Meeting Recap - July 24
Posted by Keith Reed
There were 30 members present and 2 guests on July 24. The guests were Charles Shabica (Winnetka), who works at Coastal Scientist, and Bob Anderson (Winnetka), retired.
Tom Nash presented the Thought for the Day, a quote about doing the “impossible” by Mohammed Ali.
President Bob Baker again announced his special President’s “Club Warming” on July 29 at his home at 1348 Edgewood Lane (Winnetka) from 5:30-7:30. Refreshments will be served and a good time “guaranteed”.
President Bob also reminded everyone that The Last Blast of Summer is scheduled at the Winnetka Community House on August 23 and our volunteers will be serving sandwiches and liquid refreshment, as usual.
Bob mentioned that Gina Di Sandro has a Club fund raising project in August involving the North Shore Chocolate Fair, where we sell tickets for participating vendors and get a commission from the tickets sold.
Past President Eric Birkenstein recognized and presented gifts to Gina and Heidi Sibert for their service as a Club Director during his term.
Mark Kotz announced that the Winnetka Chamber of Commerce is having a golf outing with the Skokie Chamber at Evanston Golf Club on Monday, 9/15. Sponsorships are available and this is a good chance to make social and business contacts with the Skokie members.
Barb Tubekis announced that we are a little behind on our donations of toiletries, paper goods and cleaning supplies to the Township Food Pantry. She solicited funds which she is taking to buy such items for the pantry. Liz Taylor mentioned that her bank is also collecting similar items for the pantry.
Birthdays celebrated were Peter Skalski and Tom Evans. Patti Van Cleave was congratulated for her 7th anniversary of Rotary membership.
Rodg Morris handled the “dig and grin” duties, which led into the main speaker.
Hall Heally from gave a presentation on “Conservation Diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula”, or more specific, “Can Birds Bring Peace to Korea”. Korea is a critical “flyway” for hundreds of bird species, including cranes. These cranes fly from Russia and China and land in North Korea during the winter to get food. Gradually these cranes have been bypassing North Korea and going to the 38th parallel (DMZ) where the land is lush and food plentiful. There are many “eco” and political reasons why it is important to re-establish the feeding grounds in North Korea. This has been done by the efforts of the International Crane Foundation and others like Mr. Healy. The project is based in the Anbyon Plain in North Korea where they have placed food, water, electrified crane sounds and imitation cranes to attract migrating cranes. By getting the cranes to land and spend the winter in this area, they have been able to accomplish other “eco” activities such as installation of a rice mill (which doubled the area’s rice production, with the cranes eating the “leftovers”); developed a fertilizer plant; started producing other food products; planted orchards; developed a willow plant that serves as firewood so as to save the local trees; started building more houses and roads; and recently built a major irrigation ditch. The area sponsors major seminars on organic farming for thousands of visitors. Cranes have played a vital role in creating many of these activities. They have been called “Ambassadors of Peace”. Such crane diplomacy has been done in Africa, Ecuador, Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia. The “eco” activity generated from the cranes has created jobs and revenues from food production to tourism. It has also been responsible for major clean water conservation in the area.