The Aug. 26 meeting of Jacksonville Noon Rotary Club was called to order by Cathy Jo Littleton-Wahl, past president.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and one verse of “America” was sung. Zuzana Killam gave the Reflection. 

Volunteers were thanked, including Jan Ryan, Kathryn Grady, Steve Holt, Alberta Robinson, Zuzana Killam, David Fisher, Sandy Sanders, Ryan Byers, Lori Hartz and Daniel Lepper. 

Visitors were Hanna Mae Watret and exchange student Anna. A song of welcome was sung. August birthdays and club anniversaries were announced. 

Other announcements included details about the Neighborhood Improvement Project, Rotary Green’s next tree planting, the concession stand at Jacksonville High School football games, the Youth Exchange overnight, committee and board meetings, Rotary Leadership Institute, Oktoberfest and Anna’s birthday. 

The nominating committee is looking for leaders for the coming year.

Sunday’s scheduled Ferris wheel time has been canceled because of maintenance.

The Oktoberfest Committee is looking for dogs for the parade and wiener dogs for the races. Members were urged to sign up for volunteer shifts and to sell tickets.

The fundraiser for End Polio Now is ongoing. Members can contact Suzanne Ellerbrock to participate.

An informative program on colorectal cancer was given by Megan Strohm, nurse practitioner for Southern Illinois University, who was accompanied by Jacksonville Memorial Hospital infusion nurse Jennifer. Colorectal cancer screening kits were distributed. 

Members present in person included: Byers, Clarke, Fanning, Fisher, Grady, Hardin, Hartz, Holt, Killam, K and P Lape, Lepper, Littleton-Wahl, Luber, McLin, McQuillan, Robinson, Ryan, Sanders, Seufert, C and L Sheaff and Wainscott.

Members present remotely included: Baker, Grojean, Haxhinasto, J. Henry, Jackson, Ketcham, Spradlin, Stambough, and T and S Warmowksi.

Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl unsuccessfully drew for Bob McLin for the 50-50.

The meeting was adjourned at 1 p.m. 

On a beautiful, cool summer morning washed clean by blustery thunderstorms the night before, the entire Sunrise Rotary Club, two visiting Rotarians and one guest speaker gathered in the Holiday Inn Express meeting room. Never knowing what to expect, this Tuesday we found the meeting room was being used as a storage area, with stacks of new air-conditioning units taking up one wall while our tables were scooted together in a much smaller, solid rectangle, meaning late arrivals pulled a chair by the windows. Rest assured, we still were well under the occupancy limit set by the fire marshal.

Those in attendance were President Linda Meece, Sarah Robinson, Ella Scaggs, Don Pigg, Sonie Smith, Sarah Edmiston, Brittany Nickel, Gordon Jumper, Jay Jamison, Jane Becker, Cindy Boehlke, Lori Large Oldenettel, Past District Gov. Ryan Byers, and guest speaker Jake Magnuson. Chatting and joking subsided when President Linda gently rang the Aug. 30 meeting to order at 6:59 a.m., followed by Sarah Robinson and Sarah Edmiston leading the Pledge of Allegiance, Jane led the recitation of the Four-Way Test and Pat giving the invocation.

Rotations, Recognitions and the treasurer’s report were tabled until the next meeting. Cindy passed around a sign-up sheet for Chautauqua volunteers. Sonie passed around the new, unbreakable Polio Jar. Lori took the podium. She reminded those present that Joint Service Club Week is Sept. 11-18. She offered an opportunity to make a donation to the food pantries in Jacksonville with the other service clubs in town. We learned how much was pledged so far and were encouraged to donate as well. We learned about to whom to make a check out, and why cash is preferred to food donations at this time.

Jane announced that we have a monthly pack-the-house set with Los Rancheros on the second Wednesday of the month. Our first will be on Sept. 14. The generous restaurant will donate a portion of every meal purchase (except liquor) that day. Linda reminded Rotarians that there will be a volunteer opportunity at Oktoberfest on Sept. 17.

Ryan took the podium. The whiskey fundraiser was brought up and President Linda was encouraged to sell six bottles — if Ryan provides them. Ryan presented a Rotary Citation to the club. He gave a few appropriate remarks about how a club gets a citation and how we were one of only 11 of the 48 clubs in the district to receive one. Don took pictures of Ryan presenting the framed document to Past President Jane. because she was the president who put in the time with the Rotary International website to make this possible. It is a great honor.

Jake took the podium. Jake is the new director at Jacksonville Public Library. We learned about his impressive employment history at MacMurray College's library and the Illinois State Library. We learned about his first few weeks on the job at Jacksonville Public Library — he will need to add bat wrangler to his resume — and his plans for the future at the library. Then, Jake answered questions and listened to suggestions on bat catching.

Finally, Sarah Edmiston reminded everyone that her dad has honey for sale. Don reminded members about next week’s speaker from Pathway Services. Finally, President Linda rang the meeting to a close at 7:36 a.m. The next meeting will be at the Holiday Inn Express meeting room at 7 a.m. Sept. 6. All visiting Rotarians and guests are welcome.

Angela Bauer has been a copy editor and lifestyles editor for the Jacksonville Journal-Courier since July 2012. The Evansville, Indiana, native grew up in Paducah, Kentucky, and interned with the Paducah Sun, as well as being a reporter, lifestyles editor and copy editor for papers in Kentucky and Florida. She spends her (limited) free time baking, quilting and reading; and enjoys the AP Stylebook more than (she's told) one should. She's always on the lookout for a quality mug of hot chocolate.