Jeff Nemeth (on right) with the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University has been involved with alternative energy projects and talked about wind technology at this weeks meeting.
Jeff mentioned a couple of interesting websites that offer even more information.
One is www.illinoiswind.org and the other is the Institutes own site www.iira.org.
Jeff is so passionate about wind technology that he will soon be changing jobs and working for a wind development company. He mentioned that another local connection to wind technology is with NTN Bower that makes bearings for wind turbines.
On the Illinois Wind website is a Wind Site Selection Tool that will help determine where turbines can be best located. Jeff says the website has a lot of other
good information on it including showing wind speed data from various locations.
Jeff says that in 2007, 31 Illinois counties established wind ordinance policies,
15 were considering it and 6 have a small turbine ordinance. The first wind turbine in Illinois was installed by the Bureau Valley School District and more school
districts are looking at installing turbines to help control their costs.
Jeff said one of the most common complaints people make about wind turbines locating near their property is the noise they think the turbines will make. He said you can go to You Tube and look for wind farms for examples of the noise levels generated by turbines. Jeff says they are not as loud as you might think.
Jeff was introduced by September program chairman Jack Elfrink, who said Jeff was the first person he met when he moved to Macomb.
Upcoming Speakers:
9/8 - Gregg Woodruff-new tax developments
9/15 - Bill Polley-Western Illinois economic conditions
9/22 - Alissa De Roos-her HOBY experience
9/29 - Tim Moss-the state of the club
President Tim Moss presided. Following the Pledge of Allegiance and Kiwanis International, John Moon led us in singing "Boost Kiwanis" and Chuck Nicholson gave the invocation.
There were several announcements pertaining to our Chandler Park Kiwanis Playground Project. Click here for a picture of the playground.
Tim said he had been talking to a Galesburg alderman about selling bricks that will displayed near the playground and was encouraged to learn how much money can be raised and there is a local company that can supply them.
Tim announced that letters are being delivered to all Kiwanis members regarding our proposed move to Wesley Village and change of dues to $35 per
quarter that does not include charges for meals. The weekly meal charge will be $8 and must be paid weekly at the meeting. We are also working on a way to get members reservations into Wesley Village by noon on Monday. Tim says "there are now four different dues structures and we want to change it to just one." We will vote at the September 15 meeting.
In preparation for the new Kiwanis year that begins October 1, Tim passed around copies of the club roster for members to update.
Owen Thompson announced that, weather permitting, we will be repainting the Chandler Park gazebo this Saturday, September 5. Owen plans to pressure wash and prep it for painting late this week. He says "bring your paint brush or just yourself to help out."
Incoming President Debbie Vandemark had a few things to pass around. She wanted to know if we would be interested in having an entry in the WIU Homecoming Parade October 17. She has ordered an 8 foot banner and some Kiwanis shirts so we can walk in the parade and promote Kiwanis. She is also looking for monthly program chairmen for the next year. Debbie also had some ideas on fund raising activities to help with our Playground Project including selling ice cream sandwiches during the Gazebo Arts Festival September 19. She is looking into our being the exclusive food vendor at next years Park and Cruise events on the Macomb Courthouse Square. We will need several members to volunteer to help raise funds for the playground which will be a major fund raising project for us.
Rick Bulger - Happy to be back on the radio again, primarily on WJEQ
(Classic 103) each morning.
Pat Stout - One for Mary Haney. Pat says she was inspired
by joining Kiwanis and likes that we're helping kids in the community. Pat says she's already told over a dozen people about our club. Another
for Tim Moss. Pat says he appreciates Tim's quiet and thoughtful approach to
things. "Tim has set a lot of goals and we're on the way" Pat said.
Jack Elfrink - Happy to have Jeff Nemeth here as our speaker.
Debbie Vandemark - Happy Owen lent her a dollar so she could thank everyone who donates their time to Kiwanis projects. She also thanked Mary Haney for being a good role model and encouraging people to join Kiwanis saying "It takes everybody to do the things we do."
Tim - Happy to report that his son resolved a home computer problem that turned a bad experience into a good one.
Jay Carter - Happy to remind everyone that the Flags of Love will
go up on Monday, Labor Day. 771 flags need to be raised and lowered
that day and lots of help is needed at 7 AM and 5 PM. Jay says there will soon be 772 flags. Jay also participated in the Bushnell Fall Festival parade and said the memorial they are planning to put up had a goal of $30,000 and "they actually collected $52,000 by selling engraved bricks."
BREAKING NEWS: The 50/50 Drawing was not won this week by Tim Moss! Instead, it was won by Waneen Stout and she donated her share to the Kiwanis Playground Project.
William Piper, Chairman of the Kiwanis Spastic Paralysis Research Foundation, recently sent a letter to all club presidents regarding each clubs contributions to the foundation. In the letter, Mr. Piper wrote:
For over 57 years, Kiwanis Clubs in the I-I District have been the main source of financial support for the I-I District's Finest Project, the Spastic Paralysis Research Foundation. With support from all members of the K-family, your Foundation has allowed top level medical researchers chosen from Illinois and Iowa to achieve medical breakthroughs and improve the level of care to young and old who are affected by neurological disabilities and disease. If you attended the recent District Convention, you surely shared in the excitement and pride in hearing from one of our researchers, Dr. Janet Rowley, who recently received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her pioneering research. Unlike other medical research foundations, Kiwanians in the I-I District enjoy a personal relationship with the researchers who benefit from your contributions.
Thank you for your support and the leadership you provide your club.
To see how our club measured up with all the others in the Illinois-Eastern Iowa District of Kiwanis, click here and scroll down to Division 19.
The latest edition of the Illinois-Eastern Iowa District "Illeiowan" newsletter is now online.
Check out previous Builder newsletters by clicking on a date below.
