New Rotary calendar honors fire department
One of the many rewarding things about being a member of a service club is working together on common goals to educate, enlighten and engage each other while trying to identify some of the community's unmet needs.
And when you belong to a club with international membership, such as Rotary, worldly causes beyond our borders can capture your attention, too.
With 12 years of Rotary in two different clubs under my belt, I've found that most Rotarians - numbering some 1.2 million worldwide - have no trouble presenting causes that need time and talent. It's up to each of the 33,000 Rotary clubs in some 200 countries to distinguish its personality for giving.
The main thing members embrace is the Rotary motto, "Service Above Self."
And even "service" can be open to interpretation.
About two years ago, 25 of us chartered Naperville's third club, The Rotary Club of Naperville/Downtown, a designed-to-be smaller club (38.5 members is the average club size) to fit a niche, meeting at one of downtown's restaurants. You'll find the day and time every Naperville Rotary Club meets, including a fourth provisional club, at www.rotaryclubsofnaperville.com.
Though membership is by invitation, clubs welcome guests to weekly meetings. Guest fees vary. Rotary clubs are always looking for new members who share the spirit of goodwill toward men and women.
Another added benefit to Rotary is that when you travel you can "make up" meetings at any of those 33,000 clubs I mentioned!
For instance, I've not only attended Rotary in the U.S., but also in Warsaw, Poland; Prague, Czech Republic; and on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. Ask me about the fun I've had making up!
At any rate, our Rotary, tagged the 4:44 Club, holds annual strategic planning workshops to update the focus of our community outreach. Our passions are education, youth charities, disadvantaged and homeless causes, cures for diseases, and the arts - in that order. Under the leadership of this year's club president, Jim Boyajian, public safety is right up there near the top, too.
First Responders
Recognizing that Naperville is one of the safest cities of its size in the country, we timed our first major fundraising initiative with Naperville Public Safety Month in October.
Since the Naperville police and fire departments are "Partnering for Prevention" with local organizations, Rotary/Downtown is contributing to public awareness about fire prevention.
With nine fire stations strategically located in Naperville - and another one planned - the city's fire response is touted to be six minutes or less.
To salute that honorable reputation, our club has produced a 13-month calendar, a service project featuring the Naperville Fire Department that will benefit The Gear Up Foundation, firefighters helping firefighters worldwide.
The idea came from member Nancy Quigley after her trip to Ireland last year when an Irishman gave her a calendar featuring 12 handsome firefighters.
Very long story short, the Rotary calendar morphed into an educational piece titled "First Responders 2009," featuring more than 100 images of local firefighters in training and on the job. Nearly 250 basic safety tips and historical notes serve as daily reminders to use common sense to keep your family and home safe.
"My involvement as a volunteer with the fire department started after I took the Citizens Fire Academy," said Quigley, owner of Quigley's Irish Pub. "That program got me hooked. Then I trained for CERT. and learned how focused our community is on emergency management. I just thought this calendar would be a good way to promote public safety for a good cause."
Along the way, Quigley met Lt. Dan Smith and firefighter/paramedic Tammy Morris, both featured on the cover.
During October, First Responders 2009 will be available for $20 at Quigley's Irish Pub and Minuteman Press. Other locations will be posted on the promotions page of www.pnmonthly.com.
First Responders 2009 also will be available from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, when the fire department sponsors its annual fundraiser at Lou Malnalti's to benefit the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance Burn Camp for Kids.
When Soraya McLaughlin, NFD public education specialist, saw the finished mock-up of the calendar, she said she'd bring Sharpie markers in case supporters want autographs!
&bull Stephanie Penick writes about Naperville. Contact her at spennydh@aol.com.