Six Sauk Valley Rotary Clubs – Dixon, Rock Falls, Sterling Noon, Rotaract of SVCC, Twin Cities Sunrise, and Walnut joined together to sponsor the Seventh Annual End Polio Now Walk on October 8. The walk which was open to the public began at Centennial Park in Rock Falls and continued along the Hennepin Canal to Rock River at which it turned to return through the downtown Rock Falls along First Avenue until back to East 11th Street and Centennial Park. The walk is an awareness of Rotary’s goal to eradicate polio from our world through donations to vaccinate children around the world. In 2020 all of Africa was declared polio –free. Just 9 cases of wild polio have been reported worldwide in 2022 in just Pakistan and Afghanistan. Progress is being made!
Prior to the walk a short update on polio was given by the Foundation Chairs or Presidents of each sponsoring club; those speaking included Jeff Gray and Mike Albert of Rock Falls, Jennifer Heintzelman of Dixon, Peyton Ward and Mackenzie Sisson of Rotaract of SVCC, Nick Lareau of Sterling Noon, and Jan Pistole of Walnut. Forth-three persons were in attendance at the beginning of the walk for a photo.
Donations were accepted that day from the public and all six Rotary club members were encouraged to donate to Polio Plus in the next six weeks to the Rotary Foundation through their local club. The totals are now in. Total amount raised from our efforts of the Seventh Annual End Polio Now Walk was a total of $2,604.37. The Gates Foundation will triple that amount in matching funds so the actual amount in total from this walk to eradicate polio is $7,813.11.
Thank you to Alex Paschal of Shaw Media, T. J. Henry of Coloma Park District, Tom Katz of WSDR, and Sauk Valley Food Bank for their support of our event.

 

Brandi Spreeman (right) was inducted into the Rock Falls Rotary Club on Monday evening, February 7. She was presented the Rotary pin and certificate from her sponsor, Bob Sondgeroth (left). Rock Falls Rotary is a service club that meets twice monthly at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Monday evenings. Due to covid restrictions, meetings have been via ZOOM.  

 

Chosen by staff at Rock Falls High School based on the Rotarian Four Way Test of the things Rotarians say, think, and do are two of the Rotarian Students of the Month: Lydea King (left), daughter of Lance and Jeannie King, as November Rotarian Student of the Month and Mallory Pinske, (center) daughter of Kevin and Mandy Pinske as the August Rotarian Student of the Month withBob Sondgeroth, Youth Committee Chair, (right).

 

As a part of American Education Week  literacy activities,  members of the Rock Falls Rotary Club presented a total of 168 age-appropriate dictionaries to third grade students in all public and private schools in Rock Falls.  Rotarians who made the classroom presentations this year were Cheryl Faber and Tom Myers.  Both these photos were of third grade classes at Merrill School.

 

 

Cheryl Faber (center), Rock Falls Rotarian who reads weekly to first grade students of teacher Mary Mammosser at East Coloma Nelson, had received a total of $303 which had been collected throughout the preceding year by the kindergartners, first graders, and second graders to support the work of Rock Falls Rotary. They wrote in the thank you that Mrs. Faber came weekly to share story time with them, bringing in her own books, and helping them to enjoy reading, so they wanted to repay Rotary for her time and talent. Sharing in the appreciation are the other two Rotarians who read weekly to students at East Coloma-Nelson: Betty Clementz, (left) who reads to third grade classes and Bob Sondgeroth (right) who reads to second grade classes. Rock Falls Rotary decided to donate these $303 to LIFE, so more children can receive books in the mail from birth-age 5 and enjoy the love of reading.

 

It's time for the annual Rock Falls Rotary Holiday Greenery Sale. These products make great gifts and are shipped directly to your family members or friends. You can contact any Rock Falls Rotarian to place your order or you can visit https://sherwoodfundraiser.com/RockFallsRotary to directly place your order. Proceeds help to support Youth, Literacy and Rotary programs in our area.

 

2021 marks the 85th Anniversary of the Rock Falls Rotary Club. Kicking off our celebration was a Prairie Planting project at Rotary Park in Rock Falls. Keith Zoeller, RF Rotarian, headed up the project and planting of the seed in the plot at the park. Fellow Rotarians aided by spreading prairie flower seed by hand in the plot.

 

  

 

Mike Albert has reached a milestone of 30 years of Rock Falls Rotary membership and was recently recognized for his dedication to the service of Rotary. Mike has served most recently as president for the second term and serves as Foundation Chair, thereby responsible for organizing the End Polio Now Walk annually. Gail Wright, President of Rock Falls Rotary (left) presented to Mike Albert (right) a certificate signed by District 6420 Governor in recognition of his years of service.

 

The Rock Falls Rotary Club presented Emily Taylor, Executive Director (left) and Karen Voss, Marketing Director (also a Rock Falls Rotarian) (right) of Rock River Hospice & Home a check for $200 to assist with their Festival of Trees Fundraiser to provide no-cost hospice services to members of our communities. Emily presented an update on activities and happenings at Rock River Hospice & Home, along with information about their upcoming Festival of Trees events to be held at Northland Mall and online, Nov. 9-21.