23 brave and hardy souls joined us for the coldest Rotary Meeting of the year.
The Rotary Club welcomed the following guests: Jackie Haffenberg a friend of Louise Holland; Mary Birkenstein, David Birkenstein’s better half; Jim Corboy, a friend of Liz Taylor; and Rick Penrod, Heather Higgin’s son-in-law and former teacher at New Trier.
Announcements: Jean Wright is still in Sarasota, but feeling much better in 70 degree weather. She loves phone calls at 847-217-1906 and promises not to gloat about the weather. Her address is Brookdale Palmer Ranch, 5111 Palmer Ranch Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34238. Louise Holland reminded everyone that March 10 is Winnetka’s 150th anniversary. There will be a celebration at the Winnetka Community House at 2:00PM featuring WTTW personality and Chicagoland sightseeing guru Geoffry Baer. Children are welcome and encouraged to come.
March 15 is packing day for Kids Against Hunger. Rich Lalley is hoping for a great turnout of Rotary Members.
April 1 is the 50th Anniversary of the Winnetka Youth Organization (WYO) at the Sheridan Shore Yacht Club.
Happy Bucks: Patti Van Cleave was glad to have been in the hospital and even happier to be out. John Thomas is enthusiastic about the WYO’s 50th anniversary.
Dig and Grin: David Birkenstein shared Winston Churchill’s dry wit with us and then introduced our speaker.
Our speaker: was Roberta Rubin who was recently inducted into the Glencoe Hall of Fame and the former owner of the Book Stall. Roberta sold the Book Stall on July 1, 2013 and almost immediately became the chief cheerleader for the American Writers Museum located at 180 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago. She was joined by the Director of Development, Linda Dunlavy.
The American Writer’s Museum is a recent (2017) addition to the Chicago Museum scene. It was voted in 2018 the best new museum in the US. It features many interactive displays sure to attract the attention of the children including a display of old fashioned manual typewriters that you can try if you want to remember your college days again (if you are over 60). There is a Wall/Timeline of fame presenting 100 writers (all deceased) who have made a difference in America. Writers include not only writers of prose but also song writers, poets, children’s authors and other creative story tellers. The museum regularly hosts traveling exhibits. “Frederick Douglass the Agitator” is now in the Roberta Rubin Writer’s Room and “Bob Dylan: Electric” is in the Meijer Gallery. Other special features in the 11,000 square foot Museum are the Waterfall Room, the Chicago Room, recordings of famous writers reading from their creations and lots and lots of inspiration for young writers.