PLEASE NOTE: Business Casual Attire is required when visiting any U.L.C. facility. Men must wear a collared shirt (including turtleneck) with slacks and women must wear slacks or skirt with blouse or sweater. (NO JEANS OR ATHLETIC SHOES ARE ALLOWED)

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

• The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;

  LINK TO NEWS FROM ROTARY INTERNATIONAL

-------- CLUB NEWS! --------

Tanaka said the honorees exemplify how Rotary brings people together to solve problems that are too large for one person to tackle. “Alone, we look at the problems of our community and our world and we feel helpless,” he said. “But together, we are powerful. And through Rotary, we have the power to change our communities and communities throughout the world -- now and into the future. We have the ability to build the world we dream of: one that is healthier, happier, and with hope for better things to come.”

Work Begins on Crutzitzin-Chignautla Project!

Posted Oct. 18, 2012 by J Schwandke

Trenching began this week in the village of Crutzitzin-Chignautla in central Mexico. The rather ambitious $26,000 sanitation drainage project results from a partnership formed by the Teziutlan Rotary Club and Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District.  Together, we are constructing a half-mile long sanitation sewer system, with 14 junction wells, that will serve a village with 80 homes and two schools. Lack of proper drainage had created a genuine health hazard for this indigenous community, whose families have resided in this location for countless  generations. The Rotary Club of Teziutlan provided the $1,500 in seed money needed to start the project, and Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District became their International Partner by contributing another $4,675 to the cause. The remaining $19,825 in needed funding came from a series of Matching Grants provided by our respective Districts and The Rotary Foundation. Without Matching Grants from the Rotary Foundation a Club as small as ours would never be able to participate in World Service Projects of this magnitude. So, the next time you are considering your pledge as a Sustaining Paul Harris Fellow... think of these families in a mountainous village who have benefited from your contribution... or, of the child's life you might be saving in Nigeria when they receive polio vaccine from a fellow Rotarian.  

You can learn more about this and other World Service Projects that Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District is currently involved with by scrolling further down this page.

The Ruby Tear Catcher

Posted 10/11/2012 by J Schwandke

Community Service Chairman Andy Horberg welcomes author and guest speaker Nahid Sewell to the October 11th meeting of the Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District.

Ms. Sewell was born and raised in Tehran, Iran and moved to the United States in the late 1970s to attend Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Going to college in the United States had been her dream. Following graduation she accepted a job in Chicago and has been living here ever since. She married an American and they have two sons. Her parents still live in Iran.  

Being a frequent traveler to her homeland, she witnessed first hand how suppressed life became for women following the Islamic Revolution of 1979, when the Shah of Iran's western influenced monarchy was overthrown by a theocracy under the guardianship of Islamic Clerics. Some of these suppressions include that  women must be veiled and segregated from men, may be forced to marry at age thirteen, and live in fear of an "honor killing" should they not abide by Islamic Law.   

With little information available on the subject, Nahid decided to write a book. She wanted to share the beauty of her culture and the warmth of the Iranian people. "Initially, that was my goal", Nahid said. "But as I started writing, I felt it was just as important to expose how women are treated in the Middle East and how that affects their life and their rights."

Her book, "The Ruby Tear Catcher", is a historical novel based on real people and real events. It quickly found its way to the best sellers list. Having published The Ruby Tear Catcher means Nahid can't return home. "I knew this when I started to write the book"... she said, "but I made a conscious choice to go ahead because I believed this story needed to be told." This book is a timely read, given the current climate in the Middle East.

To learn more about Nahid Sewell and her book, click one of the following links: http://www.therubytearcatcher.com/ http://www.thesaturdaypost.com/2012/05/09/nahid-sewell/

Lunch with Claude Monet

Posted 9/20/12 by j Schwandke

Chicago Union League Club art docent Mary Ann Hoey treated Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District members and guests to a tour of some of the art on display throughout the building at 65 West Jackson Boulevard in the heart of Chicago's Loop District. Collecting art has been a tradition at the Union League Club since 1886 and their Chicago collection has now grown to nearly 800 works, representing more than 150 years of art making in America.  Our Rotary Club is fortunate to have such grand surroundings in which to hold our weekly meetings, but you don't have to be a member of the Union League Club or Rotary to see some of the art.  

On the first Friday of every month at 10:00 a.m., Club members and the public can enjoy a tour of highlights from the art collection. Tours are usually 45-60 minutes and are geared toward an adult audience. Guided tours are free but reservations are required and must be made well in advance of each monthly tour.

To reserve a place on the monthly public tour, please contact Club Curator Elizabeth K.Whiting at 312.435.5942 or ewhiting@ulcc.org

Work In Progress!

Posted 9/20/2012 by J Schwandke

With Matching Grants approved and funding now in place, work has begun on two World Community Service Projects that Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District is involved with. The photos below show the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Chignautla Sanitation Project, which is located in Mexico's northern Puebla State. This is an ambitious project and involves construction of a half-mile long drainage system with 14 connector wells, that will serve a village of 80 homes and two schools.  Lack of good hygiene was threatening the water supply, and consequently, the health of an entire village.  The plan requires trenchers to excavate ditches  and install pipe from property lines to the exit point. You can read more about the project by reading an earlier story posted below. It is estimated that the project can be completed by the end of this year. 

Here is a direct quote received this week from Project Co-Chairman Edgar Jaime Cardoso of the Tezuitlan Rotary Club:  "On September 2, work began on introductory drainage Cruitzinzin community. I'm sending some photos to have them show it to our friends in your Club. Soon I will send other advances. We are working on the project, thank you for your help. Greetings from your friends in Teziutlán. Hope to see you soon"!

Almost sumiltaneously an email was received from Project Co-Chairman and Puebla Virreinal Rotary Club President Alejandro Ponce Rivera y Chavez, saying that work has also started on the Calasanz School Computer Room project as well. 

Here is what Alejandro's email said:  "Dear John, I am very happy to read your news. I hope that the project of the medical supplies goes well. And also I hope that many Rotarians from Chicago can visit us at the Puebla Rotary Project Fair in February of next year!! About our project at Escuela Calasanz, we receive the funds since last month. We are working now on the electric installation. It was a little delayed but now is going on. Before September ends we are having an event, kind of presentation of the project, with all the students and maybe some local authorities, Ivon is working on that. We will send you pictures so you can upload them to your website. We will keep you informed!" 

Contact Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District if you would like to visit one of these sites in person. Also, please read information posted below regarding plans for District 6450 travel to the Rotary Project Fair in Puebla January 31 - February 3, 2012.

A Good Time Was Had By All

Posted 9/15/12 by J Schwandke

Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District celebrated their annual fund raising event on September 14th under the guise of being the "Last Picnic of Summer."   And a picnic it was, as Food Channel Diva and picnic hostess Ina Pinkney served up homemade recipes of Crispy Southern Fried Chicken along with several of her most famous summer salad entrees from the comfort of her restaurant at 1235 W Randolph Street. You can learn more about Ina by clicking this link: http://breakfastqueen.com/about_queen.html

In addition to having lots of fun, the evening provided an excellent platform from which to raise money for Rotary International's "End Polio Now" campaign. And who better to host the event than polio survivor Ina Pinkney, who contracted the disease at the age of eighteen months and has never experienced what it is like to have normal agility. With fifty Rotarians and guests in attendance, the combination of ticket sales and silent auction generated a net $6,000 for the cause. The "Finale" for the evening was the "Pinning of Ina", when Club President Jerry McIlvain thanked Ina for her contibution by making her an Honorary Member of our Club.

Rotary first became involved with polio in 1979, when the organization committed to immunize 6 million children in the Philippines through a Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) grant from The Rotary Foundation. Encouraged by the program’s success, Rotary consulted with Dr. Albert S. Sabin, developer of the OPV, and launched the PolioPlus program in 1985. Over the years, Rotary members have raised funds in some very creative ways.  Rotary also benefits from outside grants, including contributions totaling $355 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

After thirty years of hard work, and more than two billion children having received oral polio vaccine, Rotary and its partners are on the brink of reaching their ultimate goal of a polio-free world. For the week ending August 15, 2012 only 121 cases of polio have been reported to date.  Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan seem to be the last bastions where work continues. If we can't eliminate these final pockets, the disease will begin spreading all over again and that is why so much emphasis is being placed on the project this year. Kudos seems too small a word to express the thanks we feel for those involved with the "End Polio Now" program.  

* Members can view more photos of the event by clicking "Photo Page List" in the left-side menu.

Mission Impossible?

Posted by J Schwandke 8/31/12

We hope not!  In July, Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District initiated a four-way partnership as part of a  "District Simplified Grant" with Rotary Club Puebla Mirador and our respective Districts 4180 and 6450.  The plan is to ship 5,000 pounds of much needed medical supplies to Red Cross Clinics in the state of Puebla, Mexico. 

In Mexico, the Red Cross is much more than simply an organization designed to respond in time of disaster.  The Mexican Red Cross is pretty much the health care system for an entire country! By and large, emergency health care in big cities is good, but in smaller towns and villages people rely on Red Cross Clinics for care, where you can see a Doctor or Dentist, get an x-ray taken, have a prescription filled, or call an ambulance.  Signs posted in the clinics list suggested fees, but the fees are considered a donation and rarely cover the actual cost. Those without the ability to pay receive free care.  Red Cross Clinics in Mexico are highly respected, receive no money from the Federal Government, and operate solely through donations and voluntarism.  

Equally fascinating is a 501(c)3 organization known as "Hospital Sister's Mission Outreach", with facilities in Springfield and Chicago. Mission Outreach has developed relationships with most of the major healthcare providers in our area who, for a multitude of reasons, desire to donate expendable materials to others. Mission Outreach acts as a clearing house, with dozens of volunteers who help sort, label and organize the material. All items are donated free and clear, users of the service pay only for the cost of preparation and shipping. May God Bless Hospital Sister's Mission Outreach and those who donate their time and material. 

Pictured here is Mary Ann Skvara who gave us a tour of their warehouse near Chicago's Midway Airport. While having stepped most of the way through this project, we are currently in a "holding pattern" as we attempt to document the shipment in the manner required by Mexican Customs officials at the border. Their regulations are far more stringent than those of the United States. Please keep your fingers crossed!

Where is the Border? 

 Who Decides?

Posted 8/30/12 by J Schwandke

Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District was pleased to welcome Asad Hayauddin, from the Consulate of Pakistan, to this week's meeting.  Mr. Hayauddin, who specializes in matters regarding Trade and Commerce for the Consulate, instead provided us with an "insider's perspective" regarding the obstacles that stand in the way of a more harmonious relationship between Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and the United States.  

The country of Pakistan is one of several new countries created in 1947 during the dismantling of British Colonial India. Even India as we know it today did not exist until 1947. It too was only a small piece of the total puzzle. Similar to what happened with the Berlin Wall, Israel, and other nations whose borders get changed by treaty and wars, the individual families and ethnicities caught in the middle don't easily accept the resulting change.

The terrain of today's Pakistan makes it nearly impossible for a central government to impose wide rule and, since Pakistani's see India to the east a greater threat to their security than Afghanistan to the west, nearly 80% of their troops are aligned at the eastern border. People living in the more mountainous regions are more accustomed to being governed by tribal leaders than a central government. Hence, one of the recent strategies used by the Taliban, being to assassinate tribal leaders to create fear and confusion. Having lived and studied in the United States for many years, Mr. Asad Hayauddin displayed great insight and sensibility as he explained the issues.

The editor thought you might find these links informative: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_India and http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/targeting-tribal-leaders-new-militant-tactic-sinai

Poof... a New Member Appears! 

Posted 8/23/12 by J Schwandke

Chicago Based Magician Nathan Lee Powell works his magic in front of prospective Rotary Club member Andrea Man during the August 23rd meeting at the Union League Club. With reactions ranging from astonishment to outright laughter... I don't know whether to describe Nathan as a magician or a comic.  But, I can say unequivocally, that I have never seen better!

When hearing some of Nathan's true life experiences... they sound like the material that books and movies are made of. We are told that Nathan's fascination with Sleight of Hand began at a very young age... and that few were surprised, when at the age of 20, Nathan made himself vanish!  You see... Circus Vargas had come to town, and Ward Hall's famous "Side Show" was touring the country. For decades since, Nathan has perfected his craft, gaining priceless experience with traveling shows like Jimmy Dixon's Magic Circus. He trained and toured with Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus. More recently, to the delight of local audiences, Nathan has returned to the Chicago he loves. 

To see photos of Nathan Lee Powell, including one where he is kissing an elephant, visit www.MagicbyNathan.net 

District Governor Pat Merryweather Shares Her Vision for the Year

 Posted by J Schwandke

Past and Present Rotary CFD Presidents Marilyn Sainsot and Jerry McIlvain welcome District 6450 Governor Pat Merryweather and Assitant Governor Osei Andrews-Hutchinson to the August 2nd Meeting at the Union League Club.  Governor Pat shared with us how her personal desires to Help American Veterans and to sponsor a Chicago Peace Summit, that focuses on youth when addressing the growing violence in our neighborhoods, is spreading throughout Rotary District 6450. 

You can learn more about what is happening in District 6450 by clicking this link: http://rotarydistrict6450.org/

Chicago Area Rotarians go to a White Sox Game for Veterans

A wonderful evening of fun and fellowship was celebrated by over 600 Rotarians and their friends. With over 130 tickets purchased by Rotarians for veterans, we were able to enjoy the White Sox baseball game in the company of veterans from our local communities; Hines VA Hospital and Vet Center, Jesse Brown VA MedicalCenter, and Manteno Home for the Veterans. We also cheered veteran Ted Gifford, Rotarian and past Rotary International Director while he celebrated his 94th Birthday at the game!

The White Sox did not disappoint. It was a thriller of a game as the White Sox came from behind in the 7^thinning to win the game against the Minnesota Twins by a score of 11 to 4.  All proceeds from the game will go to "Diveheart for the Military Wounded" and the "Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans."  Special thanks and appreciation for their relentless support of this initiative go to PDG Irv Kaplan and his wife Ruth.   Click here to see who Rotary took out to the ball game!

Lawson House YMCA

Posted by J. Schwandke

Pictured in front of the "Jobs" bulletin board at Lawson House are Alvena Clark, Director of Lawson's "Life Development Center", along with Case Worker Kenya Taylor and Rotary CFD member John Schwandke, who does volunteer work at the facility.  

Alvena was Guest Speaker at our July 26th Rotary Club meeting and provided an overview of the services provided to the residents of Lawson House.  She described the facility as the largest single-room occupancy (SRO) supportive housing facility in the Midwest and playing a key role in Chicago's efforts to address homelessness.

As Ms. Clark explained, "Lawson House is dedicated to enabling residents to become self-sufficient."  Through its "Life Development Center" highly trained Case Managers connect residents to medical treatment, job training, life skills, substance abuse counseling and socialization activities.  John became curious about Lawson House YMCA when looking for a "clothes closet" where his donated clothing could have impact. Lawson House has need of clothing appropriate for job interviews, which can be in short supply for newer residents. If you have clothes to donate, he suggests Lawson House, which is located on Chicago Avenue, between State and Dearborn Streets. You can reach Alvena Clark at  aclark@ymcachicago.org 

 Welcoming Susan Snowden

Posted 7/12/12 by J. Schwandke

Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District members John Kearns and Vickie Dorgan welcome Guest Speaker Susan Snowden (center) to the July 12th Luncheon Meeting. 

Susan is an independent marketing consultant who teaches a course named "Successful Marketing: Basics to New Directions" at the University of Chicago's Graham School.  Her presentation included how to incorporate the Internet's new "social media" into the overall marketing mix. Previously, Ms. Snowden served as Senior Director of Marketing at Forsythe Technology, a global consulting firm. She holds two advanced degrees from the University of Illinois, an M.B.A. and an M.S. in Advertising. For additional information, you can contact Susan Snowden at sks710w@yahoo.com  or 312-318-2419. 

Rotary Banner Exchange

with Tajimi Japan

Marilyn Sainsot, Immediate Past President of Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District exchanges banners with visiting Rotarian Kazuhiko Yamamoto of the Tajimi Riverside Rotary Club in Tajimi, Japan (District 2630)

Kazuhiko is spending the week visiting his brother, Minoru Yamamoto, who is Executive Director of Japan's External Trade Organization in Chicago. Kazuhiko is in the business of Designing and Manufacturing Custom Furniture. 

Shutterbugs find a Picture-Perfect Way to Develop Skills and Friendships

By Arnold R. Grahl
Rotary International News -- 11 June 2012

You don’t have to be skilled with a camera to enjoy Rotary’s newest fellowship, the International Fellowship of Rotarian Photographers. The fellowship, which was recognized by the RI Board of Directors in January, counts amateur and professional photographers among its members, as well as those who have an appreciation for photography.

“Our group is open to anyone at any skill level, from point-and-shoot beginners to longtime professionals,” says Layne Marshal, a member of the Rotary Club of Campbell River Daybreak, British Columbia, Canada, who chairs the fellowship. “We have 65 members on our membership list in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and India, but that list is probably incomplete.” Marshal, an amateur photographer, was interested in joining a fellowship where he could meet other Rotarians and sharpen his skills, but found that there wasn’t such a group.

As a newer group, the fellowship is still developing activities, but it has an online forum for members to share advice, ask and answer questions, or otherwise discuss photography. It is also building a website for members to display their work, receive or offer critiques, and take part in competitions. “I enjoy the challenges and rewards of capturing a good photograph, which I feel is too often more luck than skill in my case,” Marshal says. “I know there are lots of people out there who are interested in photography and would join an effort to share and learn.” 

The photography fellowship is among 62 recognized by RI. Fellowships bring Rotarians, their spouses, and Rotaractors together to share common interests, explore new opportunities to serve, have fun, and promote vocational development through friendship. Each June, they are celebrated during Rotary Fellowships Month.

How Do You Make A 3rd Grader Smile?

You Give Them Their Very Own Personalized Dictionary!

Kids are anxious to learn, but don't always have access to the tools that can help make it happen more easily. The idea behind the "Dictionary Project is to put a dictionary in the hands of as many 3rd grade students as possible. One that is presented as a gift... can be personalized with their own name... taken home and kept for the rest of their lives. When members of the Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District decided to make dictionaries for schools their community project for 2012, many had no idea of the welcome they would receive. Andrew Horberg took on the daunting task of organizing the project and determining which schools had the most need. Club members labeled and delivered the books. Gratification came from seeing the reaction of the children when they learned that they were about to receive their very own dictionary, with a place inside the cover to write their name. Our club name also appears on that same page. One 3rd grader, with a great big smile, asked... "Should I print my name, or use cursive?" I suggested that cursive was more "grown up.  In this age of the Internet, many of us were surprised to see the excitement caused by a simple book. But, it wasn't just a book... it was their book!  We also met some extraordinary 3rd grade teachers along the way. One teacher wanted to show us her classroom, where 40 students shared just three dictionaries. Another said... "I purchased dictionaries for my students last year, but I can't keep doing that."  In every instance, we were made to feel that the "Dictionary Project" was filling an important need. Kudos to Andy Horberg and the members of Rotary CFD who worked so hard to bring this project to fruition. In the process, they delivered more than 1,000 dictionaries to 20 schools.  

WE DID IT!

May 18, 2012

During a special "Visioning Meeting" last summer, the Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District targeted development of a new and more interactive website as its number one priority in an effort to improve  communication.  Rotary CFD members John Schwandke and Werner Gonnissen spent a good part of September 2011 working on the design concept, and the new interactive website made its debut the following month. It is nice to be rewarded for work being done, and that is just what happened recently during the District 6450 Conference at Blue Harbor Resort, in Sheybogan Wisconsin.  

Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District President Marilyn Sainsot is presented this year's "2nd Place in Website Design" award from District 6450 Governor David Templin. A pleasant surprise for an enjoyable task!

Photo by Hunter Byington 

More Photos from the District 6450 Conference

!

Welcome to the District 6450 Conference in Sheboygan!

When Marilyn Talks.... People Listen.

How many members of Rotary CFD do you see?

The GSE Group from India certainly added to the fun! 

Rotarian's Celebrate Milestones in Fight to Rid World of Polio

From www.rotary.org - May 8, 2012

Rotarians celebrated two major milestones in their decades-long fight to rid the world of polio this week during the third plenary session of the 2012 RI Convention in Bangkok, Thailand.

Rotarians were congratulated for meeting and exceeding Rotary's $200 Million Challenge, in response to $355 Million in Matching Grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for polio eradication. Attendees also celebrated India's removal from the polio endemic list, which leaves only three countries where transmission of the virus has never been stopped. But, John F. Germ, Chairman of Rotary's Challenge Committee, went on to say... "with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative facing a significant funding shortfall for 2012 and beyond, it is vital for Clubs and Districts to keep pushing forward with their many creative fundraisers."

As part of this continuing need, Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District will be hosting a Charity Dinner with Silent Auction on Friday evening, September 14, at Ina's Restaurant (1235 W. Randolph Street). Owner Ina Pinkney, herself a polio survivor, will be Co-Host and Honoree for the event. The fund raiser is open to the public and guests are welcome.  Please mark September 14 on your calendar, as more information will follow.

Posted May 10, 2012

Rotary Club of Chicago member, John Schwandke, recently returned from visiting two Rotary

Matching Grant Project sites in Mexico.  You may recall having read about Rotary CFD's visitation to the Rotary Project Fair in Oaxaca earlier this year, and of its desire to partner with Mexican Rotary Clubs on the two projects that caught Schwandke's attention.

That desire has now become reality, with both projects having been approved by their respective Clubs and Districts.  Subject only to final approval from the Rotary Foundation, work on these projects is expected to be completed this summer. 

Project #1 is a simple one.  Add a modern, well equipped Computer Classroom to a school that probably wouldn't have one without our help. The right hand photo introduces you to the 5th Grade Class at "Escuela Calasanz", which is primary school, grades preschool through six.  It is located in an economically depressed neighborhood in Puebla. The Principal of this school (left hand photo, young man on left) and teacher's are young, motivated, and eager to provide their students with tools to help them excel. This computer classroom includes 10 wireless computers, 10 work desks, 35 chairs, blackboards, a printer, plus associated audio-visual equipment to expand their teaching capabilities. The computer lab will be used primarily by grades three through six. Rotarian's will provide the equipment and instruction for its use. Using a Rotary Foundation Matching Grant, Rotary CFD was able to leverage a $2,100 investment into the total $13,000 needed to finance the project.  We give special thanks to Alejandro Ponce and Ulises Solorio of Rotary Club Puebla Virreinal for introducing us to this project and for their club's hard work in bringing this school's dream to fruition. Good Job!

(Members can see more photos and commentary by clicking "Photo Page List" in the menu)

LET'S BE SANITARY

Posted May 10, 2012

Project #2 is much more ambitious... and involves construction and trenching for 2,000 feet of sanitary

drainage for the village of Crutzitzin, near the town of Tezuitlan, in the mountains of northern Puebla state. It is a village of approximately 80 homes and a school , but no sanitation system whatsoever. A Civil Engineer and Architect, who are members of the Texuitlan Rotary Club, donated the design plans which sliced thousands of dollars from the cost to build the system, which includes 14 junction wells. Even so, the cost will exceed $25,000.

 The photo at left shows a typical outdoor toilet facility currently being used by residents of Crutzitzin. The center photo is Chicago Rotarian John Schwandke, posing with the project designer's in the valley where the main portion of the drainage pipe will run. The third photo was taken in front of a school classroom. It is an interesting structure, made from every material the builder could find. Brick, wood, tar paper, sod and tin.  Rudimentary, but clean and functional. This sanitation project required $4,600 in seed money from Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District. The Mexico partnering club in Teziutlan, along with matching grants from District 6450 and 4180 combined to add another $9,400. A matching grant from The Rotary Foundation will account for the remaining balance. (Members can see more photos and commentary by clicking "Photo Page List" in the menu)

 When Rotarian's travel to foreign countries to work on projects like these, they are usually hosted by members of the partnering Rotary Clubs. Your host typically provides room, board, and transportation during your stay. It is an economical way to travel, to meet new people and learn a country's culture from those who live it.  At the same time, you are doing good deeds and building lasting friendships. If you would like to participate at one of these project sites, or learn about other travel opportunities with Rotary International, please contact Rotary CFD member John Schwandke.

Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District Receives Tezuitlan Club Banner

Photo by Neil King

Rotary CFD Club Member John Schwandke is shown here presenting President Marilyn Sainsot with a banner from the Rotary Club of Tezuitlan Mexico.  Rotary CFD has partnered with the Tezuitlan Rotary Club in a rather ambitious and much needed sanitation drainage system project for the village of Crutzitzin-Chignautla, which is located in a remote region of northern Puebla State in Mexico.  The project has been approved by both Clubs and both Districts and now awaits final Matching Grant approval from the Rotary Foundation.

April 21, 2012

Posted by M. Sainsot

Tammy Duckworth was the keynote speaker at the Rotary 6450 District Assembly on April 21, 2012.  Her entertaining and inspiring presentation was filled with anecdotes about her time as an employee at Rotary International Headquarters in Evanston. She highlighted the 2012-2013 District 6450 Mission to support our Veterans, which is the theme chosen by incoming Governor Pat Merryweather, who has two sons in the military.

April, 2012

Posted 04/15/12 by Staff

It is with great sorrow that the children of Richard (Dick) Pickett announce his passing at the age of 87. He died peacefully at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke on April 8, 2012. Born on Dec. 29, 1924, he was the son of John C. and Edith Pickett of Northampton.  He was a 1943 graduate of Williston Academy in Easthampton and remained very involved as an alumnus. Enlisting in the Navy in 1944, he contracted polio almost immediately. At the insistence of his parents he was brought from his ship in New Jersey to the Shriners’ Hospital in West Springfield where a new treatment developed by an Australian nurse, Sister Ann, was showing great promise. Richard credited this new treatment for his complete recovery. He received an honorable discharge from the Navy after serving his remaining tour of duty on the USS Rendova aircraft carrier.

He went on to receive a degree in business administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst . Immediately after graduation, due to the untimely passing of both his parents three months apart, he took over running the family business, Northampton Commercial College , later known as Northampton Junior College. Following the closing of the college in 1973, Richard took a break from academics for several years and tried his hand at selling sailboats, but his true passion was for business-oriented education.

He returned to that field and became president of Robert Morris College in Chicago, in 1983. Under his guidance the college flourished, growing from a small business school to a broad-based regional degree-granting institution. In recognition of his contribution to Robert Morris, he was elected to the board of trustees in 1993 and named chancellor in 1995.  He retired from Robert Morris in 1996. His 46 years of service and contributions to the field of education were recognized with the Claude Pepper Award for Distinguished Service in 1988 and an honorary doctorate of law from Indiana Institute of Technology in 1993.

Richard married Caroline Gavin in 1948, and they had three children. In addition to running a business and raising a loving family, he was an accomplished pilot and yachtsman. He loved adventure and traveled to Labrador in his amphibious airplane on many occasions. He also traveled extensively in the Middle East and Far East. Richard moved to Fort Myers and Venice, Fla., after retiring, where he enjoyed cruising in his ocean trawler, the “Jus’ Trawlin.’” On his final voyage in his yacht he traveled up the inland waterway to Michigan. He was involved in many civic organizations, including Rotary for over 60 years, the Elks, the VFW and various chambers of commerce. He was a committed ASPCA volunteer and adopted three rescue dogs.

Richard moved back to Northampton in 2009 to be closer to his children and grandchildren. He is survived by his three children, Molly Pickett and her husband, Steve Tirrell, of Wellesley, Jack Pickett and his wife, Julie, of Morrisville, Vt., and Lucy Pickett of Florence; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren;  many nieces and nephews; and his beloved Jack Russell terrier, Angel. He is also survived by his former wives, Caroline Arnold, Janet Gustafson McKay and Beverly Hamilton. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society in Springfield or the VNA & Hospice of Cooley Dickinson in Northhampton. A memorial service and reception will be held Sunday, April 29 at 11:30 a.m. at the Garden House at Look Park on Route 9 in Northampton. 

March 8, 2012

Assistant District Governor Osei David Andrews-Hutchinson was joined by members of the Village Leadership Academy to enlighten Rotary CFD members about their World Scholar's Program. 

March8, 2012

Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District President, Marilyn Sainsot, exhanges Club Banners with a visiting Rotarian from Canada. 

Dr. Bob Schenk

February 9, 2012

Posted 02/13/12 by Staff

WORLD COMMUNITY SERVICE IN ACTION

 January 26 - 29, 2012

Posted 02/06/12 by Staff

Rotary Club of Chicago Financial District member John Schwandke, and his wife Darlene, recently attended the Oaxaca Rotary Project Fair 2012 in south-central Mexico.  Oaxaca is a two day drive from their winter residence near Playa del Carmen on the Yucatan Penninsula. Schwandke, who has attended Rotary Project Fairs in Belize and Guatemala, was encouraged to attend Mexico's Project Fair by Rotary friends from District 6000 in Iowa where John had been a member prior to relocating to downtown Chicago in retirement. 

"My Rotary passion has been World Community Service ever since I was invited to join a contingent of Rotarians who spent a week visiting The Rotary Club of Xicotepec de Juarez in the coffee mountains of northern Puebla State. Representatives from many different Club's were included in the group and we all came home with project ideas that lacked only an international partner to partake in the Matching Grant proceedure. The first World Community Service Project that I personally worked on was at a children's orphanage in Nuevo Necaxa.  The sound of excited children running toward my car shouting JUANITO... JUANITO... still rings in my ear today.  And, I've been hooked ever since".

Schwandke says this trip was no different, in that Rotary Clubs (and the world alike) benefit when they build new friendships and work side-by-side in helping to improve the lives of those less fortunate. The feeling of camaraderie that you experience in the process is like no other. John and Darlene say that the friendships they forged in Oaxaca will last a lifetime. They can hardly wait to return and begin the work. 

The photos above are with Rotarians representing projects that Schwandke hopes Rotary CFD can partner with.

"My intent was to find one good humanitarian project that filled a need in one of the areas our membership has expressed interest in", He said.  Instead, he came back with two!

The photo on the left is the booth sponsored by the Rotary Club of Teziutlan, who wants our help on a sanitation and water project. The people of the Chignautla-Crutzitzin village contacted the Teziutlan Rotarians and asked for their help. They have no sewage system, defecate in open air, and are experiencing serious health issues and a poluted drinking water source. There is no government resource to help them. The men of the village will do the hand labor and a Rotarian, who is also a Civil Engineer, has already drawn the plans. A plus to the project is the positive affect it will have on the community's drinking water source.

The right-hand photo shows John and Darlene with members of the Rotary Club of Puebla Virreinal.  This is a new Club, having existed for only 18 months.  The members are young and energetic. Their proposed project includes creating a computer classroom for an impoverished school for orphans and transform it into one of the communities more progressive schools. Demonstrating the significance of the Rotary Foundation's Matching Grant program... an investment of $2,150 from Rotary CFD would result in the entire $12,950 needed to complete the project. 

As you already know, the Rotary Year runs July 1 through June 30.  For Matching Grants to be approved within the current Rotary Year, they must be submitted before the end of March to allow time for processing within the current year.  Matching Grants not submitted by March 31, will have to wait until after July 1st before they can be submitted. The clock is ticking... and we'll see what happens.

To learn more about Rotary World Community Service and other ways you can travel the world with Rotary, please contact Rotary Club of Chicago Fianancial District member John Schwandke. The opportunities are endless!

Members wishing to see additional photos and commentary should click "Photo Page List" in the left hand column.