April, 2006 My Fellow Rotarians - Rotary's Global History Fellowship

District 6440 Histories 2005
fall of ‘92. Join in Highland Park Fourth of July parade. Purchased basketball equipment for Pueblo
Indian children in New Mexico.
1992 - Joint project with Deerfield Club to charter a bus and go to the flood victims in Iowa to package
foods. Contributed to Family Network, a local support group. With matching grant from R.I., purchased
bus for Working Boys Center, Quito, Ecuador. Silent and Live Auction again brings success as
fundraiser.
1993 - Utilized donated merchandise to open re-sale shop project as fundraiser. Donated clothing from a
Winter Coat Collection Drive to SEA in Waukegan.
1994 - Held a Comedy Night fundraiser. Member-volunteers painted interior of Independence Center
(organization helping mentally ill and developmentally disabled) in Waukegan. Held first Bingo Night
as fundraiser. Co-sponsored an immunization clinic program with Highland Park Noon Club in
conjunction with Lake County Health Department.
1995 - Held a second Comedy Night fundraiser. Member-volunteers painted interior of Tri-Con Day
Care Center, which provides day care on a sliding fee scale. Constructed float for Highland Park July
4th parade.
2004-05 – We supplied a July 4 th float in our town parade, and it was a boat pulled by a Hummer with
the banner: HIGHLAND PARK GOOD MORNING ROTARY “COME ABOARD,” followed by a
Fellowship barbecue. Our annual hosting of a Thanksgiving luncheon for our seniors in our Community
culminated with awards for community service to local philanthropic institutions. Our monthly food
baskets for the needy and our holiday gift giving of new shoes and clothing to children within the
community day care programs were well received. We hosted The Korean Exchange Team with a trip to
Botanical Gardens, lunch, and a tour of UL.
Our District Simplified Grant was designated for PADS, a local homeless shelter, to provide them with
needed goods. We donated to the Tsunami effort through Rotary. We participated in several joint
projects: providing equipment for a handicap accessible park, pediatric heart surgery in Quito, Ecuador,
and building an air strip in Africa to bring in medical supplies and help. Our club initiated a Centennial
Fellowship Outreach event at Ravinia Music Festival with seven surrounding Rotary clubs participating
jointly in the project to help “Celebrate Rotary” with convention visitors. Our club provided
scholarships to several college bound students this year. Our fundraiser this spring at the elegant Forge
Club is a silent art auction as well as a wine tasting with wonderful entertainment and food. Our guest
speakers from service organizations also received a stipend for their charities. We have learned of many
new ways this year to help others. We have been much more visible and successful at public relations
this year getting news releases in the local paper about up-coming events and community participation.
We are currently at 19 members. Our greatest challenge as a small club is retaining members.
2005-2006 – (Deloris Axelrod, President)
HIGHLAND PARK GOOD MORNING ROTARY CLUB, BACK FROM THE BRINK
We were verging on collapse at the end of last year. We had designated money that had not reached the
approved recipients. We had shrunk to about six reliable members. I volunteered to take the presidency
again simply because I could give time that others could not.
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