StoryCorps adventure with Dan Coyne

I'm still laughing a little at Dan Coyne, and life in general.

"I'm an open book," he claims.

Yeah, but it depends on what page the book is opened to, I say.

Around Evanston, some know Dan has the guy who covers the city council meetings live for Evanston's Facebook audience.

Others know Dan has a Ridgeville Park District board member and an active member of Reba Place.

A few know him as the guy that donated a kidney to his favorite grocery store clerk approximately 10 years ago. That is where we started our conversation in the StoryCorps booth at the Chicago Cultural Center on September 21, 2019.

I learned that he moved to Evanston from Portland, Oregon and grew up in Toledo, Ohio.
He has O- blood.
Rotary played an important role in his life early on. 
It wasn't until the end of our conversation that I learned something very surprising, not covered in any press about him.

I appreciated the trust he gave me. I'm in awe of his grace and equanimity.

Give us a listen here.

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Media coverage of part of his story:

February 7, 2010 - A surprising transplant offer

June 15, 2010 - Man honored for donating kidney may lose job

July 1, 2012 - A gift of life...

October 7, 2014 - Kidney donor's CPS job in jeopardy--again (video)

December 22, 2015 - CPS fires social worker who donated kidney to stranger

December 22, 2015 - Termination of School Social Worker Raises Questions about Residency Rule, Caseload

Rotary Club of Evanston celebrates 100 years of "service above self"

A Poem: Two Bird

Tuesday Toasters TONIGHT/August 27 at Five and Dime.

TONIGHT: The Rotary Club of Evanston invites you to Tuesday Toasters at Five & Dime at 1026 Davis St., Evanston from 5:15 - 7:15-ish p.m.

Join us friends and neighbors, some of them Rotarians, for conversation over food and/or drinks.

Bring a friend, if you like.

Tuesday Toasters is the Rotary Club of Evanston's monthly no-agenda meetup of Evanstonians and friends gathering in the name of promoting friendship.

Evanston Rotary's PizzaFest May 21

This in from the Rotary Club of Evanston...

Stephanie Murray--with other member of the Rotary Club of Evanston Paul Fischl, Gene Servillo, Jane Lawicki, Paul Larson, Dick Peach, Dave Stumpf, Diane Krier-Morrow, Ada Kahn, Janet Butterfield, Björn Gylling, Pete Giangreco, Tori Foreman, Helen Dickson, Harry Vroegh, Gary Bowen, Paul Giordano, Bill Logan, Shawn Iles, Evelyn Lee, April Jensen, Jason Orloff, Pam Rosenbusch, John Robertson, Bridget McDonough, Tracy Tebear, Mark Lowry, Michele Berg, Wally Bobkiewicz, Kelly Gilbert, Brian King, Tom Swigert--invites you to this year's PizzaFest
at
Gigio's Pizzeria, 1001 Davis, Evanston
on
Tuesday, May 21, from 4:30-8:30 p.m..

New this year is outdoor dining on Maple Street ad entertainment by the Greenleaf Band and Johnny Price aka DJ JP Gunnz.

Bennison's will be bringing the dessert.

The growing list of "celebrity servers" expected to be there slinging slices includes John Hewko, Rotary International; Evanston Mayor Steve Hagerty; and Evanston Alderman Peter Braithwaite.

Tickets for all the pizza and pop you can consume run $20 for adults and $12 for kids, if you purchase from a club member or online. Tickets at the door will cost a bit more.

This umpteenth annual pizza and pop extravaganza raises funds to support community projects and initiatives vital to the well being of Evanston. Past recipients of the club's philanthropy include James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy, Family Focus Evanston, On Your Feet Foundation, Curt's Cafe South, Evanston Food Exchange, Park School PTA, School for Little Children, Youth and Opportunity United/Y.O.U., Mudlark Theater Company, Youth Job Center
and others.

Deejay JP Gunnz aka Evanston's own Johnny Price

Grants to combat hate and intolerant behavior

This in from the Rotary Club of Evanston...

National statistics indicate that hate crimes are on the rise, accompanied by an alarming increase in hateful speech and intolerance in the nation’s social discourse.

Recent incidents of intolerant behavior and language among school-age children indicate that this broad societal problem can have a local impact, “trickling down” to affect our youth at a particularly important time in their intellectual and emotional development.

Recognizing the destructive impact of hateful speech and intolerance on communities, and particularly its significantly harmful impact on youth, the Rotary Club of Evanston Charitable Fund is turning its attention to this issue with its annual request for local grant proposals. The Charitable Fund will award community grants this year to local organizations that are interested in addressing the issue through innovative programming. The grants will range in size from $500 to $2,500.

To be considered for a 2019 grant, local organizations are asked to demonstrate programming intended to reduce the impacts of hateful speech, cultural insensitivity or intolerance among children, while promoting youth communities that are characterized by tolerance, empathy and respect for diversity. Because these issues impact children of all ages, program proposals aimed at children from pre-kindergarten/early childhood through middle school and high school are encouraged, including those focused on parenting skills and support for families.

Funding for this effort is being provided by the generous contributions of four Community Partners who are supporting this year’s grants: Byline Bank, Hagerty Consulting, NorthShore University HealthSystem, and Romano Brothers & Co. Wealth Management.

Completed applications may be submitted by email to RCEvanston@gmail.com or sent by U.S. mail to: Rotary Club of Evanston, P.O. Box 84, Evanston, IL, 60204. The application deadline is May 10, 2019. Grant awardees will be announced in June 2019.

Apply to Evanston's Cultural Fund Grant Program by April 1

This in from the City of Evanston...

Arts organizations are invited to apply to the City of Evanston’s Cultural Fund Grant Program. The Cultural Fund, administered by the Evanston Arts Council, supports artistic excellence throughout the community by providing financial assistance to not-for-profit arts organizations for operational costs or projects. Applications must be submitted online at cityofevanston.org/culturalfund
by Monday, April 1, 2019 at 5 p.m.

The City will award a total of $30,000 in grants in the following two categories: Grants to Organizations, awards up to $5,000; and Special Programs and Projects, awards up to $5,000. Applicants may only apply for one of the grant categories. All projects must take place in Evanston in order to successfully qualify for a grant.

There will be a free grant-writing workshop offered specifically for the Cultural Fund Grant Program. All applicants are encouraged to attend the session on Wednesday, February 27, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Morton Civic Center, Room 2402, 2100 Ridge Ave. For special considerations, such as sign language interpretation or Braille translation, please call 847-859-7833 at least one week prior to the meeting date.

The Cultural Fund Grant application must be completed and submitted online only. This allows applicants to easily submit financial records and supporting documents, as well as save progress throughout the application process.

All information about the grants, guidelines and applications can be found by visiting cityofevanston.org/culturalfund. For questions, please contact Assistant to the City Manager Paulina Martínez at pmartinez@cityofevanston.org.

The goal of the Cultural Fund Grant Program is to sustain and advance the community’s arts industry. Evanston’s vision for its Cultural Fund Grant Program is to activate the extraordinary assets of the community to develop Evanston as an arts hub and destination.

For more information, please call/text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may simply dial 3-1-1 in Evanston.