Home Page | Rotary Club of Kishwaukee Sunrise (DeKalb)

Even with continued challenges of 2022, our club is proud to share how we've been helping our community!

1. Provided $10,000 in grant money in support to children, youth and families in DeKalb County to the three local non-profits

2. Donated $2,075 and over $650 in new toys to the Salvation Army for use in Christmas support of local families

3. Volunteered a day at the Salvation Army bell ringing station at HyVee

4. Covered a local Meals on Wheels route for 2 months

5. Adopted two families through the Family Service Agency and purchased Christmas gifts for their children

6. Purchased 27 new children's books and donated them to the DeKalb Public Library

7. Contributed to a wider effort to provide $15,000 worth of books to two Ukrainian Village schools in Chicago

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Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary Club

Serve to Change Lives

We meet In Person

Tuesdays at 7:00 AM

Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group

1957 DeKalb Avenue
Sycamore, IL 60178
United States of America

We meet every other Tuesday, starting July 6, 2021.

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Whiskey & Scholarships!

The Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary partnered with the Sycamore Whiskey Club to raise funds for their high school senior scholarship program on May 20th. The event was called "A Taste through History" and featured tastings of Old Forrester whiskeys which spanned their history beginning in 1870. Over 100 people attended the event where a taco bar was provided and raffle for various items donated by local businesses, to include Byers Brewing Company, Whiskey Acres and Chelsea McGhee Studios. Funds raised from the event will go towards expanding the Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary's scholarship program which currently provides scholarships to one student each from Sycamore High School, DeKalb High School and the Kishwaukee Education Consortium.

The scholarships are geared towards students who have overcome incredible odds to graduate from high school and are looking to continue their educational journey in some way beyond high school. Currently the scholarship is a one-time payment to be applied to the first year of schooling, but thanks to the money raised at this event, the club plans to make this a 2-year scholarship to help students make it past that first year and continue to completion. The club would like to thank all members of the Sycamore Whiskey Club for their willingness to partner and contribute to this important cause.

Kishwaukee Sunrise International Service

International Service Spotlight: Jane Adeny Memorial School for Girls

One of the goals of nearly every Rotary club is to have both a community and international service focus. Often, community service needs are readily apparent and are very fulfilling to participate in. International service, on the other hand, can seem daunting and difficult to arrange, particularly for smaller clubs. This short article highlights how one club leveraged a member’s connections to participate in international service.

The Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary is proud to have Dr. Andrew Otieno as a member. Andrew is originally from Kenya and along with his wife, Teresa Wasonga, founded the Jane Adeny Memorial School (JAMS), an all-girls boarding school in Kisumu County, Kenya. The school opened in 2011 with 12 students and today has over 160 students and continues to grow. This connection provided an opportunity for the Kishwaukee Sunrise club to incorporate JAMS into their international service efforts. The club was one of several on a District Global Grant that added a water well to the school’s grounds (among other places in Kenya) and also raised its own funds to pay for the installation of solar panels on some of the campus buildings. Some members also support individual scholarships for girls to attend the school. The club hosted one of the school’s graduates as a program speaker in 2019.

Due to the incredible success of the school, JAMS continues to grow and more work is needed. Clubs who may also be interested in partnering with JAMS for international service projects, both large and small, can contact their US-based non-profit organization, Friends of JAMS, for more information. The President of their Board of Directors is Diana Swanson and she can be reached at dianaswanson@JAMSKenya.org. Friends of JAMS could also be a program speaker for District 6420 clubs interested in hearing more. Additional information about JAMS can be found at https://janeadenyschool.online/ and information about Friends of JAMS can be found at https://jamskenya.org/.

Kishwaukee Rotary Awards Community Grants

The Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary Club recently completed its sixth year of award selections for its annual Community Grant for Children, Youth and Families of DeKalb County. The club raises money each year through the “Taste of DeKalb” event held in September, in conjunction with the Corn Classic Run, to fund an annual $10,000 grant to local non-profit organizations with a project that will directly benefit children, youth, and/or families in the county.

Through sponsorships and donations from the Taste of DeKalb event, the club awarded $10,000 this year to three recipients: Opportunity House, Inc., Hinckley Area Food Pantry and 4C: Community Coordinated Child Care.

Grant dollars will be used by Opportunity House, Inc. for materials to make accessibility improvements at two of their properties. The Hinckley Area Food Pantry will use the money to fund the Food4Kids snack program, providing healthy snacks for elementary school students for an entire calendar year, and 4C will be organizing two parenting workshops with a focus on child growth and development, communication and fostering self-esteem. These are great examples of the type of projects directly addressing the needs of our community. Our club is proud to be a part of that effort!

Taste of DeKalb Success!!!

The 6th Annual Taste of DeKalb occurred on Sunday, September 25 in downtown DeKalb. The event coincided with the finish line of the Corn Classic 5k/10k race and served as a post-race recovery option for many runners and their family members. The Taste of DeKalb ran from 9am to 3pm and featured a number of local bands, to include the DeKalb High School Jazz Band and Tim Gleason, and a number of DeKalb County-based food and drink vendors. The event was sponsored by a number of people and organizations and included major sponsors Meta through Opportunity Unbound and Shaw Media. The event raised over $10,000 for the Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary's community grant, which will be accepting applications from non-profits in the area beginning November 1. The club has contributed over $45,000 in the past five years to community non-profits with projects aimed at improving the lives of children, youth and families in DeKalb County. Thanks to everyone who supported the event by coming out and enjoying the afternoon with us.

Interested in contributing to your community? That's our specialty!! The Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary club welcomes visitors and potential members to check us out. We promise you'll have fun and make a difference in your local and global community - it's what we (Rotary) do. Email kishwaukeesunriserotary@gmail.com for more information or check our Facebook site.

Why Join Rotary?

You may be checking out this website because you're considering Rotary - GREAT! You've come to the right place. Below are 10 good reasons you should consider joining us.

Service Opportunities
Club members have many opportunities for humanitarian service, both locally and internationally. Service programs address such concerns as health care, hunger, poverty, illiteracy, and the environment. Rotarians experience the fulfillment that comes from giving back to the community. At Kishwaukee Sunrise, we endeavor to provide a $10,000 community grant EVERY YEAR. This money goes directly towards helping children, youth and families in DeKalb County. Internationally, we support the Jane Adeny Memorial School for girls in Kenya. We raised and donate funds for this because we know that educating young women is one way to bring prosperity and advancement to any community, region and country (and the world!).

Professional Networking
A founding principle of Rotary was to meet periodically to enjoy camaraderie and enlarge one’s circle of business, community and professional acquaintances. As the oldest service club in the world, Rotary club members represent a cross-section of the community’s owners, executives, managers, political leaders, and professionals – People who make decisions and influence policy. Our club members are invested in the community and are the type of people who can "get things done."

International Awareness
With more than 34,000 clubs in over 200 countries & geographical areas, Rotarians gain an understanding of humanitarian issues through international service projects and exchange programs. One of Rotary’s highest objectives is to build goodwill and peace throughout the world.

Friendship
Rotary was founded on fellowship, an ideal that remains a major attraction of membership today. Club members enjoy the camaraderie with like-minded professionals, and club projects offer additional opportunities to develop enduring friendships. Rotary club members who travel have friendly contacts in almost every city in the world. Have you ever met Diane Hammon? Join us for one meeting and you'll know what we mean by friendship.

Good Citizenship
Weekly Rotary club programs keep members informed about what is taking place in the community, nation, and world and motivated to make a difference. Each week we have a presenter, many of whom share news about relevant events and activities going on in our own back yard.

Supporting the Development of Youth
Rotary sponsors one of the world’s largest youth exchange programs in the world. We also help run a leadership camp for high schoolers in our region every May. At our club, we additionally fund three scholarships for AMAZING students from DeKalb and Sycamore high schools and the Kishwaukee Education Consortium who have overcome incredible challenges and strive to build a new life for themselves through higher education.

Entertainment
Social activities give Rotarians a chance to let loose and have fun. Every Rotary club and district hosts parties and social activities that offer diversions from today’s demanding professional and personal schedules. Conferences, conventions, assemblies, and social events provide entertainment as well as Rotary information, education, and service.

Ethical Environment
Encouraging high ethical standards in one’s profession and respect for all worthy vocations has been a hallmark of Rotary from its earliest days. In their business and professional lives, Rotarians abide by The Four-Way Test:

Of the things we think, say or do:
1) Is it the TRUTH?
2) Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3) Will it BUILD GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4) Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Leadership Development
Rotary is an organization of successful professionals. Team building, fundraising, public speaking, planning, organization, and communication are just a sampling of the leadership skills that club members can exercise and enhance. Being a Rotary leader provides further experience in learning how to motivate, inspire, and guide others. Members can participate in the three day Rotary Leadership Institute courses offered at various times during the year.

Want to be a part of something like this? Join us any Tuesday morning at 7:00 am at Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital in conference room 4. Or, if you're not a morning person, the DeKalb club meets on Monday nights at 6:00 pm at the Ellwood House Museum and the Sycamore club meets every Wednesday for lunch (12:00 noon) at Blumen Gardens.

Welcome to Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary!

Welcome to our Rotary Club!