A gentle reminder that you please pay for your lunch, $150 for December, January, and February. You can pay by credit card or send a check to our treasurer, Monica Glenny. If you bring your own lunch, you can opt out by not paying the $150.00. If you have any questions, or if you only want the lunches for a specific month, please tell Bob Canfield, 815-968-7200 or canfilaw@sbcglobal.net .
Our annual Holiday program will be presented by the Music Academy in Rockford. The details are a little fuzzy but from what I understand this will be a two-part program with some musical numbers from one family that is connected with the Music Academy. Then there will be the holiday sing-along with the Music Academy. Our presenters will be Laura Eakman and Blakeley Menghini.
The Music Academy in Rockford is a not-for-profit community school of music that provides students opportunities to grow through music, inspiring them to pursue a life of excellence, accomplishment and fulfillment while achieving their full musical and personal potential.
Since its founding in 1985, The Music Academy has successfully motivated and inspired more than 40,000 young people with high quality music instruction. Our non-profit community music school is based in a historic, centrally located neighborhood at Loreen Hall, and we also provide partner programs at eight locations throughout Rockford. Our highly skilled artist-faculty members provide a multi level, articulated curriculum to youth – from newborns to teens and also to adults.
Dr. Laura Eakman currently serves as Executive Director of The Music Academy in Rockford, a non-profit community music school offering traditional and Suzuki instruction for all ages. Prior to her work in Rockford, she founded Suzuki Strings of Manhattan where she ran a Suzuki Program, Summer Chamber Music Camp and conducted the local youth Orchestra. Additional past experience includes serving as Chair of the Strings Division for the Community School for the Performing Arts at Kansas State University and teaching with El Sistema Colorado which serves primarily disadvantaged students in the Denver Area.
Blakeley Menghini has been appointed education and community engagement director of the Rockford Symphony Orchestra in Illinois. Originally from Shannon, Illinois, about an hour west of Rockford, Menghini has worked in education and music-making in the Midwest. Primarily a violist, she earned degrees from Greenville University, Northern Illinois University, and UW-Madison. She is a founding member of the Griffon and Kalara String Quartets. During her doctoral studies, she researched the Suzuki Method and identified ways that learning a string instrument can help youth development. She has taught viola and violin lessons to all levels and ages, as well as classroom teaching that spans from kindergarten to undergraduate levels.
We would encourage everyone to bring your singing voice and dress up in your favorite holiday outfit or even an ugly sweater and join us for this fun and entertaining program. We would also encourage members to invite a guest or prospective member to join us in person at Memorial Hall or via zoom.
PDG Elise Cadigan will introduce our presenters and act as Rotary Host.
Our scheduled presenter was a not only a no show but never returned any calls to confirm her program.
Showing his true leadership abilities, President Mike asked Jennifer Furst and Doug Mark to do a "Vocational Service" presentation. In the past, vocational service presentations were a twice a year program that proved interesting and informative. We got to find out about members not only vocations but also different organizations that they had been involved with.
It was decided that Doug would go first. By the time he got done with his presentation, we were all amazed at all the things that he has been involved with from running the Boylan concession stands for 20 years to being a soccer official to Rockford Alderman and on and on. Many of his activities probably revolved around the activities of his six kids.
Jennifer got up and said she probably should have gone first. She talked about growing up with Darlene and Tom as parents and how they instilled a love of art in her. She talked about the various positions she had before she decided to take over the family business 10 years ago. She also has served the community through various organizations but seemed to think that being "Mrs. Santa Claus" for Stroll on State is always a highlight.
When she finished her presentation, we all agreed that she was equal to the task of matching Doug's presentation.
Thank you to Jennifer and Doug for outstanding presentations that proved to be "interesting and informative". And thank you to President Mike for a last minute idea.
Thanks to all our generous members (with time and treasure) who rang bells for the Salvation Army and/or adopted a resident at River Bluff to give them a happy holiday season!
Applause to Tom Clabough, Jim Coffey, Bob Canfield, Mike Foreman, Elise Cadigan, Brian Martin, and Tom Huber for ringing bells on Saturday, December 14th!
Also, we thank Lynn Momberger, Helen Hill, Stephanie Bradley, Suzanne Shelain, Mary Ann Norwood, Linda Johnson, Paul Von Driska, Mike Foreman, and Pete and Becky Rundquist for the gifts for River Bluff!
We have some new projects starting in January, so stay alert! Have a Blessed Holiday and 2025!
Members of Rockford Rotary volunteered to serve at the Northern Illinois Food Bank. The food bank will be relocating during the next couple of weeks and are seeking volunteers to help out.
Thanks go to the Rotarians who braved the cold on Saturday to ring bells for Salvation Army: Mike Donnelly, Wray Howard, Dave Byrnes, Stephanie Bradley, Mary Maxted and Pete and Becky Rundquist!
Our Club has a number of volunteer opportunities, but some very specific needs that have been identified are listed below, along with the contact information for the person leading the effort. Please let them know if you would be willing to help in any of these areas.
The Service Above Self Awards – Program Date, March 13, 2025
There are a number of parts of the whole. This may involve a few meetings to be determined by those who want to be involved.
First, we need a good pool of candidates. According to program rules, candidates must be nominated by a member of the Club. Only a few may be Rotarians themselves. The rest must be from the Rockford community. If you want to help, please talk to the nonprofit organizations with which you are familiar. Who are the outstanding volunteers in their organizations? Let’s see how wide we can cast this net. Try to include both large organizations along with smaller ones.
When we have compiled a good number of applications, there needs to be a committee to review the applications and select the winners. For those who nominate a successful candidate, they will do the introduction at the awards ceremony.
The applications for both individual candidates and the Mary Stuart Carruthers award are available on our website. Look under the Membership tool bar near the top of the home page.
Second, we need to involve the media, not only in covering the event, but also in announcing that the awards are available.
Third, we need volunteers to plan and run the lunch and program on March 13, 2025 which includes many individual elements such as:
Determining & Executing Program Elements. Like last year for the ceremony, Mayor McNamara was invited to attend, say a few words, and hand out the awards.
Getting flowers for each of the award recipients.
Order, proof, and ensure plaques for each recipient are on site the day of the event.
Track of reservations so we have enough food.
Ordering Food and arranging pick up or deliver on March 13, 2025.
Clean-up at the end of the program on March 13, 2025
CONTACT for more info or to take on one of these pieces of this event – Dave Byrnes, david.byrnes941@gmail.com
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