President Chuck Norton chaired the meeting commencing at 12:17.

 

Guests:  We did not have any special guests other than our speaker, Monica Dombrowski.

 

Eric Birkenstein offered the Thought for the Day:  “The Congo has not had any new ebola cases in 45 days”

 

Birthdays and Anniversaries:  Greg Nelson and Krysten Warren are celebrating birthdays this week.  There were no Rotary Anniversaries.

 

Announcements: 

Barbara Tubekis:  While we are in Tier 3 shutdowns for Thanksgiving, Amy Skalinder said that for purposes of the Thanksgiving basket creation, the Community House is declared as a Food Pantry for the day.  Rotary will be purchasing supplies, collating and delivering the Thanksgiving baskets on Monday and Tuesday.

Chuck Norton:  WNRC is looking for a president or a co-president for the coming year.  Please call Chuck.

Rich Lalley:  Sleeping bags for the homeless is a Rotary of Wilmette raffle.  Contact Rich for more details.

 

Dig and Grin:  Amy Skalinder recited a series of “Bad Joke” groaners to the cheers of the audience.

            Robert Mardirossian thanked Barb and Amy for their work on the Thanksgiving baskets.

            Barb Tubekis thanked the community for gifts of 30,000 items to charities

 

John Thomas introduced our speaker, the new head of the Winnetka-Northfield Library, Monica Dombrowski.

 

Monica has been working in the field of library science since 2013.  Prior to that, she was active in corporate America.  Monica joins W-N from the Sycamore library.  While the population of the two districts are about the same, W-N is much more active with 210,000 visitors last year, 172,965 items in circulation and 46 staff members.  Due to the new Tier 3 restrictions, W-N has transitioned to Curbside Pickup and a new service, the Personal Library Shopper.  

 

Monica asked her management staff to give her their favorite “reads” (paper or digital).  All of that information plus upcoming virtual programs can be found at:

 

 

The digital content available to library patrons is astounding.  The Library can link to your computer, your nook or your kindle.  Monica urged everyone to visit the Library and become A Friend of the Library.

 

The Winnetka Northfield Rotary Charitable Foundation annually provides monetary grants to organizations that further Rotary’s mission to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace.

 

Applications are accepted each year from October 15th until December 25th. Grant awards are announced in March by our board. Grants range in size from $500 to $5,000, averaging between $1,000 and $2,000. Recipients are eligible for only two awards within a three year period. 

 

Areas of Focus: Our board is open to reviewing grant applications from any 501(c)(3) organization that has a club member sponsor. Preference will be given to organizations that meet one or more of the following criteria:

·       Support people living in need in Chicagoland

·       Have operating budgets under $1 million

·       Request funding for programs, not general operating expenses

 

While these areas of focus will guide the board’s decision making, the board may award grants to organizations that meet none of this criteria but have a strong club sponsor and compelling case for support.

 

Our grant application can be found here. 

 

Over the last two years, our community's generosity made it possible for over 2,300 children living in need to receive a new winter coat from our club. Member contributions and our Operation Warm Benefit Concert gave Chicago area children brand new coats. Here is a list of the organizations that received these coats, because of you.

The public health crisis prevents us from holding a live benefit concert this year. It also has resulted in the COVID recession and more families in need.  Our program matters now more than ever.

 

We're asking members and friends of the club to make tax-deductible donations to support our club’s Operation Warm program. We’ve already committed to sponsoring one Chicago library program this year, and hope to support two. And the nonprofits listed above rely on our support for the children they serve.

 

Make your contribution now at www.operationwarm.org/wnrotary. Checks should be made payable to WNRCF and mailed to Rotary Club of Winnetka-Northfield, 620 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka, IL 60093.