Club Activity in 2022-2023
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
 
 
 
WELCOME!!
Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary Club
Kishwaukee Sunrise DeKalb

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.
Kishwaukee Club News
The Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary Club is proud to announce that they will once again be offering up to $10,000 in a community grant this year. The grant is open to non-profit and governmental organizations with projects aimed at improving the lives of children, youth and/or families in DeKalb County. This is their sixth year providing the grant and local non-profits are encouraged to apply. The funds may be awarded as one large grant or divided among multiple applicants, as decided by the selection committee. The application is available on the club's website at www.kishwaukeerotary.com and by emailing kishwaukeesunriserotary@gmail.com. The application window is open from November 16, 2023 to December 15, 2023 and awards will be made in January. Please help spread the word to your favorite non-profit organization!
 
Our club was honored to have our District Governor, Dave Emerick, attend our October 31st meeting to present two club members with their Paul Harris +3 pins! A Rotary member becomes a Paul Harris Fellow after donating $1,000 over their lifetime to the Rotary Foundation. A new level is attained with each subsequent $1,000 increment. Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary Club members Norman Walzer and Kenda Jeske each received their Paul Harris +3 pins. Over the past 100 years, the Rotary Foundation had donated over $3 billion to life-changing efforts around the world. Congratulations to Norman and Kenda and thanks to DG Emerick for making the trip to Sycamore for the presentation! Pictured above (left to right) is our club Foundation Chair, Jim MacMurdo, Norman Walzer, Kenda Jeske and DG Dave Emerick. Also pictured (below) are all the Paul Harris Fellows in the club (that were present that day) - what a generous group!!
 
 
The 7th edition of the Taste of DeKalb is slated for Sunday, September 24, 2023 at Frank Van Buer Plaza in downtown DeKalb. The Taste of DeKalb is hosted by the Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary Club and serves as its primary fundraising activity for its annual $10,000 community grant for children, youth and families of DeKalb County. The event will directly follow the Corn Classic 10k and is right next to the finish line! Officially, the Taste is open from 9:00am to 3:00pm and is open to the public (no admission fee). This year's event will include a number of food vendors such as Open Door Coffee, Big D's Hot Dogs, Jah Luv Jamaica and Sweet Butts Cotton Candy. There will be a number of children's activities such as a bouncy house/obstacle course and a roaming magician. Live entertainment will also be on tap with the very popular InFunktious from 9:00am to 11:30 and the PriSSillas making their Taste of DeKalb debut from 12:00 to 2:30pm. 
 
Sponsorships are still available to local businesses and donations are always accepted. The club hopes to reach its goal of $10,000 to then award as a grant to a local non-profit organization this winter. To date, the club has awarded over $50,000 to local non-profits through this program. 
 
Save the date! Sunday, September 24, 2023 at Van Buer Plaza from 9am-3pm. 
 
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.
 
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/.
 
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.

Club Executives & Directors
President
President Elect
Immediate Past President
Treasurer
Secretary
Club Foundation Chair
New Generations Chair
Community Service Chair
Club Service
Vocational Service Chair
Grant Management Chair