Batavia Rotary Club to welcome Pentagon 9/11 survivor

With the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks approaching, the Batavia Rotary Club is honored to welcome a decorated survivor of the Pentagon attack to speak at the club's Aug. 23 breakfast meeting. Ryan Yantis, a retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel who was on duty that historic day, will be sharing his story of readiness, resilience, responsibility, and service.

Yantis, who was later decorated for his actions, will join club members to discuss how the lessons learned there can help Americans better understand future crises and events. Yantis was assigned to the Army Staff in the Pentagon as a spokesman from 2000-03. Since retiring from the Army in 2006, he has led two successful nonprofits, served as spokesman for the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, and now is the principal of SilverLeaf Leadership Communication, a public relations and leadership firm in Crystal Lake.

The breakfast begins at 7:15 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, at Apple Villa Famous Pancake House, 1961 W. Wilson St. in Batavia. The program will begin at 7:30 a.m. and last 30 minutes.

At the breakfast meeting, the Batavia Rotary Club will announce that they are sponsoring two upcoming programs with Yantis and American Pride, a nonprofit organization established by 9/11 survivors of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks to educate people and to bring a positive impact to the lives of all first responders, military, veterans, and their families. On Tuesday, Sept. 6, Yantis will visit and speak with students at Batavia High School during the day. The club is co-sponsoring Yantis' presentation, "Surviving 9/11," part of the New Lyceum Lecture Series offered at the Batavia Public Library from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Registration for the evening program is required at www.bataviapubliclibrary.org.

To learn more about the Batavia Rotary Club, visit bataviarotaryclub.org.

The Batavia Rotary Club, which is part of Rotary International, strives to foster friendships, promote equality and encourage tolerance and respect among people of all races, religions and socioeconomic backgrounds. The Rotary Club began in the United States in 1905, through the work of Chicago attorney Paul P. Harris. He envisioned a place for professionals from all disciplines to meet and brainstorm ways to provide services for members of their communities.