Visiting Rotarians: Tamiye Meehan, our Assistant District Governor from the Wheeling Club.
Guests: Sam Badger introduced his wife, Nancy.
Zoom Attendees: Sylvia Pacyk, Laura Cunningham, Marie Kuipers
Announcements:
- Robert Mardirossian donated Cubs tickets to the Foundation.Thank you Robert!
- Rich formed a committee (Joe Nash, Laura Cunningham, Bill Leske) to help plan a Benefit for Operation Warm to be held at the Kenilworth Club on October 1. The party will feature the ‘Soul Keeper’ band.
- Marie Kuipers is organizing the return of ‘Monday Happy Hour.’
Dig and Grin: Joe Nash told us why a genie grants a wish to build a bridge to Hawaii.
Speaker Robyn Gabel: Robyn is our 18th District Representative. This year she is an assistant majority leader in Springfield. She has been in the House for 11 years and is 18th in seniority out of 118 Representatives. She is proud of her track record, and recent accomplishments:
- Elected a new House speaker, Emanuel Chris Welch (no more Mike Madigan).
- New 10-year term limits for leaders of the House.
- Election reform making it easier to vote.
- Telehealth benefits are now permanent.
- 90% of people in her District are now vaccinated.
- The Feds gave IL $8 Billion on Covid relief to spend over 4 years, and the State spent $2 Billion the first year.
- State made a full pension payment last year.
- Expanded the social safety net.
- Clean energy jobs act promising to become carbon-free by 2035.
In the Q&A portion Robyn expressed the opinion that redistricting should be a federal issue that is taken away from IL control.