We had an amazing October, highlighted by our activities and accomplishments leading up to World Polio Day. Through the efforts of Bob Stuart and a colleague, in September, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued a proclamation (image below) making October 24, 2026 World Polio Day in Illinois. We provide a readable copy of the proclamation in this Newsletter.
On October 6, we kicked off Pints for Polio (image to left), our three week fundraiser for PolioPlus at the Springfield Beer Company. From October 6-24, the Springfield Beer Company graciously contributed $1 from every pint of their Golden 95 Lager to the PolioPlus Fund for the worldwide eradication of polio. This event drew a great crowd of Rotarians from the Springfield Clubs and their friends. The stories in this Newsletter provide more information on the Proclamation and this event.
On October 12, we did not meet in recognition of Indigenous People's Day.
On October 19, we continued with our focus on Polio. Paul Morse (lead image) made an inspirational presentation on his journey as as a polio-survivor, the long-term effects of the disease, and his achievement of a successful career despite the lack of accommodations. He also reminded us that Polio has not yet been eradicated.
On October 26, we had a productive club assembly and a lot of fun as clearly indicated by the laughter and smiles in the image below.
The articles in this Newsletter explore all these topics in greater depth.
Upcoming Opportunities
The November Rotary News Flyer (below) and the Upcoming Events Section in this Newsletter present the November line-up for our Club meetings and speakers.
I hope all of you are selling oranges and grapefruit for the annual John Montgomery Memorial Citrus Drive (image below). You will need to turn in your sales to Bill Smith at our November 9 club meeting.
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I encourage all of you to attend the Fall District Conference on November 14 at the University of Illinois Springfield Student Center. The District Conference runs from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., is free of charge, and includes lunch and dynamic speakers covering a wide range of Rotary topics.
There will be a Foundation Dinner from 5:00-7:00 p.m. following the District Conference. Our own Bob Stuart is the featured speaker. There is a $75 charge to participate in this event. Registration is available on the District 6460 Web Site.
I hope you enjoy learning more about all of these topics in this Newsletter.
November will be another busy month! There are several sign-up link opportunities I wanted to share with you now to provide you with additional time to register for some or all of the offerings.
To reserve your meal at Maldaners, I am trying a different format this year instead of the Air Table. For each meal, I will send out a separate link for you to use to sign-up. While I know the chef is wonderful to make additional food in case some people forget to sign up, I would like to try has hard as possible for everyone to sign up if they plan to attend a meeting. When I talked to them for the upcoming year, I was told they truly prefer a six day advance notice to make sure adequate accommodations are provided to us.
You can also sign up to stock the Micropantry at Ridgely School:
The Micropanty schedule has been updated with two week volunteer slots. There are openings through the end of the year. If you or a partner would consider signing up for a two week slot to keep the pantry stocked, you would be doing those families a huge service.
Thank you to Governor Pritzker and the State of Illinois for recognizing October 24, 2026 as World Polio Day in Illinois. Special thanks to club member Bob Stuart (image above with Ashley Dillingham at our Pints for Polio Fundraiser) for working to get this year's proclamation. Our club is honored to be part of this proclamation and involved in the work to eradicate Polio from the planet so it will never be a harm to children and adults in the future. Additional images of the proclamation are shown in the Lead Image and the President's Comments for this Newsletter.
Please take a few minute to read the Governor's proclamation:
STATE OF ILLINOIS
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
Proclamation
WHEREAS, Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who unite and take action to create lasting change in communities across the globe; and,
WHEREAS, the Rotary motto, Service Above Self, inspires members to provide humanitarian service, follow high ethical standards, and promote goodwill and peace in the world; and,
WHEREAS, polio is a highly infectious, vaccine-preventable disease that once caused widespread paralysis and death, particularly among children, and continues to pose a risk in areas where immunization rates have fallen or access to healthcare is limited; and,
WHEREAS, Rotary International has been a driving force in the fight against polio for more than three decades, leading efforts to vaccinate billions of children, strengthen community health systems, and support global surveillance and rapid response initiatives; and,
WHEREAS, in 1985, Rotary launched PolioPlus and helped establish the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, which today includes the World Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to immunize the children of the world against polio; and,
WHEREAS, to date, Rotary has contributed more than $2.9 billion and countless volunteer hours to protecting more than 3 billion children in 122 countries and is working to raise an additional $50 million per year, which would be leveraged by an additional $100 million annually from the Gates Foundation, and these efforts are providing much-needed operational support, medical staff, laboratory equipment, and educational materials for health workers and parents; and,
WHEREAS, polio cases have dropped by 99.9 percent since 1988, and the world stands on the threshold of eradicating the disease - continued vigilance, advocacy, and collaboration remain essential to achieving a polio-free world and ensuring that future generations are protected from this preventable disease; and,
WHEREAS, the Rotary Club of Springfield, Illinois has continued to support the eradication of polio by completing a Rotary Global Grant project in Dhakalthok, Nepal, to create a gravity-flow water system that brought sustainable, clean water access to a local village, and by donating to the Rotary International PolioPlus Fund; and,
WHEREAS, the Rotary Clubs of Chicago Southeast and Springfield join Rotary International and partners around the world in recognizing World Polio Day on October 24, a day dedicated to raising awareness and strengthening the global commitment to ending polio; and,
WHEREAS, World Polio Day is an opportunity to honor the dedication of local and global partners, health workers, and volunteers who work tirelessly to eliminate polio and improve the well-being of communities everywhere;
THEREFORE, I, JB Pritzker, Governor of the State of Illinois, do hereby recognize October 24, 2026, as World Polio Day in Illinois, and encourage all members and community partners to join in raising awareness, supporting immunization efforts, and reaffirming our shared commitment to ending polio worldwide.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Illinois to be affixed.
Done at the Capitol in the City of Springfield, this TWENTY-EIGHTH day of SEPTEMBER, in the Year of Our Lord, two thousand and TWENTY-SIX, and of the State of Illinois, the TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTH.
On October 6th, the Rotary Club of Springfield, Illinois and Springfield Beer Company kicked off our October Pints for Polio fundraiser in celebration of World Polio Day on October 24th at the Springfield Beer Company’s Taproom on Wabash Avenue. We offer Special thanks to President-Elect Ashley Dillingham (image below) for taking the lead in organizing this fundraiser.
More than 45 people joined us for a fun evening, including our club members and their guests, and members from other Springfield clubs, including Presidents, and our Assistant Governor (first image below). The evening featured sensational brisket prepared and donated by new member Paul Rice (second image below), and veggie trays and treats provided by Ashley Dillingham, a 50/50 drawing, fellowship, and a great cause. We were also honored to recognize Governor Pritzker’s proclamation declaring October 24, 2026, World Polio Day in Illinois.
It was a glorious evening of good will, good food, and all for a good cause as indicated in the images below.
A special thank-you to Ryan and Rebecca Kunken and Springfield Beer Company for donating $1 from every pint of Golden 95 Lager sold through October 24th to help Rotary eradicate polio.
Thanks to the generosity of those attending, our donations and 50/50 proceeds (image to left) raised nearly $350! And because the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation matches every $1 raised or donated through Rotary with $2, that $350 becomes $1,050 toward the fight to end polio. This total does not include our partners at Springfield Beer Company's contribution of $1.00 per pint of Golden 95 Lager purchased at the kick-off event through October 24, which will also be matched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Those who missed the kickoff, were still able to make a difference!
Thank you to everyone who joined us, supported the fundraiser and continues to help Rotary work toward a polio-free-world!
On October 19, our Club was honored to welcome polio survivor Saul Morse, who shared his personal story about living with polio and helped us better understand the ongoing challenges polio presents to those affected by the disease and why Rotary’s mission to eradicate polio remains so important.
Saul contracted polio at just 21 months old and today lives with post-polio syndrome, using a wheelchair for mobility. Despite significant physical and societal barriers, he built an extraordinary career as a federal transportation regulatory trial attorney, chief counsel to an Illinois Senate Minority Leader, managing partner of a private law firm, and adjunct assistant professor at SIU School of Medicine and the University of Illinois Springfield.
Saul also brought attention to a significant challenge facing polio survivors: the limited availability of medical professionals with specialized expertise in treating post-polio syndrome. Decades after the initial infection, survivors can experience progressive muscle weakness, mobility difficulties, and breathing or swallowing problems, yet finding knowledgeable medical care can be difficult.
Saul’s story reminds us that polio’s story can last a lifetime. While Rotary works to protect future generations through global eradication efforts, we must also recognize the needs of survivors today and the importance of medical support, accessibility, and inclusion.
Thank you, Saul, for sharing your experiences, your accomplishments, and your perspective with our Club. Your story gave us a deeper appreciation for the lasting effects of polio and renewed our commitment to a world free of this devastating disease.
Club assemblies are meetings where we convene to discuss important issues for our club. We covered multiple topics at this meeting. Harry started us out with membership issues (image above). He reviewed a list of prospective members and announced that we are planning to have an open house for prospective members (likely in March) and that we already have a District Grant to help support the open house. He reviewed his new initiative to have two club members serve as greeters at each meeting to welcome everyone, especially new members, speakers, and visitors who may not have been to our meetings in the past. Because we meet upstairs at Maldaner's Restaurant, it can be confusing when visitors and others enter the front door on the first floor and see that the restaurant is closed on Mondays. One of the greeters will be positioned at this entrance to welcome them and direct them to the second floor. The other greeter will great individuals on the second floor and direct them to the registration table.
We also use the assemblies to help members get to know each other better. To that end, Sergeant at Arms Ross Hodel led members in a a round of brag-a-bucks (see image in Presidents Message). We were happy to see and hear from Dave Fowler (image below) and learn about his daughters continued military recognition during inspections at Camp Lincoln. Numerous others shared heartwarming and sometimes heart rending stories about kids and grandkids. Proceeds from brag-a-bucks support scholarships to Lincoln Land and UIS.
Ross also led us in a rousing 50/50 game. We continued our club tradition of picking the wrong card during the 50-50 game. The evening's gracious losers included Jim Theis (image to left), Vicki Megginson (first image below), and John Webb (second image below). Thanks to them, the pot continues to grow.
Harry then announced that our club had donated $996,885 to The Rotary Foundation. After we collect the donations from our Paul Harris Fellow Giving Circles, we will reach $1 million in giving. We will need to celebrate being a "million dollar club."
On behalf of Kay, our Youth Services Director, who could not attend the meeting, Ashley Dillingham announced that the Community Interact Club had a completed a service project for Pure Haven, which serves survivors of domestic violence. She also noted that outbound exchange student Thien got top performance awards in language and math from his school in the Philippines. She reiterated the need for our club to find host families for an inbound exchange student. Finally, she noted that there will be an Interact Conference in conjunction with the District Conference.
Brandy Zanger gave an update on community service projects. She thanked members for donating candy to The Outlet for their Trunk or Treat event. She reported that the Clothing Drive for RISE Springfield collected 3,000 lbs. of clothing (see the story below on October Service Projects)..
Bill Smith reminded members that there are only two weeks to go for selling citrus!
Ken reminded members that the Holiday Party is on December 15 and will be catered by Randy Williams. He closed the meeting by reading us an inspirational children's book that asks the question Why Not? (by Kobi Yamada). The book advocated ethics like those advanced by Rotary. He drew the names for the drawing, and the educational game books went to Sheila and Vicki (image below). It was an informative and engaging evening.
Community Services Director Brandy Zanger and all of us thank club members for volunteering for five October service projects.
United Way Day of Action
On Friday, October 2, our Rotary Club team (image below) was proud to once again participate in the United Way of Central Illinois Fall Day of Action!
Our team partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Illinois to organize and consolidate board games, flash cards, and puzzles in the organization’s donation room. As part of the project, our members carefully inspected games and puzzles to make sure all the pieces were present and everything was complete, functional, and ready to use.
We also checked flash card decks and organized the collection to make better use of the available storage space.
This hands-on project will make these resources more readily available for use and free up valuable space for other productive purposes.
We’re grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside United Way of Central Illinois and Big Brothers Big Sisters and to support organizations working every day to strengthen our community.
We thoroughly enjoyed our usual ice cream treats after we completed our project.
RISE Springfield Professional Clothing Drive
On Friday, October 9, our Club was proud to once again support the RISE Springfield Annual Give & Take Professional Clothing Drive, coordinated by the Young Professionals Network and held at the Salvation Army Community Center. Club members donated gently used professional clothing for this event, Brandy Zanger delivered the clothing. Saturday October 10 was clothing pickup day for those needing to update or build their professional wardrobe. This drive gives people in our community the professional attire they need for interviews, career changes, and workplace success. We donated approximately 50 items of quality men’s & women’s clothing to support the cause (image on left). Brandy was happy to deliver our donations (image below).
Donation of Dictionaries to Ridgely Elementary School
In October, our Club provided 47 dictionaries for Ridgely Elementary School third graders, helping students build vocabulary, strengthen literacy skills, and develop a lifelong love of learning. This community service initiative was taken up by club member Dan Milligan, whose efforts are helping bring additional educational resources into the classroom. Dan’s donation included more than dictionaries. Students can also explore geography and cultures around the world through foreign coins and currency he accumulated from Norway, Canada, Switzerland, and Honduras. Two one-minute timers were also provided for classroom activities. These educational resources offer students new ways to discover the world, expand their knowledge, and make learning more engaging. Thank you Dan for your investment in our children’s education, which helps build a stronger community and a brighter future for everyone!
Donation of Candy for The Outlet Trunk or Treat
On October 26 and 27, club members donated candy for The Outlet’s Trunk or Treat Event. Ken Gilmore delivered the candy to the Outlet.
Stocking of Little Libraries and Ridgely Food Pantry
In October, we recently refreshed and restocked the Little Libraries at Ridgely Elementary School (image on left) and Springfield Firehouse No. 5(first image below), Springfield’s first Black firehouse, with new books for readers to enjoy. John Webb also replenished the Ridgely Elementary School Micropantry (second image below) with food to help ensure children and families in the neighborhood have access to nourishment when needed.
We’re glad to support these community resources and help keep books and food available to those who need them!
You can sign up to volunteer to fill the Ridgely Micropantry by using the Signup Genius App. Just download the app and sign up for a one week or two week timeframe that works best for you or you and a friend. What a great way to make a difference. Thank you!
Ridgely Micro-Pantry: Fall Dates Added to SignUp Genius
Please consider signing up for a two-week commitment to stock the pantry or partner with a friend. The link provided takes you to the sign-up sheet located online using the SignUp Genius program. The Signup Genius link is listed below to sign up and allows you to reserve those dates and to also shows which timeframes are unfilled. The app will also send you a reminder closer to your volunteer date.
It's open season for volunteering by yourself, with your family or by partnering with another Rotarian. Also, if you have friends or acquaintances who would like to volunteer, please share the sign-up link and we will give them lots of praise for making a difference.
You can sign up to stock the Ridgely Micropantry using the new Sign-Up Genius online system featured in the above article by Ken Gilmore.
Please sign up. There are numerous empty slots.
I appreciate your help!
Thank you for signing up for a micropantry volunteer shift. Your time and effort are greatly appreciated by the community we serve.
Members who have supported this program realize the price of food and other products stocked in the pantry have become more expensive. Under a new program, a member may be reimbursed up to $100 when a purchase is made for the food pantry. Funding for this reimbursement was made possible by donations in the amount $1,739, which were received at the Rotary Open House in December 2024 that I hosted at my home
Below are the details including the location of the pantry, and suggestions on items to collect and distribute. If you are unable to complete your shift, please reach out and we'll work on a better period of time to meet your needs. If you have suggestions for future volunteers, please let me know and we'll adapt the program along the way.
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Ridgely Elementary School
2040 North 8th Street
Springfield, IL 62702
Main entrance to the school (look for the yellow and purple pantry by the front doors).
The image below shows the location of the pantry at the entrance to the school.
These suggestions came from people who use food pantries to help feed their families.
1. Everyone donates Kraft Mac and Cheese in the box. They can rarely use it because it needs milk and butter, which is difficult to get from regular food banks. 2. Boxed milk is a treasure, as kids need it for cereal, which they also get a lot of. 3. Everyone donates pasta sauce and spaghetti noodles. 4. They cannot eat all the awesome canned veggies and soup unless you put a can opener in too or buy pop tops.* 5. Oil is a luxury and needed for Rice a-Roni, which they also get a lot of. 6. Spices or salt and pepper would be a real Holiday gift. 7. Tea bags and coffee make them feel like you care. 8. Sugar and flour are treats. 9. They fawn over fresh produce donated by farmers and grocery stores. 10. Seeds are cool in Spring and Summer because growing can be easy for some. 11. They rarely get fresh meat. 12. Tuna and crackers make a good lunch. 13. Hamburger Helper goes nowhere without ground beef. 14. They get lots of peanut butter and jelly but usually not sandwich bread. 15. Butter or margarine is nice too. 16. Eggs are a real commodity. 17. Cake mix and frosting makes it possible to make a child’s birthday cake. 18. Dishwashing detergent is very expensive and is always appreciated. 19. Feminine hygiene products are a luxury and women will cry over that. 20. Everyone loves Stove Top Stuffing.
The image below shows a fully stocked pantry.
The image below shows the empty micropantry before I stocked it in January 2026. This is why you need to sign up! The pantry is almost always empty when we show up to stock it. The need for nutritious food is great in the community surrounding our micropantry. .
Feel free to contact me.
Micro Pantry Coordinator: Allie Montney with assistance from John Webb
Phone 217-494-6901 (for the quickest response, please text)
Things I've noticed that may be helpful: During the school year, stocking the pantry on a weekend or after 4:00PM during the weekdays means fewer people and it's easier to get a parking spot. Ask friends and family to donate unused household items for the pantry that you can collect. If purchasing bags of fresh fruit or veggies, stock them individually so that more in need can take what they need. ALDI grocery stores have prices that cannot be beat. Be sure to stock appropriately for the season so that fresh foods do not spoil.
Please remember that we are including some noon meetings at Maldaners and social night meetings at locations other than Maldaners. Please pay attention to the meeting schedule listed in the Newsletter, on our website home page (www.spirotary.org), and on our Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram pages for the dates and locations of the meetings.
November 2, 2026: Rotary Lunch Meeting : 11:50 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Maldaners Upstairs, Springfield, IL
Lori Schlosser: Building Resilience as a Family Caregiver
Lori is a Facilitator for the GriefShare Ministry and a family caregiver. Caring for loved ones takes great strength, and prioritizing your own wellness is just as vital. We are honored to welcome Lori, host of the "Blessed in this Mess" podcast. She will share her profound insights, advice, and encouragement on how family caregivers can prioritize self-care and maintain a focus on gratitude through life's unexpected twists and turns. Drawing from her personal journey of caring for her mother and son, who has Type 1 diabetes, her message emphasizes whole-body wellness and strength.
November 9, 2026 4:00 p.m. Rotary Board Meeting
5:30 p.m. Rotary Club Meeting
Maldaners Upstairs
November 9, 2026: 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Rotary Meeting Maldaners Upstairs, Springfield, IL
Dr. Terrance Jordan: Who, What, Why, and How
Learn about what's going on in in the School District from Dr. Terrance Jordan, the Superintendent for District 186. Dr. Jordan is a lifelong educator with nearly 23 years of service in Springfield Public Schools in District 186. A native of Lexington, Mississippi, he is a graduate of Jacob J. McClain High School and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi Valley State University.
Dr. Jordan began his career in District 186 as a kindergarten teaching assistant, an experience that ignited his passion for education and student success. He later served as a library media specialist and parent educator before earning his elementary teaching certificate from the University of Illinois Springfield. Dr. Jordan has taught first and third grade, where his instructional excellence earned him the Horace Mann Rising Star Teaching Award.
Motivated to broaden his impact, Dr. Jordan earned a master's degree in Educational Leadership and a post-master's certificate in Educational Law. He served as guidance dean at Washington Middle School before being appointed as Principal of Black Hawk Elementary School, where he served for seven years. As principal he focused on a family-centered school culture, expanding mentoring opportunities, and strenthening community partnerships. His leadership was recognized with the Springfield Public Schools District 186 Administrator of the Year award and the Illinois State Board of Education Award of Excellence.
Dr. Jordan has had several district-level leadership roles, including Director of School Leadership and Family and Community Engagement. He currently serves as Assistant Superintendent of Family, Community, and School Leadership. He holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Saint Louis University.
November 14, 2026 10:30 a.m-4:00 p.m. Rotary District Conference
University of Illinois Springfield
Student Union (free registration)
Optional November 14: 5:00-7:00 p.m. Foundation Dinner
There is a charge of $75
For, registration, see District 6460 Website
November 16, 2026 5:00 p.m. Rotary Off-Site Social Night
Do you know or are you someone who has a passion to give back to your community? The Rotarians in this image are helping pack essential items for the Illinois Police Department to give to homeless individuals in our community. As a Rotarian, you adhere to the principles of the 4-way Test., which are:
Is it the Truth?
Is it Fair to all concerned?
Will it build Good Will and Better Friendships?
Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
If you find value in these ideals and want to be part of a great organization, right click on the attached link to open our online Membership Applicationin a new window. You can also click on this link to download an electronic copy of the Membership Application from our Club's website Home Page (www.spirotary.org) in the Download Files section. You can send the completed application to the Membership Committee at hmitchell11@comcast.net. We look forward to hearing from you!
Please remember to report your service hours and related contributions. You will be able to enter your hours and correctly assign them to the correct Rotary Calendar year. Just follow this link:
Please email images of service activities to Bonnie Styles at bonstyles@yahoo.com. It's easy to take pictures if you have a smartphone, but even an old style camera works just fine. Send me an email (bonstyles@yahoo.com) to let me know when you will be volunteering for a service project, and I will come out and take some images.
Be sure to turn in your hours for any volunteering that you do on behalf of Rotary.
Please sign up to help stock the pantry, it is vitally important in the community surrounding the school. A fully stocked pantry is depleted of food in about two days.
If you want to help stock our Little Libraries, please let Allie Montney know (onedirtymartini@gmail.com) know.
Special thanks to all our members who participated in service projects in October. The image below shows members who volunteered to sort games for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Illinois as part of the United Way's Fall Day of Action.
We had an amazing October, highlighted by our activities and accomplishments leading up to World Polio Day. Through the efforts of Bob Stuart and a colleague, in September, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued a proclamation (image below) making October 24, 2026 World Polio Day in Illinois. We provide a readable copy of the proclamation in this Newsletter.
On October 6, we kicked off Pints for Polio (image to left), our three week fundraiser for PolioPlus at the Springfield Beer Company. From October 6-24, the Springfield Beer Company graciously contributed $1 from every pint of their Golden 95 Lager to the PolioPlus Fund for the worldwide eradication of polio. This event drew a great crowd of Rotarians from the Springfield Clubs and their friends. The stories in this Newsletter provide more information on the Proclamation and this event. 
To reserve your meal at Maldaners, I am trying a different format this year instead of the Air Table. For each meal, I will send out a separate link for you to use to sign-up. While I know the chef is wonderful to make additional food in case some people forget to sign up, I would like to try has hard as possible for everyone to sign up if they plan to attend a meeting. When I talked to them for the upcoming year, I was told they truly prefer a six day advance notice to make sure adequate accommodations are provided to us.
On October 6th, the Rotary Club of Springfield, Illinois and Springfield Beer Company kicked off our October Pints for Polio fundraiser in celebration of World Polio Day on October 24th at the Springfield Beer Company’s Taproom on Wabash Avenue. We offer Special thanks to President-Elect Ashley Dillingham (image below) for taking the lead in organizing this fundraiser. 
Thanks to the generosity of those attending, our donations and 50/50 proceeds (image to left) raised nearly $350! And because the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation matches every $1 raised or donated through Rotary with $2, that $350 becomes $1,050 toward the fight to end polio. This total does not include our partners at Springfield Beer Company's contribution of $1.00 per pint of Golden 95 Lager purchased at the kick-off event through October 24, which will also be matched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Those who missed the kickoff, were still able to make a difference! 
Ross also led us in a rousing 50/50 game. We continued our club tradition of picking the wrong card during the 50-50 game. The evening's gracious losers included Jim Theis (image to left), Vicki Megginson (first image below), and John Webb (second image below). Thanks to them, the pot continues to grow.
Ken reminded members that the Holiday Party is on December 15 and will be catered by Randy Williams. He closed the meeting by reading us an inspirational children's book that asks the question Why Not? (by Kobi Yamada). The book advocated ethics like those advanced by Rotary. He drew the names for the drawing, and the educational game books went to Sheila and Vicki (image below). It was an informative and engaging evening.
On Friday, October 9, our Club was proud to once again support the 
In October, our Club provided 47 dictionaries for Ridgely Elementary School third graders, helping students build vocabulary, strengthen literacy skills, and develop a lifelong love of learning. This community service initiative was taken up by club member Dan Milligan, whose efforts are helping bring additional educational resources into the classroom. Dan’s donation included more than dictionaries. Students can also explore geography and cultures around the world through foreign coins and currency he accumulated from Norway, Canada, Switzerland, and Honduras. Two one-minute timers were also provided for classroom activities. These educational resources offer students new ways to discover the world, expand their knowledge, and make learning more engaging. Thank you Dan for your investment in our children’s education, which helps build a stronger community and a brighter future for everyone!
Stocking of Little Libraries and Ridgely Food Pantry
Learn about what's going on in in the School District from Dr. Terrance Jordan, the Superintendent for District 186. Dr. Jordan is a lifelong educator with nearly 23 years of service in Springfield Public Schools in District 186. A native of Lexington, Mississippi, he is a graduate of Jacob J. McClain High School and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi Valley State University. 
