Meeting Recap March 23
Posted by Wes Baumann on Mar 26, 2017
Twenty-four Rotarians were in attendance at this week’s meeting. While there were no visiting Rotarians, there were 19 guests whom where present to receive checks from our Charitable Foundation.
The next two weeks will see changes in our weekly meeting schedule. On March 30 we will meet at New Trier High School – Winnetka Campus for lunch and a tour in the new section of the building. We will not have a noon meeting on Thursday, April 6th, but we will have a joint evening meeting at the Community House with the other clubs in the Township on Wednesday, April 5. Rich Lalley promises the speaker will be fantastically funny and interesting. It was announced that Bob Smith was serving his last day as the Executive Director of the Winnetka Park District. Bob had been with the Park District since 2003. Happy Retirement!
The meeting was presided over by Robert Mardirossian, one of our past-presidents in the absence of Patti Van Cleave. The primary mission of the day was to present 17 organizations with checks from our Charitable Foundation that resulted from the past year’s fundraising efforts.
The first check was presented to Aimee Long, the board president of Allowance for Good. This agency seeks to educate and engage US youth ages 13–18 in philanthropy in order to extend their perspectives beyond our borders encouraging them to acknowledge the extreme poverty and lack of access to resources faced by youth around the world.
The second recipient was Susan O’Donnell representing The Cradle in Evanston. They provide adoptive services working with both the receiving parents and the parents giving up a child. They are one of the few agencies that maintain an active newborn nursery.
Lisa Hyatt received the next check representing CORSO, which is based in Skokie and is dedicated to making possible the transformation of Ugandan communities by providing post-secondary education scholarships to Child Restoration Outreach (C.R.O.) youth.
De La Gente, an organization based in Antigua, Guatemala, received a check to help this coffee growing community purchase a machine that will help process the coffee beans. Bob Baker represented this agency and will get the check to them.
Erika’s Lighthouse, which we have been supporting since 2004, which was named for an eighth grade student who took her own life was the recipient of a monetary award to help in the mission to educate communities about depression in young people. This organization now is in 18 states and 150 school districts, now produces their own materials to remove the stigma of depression. Peggy Kubert represented Erika’s Lighthouse.
Dawn Turko received a check on behalf of Hadley School for the Blind, an institution in Winnetka recognized around the world for providing services to the blind and visually impaired. The money will be invested in their recording studio.
Holy Family Ministries was another recipient of the Foundation. Caitlin Duerinck and Jan Wierwoth said our gift would help provide after school and summer education in science, technology, engineering and math. They also operate the Adventures in Learning program familiar to many on the North Shore.
Jennifer Neher, Director of Development of The Josselyn Center received the next gift. The Center’s mission addresses three goals: 1) to provide outpatient psychiatric services, family and individual counseling and case management and referral services by offering a sliding fee scale; 2) to be a source of information and advocacy for issues and conditions which promote healthy development; 3) to participate with other not-for-profit organizations, local governments and schools in collaborative efforts to benefit the general community.
The next check was presented to Heidi Swartz representing Lawrence Hall Youth Services. This agency has been providing expressive therapy for over 150 years. The use music and visual arts to assist young people with emotional issues. They have received national recognition for their music therapy program.
Debi Genthe, representing Meals at Home, received a check for their program of providing fresh nutritional meals to those in need in Evanston, Skokie and New Trier Township on a daily basis. This delivery service also helps keep track of their clients.
The next gift went to the North Shore Center for Performing Arts to support their youth theater series, which brings about 10,000 students to the theater at reduced prices or free, in necessary. They tied music to math and other subjects. Mike Pauken and Dipti Patel represent the NSC/PA.
Leslie Mendoza-Temple was presented with a check for the North Shore University-Integrative Medicine. They offer out-of-the- box services such as alternative medicine, acupuncture, etc.
Rebuilding Together was also a recipient of our Foundation’s support. This organization rehabs homes for low-income families at no cost. Don Trieshmann told us that their service area ranges from Evanston to Wisconsin, east of the toll way.
The next check went to Tammy Mitchell representing the Samaritan Counseling Center. For the past 45 years they have been offering counseling services for anxiety, depression, grief, loss, separation and divorce. They have 12 locations with 70% of their clients being women.
Colleen Harlow and Jamie Ziegler were presented with a check for the Volunteer Center. They support 150 volunteer organizations. The Volunteer Center has helped our Rotary Club every year with our “Kids Against Hunger” food-packing event.
YouthBuild Lake County was also a recipient of a check. Brooks Dozier, from the agency, explained that this program provides educational opportunities and job training skills to those youth in Lake County who need it most. Many of their participants are unemployed high school dropouts, with children and police records. They are building homes in Zion, Waukegan and North Chicago and gaining skills and experience .
Peggy Roberts was the final recipient of the Foundation grants. She represented the Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center that provides counseling for depression, PTSD, alcohol and drug abuse. This agency is located in Skokie and offers all of its service without cost to the clients.