Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast
THE ORIGINS
At 7:00 a.m. on the cold morning of January 11, 1988, a small group representing the business and professional community of Carbondale met at Shoney's Restaurant to express their interest in joining a new Rotary club. This meeting didn't just happen. It was the result of events that took place over a period of several years. Past District Governor Sidney Matthews writes:
The Council of Governors of District 651 [now 6510] scheduled a number of meetings starting in June 1985, first, to discuss whether women should be admitted to Rotary International, and second, to pinpoint suggested areas for establishing one or more new clubs.
Rotary's Council on Legislation had voted to open Rotary membership to women after the U.S. Supreme Court decision in May 1987. The 1986-87 Governor of District 651, Sidney E. Matthews, worked with James G. Smith, the president of the Rotary Club of Carbondale, on the possibility of establishing a second Rotary club in Carbondale.
At a regular Wednesday noon meeting, President Jim presented two proposals to the club and asked for an informal show of hands on each. The first proposal was to admit women into the club, and the second, to work toward establishing a morning club in the immediate area. Both proposals passed.
The Council of Governors suggested exploration of the Carterville area as a potential location, and President Jim, with his Board and PDG Sid, followed up on this recommendation. For a variety of reasons, they returned to the other choice, a second club in Carbondale.
President Jim appointed a committee consisting of Pierre Barrette, William Coracy, Gregory Eversden, Charles Hindersman, Franklyn Moreno, Wayne St. John, and PDG Sid Matthews, who was later appointed Special Representative to the new club. Permission to share its territory was duly obtained from the Rotary Club of Murphysboro.
The Rotary Club of Carbondale, as the sponsoring club, would be required to pay $200 to Rotary International, and twenty proposed members with classifications approved by RI would have to be enlisted. The board approved the $200 payment, and President Jim asked members of the club to propose members, all of whom were sent an invitation to an initial meeting, signed by all members of the committee. A small announcement was placed in the Southern Illinoisan on January 7.
PDG Sid Matthews
The initial meeting was attended by about a dozen prospects. Unfortunately, no list of those attending has been discovered, but we believe that at least the following were present: Steve Adkins, Billy Coracy, Sharron Lamb, Bob Keen, Debbie Tindall, Dr. Sidney Smith, and Kenneth Tempelmeyer. Representing the Rotary Club of Carbondale were William Coracy, Charles Hindersman, and PDG Sidney Matthews. Matthews and Hindersman had almost perfect attendance at the new club for the first two years. PDG Sid, especially, provided guidance and support, instructed members in the ways of Rotary International and helped to build a strong foundation for the future success and contributive role of the Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast. Yet, he is praised for his ability to accomplish these outcomes without dictating how the club should implement its activities within the parameters of the policies of Rotary. As a result, the club developed its own distinctive character. Robert Keen became the charter president. Marcia Sinnott was vice president; Robert Swenson, secretary-treasurer; Ed Hoke and Sharron Lamb, directors, and Steve Adkins, sergeant-at-arms. The district governor was Don Rice of Belleville. The name "Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast" was selected.
The club was chartered on October 17, 1988, with twenty-seven members. The charter ceremony was held in the Old Main Room of the SIU Student Center on November 4, 1988. Gifts were received from Rotary clubs in surrounding communities (see Appendix).
On November 12, 1988, the President of Rotary International, Royce Abbey of Australia, visited Mt. Vernon through the good offices of PDG Carl Schweinfurth, who was his personal friend. Arrangements were made for President Abbey to present the club charter in person at a dinner held in his honor. The dinner was attended by Bob Keen, Sharron Lamb, Linda Barrette, Marcia Sinnott, Blanche Sloan, and their spouses.
Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. was selected as the regular time of meeting. Meetings were held at Shoney's for two years, until membership outgrew the space. The club moved to the Cambria Room of the SIU Student Center.
The first major club project was Share the Spirit! Toys for Carbondale Kids, initiated in 1989; it continues to the present (see a separate item). The first fund-raiser was serving refreshments at Arts in Celebration (1990), a biennial arts festival. The first Yard Sale started the same year, and the Mother's Day Plant Sale began in 1991.
The first scholarship was awarded in 1990; eleven scholarships have been awarded since that year to benefit students attending both John A. Logan College and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Scholarships have been supported exclusively by voluntary contributions deposited in "The Pig" at each meeting (see separate item).
Other major beneficiaries of assistance from the club include Lifesavers at Carbondale Community High School, the Women's Center, the Belize Crippled Children's project, and Arts in Celebration (see Appendix for list).
The first Paul Harris Fellows were Sharron Lamb and Linda Barrette (Carl Schweinfurth of Mt. Vernon offered to match the $500 given to the Rotary Foundation by any member of our club toward becoming a Paul Harris Fellow). The first Rotarian of the Year was Bob Keen. Lou Brown received the first Distinguished Service Award for hosting Rotary Youth Exchange student Janine Williamson from New Zealand. The first Awards Banquet and Installation of Officers was held at Touch of Nature in 1989, and this event has become a tradition. The five-year anniversary party was held on October 10, 1993, at the home of Linda Barrette.
Throughout its history, the Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast has been blessed with a series of strong leaders who always held the Rotary ideal of "Service Above Self." Numerous members have provided district-level leadership, leading to the election of Blanche Carlton Sloan as District Governor in 1996-97. Almost every year since it began, the club has been recognized at the District Conference for achievement in one or more areas, culminating in 1997 when it won the District Governor's Trophy. In 1997, it was the sponsoring club for the Rotary Club of the Greater Carterville Area.
Fourteen charter members remain, and some of the others are Rotarians elsewhere. The only former member now deceased is Glenn Marshall, a charter member.
In its first ten years, the Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast has grown in numbers, in vigor, in service, and in respect among other clubs. It has become established as one of the leading Rotary clubs in District 6510. Its tradition of excellence has every promise of extending far into the future.
CHARTER MEMBERS
THE FOUR AVENUES OF SERVICE
Activities of local Rotary clubs are organized along the lines of four Avenues of Service: Club Service, Community Service, International Service, and Vocational Service. The service activities of the Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast over the past ten years are summarized according to the Avenues of Service.
THE FIRST FIVE YEARS
CLUB SERVICE
In the establishment of a new Rotary club, Club Service is understandably the first to receive attention because it encompasses membership growth and development, programs, fellowship, and regular attendance. These areas were actively cultivated from the outset.
PDG Sidney Matthews, the Governor's Special Representative, met with us and nurtured the development of a viable, stable Rotary club.
Officers were elected, directors of the Four Avenues of Service were appointed, and our Constitution and Bylaws adopted before the club was chartered. The duties of the secretary and treasurer were separated. A subsequent change to the Bylaws (1991) modified the rotation of officers into and through the presidency.
From the beginning, the club has enjoyed the equal membership of men and women, having none of the assimilation problems which some other clubs experienced in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Indeed, it is an article of faith within the club, though not proven, that ours may be the only club in the Rotary world to have had four successive women presidents.
Committees established for 1989 included classification, fund-raising, public relations, newsletter, banner, membership, and community service. The "Early Bird Newsletter" (club bulletin) made its appearance in November 1988. A plaque was installed at Shoney's showing the day and time of our weekly meeting.
As Bob Keen's term concluded in June 1989, we held our inaugural Awards Banquet, incorporating humorous as well as serious awards; this event has become an annual year-end activity. We established two major club awards to be presented each year at the Awards Banquet: the Rotarian of the Year and the Distinguished Service Award (see Appendix for names of recipients).
December holiday parties at the home of Bob and Sugie Keen also became a tradition which continued as long as Bob was a member of our club.
By the end of our second year (1989-90), with Marcia Sinnott as president, much of our club's distinctive character was firmly in place. Among the Club Service activities that have become traditional is levying fines for any good turn, including professional or personal achievements, media exposure, births, and personal promotion. The fines are collected in a ceramic pig, and the proceeds are designated for scholarships for CCHS graduates enrolling alternately at John A. Logan College and Southern Illinois University. Our club banner was designed primarily by Bob Swenson. We began to present speakers with a small token of appreciation. In cooperation with the Rotary Club of Carbondale, we erected Rotary highway signs at the north, west and east of the city to inform passersby of the date and time of our meetings.
Given our early meeting time, Marcia felt it important to make the meetings as light-hearted and interesting as possible. Contributing much to the spirit of fellowship of our club were the antics of our second sergeant-at-arms, Rex Ball. A particularly clever, witty, and well-liked member, he rose to the challenge and elicited repartee and exchanges of "zingers," setting a tone that has been emulated by all of his successors. In fact, sometimes, it has been a challenge "especially with Rex" to regain control of meetings!
In 1990-91, club spirit was enhanced by the purchase of "Rotary blue" T-shirts and polo shirts for use by members at club fund-raisers and other public activities. On the front in golden yellow was the Rotary emblem and the "Service Above Self" motto, and on the back, the name of our club.
Groups of international visitors have often mingled with club social activities, and a Rotary Sweetheart Dinner held jointly with the Rotary Club of Carbondale rounded out our social calendar in our second year. Frequent participation by DG Elmer Jacobs and his wife Sylvia in our social activities added a further dimension to club service.
In order to support our community service activities, we undertook fund-raising to support several specific projects. In August 1989, we held our first annual Yard Sale to benefit Alpha and Lifesavers at CCHS. We raised $1,300. The following May, we held our first Mother's Day Plant Sale, which also raised good money for minimal effort.
For the first time, we participated in Arts in Celebration, a biennial Carbondale festival. We provided refreshments that filled a need for participants and raised money for the club at the same time.
We won our first district award during the 1990-91 year, fifth place in the Governor's Trophy competition, announced at the District Conference held in Paducah. At the conference we exhibited our new club display. Linda Barrette, David Coracy, President Sharron Lamb, Elizabeth Matthews, Marcia Sinnott, and Blanche Sloan all attended the conference. We also sent representatives at the District Rotary Foundation Seminar.
A survey showed that members preferred social occasions organized around performance, sports events, and quarterly potluck or seasonal get-togethers. As a result, our social activities have included a St. Louis Cardinals baseball trip, dinners out preceding "Oklahoma!" and "Lend Me A Tenor" at SIU's McLeod Theater, cookouts, almost-annual December holiday parties, entertaining international visitors, joint socials with area Rotarians, golf outings, a St. Patrick's Day get-together, TGIF at local pubs or members' homes, bowling and pool, and other such activities.
Our move from Shoney's to the SIUC Student Center at the beginning of our third year gave us the space we needed for the growing membership. The new arrangement included free coffee refills, audio-visual services, food vendor alternatives, no gratuity, and a locked cabinet for our possessions. Five dollars per month was added to club dues for room rental.
Building a float for the Lights Fantastic parade in 1991 was a great fellowship builder, although we did not feel it was economically feasible to repeat it. In subsequent years, we have served cookies and hot beverages, then later served as marshals for this annual community event in December.
Increasing our involvement at the district level, members of our club more and more frequently began to appear at district meetings. At the District Conference in 1993 in Mt. Vernon, our "Early Bird Newsletter" won an award; Jerri Uffelman was editor.
Club Service activities have continued and have become more institutionalized as the years have passed.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Our primary focus has always been on youth. Our first community service project was a gift of $150 for the CCHS After-Prom Party in May 1989. Three subsequent programs had permanent consequences for the club. A speaker representing the Women's Center stimulated our support for that agency, which has continued. Other programs inspired interest in CCHS's Alpha/Lifesavers, which we have also continued to aid, and a program on toys for needy children resulted in our major club project, Share the Spirit! Toys for Carbondale Kids.
Diverse types of community service provided by this club have included educational materials on healthful living given to the public schools in Carbondale; plantings to enhance the permanent City of Carbondale welcome signs on the approaches to the city; Carbondale Clean-Up participation; Kid Care; telephone book recycling; and assistance with numerous other service projects.
Robert Jackson was our first scholarship recipient. He enrolled at John A. Logan College. We awarded a scholarship each year until 1993-94, when we began to award two each year. In 1994, one of the scholarships was named in memory of PDG Elmer Jacobs.
Rotarian Ed Hoke participated in assisting victims of Hurricane Andrew in Florida by performing on-site construction work. Other members of our club contributed funds.
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE
For such a new club, the Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast has a surprising record in International Service. We hosted both a long-term and a short-term Rotary Exchange Student the very first year.
We also hosted a Group Study Exchange team from Australia at our breakfast meeting and at an afternoon pool party at the home of Bob and Sugie Keen. We have hosted GSE teams each year, including teams from Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, India, Thailand, and Japan.
Our first two Paul Harris Fellows were Linda Barrette and Sharron Lamb. Bob Keen became the third when the club honored him at the Awards Banquet at the end of his term as president. After David Coracy, Blanche Sloan, and Richard Brooks became Paul Harris Fellows, several Sustaining Member clubs were formed, and a steady succession of members have become Paul Harris Fellows (see the Appendix for an up-to-date list).
The year 1990-91 was a banner year for International Service activities. We became a sister club to the Rotary Club of Nakajo, Japan, and David Bateman attended the celebration of that club's thirtieth anniversary. We received a delegation of educators from Vladimir Polytechnical Institute in Vladimir, USSR; entertained the entire group at a brunch at the home of Bob and Sugie Keen; and participated in a breakfast held jointly in their honor with the Rotary Club of Carbondale. In addition, Elena Potapova was entertained quite frequently during her stay in Carbondale that year, and when she returned home several months later, we made her an honorary member of our club. Incidentally, Elena helped to establish a Rotary club in Vladimir after Russia was opened to Rotary and subsequently served as its president. A generous shipment of warm clothing was sent to the delegation members by our club at Christmas.
Later that same year, our club was visited by "Curly" Galbraith and his wife of Canada, after he had served as the R.I. President's represen-tative at our District Conference. International activities continued throughout the next year, as the club hosted thirteen dignitaries from Poland in October as well as a delegation of Bulgarian lawyers and judges.
Our club has hosted three Ambassadorial Scholars: Francesca Murmura from Italy, Jan Fuhrmann from Germany, and Kataoki Saito from Japan.
In September 1994, the "Rotary Rap," written and directed by Janet Vaught, was presented at the District Foundation Seminar (see separate item).
VOCATIONAL SERVICE
The most visible Vocational Service activity the club has sponsored has been recognizing excellent employment practices, job development, and entrepreneurship.
The club's Vocational Service Award was first presented to Malesa Janes, at that time director of Hill House, a drug rehabilitation center for youth. The award recognized her as an outstanding employer. The second award was presented to Tom and Susan Keim of Carterville for their establishment of three new businesses at the University Mall.
THE SECOND
FIVE YEARS As the club matured into its second five years, notable
differences were to take place, including a broader and deeper sense of
Rotary International's programs, purposes, and services and a stronger
local reputation. Members took a more active role at the district level. In
doing so, the club earned several significant awards, often without even
having an eye on those prizes. Members also gained a sense of
accomplishment by successfully completing several large-scale projects. Growing Awareness of Rotary Beyond the Club Level By the end of its second five years, the club had
achieved these milestones:
District-level activities of members resulted from the club's growing awareness of Rotary beyond the local level. By 1998, nearly a dozen members had been or were currently involved in district committees or projects (see Appendix).
As another sign of the club's achievements, though not in Rotary circles, the club was selected as the Outstanding Civic Group by the Jackson County Business Development Corporation in 1996.
Two past presidents achieved noteworthy recognition for their involvement and accomplishments at the district level.
Blanche Sloan served as District Governor in 1996-97, the first woman governor in District 6510 and one of the first twenty worldwide. That year, the district exceeded its goal for contributions to The Rotary Foundation, also a first.
Marcia Sinnott was named District 6510 Rotarian of the Year at the 1998 District Conference. The award had been given for the first time the previous year. Marcia was eminently deserving of this recognition for her great involvement and many Rotary accomplishments. The award is named in honor of Carl L. Schweinfurth, known in Southern Illinois as "Mr. Rotary," a strong influence in the development of our club.
A Sense of Achievement
Almost from the beginning, the club has sought "that one big project" that would provide great name recognition, attract significant revenues, and enhance the club's reputation. Although the goal is elusive (perhaps even illusive), several large-scale projects have been undertaken. These endeavors are summarized according to the four Avenues of Service.
CLUB SERVICE
During 1994-95, the Board started on a path of strengthening our club infrastructure while continuing the already strong involvement in community and youth activities. Attention was given to enhancing the development of emerging club leaders, increasing our knowledge of Rotary programs, practices, and services, and becoming more involved in district activities.
We continued the traditional holiday socials and enjoyed TGIF at the home of Connie and Richard Steudel, at Realty Central, and at B & A Travel Service. The annual Awards Banquet continued to celebrate the successes of the past Rotary year and recognized the many people who had played significant roles. Members with perfect attendance are also recognized, including Blanche Sloan, who has perfect attendance since the club was chartered.
Among the infrastructural matters addressed during the year were these:
We refined our orientation to give new members a more comprehensive understanding of Rotary, its role in the community, its global work, its world understanding mission, and the responsibilities and benefits of membership.
In its sixth year, the club "partnered" with the SIU Broadcasting Service and the Friends of WSIU/WUSI to revitalize their Fantasy Auction. The project encompassed both Club Service and Community Service, in that service provided to the community resulted in significant income for our club
20 percent of the net proceeds, or nearly $8,000.In 1995-96, PDG Ed Koenigsmark made his official visit on October 17, a date that coincided with the club's charter date. Also in October, we participated in the inter-club golf challenge with the Rotary Club of Carbondale, earning the traveling trophy for the first time. We sponsored a refreshment booth at the Harvest of the Arts (the off-year event related to Arts in Celebration). Past President Linda Barrette and her husband (then president of the "noon club") hosted a joint Holiday Open House in their new home.
We became more focused on planning for the club's role during Blanche Sloan's term as District Governor the following year. Because the club would be responsible for the 1997 District Conference, preliminary thinking and organizing began early in November 1995.
The District Conference was promoted as "Not Your Typical District Conference!" and it set a record for attendance. It capped a year in which most of Governor Blanche's objectives for the district were met or exceeded (see a separate item).
David Bateman served as District Trainer, coordinating the annual Foundation Seminar, Presidents-Elect Training Seminar, and the District Assembly. Fred Sloan served as Area 4 Representative (as he still is, although his title has changed to Assistant Governor), and Marcia Sinnott completed her stint as District 6510 Scholarship chair. Ten new members were recruited during the year as a result of the "Each One Reach One" campaign.
Our club took greater note of the R.I. monthly themes by incorporating them into weekly programs.
On June 30, 1997, the Rotary Club of the Greater Carterville Area was chartered through the efforts of DG Sloan, Governor's Special Representative Terry Mathias, and other support from the club members. This completed one of DG Blanche's unwritten goals for her term.
We hosted an inter-club social with the Rotary Club of Carbondale in the newly opened Carbondale Civic Center, joined the "other" Rotary club at the home of Linda and Pierre Barrette for a holiday social, and held a white elephant gift exchange in December. John Corker and wife Susan graciously hosted a die-hard group of pool players, andwe successfully defended our championship in the second annual Carbondale Inter-club Golf Scramble. New white polo shirts were ordered with the club name and Rotary emblem.
The 1997-98 Rotary year marked the debut of a weekly bulletin rather than a monthly newsletter as in previous years. Weekly "News and Weather Reports" on local happenings were inaugurated, with Marianne Lather reporting on the arts, Pat Hewson on sports, Ray Lenzi on business, Morteza Daneshdoost on education, and Jeff Doherty on government. Sergeant-at-Arms Bill Crain provided the Joke-of-the-Month at business meetings.
A variety of social events planned by social "czar" Brad Cole included a trip to a Cardinals-Cubs game in St. Louis, bowling, a professional comedy act, and a social following the Lights Fantastic parade, and casual TGIFs.
Governor Dale Anderson's official visit promoted the R.I. theme of the year, "Show Rotary Cares." Several members attended the Rotary Institute for Zones 29 and 30 in St. Louis, where club president Hugh Muldoon had a chance to chat with R.I. President Glen Kinross.
In 1998, the club completed another major project, sponsoring the Carson & Barnes Circus. More than $6,000 was added to the treasury to support youth projects.
Nine members took part in PETS this year, and at the District Conference in May, again the club earned an award for best table display and two Rotary Foundation awards for unrestricted giving.
In the latter half of 1997-98, President-Elect Jack Langowski began planning for a smooth transition into his year as president and the observance of the club's Tenth Anniversary year.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
In addition to the continuing projects listed above, new opportunities came to our attention: Kid Care, Community Bazaar at the University Mall in September; and the Friends of WSIU/WUSI Fantasy Auction, which occupied the members for fully half that year and prompted the club to forego other fund-raising activities. We thus planned to maintain our financial support for Lifesavers, the Women's Center, and Share the Spirit! without the Mother's Day Plant Sale and the Yard Sale.
To generate interest in the Fantasy Auction, mentioned under Club Service, members helped to solicit a great variety of trips, products, services, vacation packages, memorabilia, and many other attractive items. Members also sold reserved tables. David Coracy, Terry Mathias, and Blanche Sloan served on a joint coordinating committee with members of the Friends and the Broadcasting Service.
The number of $750 scholarships was increased to two in 1995-96. Awards were made to students enrolling at both John A. Logan College and Southern Illinois University thereafter. In 1997, the amount was increased to $1,000 (see Appendix).
Students from Carbondale attended the first Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) weekend, a new District 6510 activity which has now become firmly established. Club members instrumental in this program are David Coracy (and wife Helen), Ed Hoke, and Fred and Blanche Sloan. Ed's three years of work with RYLA earned him a flamboyantly decorated plaque presented in person by Catherine Taylor and Caya Aufiero of the Rotary Club of O'Fallon.
Club members continued to participate in many Community Service activities in 1996-97: ringing the bell for the Salvation Army, assisting with parking at the Balloon Fest and at Artsin Celebration; serving as parade marshals at Lights Fantastic, helping the Carbondale Police Department with Kid Care, participating in Main Street's Pig-Out street festival, partnering with local youth for Carbondale Clean-Up, and providing funds to the Chamber of Commerce's SeniorFest, Carbondale Public Library's creative writing program for at-risk youth, National Night Out, the Carbondale Youth Resources booklet, and CCHS Mike Gaffney's attendance at a Washington. D.C., seminar as well as our
traditional projects. Club members sold tickets to the week-long NITRO Senior Series golf event and participated in a membership drive for the local PBS station.
December was devoted to Share the Spirit!, but a new element of fund-raising entered the picture, supplementing the club's own resources. More than $1,500 in contributions from local businesses and individuals was raised to serve the 650+ needy children referred by local social service agencies.
Taking stock of its resources, the club began to discuss possibilities for making a significant financial contribution to the future development of a large-scale municipal recreational area. Permanence and visibility for Rotary were two major considerations. In the end, it became evident that more local planning would be conducted before action on our part was needed, but that we would be included in the developing plans.
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE
Recognizing that neither the club nor its officers had enough knowledge of The Rotary Foundation, in 1994-95 we assigned the President-Elect the added position of club Foundation chair as a standard responsibility. This additional involvement was considered desirable preparation for the club presidency.
We hosted the Group Study Exchange team from India for a five-day visit rather than just inviting them to a regular meeting as we had usually done in the past. This served to spark our interest in as well as sharpen our focus on international programs.
In 1995-96, under the leadership of Janet Vaught as President-Elect, the club acquired extensive knowledge of The Rotary Foundation, particularly through November programs. Understanding of Foundation programs gained momentum and resulted in the recognition of eleven Paul Harris Fellows during that Rotary Year and record numbers in the years that have followed. Blanche and Fred Sloan became Rotary Foundation Benefactors in 1994, and Janet Vaught in 1996.
Blanche Sloan attended her third international convention, held in June in Nice, France. She and husband Fred have attended all succeeding International Conventions.
The club hosted a Rotary Youth Exchange Student from Brazil in 1996-97, sponsored CCHS student Patty Vaught as a 1997 short-term Rotary exchange student to Germany, assisted a Carbondale student to attend SIUC's "Bridges to Other Cultures," sponsored Debra McMorrow as a Group Study Exchange team member to Thailand, and hosted the GSE team from Thailand. Linz Brown served as counselor for Kataoki Saito, Ambassadorial Scholar at SIUC from Japan. The club sponsored Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar applicant Angela Bolton in 1998. She plans to study in Germany during academic year 1999-2000.
It is worth noting that among the Paul Harris Fellows named in 1996-97 were Jeanne Hurley Simon, given by the club; Marcia Sinnott, given by the club in appreciation for her many contributions to the club and the district; Jim Sinnott, given by Marcia; and Catherine Sloan, given by her grandparents, Blanche and Fred.
In 1998, a Rotary Foundation Matching Grant was funded in which our club, the Rotary Club of Carbondale, and the newly established Rotary Club of the Greater Carterville Area committed club funds to provide educational materials for three girls' schools in Bangladesh.
Jackie King was selected to receive a Rotary Grant for University Teachers to Serve in Developing Countries in 1999. She will go to Tribhuvan University in Nepal to work with nursing students and will complete her stay in Asia by attending the R.I. Convention in Singapore in June.
Inventorying the club banners displayed on three large panels revealed that nearly half the banners are from foreign countries, brought back by our traveling members.
VOCATIONAL SERVICE
As a reminder of the significance of the Four-Way Test in our professional as well as our personal lives, we initiated the practice in 1994 of reciting the Four-Way Test at the closing of our weekly meetings; that practice continues. A large Four-Way Test banner, a charter gift from the Rotary Club of Centralia Sunrise, hangs at the front of our meeting room.
In 1994-95, the club conducted a Four-Way Test essay contest in the elementary grades at three schools. The winner, from Giant City School, was presented a prize of $50.
In several different years, job shadowing programs have been offered at CCHS, with club members offering their services to enable students to learn more about career choices, requirements, and expectations. Twenty club members volunteered to serve as vocational counselors/mentors to CCHS students who requested this assistance.
Three times in our history, the club has selected an outstanding person or agency to receive the club's Vocational Service Award. At the 1997 Awards Banquet, the award was presented to the Southern Illinois Center for Independent Living in recognition of "superior service to the community's disabled population in the areas of career evaluation, job development and placement, and on-the-job training and support." Bonnie Vaughn, executive director at that time, accepted the award on behalf of the agency.
The practice of having frequent classification talks by members on a planned schedule has generated a great deal of interest and has enhanced club spirit as new and "old" members get to know one another better. Guidelines for classification talks, emphasizing professional content rather than personal information, have been distributed and are closely observed. Five-minute "Rotary Insights" alternate with classification talks, and this Rotary information also deals at times with Vocational Service.
Finally, it is apparent that members consider classifications, living by the Four-Way Test, and similar personal or professional considerations in proposing new members of Rotary.
1997 DISTRICT CONFERENCE
Hosting a District Conference represented quite an undertaking to our relatively young club. Planning began almost two years in advance. The theme of the conference emerged at the very first planning meeting -- a reference to Southern Illinois and to the Southern origins of the governor-to-be.
Marcia Sinnott consented to be the general chairperson, and John Holt signed on as her co-chair. They made a great team. The Steering Committee, as it finally took shape, was composed of: Jack Langowski, Registrar; Terry Mathias, Promotion and Printing; John Mead, Program; Jim Romano, Controller; Stephanie Schedler (Rotary Club of Carbondale), Treasurer; Betty Schmidt, Golf Tournament; and Jack Wides, Arrangements.
As part of our preparations, Blanche attended the district conference of District 7530 in West Virginia, and John Mead and John Holt attended the conferences of Illinois Districts 6460 and 6490, respectively. Almost every member was involved to some extent in planning and preparation.
Promotion began at the 1996 District Conference in Metropolis, when our club served mint juleps and mimosas in a magnolia-decorated hospitality suite.
The Ramada Hotel in Mt. Vernon was selected as the venue, but just before the conference the Ramada and the Holiday Inn exchanged franchises. This caused minor confusion for some, but no permanent harm was done.
Featured speakers for the conference were Senator Paul Simon, newly retired from the U.S. Senate and a resident of Makanda, for the Saturday night banquet and PDG Charles Laine of Franklin, Tennessee, on Sunday morning. The official representative of R.I. President Luis Vicente Giay was PDG Werner Schwarz of California District 5160.
A logo was designed and appeared on all promotional materials, on the conference program, and on lapel pins that were presented at the conference. The logo featured a lady's picture hat, a gentleman's skimmer, and the theme, "Southern Hospitality." During the conference, the sergeants-at-arms wore skimmers.
A highlight of the conference was the naming of the first District Rotarian of the Year. When it was awarded, Governor Sloan announced that the award would thereafter be called the Carl L. Schweinfurth District Rotarian of the Year (Terry Mathias' idea). The recipient was Leon Russell of the Rotary Club of Anna-Jonesboro, for a number of years district leader for the Rotary Youth Exchange.
Another high point for our club was winning the Governor's Trophy. Early in the year, Governor Sloan had published measurable objectives related to her 1996-97 goals, with numerical weights attached to the goals. The objectives related to virtually all the major expectations for any Rotary club of quality, and the Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast had the top score, followed by the Rotary Clubs of O'Fallon and Carbondale.
Club President Janet Vaught led the club in taking a demanding year in stride and protected the members from overload.
With the successful hosting of one of the best-attended District Conferences in our history; simultaneously carrying on a balanced club program of community, international, club, and vocational activities; and winning the Governor's Trophy, the Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast came of age and took its rightful place among the leading clubs in District 6510.
PDG Blanche Sloan
THE RANSOM OF THE BELL
During the presidential term of Linda Barrette, an incident occurred that will be remembered as the ransom of "The Bell." During the Saturday afternoon toy sorting of the annual Share the Spirit! project, the saga of The Bell began. We had been given the use of the banquet room at the Holiday Inn, which also happened to be the Wednesday meeting place for the Rotary Club of Carbondale.
As we prepared to complete the toy sort early that afternoon, Patrick Hewson, a lawyer by classification, noticed a Rotary bell, obvious ly belonging to the "other" club's sergeant-at-arms. After a brief discussion (30 seconds maximum), it was decided that said Bell should disappear (would they even notice?).
In the days that followed, discussion centered on trying to teach the Old Farts (as they were affectionately dubbed) a lesson for being so careless and also trying to get them to help support Share the Spirit! The Bell was held for ransom and would be returned when its owners agreed to make a generous donation to the project.
Police Chief Don Strom read a ransom message at a Wednesday meeting of the Rotary Club of Carbondale. Some of the members found the attempt at ransom of The Bell humorous, others were upset; some thought it merely an antic of the upstart breakfast Rotarians, while most of them obviously did not comprehend the seriousness of the situation.
Our president's spouse, Pierre, was a member of the other club, and as such he tried to persuade her to return The Bell, for fear some of the older members would suffer heart attacks. After a few weeks of noncompliance by our club, three members of Pierre's club appeared at our meeting one morning with a demand that the bell be returned.
It was then that a small band of Carbondale-Breakfast members decided it was time to take control, and Running Yolk was born. Running Yolk, a militant outlaw band, swore that The Bell would never be returned until a large ransom check was received for Share the Spirit! The check surrendered soon after was indeed large -- a 1-foot by 3-foot check for $1.00. Not to be denied, Running Yolk sent a ransom tape (copy available upon request) making final demands.
For several weeks, neither side moved. Eventually a compromise was reached, and The Bell was returned. The outlaw faction Running Yolk was never captured, and the identities of its members were never proved nor revealed.
They lie in wait for yet another day!
David Coracy
THE TRADITION OF "THE PIG"
Early in the club's existence, we dedicated the fines collected by the sergeant-at-arms to fund scholarships for graduating CCHS seniors who would be attending either John A. Logan College or Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. As a result, the willingness and even eagerness of members to pay fines increased dramatically.
During his tenure as sergeant-at-arms, Rex Ball informed the office with a madcap, wise-cracking style which has tended to be honored by subsequent sergeants. At the first Awards Banquet, the club celebrated Rex's contribution by presenting to him a blue plastic piggy bank which was highly decorated and dressed as a court jester. This pig served the club for a few years as the receptacle for fines.
Eventually, David Bateman served a term as sergeant-at-arms, surpassing the previous tenants of the office by elevating the art of the gratuitous insult to something more like egregious slander. David was awarded the blue pig on his retirement from the office. (Because David's quick tongue was unable to retire at the same time, the "Nobody Likes a Smart Ass" award was created for him a year or two later, and persists to this day as a club traveling trophy.)
The subsequent pig had a short life because its construction made it very difficult for the treasurer to extract Treasury notes. Treasurer John Holt (whose signature phrase became "More or Less," always sure to prompt a chuckle, given John's reputation for attention to detail. Ed.) supplied a new pig, money green in color and decorated with Rotary racing stripes. He had modified it with trapdoor hindquarters to facilitate counting the money (at the next Awards Banquet, John was recognized with a Ph.D. of his own, that is, "Pig Hindquarters Doctor" Ed.).
Jim Romano, the longest-serving treasurer, liked this pig so much that it, too, had a long tenure as the club pig.
By tradition, it has become the Treasurer's prerogative to replace the existing pig at his or her discretion. The current pig, while serviceable and highly functional, lacks elan and doesn't make a strong Rotary statement; thus, it is already a candidate for replacement.
While the pig, as a symbol, has not been elevated to the status of a club mascot, the several pigs which the club has used have added to the enjoyment of funding the scholarship program.
John Holt
TENTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Although the club noted its Tenth Anniversary on October 17, 1998, the date was in conflict with the club's major fund-raising activity, sponsorship of the Carson & Barnes Circus. Accordingly, we celebrated this anniversary on November 6 with a banquet at Tom's Place.
We filled the banquet hall to capacity with a crowd of eighty members, guests, and dignitaries. Our own David Bateman, currently on loan to the Rotary Club of Charleston, Illinois, returned to serve as master of ceremonies. We ate and received some of the highlights of the first ten years as we competed for prizes by coloring a likeness of Dr. Bateman and by struggling with a members' trivia quiz. The team of Sinnott and Holt, as usual, headed a great committee to arrange the occasion.
Following our tradition of nonconformity, this wasn't "your typical anniversary banquet." Although we did invite a few dignitaries, it was primarily an in-club celebration with lots of laughs, a bit of nostalgia, recollections of escapades, and honors for some very special people. Some proud organizers and charter members who are no longer active in the club also attended.
DG Dutch Doelitzsch took advantage of the opportunity to present to President Jack Langowski two district awards for Rotary Foundation support -- highest total dollars to the Annual Programs Fund and highest per capita. Past President Marcia Sinnott led the club in recognizing Sidney Matthews for his early nurturing of the club, renaming the annual Rotarian of the Year award in his honor.
The door prize, a life-sized effigy of the emcee, was won by the Dohertys, who submitted a team entry in the coloring contest. The distance-traveled award went to Past President (and past member) Sharron Lamb McKinney and her husband Jim, who flew in from separate airports and reached Tom's Place seemingly against all odds.
Here's to the future for the Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast.
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
APPENDIX
OFFICERS OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF
CARBONDALE-BREAKFAST 1988-89 -- Donald J. Rice, Dist. Gov.; Royce
Abbey, R.I. President ("Put Life into Rotary")
1989-90 -- Stephen Taylor, Dist. Gov.; Hugh M.
Archer, R.I. President ("Enjoy Rotary")
1990-91 -- Elmer B. Jacobs, Dist. Gov.; Paulo V.
C. Costa, R.I. President ("Honor Rotary with Faith and Enthusiasm")
1991-92 -- James Cavataio, Dist. Gov.; Rajendra K.
Saboo, R.I. President ("Look Beyond Yourself")
1992-93 -- Harold (Hank) Hannah, Dist. Gov.;
Clifford Dochterman, R.I. President ("Real Happiness Is Helping Others")
1993-94 -- J.C. Garavalia, Dist. Gov.; Robert R.
Barth, R.I. President ("Believe in What You Do -- Do What You Believe
In")
1994-95 -- Harvey Noubarian, Dist. Gov.; Bill
Huntley, R.I. President ("Be a Friend")
1995-96 -- Edward Koenigsmark, Dist. Gov.; Herbert
G. Brown, R.I. President ("Act with Integrity, Serve with Love, Work for
Peace")
1996-97 -- Blanche C. Sloan, Dist. Gov.; Luis
Vicente Giay, R.I. President ("Build the Future with Action and Vision")
1997-98 -- A. Dale Anderson, Dist. Gov.; Glen W.
Kinross, R.I. President ("Show Rotary Cares")
1998-99 -- Dennis Doelitzsch, Dist. Gov.; James L.
Lacy, R.I. President ("Follow Your Rotary Dream")
MEMBERSHIP
ROSTER (1988 - 1998 *)CONTENTS
Officers of the Club, by Year
Membership Roster, 1988-1998
Rotarians of the Year
Distinguished Service Award Recipients
Scholarship Recipients
Members Who Have Served Rotary Beyond the Club Level
Paul Harris Fellows, Benefactors, and Major Donors
Awards and Other Recognition Earned by the Club
Financial Assistance to Community Programs and
Organizations
Gifts to the Club
* Revised on 20 August 2004 by utilizing the membership database of Rotary International.
ROTARIANS OF THE YEAR
CRITERIA
CRITERIA
MEMBERS WHO HAVE SERVED ROTARY BEYOND THE CLUB LEVEL
PAUL HARRIS FELLOWS, BENEFACTORS, AND MAJOR DONORS
PAUL HARRIS FELLOWS
BENEFACTORS
MAJOR DONORS
AWARDS AND OTHER RECOGNITION EARNED BY THE ROTARY CLUB OF CARBONDALE-BREAKFAST
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITY [through August 1998]
PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS
During its first ten years, the Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast has been generous to a number of community and Rotary programs, with contributions totaling more than $30,000. Youth-oriented activities have received the highest priority, although as the list below indicates, other types of organizations have also enjoyed support:
Share the Spirit! Toys for Carbondale Kids -- $11,024
Scholarships -- $8,450
Carbondale Community High School (Lifesavers, Seniorfest, music books) -- $7,008
18 miscellaneous recipients -- $3,303
Belize Crippled Children Project, District 6510 -- $2,122
Carbondale Women's Center -- $1,910
Lights Fantastic (holiday parade) -- $1,146
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) -- $696
Carbondale Science Center -- $552
Literacy programs -- $550
Arts in Celebration -- $510
Department of Children and Family Services -- $450
Environmental projects -- $350
Muscular Dystrophy Association -- $350
GIFTS TO THE ROTARY CLUB OF CARBONDALE-BREAKFAST
CHARTER GIFTS FROM INDIVIDUALS
Hand-crafted gavel -- Made by PDG Harold H. (Hank) Hannah, Rotary Club of Mt. Vernon
Engraving of gavel -- PDG James R. Jackson, Rotary Club of Mt. Vernon
Cash -- DG Donald J. Rice, Rotary Club of Belleville
Cash -- PDG Sidney Matthews, Rotary Club of Carbondale
Cash -- PDG Carl Lincoln Schweinfurth, Rotary Club of Mt. Vernon
CHARTER GIFTS FROM CLUBS
Cash for Charter Fee -- Rotary Club of Carbondale
Cash -- Rotary Club of Carlyle
Four-Way Test banner and cash -- Rotary Club of Centralia Sunrise
American flag -- Rotary Club of Du Quoin
Cash -- Rotary Club of Fairfield
American flag -- Rotary Club of Fairview Heights
Cash -- Rotary Club of Hamilton County
Brass Rotary bell -- Rotary Club of Herrin
Cash -- Rotary Club of Marion
Badge box -- Rotary Club of Metropolis
Cash -- Rotary Club of Mt. Vernon
Cash -- Rotary Club of Mt. Vernon West
Cash -- Rotary Club of Sparta
Club banner -- Rotary Club of Waterloo
OTHER GIFTS
Oval black lacquer box with lid inlaid with Paua shell -- Janine Williamson, 1989 Rotary Youth Exchange student
Silver after-dinner coffee spoon with miniature scenes and map of New Zealand in handle -- Janine Williamson, 1989 Rotary Youth Exchange student
Discover New Zealand: The Glorious Islands by Ray Joyce and Bill Saunders. Landsdowne Press, Becket Sterling, Aukland, N.Z., 1982. -- Janine Williamson, 1989 Rotary Youth Exchange student
Hand-carved mythical Maori figure with inlaid Paua shell eyes. Carved in Rotarua, N.Z. -- Janine Williamson, 1989 Rotary Youth Exchange student
Bowl, dark green enamel on bronze, round with curvilinear edges and Japanese symbols in center. -- Rotary Club of Nakajo, Japan, our sister club, 1989
Carved red lacquer vase -- Rotary Club of Nakajo, 1989
Cherry Blossoms, a book of photographs by Toshitaka Morita. -- Rotary Club of Nakajo
Miniature Japanese temple in gold and black -- Rotary Club of Nakajo
Royal Doulton bone china dish, round, flat, with vertical sides, blue and gold Rotary emblem in center. Manufactured in Visiting Rotarian's home city. -- Derek McEuen, Visiting Rotarian from England, academic exchange professor at John A. Logan College, March 7, 1989
Group photograph taken on the 30th Anniversary of the Rotary Club of Nakajo, Japan, June 23, 1991. David Bateman, member of the Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast is pictured as well as Jared Dorn, then a member of the Nakajo club, and one of the charter members of Carbondale-Breakfast. -- Rotary Club of Nakajo, 1991
Permanent plaque listing Paul Harris Fellows of the Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast -- Blanche C. Sloan, 1997.
Black lacquer plate with traditional intricate Thai design in gold. -- Group Study Exchange team from District 3360 in Thailand, May 1997.
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