The Weekly Newsletter of the Only Normal Rotary Club in the World Chartered June 17, 1949

The Normal Spoke SERVICE ABOVE SELF

RI No. 3282 District No. 6490 August 31, 2016 Volume No. 67 Issue No. 9 Link to Rotary International http://www.rotary.org/ Normal Rotary web site: http://www.normalrotary.org/ Link to District 6490 Website: http://rotarydistrict6490.org/ (The District Newsletter can be found on the left side of the main page)

September Birthdays – Please bring a gift for the Birthday Auction Gene Jontry Bill Rolley Ron Pacha Bill Semlak Bob Ward Jim Carter Dale Strassheim

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Wednesday, September 7, 2016 Head Table: Meghan Rogers & Bill Rolley Greeters: Alan Chapman & Andy Copenhaver Lottery: Roger Weller & Matt Wyss Program: Club Business & Birthday Auction Wednesday, September 14, 2016 Head Table: Gordon Ropp & Ray Ropp Greeters: Rob Cranston & Steve Dobski Lottery: Drake Zimmerman & Bayo Adanri

Reporter: Andy Copenhaver Photographer: John E. Bishop Editor: Becky Goeckner

We were in the Old Main room this week and President Jim Rosenlund rang the bell at 12:05 and reminded the club that our motto is Rotary Serving Humanity to start the meeting. We took a few minutes to say hello to everyone and there were no guests today. Jim then challenged the club with a few “This Day in History” trivia questions:

1) In 1990-Who was the first father and son to play on the same team in the MLB? It was Ken Griffey Sr. & Jr. for the Seattle Mariners. A side note, they both went 1 for 4 that game.

2) In 1992- What shock jock’s radio show premiered in Cleveland, OH on WNCX 98.5 FM? Radio show host Howard Stern.

3) In 1997-#23 was retired by the New York Yankees. Which famous Yankee wore this number? Don Mattingly.

Announcements:

Sherry Hawkins explained the Octoberfest Fundraiser (which is September 24) is quickly approaching. The cost to attend the event for the general public is $5. We need both sponsors and volunteers to help with the event. A signup sheet was distributed. Put it on your calendar and we need a large contingent of NRC members to have a large presence at this event. And if you know of any businesses (or yours?) that would be interested in sponsoring the stage, or something at the event, this is all revenue that can benefit the club. There will also be radio advertising for that company/business, so be thinking of a business that might sponsor the event.

Sherry Hawkins September 24

th – Uptown Normal

Labor Day Parade-We need volunteers to come march in the parade and carry a flag. A sign-up

sheet went around but please show up north of the US Cellular Coliseum about 9:15 on Monday if

you’re going to march. Parade starts at 10 am.

Save the date! Dayna Brown announced that we will have our NRC Holiday party at ISU’s Hancock Center again this year on Wednesday, December 7. There will be no noon meeting that day.

Dayna also passed around an Invocation schedule. Please consider adding a prayer/invocation to start the meeting.

Sunrise Rotary will once again be putting on their Oktoberfest Run (5K run and 1K walk)…this will be in October! Date is 10/9/16. Check out BN Sunrise website for more info if interested.

Bill Semlak added a sign-up sheet for Adopt a Highway to be held September 10th.

Art Drake needs Spoke writers. Please volunteer to document the proceedings of the meetings. Please…

Bill Semlak Art Drake

Jim then asked the Honorable Judge Bruce Bergethon to come up to administer justice.

First things first, Bruce asked if we had a Mystery Host and we did! Alan Chapman gave the $2 to our special guest, Darrin Cooper, who is the current principal at Oakdale Grade School….the first school where Alan Chapman was a principal.

Jim Rosenlund & Bruce Bergethon Alan Chapman & Darrin Cooper

Fines & Happy Fines: The Judge’s only citing of people in the news was Nancy Steele Brokaw for her article in the Wesleyan Alumni magazine Her fine will have to be collected at a later date since she was not in attendance.

Then Bruce opened it up to Happy Fines. But, before any of us had a chance; he gave himself one saying that he is retired, but he does bartend at Stave on Thursdays. Since he was to be celebrity bartending this past Wednesday for a WGLT function he welcomed us all out for a drink.

Bill Semlak gave a buck for his vacation to Canada with his wife, Joanie. While there he and Joanie walked around the lake and picked up trash, or Adopt-A-Lake while on vacation. Service above vacation apparently.

Then we had the Lottery drawing, where Hank Campbell won the $17, but did NOT pull the Ace of Spades. So the pot rolls on, which is now more than $262.

Carson Varner gave a dollar as he was infinitely pleased that his current students know about Star Trek and the Beach Boys.

Linda Healy also gave a happy buck as she too she was going to be at Stave, just drinking. But the function is for WGL-Trees.

Hank Campbell gave a dollar for Habitat for Humanity and a house dedication. Hank has done many of these before but he was happy about the fact that Dr. Levester Johnson, new VP of Student Affairs at ISU, changed his schedule to be at the event. Dr. Johnson got to see the most successful student-led Habitat chapter in the country in action.

President Jim then gave a dollar in recognition that he better understands what so many people in the club do and he thanked them all for their contributions.

Bill Semlak Carson Varner Linda Healy Hank Campbell

Program: Linda Healy came to the podium to introduce our guest and speaker, Darrin Cooper, principal of Oakdale Grade School. Since NRC has a strong connection to Oakdale School and many of our members generously volunteer their time, talents, and dollars, Mr. Cooper wanted to share part of Oakdale’s story with us.

First some facts: Oakdale was built in 1954, so it is one of the oldest in the District. It was remodeled in 2008, and a working kitchen was brought online this summer. Before this food had to be delivered to them from Normal Community HS every day, often leading to shortages or other complications.

Darrin Cooper

There are 400 students K-5, with 3 sections at every level. The ELL program (English Language Learner-students whose first language is NOT English) is at Oakdale for the entire grade school level in the District, so obviously there are a multitude of different languages spoken throughout the school. Also, the school is very racially diverse, with about 65% considered low income or receiving free and reduced lunch.

Mr. Cooper shared the Oakdale vision with the club. He then was pleased to say that their literacy scores are improving. As of last year (2015-2016) 65% were meeting and 76% were exceeding, which is one of the best increases within the District.

He wanted to thank NRC for our commitment to his school. He shared that it all started 6 years ago and that it has evolved into the Promise Council. NRC has donated coats, gloves, and hats; that much we know. But NRC members have also helped with taking special collections and finding resources. Volunteering time as mentors, tutors, classroom assistants, and chaperones at various Oakdale events like 100 Caring Adults, Back to School night, and Field Day, just to name a few. Projects like Study Island, Summer Book Program, Field Trips, and PBI-Positive Behavior Intervention Program have been funded because NRC members have made them happen. Mr. Cooper wanted to thank all of us for our support to Oakdale.

Jim then thanked Darrin for coming and sharing and then ceremoniously gave him a Normal Rotary

cookbook. Jim also reminded us that next week is Club Business, so bring a gift if you have a

September birthday. Also the NRC Board will have a meeting afterwards.

Jim’s Thought for the Day came from Oscar Wilde: “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others,

whenever they go.”

Bob Ward joined the Normal Rotary Club in 1963. He remember

walking along the sidewalks in downtown Normal when he came

across Lander Van Gundy who asked him if they could get together for

coffee sometime and the venue happened to be the Normal Rotary

lunch meeting. After a couple of visits, Bob joined the Normal Rotary

Club and thinks that was a good decision because he has met a lot of

good people and Rotary has been good to him.

The Normal Rotary Club has always met at noon. At the time he

joined, the club had its meetings in the basement of a restaurant in

downtown Normal. Bob remember Terry Harkin who played the piano

while members sang old time songs. “We used to have song books

that were passed out every meeting”. One of the biggest things in

Normal Rotary in the 1960s was Halloween. We used to block off

streets in downtown Normal, judge kids for their costumes and award

prices for best carved pumpkins. We did it outdoors for so many years

until a couple of time it rained on us then we had to move it to Horton

Field House; everything went down around the time that College Hills

Mall was being developed. It was a lot of fun.

Bob Ward

Member Profile

by Bayo Adanri

The club has changed since then; it has grown in membership and in format. Until the 1970s Rotary used

to be men’s club – women were not allowed in Rotary. The only thing that has not changed is the quality

of the members and the fun we have. “We are known to have fun, and provide services to the public. It

seems people expect to be involved. “

Bob Ward is an architect by trade. He worked for the Illinois State University until he retired. Some of the

major projects during his time include Turner Hall, Stevenson Hall, the Arena, John Green Food Center

and a lot of building remodeling especially after the passing of the Handicap Accessibility Law. He helped

with schools in Unit 5 and a few churches in and around the Bloomington-Normal area. Bob is a Paul

Harris Fellow with one stone. Bob, thank you for your years of service to humanity.

Labor Day Parade 9-5-16

Photos by John A. Bishop & Bob Weldon

Bloomington-Normal Rotary Jim Rosenlund ISU President & Normal

Rotarian – Larry Dietz

Radha Radakrishnan Becky Goeckner Alan Chapman Dale Strassheim Ray Ropp

Hank Campbell Lined up and ready to march! Michelle

Houchin

The Normal Spoke is a publication of the Normal Rotary Club of Illinois - P.O. Box 333, Normal, IL 61761 Editorial Staff: Jim Carter, Art Drake, and Becky Goeckner Meetings are held Wednesdays at noon in the Circus Room or Old Main Room at the Bone Student Center, ISU.

Officers 2016-2017: President - Jim Rosenlund (spouse: Katie) 3404 Crossgate Drive Bloomington, Illinois 61704 E-mail: jrosenlu@hbtbank.com Phone: 1-309-660-9788

President Elect - Hank Campbell (spouse: Mary) 2319 Mabel Road Normal, Illinois 61761 E-mail : hlcampb@ilstu.edu Home phone : 1-309-530-5134

Vice President – Sherry Hawkins E-mail : shawkins@hbtbank.com Home phone : 1-309-531-7737 Work phone : 1-309-664-8927 Secretary – Marcia Dennis (spouse: Mike) 206 Cambridge Drive Normal, IL 61761 E-mail: mldenni@ilstu.edu Home phone: 1-309-454-5047 Treasurer - Ryan Fleming (spouse : Andrea) 301 Grandview Drive LeRoy, Illinois 61752 E-mail : ryan.fleming@commercebank.com Work phone : 1-309-823-7289 Home phone : 1-815-739-5498

Sergeant At Arms- Bill Semlak (spouse Joan) 3 Cheshire Mackinaw, Illinois 61755 E-mail: wdsemlak@ilstu.edu Phone: 1-309-359-8172

Directors: Club Service – David Taylor E-mail : dtaylor@uwaymc.org Work phone : 1-309-828-7383

Rotary Foundation – Ann Haugo (spouse: Steve Pelphrey) 104 Kite Court LeRoy, Illinois 61752 E-mail: ahaugo@ilstu.edu Work phone: 1-309-438-3955 Home phone: 1-309-825-1534 Publicity – Larissa McIlvain E-mail: Larissa.McIlvain@heartland.edu Home phone : 1-309-338-7362 Work phone : 1-309-268-8125

Director of Club Administration-Dayna Brown-Nielsen (spouse: Adam Nielsen) 1100 Crooked Stick Lane Normal, Illinois 61761 E-mail: brownda@Unit5.org Work phone: 1-309-454-2850 Home phone: 1-309-862-3385

Assistant Governor: Neal Shah

District Governor Kevin Yonce 2118 Sunview Drive Champaign, IL 61821 Email: kevin.yonce@awning-tent.com Cell: (217) 841-3731 Fax: (217) 328-5759

2016-2017 Rotary International President

John F. Germ Chattanooga, Tennessee

Members: Drake, Art PHF* HH PP Kukla, Cynthia PHF Schultz, Mel PHF HH PP

Adanri, Bayo PHF* HH PP Fleming, Ryan Lindsay, Jeff Semlak, Bill PHF* PHS HH

Alexander, Kathy PHF* HH PP Fulton, Angie McClellan, Stephanie B. Sethi, Surinder PHF* PHS HH PP DHH DRY GWRY DG MD

Anderson, Todd PHF Garret, Thomas McIlvain, Larissa Smith, Kevin PHF

Bergethon, Bruce PHF* HH PP Gentry, Connie PHF HH Mesdag, Elleke PHF* Smith, Lindsey

Bidner, Gordon PHF* PHS MD BS GWRY HH PP PDG DHH

Gibson, Nancy Naik, Vandana PHF* Springer, Ron, PHF*

Bishop, John A. PHF* PP Glover, Rob PHF Pacha, Ron PHF* HH PP Strassheim, Dale PHF* PP

Bishop, John E. PHF Goeckner, Becky PHF* HH PP Petrini, Michael Tanton, Ed PHF* PPHH

Brokaw, Nancy PHF* Gudeman, Gene PHF* HH Porter, Robert Taylor, David

Brown-Nielsen, Dayna PHF Haugo, Ann PHF Timmerman, Ron PHF* HH

Caisley, Bill PHF* HH PP Hawkins, Sherry Radhakrishnan, Radha PHF* PHS HH

Varner, Carson PHF*

Campbell, Hank PHF HH DRY Healy, Linda PHF* HH PP DRY Raper, Lyle PHF* HH PP Varner, Iris PHF*

Carter, Jim PHF* PHS HH PP GWRY MD

Houchin, Michelle PHF Reyna, Alphonso Wagner, Dick PHF* PHS MD BS HH PP DHH PDG

Chambers, Jason PHF Houska, George PHF* HH PP Riehle, Matt Wagner, Heather (Beal) PHF

Chapman, Alan PHF* PHS HH GWRY DHH

Houtsma, Rebecca Rogers, Meghan PHF Ward, Robert PHF*

Copenhaver, Andy PHF PP Howell, Gene PHF* Rolley, William Weigelmann, Rod PHF HH

Cranston, Robert PHF* PHS HH GWRY PP DHH

Hunt, Robert PHF* Ropp, Gordon PHF* HH PP Weller, Roger PHF

Dennis, Marcia PHF* HH PP DNRY DHH GWRY

Jontry, Gene PHF* HH Ropp, Ray PHF* HH PP DHH PDG

Widmer, Rob HM

Dietz, Larry PHF Jontry, Mark PHF Rosenlund, Jim PHF Wyss, Matt

Dobski, Steve PHF Koos, Chris HM Runyon, Art PHF* HH Zimmerman, Drake PHF* PHS MD BS HH PP DHH

Rutledge, Don PHF* HH PP PHF – Paul Harris Fellow HH – Hall of Honor PHF* - Paul Harris Fellow/Stone PHS – Paul Harris Society

DHH - District Hall of Honor HM – Honorary Member MD – Major Donors PP – Past President

DNRY- District New Rotarian of the Year PDG – Past District Governor

BS – Bequest Society Member DRY-District Rotarian of the Year GWRY – George Wolf Rotarian of the Year