colleagues, neighbors (anytime) and/or join them at the Woman's Club of Wilmette on MLK Day, Monday, January 20. Please sign up HERE if you are interested in participating.
Walk for Warmth on Monday, January 20, MLK Day
Please join us for Interfaith Action of Evanston’s Walk for Warmth on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, January 20th. Walking together, we are a physical embodiment of Dr. King’s vision of the beloved community. His commitment to service is reflected in the route we take past the many faith communities that house Interfaith Action’s overnight shelter. Whether in person or in spirit through a donation, you can help raise awareness and provide a warm, safe, and welcoming place for our unhoused neighbors to sleep on cold winter nights.
For more information, to register to walk and/or donate, go to the Walk for Warmth 2025 website. There is no charge to register. When registering as an individual, you will get an opportunity to indicate which team you will be walking with. Please select the Rotary Team. It includes the Evanston Rotary Clubs and the Wilmette Club. We will have the opportunity to carry a Rotary sign and walk the route together.
Gathering is at 11:00 am in the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church, 516 Church Street (corner of Church & Hinman). Sanctuary entrances are on Church across from the City parking garage or Hinman.
The Walk starts after the program. New this year: Supporters may opt for the traditional 2-mile walk past eight of the faith communities that host Interfaith Action's overnight shelter in rotation, or a short around-the-block walk. If you do not wish to walk, you are welcome to remain in the Sanctuary after the program and "walk in spirit". The event concludes by 1 PM.
Community Blood Drive, Sunday, February 9
Participate in a community blood drive at St. Francis School located at 808 Linden Avenue, Wilmette. 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in memory of Kevin Joseph Smith Burke who died suddenly in July 2017 at the age of 23 of a rare heart condition. For an appointment call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit RedCrossBlood.org. Streamline your donation experience and save up to 15 minutes by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass to complete your pre-donation reading and health history questions on the day of your appointment.
Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club - October 15 at 7:30am, RI directors, Beth Stubbs, Zones -31 (South Central US), and Patrick Eakes, Zones 33-34 (Southeast US), sharing information about Rotary disaster relief since Helene affected their area. Location : The Hospitality Suite at the Residences of Sherman Plaza, 807 Davis St. (northwest corner of Sherman and Davis). Join by Zoom available at clicking on this link as
Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club - October 29, 7:30am. Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick is planning to speak via Zoom regarding the RI Action Plan. This meeting will be at at One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Ave., in conference room 3AB. Join by Zoom at: clicking on this link as
Based on discussion at the Club Forum on August 7 regarding ways to unify our club more fully, we have changed the meeting schedule. Our new meeting schedule will take effect in September and continue through December. Both The Spoke and our website wilmetterotary.org , now have the new meeting dates, as well as event dates listed. We will have 4 opportunities to meet each month:
First Tuesday each Month: Lunch packing at St. Joseph's Church at 6 p.m.
First Wednesday each Month: Happy Hour at 6 p.m. at Wilmette Harbor Club in Gillson Park
Second Wednesday each Month: Noon meeting at St. John's Church
Fourth Wednesday each Month: Breakfast meeting at 7:30 a.m. at Wilmette Harbor Club in Gillson Park
Members have a choice of which meetings to attend, but it is hoped that members will go to a a variety of meeting locations.
A different schedule may be arranged for 2025. Any questions, contact Heidi Voorhees or Debora Morris.
District Conference -- October 5, 2024 at the College of DuPage.was attended by four members, Mariana Alfar was a presenter, Rich Brill, Heidi Voorhees and Sarah Homan. They participated in sessions on membership, Rotary Action, environmental programs, and Rotary Means Business.
Trinity Wilmette 2025 Community Conversations — Welcoming the Stranger - a multi-week series that will explore the complex dynamics of immigration through diverse perspectives. Trinity United Methodist Church at 1024 Lake Avenue in Wilmette. 3:30 p.m. with presentations at 4 p.m. For more information and to register https://trinitywilmette.com/immigration/
Wilmette Historical Society - Sunday, January 26, 2025 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. At this year’s annual meeting and lecture, speaker Julia Bachrach will enlighten us about the history of Wilmette’s beloved Gillson Park. This event is free and open to all, and guests can RSVP on the museum’s website.
With plans and improvements conducted in two major phases, Gillson Park was transformed from piles of hard clay into a glorious lakefront landscape. This lecture will be preceded by a brief meeting of the Wilmette Historical Society.
Winterfest - Saturday, February 1 from noon to 4:00 p.m. The Village will once again host Winterfest in Downtown Wilmette. Come for an afternoon of live ice sculpting, games of curling in Ouilmette Way, a FREE showing of Groundhog Day at the Wilmette Theatre, a performance by guitarist Joel Paterson at Patrician Gallery, and other fun winter activities! The full event schedule will be announced soon.
Club Information
Welcome!
Our Motto: Service Above Self
Wednesdays at 12:00 p.m.
Sheridan Shores Yacht Club
20 Harbor Drive
Wilmette, IL 60091 United States of America
In 2025, our Rotary Club meets monthly on the 1st Tuesday at 6pm at St Joseph Church, the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at Noon and the 3rd Wednesday at 7:30am at the Sheridan Shores Yacht Club in Gillson Park. Mailing address: PO Box 111, Wilmette, IL 60091
Health Literacy - Improving Doctor/Patient Communications
Gordon Heinrichs has a long and varied work history in healthcare as well as a background in health education. He has assisted healthcare non-profit companies to improve the readability of their public documents and is a patient advocate whose goal is to improve doctor-patient communication.
He’s a member of the American Medical Writers’ Association and his latest book is, Did Your Doctor Pass Communications 101? How Miscommunication Endangers Your Life.
