THE FOLLOWING IS A DANVILLE NOON ROTARY RELEASE
Monday October 6, 2025- Danville Noon Rotary welcomed Special Guest District Governor John Calderon. Also joining in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month were Elise Albers, Associate Director and Sharla Jolly, Sr. Development Manager from the American Cancer Society.
The meeting began with the announcement of the 2025 Paul Harris Fellowship Awards, one of the highest honors bestowed by Rotary International for exemplifying the ideal of “Service Above Self”. This year’s recipients were Steve Miller and Rick Rotramel. Mr. Rotramel was not able to attend and will receive his award at a later date.
Guest speakers from the American Cancer Society presented information on the numerous services they offer. Ms. Albers and Ms. Jolly were happy to share that 44% of women are living longer after a cancer diagnosis today than in prior years. They spoke about the 24/7 Cancer Helpline which provides guidance and answers through phone, video calls and online chat with a live “real” person. They offer breast cancer support that connects patients with someone who has actually “been there”. Numerous resources including Online Communities, Survivor Networks, Understanding Your Diagnosis and the Road to Recovery are simply a few of the many resources available. For a complete list visit cancer.org or call 1-800-227-2345.
After a warm welcome, District Governor John Calderon took the stage speaking about the 2025 Light Up Rantoul Business Expo held at the former Chanute Air Force Base on June 14, 2025. Over 350 attended the event. He was excited to report that membership is growing with the introduction of four new clubs and over 100 new Rotarians district-wide. He spoke about how Rotary International delivered solar powered lanterns to over 5,000 homes in the Caribbean after a hurricane induced power outage. He is especially proud of the results of the Shoes for Orphan Souls drive that is currently underway.
Over 2,400 pairs of new shoes have been collected to date and donations are still being accepted through April 11. 80% of the donations will go to Guatemala where some children will receive new shoes for the first time in their lives. The remaining donations will be distributed locally. The Noon Rotary presented Mr. Calderon with a box of new donated shoes and a check to support the shoe drive. With positive energy and his trademark sombrero, Mr. Calderon emphasized to the group that, “each one of you who are Rotarians should look in mirror with pride and recognize that you are helping someone, somewhere, every single day.”
📅 Mark your calendars for Fall Clean Up Day on Saturday, October 18 from 9-11 am.
It is an exciting time to be part of the Danville Noon Rotary which meets the first Monday of every month at 12 pm at WorkSource Enterprises. The next meeting will be Monday, November 3. All are welcome and encouraged to join.
