PEKIN  ROTARY
Pekin Rotary Newsletter |   www.pekinrotary.org
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Noteworthy
August
Anniversaries

Don Meinen
54 years

Tom Ivey
10 years
Service Above Self
PEKIN HIGH
SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE -
AUG 3 & 10

Bring  your donations to the meeting.
See the flier to the right for more information.

Tazewell County 
Health Department
Food Handler Training 

If you were planning on getting certified to be a food handler, two more dates available before the 
Marigold Festival.

Dates available:

Aug 3 - 9:30 am

Aug 9 - 5:30 pm
 
 August  2016
Presidents Message
It's hard to believe July is over already, and we are now just a little over a month away from our biggest project of the year, The Rotary Grill at the Pekin Marigold Festival.  Work has been going on for some time in preparation for this event.  A big thank you to everyone involved who ensures the success of this event each and every year.  This is our second year as the "Rotary Grill", a more up-to-date and accurate logo and tag for the big blue tent and food that is served.
 
Just a few days ago we wrapped up our 2015-2016 year with our annual dinner and installation banquet.
Because of your donations and generous bidding, we were able to raise $3,651.50 to pay for a professional counselor at PFEC.  As always, the success of this event relies on not only the efforts of those in attendance, but to those who set it all up.  Thank you to Sue for making all the arrangements for the event, including getting the cake and the great table centerpiece ideas, Matt for building and printing our programs, Len for an excellent job as emcee, and Gary and Dean  for again ensuring that the auction part of the evening went smoothly.  Thank you also to Becky and Linda for keeping Gary & Dean on track.
 
August 17 we will all get a chance to meet our new District Governor, Anthony Williams, and hear his vision for our District over the next year.  You will all like Tony.  He is very engaging, and like many of us, has a strong passion for Rotary, and the good is does for its community.
 
In August we will also find out the winners of our first Read for a Ride Program with the Pekin Public Library.  What a great community project.
 
Onward to the Marigold Festival!
 
Gregg Ratliff
President  
Give to Create a Positive Change
Many Pekin High School students come to class unequipped with necessary school supplies.  They simply don't have the financial means to afford them.   

Pekin Rotary has agreed to support the PCHS School Supply Drive.  The board has issued a challenge to our club.  

Which table can collect the most school supplies?  

Another civic organization in town is also collecting supplies for the drive.  We dont want to be outdone.  

For the next two weeks, August 3 and August 10, we will be collecting monetary donations or supplies listed below.

Speakers Chair
August 3 - Andy Sparks invites fellow Rotarian Greg Ranney to give an update on the United Way.

August 10 - Fred Blanchard invites Alisha Dault, Director of the Miller Senior Citizen's Center.  She will be talking about her new role and about the center. 

August 17 - Anthony "Tony" Williams2016-2017 District 6460 Governor will be sharing his goals for the year. 

August 24 - Rick Ray

August 31 - Tom Ivey
 
2016 Paul Harris Fellow 
Presented by Gary Gillis

Our honoree grew up in Pekin- attending local schools and graduated from Pekin High- but was not born here.  That distinction belongs to a city a little ways to the north. 
 
Interestingly, this person could partly say "howdy pardner", having lived way far south- almost "South of the Border"- until that age that is often connected with the word "terrible".  It was then that his family relocated to Pekin.
 
While at Pekin High, he took up swimming- an activity that he had been competing in since the tender age of 5.
He also played the trumpet, a talent he picked up while in Jr High.
 
This long standing Rotarian, then went on to the U of I where he received a degree in Psychology.  He then attended their affiliate in Chicago, mastering the study of a profession that you could say  "he sunk his teeth into,"
 
If that doesn't give it away, listen to some other characteristics you may not know about our selectee:
 
He has attended the same church since he was 2 years old and has sung with a group there as First Tenor for 25 years.  He is a past usher of that church and has been a Sunday School teacher.  He also served on the committee- and as Chairman- of the Benefit Dinner and Singing Program for 22 years.
 
I'm sure he has picked up on these clues now... so let's get more specific.  He serves as the Morton Church World Relief Representative, which collects and distributes funds to many in-need through out the area- and the world. 
 
He has just completed a term of service on the Apostolic Christian National Medical Committee, which included serving as chairman for 2 years.
 
If you haven't figured out who this former Broadmoor Junior high athlete who broke the basketball backboard with a shot put is.....this should tip you off-
 
He has traveled to Haiti annually, giving dental care- for the past 9 years- through a clinic that he established at a local rural hospital.  Four years ago he set up a small dental clinic in Mexico at an orphanage, where he just returned from last month.
 
This highly awarded U of I Dental School student joined his dad's practice here in Pekin upon graduation in 1991.  Later his brother Jeff joined making it a true Family Dental Practice.  He and his lovely wife, who together with our recipient's parents, collaborated wonderfully on this- have two daughter's- Jessa and Marisa -who has been a frequent visitor to our club of late.
 
A Pekin Rotarian since 1992,  his wife Marcy says, "He is known for his love of jokes and puns.  He has always strived to have his priorities right with God first, his family second and then service to others."
 
He has shown his dedication to Rotary, not only spending countless hours at the Rotary Grill, but also designing a schematic layout for set-up and storage. 
 
You know, the cool thing about bestowing this club honor every year, is it is often THE ONLY way that we discover how truly special some of our quieter, more humble, members are.
 
Please join me in showing some overdue appreciation for Pekin Rotary's 2016 Paul Harris Fellow recipient -  Todd Stoller

Todd and Marcy Stoller 


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