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Kishwaukee Club News
Rotarians Pitch in at Mobile Pack 2024
   
 
The Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) mobile pack is in its 15th year at the Suter Company in Sycamore. This is the longest running mobile pack location in the organization's history! Each November FMSC sets up shop in the Suter Company building and thousands of volunteers cycle through to work shifts over four days. Their goal this year was to pack over 1.3 million meals! The Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary wouldn't miss an opportunity to pitch in on something this important! Club members (left to right) Kenda Jeske, Steve Miner, David Dosier, Norm Walzer and Bob Pritchard (not pictured) showed up in support and packed some meals. This is part of our club's international service efforts. Can't wait for next year!
Helping Out in Kirkland!
Members of the Kishwaukee Rotary Club volunteered at the Kirkland Public Library's fundraising event in Franklin Township Park this week. We hope the library met its goals! It was a great evening with perfect weather, an awesome band, amazing food and friendly people! (pictured are club president Norman Walzer, Tonda Bruch, Becky Ryan and David Dosier).
 
 
Below is the 'thank you' message posted by the Kirkland Library on their Facebook site:
 
THANK YOU -- AN AMAZING EVENING!
 
Thank you to all who supported the Friends of the Kirkland Public Library last night at our event in Franklin Township Park.
We appreciate all who bought meal tickets, Denny and Deb Rehn who donated the pulled pork sandwiches, Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary Club and Resource Bank who helped us run meals for those who chose drive thru pick up and Weston Bramm who helped us with whatever we needed at the park.
 
A special thanks to Red Horse who entertained us for three hours with great music courtesy of a grant from the Mary E. Stevens Trust. This band was terrific!
 
Congratulations to Jen Block and Splendora Salon who was named Business of the Year and Lori Finkle who was named Citizen of the Year by the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce.
In the past we had our salad luncheon, but hopefully we can make this "party in the park" a yearly event. Hope you had a great time!
Kishwaukee Rotarians Help Expand a Pre-School
The Kishwaukee Sunrise Rotary Club obtained a Rotary District 6420 Foundation grant to help the Federated Church in Sycamore, IL open an additional pre-school daycare classroom to meet the growing demand in the area by both single parent and two wage-earner families for these services. The Federated Church has provided high quality care since 1968 and wanted to convert another classroom to these services so contacted KSR for assistance in raising funds.
 
Rotary District 6420 provided matching funds ($1,496) so that KSR could provide the Church with a total of  $ 2,996 to purchase sleep cots, a play kitchen, and other equipment for 30 preschoolers who will use the classroom daily. In turn, several KSR club members helped Bobbi Clough, preschool center director, assemble and place the equipment in the classroom. The church also received donations from other organizations in the community.
 
The KSR club works with various community agencies to finance local programs by hosting a variety of programs such as Taste of DeKalb, a Whiskey History and Tasting Event, among other events. The funds are then shared with local agencies on a competitive basis.  In addition, KSR ranks high among clubs in its annual contributions to the Polio Plus programs.  The club also helps VAC with its Meals on Wheels Program, participates in Feed My Starving Children, provides scholarships to students from DeKalb HS, Sycamore HS, and KEC, and works with other community sponsored programs.  
Why Join Rotary?
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.