Sunrise Rotary Club of Mt. Prospect/Arlington Hts. bows out

Service clubs are facing a crisis. Young people are not joining in the same numbers their parents and grandparents did, and as a result, the memberships are growing older, becoming burned out and less active. Communities often can't count on them to raise funds for local needs, or to run special events.

One such club, the Sunrise Rotary Club of Mount Prospect/Arlington Heights, ceased operations at the end of April, holding a farewell banquet for approximately 50 current and former members and community leaders at Ditka's at Arlington Park.

Originally two separate clubs, the Sunrise Rotary clubs of Arlington Heights and Mount Prospect merged in 2011. But four years later, they were down to 13 members and only six of them usually attended the Friday morning meetings.

So they agreed to do the unthinkable - disband.

Club President Marilyn Genther said the membership committee was trying to recruit new blood, but, "it was a struggle to obtain the energy and momentum to come back as an active service club," she said.

Because people weren't coming, doing the kinds of service projects that define Rotary clubs wasn't possible. In turn, those activities are often what get people interested in joining.

"Hence, disbanding and distributing our foundation funds to worthy charities seemed the viable path for us after much heart-wrenching discussion," Genther said.

Service clubs nationwide are having the same membership problems. People travel more these days, making commitment more difficult, said John Serafin, who, with his wife, Rhonda, are among the remaining Sunrise Rotary members.

"(Young people prefer) to socialize online and they don't necessarily want to meet face-to-face. They want to 'conference,'" said Donna Johnson, president of the River Trails Elementary District 26 board.

"Joining a club like Rotary involves time and money, which many young people today aren't able to give," said Genther. "Most of them are not 'joiners.' They are mission-oriented 'doers.' Give them a task and they are happy to do it, but they don't want to commit to anything with regular meetings."

The Rotary Club of Arlington Heights Sunrise was founded in 1987 by eight businessmen who wanted to meet over breakfast. At the time of their charter, they had 29 members.

Its counterpart in Mount Prospect began meeting in 1990 and was chartered with 25 members in 1991.

Over the years, the clubs' endeavors were numerous. They dedicated themselves to local literacy efforts; gave out scholarships; and fundraised for the Arlington Heights Centennial Clock Tower, the Mount Prospect Veterans Memorial, PADS, Mount Prospect's Central School restoration, "Operation North Pole" and more.

They even funded a trailer for a local Boy Scout troop and helped build a fence around a playground.

The Rotary clubs also raised money for international efforts, from famine relief in Ethiopia and solar energy in Nepal to medications for children after the Chernobyl disaster. They hosted group exchange teams from Thailand, Turkey, the Philippines, Japan and England.

As they brought their club to a close on April 30, members shared fond memories and honored seven nonmembers and two members for outstanding service to Arlington Heights and Mount Prospect.

Police Sgt. Douglas Hajek of Arlington Heights and Officer Gregory Sill of Mount Prospect each received the John M. McNamara Service Above Self Award for exceptional service and commitment to their communities over a sustained period of time.

Five community members were given honorary Paul Harris Fellow awards: Gordon Maves, retired division head at Rolling Meadows High School; George Clowes, former Mount Prospect trustee and founder of Mount Prospect Teens and Parents for a Better Mount Prospect (TAP); Ronald Lavine, Friendship Junior High School teacher; Donna Johnson and Dawn Fletcher Collins, Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce executive director.

Club members Lindy Westerfeld and Hal Wyckoff also received Paul Harris Fellow awards for work within the club.

Johnson accepted her award with the words, "All of us are just trying to make our little neck of the woods better."