JANUARY 1997
ON THE CHUCK WAGON
The Rotary Year is half over, and the calendar year is just
beginning. Perhaps it is time for some reflections, and maybe a
new years resolution or two.
It has been for the most part a great year so far for Jane and
I. As I said in my column last month there was good news and
there was bad news, but I guess that is to be expected.
George Partlo of the Harvard club was nominated for District
Governor in the 1999-2000 Rotary year. George asked a number of
questions of me and DGN Ray before making his decision to seek
the governorship. There are a number of highly qualified
candidates for District Governor out there, but it doesn't always
work out for them to seek the post. Looking back on my candidacy
a few years ago, I embarked on this journey pretty much with my
eyes open since I had been involved at the district level for
many years and had good friends among a number of PDGs. who
advised me.
Here are my thoughts, somewhat humorous, but also with some
degree of reality, on what one might consider before entering
into this endeavor. You might also wish to seek the advice of a
shrink.
1. You recently retired, and you want an excuse to get out of the house before your spouse either kills you or commits suicide (or both). Optional scenario: You can travel in an enclosed vehicle together from club to club for extensive periods of time without killing each other.
2. You enjoy spending much of your life in your car trying to find meeting places of clubs you have never visited before. i.e. Where is Walnut? (no offense intended)
3. Do you enjoy speaking to audiences knowing full well that 90% of what you are saying is going in one ear and out the other?
4. Do you enjoy filling out and faxing stupid make-work questionnaires to Rotary International on subjects and with information you provided to them a long time ago.
5. Are you literate enough (if not, call Page Bellinger) to communicate with your district colleagues through a district newsletter every month?
6. Do you know everything there is to know about Rotary (or at least make believe you do) so you can tell 56 club presidents how it should be done?
7. How big is your mailbox (and your wastebasket)?
New Years Resolutions
1. I will try to complete this year with style and efficiency and enjoy the second half as much as the first half.
2. I will never again in this lifetime seek
to hold an office of this magnitude in Rotary or any other
organization under penalty of spending the rest of my days in a
funny farm.
GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE TEAM PREPARES FOR TRIP TO THE
PHILIPPINES
Team Leader
Danira Parra
Team Members
Steven Cox - Maria Diaz
Janice Ernenputsch - Michael Napp
The District 6420 Group Study Exchange team which will visit
District 3790 in the Philippines from March 30 to April 27 is now
complete. The team members are now involved in intensive training
by their team leader in preparation for that experience. The
Group Study Exchange program is funded by The Rotary Foundation.
Our team consists of the following persons:
Rotarian Danira Parra - Team Leader: Danira (pronounced Danita) is a member of the LaSalle Rotary Club where she serves as that club's International Service chair. She is also a member of the District 6420 Short Term Youth Exchange committee. She is a sales associate
of the Coldwell Banker real estate agency in LaSalle. Danira, a graduate of Walla Walla College in Washington, is fluent in Spanish and is often used as a Spanish interpreter and translator. She has travelled extensively in Europe.
Rotarian Walter "Bing" Bingaman - Alternate
Team Leader: Bing, a member of the Rock Island Rotary
Club, has been very active in his club and held many club
officies over the years. He is also a member of the district RYLA
Committee. Bing was stationed in the Philippines during World War
II. He would assume the position of team leader in the event that
Danira Parra was unable to fulfill that responsibility.
Steven Aaron Cox - Team Member: Steve was
sponsored for his position on the G.S.E. team by the Freeport
Rotary Club. A Juris Doctor of the University of Illinois College
of Law, Steve is currently a member of the law firm of Snow,
Hunter, Whiton and Fishburn, Ltd. in Freeport and is also serving
as treasurer of the Stephenson County Bar Association.
Maria Cecilia Diaz - Team Member: Maria, who
was sponsored by the Quad Cities Rotary Club, lives in Rock
Island, and is a certified massage therapist. She also speaks snd
writes fluently in Spanish and serves frequently as a Spanish
translator.
Janice Clair Ernenputsch - Team Member: Janice
was sponsored for the team by the LaSalle Rotary Club. She is
married and the mother of three grown children. An insurance
agent, Janice currrently works for the State Farm agency in Peru.
Michael Christy Napp - Team Member: Mike was
sponsored by the Starved Rock Area Rotary Club. He is the father
of two grown children. He is the retired superintendant of the
Tonica school district and holds a Masters degree and Certificate
of Advanced Study from the University of Illinois. He is
currently is a realtor for Coldwell Banker in Peru.
District 3790 is located north of the city of Manilla on the
island of Luzon in the Philippines. We will be hosting the
visiting team from that district from April 12 to May 11, 1997.
Their team will be attending our Annual District Conference in
Rochelle on April 26 and 27. The Philippino team includes:
Rotarian, Rigoberto "Bert" Pascuat - Team
Leader: an insurance executive from Dolores
Dr. Concess B. Cabanayan - Team Member: a
medical doctor from Tarlac
Ellen D. Cabatu - Team Member: an attorney
and government service municipal administrator from St. Maria
Dr. Walerigo Guevara, Jr. - Team Member: a
dentist from Angeles City
Emerson M. Calma - Team Member: a trading
corporation operations manager from St. Thomas
PLAN NOW TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL
DISTRICT CONFERENCE
Club presidents should have now passed out to all members the
registration forms for the Annual Rotary District 6420 Conference
to be held in Rochelle on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 25,
26, and 27. We are looking for a large attendance at this event
this year since it is more centrally located in the district. You
can attend all or just part of the Conference. We think we have
quite reasonable rates for the hotel and for meals. There is a
break on the registration fee if we receive your registration by
April 11.
Some of the activities, such as the special spouse event on Saturday morning are highlighted on the registration form.
We will be visited by some rather famous historical people
like Will Rogers and Abraham Lincoln. We will also have the
pleasure of hearing the world famous Medicare 7,8,or9 Dixieland
Jazz Band from the University of Illinois at our Friday night
banquet. Presidents who received the posters at the December 7
Midterm Meeting should display them.
ATTENTION!
PRESIDENTS ELECT, SECRETARIES ELECT,
AND CLUB BOARD MEMBERS
You need to put Saturday, April 5 on your calendars NOW. The all important meeting of PETS (President Elect Training Seminar) and the District Assembly are scheduled on the same day this year due to R.I. calendar changes. The good news is you only have to come to one meeting instead of two. The bad news is it will be an all day meeting from 8:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M.
This meeting will take place at the Brandywine Inn on
Route 2 south of Dixon. Luncheon will be served. We will need to
have reservations for the luncheon, and we will get this
information to you later.
This is the most important meeting of the year for
Club Presidents Elect for it is at this meeting that you will
receive the materials and training that you will need to be an
effective leader of your club. Presidents Elect are also the
official voting delegate of their club at the Assembly for such
things as the District Budget and Dues. There will be numerous
break out sessions for secretaries and others in addition to the
presidents training.
YOUNGEST PAUL HARRIS SUSTAINING MEMBER
NAMED IN DISTRICT 6420
Congratulations are in order for PDG Ben Litherland and partner Judy are the proud grandparents of Haleigh Therese Steagall born on January 4, 1997. To celebrate this event Ben made little Haleigh a Paul Harris Sustaining Member only four hours after her birth. Can you top this?
DISTRICT FIRST LADY ISSUES LAST CALL
FOR FAVORITE RECIPES
First Lady, Jane Engel reports that the District Favorite
Recipe Book is progressing nicely. The book will be distributed
to registrants at the District Conference on April 25, 26, and 27
in Rochelle. She has about fifty recipes so far, and they sound
delicious. She says a big thanks to all who contributed so far.
If you haven't participated in this project up to this point, you
can still get your favorite recipe included. Lady Jane says that
the absolute deadline for the printing of the book is February
15, so get those recipes in.
NEW ROTARIANS SINCE LAST NEWSLETTER
WELCOME TO ROTARY
DEKALB
Frank Bazeli Leon Keutzer
Catherine McCabe Ted Rosenow
NORTHERN WINNEBAGO COUNTY
David Fenton
OTTAWA SUNRISE
Robert Marshall Tim Parker Charlotte Westbrook
ROCHELLE
Chris Brown
ROCK FALLS
Mark Merritt Sandy Merritt
ROCKFORD EAST/CHERRY VALLEY
Linda DeWeerdt Margaret Wilkerson
ADDITIONAL CHANGES OR CORRECTIONS TO THE
1996-97 DISTRICT DIRECTORY
PAGE 16
ADD COMMITTEE MEMBER
Kevin Heller Kevin
312 Locust Debra
Sterling, IL 61081
Res: (815) 626-0187 Bus: (815) 626-6060
PAGE 34
BELVIDERE BRIGHT HORIZONS - NEW PRESIDENT
Edward L. Branom Ed
319 Edgewood Lane
Belvidere, IL 61108
Res: (815) 332-5496 Bus: (815) 229-0110
PAGE 45
SANDWICH - NEW MEETING DAY AND PLACE
Thursday 6:10 P.M. Edgebrook Country Club
on Suydam Road in Sandwich