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Harvest Drive: Food and donations collected for West Suburban Community Pantry 

11/10/23

Naperville Sunrise Rotary is happy to report that 350 pounds of food and children’s books were collected in our Harvest Drive for West Suburban Community Pantry. Thanks to all who contributed!

$9,000 from Rotary Ride Disbursed

10/6/23

Vice-President Bill Hassett thanked all those who worked on this year’s Rotary Ride, with special recognition to Jim Ensign and Stephanie Randall for being “the leaders who made the ride a success.” Jim also praised volunteers who filled a considerable number of manpower requirements. He said the success of this year’s ride gives us momentum to carry the event into 2024. Jim presented checks to: 

Dan Jurjovec with Naperville Responds for Veterans, making home improvements and modifications for veterans in financial straits.

Scott Thurman, executive director of 360 Youth Services, providing mental health counseling, homeless services, and substance abuse programming.

Janet Derrick, executive vice-president for programs at Loaves & Fishes. Janet said the organization, which has 30,000 clients in their database, “moves people toward self-sufficiency and serves 80,000 people each week.”

Foundation Chairman Nikhil Gupta accepted a donation to the Rotary International effort to eradicate polio. Nikhil said we’re 99.9% down that road. “We’re still seeing small clusters in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Rotary Ride raises money for charity 

8/15/23

Nearly 200 riders from the Naperville area, greater Illinois, and as far as Missouri and Virginia participated in the 26th annual Rotary Ride on Sunday, August 13.

The ride, hosted by Naperville Sunrise Rotary, was originally started by Naperville Sunrise Rotary in memory of former Sunrise Rotarian Carmen DiGiovine. It is always held the second Sunday in August and raises money for charities through registrations and sponsorships. This year’s event raised over $13,000, which will be given to Loaves & Fishes Community Services, Naperville Responds For Veterans, 360 Youth Services, and Rotary International’s Polio Plus.

Participants, ranging in age from 8 to 81, registered for a 60 mile loop, a 40 mile loop, a 20 mile loop, or the 1.4 mile Family Fun loop. Commissioner’s Park on 111th St in Naperville served as home base, where Sunrise Rotary and over 20 volunteers (from Naperville Downtown Rotary, 360 Youth Services, Kids Matter, and Loaves & Fishes) offered food and beverage and lots of enthusiasm throughout the morning.

Riders enjoyed GPS connection for each route, as well as SAG (support and gear) vehicles along each route that were just a phone call away. Volunteers distributed snacks and water at three rest stops at the half-way point of each route. Mill Race Cyclery (located in Geneva, IL) provided mechanical support at Commissioner’s Park.

Naperville Sunrise Rotary is already looking forward to next year’s ride, which will be held Sunday, August 13, 2024.

Sunrise Club awards St. Paddy’s Day 5K beneficiaries 

7/3/23

The Naperville Sunrise Club hosts three major fundraisers each year to raise money for local non-profits – St. Paddy’s Day 5K, Rotary Ride, and Naper Lights. On May 5, Community Service Chair Bill Hassett presented YMCA Safe 'n Sound, Little Friends Inc., and Inside Out Club DuPage each with a $5,000 grant with proceeds from this year’s St. Paddy’s Day 5K.

Receiving the checks on behalf of their organizations was Erika Wood, executive director Chicago Area YMCA Safe 'n Sound Program, Mike Briggs, President & CEO of Little Friends, and Marion Ruthig, executive director of Inside Out Club.

For 32 years, Naperville Sunrise Rotary has worked to support local and international efforts that directly impact individuals in need, with a special focus on youth and families.

Naperville’s Four Rotary Clubs Unite at End-Of-the-Year Celebration 

6/19/23

About 30 Rotarians and families from Naperville’s four Rotary clubs (The Rotary Club of Naperville, Naperville Sunrise Rotary, Naperville Downtown Rotary, and Naperville After-Dark Rotary) gathered for an informal end-of-the-year picnic at the Riverwalk Grand Pavilion on Monday, June 19.

Rotarians celebrated service work completed this past Rotary year and discussed future collaborative projects between Naperville’s Rotary clubs. Dr. Prakash Tata displayed the trophy awarded for the India plastic waste collection and recycling operation he led (involving The Rotary Club of Naperville, Naperville Sunrise Rotary, Rotary club of Lake District Moinabad, Bharathi Theertha, and other Indian nonprofit organizations). The project won Grand Prize of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists for small projects. The $120,000 project provides collection vehicles and machinery required to pelletize plastic waste. The project will employ 25 youth and process up to 2 tons of material daily.

Diapers and other mother-baby items delivered to West Suburban Food Pantry by Sunrise Rotarians

5/22/23

More than three carloads of donations (including $1,000 worth of diapers) were collected from Rotarians and community members over Mother’s Day weekend to support West Suburban Community Pantry in Woodridge. Sunrise Rotarians delivered the donations to the pantry, which serves over 600 families each week from all over DuPage County including Naperville, Lisle, and Woodridge as well as Bolingbrook and Romeoville. 

Sunrise Rotary and Naperville Bank & Trust partner with Working Bikes for bike collection 

5/20/23

On Saturday May 20th, the Rotary Club of Naperville-Sunrise collected 59 bikes at Naperville Bank & Trust in Downtown Naperville to donate to non-profit organization Working Bikes. Several Sunrise Rotarians as well as two Interact students from Naperville North High School were present to receive and process donations.

Many thanks to Naperville Bank & Trust as well as Dave Gorman, who is on the Board of Working Bikes and got Sunrise started with this project years ago. Since its inception in 1999, Working Bikes has enabled new life for 100,000 bicycles across the globe and tens of thousands here in Chicago. Over one hundred thousand people have been empowered to access resources and opportunities that otherwise could have been out of reach – reducing waste, lessening pollution, and improving health in the process. To learn more about Working Bikes, visit www.workingbikes.org.

Sunrise Rotary provides landscaping labor to St. Patrick’s Residence in Naperville 

5/13/23

On Saturday May 13, Naperville Sunrise Rotarians and friends donated landscaping labor to spruce up the Ron Buonauro Memorial Garden at St. Patrick's Residence in Naperville. The 15 participants pulled weeds and spread mulch around the garden, which provides respite for the residents and staff of St. Patrick’s, was dedicated in memory of longtime Sunrise Rotarian Buonauro in 2003. Buonauro had been a volunteer and champion of St. Patrick’s, where his mother had lived out her last years.

Sunrise Club earns award at end-of-year district showcase

5/10/23

Rotary International District 6450 presented Naperville Sunrise Rotary with the 2022-2023 Public Image Excellence: Website award for the club’s efforts to update and improve its online presence. Naperville Sunrise Club President Stephanie Colbert Randall, President-Elect Srini Namasivayam, and club Photographer/Journalist Bruce Dixon represented their service club at the showcase and annual meeting at The Max in McCook, IL. The May 6 event included networking, updates from Rotary International and District 6450, motivational speakers, and a food packing project.

Rotarians from District 6450 displayed objects and photos summarizing service work completed in the 2022-2023 year. Naperville-Sunrise highlighted its major fundraisers (Rotary Ride, Naper Lights, and St. Patrick’s Day 5K) as well as numerous other projects, such as Feminine Hygiene Kits enabling girls to continue attending school in Honduras, Plastic Recycling in India,  school supplies for children in an orphanage and school in Kenya, food drives, holiday gifts for local students in need, landscape labor for a local non-profit, and more.  

Hands-on ravioli night raises money for club’s International projects 

1/30/23

On Sunday, January 30, Sunrise Rotarian Chris Kerstin and his wife Kim hosted 20 club members and guests to enjoy home-made ravioli. The day before, a dozen members gathered at the home of Rotarians Dawn Newman and Mike Tenuta to help make the raviolis and fillings from scratch.

Guests remarked that Dawn and Mike made it look easy and some were even inspired to try it themselves!

Attendees donated $350 to the International Committee to thank the hosts for the awesome food and experience.

Sunrise Rotary visits Little Friends’ new campus 

1/20/23

The Rotary Club of Naperville-Sunrise on Friday January 20 was privileged to enjoy an in-depth presentation and facility tour of Little Friends in Warrenville, whose mission is “Empowering people of all ages experiencing autism, intellectual and emotional disabilities, and their families to live, learn, work, and thrive in their communities”. Little Friends President and CEO Mike Briggs shared the plethora of services offered by the organization to fulfil its vision “To be recognized as one of the premier providers of services in the state of Illinois addressing the needs of children, adults, and families challenged by autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities. To provide children and parents through direct services and alliance partners the most robust offering of clinical and research support in the field of autism.”

The facility tour included the Krejci Academy sensory gym, school classrooms, an exercise room (with top-of-the-line equipment donated by the YMCA), and a spacious outdoor playground.

Started in 1965, today Little Friends’ services include educational and vocational training programs, community-based residential living, the Center for Autism, and respite family services. The agency serves individuals and families throughout nine counties and over 50 school districts across Illinois. Little Friends is accredited by The Council on Quality and Leadership, the leading international authority dedicated to the measurement and improvement of personal quality of life.

Recently, Little Friends purchased the 62K square foot facility right next door to its school. Little Friends will move its adult service program from Downers Grove to Warrenville. The two facilities in Warrenville will create a 14-acre campus, with the existing campus dedicated to providing children’s services and the new campus dedicated to providing support for adults and families challenged by intellectual/developmental disabilities and autism.

More information about Little Friends is available at https://www.littlefriendsinc.org/.

The Naperville-Sunrise Rotary club chose Little Friends to be one of three recipients of funds raised from its upcoming St. Paddy’s Day 5K. For further details about the run (and to register), please visit https://saintpaddysday5k.com/.

Community volunteers aid in Sunrise Rotary’s NaperLights wrap-up 

1/7/23

On Saturday, January 7, Rotarians and friends of Rotary came out to help the Rotary Club of Naperville-Sunrise take down its annual holiday lights display, NaperLights. Dozens of adult and student volunteers removed the displays from Jaycees Park in Downtown Naperville and packed them away for next year. The club relies on members and community volunteers to bring NaperLights to Water Street in Downtown Naperville each year. 

The free interactive light display, which runs annually from Thanksgiving to New Years, has been a fixture of Naperville’s holiday celebration for the past 10 years and continues to grow. Further details and a list of supporting sponsors can be found here: https://naperlights.com/.

Sunrise club supports young women in Honduras through Feminine Hygiene Project 

1/6/23

On Friday, January 6, members of the Rotary Club of Naperville-Sunrise spent their first meeting of the year making templates and cutting fabric to be made into affordable, reusable cloth-based sanitary napkins for needy girls and women. The fabric will be sent to small businesses in Honduras to complete and distribute locally.  In a country where often, young women drop out of school or have difficulty working once they begin menstruating, this program empowers women to complete their education and find gainful employment and additional income. The program also provides work for small businesses and reduces the impact of disposable sanitary products on the environment.

Thrivent Financial provided a $250 grant to purchase fabric and supplies.  Neuqua Valley High School Interact Club, a local Girl Scout troop, and the Naperville Woman’s Club will collaborate with Sunrise in continuing to prepare templates and fabric to send to Honduras.

Sunrise club enjoys musical holiday cheer 

12/16/22

The Sunrise Club enjoyed festive song and dance performances by talented young members of Road Show, Inc during its annual holiday meeting on Friday December 16. The musical numbers full of holiday cheer were a special way to wrap up our final general club meeting of 2022 and enter the holiday season.

Road Show, Inc. is a new nonprofit that is grown with heart-shaped roots in Naperville, IL, whose mission is to give unique performance opportunities and to serve as a training ground for not only the arts, but for life-skills, through genuine connection to compassion, professionalism and character within an authentic culture of teaching artists and families. 

https://roadshowinc.org/

Food, toys, and books donated to West Suburban Community Pantry 

11/11/22

On Friday November 4, member of the Naperville Sunrise Rotary collected donations for West Suburban Community Pantry.    

In total, the club collected 325 lbs of food, as well as many toys and books. In addition, $550 in Rotary donations was spent on holiday food, Legos, and dolls of all colors for the pantry.

West Suburban Community Pantry (https://wscpantry.org/), located at 6809 Hobson Valley Drive Unit 118, in Woodridge, is devoted to eradicating hunger within the families and individuals in the DuPage & Will County areas. After finding and fostering families and individuals who need care, they can also refer resources to ease and eliminate the circumstances that led customers to seek emergency aid.

The need in our community continues to grow and the individuals and families served by WSCP would be so blessed by additional donations, which can be made at https://wscpantry.org/donate-2/.

Sunrise members celebrate humanitarian projects made possible through the Rotary Foundation 

11/9/22

Sunrise Club members reminded what the Rotary Foundation is and encouraged to support it. 

Naperville Sunrise Rotary President Stephanie Colbert Randall, President-Elect Srini Namasivayam, and member/District Foundation Chair Bruce George attended the Rotary District 6540 Foundation Celebration Dinner on Wednesday, November 9 at Abbington Distinctive Banquets in Glen Ellyn, IL.

The Rotary Foundation supports club projects locally and globally through grants which address Rotary's seven areas of focus: Promoting peace. Fighting disease. Providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. Saving mothers and children. Supporting education. Growing local economies. Protecting the environment.

Bruce highlighted our club's recent global grant project - installing 75 clean water tanks in Guatemala, in partnership with Imagine Guatemala and other Rotary clubs and individuals.

The Rotary Foundation values culturally-aware projects that are sustainable in the community they're in, emphasizing that there is no such thing as global grants without training in that community to ensure long-term success.

Sunrise Club members receive refresher on the Rotary Foundation 

11/4/22

Sunrise Club members were reminded what the Rotary Foundation is and encouraged to support it during their meeting on Friday November 4. 

Foundation Committee chair Nikhil presented information about the Rotary Foundation during the club’s general breakfast meeting and encouraged club members to increase support of the Foundation.

The Rotary Foundation is a non-profit corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs. It is supported solely by voluntary contributions. Its seven areas of focus are: 1. Promote peace 2. Fight disease 3. Provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene 4. Save mothers and children 5. Support education 6. Grow local economies 7. Protect the environment.

The Foundation was created in 1917 by Rotary International’s sixth president, Arch C. Klumph, as an endowment fund for Rotary to “do good in the world”. It has grown from an initial contribution of US$26.50 to more than US$1billion. It has one of the largest and most prestigious international fellowship programs in the world.

Sunrise Club members appreciated the reminder that the Rotary Foundation enhances the club’s ability to serve the community in meaningful ways, in addition to having widespread impact around the globe. 

November is Foundation Month in Rotary, so Nikhil encouraged club members to make a donation to the Foundation (https://my.rotary.org/en/donate). 

Sunrise Rotary holding a Holiday Drive-By Drop-off Food and Toy Drive 

10/31/22

The Rotary Club of Naperville-Sunrise is holding a Holiday Drive-By Drop-off Food and Toy Drive from 8AM to 10AM on Fri., Nov. 4, 2022, in front of Naperville Country Club, the Club’s regular meeting place.  The event is planned to support West Suburban Community Pantry which serves over 750 families each week from Naperville, Lisle, Woodridge, Bolingbrook, Westmont, Willowbrook and Romeoville. 

“In the current economic climate where the cost of food, gas and heat are sky rocketing,  children, families and seniors who struggle every day now face an even more challenging holiday season,”  said Club President Stephanie Randall. “Sunrise Rotary is dedicated to helping kids and families thrive in our community. This is a great opportunity to make our neighbors’ holidays a little brighter during particularly tough times.”

Nonperishable Items Needed 

• New Unwrapped Toys (ages 0-12)

• New Unwrapped Books (ages 0-12)

• Diapers and Baby Wipes

• Boxed Potatoes

• Canned or Instant Gravy

• Canned Cranberries or Cranberry Sauce

• Canned Vegetables or Soups

• Pumpkin, Apple or Cherry Pie Filling

Club volunteers will be standing by in front of Naperville Country Club, located at 25W570 Chicago Avenue. 

All donations will be delivered to the Pantry at its Seven Bridges Woodridge location. Donations can also be dropped off at the Pantry at 6809 Hobson Valley Drive Unit 118, in Woodridge, from 8AM- 4PM Monday through Friday. For additional information or to donate to West Suburban Community Pantry visit https://wscpantry.org/donate-2/.

Rotary Club of Naperville-Sunrise Partners for One-Day Book Drive

10/24/22

The numbers are in for the Bernie’s Book Bank One Day Children’s Book Drive partnered by the Naperville Sunrise Club and other Naperville Rotary Clubs. The event was held on Monday, October 10 at the Naperville 95th St. library.

In only 4 hours:

1.  3,286 children’s reading books were donated

2.  7,500 books were sorted and processed

3.  20 Neuqua Valley High School Interactors volunteered

Naperville Sunrise donated 78 new and used books for ages infant to young adult. Over 400 children throughout Chicagoland will benefit from the donated books alone. The Sunrise Club is thrilled to help get these books into the hands of grateful children and improving children’s literacy and the lives of the recipients.

Sunrise Rotary club provides upkeep of memorial garden 

10/16/22

Members and friends of the Naperville Sunrise Rotary club came together on October 16 for a fall cleanup of the Ron Buonauro memorial garden at St. Patrick’s Residence in Naperville. About 8 volunteers conducted a general cleanup of the plant beds. Beautiful morning and great fellowship! The garden provides a place for the residents and staff of St. Patrick’s to relax and rest. It was dedicated in memory of longtime Sunrise Rotarian Buonauro in 2003. Buonauro was a volunteer and avid supporter of St. Patrick’s, where his mother had lived out her last years. 

Local author Nick Ryan shared what led him to write book “From Jackass to Joy: Discovering the Art and Science of Love, Marriage, and Blending Family”

10/7/22

On Friday 10/7/22 local author Nick Ryan, CEO of Marquette Companies based in Naperville, IL, described the life circumstances that led him to write his first book “From Jackass to Joy: Discovering the Art and Science of Love, Marriage, and Blending Family” (available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Jackass-Joy-Discovering-Marriage-Blending/dp/B0B2XJ2VYH).

He encouraged Sunrise members and guests to be honest with themselves and their partners about who they are and what will make their lives fulfilled. He said life is a series of negotiations with others through all seasons of life, especially those with whom we are in close relationship. He recommended prioritizing God first, then the marital relationship, followed by children. He found this structure to bring the best order and contentment in his own life. Ryan also said he found that working to make others’ lives better, even those who might otherwise be considered an enemy, always resulted in his own life being more peaceful and joyful.

The Rotary Club of Naperville-Sunrise scheduled Naper Lights 2022 set-up for the first weekend of November 

10/4/22

On Friday 11/4/22 and Saturday 11/5/22, The Rotary Club of Naperville-Sunrise will begin set-up of this year’s Naper Lights display on Water St in Downtown Naperville. Members of the public are invited to sign up for a task / time slot by clicking on this Sign Up genius link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B4CAAAA2FA75-naper

The Sunrise Club is proud to continue to offer positive outdoor family-friendly experience to celebrate the holiday season in our community. This year’s even includes added displays that will increase audience engagement and encourage the community to linger in our beautiful downtown to take advantage of everything it has to offer.

Rotary Club of Naperville-Sunrise Spreads Mulch at Little Friends 

10/1/22

On October 1, 2022, members and friends of the Rotary Club of Naperville-Sunrise spent the morning spreading mulch around the playground at the Little Friends Warrenville campus as a part of a landscaping project. Rotarians worked side-by-side with a team from Little Friends to move nearly 100 cubic yards of synthetic mulch/wood chips.

The Little Friends mission is to empower people of all ages experiencing autism, intellectual and emotional disabilities and their families to thrive in their communities. They provide lifelong opportunities for growth, so those we support can work, learn, play and experience the joy of life’s everyday moments. (Source: www.littlefriendsinc.org)

Sunrise Rotary is pleased to partner its Clean Sweep crew with such a phenomenal local organization.

Champion coach Al Carius inspires club with his definition of success 

9/16/22

On Friday 9/16/22 longtime North Central College cross country coach Al Carius inspired us to strive for our personal best rather than compare ourselves to others, focusing on the process and enjoyment of developing our character through all of life's ups and downs. He defined success as "making the most of our God-given talents" and shared stories and wisdom from his fruitful 57-year career as head cross country coach at North Central College, which included many championships and titles. 

Rotary Club of Naperville-Sunrise installs new President and Board 

6/23/22

On June 23, 2022, the Rotary Club of Naperville-Sunrise held its Installation Dinner to honor the work of its members over the 2021-2022 year and to install a new President and Board of Directors.

The 2022-23 officer installation dinner at River Place Pavilion was attended by about 30 Rotarians and guests.

Outgoing President Ryan Siebert thanked his Board of Directors and said he has no intention of riding into the sunset and plans to remain an active club member.

Incoming President Stephanie Colbert Randall thanked Ryan for his “let’s do it” attitude and regular pep talks at Friday meetings” which “have made this a really fun place to be and has fostered action and ideas on our projects…and Ryan makes everybody feel valued and needed and has the ability to see the core of an issue and keep focused on the essentials of what the Club is here to do.”

District 6450 Governor-elect Conor Gee performed the swearing-in ceremonies.