Thank you to all who supported our 35th Annual Corvette Raffle! We would not be able to have the impact we do without your continued support. Here is the list of all winners in this year's raffle.
Rotarians were up early to help at the NAMI Walk, with ~200 participants starting at the Peg Bond Center. Down on Main Street, Valley Sheltered Workshop celebrated exceeding their “Hog Wild” fundraising goal. Our $5,000 matching grant brought the total raised to $12,000, not including the 50/50 and the walk-in traffic.
We are proud to demonstrate our "Service Above Self" philosophy any chance we get. Visit us any Tuesday morning to learn more about Rotary. Breakfast is on us and there is no obligation on your part. Just let us know you're coming with a note to info@BataviaRotaryClub.org.
The Rotary Club of Batavia is proud to announce a $5,000 matching grant to the Valley Sheltered Workshop in support of their “Let’s Go Hog Wild” pig roast & fundraiser. VSW has a legacy of helping community members create their identity. Watch the video at the following link, and most important … please donate. Every donation gets VSW closer to our $5,000 commitment. Support the Valley Sheltered Workshop here: https://vsw-batavia.com/pig-roast-fundracer-1
Congratulations to Aaron B. of Naples, FL. Aaron just won $500 in our 3rd Early Bird Drawing with ticket number 464. Better yet, he remains in the running for the Grand Prize drawing for $50,000 or a 2024 Corvette 1LT Coupe. This was our final Early Bird Drawing. The Grand Prize drawing is on Saturday November 18, 2023.
Raffle proceeds fund our philanthropy, which benefits many local, national, and international causes. Tickets are still available. You can purchase them and find information on the causes we support at BataviaRotaryCharities.com.
Nine members of our club enjoyed a recent luncheon with RI President Gordon McInally. President McInally, a resident of Edinburgh Scotland, will be based in Evanston through June 30, 2024. We don’t often have a chance to rub elbows with the RI Chief Executive, so we jumped at the chance. President McInally reinforced the importance of friendship and creative impact at the club level. He also discussed Rotary’s continued focus on polio eradication, creating peace, and addressing mental health issues. Thank you, President McInally, for sharing your time with us. And, thank you the Rotary Clubs of Naperville for inviting us.
We are happy to announce the kickoff of our 35th annual Corvette raffle. The Grand Prize is your choice of $50,000 or a 2024 Corvette 1LT Coupe. Tickets are $100 and only 1,200 tickets will be sold. Over the years, this raffle has given us the chance to donate more than $900,000 to local, domestic, and international causes. We thank you for your support and look forward to another year of distributing our philanthropy throughout our community.
The Grand Prize drawing is on Saturday November 19 along with five (5) runner-up drawings of $500 each. There are three (3) Early Bird Drawings of $500 each. They are on July 19, August 19, and September 19. Early Bird winners remain eligible for the Grand Prize. Follow the QR code or visit www.BataviaRotaryCharities.com for more information.
The numbers are in, and we did it! We shredded 7,063 pounds of paper. That is well over the 5,900 pounds we shredded in 2022. We had a steady stream of cars and made sure each car received a complementary reusable grocery bag. Take a look.
Thanks to all who brought us their paper. Our local landfills also thank you. The paper we shredded will ultimately be used to manufacture recycled paper products.
We are proud and happy to honor our longest serving member, Tom Van Cleave. On April 4, 2023, Tom was informed that the club's board of directors had decided to rename our Rotarian of the Year award the Tom Van Cleave Award. Tom has been with the Rotary Club of Batavia since January 1, 1983! Over the past forty, that's right - 40, years, Tom has been the quintessential Rotarian. He has supported Rotary worldwide, enthusiastically supported club projects and events, and shared his enthusiasm with everyone he meets. Tom is an impactful ambassador for our club and for Rotary International. Congratulations and thank you, Tom, for being a Rotary role model for all in our club and for those you impact globally. Click here to read the full proclamation.
Margaret Perreault engaged with Rotary before she joined the club, assisting Chamber Executive and Rotarian Holly Deitchman during a Salvation Army “Ring the Bell” day. It was only natural to join Rotary when Margaret succeeded Holly as President and CEO of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce. What began as a civic duty has turned into a community commitment. Margaret jumped right in. Having previously served as Community Service Chair and Outreach Services Chair, she is in line to become club president for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Margaret likes the good people of Rotary and the good works we perform. Margaret rarely misses a weekly meeting. She believes the best way to engage with the Rotary community is to regularly attend the meetings. That’s where the impact begins. Margaret has lived in Batavia with husband Jim since 2000. They have four children: Jimmy, Maggie, Mary Clare, and Michael. They recently welcomed Jimmy’s spouse Basia to the family. Margaret is very happy to be a Rotarian and encourages all members to participate in regular meetings, offsite meetings, and service projects.
Dick Larson is one of our longest serving members, having joined almost 28 years ago. He was invited to speak at the club while a sitting Kane County judge. He liked what he saw and visited the club multiple times after speaking. He decided to join after member Walt Donat invited him. Dick has always been active in his community, so joining Rotary was a natural step. Dick was Club President and brought a Rotary International President’s Citation to the club during his term. He supports the work of the Rotary Foundation and particularly likes the international efforts Rotary initiates. Dick appreciates the community involvement, the local and international projects, and specifically values the efforts of ShelterBox USA. He regularly talks up Rotary within his Sugar Grove community, his church, and believes in Rotary’s Four-Way Test: “Is it the Truth, Is It Fair to All Concerned, Will It Build Goodwill & Better Friendships, Will It Be Beneficial to All Concerned.” What keeps Dick in the club after 28 years? Even as the club has evolved over the years, he always feels welcome.
That’s the amount we donated to local and international causes during our last review! Here is a list of organizations that received our support: AID, Batavia Parks Foundation, Batavia United Way, Donka Inc., Fox Valley Special Recreation, Lazarus House, Making Kane County Fit for Kids, Paramount Arts REACH, Second Act Scene 2, and ShelterBox USA.
The Rotary Club of Batavia reviews grant applications each year in February and August. We also proactively provide support at our discretion throughout the year.
The proceeds from our Annual Corvette Raffle funds our philanthropy. We appreciate the community’s support.
The Rotary Club of Batavia is a service and social organization that is open to all community members. We bring community leaders together in an inclusive, non-political, and non-religious organization to positively impact our community. Visit www.BataviaRotaryClub.org to learn more about Rotary and www.BataviaRotaryCharities.com for information on our annual raffle.
The Rotary Club of Batavia invites local students pursuing vocational or trade careers and working toward an associate degree, diploma, or certificate to apply for $1,500 Career and Technical Education scholarships. Rotary encourages education and will grant 15 scholarships this spring to students living in Chicago’s north, northwest, and many western suburbs. Career examples are auto mechanics, administrative assistants, heating/ventilating/air conditioning tech., computer tech., paralegal, pharmacy tech., human services, law enforcement, elder care, and many other fields. Candidates must be sponsored by their local Rotary club. Visit https://rotary6440.org/sitepage/vocational-service for information and the application. Submit your application to info@bataviarotaryclub.org by March 1, 2023. Or you can mail your application to the Rotary Club of Batavia, PO Box 111, Batavia, IL 60510. Mailed applications must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2023. Thank you.
We are happy to announce the final tally on this very important fundraiser. After combining the event’s net proceeds, a couple of private donations, and a club match, the total Rotary Club donation to the PolioPlus Foundation is $7,732.54! Once deposited and matched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the total impact of this fun event will be $23,197.62!!! Thank you to all who have helped further Rotary’s global polio eradication efforts through supporting our fundraiser.
Forty-three Rotarians and guests enjoyed a fantastic meal at The Turf Room for our annual holiday dinner. A huge thank you to Holly Deitchman for organizing this event. The room was packed and all who attended enjoyed the camaraderie that is present at all Rotary functions.
With over 40 members, the Rotary Club of Batavia has a history of delivering positive community impact. We also have some fun along the way. Contact us by email at info@BataviaRotaryClub.org for more information. You can also download a member application from this home page.
We’re happy to announce the winners of our 2022 Corvette Raffle. The Grand Prize is the winner’s choice of $50,000 or a Corvette 1LT Coupe. The net proceeds provide funds for our philanthropic efforts each year. We are proud to have donated over $900,000 to the community over the life of the raffle.
Marcie Lucas joined Rotary in February 2022. She had been invited to speak to the club in her role as Foundation Coordinator for Fox Valley Special Recreation Association. She researched the club prior to her visit and liked what she learned. Marcie decided to join the club after her visit and immediately became engaged. So, what convinced her to join? Marcie loves Batavia and immediately saw Rotary for what it is. Rotarians care about their community and work to have a positive impact on everyone. Marcie says, “This is a diverse group of people who share common values while valuing their differences.” There are many things she likes about the club. It is a great way to meet people and make new friends, share values, and make a huge impact on the community. She also appreciates the flexible attendance requirements that allow her to focus on her work while still being a contributing club member. One of the first people Marcie recruited was her husband, Mark. Mark is now our Environmental Committee Chair. Marcie and Mark are one of three couples in our club. Marcie shared that Rotary is the place to be if you want to make an impact and have fun while you do.
Bob Hubbard joined the Rotary Club in 1985 and is one of our longest serving members. Bob was raised in Batavia, attended Wartburg College after high school, and was drafted into the Army. He worked in D.C. after service. Bob eventually returned to work at Hubbard’s Ethan Allen. The store had been in Bob’s family since 1910 and Bob ran it until he retired. He was invited to join Rotary by then member Dave Moyer shortly after he returned. Bob thought it would be a great way to re-engage with the community and meet some new neighbors, and he’s still active in the club 37 years later. We asked Bob why a member would stay with the club for so long. Bob responded that he enjoys the weekly programs, learns a lot about the community, and has met some really nice people. Add the opportunity to give back to the community and enjoy the power of a group effort, and you have an impactful combination. Bob also mentioned that he has enjoyed board opportunities at area Not-for-Profits and other commercial board opportunities due to his involvement with Rotary. We asked Bob how the club has changed over the years. He responded “Rotary was more of a social group in 1985. We have evolved into a service organization with projects that truly impact our community.” He added that “Everyone has a calling. A group like Rotary makes it easy to answer your call.”
Rotary International has been leading the fight to eradicate polio since 1985. And we are THIS CLOSE! Join us for a fun night of Trivia to End Polio Now. Assemble your team and join the cause.
Saturday, November 19, 6PM - 9PM
Enticing Cuisine, 1117 N. Washington, Batavia, IL
Net proceeds to benefit the PolioPlus Foundation
Admission includes:
Hours of trivia fun
Heavy hors d'oeuvres
Drink ticket, a cash bar will be open throughout the event
Holly Deitchman: Holly loves her fellow Rotarians and says that Rotary serves as her reminder of the importance of serving. Originally invited to join by Library Director George Scheetz, Rotary has exposed Holly to local leaders and increased her visibility within the community. When Holly attended her first meeting, she was surprised to meet the Fire Chief, Sheriff, a council member, local business owners, and Batavians from all occupations. Holly was one of three female members and is the first woman to serve a full term as President. She has also been Youth Exchange Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Appropriations Chair, and has served on multiple committees. She has stayed with Rotary for 13 years because of the friendships she has formed and the regular service projects that she regularly attends with her children. Holly says that Rotary takes priority in her calendar after 13 years of active participation. She is especially fond of the support Rotary gives to local Not-for-Profits.
Dan Hoefler: Twelve years ago, Dan was a member of the Historic Preservation Commission who regularly purchased Rotary Corvette Raffle tickets. He knew many Rotarians and was eventually invited to a breakfast meeting by then member Tom Lalonde. He realized that joining Rotary would put him in touch with his community while expanding his personal reach and impact. He also became aware of an extended family connection: his father-in-law was a founding member of the club when it was chartered in 1948. Dan rapidly became engaged in club activities, including the Raffle Committee, Appropriations, and served as President for 1-1/2 terms. He shared that the club has changed and adapted well over the past 12 years while continuing to have significant local and international impact. Dan’s involvement in Rotary keeps him focused and energetic. He supports the global mission and loves the club’s service orientation. Dan says, “The world needs organizations like Rotary.” We couldn’t agree more.
Tom Van Cleave: Tom’s first exposure to Rotary was when he was 12 and his uncle took him to a meeting in Polo, IL. Years later, he was asked to join the Batavia Club by member Don Clark. Don thought Tom’s business would benefit from visiting the club, and the rest is history. When asked why he has remained a member for so many years, Tom points to the strong friendships he has formed, the vibrant conversation at meetings, our philanthropy, and of course, the regular service projects. Tom also likes our international efforts, like the Foundation Grant he coordinated to provide over $10,000 in dental supplies to a clinic in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Tom says one thing you take away from Rotary is the feeling that you are welcome anywhere in the world. He can name 17 Rotary Clubs he has visited during personal and business travel. He recalls how the Rotary Club of San Juan helped him organize a 100 person visit to the island. “Rotary,” says Tom, “is like a welcome mat.”
Marge Brown: Already well-known throughout Batavia, Marge joined the club at husband Dave’s urging. Dave had joined earlier and positioned the club as a great couple experience. (We have multiple members who are couples.) Marge was also looking for a way to have an impact beyond the immediate community. Almost seven months into Rotary, Marge is impressed with the impact the club has locally and Rotary International’s global reach. She shared that the number of projects delivered by our small group is truly outstanding. Of course, Marge has stepped right up and become involved. While she has always been involved in community activities, Marge says that her involvement in Rotary has more clearly defined her purpose. She has enjoyed meeting new and interesting people while getting to know some earlier acquaintances a little better. She believes we need to do a better job of increasing our visibility. Marge is proud to be a Rotarian and wants everyone to know that if you want to have an impact on your community, Rotary is for you.
That’s the amount we donated local and international causes during our last review! Here is a list of organizations that received our support. Batavia Parks Foundation, Batavia United Way, ChildrenUP, Fox Valley Christian Action, Fox Valley Food for Health, Fox Valley Patriotic Association, Making Kane County Fit for Kids, Marklund Children’s Home, and Valley Sheltered Workshop.
We review grant applications each year in February and August. We also proactively provide support at our discretion throughout the year. The proceeds from our Annual Corvette Raffle funds our philanthropy. We appreciate the community’s support of our raffle.
The Rotary Club of Batavia is a service and social organization that is open to all community members. We bring community leaders together in an inclusive, non-political, and non-religious organization to positively impact our community.
Our second early bird winner has been selected! Congratulations to W.C. Miller from Batavia! The 3rd and final Early Bird drawing will be held on September 19th. All Early Bird winners are still eligible to win the Grand Prize of $50,000 or a new Corvette. There are about 200 tickets left! Be sure to purchase your ticket for the grand prize drawing at: https://bataviarotarycharities.com.
Our club is proud to present the Kane County Sheriff Explorer Post with a $1,000 donation. The Explorers have been a great help on many of our local service projects. We owe the relationship between Batavia Rotary and the Explorers to our late member Roland Treiber. Roland introduced us to the Explorers, so it is fitting that we make this donation in Roland’s memory. Roland was a proud and active Rotarian for 35 years, having joined our club in 1987.
The Rotary Foundation is a ranked as a Four-Star Charity by Charity Navigator. The Foundation has achieved this highest possible rating for 11 straight years. Many Rotarians voluntarily support the Foundation through personal donations. Congratulations to the following Batavia Rotarians for reaching milestone levels of support.
President Laura presents Paul Harris Fellow pins to members Leigh, Dan, and George. Not pictured are members Scott and Walt who also reached milestone levels.
Bill White of St. Charles, IL. Congratulations, Bill. You’ve just won $500 in our 1st Early Bird Winner drawing. Besides being an Early Bird winner, you’re still eligible to win the Grand Prize of $50,000 or a 2023 Corvette.
(This photo does not depict the actual car. It is for promotional purposes only.)
There are 3 Early Bird drawings: July 19, August 19, and September 19. The Grand Prize drawing will be held in Batavia, IL on Saturday November 19 at K. Hollis Jewelers and Wine Bar. Who will win the next Early Bird? Will it be you?
Visit www.BataviaRotaryCharities.com for raffle details and to purchase tickets. Or, talk to your local Batavia Rotarian .
The weather cooperated on Saturday July 16th. We moved a lot of mulch finishing a pathway and evening out a portion of the parking are. There is still more to do, but the 5 Rotarians contributed 10 hours of labor to the effort. Plus, we got to create our own version of American Gothic.
Besides some additional mulching, the hedgerow can use another trimming. Perhaps we have another visit to the garden in our future. In addition to the individual plots, a section is dedicated to growing produce for the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry. We are happy to assist the gardeners whenever we can.
We had a great time staffing the beer tent at Windmill City Fest. Over 20 Rotarians and family members helped make the event a success. We checked IDs, sold drink tickets, and served beer to a large and very responsible crowd. A sincere thank you to the Batavia Park District for organizing the fest and giving us an opportunity to increase Rotary’s visibility.
Windmill City Fest is an annual summer event. It is hosted by the Batavia Park District and typically runs the second weekend in July.
Our club hosted the annual installation banquet on Thursday 06/30. We enjoyed a wonderful Enticing Cuisine meal and the fellowship that is always present at a Rotary event. Almost 50 Rotarians and their guests were joined by Governor Bill Kmiecik and his wife Betsy. Bill and Betsy are members of the Arlington Heights club and Bill’s term as District 6440 Governor begins on July 1.
Peter Lowe was honored for a successful year as Club President and Laura Newman was officially installed as the 2022 – 2023 President.
Multiple club members were presented with Distinguished Service Awards for their work supporting the club and volunteering in the community. Margaret Perreault received a Rotarian of the year award for her continual focus on Community Service. Michael Quirk also received a Rotarian of the year award for his commitment to identifying and delivering matching funds to support local and international efforts. This is the first time we have awarded multiple Rotarian of the Year awards, and both are well-deserved.
What a great turnout! Ten Rotarians, three family members, seven Explorers, and three Deputies proved once again that many hands make small work. Our one-mile section of Main Street took a total 1 hour and 20 minutes to clean. This is a twice per year project covering Main Street Batavia between Deerpath Road and Nelson Lake Road.
Thanks again to Sgt. Sal Rodriguez and the Kane County Sherrif Explorers for coming out in force. We have now worked with the Explorers twice and can confirm that they are a great bunch of future leaders who are not afraid to get their hands dirty.
After a few years of sponsoring the annual Batavia to Lake Geneva Bike Ride supporting the Batavia Bicycle Commission and the Heart and Soul Fund, we are passing the torch to Cal’s Angels.
Scheduled for Saturday, September 10th, the ride has been rebranded “Follow the Fox”. This year, the Heart and Soul Fund is raising funds for Cal’s Angels. Cal’s Angels supports research to help children battling pediatric cancer. The Batavia Bicycle Commission will also benefit from the ride. Learn more about "Follow the Fox" at HTTPS://CHARITY.PLEDGEIT.ORG/FOLLOWTHEFOX. Additionally, you can support the Heart and Soul riders at HEARTANDSOULFD.ORG. The ride starts at Laurelwood Park in Batavia and continues to Lake Geneva with stops along the way. Bus transportation back to Batavia is available. Past riders … this is your call to register and support these outstanding organizations
While the Rotary motto is "Service Above Self ", you'll find that Rotarians can be as social as anyone. We often get together outside of our club meetings or service projects to share valuable fellowship. This is where we learn more about each other and create lifelong friendships. Here is a photo of a recent dinner we shared at the Turf Room in North Aurora. Thirty club members and guests enjoyed a good meal, shared stories, and just enjoyed each other's company.
Are you looking to find your place in the community, meet new friends, or reacquaint yourself with some old friends? Rotary might be just the group you're looking for. Especially if you want to include community service in the mix.
UPDATE: Our contractor has reported that we collected 5,922 pounds of paper. That's just shy of 3 tons! And, that doesn't include the 100's, if not 1,000's of batteries, the many boxes of books, a guitar, flute, alto sax, and accordion. Thanks again to all who made this event a success. We look forward to doing it again.
Under the able leadership of our Environmental Chair & President-Nominee Teri, we can confidently say that our first public shredding event was a success. We estimate that we served over 150 cars during the 3-hour event. A team of 10 Rotarians, 4 Interactors, 4 family & friends, 2 Kane County Sheriff Officers, and 11 Sheriff’s Explorer Post members helped make this a memorable morning. In spite of the rain! We think this could become an annual event. Thank you to all who worked hard to provide this valuable service.
Members of the Rotary Club of Batavia were joined by family and friends to pack meals at the NIFB. We are happy to report that in two short hours we packed 1,281 pounds of frozen pizzas. That translates into 1,068 meals. The club has a history of supporting the food bank and is happy to donate time to this impactful organization. A member of Feeding America, the Northern Illinois Food Bank is located in Geneva, IL. They provide 250,000 meals in 13 Northeastern Illinois counties. The NIFB partners with more than 900 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and youth and senior feeding programs to provide nutritious food and resources. Learn more about the Northern Illinois Food Bank at www.https://solvehungertoday.org/.
Members of the Rotary Club of Batavia were joined by family and friends to pack meals at the NIFB. We are happy to report that in two short hours we packed 1,281 pounds of frozen pizzas. That translates into 1,068 meals. The club has a history of supporting the food bank and is happy to donate time to this impactful organization. A member of Feeding America, the Northern Illinois Food Bank is located in Geneva, IL. They provide 250,000 meals in 13 Northeastern Illinois counties. The NIFB partners with more than 900 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and youth and senior feeding programs to provide nutritious food and resources. Learn more about the Northern Illinois Food Bank at www.https://solvehungertoday.org/.
We are sad to share the news that our member Roland Treiber passed away on April 14. We last saw Roland on January 25th when he visited our weekly meeting along with his wife Barb, daughter Katie, and grandson Steve. What a blessing to have Roland and his family join us that morning.
Roland joined the Rotary Club of Batavia on November 1, 1987. At 35 years and 5 months, he was the third longest serving member of our club and the fourth longest serving Rotarian in our club. Roland served as Sergeant-at-Arms for quite a few years and is the author of the Member Induction ceremony we currently use.
We will miss Roland’s smile, his sense of humor, his love of Batavia, his commitment to Service Above Self, and most of all … his friendship.
Over 50 members of the Rotary Clubs of Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles Breakfast, and St. Charles Noon met for breakfast on Tuesday morning. Three members of the District Governors Line also joined us. We enjoyed a fun and thought-provoking discussion on volunteerism led by Olive Poliks. It is always great to hear what our sister clubs are up to and rekindle some long-time relationships. Thanks to all Tri-City Rotarians for everything you do. Also, thank you to Enticing Cuisine for a wonderful breakfast. Send an email to info@BataviaRotaryClub.org for more information on Rotary and clubs in our area.
We are happy to share that the amazing people at Raising Cane’s in Batavia partnered with the Rotary Club of Batavia to provide meals to the guests at Lazarus House. The generosity displayed by Raising Cane’s allowed us to deliver a fun and delicious change of pace. Raising Cane’s is located at 1998 McKee Street in Batavia. Thank them for supporting our community the next time you visit them.
Rotarians work hard to foster peace and understanding and are dedicated to making the world a better place in which to live. This means we also respond to global challenges that jeopardize this goal. The Rotary Foundation is directing all donations to the Disaster Relief Fund received through April 30, 2022, to Ukrainian Relief. The Rotary Foundation is a Charity Navigator 4-Star Not-for-Profit. This is the highest rating available, and the Foundation received a perfect score of 100. This means that your donation will be used to deliver the maximum impact possible. Donate at https://my.rotary.org/en/disaster-response-fund or visit https://www.rotary.org/ to learn more. Also, our disaster partner, Shelterbox, is on the ground delivering support to Ukrainian refugees. You can learn more about this outstanding organization at https://www.shelterboxusa.org/.
We've just completed our semi-annual grant awards and are happy to announce that we awarded $28,890 to various organizations. Our philanthropy supports local, domestic, and international causes that are support Rotary's Seven Areas of Focus. The causes must also be in sync with our local club's guidelines of helping children, disaster relief, education, community service, health care, and community goodwill. Here are the organizations receiving support in this session. Aunty Mary's Storybook, Batavia Depot Museum, Batavia Fireworks Fund, Bikes for Batavia, Chip In Batavia, Fox Valley Patriotic Organization, Fox Valley Special Recreation Foundation, Hearten Haiti Project, Humanitarian Service Project, King's Organization, Lazarus House, Mid-Valley Special Recreation Special Olympics, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Rebuilding Together Aurora, StoveTeam, and YMCA Youth and Government. Our next grant review is in August. Your support of our annual Corvette Raffle helps us support these wonderful organizations. Thank you for your continued support.
Rotarians are People of Action who know that you don’t need to be a Rotarian to have a positive impact on your community. The Rotary Club of Batavia is proud to honor Karen and Rob Hollis with a Paul Harris Fellow Award. A PHF is not bestowed lightly and is recognized by Rotarians worldwide as a statement of the recipient’s character and commitment to the community. The Hollis’s are always present to help with and support community efforts. Whether you’re mentoring or coaching students, peers, and other entrepreneurs, donating your time to community efforts, or providing space for our grand prize drawing, your presence has made our community a better place to live. We thank you for all you do. Congratulations Karen and Rob.
On Friday February 4, Batavia Rotarians were joined by members of the Batavia Fire Department and the Kane County Sheriff’s Office to distribute food and sundries to the residents of Mercy Housing. We also donated four collapsible grocery carts that will be kept at the housing office. The Resident Services Coordinator commented, “These carts will greatly help the residents. Residents need to cross the expansive campus after visiting the pantry, which can be difficult to manage while carrying heavy pantry items.” The pop-up pantry is a monthly event sponsored by the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry and Calvery Church of Naperville. Assisting at events like this is indicative of the community service delivered by the Rotary Club of Batavia.
We are proud of the impact we have on our local community, but we are more than a local service club. Part of Rotary International, with 1.2M members worldwide, we also support global efforts like Polio eradication and Shelterbox. Here are some of the Rotary images taken by our members during their travels.
Batavia Rotarians answered the call on Saturday December 4th and rang the bell for The Salvation Army. It's not unusual for family members and friends to participate in a Rotary service project.
Rotarians regularly donate many hours of their time to community service. After all, our motto is Service Above Self. We are proud of the fact that we provide financial support to a broad range of charities and not-for-profits. We are more proud of the community service our members, our families, and our friends dedicate to make our community a better place to live.
If you're of the same mind, we'd love to meet you. Visit with us at our weekly meeting and breakfast is on us. Email us at info@BataviaRotaryClub.org to let us know you're coming.
We were happy to support the Rotary Club of Geneva as they completed their annual yard cleanup project. Rotarians from Batavia and Wheaton joined forces with Geneva Rotarians and GHS DECA members to deliver a positive community impact. Happy Thanksgiving and always Service Above Self.
Congratulations to Dan Hoefler of Batavia, IL! Dan's Grand Prize winning ticket and 5 additional $500 winners were drawn live at K. Hollis Jewelers & Wine Bar on Saturday, November 20. Thank you to the K. Hollis staff for their hospitality in hosting our event. K. Hollis Jewelers is located in Batavia at 147 S. Randall Road.
Grand Prize Winner: Dan Hoefler, Batavia, IL, #244
$500 Winner: Doug McDaniel, St. Charles, MO, #842
$500 Winner: Kimberly Nasti, Batavia, IL, #630
$500 Winner: Allan Beil, Eastlake, OH, #632
$500 Winner, Ann Richards, St. Charles, IL, #484
$500 Winner, Bradley Getman, Plainfield, IL, #585
$500 Early Bird 1, July 20: Chuck Nila, Aurora, IL, #715
$500 Early Bird 2, August 20: Kathy Daly, Indiatlantic, FL, #1160
$500 Early Bird 3, September 20: James Lambert, North Tonawanda, NY, #190
The Rotary Club of Batavia thanks everyone who purchased a ticket. Your generosity allows us to continue the financial support of many local, regional, and international Not for Profits. Because of you, we have provided over $800,000 to the community in support of a wide selection of causes. We could not do this without you. Thank you.
Batavia Rotarians and the Friends of Rotary worked together to pack 510 Holiday Meal Boxes on Tuesday evening at the No. Illinois Food Bank. Their good work translates in 6,205 meals that will help feed our community this holiday season.
The Northern Illinois Food Bank distributes food items through local food pantries, churches, and other organizations that work to address hunger in Northern Illinois. The Rotary Club of Batavia is proud to support their mission. You can donate to the Food Bank at www.https://solvehungertoday.org/.
We are happy to report that our "Friendraiser" Breakfast, held Tuesday October 26th, was a success. Thirteen interested community members joined us to learn more about Rotary and our impact on our local and extended communities. We were also joined by four Rotarians from three other local clubs. Good food, good friends, new friends!
We are always willing and able to share all that is good about being a Rotarian. To learn more about Rotary, or to tell us you'd like to visit with us at an upcoming breakfast, contact us at info@BataviaRotaryClub.org.
Thank you to the volunteers who joined us to clean our stretch of Main Street on Saturday October 16. We are never surprised by the items we find, but are always gratified to complete the job. We were joined this time by a member's grandsons. We will return for a spring clean-up, most likely in April.
We were happy to help our friends at the Northern Illinois Food Bank during a mobile food pantry on Monday, October 11. What a great turnout, with 8 Rotarians, a contingent of BFD Firefighters, 4 BHS Interactors, 2 Key Club members, and an Interactor from Metea Valley HS.
After the mobile pantry closed, 6 Rotarians and a Key Club member moved the project to the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry to unload the remaining food. So many families benefit from the partnership between NIFB, the Interfaith Food Pantry, and the many Batavia service organizations, like Rotary, who donate their time and talents.
Many local organizations, including multiple Rotary Clubs, participated in the annual It's Our Fox River Day on Saturday 09/18. The volunteers scoured the river and adjacent bike paths to pick up litter, garbage, and perform a general clean-up. The Rotary Club of Batavia participates in this event under the direction of our Environmental Chair Teri.
Protecting the environment is our 7th Area of Focus. We're happy to help wherever we can.
Over 25 riders made the 62 mile ride from Batavia to Lake Geneva, and no one dropped out! What an impressive sight to see along the trail. We had rest stops, refreshments, and even a NIFB fundraiser along the way.
Watch for information on the 2022 Ride the Frog. Planning will start in the spring.
What a great time at Northwestern Field for our Strike Out Polio fundraiser. Adding up the donation per ticket and the various matching actions, we're happy to announce that we will ultimately raise $3,248 for the PolioPlus Foundation.
Rotary International estimates the cost to protect a child against polio is $12.00. With your help, we just protected 270 children.
Thank you for your continued support of Rotary International's signature cause.
Thank you so much to Batavia Rotarians Bill Kettering and Brittany Meyer for spearheading this project and such a fine job! This bench sits in a very visible spot on Wilson Street in our downtown. The bench was old and tired from years of sun and weather damage - now it is not and shines in glory. Always look your best!
Batavia Illinois Rotary Club spent the evening . Club members and Batavia High School Interacters (high school Rotarians) worked together processing cans of corn. What a great night working to support local families in need.
Rotary assisted the City of Batavia in a community mask distribution on Sunday, June 14th. Masks were made available to all Batavia citizens who needed them. Rotarians assisted with the distribution.
Tickets go on sale June 21st, 2020. Purchase early and get your ticket in on the first early bird drawing July 21st. Proceeds go towards helping Batavia Rotarians help those in need throughout our communities locally, nationally and internationally. Thank you!
"In support of Social Distancing during the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Rotary Club of Batavia is hosting virtual meetings. Please email us for more information: info@bataviarotaryclub.org."
Batavia is ringing the bell this holiday season. Twenty Batavia Rotary Club members came out to Jewel on Randall Road and Woodfield Mall this past weekend to ring the bell for Salvation Army. This is a long standing tradition for our Club and we look forward to helping give back for the Holidays every year.
And the Grand Prize Winner of the 2020 Corvette Coupe 1LT or $45,000 is...
Ticket #449 – Susan Weber
Winners of the 10 Additional Cash Prizes!
#362 - Dale F Wise - $500 #314 - David Binkkley - $500 #885 - Norm Freedlund - $500 #962 - Michael Conneely - $500 #32 - Albert Atkinson - $500 #974 - Tony Tripodo - $500 #678 - Gerald Balutis - $500
EARLY BIRD WINNERS!
#538 - William Mateus (Aug. 23rd Winner) - $500 #60 - Mike Mehelich (Sept. 23rd Winner) - $500 #190 - Michael Melarkley (Oct. 23rd Winner) - $500
Congratulations to our 31st Annual Batavia Rotary Club Corvette Raffle Winners and participants! Because of your support of the Batavia Rotary Club of Illinois’ Annual Corvette Raffle, over the past 30 years, the Batavia Rotary Club has returned over $700,000 back to the Community of Batavia. To learn more about who we support and where your contributions go, you can visit our Who We Support page.
Batavia Rotary volunteers at the Toy Drive. Started years ago by Rotarians and the tradition continues. Every year we help transport and prepare donated toys so every donation reaches the loving hands of a child. Merry Christmas!!
Batavia Rotary Club regularly gets together to donate time and share in fellowship at the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Thanks to all Rotarians who give back to their communities by helping in this great cause.
Great evening meal served at Lazarus House on Oct 29. Lazarus house is homeless shelter in St.Charles Il. Our club serves dinner at the facility once every three months.
07/18: Strike Out Polio event at the Kane County Cougars. This is the 10th time we are hosting this annual event. Tickets are $22. Each ticket includes $10 in Ozzie Bucks (for food or drink) and a $5 donation to Polio Plus. We have sold 1,364 tickets over the years. Please place your orders with Dave Pedersen. The ticket order deadline is 06/27.
Seven Rotarians showed up on a Saturday in May to paint the walls of the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry. With the much needed fresh coats of paint the food pantry volunteers and clients were pleased with the new look and thankful for the Rotary Clubs efforts
.
A new color for the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry
The Rotary Club Trivia Bee team "The Game of Throw-ins" Don Hoefler, Tony Winter, and Dave Pedersen came in 9th out of 31 teams. Pictured is Dave Pedersen with Batavia Rotarian George Scheetz representing the Batavia Public Library.
5th Annual Batavia Interact Night was held April 24th. It is great to share what Interact and Rotary has to offer to the community. Interactors showcased yearly program of success and brought new members together for certificates and awards. Good job Batavia Interact.
Batavia Rotary and Interactors gathered together on Saturday April 13th to clean up the trash along Main Street in Batavia. Many treasures and friendship were found.
Leora thanked us for our efforts at collecting donations at Christmas time by bell ringing and how that enables the Salvation Army to serve others throughout the year. Just some of the ways that they serve is through the food pantry, after school programs, summer camp, health education programs, and spiritual care programs. The funding gathered in the tri-cities stays in the tri-cities. “Everyone has the ability to give in some way and you never know when you might need help.” Bell ringing raised just over $900K. April 12th is their annual dinner in St. Charles; if anyone is interested in attending, more information can be found at https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/tricity/civic-dinner.
An induction ceremony for Bill Kettering and Brittany Bruno welcoming them as new members to the Club. Great to have two new members on board to experience the good work of Rotary.
Pictured is Rotarian George Scheetz, Master of Ceremonies; Rotarian Tony Winter (sponsor for Brittany Bruno), Brittany Bruno, Bill Kettering, Rotarian Dan Hoefler (sponsor for Bill Kettering).
The Batavia Rotary Club was up to their "Elbows in Macaroni" at the Northern Illinois Food Bank February 19th. Members of the Batavia Rotary Club and the Batavia Interact Club bagged 1,886 pounds of macaroni. This much macaroni will be filling the bellies for 1,566 citizens in need. Thank you to all who came out to help. This helps feed the hearts of all and especially the Batavia Rotary Club.
One of our newest members has been officially inducted into the Batavia Rotary Club. Michael Shoultz will be a great addition to our club. He has been on many service projects so far and will continue the good work under the name of Rotary. We are very happy to have you in our Rotary family. Pictured below is new Rotarian Michael Shoultz and his sponsor Batavia Rotary President Elect Tony Winter.
Congratulations to our 30th Annual Batavia Rotary Club Corvette Raffle Winners!
2019 Corvette #996 James Nasti
$500 #779 David Satkus
$500 #641 Alan Balutis
$500 #162 Connie Lemme
$500 #306 Dan Hoefler
$500 #761 David Satkus
$500 #557 Rickey Pierce
$500 #300 Kevin Scroggins
AUG Early Bird $500 #505 Daniel Zack
SEP Early Bird $500 #32 Carlton McLamb
OCT Early Bird $500 #308 Dan Hoefler
Fundraising Chair Tom VonLunen and Club President Dan Hoefler pick the winning tickets at the event on Saturday night.
Grand prize winner James Nasti visits our Club to meet our members and share in Rotary camaraderie.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
Donations will fund many worthwhile programs for local, national, and international service projects. We support programs to eradicate polio, fight hunger, provide clean water, promote literacy, and alleviate suffering worldwide.
Batavia Rotarians Bob Hubbard and Tom Van Cleave (not pictured) help out with this years' Batavia Access Toy Drive. Bob is given a helping hand by our Mayor Jeff Schielke.
Polio cases have dropped by over 99.9 percent since 1988, and the world now stands on the threshold of eradicating this dread disease and thereby eliminating the threat of polio-caused paralysis to every child in the world. October 15th at the Batavia City Council Meeting Mayor Jeff Schielke proclaims October 24, 2018 as World Polio Day in Batavia, Illinois. Batavia Rotary Club has pledged to continue to contribute their time and their resources to support Polio Plus and the Global Eradication Initiative. We encourage all residents to join the Rotarians of Batavia and the world in the fight for a polio-free world.
Batavia Illinois proclaims Oct. 24, 2018 as World Polio Day
"Service Above Self" brings us out the the Northern Illinois Food Bank on September 27th. Together with other volunteers we packed 1,690 pounds of food providing 1,408 meals for hungry neighbors in Northern Illinois. Thank you to all the Rotary volunteers for doing it again!
“Rotary is the world’s oldest and largest service organization with 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs across the globe. Internationally, we’re eliminating polio, providing clean water, battling hunger, helping people read, furthering public health and more.
Locally, we meet every Tuesday at 7:15 am for breakfast at Denny’s in Batavia. We socialize, hear a great speaker and map out service projects and funding opportunities.
Batavia Rotary Club does their part and teams up with Batavia Interact Club to pick up road trash. A one mile section of Main Street in the Kane County "Adopt A Highway" program from Dearpath to Nelson lake Road is dedicated for the Club. The job is easy with good friends and family and good luck with great weather and plenty of smiles.
Let's hit this one out of the park. You, your family and friends are invited to the 9th Annual "Strike Out Polio" on July 19th. Tickets are $22 each and include $10 Ozzie Buck, Box Seats, Fireworks, and Out of the Park Rotary Fellowship. Did I mention it's Thirsty Thursday Beer Night!
We did it again. Every two months we gather at the Northern Illinois Food Bank to do good will. In two hours and a team of Batavia Rotarians and other volunteers we bagged 4,275 pounds of onions. 3,563 meals will be provided to hungry neighbors in Northern Illinois due to our efforts.
Batavia Rotary competing in the Fox Valley Literacy Volunteers Trivia Bee. Our team did well coming in first against all the service groups and George Sheetz from the club was on the overall winning team from Batavia Library. Our team was Dick Larson Laura Newman Andrew Deitchman and Dan Hoefler.
Batavia Rotary competes in the Fox Valley Literacy Volunteers Trivia Bee.
A great evening spent with Batavia rotary Club and the Batavia High School Interact Club. With all of our help families and individuals will not go hungry. Thank you to those at the Northern Illinois Food Bank for the great work they do. This gives us the opportunity to help those in need on a regular basis. The Batavia Rotary Club gets together to help every two months usually with group of 20 - 25 members friends and family.
Batavia Rotary + Interact = Northern Illinois Food Bank
The Batavia Depot Museum has opened for the season and is featuring a "Community Above Self" exhibit. It focuses on Batavia service organizations, including the Batavia Rotary Club.
Community Above Self exhibit at the Batavia Depot Museum
We gather every year at Markland Home in Batavia to help with Christmas present unwrapping. This event is close to our hearts as we help do the things we take for granted - unwrapping presents. Some of the people there may not be able to tell us thank you or share a smile but we know that we are warming their heart during this season. We look forward to the Markland family every year. Thank you to Tim Wulff for coordinating this for our Club. Pictured is Rotarian Bob Hubbard.
Rotarian Dick Larson swears in our New Batavia rotary Club President, Dan Hoefler. Thank you Dan and Dick for all you do for the community and our Club.
Batavia Rotary Club has a new President, Dan Hoefler
Ringing the Bell for the Salvation Army at Jewel Osco on Randal Road. Batavia Rotarians keep the bell ringing to help those in need every Christmas season. don't forget to give. Rotarian Brian Barus is pictured with Rotarian from Montgomery.
Joining in with community fun. Serving beer at the Batavia Windmill City Festival is something we look forward to. don't miss this great event every year and stop in a see us!
Batavia Rotary Club joins in at the Windmill City Fest
Adapt a highway program is important to our Club. We team up with Batavia Interactors, Park District and Rotarians to do our part in cleaning up America.
The Batavia rotary Club has been supporting local businesses and the Batavia Chamber of Commerce for over 30 years. Our President Dan Hoefler accepts the award for our years dedicated to service in the community.
Celebrating 30 years in Batavia Chamber of Commerce
Batavia Rotary Club volunteers every month where there is a 3rd Tuesday to provide and serve dinner to those at the Lazarus House. Pictured are a few of the Batavia Rotarians who helped with the regular event.
Batavia Rotary Honored by Mayor and City Council on the eve of our 70th anniversary installation as a club. The 70th celebration dinner will be held on June 14th at the Lincoln Inn Batavia. The proclamation states how over the years our club as made a significant contribution to our community, region, country and internationally. We are proud to be leaders in our community.
Batavia Rotary Club receives honor for 70 years of service
The Grand Prize Winner of the 2017 Batavia Illinois Corvette Raffle is
Anne Richards plus 18 additional St. Charles, IL Rotary Members - Ticket #0481
Winners of the 10 Additional Cash Prizes! #0470 - Roger Seddon - $500 #0378 - Nicholas Anderson - $500 #0875 - Bill McGrath - $500 #0942 - Bob Hansen - $500 #0205 - David Binkley - $500 #0523 - Col Earl Rumbaugh - $500
#0087 - Robert Close - $500
EARLY BIRD WINNERS! Jack Wanzung (August 18th Winner) - $500 Judy DeVito (September 18th Winner) - $500 James Treber (October 18th Winner) - $500
Anne Richards reacting to the big phone call from Past President Rick Pumo about being the Grand Prize Winner. Congratulations to all!
Congratulations to all the Winners of the 29th Annual Corvette Raffle, and Thank you to everyone that purchased a ticket.
Drawing Proceeds Benefit Local Charities, and Rotary International Programs
With your support Batavia Rotary can continue to help the economically disadvantaged residents of Batavia and Batavia Township. Please consider purchasing a Corvette Raffle Ticket and help us give back.
Prize Winners need not be present to win. Winners assume all applicable license fees, state and federal taxes and required modifications. No one under the age of 18 may participate. Subject to rules & regulations. Please see complete rules & regulations at: www.bataviarotarycharities.com
Andrew Dietchman, Amy Seyller and Dan Hoeffler attended the "Birds and the Bees Trivia Bee for Literacy" hosted by the Literacy Volunteers of Fox Valley. We didn't win but had a great time trying.
On March 21, 2017 22 Rotarians, Interactors, friends and family joined forces to tackle 1,260 pounds of cereal. During the time we spent together we bagged 1,050 meals. These meals will be distributed to families and individuals in need of nutricious food in the Fox Valley. Thank you so much to all who helped this cause in the name of Rotary. Keep up the great work!
It's a Tom Sawyer kinda thing. Have a few brushes and paint - things get done. Mike Glavin and Dave Pedersen joined forces on Wednesday to brighten up our bench. Yes the wood may be warped but the spirit of Rotary is what keeps it great!
One of the benefits of Rotary, a Club recognized around the world, is welcoming 8 fellow Rotarians from India. On Wednesday, Batavia Rotary Club Members greeted and hosted the group to their cuisine at "Taste of Himalayas" in St. Charles. On Thursday, the Newmans hosted a wonderful day for our Friendship Exchange guests from India. A trip to the jewel of Batavia "Fermi Lab" was scheduled and it looks like a great time was had by all. A huge thank you to Tom and Liz Van Cleave, President Rick Pumo, Laura and Steve Newman, Dan Hoeffler and International Chair Leigh Tracy for coordinating this wonderful day of Rotary Fellowship.
For the 5th year the Batavia High School Interact Club lives by the Rotary motto "Service Above Self" The Batavia High School Interact Club has experienced growth every year as they continue to do great work throughout the community. A big thank you to Haley Nickolaou for leading this group of superstars. All received certificates for their service and Interact pins for all new members. Shown below: Haley Nickolaou, Interact Board of Directors, Batavia Rotary Club Prez. Rick Pumo.
Batavia Interact Honors Members for 2016-17 "Service Above Self"
Join the Fox Valley’s newest team, and the Fox Valley Service Clubs for a night of family fun. The service clubs of Fox Valley and the Chicago Steel are uniting to raise funds for LivingWell Cancer Resource Center. A portion of the ticket proceeds purchased through this online portal will go towards LivingWell.
Go to steelgroups.com to purchase tickets online. Follow instructions and enter password: Service. Click on image below.
Visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com for additional information about the organization and upcoming schedule.
Written by Bianca Celozzi, Interact Exec Board memeber
Interact Club at the Batavia High School has been super busy with volunteering in the month of October! From helping package food at Feed My Starving Children to watching a movie at inclusion movie night at the Batavia Public Library, there has been a lot of students participating in both of these events. Interact Club, also, linked up the Central Dupage Hospital for Halloween. We got fifty bags and filled them with gooey eyeballs, pencils, and other halloween toys. Then we donated all of them to Central Dupage Hospital for Halloween. It was a blast and all the children in the hospital loved the goodie bags. We plan to do something with the hospital again sometime this school year. Along with the Halloween theme, there was a huge amount of people volunteering with the Haunted Quarry downtown Batavia. They got to dress up on the weekends and make the Haunted Quarry come alive by scaring the little kids. Everyone had so much fun, definitely a success. There is a handful of volunteer opportunities coming up for the holidays that Interact Club is tremendously excited about!
Please join the Tri-Cities Rotary Clubs in conjunction with Barnes and Noble in raising money for books that are needed by local charites. You can help by either purchasing books from the charity's wish list or purchasing your own books and a portion of the proceeds will go to the charity's list.
On September 6th, 2016 Rotarians George Sheets, Jack Jangelis and Dan Hoefler induct three new Batavia Rotarians Leigh Tracy, Michael Quirk and Mark Harrington. We are looking forward to many years of service and fellowship from these fine new Rotarians.
Congratulations to our new President Rick Pumo and to our outgoing President Holly Deitchman. Looking forward to a great year in Rotary.
Pictured from upper left. Bruce Hartman receives the "Service Above Self" Award for all his hard work making sure we balance out & Dan Hoefler for "Rotarian of the Year" on being the "Best Rotarian" he can be. New President Rick Pumo with Assistant. Gov. Paul Keenan and Immediate Past President Holly Deitchman. The new 2016-17 board is sworn in by Assistant Gov. Paul Keenan.
Come out and have some fun at the Peg Bond Center RiverWalk on Wednesday's for great concerts in the park. Check out our new Rotary flag. "Do Something Really Great"
Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles Rotary Club meet last week at out Tri-Cities Rotary Club meeting and welcomed Rotarians from Pakistan. These four special Rotarians were apart of a group Rotarian Exchange Program. A group of Rotarians from our district went to Pakistan to understand the Rotarian Ways and issues surrounding Rotary Communities in Pakistan. One thing that set us apart is our need to look out and help internationally those in need, In Pakistan those needs are far to close; terrorism, hunger, Polio are just some of the issues these Rotarians work with every day.
A Successful Batavia Interact Night! Congratulations and a huge thank you to all Batavia High School Interactors. It's great to hear about and honor this special group. A big thank you to Haley Nickolaou the fearless leader of the Batavia Interactors and The Batavia Rotarians for their dedication to to this Club.
Four Batavia Rotarians lead and sponsored teams that walked the 2 1/2 miles this past Saturday morning in support of Living Well Cancer Resource Center. The Interact Club of Batavia High School was lead by Erin Janca. Jack Barshinger led his team from Batavia Public Schools, Tim Wulff led a group of Rotarians joining with the Interact Club, and Bob Hubbard led a group of his supporters. Over 2,000 walkers turned out for the Countywide annual event, and over $220,000 was raised thru sponsors and walkers.
Rotary Club of Batavia Sponsors "Living Well" Bridge Walk
Thirteen Rotarians and their spouses welcomed our new inbound student from Brazil - Davi; at host Rich and Libby Munsons' home on Sunday August 21st, 2011. The weather was sunny and pleasant. There were snacks, pizza, and swimming. Two potential members and their family were also in attendence.
Incoming officers of the Batavia Rotary Club attended the 2011-2012 Northern Illinois PETS Seminar held in Schaumburg, Illinois. Officers attending the weekend session included incoming district 6440 Governor Dick Larson (2012), President Elect Tim Wulff, President Elect nominee Bryan Barus, Secretary Holly Deitchman, and Fundraising Chair Tom Von Lunen.
RIPE Kalyan Banerjee with 6440 Governer Nominee Richard Larson
Would any of your members and guests like to
join members of the St Charles Breakfast Club
for a tour of Rotary International on Saturday,
October 23? We can charter a school bus or
drive on our own and meet at RI by 10 AM.
Batavia Rotarians Ring the Bell & Deliver gifts/holiday meals to Shut In Seniors on December 13th. In the morning we visited many seniors with gifts and meals for those in need. We were greeted with smiles and many hugs that warmed our hearts on this chilly day. In the afternoon Rotarians raised $1,417.00 for the Salvation Army. Records were broke that day for the Salvation Army. We raised the most money ever on a single day at the Jewel Randall Rd. location. We all enjoyed fellowship with Rotarians, friends and family on this great day of "SERVICE" during the holidays - Great job Batavia Rotarians! A Great Big thank you goes out to Roland Treiber and Tom Van Cleave for chairing these annual events.
Batavia Rotarians Ring the Bell & Deliver gifts/holiday meals to Shut In Seniors
Batavia Rotary Club Donates $4,000 to Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry
The great work of Rotary continues in our community. With generous donations from our members, the community, and Rotary International we were able to give $4,000 to the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry. This money enables the Food Pantry to purchase more than $30,000 in food and supplies from the Northern Illinois Food Bank. With your support Batavia Rotary can continue to help the economically disadvantaged residents of Batavia and Batavia Township. Please consider purchasing a Corvette Raffle Ticket (see ad) and help us give back. If you are interested in becoming a Rotarian or would like to help us in the pursuit of the betterment of our community visit www.bataviarotaryclub.org. Thank you.
Batavia Rotary Club Donates $4,000 to Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry
Our bench has a new coat. Yes the wood is still warped and cracked. It's not perfect but neither are we. But what I do know is that it is excellent and all that we do as Rotarians is excellent! Byran and I talked and he made a great point that this bench is a billboard for us and with that said why not paint it our Rotary colors. Dan Hoefler and I then gave it the paint job on Wednesday. Thank you Byan Barus for your help and continued research for a possible new bench and location for the future.Thank you Dan Hoefler for your help painting the bench.
BHS Interact Club/HC Storm tutoring partnership. Syndney Cavanaugh, Interact Exec Board member and Julie Alholm, HC Storm teacher will share their experiences with the partnership.
Batavia Rotary teams up and serves another great meal at Lazuras House. Homemade meatloaf & mash potatoes, salads, drinks and extras were provided by our very own Rotarians. All provided was enjoyed and appreciated by those staying at Lazarus House. Batavia Rotary takes great pride in helping those in need and does this every 5th Tuesday throughout the year for Lazarus House.
Pictured: Community Service Chair, Richard Munson; Fundraising Chair, Tom Von Lunen; not pictured President, David Pedersen doing what they do best - helping out.
Batavia Rotary Serves Up Meat Loaf at LaZarus House Tuesday 29th.
The Club approved $750.00 for to help those who need a bike. We partnered with the Batavia Bike commission and All Spoked Up to provide bikes, helmets and locks to the people who need them. We provided a check to Matt Knolls of All Biked UP, of a check for the Bike Commission to rehab bikes for needy folks.
Fun was had by all. Thank you to Jack Barshinger, Past President 2013-14 for a wonderful year leading our Club. We now have a New President - Dave Pedersen, New Board of Directors, New Rotarian of the Year - Jack Jangelis, New Paul Harris Fellows, Perfect Attendance Rotarians, and much more. We have a great Club and I am looking forward to to all of the fellowship and service this Club brings to our community. Let's work hard and continue to "Light Up" those lives around ours through Rotary. Dave.
On Saturday May 10th Rotarians; Erin Reid, Rich Munson, Bob Hubbard, Tim Wulff, David Pedersen, Tom Von Lunen and Interactor Liason Haley Nickolaou and 14 Interactors joined together for road clean up on Mainstreet from Deerpath to Nelson Lake Road. Even though we were picking garbage, a good time was had by all as we did our part for Community Service beautification of Batavia. Afterwards, Rotarian Rich Munson hosted the group for refreshments. Thank you to Rich and all Rotarians and Interactors for making this event succesful. I am sure we will do it again in the fall so keep those gloves handy.
The drawing for a Free Corvette Raffle tickets from the first 250 tickets sold was held on Tuesday August 26th at our regular weekly meeting. The winner of the free Corvette Raffle Ticket was Gary Paplow of Ravena, NY.
A conversation about why it is important to provide avenues of joy for our youth was presented by Jim and Jan from the Royal Kids Camp organization. The need to provide a place for kids to experience good lasting memories for their childhood keeps the volunteers and participants coming back year after year. President Jack presented Jim and Jan a check for $1,500 for continued support in changing the lives for our youth.
John Heath has recently retired from Batavia High School after 22 years as Director of Bands. John Heath has helped shape the lives of our Batavia youth for many years. Through the years his guidance in group dynamics and orchestration has put smiles on many faces young and old and continues on in our community.
Mr. Heath has received numerous honors including: 2014 Illinois Music Education Association Distinguished Service Award, 2009 “Mr. Holland’s Opus” Award sponsored by the Bob Rogers Travel Company, 2004 Kane County, Illinois Regional Superintendents Award for Teaching Excellence, Illinois State Board of Education “Those Who Excel” Teaching Award, Candidate Illinois Teacher of the Year, eight time recipient of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, 1998 Chicagoland Outstanding Music Educator Award sponsored by the Quinlan and Fabish Music Company, and recognition in Who’s Who in America. And much more.
In a leadership capacity, Mr. Heath is a Past President of the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA), and currently serves on the Board of the Fox Valley Orchestra. He has also served on the University of Illinois School of Music National Advisory Board.
April 1st Presentation - John Heath, Music Educator, Retired Batavia High School Band Director after 22 years
Rotarians attended the District Conference and experience first hand great fellowship, service and networking. Attendance to this event helps as we move forward as Rotarians and make the decisions we do to help make this world a wonderful place. Many thanks to Jack Jangelis for Co-Chairing the event. Jack rounded up a group us to help with the Seargent at Arms duties. Those in attendance were: Jack Jangelis, Jack Barshinger, Tom Van Cleave, Tom Von Lunen, Bob Hubbard, George Sheetz, Dave Pedersen, Tim Wulff.
Batavia Rotarians attend District Conference 2014 - April 11 - 13
I am pleased to report that the Rotary Club of Batavia team (Dan Hoefler, Avery Scheetz, George H. Scheetz) finished in a two-way tie for 7th place with 39 points (out of 50). A total of 31 teams participated in this year’s Trivia Bee.
Avery, as the team’s alternate member, filled in for Dick Larson, who arrived just after the Trivia Bee started. By the rules of the Trivia Bee, he could not trade places without Avery without disqualifying the team. Nonetheless, Dick stayed for the whole event and seemed to enjoy himself—and even won a desk set in the silent auction.
The tie, ironically, was with the Rotary Club of Geneva.
The overall winner was the Duukes and Duuchesses (Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva). Note the pair of U’s in each word; the team called itself the ooh-oohs.
There were a total of four Rotary clubs in this year’s Trivia Bee, listed here in order of finish:—
7 (tie) (39 points)—Rotary Club of Batavia (no team name)
7 (tie) (39 points)—Rotary Club of Geneva (no team name)
13 (tie) (31 points)—Rotary Club of St. Charles (no team name)
13 (tie) (31 points)—Rotary Club of St. Charles Breakfast (Counts and Countess)
Lori Hewitt presented the facts to the Batavia Rotary Club March 25th. CASA Kane County recruits, trains and supervises community volunteers who serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) for children in court due to abuse, neglect or private guardianship.
Holly Deitchman, President Elect Nominee: Holly came back from PETs with great ideas about making our meetings and the Batavia Rotary Club more fun. Participation and having fun yet still getting our business done is a high priority.
David Pedersen, President Elect: Also attended PETs. At our first meeting after PETs Dave presented President Jack Barshinger and Holly Rotary pins representing our Rotary theme for 2014-15 "Light Up Rotary". Let us not forget that "We are a membership organization that does great service". Service is what we do best and it takes a team of Rotarians to make a difference. We always need to be addressing our membership by keeping engaged and constantly growing our relationships and emotional connections to Rotary. Let's continue to Engage Roatary, Change lives and Light Up our Community through Rotary.
Frank Blazek (Past Skokie Rotarian and often visiting Rotarian to our Batavia Club) presented Batavia RSVP, Inc. (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) an organization established to help the senior citizens in our community. Batavia Rotary Club President Dr. Jack Barshinger presented Frank with a check in the amount of $1,000 to go towards helping seniors to live independently in their homes as long as possible and to maintain as high a quality of life as long as possible.
RSVP providers service for: Medication Assistance Program, Meal Delivery, Transportation, Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors, Lock Boxes.
Jay Curtis of the Fox Valley Christian Center provided a brief overview of the programs offered through his organization. He accepted our check for $1,50 and thanked the Batavia Rotary for sponsoring three scholarships for underprivileged youths to attend a 5-day Residential Camp Program (M-F). In Kane county, there are more than 60,000 people living below the federal poverty level. This camp affords children and teens of all socioeconomic backgrounds the opportunity to develop critical leadership skills in a secure and supportive environment.
Fox Valley Christian Center Receives $1,050 for Scholarships
Stacey Peterson, Adult Services Manager at the Batavia Library provided a presentation on Genealogy and Family History. The most important message – “Talk to your family!”. After that, “Be prepared to ruin some shoes walking around through cemeteries”. Stacey shared wonderful photos that she was able to collect from family members. She also included a photo of the shoes she ruined while trudging through cemeteries!
The Batavia Library has several resources to assist you in your own search – including a subscription to Ancestry.com. That particular resource is only available to card holders located within the walls of the library. If you prefer to start your search from home, you can have access to HeritageQuest remotely with you BLP card.
Stacey Peterson, Adult Services Manager at the Batavia Library provided a presentation on Genealogy and Family History
Ri President-elect Gary C.K. Huang chose Light Up Rotary as his theme for 2014-15, Huang was inspired by the teachings of Chinese philosopher Confucious who said: "It is better to light a single candle, than to sit and curse the darkness."
"There are so many problems in the world, so many people who need help. Many people say, 'There's nothing I can do.' So they sit there doing nothing. Meanwhile everything stays dark," Huang told the 537 district governors and their spouses and partners who are attending the 2014 International Assembly in San Diego, CA.
"The Rotary way is the Confucious way. the Rotary way is the light a candle. I light one, you light one. 1.2 million Rotarians light one. together, we light up the world," said Huang, who is a member of the Rotary Club of Taipei in Taiwan.
After announcing his theme at the opening session of the five-day training meeting, Huang urged club members to Light Up rotary in the coming year by hosting a Rotary Day in their community and including local Rotaract and Interact members in their service projects
"How you Light Up Rotary is up to you," Huang said. "You know where you are strong, you know what your community needs, and you you know how you can help."
Coach Lou of Batavia Aurora North Aurora (BANA) football came to thank us for our $1000 contribution, one of many our club was able to give recently after our successful Corvette raffle. Our previous $1000 contribution provided two full and 5 partial BANA scholarships. Like president Dave Pedersen said, "That's what we do here - we change lives."
Batavia Aurora North Aurora (BANA) thanks the Rotary Club for its contribution.
Dennis Piron, Jr., coach of the Batavia football team, presented to us the many and varied aspects of the football program at BHS. It's a lot more than just winning state this year.
The Batavia Rotary Club would like to report that we delivered about 60 gifts and meals to the seniors and frail members of the community through senior services. No accidents (of note) from the delivery teams: Dick Larson, Dave & Karen Pedersen, Tom VanCleave, Deb Reiter, Rich and George Munson, Bob Hubbard. Remember that if you know any locals (that fit into this category) that are would Like Christmas Cheer this time of the year next year, let us know, we'd like to serve them. Thanks to the gift buyers: Lauren Egan,Tim Wulff, Holly Deitchman, Tom VonLunen, Dan Hoeffler, Rick Pumo, Dave Pedersen, Tom Lalonde, Dick Larson, Tom VanCleave, Christine Voight, Rich Munson.
Rich's son, George, enters addresses into his GPS getting ready to make deliveries.
Batavia Rotary Club presents a check for $2,500.00 to the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry. The funds go towards the purchase of food to stock the shelves during the Holiday Season. The food is purchased from the Illinois food Bank. Pictured from left to right: Bruce Hartmen, Treasurer; Rich Munson, Community Service Chair; Linda Dahms, Batavia Food Pantry, Leo Heska, Rotarian; Jack Barshinger, President; , Not in picture David Pedersen, Pres. Elect.
Batavia Rotary Club presents a check for $2,500.00 to the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry.
Tim Donowski shared with the club an organization that he loves to be a part of, and it was clear that his message resonated with many of the Rotarians in attendance.
Tue, Nov 12: Tri-City Rotary Meeting, Riverside Receptions in Geneva
Caroline Olinger talks about life in the armed forces
Braving the painfully frosty November morning, the Rotary clubs of Geneva, Saint Charles, and Batavia huddled in the beautiful Riverside Receptions venue on the banks of the Fox River.
The District Governor Nominee spoke to our club about the importance of attracting younger members, because the next generation does want to get involved.
The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley is a collection of individual funds and resources given by local citizens to enhance and support the quality of life in the Fox River Valley Illinois.
Before going into detail about her role at Waubonsee Community College, Dora Phillips, had to recognize the clubs esteemed member, Dan Hoefler for his work at the college.
After showing his support for Rotary and Rotarians, Congressman Randy Hultgren gave the club a brief overview of his background. Hultgren grew up in the happenin’ burb of Wheaton, where his family owned a funeral home right downtown.
Chris Neitzel - Beyond Bartman, Curses & Goats: 104 Reasons It’s Been 104 Years
Chris Neitzel is a full-time teacher at Oswego High School and clearly a baseball buff. His book Beyond Bartman, Curses & Goats: 104 Reasons why it’s been 104 Years, is fun and interesting catalog on how the Cubs franchise has been a consistent manufacturer of woe.
State Senator Jim Oberweis gave the club a first hand insight on the innerworkings of Springfield. When he first got downstate, there were a number of things that surprised him. First of all, he was amazed
Tucked away in a little hamlet a ways north of Saint Charlesoff of Route 25, the Riverwoods Christian Center feels isolated in a world of its own. It is a sprawling, yet welcoming, 85-acre campus nestled on the Fox River, and it is simply an awe inspiring display of nature.
As Rotary International calls its year to a close, the Batavia Rotary Club celebrated by honoring its members and inducting some new ones too. The board members and a few lucky Rotarians received a savvy new Rotary Hat, and a few other members received some high honors.
Saturday’s banquet brought together scores of Rotarians past and present, spouses, special guests, and Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke. The atmosphere was warm and fun as the guests enjoyed good food, cocktails, live music, and partaking in a few songs as well.
We had a great time marching in the 2013 Batavia Loyalty Day Parade. It has been many years since we participated and hope to make something we do every year. It's a great way to show support for our community.
Batavia Rotary Marches in 2013 Batavia Loyalty Day Parade
The Batavia Rotary Club sponsored a program with the BPS Reading Teachers Foundation at the Batavia apartments. Batavia Rotary provided books for 20 families and the Teachers Foundation provided the horsepower. The teachers provided insight on how to engage a reading program at home for their children. Thank you Christine Scheffert, Elaine Modene and Crystal Anderson.
Batavia Rotary teams up with the BPS Teachers Foundation
Robust and cheerful was the atmosphere of the morning as the four Rotary Clubs of the Tri-Cities converged upon the beautiful upstairs of the newly renovated Riverside Receptions. Spring had finally
Holly Alcala of the Anderson animal shelter told us of the shelter's long (founded in the 1960s) history of service to our "4-legged friends" (cats and dogs). The center's annual budget is $1million, employing 10 full-time and 10 part-time staff, and benefiting from 850 volunteers who collectively offer 20,000 hours of service annually. The center serves the Fox Valley and also portions of Kane, DuPage, and Cook counties.
Linda Sonner, Volunteer Coordinator for the Batavia Community Garden, spoke about their wonderful initiative. The garden, located at Main and Water, raises food for the Batavia Food Pantry and local soup kitchens.
Britta McKenna gave an enthusiastic preview of what’s to come for beautiful downtown Batavia. In the first week of June, the Batavia Parks Foundation will begin the renovation of the Riverwalk boardwalk.
Club Member and Batavia Fire Chief Randy Deicke presented the latest in lifesaving; AEDs, CPR,
and the Heimlich maneuver. These techniques work and save lives. Training's available at the fire stations on
Wednesday nights and you don't have to be 18 years old. Contact Randy or the Fire Department.
Batavia Rotary Club presents a donation of $1,000 to BANA.
Batavia Rotary Club President, Bryan Barus (left) presents Lou Auriemma, coach and head of Batavia, Aurora, North Aurora youth football, (right) with a donation of $1,000.
Batavia Rotary Club presents a donation of $1,000 to BANA.
LOU AURIEMMA, coach and head of Batavia, Aurora, North Aurora youth football, spoke on the work of their group. They have over 60 players on four teams with a combined record last year of 34-2. Two teams went undefeated and two won their league championship. Their first concern is for physical safety while playing football; the second is to enable any kid who wants to to play football.
Jack Barshinger, President-Elect, Bryan Barus, President,
and Ron O’Connor, Community Service Chair, present a $3032.11 check to
Linda Dahms of the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry.
Just a reminder that we will be at the food pantry this Monday morning at 7:40
Also, please continue to think of any ways we can help our community. People need our help, and it is imperative that we improve the lives of others.
Batavia Food Pantry food stocking this Monday Dec. 3rd.
On Tuesday, November 20th, 2012 Bryan Barus, President of the Rotary Club of Batavia; Ed Ritter, Mayor of Carpentersville & honorary member of Rotary Club of Carpentersville, along with Brian Borkowicz, President of the Rotary Club of Elgin, presented a check for $4250.00 to CASA Kane County.
Gifts will be collected at our Annual Christmas Party Dec 11th. Members will also be needed to help deliver gifts and holiday meals to participating seniors on Dec. 15th, 9:30 a.m. meeting at Aurora Senior Services, 900 N. Lake St.
For those who did not have a chance to attend the District Conference, here is a short video summarizing everything that happened. It was prepared by Rotarian of the Year Rich Lalley with a poem by RI President Representative, PDG Don Alhart from District 7120. Enjoy!
Make plans now to attend the District Conference at the fabulous Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee. This is a great opportunity to make new Rotary friends and share the Rotary experience with your family and fellow members of your club.
We have great speakers and entertainment scheduled, as well as organized networking time with Rotarians and Youth Exchange students. We'll also organize sight seeing trips for Saturday afternoon. Click here for the conference program.
Make plans now to attend the District Conference at the fabulous Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee.
Tue, Feb 21 – Interact Club Charter Meeting – Batavia High School, 7-9 p.m. – Soda and snacks will be served; use the south entrance. Our regular morning club meeting will be canceled.
Tue, Feb 28 – Tri-Cities Rotary at Hotel Baker, St. Charles – 7 a.m.
NEWS FLASH!! – Rotarians met the
$200 million End Pollio Now challenge grant six months early, and in
recognition the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donated another $50
million to the cause.
Rotary Board member Dave Pedersen, Treasure Molly Schrader,
and Club President Tim Wulff presented Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry director
Linda Dahms-Firth with a check for $3,391.00.
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Eric Bartell and Sheriff's Sgt. Craig Campbell presented a program on "Distracted Driving," which accounts for a large number of traffic accidents. Adults 30-40 represent the largest group of distracted drivers. The number of teens texting while driving is increasing at an alarming rate."
George Scheetz, Jack Jangeles and Dick Larson presented Darlene Marcusson with the Batavia Rotary Club’s first annual Vocational Service Award in recognition of her contribution to the welfare of the community over the years of her work at Lazarus House. The Rotary Club of Batavia established a new Vocational Service Award to recognize the importance of high ethical standards and public values to honor an individual who exemplifies such traits. Vocational Service is the banner by which Rotarians “recognize the worthiness of all useful occupations” and demonstrate a commitment to “high ethical standards in all businesses and professions.”
Dick Larson announced that $1000 has been donated in Darlene Marcusson’s name to the Paul Harris Foundation, and that she has been designated a Paul Harris Fellow.
First Annual Vocational Service Award to Darlene Marcusson
We've just completed our semi-annual grant awards and are happy to announce that we awarded $28,890 to various organizations. Our philanthropy supports local, domestic, and international causes that are support Rotary's Seven Areas of Focus. The causes must also be in sync with our local club's guidelines of helping children, disaster relief, education, community service, health care, and community goodwill. Here are the organizations receiving support in this session. Aunty Mary's Storybook, Batavia Depot Museum, Batavia Fireworks Fund, Bikes for Batavia, Chip In Batavia, Fox Valley Patriotic Organization, Fox Valley Special Recreation Foundation, Hearten Haiti Project, Humanitarian Service Project, King's Organization, Lazarus House, Mid-Valley Special Recreation Special Olympics, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Rebuilding Together Aurora, StoveTeam, and YMCA Youth and Government. Our next grant review is in August. Your support of our annual Corvette Raffle helps us support these wonderful organizations. Thank you for your continued support.
. Club members and Batavia High School Interacters (high school Rotarians) worked together processing cans of corn. What a great night working to support local families in need. 
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Four Batavia Rotarians lead and sponsored teams that walked the 2 1/2 miles this past Saturday morning in support of Living Well Cancer Resource Center. The Interact Club of Batavia High School was lead by Erin Janca. Jack Barshinger led his team from Batavia Public Schools, Tim Wulff led a group of Rotarians joining with the Interact Club, and Bob Hubbard led a group of his supporters. Over 2,000 walkers turned out for the Countywide annual event, and over $220,000 was raised thru sponsors and walkers.
Stacey Peterson, Adult Services Manager at the Batavia Library provided a presentation on Genealogy and Family History. The most important message – “Talk to your family!”. After that, “Be prepared to ruin some shoes walking around through cemeteries”. Stacey shared wonderful photos that she was able to collect from family members. She also included a photo of the shoes she ruined while trudging through cemeteries!
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