Speakers

Carl Smith is an acclaimed Chicago historian and Franklyn Bliss Snyder Professor of English and American Studies and Professor of History, Emeritus, at Northwestern University.  His many books include “Chicago’s Great Fire: The Destruction and Resurrection of an Iconic American City”, a full and authoritative story of one of the most consequential disasters in American history.  It is remarkably the first popular history of this legendary urban inferno.

Chuck Miles, fellow Rotarian from the Geneva club and is currently an ADG and Dan Hedge, Rotarian from St Charles speaking about Changing Children’s Worlds Foundation (CCWF) on a new “Adopt-A-School” program.  This program allows service clubs to adopt-a-school in their community to provide the Best Start for Families program to the parents and children in that school.  There are currently two schools in Elgin that are very interested in the program.

Dennis Mellen will talk about his book "Takes More Than Heart" which is about his life “do-over” after 35+ years of being a professional pilot and Air Force pilot after a career ending heart attack.