Events

Host: Jim Gregory

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Tom Marchisello is the Soup Kitchen Coordinator for St. Mary's Parish.

Host: John Hancir

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

From the Orphans of the Storm website:  At Orphans of the Storm, we take responsibility for each and every dog and cat who reaches our doors, compassionately sheltering them with the highest standard of care. Guided by our commitment to promote adoption, and humane treatment, reduce pet overpopulation and to keep people and pets together, we aim to create a more compassionate community.

Orphans of the Storm is conveniently nestled between the North Shore communities of Deerfield and Buffalo Grove on nine acres, just 1.5 miles off I-94. The buildings include three dog wings with outdoor access, cat housing, office space, and a small clinic. Outdoor facilities include numerous kennel runs, dog meet-and-greet spaces, the Jim Farmer Memorial Dog Enrichment Park, and a seven acre wooded nature trail. It is a beacon of hope for homeless cats and dogs in Northeastern Illinois and beyond and has found loving homes for over 150,000 dogs and cats.

Judy Kotsiopoulos is a Lake Forest resident and the Community Engagement Coordinator for Orphans of the Storm Animal Shelter. Judy has volunteered with Orphans of the Storm for over 20 years and last year took a part time position with them to engage with the community.  She holds off site adoption events, visit corporations and small businesses and joins various group meetings like today with Rotary, to spread the good news of the animal shelter. She also organizes fundraising events, like an upcoming golf outing in September.

Host: Julie Halperin

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Host: David Hone

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Lake County Haven’s mission is to empower homeless women and their children to achieve permanent, independent living. They fulfill this goal by offering their residents traditional shelter and housing combined with a comprehensive array of supportive services. These services are designed to help each resident identify and overcome the root causes of her homelessness. It is Lake County Haven's vision that no one who enters their program will ever be homeless again. 

Kalie Schultz is the Development Coordinator at Lake County Haven. Kalie grew up in the suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota and has lived in Seattle, Washington and Montpellier, France. After graduating from the University of Minnesota, Kalie pursued a career in events; planning weddings and large parties and then moved on to the corporate event sphere. Kalie knew she had a different calling which led her to the non-profit realm and ultimately, Lake County Haven. Kalie lives in Lake Zurich with her husband and two sons. She enjoys biking, gardening, healthy cooking, and traveling.

Host: Michael Hubbard

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

The Battle of Midway (June 4–7, 1942) was a decisive naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II where the United States Navy decisively defeated the Imperial Japanese Navy, sinking four of Japan's carriers and crippling its offensive capabilities. This U.S. victory, made possible by code-breaking intelligence, halted Japanese expansion and marked a significant turning point in the war—air combat would be the decisive force.

Captain Stephen M. Yargosz, Commanding Officer of Naval Station Great Lakes, is a native of North Webster, Indiana and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University in 1998.  He commissioned through Officer Candidate School and completed Aviation Maintenance Duty Officer training in 1999.

Operationally, Captain Yargosz served in Fighter Squadron (VF) 143 as a Material Control Officer deploying on USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN-69) and USS John F Kennedy (CV-67) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In December 2002, he was selected for lateral transfer/resignation and completed flight school in October 2004. Following flight school, he served with Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (HS) 4 deploying three times with the Black Knights onboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76). As a department head with the Red Wolves of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 84, he deployed four times to Iraq where he flew over 120 combat missions in support of Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Arabian Peninsula. As Commanding Officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9 he led the Tridents through multiple Fleet Replenishment and Training Squadron carrier landing qualification support detachments, as well as detachments to fleet week in New York, exercise JADED THUNDER 19, and hurricane Dorian Bahamas disaster relief. Following command, he served as Navigator for USS George Washington (CVN-73) during the ships midlife Refueling and Complex Overhaul.

Ashore Captain Yargosz was a student at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, Virginia where he complete JPME Phase I and received a Master in Military Science. He served as a policy analyst focused on United Nations and European drug policy while at the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), Executive Office of the President, in Washington, D.C. from July 2014 to January 2017. He completed JPME Phase II at the Joint Forces Staff College in 2020.

Captain Yargosz has over 2,500 flight hours. His decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2nd), Strike/Flight Air Medal (10th), Navy Commendation Medal (2nd), and Navy Achievement Medal (2nd).

Host: Drew Irvin

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Rick Amos is a Board Member of the Friends of the Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Foundation and will speak about the history, purpose, and impact that the Foundation has had on the community. In addition to playing a major role in fundraising, Rick has been responsible for managing the Tree Lighting Ceremony and 4th of July Fireworks and Festival.

Host: Fred Jackson

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Host: Larry Kuhl

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Host: John (JJ) Johnson

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Anila joined RBC as an intern in the Lake Forest Branch in January of 2023, there she had the opportunity to explore her passion of the finance world. Her dedication and enthusiasm led to a full-time position as a client associate at RBC’s North Shore office after graduating from Lake Forest College. At just 16 years old, Anila took a brave step and moved to the Netherlands to pursue the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma Program at UWC Maastricht, the Netherlands. This experience not only demonstrated her independence but also fostered a growth mindset and disciplined approach to life. Living and studying amongst the brightest students from an astonishing 100 different nationalities, she soaked in a rich cultural experience that molded her into the individual she is today. With a thirst for knowledge, she later relocated to the United States to pursue a bachelor’s degree in economics, and Entrepreneurship and Innovation.  Anila will be sharing her story of living in a post war country, Kosovo to taking a brave step at 16 and moving to the Netherlands on her own, and then later relocating to the Unites States. A journey full of sacrifices for her and her family, new opportunities, experiences, and full of uncertainties that shaped her into the individual that she is today. 

Host: Jayson Kaus

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Tim Buckley,  MSc, RRT, FAARC, a retired Repiratory Therapist, will touch on the history of the iron lung and how it is used in care setting today. Tim will describe his use of the iron lung and other negative pressure ventilators in his clinical practice. Tim will discuss  practical strategies and stories of the individuals he treated with negative pressure ventilators.  He will describe how the polio epidemics  lead to the creation of the acute care units of today’s medical centers.

Tim began his career as a respiratory therapist in 1975. Over 50 years he worked in almost every setting.  Acute care in both adult and pediatric settings, aeromedical transport, medical education and homecare.  He was one of the original pioneer  developers of programs  to send ventilator dependent children home on ventilators. He has worked in both the academic setting as well as for a Fortune 35 company in various leadership positions.  He remains active in the American Association for Respiratory Care and the American Academy for Chest Physicians.  As a retirement project he is rebuilding a 1940 J4 Cub aircraft. He is a member of the Board of Directors  for both the Fort Sheridan Historical Society and the Lake CountyEAA Chapter 414.

Host: Peter Elmer

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Host: Thea Colwell

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Lori Dillon is founder and president of the Right To Be Free Foundation and she will speak on the dangers of human trafficking. 

Right To Be Free’s mission is to save victims of human trafficking (modern day slavery) while working to stop this criminal industry. They rescue and rehabilitate enslaved children, the most vulnerable victims of human trafficking, girls trafficked into the sex trade, and victims forced to commit cybercrime while protecting vulnerable children from traffickers. They also provide education outreach to at-risk communities, raise awareness to the public and work with various stakeholders to combat this criminal industry.

Host: Jerry Kelly

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Host: Bob Kenehan

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

In 1939, Paolo Sartori brought his Italian heritage to Wisconsin and founded Sartori Cheese. It was this passion for cheesemaking that sparked a successful family-run business that has thrived for generations.

“When my great grandfather was looking at founding [Sartori], he looked all over the midwest and ended up settling in Wisconsin. The work ethic of the team, the rich history of agriculture, and the climate made it an ideal place for dairy farming.” Bert Sartori, President

While each generation of Sartori family leadership has had their own style, they’ve always been united under one mission: to make the best cheese in the world. 

Host: Cliff Kiehl

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Ishwar will review the renovations to the library. 

Ishwar joined the Lake Forest Library as its Executive Director in May 2023. Born in India, he earned undergraduate degrees in business and library science from the University of Calcutta (now Kolkata). His career in India included progressively responsible roles with the libraries of the United States Information Agency in Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai. After moving to the United States in 1997, Ishwar first worked for the Warren Newport Public Library in Gurnee, Illinois, and then served at the Norfolk Public Library in Virginia and the OCLC Online Computer Library Center based in Ohio. For more than twelve years, he served as director of the Jackson District Library and William P. Faust Public Library of Westland, both in Michigan. Prior to joining the Lake Forest Library, Ishwar was a Library Consultant with The Ivy Group that assists libraries in strategic planning, community engagement, and marketing. Ishwar has a master's degree in librarianship from Emory University.

Host: John (JJ) Johnson

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Host: Paul Lemieux

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Host: John Looby

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Prairie View Hobbies is a club/organization dedicated to expanding chess across Illinois by offering club organization, chess instruction, and coordinating both rated and unrated tournaments and events statewide.

Erik is the Owner of Prairie View Hobbies, an organization committed to spreading chess across Illinois through club development, instruction, and statewide tournament organization. He is a certified tournament director with the US Chess Federation (USCF) and holds the designation of Senior Tournament Director (as of October 2022). In addition to running Prairie View Hobbies, Erik joined the national chess organization US Chess in 2025 as an Assistant Director of Events, where he helps plan and execute large scale national chess events.

Host: KeunAe Choe

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Host: Erin Lenart

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Jesse Rodriguez is an Administrator at The Salvation Army Waukegan Corps Community Center, alongside Amanda Rodriguez, where they lead community outreach and services.

Host: Mark Dewart

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that brings volunteers together to help build affordable housing.  This presentation will describe ways to get involved and support this critical work, and outline the ever increasing need for housing.

Joel Williams is the CEO of Lake-McHenry Habitat for Humanity.  He has been with Habitat for about 4-1/2 years and has served in the nonprofit sector for over 20 years.

Host: Art Lewis

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week

Spearkers:  Kevin Bishop – Board President, Laura Harper – (New) Executive Director, Vickie Marasco - Founder

In 2014, our founder (an artist and Lake County resident) created our organization after witnessing firsthand how art-making could help adolescents in drug and alcohol treatment. Inspiration came while supporting a family member through recovery and participating in family group sessions. She noticed that despite access to specialized services, words alone were not enough to support adolescents in treatment. After approaching a local intensive outpatient program with the idea of leading an art project to assist existing programming, she witnessed something remarkable: during that first session, many teens who had been quiet for months became their most verbal and expressive while making and discussing their art. In that moment of connection, care, and creativity, Art Impact Project was born.

Art Impact Project enhances emotional wellness through creative expression. We believe that art-making is one of the most powerful untapped sources of intervention available, especially at a time when access to mental health care is extremely limited and the need has never been higher.

Our programming is specifically curated for each population we serve, from middle school students to senior citizens. We offer over 100 specifically designed projects with clear objectives such as increasing positive self-awareness, building confidence, and promoting empathy for others.

Host:  John (JJ) Johnson

• Breakfast and socializing
• Welcome: Pledge of Allegiance, Rotary's principles, reflections/blessing, announcements
• Sharing of joys with 'Happy Dollars' which help fund club activities
• Focus on a Member's career or life story
• Speaker on a topic of the week