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March 23rd Meeting
 
     Our March 23rd meeting will be open for committee meetings.  Committee chairs will be contacting their members with details. 
 
 
March 30th Meeting
 
Update on Rock Valley College
 
     Robert (Bob) Trojan was elected to the Rock Valley Board in April 2015 and in 2021 was appointed to fill a two-year unexpired term. During these years, Bob serves as the Finance Board liaison with the Administration, is Secretary and Board liaison with the RVC Foundation attending their board meetings.
     Since his election, he has been a part of RVC’s investments in the NIU/RVC Engineering program, a new Health Sciences Building in 2/6/23, 7:49 PM Fwd: Re: Bio 2/2 partnership with OSF, new Aviation Maintenance facility and curriculum, and new Advanced Technology Center. At the same time, we kept driving down tax rates, maintaining balanced budgets and recently refinanced outstanding bonds saving $7.7 million and shortening the repayment schedule by 6 years.
     Bob graduated from Chicago Vocational High School, served in the U.S. Marines; completed his BS in Mechanical Engineering from U of Illinois and an MBA from Northwestern U. He has spent his life working and managing manufacturing companies, domestic and international. He came to the Rockford area in 1990 as President of Hydroline, Inc. In 2002, he started Rockford Linear Actuation, Inc.
     Community service includes serving on boards of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, Growth Dimensions, Abilities Center, Rockford Area Ventures, Community Foundation, Discovery Center, several committees involved with manufacturing, and a member of several voter referendums in Rockford and Boone County. He was a Community Member of the Rockford Register Star Editorial Board and served on 6 President Search Committees (Abilities Center, Rockford Chamber, and Rock Valley College). He has been an Award recipient of the Chamber’s Manzullo Individual Catalyst (2007), People You Should Know (2011) and the Robotics (R2OC) Make It Loud Award (2013). He was nominated for the Illinois Community College Trustee Association’s Trustee Achievement Award (2022). He is still active with the R2OC Robotics program.
     Bob and late wife Norma’s family includes three sons, one daughter-in-law, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
     Bob will give us an update about what has been happening at RVC and what some of the future plans will include.  This will be an informative program about one of the educational gems of our community.  It will be a chance to invite a guest or prospective member to join us in person at Memorial Hall or via Zoom.
     Linda Johnson will introduce our presenter and act as Rotary host. 
 
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Major Donor - Jim Coffey
 
 
L-R - Bob Canfield, Rockford Rotary Foundation Chair, Jim Coffey, Major Donor, and Kathy Kwiat-Hess, District 6420 Foundation Chair. 
 
Paul Harris Major Donor Honored
 
     Jim Coffey was honored as the newest Rockford Rotary member to achieve Major Donor Level of the Rotary Foundation.  Major Donor is when a member's cumulative donations reach $10,000.  During his remarks, Jim mentioned that while he contributes to local charities, especially ones that he has been involved with, the Rotary Foundation gives him a chance to donate to international causes.  He also mentioned that he looked at his RI giving history and saw that he was a member of Rockford Rotary for over 2 years before he made his first donation to the RI Foundation.  Someone must have inspired him to start giving.  So it has taken him over 23 years to reach the $10,000 level.  As a sailor mentioned, slow and steady wins the race.  His advice is it is never too late to start giving the the Rotary Foundation.
 
 
 
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March 16th Meeting Recap
 
March 16th Meeting Recap
 
     What fun we had at our March 16th regular meeting.
     - Sang "My Wild Irish Rose" with "Irish Tenor", Doug Mark supplying the harmony!
     - Inducted 3 new members! Sedrick, Mary, and Deb!
     - Welcomed numerous guests!
     - Honored Jim Coffey as a Major Donor!
     - Had Schnucks pizza and cookies!  Courtesy of Linda Johnson!
     - Welcomed two visiting Rotarians - Past District Governor Tom Brooks from Loves Park Rotary, and Nancy Kalchbrenner, Rockford Rotary Past President and current member of Rotary Club of Chicago.  The Rotary Club of Chicago is the birthplace of Rotary and referred to as Rotary Club # 1.  Tom and Nancy both invited members to visit their respective clubs.
     - Heard about the wonderful Rotary Academy program from Linda.  We were introduced to guests who were involved in the Academy either as advisors or part of Camp Winnebago.  Linda also recognized members who are involved with the various Academy schools.
     - WOW - what a meeting!!! 
 
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3 New Members
 
L-R - Don Kinney, Sedrick Robinson, Linda Niemiec, Mary Maxted, Deb Johns, Helen Hill, President Eric.
 
Three New Members
 
     President Eric inducted 3 new members to Rockford Rotary at the March 16th meeting.  Sedrick Robinson is the CEO of the Blackhawk Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.  Sedrick was sponsored by Don Kinney who is a retired Scout Executive.  Mary Maxted is a local realtor with Keller-Williams Realty, Inc.  She was sponsored by Linda Niemiec.  The third new member is Deborah (Deb) Johns who is a retired teacher and has some interest in the Rotary Academy.  Deb was sponsored by Helen Hill.
     Congratulations to Sedrick, Mary, and Deb as the newest members of Rockford Rotary, the oldest service club in Rockford.  We would encourage our members to make an effort to meet our new members and welcome them to our club.
 
 
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Artale WIne Tasting Fundraiser
 
Artale Wine Tasting Fundraiser
 
     On Friday, March 3rd, members of Rockford Rotary and their guests gathered in the Artale Wine Company at 6876 Spring Creek Road for a wine tasting fundraiser. 
     We are happy to report that the event raised $1,160.00 for the Rotary Academy.  Congratulations to those who organized the event and to those who attended.   
 
 
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Rockford Rotary Social Events
 
Rotary Social Events
 
APRIL 14, 2023
 
11:45 – 1 Lunch at a local downtown restaurant to be determined
 
1:30 ~ 2:30 Tour of Indian Hill Manor, 6901 Kishwaukee Road. We will have a tour of this lovely estate building with time for looking at the grounds. There is a suggested donation of $15.
 
 
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
 
5 p.m. – Womanspace Labyrinth, 3333 Maria Linden Drive at the Anjali Pavillion. Elaine Hirschenberger will give us a presentation about the development of the labyrinth. Then we will proceed to the site and walk the labyrinth.
 
6:15 – Dinner at Lucha Cantina, 1641 N. Alpine Road.
 
Both of these events are open to members and guests. If you cannot join us for the meal and event, please feel free to come to whichever is convenient for you.
 
 
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Mar 23, 2023
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Mar 30, 2023
Update on RVC
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Upcoming Events
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Mar 21, 2023
 
Board Meetings
Apr 18, 2023
 
Board Meetings
May 16, 2023
 
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Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Carla Redd
March 1
 
Elise Cadigan
March 8
 
Jay Braffett
March 8
 
Denny Johnson
March 10
 
Monica Glenny
March 18
 
John Mecklenburg
March 20
 
Tom McNamara
March 29
 
Scott Lewandowski
March 30
 
Join Date
Jim Nelson
March 3, 1983
40 years
 
Laura Wilkinson
March 5, 2015
8 years
 
Mike Donnelly
March 6, 2003
20 years
 
Jim Powers
March 11, 1993
30 years
 
Russ Johansson
March 13, 1987
36 years
 
John Mecklenburg
March 14, 1991
32 years
 
Lynn Momberger
March 16, 2017
6 years
 
Don Kinney
March 18, 2004
19 years
 
Lyn Allison
March 21, 1991
32 years
 
Dave Cleven
March 31, 1983
40 years
 
Janine Idstein
March 31, 2022
1 year
 
Meeting Responsibilities
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Rockford Rotary - Our 107th Year - www.rockfordrotary.org