Greetings!

I was so pleased with attendance at the Opening Party. It was a joy to catch up with members and meet new friends. Special thanks to Jennifer Dillavou for lending us the space, to Jim Runyan and his student staff for helping us with the set up, and to the always cheerful staff of Michael's Catering. All contributed to making the event a success.

I hope you found a new interest or two to explore during the Opening Party. Interest groups are at heart of our Club. There is no limit to the number of groups you can participate in, and we are always looking for fresh ideas. If you have a suggestion for a new interest group, please let us know. We would love to explore your passion with you. Email interestgroups@theillinoisclub.org or president@theillinoisclub.org and we will help you get going.

If you were unable to attend the Opening Party, consider joining us for our Newcomers event on October 7th. Everyone is welcome. We will be on the patio at Rigg's starting at 5:30 PM. It is a great way to introduce friends to the Club as well as another opportunity to learn more about our interest groups and how to get involved. If October 7th does not work for you, the August newsletter is full of information on when our various groups are meeting. Just reach out to the Interest Group Coordinator or me and we will help you get connected.

I close my message by announcing the Communications Team and Webmasters have produced a dynamic new business card for the Club. There is a QR Code on the reverse side that can be scanned with your phone's camera to open the Club's brochure on our website. Pretty cool, huh? Many members have told me they pass along cards when they make new connections in the community, so we want to make the cards available to everyone. If you would like a few cards to carry with you, contact me and we will coordinate a way to get some to you.

Cheers,
Donna Offenbecher
president@theillinoisclub.org

NEW!!! Fall Tour of the Illinois Fire Service Institute

Newcomers & Social Hour