Stephanie Penick
Posted Tuesday, June 26, 2007

I enjoy making connections by paying attention to what's happening around me. Of course, considering life's many distractions, some days, even years, I'm better at it than others.

As a member of the new Rotary Club of Naperville/Downtown, I recently participated with fellow Rotarians to assess our passions for charitable giving. Following a strategic plan, the 28-member club seeks to create its identity by taking time to determine how it will allocate service and financial grants.

My passions are education and communication. Surprised?

Throw in collaboration and attentive listening, and I think we could solve many of life's challenges -- maybe even begin with peacemaking.

Nancy Quigley, who gives tours at the Naperville police station and is a member of Community Emergency Response Team, known as CERT, said her passions include public safety. She's particularly supportive of the Citizens Fire Academy.

An e-mail arrived from Dave Wentz, past-president of the Naperville Exchange Club, two days after that Rotary meeting. Wentz explained he'd been working in cooperation with Barrington resident and singer Joe Cantafio (who performed 20 years ago at the first Ribfest when it was at Rotary Hill, by the way), and enlightened me about an organization called Gear Up Foundation, a group of firefighters helping firefighters worldwide.

I learned that because of liability, firefighting gear cannot be used in the U.S. after it's discarded. One of the goals of Gear Up is to give the still-usable gear to fire departments in developing countries.

Considering the international aspect of Rotary with 32,000 clubs in more than 200 countries, Wentz contacted Naperville Rotarians in an effort "to share resources and information among service clubs."

Striving to create grassroots projects to build international friendship, Pat Merryweather -- who for two years has led the International Service Committee for the Rotary Club of Naperville -- also informed her club.

Friday, Wentz organized a Q&A in the community room at the police station.

Cantafio, Quigley, Merryweather, Naperville Fire Chief John Wu, Assistant Fire Chief Rich Mikel, Gerry Cassioppi, Rosemary Wisnosky and Jyoti Chokshi attended, along with Barrington resident Jim VanNatta, a member of Gear Up Foundation.

Cantafio introduced Vincent Forras, CEO and Founder of Gear Up. He explained that Forras, from Westchester, N.Y., had responded to help with the cleanup of the Twin Towers after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.

The Ground Zero firefighter had fallen into a hole with his gear in place, and it was hours before anyone heard his screams to pull him to safety.

"Afterward, Vinny told me he prayed, 'If I ever get out of here, God, I'm going to help others,'æ" said a tearful Cantafio, who has given his time singing to help firefighters and the troops serving in Iraq.

Now Cantafio is using his local connections to organize the First Annual Gear Up Foundation Convention Sept. 21-23 at Pheasant Run Resort on North Avenue in St. Charles.

Longtime readers may remember that I lived in New York City when the World Trade Center was built in the 1970s. We celebrated our wedding day 107 stories above ground at Windows of the World on July 7, 1978.

Immediately following the attacks of Sept., 11, when phone lines were jammed, I e-mailed my closest friends in New York City to check on their safety. Days later I learned three acquaintances had perished in the tragedy.

In December 2001, I visited Ground Zero. That day I also spent the afternoon at the Red Hook Firehouse, via an introduction from actor David Eigenberg. Ironically, it was the day before the rescue teams shut off the hoses that put out fires for 100 days.

On Friday, Forras reminded us that some 40,000 people worked at Ground Zero. He said many will die prematurely from illnesses caused by the toxic fumes of unknown and known chemicals in the rubble. There's more to remember.

"I think this is a wonderful opportunity for Rotary to be involved and create awareness on so many levels -- locally, multi-organizationally and internationally," said Merryweather, who also handles grant writing for Rotary District 6450. "I can't speak for our club yet, but I know there was a great deal of interest and support on Friday... and I will be supporting and promoting at various meetings with other clubs."

Thinking back, I also recall a time shortly after that New York visit in 2001 when musical artist Oscar Brown lectured at Naperville's Barnes and Noble. I listened intently when he challenged the audience to pay undivided attention to what's happening in a world of distractions.

You're free to visit www.gearupfoundation.org

Thank you Stephanie, ... you have always been there when people with "real" causes need help, ... this is no exception!