Dane County Service Clubs Speakers Bank

Steven J. Schooler Executive Director of Porchlight, Inc. Telephone: (608) 257-2534. E-Mail: schooler@tds.net. Web site: www.porchlightinc.org.

Porchlight is a local non-profit that works to reduce homelessness in Dane County by providing shelter, housing, support services and sense of community that empowers residents and guests to positively shape their lives. Porchlight provides solutions to homelessness by offering housing, support services and programs that enable homeless persons to overcome the barriers that caused their homelessness in the first instance. Topics for possible discussion include: (1) Information about homelessness, including its extent and causes; (2) Programs that are successful in reducing homelessness; (3) Relationship between mental illnesses, homelessness and safety; and (4) Various Porchlight programs available to reduce homelessness.

Presentations can be made with PowerPoint and can include DVDs of clients and descriptions of programs. We have our own equipment for PowerPoint presentations but need DVD equipment if available.

Updated 8/08

Ruth G. Shelly, Executive Director, Madison Children's Museum 608.268.1231, ext. 19, rshelly@madisonchildrensmuseum.org

Ruth can present on the new, expanded Madison Children's Museum scheduled to open in 2010 on Capitol Square. She is able to tailor her presentation to the special interests of the group. Updated 12/08

JAMES J. SKILES, Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 8099 Coray Lane, Verona 53593. Phone (608) 845-7647. Fax: 845-7647. E-Mail: skiles@engr.wisc.edu

1.) "An Ice-Breaker Voyage in the Arctic Ocean Across Siberia "In August, 1999, Skiles joined 95 other passengers on a Russian icebreaker ship on an adventurous voyage of 5,000 miles that went through 11 time zones from the Bering Sea to Spitsbergen. Sixteen landings were made by rubber Zodiac boats and helicopters on the northern coast of Siberia and on Russian islands in the Arctic Ocean. Color slides and videos illustrate this fascinating presentation on a visit to this part of the world closed to western visitors by the Russian Communist government for about 75 years.

2,)" Visits to Antarctica – A Place Like No Other Place on Earth"" Antarctica is much in the news today because of the concern that "Global Warming" will melt the Antarctic ice cap and raise sea levels, flooding many coastal cities around the world. Skiles traveled on a small Russian research ship on a visit to the Antarctic Peninsula south of the southern tip of Argentina and Chile in 1997. He traveled on a Russian icebreaker ship on a visit to the Bay of Whales area of Antarctica south of New Zealand and Australia in 2006. Landings were made on the coast of Antarctica and on Antarctic islands by rubber Zodiac boats and Helicopters. Skiles will use color slides and videos to show the spectacular scenery, glaciers, seals, whales, penguins and huts used by the famous Antarctic explorers Ernest Shackleton and Robert Scott almost 100 years ago.

3.) "Seeing Alaska and the Yukon by Private Plane – Yellow Gold, Black Gold and White Gold". Alaska is our largest state and mostly inaccessible except by air, which is the only way to really see and appreciate the beauty of Alaska. Skiles and his wife have visited Alaska and Canada's Yukon Territory many times and flew from Madison to Alaska their single engine plane five times. His talk includes their experience hiking the "Chilkoot Trail", used by gold seekers over 100 years ago to reach the gold fields in the Klondike region of Canada, and visits to Dawson City, created by the Klondike Gold Rush. They also flew to the coast of the Arctic Ocean, on a visit to see Alaska's Prudhoe Bay Oil Field. The talk is illustrated with color slides and videos of spectacular mountains and glaciers seen from the air, Glacier Bay, Mt. McKinley, the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field and the Alaska Pipeline.

4.) "Migration and Navigation by Birds" Although not a professional Ornithologist, Skiles has been fascinated by birds for most of his life, their migratory habits and their fantastic feats of navigation in their migratory journeys. The talk is illustrated with color slides and his presentation includes the topics: What causes birds to start their migrations? What routes of flight do migratory birds take in getting to their wintering areas, often thousands of miles south of their summer breeding and nesting areas in Wisconsin and in the Arctic? How do birds find their way (navigate) over migration paths of thousands of miles, some over wide expanses of ocean?

Updated 5/2009

LAWRENCE E. (LARRY) SMITH, UC Management Services, Phone (608) 273-8300. Fax (608) 273-8301. Email: ucms@tds.net

"There Are Ways That Employers Can Control Their Unemployment Costs."

Expertise: Consulting -- Unemployment Compensation.

Madison Downtown Rotary member.

Updated 4/09

VICKI C. STEWART, retired director of the Madison Repertory Theater, is ready to talk about a personal story close to her heart, title: "Paul's Story." It's a story about how organ/tissue donations changed Paul's life and the lives of many others.

It's the story of her son-in-law's experience and how former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, while serving as U.S. Health and Human Services put national emphasis on donations of organs by the living as well as planning on donation of organs after death. It's truly an ever-evolving subject, in this case researched and told by actual experiences.

Vicki is available 5/1-1/15 each year.

Equipment Required: Vicki uses slides in her presentation so talk to her about providing a screen. She can bring her projector, if necessary, but needs at least a screen.

Telephone: (608) 833-1162. Fax: (608) 833-0242. E-Mail:Vandjstewart@aol.com

Madison Downtown Rotary member.

Updated 1/08

SCOTT STRAIN is director of the special investigations unit at American Family Insurance. His team identifies and investigates acts of fraud against the company.

The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud estimates fraud costs insurers (and their policyholders who cover the costs) billions of dollars annually. Scott has worked with another large insurer and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

He may be reached at 242-4100, extension 37567 or by email: sstrain@amfam.com

Updated 6/06

(Contact John Kanvik @ 608-245-1868 or email: jkanvik@att.net for questions, suggestions, additions.)