Events

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

• 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 Lake Forest Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) educates residents on disaster preparedness for potential hazards that could affect our community.

Members receive training in essential skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, disaster medical operations, and traffic control through a combination of online courses, classroom instruction, and live exercises. With this knowledge, CERT members are prepared to assist neighbors or coworkers during emergencies when professional responders may not be immediately available.

Host: Carl Marcyan

• 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

Beacon Place helps children and families create a future in which they are prepared to achieve and pursue an elevated life by providing the support, guidance, and exposure to life experiences that will allow children and their families to envision a path to a brighter tomorrow.

Beacon Place achieves this by ensuring that children/families join our community and stay in programs that deliver a long continuum of comprehensive support, which compounds the investment of impact over many years through a focus on: growing healthy bodies, discovering strong minds and envisioning bright futures.

Maha, a dedicated advocate for children and families, brings extensive experience in youth advocacy, direct service, and program leadership to Beacon Place. Most recently, she served as Chief Program Officer at the Illinois Collaboration on Youth, overseeing prevention, intervention, and trauma initiatives.  Previously, Worden worked at CASA Kane County, supporting volunteers advocating for children in the foster system. She began her career at Mooseheart Child City and School, mentoring at-risk youth and leading quality improvement efforts.  Maha holds a B.S. from Judson University and a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University. She resides in Batavia, IL, where she enjoys spending time with her family, running, cooking, and tackling DIY projects.

Host: Sunny Lu

• 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 a LFC Press Release July 7, 2025:

The Lake Forest College Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Michael “Mike” Sosulski as the College’s 15th president, effective August 11, 2025, following a national search. An Illinois native, Dr. Sosulski most recently served as president of Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, where he led significant advancements in academics, enrollment, and campus life.

An accomplished scholar and experienced administrator, Dr. Sosulski brings to Lake Forest a strong record of leadership in academic affairs, fundraising, and institutional innovation. At Washington College, he oversaw a 120 percent increase in applications, launched a $5 million campus innovation hub, completed a $20 million first-year housing renovation, and led the institution through its 10-year reaccreditation in 2024. He also helped secure $125 million in fundraising in advance of the college’s next capital campaign, including a transformative $15 million gift to create the Warehime School of Global Business, Economics and Social Impact.

Before his presidency, Dr. Sosulski served as Provost and Professor of German at Wofford College, where he led major investments in academic infrastructure, diversity, and governance. He has also held faculty and leadership roles at Kalamazoo College.

Dr. Sosulski expressed deep enthusiasm for joining the Lake Forest College community.

“Growing up in suburban Chicago, I saw Lake Forest as the ideal liberal arts college—personal, rigorous, and full of opportunity. The chance to return home—personally and professionally—felt like a perfect fit,” Dr. Sosulski said. “From the start, I was drawn to this community’s spirit: smart, curious, creative, and deeply caring. That’s a mission I deeply believe in, and I’m honored and excited to be part of it.”

The Board of Trustees unanimously approved Dr. Sosulski’s appointment.

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

In 1987, a group of retired Blackhawk players got together to discuss their future in the Chicago community. Their main objective was to "give something back" to Chicago and to the sport of hockey. In that meeting they developed a three-fold mission statement for the non-profit Chicago Blackhawk Alumni Association.

1. To provide a scholarship fund for the "most deserving" high school hockey players in Illinois.
2. To become involved in community affairs and charitable causes.​
3. To protect and take care of their fellow alumni: "Players helping Players."

Host: Kevin Magnuson

• 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

Matt and Tom will explain muncipal bonds, what are they are and why they are of value to local communities

Bernardi Securities, Inc. is a leading municipal bond boutique, specializing in active municipal bond portfolio management and innovative public finance services. Their mission is to specialize in the municipal bond market to deliver superior performance for clients.  They do this by providing:

1. Active municipal bond portfolio management
2. Innovative public finance services
3. Municipal credit analysis

Host: Tighe Magnuson

• 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 Lake Forest High School (District 115) Portrait of a Learner is a strategic framework aiming to define essential 21st-century competencies for student success in college, career, and life. Key pillars for students include developing adaptability, citizenship, communication, confidence, critical thinking, and empathy. 

Key Components of the Portrait of a Learner:

• Visionary Goals: The framework serves as a "North Star" for the district, focusing on developing students who are adaptable, communicative, and empathetic leaders.
• Skill Development: The initiative aims to move beyond traditional test scores to foster skills like critical thinking and civic engagement.
• Action Plan: Districts 67 and 115 are collaborating to align this vision with classroom practices, ensuring it is integrated into the educational experience.
• Community Partnership: The process involves input from stakeholders across Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, and Knollwood to create a shared vision for student growth. 
• This initiative is part of the broader "One LFHS" strategic plan, which emphasizes nurturing character alongside academic excellence.

Host: Erin Lenart