Volume MMXV                                                                                     November, 2015
In This Issue
Officers and Directors
Dawn Portner - President
Bill Froese - President-Elect
Bill VanKeuren - Im Past Pres
Lyla Chandy - Secretary
Lisa Alsip - Treasurer
 
Millie Lang - Division 1
Cynthia Lee - Division 2
Janet Jacobs - Division 3
Scot Warren - Division 4
George Bode - Division 5
Joe Johnson - Division 6
John Hummel - Division 7
Jerry Parker - Division 9
Joel Koch - Division 10
Jason Koch - Division 11
Pam Brooks - Division 12
 
Trivia!
The Motto for Exchange is Unity for Service. This motto was inspired by Charles Berkey back in 1917. What was his inspiration?

 

Send your answer to [email protected] for a chance to win!
 

John W. Hummel - Division 7 Director
John is a native of Maryland. He grew up on a dairy and general crops farm in western Maryland. He graduated from Northern Garrett County Junior-Senior High School, Accident, MD in 1958 (he maintains it was no accident). He enrolled in the University of Maryland in 1958. In 1959-61, he was employed as a Laboratory Technician by Harbison-Walker Refractories, while earning money to continue his college education. He returned to the University of Maryland in 1961, and completed his BS degree in Agricultural Engineering in 1964. During summer breaks, John was a construction worker, building new houses in W. Maryland (another educational experience). In 1964 he entered the Graduate College at the University of Maryland, completing his MS degree in 1966. His thesis topic was mechanization of harvesting of Maryland tobacco. In 1966, John entered the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and completed his PhD degree in 1969, where his research was on reduction of fan noise in off-road equipment. He returned to the University of Maryland as an Assistant Professor in 1969, teaching courses in agricultural machinery design and conducting research on composting of animal waste. He was promoted to Assoc. Prof. in 1973. In 1976, he resigned from the University of Maryland and returned to Urbana to accept a position as Research Agricultural Engineer with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, where he conducted research on corn and soybean production and harvesting systems, and sensors for on-the-go measurement of soil and plant properties.
 
John was appointed as an Assoc. Prof. in the Agricultural Engineering Department at the University of Illinois when he joined the USDA-ARS, and still holds an appointment as Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. He directed the research of over 20 MS and PhD students at the University of Illinois and was author or co-author of over 125 journal publications and other articles. In 2000, he was assigned to the USDA-ARS Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research Unit at Columbia MO. He commuted to Columbia until his retirement in December 2004. Upon retirement, John became Co-Editor in Chief of Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, an international peer-reviewed journal of Elsevier Publishing (2004-2007).
 
John joined the Exchange Club of Urbana in 1990. He has served on many committees within the Club, and has twice served as President. John co-chaired the local arrangements committee for the 2013 Lincolnland District Convention held in Urbana. He is currently serving a 3rd term as Director for Division 7 of the Lincolnland District of the National Exchange Clubs.
 
John is married to Judy Hummel (graduate of the same high school, also no accident), who is also a member and Past President of the Exchange Club of Urbana. They have four children, and eight grandchildren. Currently, I am mid-stream in the restoration of Judy's 1962 Chevy II Nova convertible, which she purchased in 1962.
  
Pam Brooks - Division 12 Director
Pam Brooks has been an active member of the Exchange Club of North Chicago since 2012. She actively participates and oversees several events while serving on many of the Club's committees. She has also been a Board Member for the past four years. Pam also served as the Club's President in 2014/2015. Pam became Chairman of the Harlem Ambassador Basketball team in 2013, an event she helped organize along with other members North Chicago Exchange Club youth scholarship program. In 2015, Pam organized a Scholarship Fair for students in North Chicago, Waukegan and Zion to apply for local scholarships, and working on a similar event for 2016. Pam's goal as our newest District Director, is to become passionate in supporting each of Exchange's Programs of Service.
 
Pamela Brooks was born in Little Rock Arkansas on February 6th. In 1979 Pamela began working in the hotel industry where she was a night auditor for the Hyatt, Fairmount and Ramada Hotels, until she decided to work in the hospitality areas of the hotel. While working in the hotel industry for over 11 years, she had the opportunity to reserve conference rooms and coordinate services for groups and organizations, conventions and other events on hotel grounds.  She then joined MPEA/NAVY PIER Building Operations and Property Management, as Administrative Project Coordinator. Since 2010, Pam has worked at Daisy's Resource Optional School in North Chicago, in the Administration Department. She supervise the front office staff, and is the Director of the Finance Department. Pam has an Associate's Degree in Accounting, and a Bachelors of Arts degree in Business Management. She is a certified meeting planner and also certified through American Hotel, Motel Association. In 2010, Pam joined the NAACP and became the secretary of the membership department until 2011 and is still a member. She is on Lake County Honor Flight's Board of Director's and the Brooks Citizen Advisory Board. Pam is also the Chairman of My Brother's Keeper Successfully Entering the Workforcedivision, and is a Member of National Association of Women Business Owners.
 
Pamela and her husband have a printing and novelty business in North Chicago, Il.   She is also an event planner for parties, wedding and meetings.   She loves to sing and belongs to three gospel choirs.  A single was just released on iTunes called It's in Jesus by GJ and the Voices of Inner Peace.  Her hobbies include volunteering in her community and she also enjoys spending quality time with her husband Wadell Brooks Jr.
  
Aledo Give-a-kid-a-flag-to-wave
Aledo Golf Outing
Aledo Golf Outing
Beardstown Family Fest
Beardstown Family Fest
Gurnee 9/11 Ceremony
Gurnee 9/11 Ceremony
Gurnee 9/11 Ceremony
Naperville 9/11 Ceremony
Naperville 9/11 Ceremony
Naperville 9/11 Ceremony
Emy Trotz with Bill VanKeuren
Officer's Message

Bill Froese

District President-Elect

As your District President-Elect, my role is to listen, learn and support President Dawn, as well as the 24 Club presidents and our 1000+ members throughout Lincolnland to grow and prosper in service to our local communities. My Exchange journey began in 1998 thanks to Dr. Lee Bomgaars who suggested I attend a meeting of this really fun, interesting club in Gurnee that was focused on child abuse prevention and other community service activities. I might have declined except his invitation occurred just before church services were about to start. Can't exactly tell a fib in God's house so here I am 17 years later. As a member first of the Gurnee Breakfast and now Gurnee Exchange Club, for these same 17 years I have served on and occasionally chaired the committee managing the Club's major Ribfest fundraiser (sort of a Naperville Ribfest-lite), held in conjunction with our community's annual four-day "Gurnee Days" festival in mid-August. For nearly as long, I have also been a board member of the Gurnee Days Corporation (the organization that coordinates Gurnee Days). During my time with Exchange, I have served as Club president, Club PR coordinator, Lincolnland District Director and as a member of the Lincolnland Foundation for the Prevention of Child Abuse board. Aside from Exchange, I work with two companies involved in treatment for children with autism, teach part time at our local junior college and another nearby college, manage a PADS center, serve as a board member to a local shelter, and still have time to play with our two granddaughters. Exchange has been a big part of my life and I am hopeful...no, I am confident that it will become a larger part of not only the lives of our own membership but to others within our respective communities, as well.

2015 Lincolnland Mid-Year Conference
This year's Educational Conference will be held on Saturday, December 12 at the Chateau Hotel and Conference Center in Bloomington, Illinois. The Chateau is located at 1621 Jumers Drive, just off of Veterans Parkway. Make your hotel reservations by November 15 to get the special rate of $89.
Again this year, all Exchangites are invited to attend this free informational training session to help make your club Exchange Strong! The conference will include sessions on fund raising, getting your club noticed by the media and innovative projects around the District as well as officer and director training, club building and growth and retention.
As mentioned, the conference is free and will include lunch and snacks, catered by the Chateau's kitchens. Please make your reservation (so we have adequate food available) by clicking on the registration form here or by sending an email to [email protected] with your name, club and position.
We look forward to seeing you in Bloomington!
The River Rats - Exchange Club of Beardstown
Chartered in April, 1992 and nestled along the Illinois River, the Exchange Club of Beardstown is a vital part of not just the city itself but all of Cass County. Did you know Beardstown was the site of the famous Almanac Trial? You can learn more by clicking the link below but a Mr. Duff Armstrong was defended by and received an acquittal based on his legal defense team, one Hon. Abraham Lincoln, then a circuit riding lawyer out of New Salem.
 
During its near quarter century of service, Beardstown's very active 36 members have been involved in supporting all four areas of Exchange, receiving the "Big E Award" this past year!
 
Community Service is especially central for our River Rats (the Club's newsletter is the river Rat Chat. Each year they recognize their community's police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and city workers at a City Worker Appreciation Luncheon hosted by the Club. Each year at about this time of year, the club participates in the National Day of Service, helping senior citizens with lawn raking, window washing, cleaning out gutters and other chores. (Members are available on a rental basis for other Clubs!!!)  
 
The Club is especially proud of its focus on and support of its unique outreach to senior citizens through its "Senior Connection" project.  Soon to mark seven years of service to seniors, this monthly event is held at the Golden Age Center.  A typical program could be a mix of speakers on interesting or pertinent topics, entertainment (provided by local talent and students), or just an hour of Bingo.  Fun games are played with prizes awarded.  Guests are not charged for this event as this project is funded by members' donations of prizes and refreshments, with only a slight cost to the club for gift certificates given as door prizes, a living example of how Club President Kennia Erickson stresses "In Exchange, every member gives a little to make a big event happen."
 
Beardstown recognizes the local achievements of its young scholars with its Youth of the Month and  Young Citizenship awards and hosts an Honors Banquet each May for all honor students attending Beardstown middle and high schools. In November, the Club hosts its special "Veteran's Breakfast" honoring local veterans from each branch of service. Especially poignant is the "missing man" table that is displayed. Throughout the year they also seek out residents who properly fly the American flag and recognize them with the Exchange "So Proudly We Hail" award. 
The Exchange Club of Beardstown strives to impact their community and to support the signature Exchange project, Child Abuse Prevention by supporting the Guardian Angel Home in Joliet, distributing Time Out Teddies to the local fire and police departments, and participating in "Believe in the Blue" activities.  Each member of the Exchange Club of Beardstown s is faithfully and enthusiastically working to make their community a better place to live...and one that all of us should try to visit and share in the fun.
Regional Vice President's Report

Scot Warren

Region 3 Vice President

Save the Date!
The 2016 Lincolnland District Convention will be held Thursday, June 9th, through Sunday, June 12th, at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois. Enjoy a full weekend of Exchange Club camaraderie and festivities! Additional details and reservation information will be available at the Mid-Year Conference in Bloomington on Saturday, December 12th, as well as in future issues of the Lincolnland Link. We'll see you at Pheasant Run Resort in June!
  
Did You Know?
The Exchange Club Freedom Shrine Program was inspired by the Freedom Train that toured the United States in 1947. The Freedom Shrine documents highlight the beginnings of our country and the critical turning points that have shaped the character of our nation. Exchange Clubs have dedicated thousands of Freedom Shrines throughout the United States and Puerto Rico in universities, libraries, schools, state capitols, and city halls, as well as at American outposts throughout the world.
  
Region 3 Vice President Update - Scot Warren
The Exchange Club National Leadership Conference was held on Thursday, October 22nd, through Saturday, October 24th, in Detroit. During the conference, District Presidents-Elect worked with National Officers, Regional Vice Presidents, and Headquarters Staff to establish plans, programs, and goals for the upcoming year. There were also educational presentations and discussions, including a District Director Roles and Responsibilities session that I lead. The National Board met on Tuesday, October 21st, where I reported on the activities of the National Programs of Service Committee. It was a productive and enjoyable conference, and we'll discuss more of the conference at the Mid-Year Conference in Bloomington.
Meet the Mattoon Exchange Club
Ask Jerry Parker, Lincolnland IPP Bill VanKeuren, or any other of the 63 members about the Exchange Club of Mattoon and after about an hour they'd just be warming up. So many things to say...so little time.
A bicentennial Club, chartering in March of 1976, Mattoon didn't just squeak by with a minimum number of charter members, it blew out the walls with 36, eight of whom are still active nearly 40 years later. An achievement the Club takes great pride in. 
Mattoon conducts three major fund raisers: an NFL football pool (joint held with nearby Charleston), a pulled pork dinner, and a golf tournament.  From just these three events, the Club raises $15,000+ per year, a portion of which is awarded as scholarships to MHS seniors. 
 
The Club meets every week so if you're in the area, there's no excuse for missing a meeting date. Most meetings are informal, fun, and peppered with good natured ribbing. It must work as Mattoon earns consistently high marks for meeting attendance. During each there's a "Minute for Exchange", whether the topic is local Club history, National Exchange History, or other Exchange education or related topics. How many of our own Club's religiously offer a little Exchange education?  Mattoon conducts a wide range of community service programs. One reason the Club is a consistent recipient of the Lincolnland "5A's" award. 
 
The one service project that is synonymous with Mattoon is the Club's assistance at the Mattoon Community Food Center, the local food pantry where members invest an estimated 4,000 hours per year unloading and storing truckloads of donated food, picking up food from local sources, prepacking food boxes, distributing food during pantry hours or just offering a little friendly exchange to those in their community who rely on the pantry to make ends meet. Yes Mattoon is making its community a better place for all...just make sure you pronounce it correctly.
NEC Foundation

Dennis Koch

NEC Foundation President

The National Exchange Club Foundation is kicking off the annual campaign this month. All of the Foundation's campaigns have been rolled up into one ExchangeStrong annual campaign this year - and we're asking for your help!

Our goal this year is $375,000 - about 25% more than we raised last year. It's an aggressive goal, but doable. Only about 3% of our membership nationwide contributed to the NECF last year (outside of the portion of your dues that goes to child abuse prevention). If we can get that number to 10% this year, our goal is within reach.

Why should you support your Foundation? It's a valid question, so let's throw some numbers out there for discussion. In 1993, the government did the first survey of abused and neglected children. That first survey found that 1.5 million children were reported as abused or neglected. Ten years later, the number had dropped to 1.25 million, then 702,000 in 2009 and, most recently 679,000 in 2013. Prevent Child Abuse America pegs the cost of dealing with the effects of child abuse and neglect at $220 million per day - or about $80 billion annually.

The value of effective prevention strategies is obvious. Our Child Abuse Prevention Centers have assisted 700,000 families since 1979, creating safer environments for more than 1.75 million children. We have come so far, yet about 5 children die each day in this country from abuse and neglect, so our work is far from finished. Your contributions have allowed the NECF to provide funding for the Child Abuse Prevention Symposium for more than 30 years. The NECF also provides direct support to our network of CAP centers in the form of materials, resources and training.

But the Foundation is about more than our national project! Each year, your foundation provides the funds to award our Youth of the Year and ACE scholarships, as well as the funding to bring those youth and their families to the national convention. This year, we are offering an option for donors to make an extra $25 contribution in order to add an additional ACE scholarship in the future. (It takes about $17,000 to fund the scholarship and all of the costs associated with bringing the winner to convention.) 
 
The NEC Foundation has also provided funding for Americanism brochures that are available free to every Exchange Club and provides financial support of the National Club, which helps keep your dues low.
 
 We know that it takes more than our Exchange "family" to build our contribution base, so we are constantly searching for outside partners to help us reach our goals. We're still looking for those elusive "outside" dollars, but we need the support of our membership as well! When you receive your pledge card in the mail or have an NECF speaker at your club meeting, please consider a tax deductible contribution to your foundation. A gift of just $25 - less than 50 cents a week - would go a long way in helping us achieve our goal of making Exchange even stronger!
Hometown Hero Program - Round Lake Area
The Round Lake Area Exchange Club and sponsor, Consumers Credit Union, are proud to announce the October Hometown Hero, U.S. Army Sergeant Christopher Pirrello from Round Lake Park, currently residing in Bloomington. He was registered for this honor by his mother, Mary of Palatine.
Pirrello graduated from Grayslake North High School in 2009, is a member of the Masonic Lodge in Grayslake and is attending Heartland Community College. He has served in the Illinois National Guard for the last 7 years and has deployed to Kuwait. Pirrello is a Patient Administration Sergeant with the 108th Sustainment Brigade based out of the Chicago Kedzie Armory. He handles records keeping for patient information as well as ensure Line of Duty packets are submitted for review. Some of honors and awards he has received are:  Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (2), Global War on Terrorism Medals (Expeditionary and Service), Armed -Forces Reserve Medal (with M device), National Defense Service Medal, Lincoln Medal of Freedom, and Illinois Long and Honorable Service Medal.
With the generous support of this month's sponsor, Consumers Credit Union, Pirrello's "Hanging with the Heroes" care package will include a gift card, a personalized "Hanging with the Heroes" t-shirt (donated by Artrageous of Hainesville) and letters from Round Lake School District 116 students. The Hometown Hero website is managed by Fokoz Creative Group of Grayslake. The Round Lake Area Exchange Club will present a plaque on his behalf Wednesday, October 28, at their meeting in Round Lake.
The Round Lake Area Exchange Club needs your help in getting our local heroes signed up. Any and all military personnel serving overseas or in the USA from any of the Round Lake Areas, Hainesville, Fox Lake, Ingleside or surrounding areas qualify for the program. You can register your loved ones by going to www.rlaexchange.org/hero, five minutes is all it takes. For more information visit the web site or you can contact the program chair Sherry Ridge at 847-740-2379.
An Exchange Club Minute
Charles Berkey, Founder of Exchange
 
Charles A. Berkey was born in Pennsylvania, in 1870. He moved to Cassopolis, Michigan, with his parents, in 1875. After learning the jewelers trade, he went to Chicago to finish his trade apprenticeship. He worked as a salesman over the next several years in Chicago and Detroit before returning to Detroit to establish himself permanently. He was married to Eva Reid in 1897 and they had three children. In 1900, he founded his own business as a manufacturing jeweler, the Berkey Manufacturing Company, which became a well known supplier of organizational jewelry.
 
Berkey was an active participant in ventures for the betterment of Detroit. He was a Mason and reached the highest goal of achievement with the attainment of a 33rd degree.
 
Mr. Berkey organized the first Exchange Club in Detroit in 1911. At the time, he was one of a group of Detroit business and professional people who had been meeting informally as the Boosters Club since 1896. He carried the spirit and principles of that group into the formal organization of the first Exchange Club on March 27.
 
Mr. Berkey was active in our organization throughout his life. He became known to many members through his attendance at national and state conventions and through the numerous articles he contributed to the EXCHANGITE. He served as president of the Detroit club from 1912 to 1913 and also as the first national president when the National Exchange Club was formed in August, 1917.
 
In speaking about the formation of Exchange, Mr. Berkey said, "The idea of most importance to us was that we should take only members in whom we could place implicit confidence, who lived up to the old-fashioned idea of truth and integrity, in their relationships with one another."
Around the District
Charleston - Held their Fall Picnic on October 11 and presented their Firefighter of the Year and Police Officer of the Year awards
Grayslake - Held their 42nd Annual Pancake Breakfast on October 18 
Joliet - Held their Annual Spaghetti Dinner on October 26
Naperville - Presented their Firefighter of the Year award and set October as their annual Keeping Kids Safe Program
North Chicago - Held a Pink Party for Breast Cancer Awareness
Quad Cities - Held an Open House at the Zoo
Quincy - Presented their Firefighter of the Year Award and announced plans for their Field of Honor (11/10-13) and Veterans Matter Rally on 11/11@7 at the Illinois Veterans Home
Round Lake - Held their Annual Chili Fest with B.E.S.T. at the Round Lake Beach Civic Center
Tri-Cities - Held their annual Spaghetti Dinner on October 13
Dates to keep in mind on your Calendar!
 
2015 Lincolnland Mid-Year Conference - December 12, 2015 (Bloomington, Illinois)
 
2016 Lincolnland District Convention - June 9-12, 2016
(Pheasant Run Resort, St. Charles Illinois)
 
2016 National Exchange Club Convention - July 13-16, 2016
(Hyatt Regency, Houston, Texas)
The Lincolnland Link is a publication of the Lincolnland District Exchange Clubs and is included in the district dues paid by the clubs in the District. Submit questions, articles of pictures to [email protected] 
 Lincolnland District Exchange Clubs | [email protected] | PO Box 1007 
Quincy IL 62306-1007