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16 | March 15, 2018 | The highland park landmark News hplandmark.com Highland Park civic leader remembered for service Neil Milbert Freelance Reporter Dream… Believe… Achieve… Those words are printed on a banner that hangs in the auditorium Blane at Highland Park High School. That made it an appropriate place to celebrate the life of Jack Blane. As a boy, Blane dreamed of serving others; as an adult, he believed he could make a difference; and during his 94 years, he achieved much in his quest to make the world a better place for his fellow human beings. “There’s an old Jewish saying: ‘He who saves a life saves a world,’” Rabbi Allen Secher said, who came from Whitefish, Montana to officiate at the celebration honoring the memory of the Highland Park civic leader who died Feb. 19. “How many worlds did Jack save? It’s not that Jack did that; Jack accomplished that,” he said. The rabbi was referring to Blane’s service as International Executive Coordinator of the Rotary International Campaign to Eradicate Polio World- Wide from 1986 to ’88. During that time he traveled to 30 countries to help educate and organize their national committees and raise funds. Through his efforts and those of 44 national fund-raising committees they raised $270 million, far exceeding their goal of $120 million. Polio has gone from being in 125 countries in 1985 to only three today. When the disease is eradicated 10 million cases of the disease and will have been prevented and more than 1 million deaths will have been averted. At an April 19, 2007, dinner Blane was seated beside Bill Gates, Sr., father of the Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, at a Rotary International dinner, and the billionaire philanthropist became intrigued because of his commitment to the cause. Bill Gates, Sr. is the cochairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and since the foundation and Rotary International began working together in 2007 the two organizations have raised an estimated $1.5 billion for polio eradication efforts. “There’s no doubt in my mind that Jack converted Bill Gates, Sr. from being a bystander to being in,” said David Waring of Barrington, a Rotary International past district governor, when he spoke during the celebration of Blane’s life. “And the Gates Foundation has been in it for more than a billion (dollars).” Speaking at a 2017 Rotary convention in Atlanta, Gates Sr. said “Rotary laid the foundation (for the drive to eradicate polio) with its unwavering sense of purpose and its belief anything is possible if you put your mind to it.” Blane put his “mind to it” because of an experience at a Boy Scout summer camp in 1937. During a polio epidemic at the camp, two boys died, six were paralyzed and the remaining boys who numbered more than 1,000 were sent home and quarantined. “I was blessed not to have been affected and I vowed, some day, I would prevent this from happening to others,” Blane would say later. “Rotary gave me that chance.” Blane was born on May 20, 1923 on the South Side of Chicago and attended Hyde Park High School. He became involved with the Boy Scouts in 1935 at the age of 12 and he went on to earn many honors for his service as a Scout and his work as a staff member at the Scouting general headquarters from 1939-42. After high school he enrolled at the University of Michigan but then interrupted his education to enter the Marine Corps in 1942. During World War II he served for five years as a commissioned officer, working as the chief engineer at a factory manufacturing supplies for the Armed Forces and after the war he remained in the Marine Corps Reserves until 1950. When the war ended he resumed his studies at Michigan, earning a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in engineering, specializing in Industrial management. He then went to work as a trainee for Ekco Products Co., a housewares manufacturing company in Chicago. Rising through the ranks, he eventually became the company’s president. In 1985 Blane retired after 37 years of service and dedicated the remainder of his life to public service. He served as president and director of the Highland Park Public Library from 1984-90, as a city councilman from 1991-99 and as city treasure from 2001-203. He founded the Highland Park Community Foundation in 1992 and served as its chairman from 1995-2009. Blane’s involvement with Rotary International began in 1962. He was club president in 1975-76 and again in 2016-17. At age 93 he took great pride in being the oldest president in the organization’s history. The consummate dedication that Blane manifested in his working life and in his civic endeavors carried over to his family life. He and his wife, Joan, were married for 61 years when she died in 2007. They had three children: Barbara Toney, the late Nancy Guerra and John Blane. Barbara and John spoke at the celebration of his life as did his granddaughter, Sarah Pauley. “My grandfather was a shining example of humanity,” Sarah said. “One of his goals in life was to go out and do good.” John said: “My father had a once in a lifetime chance to change the world and he did it every day.” Barbara told the audience: “He truly embodied the Rotary model ‘Service above self.’ He had discipline and tenacity of purpose. He was always about the team.” “My father was an amazing man who embraced change,” she reflected. “He was never afraid to admit that past practice wasn’t always the best practice. When I was growing up Dad was adamant that women didn’t belong in Rotary. Fast forward to today—Dad wholeheartedly believed in the importance of women in Rotary.” Advertise in our Legal Services Directory For More Information or to place a listing Call 708-326-9170 | www.22ndcenturymedia.com ,LLC ®
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