THANKS, again, Dick Peach

Monarda, aka Bee Balm.

Roses, lilies, black-eyed Susans, bee balm and purple cone flowers are just some of the flora at home in Evanston's International Friendship Garden. Maybe you've strolled through it or ridden past it at McCormick and Bridge St. in the middle of the Ladd Arboretum. Established in the early 1960s by the Rotary Club of Evanston, not widely known is that Dick Peach, with his wife Shelley Peach, have lead the maintenance of it for many years, until recently, on behalf of the club.

Few people active in Evanston's civic life don't know Dick Peach. He's consider by many one of the unofficial mayors of Evanston. By day he's the general manager of Dempster Auto Rebuilders. In his spare time he's doing all he can to help Evanston be all it can be, plus a little more fun. He plays Santa during Evanston winter Holiday Bash. He writes the Hooked on Fishing column for the Evanston Roundtable, which he's won awards for. He's served in leadership positions in numerous Evanston's community organizations: Evanston Chamber of Commerce, City of Evanston's Liquor Control Board, Evanston Community Foundation, Evanston Environmental Association, Evanston's 4th of July Association, WE Foundation and probably others. The position he takes a special pride in is being a Rotarian. It is a rare day he's not wearing one of his Rotary shirts, and if he's not, he's wearing a Rotary pin.

Dick Peach

This past Rotary year, July 2017-June 2018, Dick served as president of the Rotary Club of Evanston, again. The first to serve as president twice in the club's nearly 100-year history.

Dick is not hard to get to know. What you see is what you get. For certain details, one has to dig a little deeper. I pressed him a bit on his thoughts about his recent stint as club president.

Here's what he had to say:

Q: How are you feeling about your year leading the club, again?

Feeling pretty good, the year was not a bad year for our Club. We lost a few members due to job changes, and we gained a few new members. Leading this club is a joy because we have so many outstanding Rotarians leading the way and their showing the newbies how we do it.

Q: How did this year differ for you from your first time serving as president during the 2009-10 Rotary year?

This year we didn’t make any major shifts in the club's operations. Last time when I came in I changed how we collected for lunch, by adding it to the dues instead of everyone paying at the door. Last time I de-emphasized taking attendance and offered a number of new ways to ‘make-up’ a meeting like Tuesday Toasters. This year was pretty uneventful in comparison.

Q: What was the high point of the year for you?

Getting the dues structure realigned with the financial reality of our membership. With the shift from most companies covering all the dues for the members, to most not covering the dues cost, this putting the weight on the individual. I think it was prophetic that it was on my first presidency we added the meals to the dues making them substantially higher, that on my current watch I was able to restructure dues and make it easier on the membership to pay dues. Big change.

Q: Is there anything you feel you left undone?

I wish I could have had more new members. I couldn’t find a way to get our members to invite more people to join us.

Q: What’s next for you? Any projects you’re looking to take on within the club or outside of it?

Within the club, finish another big banner with club banners from around the world to make our meeting area look even better. I told [current president] Michele [Berg] I would be happy to work on our 100th Anniversary project for the club and I’m on two other committees, so I’ll stay involved.

Outside of Rotary I’m working with the WE Foundation to help kids get ahead. I’m taking a back seat on the 4th of July doings, stepping down from Celebration Manager for next year. I’m also going to be working full time on my retirement and move to Minnesota.

Q: What else is on your mind as you transition out?  Any advice for new president Michele Berg?

I told Michele the best thing she can do is to delegate as much as possible, because otherwise the job will overwhelm you in a minute. Pick good people to run your committees hold them accountable. And most of all…have fun. Remember you have lots of experienced past presidents to lean on for advice and guidance.

Santa Sandwich: Elf Eldridge Shannon (center) with
Dick Peach (right) and I at the first annual Evanston
Holiday Bash and Tree Lighting. November 2012.
[Photo by Genie Lemieux]

More about the Rotary Club of Evanston

Planting trees, rehabbing homes for low-income families, cleaned-up beaches, packing backpacks of school supplies for K-12 students, tending to the International Friendship Garden and raising funds for not-for-profit organizations addressing issues from illiteracy to HIV/AIDS to homelessness, poverty, and gang violence is just some of what Rotary Club of Evanston does locally.

Through the network of 35,000+ clubs connected through Rotary International--which just happens to be headquartered at Sherman and Grove--the Rotary Club of Evanston, as well as the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club, partner with other clubs to do what they can to tackle the world's most pressing humanitarian challenges, which include eradicating polio, disaster relief, clean water and micro-enterprise in Kenya, and upgrading health care systems in Guatemala.

Most of the humanitarian efforts Rotarians work on globally fall under six areas of focus: peace and conflict prevention/resolution, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, and economic and community development.

If you'd like to learn more, check out the club's website and Facebook page. All are welcome to our Thursday lunch meeting in downtown Evanston. For an invitation to lunch and to learn more about membership in the club, contact club member Brian King.

Dick Peach, with fellow Rotarian Gene Servillo, at a Tuesday Toasters, one of the
Rotary Club of Evanston's events that is only about fun and friends.