OPRF “Gossip” - The Rotary Club of Oak Park

Meets Wednesdays
12:15 p.m.
Brookdale Plaza Oak
Park, 1111 Ontario
Oak Park, IL 60302
708-383-1111
Club 3190
District 6450
John FS Williams, President
708-471-2000
[email protected]
RAZZ Editors, Rick Hibbert and Lesley Gottlinger
http://www.oprfrotary.org
!
Volume 97, Number 9
www.oprfrotary.org
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PROGRAMS & SEATED LUNCH
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OPRF “Gossip”
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Meeting Notes from September 9, 2015
President John asked Molly Philosophos to
lead the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and
Fred Boos to start The Four-Way Test. Linda
Sahagian began her Invocation by having everyone,
"Breathe deeply and say, 'Yeah, I am here where I
am supposed to be because if I wasn't here, I would
be somewhere else!'" When asked, Linda shared
that had come from a t-shirt her husband Doug
Stewart got for her when they were in one of the
world's most beautiful spots in Brazil. Amazing how
inspiration can be found anywhere!
Sergeant-at-Arms Ade announced this
month's Rotary anniversaries beginning with 46
amazing years for Bob Nye! Outstanding!! Loretta
Daly and Clarmarie Keenan are celebrating 19 and
16 years respectively. Bob Giles celebrates 15
years; Jaime Escobar, 11 years; and Ade and
Lesley celebrate ten years each. Celebrating four
years each are Ed Condon and Eric Sparks, while
Nina Allen, Patty Eggerding, and Mike Hornung are
in for three years. Nichole Hoppe and Kristen
Carlson-Vogen each have begun their Rotary
journey by completing one year.
Ade then reached out to the group for
Happy Bucks. Linda Sahagian proudly announced
that her son Phillip, a journalist with Reuters, has
just been awarded an extremely prestigious
Fellowship by the Hoover Institute at Stanford
University. How very exciting! Lesley Gottlinger
shared that grandson Kyle Berillo, an OPRF Paul
Harris Fellow, is getting married September 19.
Lesley and Don are also awaiting the arrival of a
new great-grandbaby. Since that meeting, Amelia
Vehlow has arrived...September 11 at 12:55 PM.
That makes number 7! Robert Stelletello's son
has made it through the summer alive and has
returned to school. Robert also reported that his
daughter had just started her very first job the day
before the meeting! Congratulations to both
Stelletello offspring! Bob Giles put some Happy
Bucks into the "kitty" in honor of both his 15th Rotary
anniversary
and
his
son
Andrew's
engagement! Fred Boos announced that his
daughter has been promoted to Senior Manager at
BDO where she is an accountant who works as an
auditor. And finally, John Williams shared that
seven-year-old daughter Maddie loves to read. Her
latest interests include Egypt and Abraham Lincoln.
She reads to her dad every night before going to
bed, and loves to share interesting discoveries with
her mom Richelle and her brothers. According to
John, Maddie's latest find is that, "Wolverines are
just large members of the weasel family!" Can you
honestly say you already knew that tidbit?? In
addition to saying "Hello" every morning and "Good
night" each evening to the family dog, Maddie has
also been known to read to him
Karen Mayer introduced our guests for the
day. They included Becky Barclay (guest of her dad
Jack), Patricia (Patti) McGuinness (club guest),
Gloria Rayburn (guest of husband Wendell),
Meredith Morris (club guest), Eileen Lynch (guest of
Robert Stelletello), and Mary Kong (guest and Mom
of Susie Goldschmidt). All are pictured below.
the evening was a huge success. He shares the
"precious cargo" message, and also reports that he
telephones the poem's author Greg Kimora both
before and after his presentation to let him know how
the program went. John referred to the GermanYiddish word kvell, meaning to swell with pride,
when referring to the Fenwick parents looking at
their kids that evening. Ask John to share the story.
Please note, there will be a $10 fine for those
Rotarians who show up at Brookdale on September
16 for the lunch meeting that will not be! It's the 5th
Annual Golf Outing! Don't forget!!
We still need two host families for our
Youth Exchange students. Sooner rather than
later!!
A final thanks to the Rotary Rally team who
met prior to lunch for a "Rotary Rally Round-up"
meeting. John says, "Mike leads from the front!
Everything is hands-on!" Way to go, Mike!
Program Notes
President-nominee Robert Stelletello was
the speaker for the day and gave an outstanding
presentation on the rebranding of Rotary – aka
Strengthening Rotary’s Brand.
His presentation included:
1. Why we're strengthening Rotary
2. What our research tells us
3. How our strategy helps clarify and focus us
4. Who we are, what we do, and why it matters.
Bill Planek reported that we have 56
golfers registered to date. It is not too late to add
more golfers and/or dinner guests. If anyone needs
a ride for dinner, please let Bill know. We can make
arrangements.
John announced that the upcoming
Interact meeting will take place at Brookdale. This is
for this Sunday (9/13/15) only.
John also shared that he distributed 325
"Cargo" posters last week at Fenwick's 7th annual
gathering of new students and parents. Over 700
people were in attendance, and John reported that
Robert explained the history of the
rebranding, and how the process actually began
four years ago. In explaining why we are
strengthening Rotary, he talked about a threepronged piece where we:
Clarify or explain how we are different
from the others, and why people should care,
Elevate the awareness of Rotary, and
Motivate, engage and inspire current
and prospective members, donors, strategic
partners, and staff.
The second piece of the presentation looked at
the research. Findings came in and looked like
this...
4/10 never heard of Rotary
4/10 knew the name only, and
2/10 had some familiarity with Rotary.
Robert went on to share our Essence,
or reason for being...to join leaders, exchange
ideas, and take action. Robert shared our RI
Values or beliefs which include being smart,
compassionate, persevering, and inspiring. He
then shared our Voice, our expression, and
how we present ourselves. He shared some
visuals and graphics, in other words, how
others see us.
A few folks from the day . . .
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Youth Services aka “The Young People”
Last, Robert looked at our next steps, or
what our strategy will look like. Basically, our
strategy is to inform, inspire, and empower
the next generation of Rotarians. Robert then
opened the floor to questions.
In ending the day’s meeting, President
John left us with the following message: “Go out
and do it! React to someone else’s pain as if it
were our own!”
We are needing that second home for the
kids before the Christmas holidays!! Let's put the
feelers out, and find some outstanding families for
these two GREAT kids. We really need your help.
Also, any ideas about getting laptops for
Luis and Tolu. Neither came with a personal
computer, and each could use the loan of one for the
school year. Any thoughts or ideas?? Let Lesley
know. By the way, both Luis and Tolu have terrific
grades. Looks like both will be making honor rolls
this quarter!!!
The next Interact meeting… Change of
venue for Interact meeting this week only. The
Interact meeting on Sunday, September 13 will
be at Brookdale, 1111 Ontario Street, Oak Park.
Meet Lesley in the lobby at 4:00PM. Please invite
all 12 to 18 year-old students you know to visit with
our Interact Club. Interactors present on 9/13/15
REMINDER: It would be terrific if Rotarians
could really become involved with our kids this
year. We would love to have the kids join you and
your families even if their families are home!! The
kids would love to go when you head off to football
games or family weekend retreats – unless of
course, they have Youth Exchange or school
obligations.
Students interested in becoming outbound
travelers for 2016-2017 should contact Lesley ASAP
since interviews take place early this year Saturday, September 26 2015, for those planning
travel in August 2016.
RYLA [Rotary Youth Leadership Awards] for
2015-2016 school year is set for the Columbus Day
weekend – October 9 – 12. Any students interested
in this amazing opportunity to attend outdoor
wilderness and leadership training in Wisconsin
should contact Lesley ASAP. Applications are
available on the District website, or see Lesley to get
one.
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September 18 - The 12th Annual Ulyssean Award
Dinner sponsored by the Senior Citizens' Center
Satellite Club News
From the September 3rd meeting comes the
following announcement:
The Forest Park Satellite Rotary Club
[pictured above] is hosting a Community Reception
on Thursday, September 24, at 6:00 PM at Exit
Strategy, 7700 Madison Street, Forest Park. All adult
members of the Forest a Park Community are
welcome.
Rotary Club members will discuss the Club's
Stand Down Coat Drive for homeless veterans and
invite guests to participate in this and other
community service projects sponsored by the club.
For more information about the reception
and about Rotary, contact Club president Mark
Hosty at [email protected]
Next scheduled meeting is Thursday, September
17 at 6:00 PM SHARP! As always at Healy’s
WestSide in Forest Park.
Come join in a very exciting and lively group!
They are energizing, AND they are done and out the
door in one hour!!!
Oak Park River Forest Brookdale Plaza. SCC This
year's honorees are Mena and David Boulanger and
our own Rotarian Sister Michelle Germanson. Don
Offermann is the Master of Ceremonies.
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REMINDER
The deadline for RAZZ inclusions is Noon
each Monday for that Wednesday's issue.
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September
17 - Satellite Club – Healy’s Westside 6-7 PM
18 – 12th Annual Ulyssean Award Dinner
20 – Interact – 4PM – OP Township Offices
23 – PROGRAM – $$ Program for Unclaimed
Property
24 – Satellite Club Community Reception
30 – PROGRAM – DG Osei’s Visit – State of the
District - WEAR YOUR BLING ! ! !
September/October - Dictionary Jail Break
October
1 – First Thursday – Cocino Lobos, 5PM
1 – Satellite Club – Healy’s Westside 6PM
7 - PROGRAM - Dr. Bill Reed - "The Search for a
Better, Fairer, Less Expensive Health Care System"
14 – PROGRAM - Shen Yun Performing Arts
Orchestra - Introduction to the group and invite to
10/18 performance at Symphony Center
15 – Satellite Club – Healy’s Westside – 7 PM
21 – PROGRAM - Julie Heth - By the Hand Club for
Kids - Intro to the organization and their work helping
at risk youth in Chicago to succeed
28 - PROGRAM - Rotary Youth Exchange Students
– Luis & Tolu
November –
18 – D6450 Foundation Dinner at the Abington
December - Annual Holiday Dinner
December/January - Annual Kids’ Holiday Party
Unfortunately, once again, there was sad news to
share…
Jane Eileen Hedges [Schiff], 70, wife of
Rotarian John Hedges died Sunday morning,
September 13, 2015.
Jane, born in Evansville, Indiana, graduated
from Indiana University, Bloomington, with a
Bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology.
Through the years, she taught English in California,
Florida, and Indiana before moving to Bensenville,
Illinois [1970], where she continued to teach for two
years until receiving her Master’s [Indiana
University] in 1972. At that time, she began her
counseling career which eventually [1979] took her
to East Leyden High School in Franklin Park where
she was a long-time Guidance Counselor before her
retirement. Jane respected teens and the pressures
they faced, and in turn they always looked to her as
a strong support. The Chicago Tribune once
referred to her as a “Guiding Light” in a 1992 article
about her and the programs in which she engaged
students. Jane was also active with many charities
in Oak Park, including the Hephzibah Home.
She leaves behind sons Michael [Julie] and
David; grandsons Brady, Jack, and Dylan; sister
Judy Thoman; brother Dr. Jon Schiff; and brothersin-law David [Ginger] and Robert [Barbara] Hedges;
and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial visitation was Tuesday, September
15 at Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home,
Oak Park. Family and friends will meet at St.
Edmund Church on Wednesday, September 16, for
mass at 11 AM. Interment is private.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Jane’s
memory are appreciated and may be made to
Hephzibah Home [hephzibahhome.org]. For further
funeral information, contact Drechsler, Brown &
Williams at drechslerbrown williams.com or at 708383-3191.