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2nd Grade Book Project
2nd Grade Book Project
 
     Volunteers Needed
 
     We have received the 2,000 books that we plan to distribute to all 2nd graders in Rockford Public Schools. The books need to have our custom-made stickers placed inside them.
     We need about 20 volunteers to pick up a box of books and stickers from Kathy Kwiat-Hess in the next week or so.
     This is the project that we received a district grant for. If you would like to volunteer, please email Kathy at kathykwiathess@gmail.com.
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Exchange Student Host Families
 
Host Families Needed
 
     Rockford Rotary will host an inbound student from a foreign country NEXT school year (2023-24).  The student will attend RPS 205 and be hosted locally by 3 families.  Host families do not have to be Rotarians.
There may be other children in the home, but it is not necessary.
     Host slots are from Mid-August to about Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving to about Easter and then from Easter until they depart in July. 
     Jim and Linda Nelson have hosted 3 dozen kids and would be happy to meet with interested parties.  Please reach out to Jim.
 
     815-742-8993
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Tinker Tour
Tinker Tour
 
     On Friday, October 21st, a number of Rockford Rotarians and guests were given a tour of Tinker Swiss Cottage by the Executive Director, Samantha Hochmann, who was in a period costume because she had been interviewed earlier.  It was an interesting and very informative tour and we learned a lot about Rockford history.  Afterwards we had lunch and conversation at Ernie's Midtown Pub on 5th Avenue.
 
 
 
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October 27th Program
  
 
 
Rotary Member Retention
 
     Stephanie Urchick of the Rotary Club of McMurray, Pennsylvania, USA, has been chosen by the Nominating Committee as RI president for 2024–25. She will be the second woman RI president.
     Stephanie is partner and chief operating officer of Doctors at Work LLC, a consulting and training company. She holds a doctorate in leadership studies from Indiana University, Pennsylvania. She is active on numerous community boards and committees and has been honored by organizations including Zonta International and the Sons of the American Revolution.
     A Rotarian since 1991, Stephanie has travelled to ­Vietnam to help build a primary school and to the Dominican Republic to install water filters. She studies several Slavic languages, has mentored new Rotarians in Ukraine, and coordinated a Rotary Foundation grant project in Poland.
     She has served Rotary in many roles, including as a director, The Rotary Foundation trustee and chair of the RI Strategic Planning Committee and the TRF’s Centennial ­Celebration Committee. She currently serves on the Election Review and Operations Review Committees. She is a Major Donor and a member of the Bequest Society.
     Tom Gump is passionate about growing Rotary Membership through forming new and innovative, cause-based Rotary, Rotaract and satellite clubs. He founded the first ever Rotary Club to serve veterans and co-founded the world’s first Rotary club to end human trafficking. He helped found the Rotary Club of Network for Empowering Women and The Kaleidoscope Rotaract Club, to serve those with Autism and their families.
     He also helped form the Rotaract eClub for the Environment - the first ever cause-based, international, Rotaract eClub focusing on the environment, which was the innovative club example used by Rotary International General Secretary and CEO John Hewko in his closing remarks at the 2021 Rotary Virtual Convention.
     Tom was one of only 20 North American Rotary leaders selected by Rotary International Past President Mark Maloney and Rotary International Membership Staff to participate in a New Club Development Summit and was subsequently named as a Zone 29 Innovative Club Advocate. Tom also serves as an Assistant Rotary Coordinator for membership.
     Tom now inspires others around the world and helps them form their own new and innovative Rotary clubs. The North American Rotary magazine and other Rotary regional magazines have written about Tom and his district’s new and innovative clubs; and Tom’s tips for attracting and retaining members have also been featured as part of a cover story.
     Tom serves his zone-pair as the General Chair of this year’s Institute and was the Assistant General Chair of last year's virtual Institute. He is also a 2022 Rotary International Assembly Training Leader. Tom loves promoting Rotary and has served his zones (28 & 29) as their Promotion Coordinator for both the Honolulu Virtual and Toronto Rotary International Conventions. He was an Assistant Zone Promotion Coordinator for the Hamburg International Convention.
     He is married to his wife Catherine Gump, who is a member of the Rotary Club of Edina, Minnesota, USA. Their son Andrew is involved in the Edina Interact Club. The Gump family is very involved in Rotary Youth Exchange having hosted six long-term exchange students.
     Stephanie and Tom will be joining us via Zoom to talk about membership retention.  This will be an inspiring and interesting program and we will be having many visitors via zoom joining us.  It will be an excellent opportunity to invite a gust or prospective member to join us in person at Memorial Hall or via zoom.  PDG Elise Cadigan will introduce our presenters.  
 
 
 
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November 3rd Program
 
ClubRunner Orientation/
Rotary Foundation
 
     PP Bob Canfield and PDG Kathy Kwiat-Hess will discuss the Rotary Foundation and some of its programs.  Bob is the club chairperson for the Foundation and Kathy is the District 6420 chairperson.  Then Bob will give an orientation of the ClubRunner application that we use to literally run Rockford Rotary.  He will go into the specifics and explain some of the things that you can do using ClubRunner, like pay dues, contribute to the Foundation and many others.  He will also get into the smartphone app and the information that can be accessed using the app. 
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Upcoming Service Projects
 
 
Upcoming Service Projects
 
     Rockford Rotary has several opportunities to serve our local area and people around the world!
     Please join us as our motto is SERVICE ABOVE SELF.
 
     Northern Illinois Food Bank, 765 Research Parkway
     Friday, October 28
 
     We have 5 people who have volunteered to stock shelves from 9-11:30: Dave Byrnes, Eric Moe, Liz Dickinson, Frank Buchmann, and Mike Foreman.
     We could use a few more people to man the Community Market where neighbors shop for their food from 12:30-3. There are only 2 signed up: Pete and Becky Rundquist. Contact Becky (see below).
 
     Family Peace Center – We will need 4-6 people to remove plants and plant 100 daffodils. It won’t take long – thinking after Rotary on November 3 with a rain date of November 10. Bring tools and clothes to change into.
 
     Salvation Army Bell Ringing - sign-up sheets will be available at future meetings
 
     Holiday Giving – Any thoughts about a food drive or gift drive for a local organization please contact Becky Rundquist, runkymom@comcast.net or 815-262-5110.
 
     Rotary Environmental Committee will help repurpose an old playground near Welsh School into a flower garden. More information to follow.
 
     THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ABOVE SELF!
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Social Events
 
ROCKFORD ROTARY SOCIAL EVENTS
 
 
Sunday, December 11, 3:30 pm we will have a tour of the Laurent House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for a Rockford family who had a wheelchair-bound father! The tour will cost $20 and will be followed up with drinks and appetizers. More info to follow.
 
PLEASE ATTEND THESE INFORMATIONAL AND FUN EVENTS
 
GUESTS ARE WELCOME!
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Camp Winnebago
 
Camp Winnebago
 
     The kids from Montessori and Barbour were at Camp Winnebago this last week.  They are participating in an activity called "crate stacking".  This young man did 15 with the help and encouragement of his teammates.
 
 
 
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Delightful Daffodils
 
Daffodil Planting
 
     On October 15th, Rotary members and their guests planted daffodils around Memorial Hall.  This was a project of Rockford Rotary's Sustainability Committee.  Our own Tyler Smith, a Certified Nurseryman supervised the project.  Thanks to all of the Rotarians who helped plant the daffodils and to those who purchased the bulbs to be planted.
 
 
 
 
 
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Oct 27, 2022
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Nov 15, 2022
 
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Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Jim Nelson
October 5
 
John Larsen
October 12
 
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October 14
 
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October 17
 
Jim Powers
October 18
 
John Torrence
October 18
 
Daniel Ross
October 30
 
Bob Presman
October 31
 
Join Date
Alex Stagnaro-Green
October 9, 2014
8 years
 
Dick Lunde
October 16, 1975
47 years
 
Shondra McLarty
October 22, 2021
1 year
 
Cynthia Drollinger
October 25, 1991
31 years
 
Jeff Smith
October 27, 2016
6 years
 
Tyler Smith
October 27, 2016
6 years
 
Darlene Furst
October 28, 1994
28 years
 
Karl Jacobs
October 28, 1971
51 years
 
Meeting Responsibilities
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December 1, 2022
 
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December 15, 2022
 
December 22, 2022
 
January 5, 2023
 
January 12, 2023
 
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