incorporation in the system. The new busses are a diesel/electric design buss where there is no transmission, the wheels are driven by electric motors like quarry trucks and trains. The diesel engine turns a generator and the electric power provides the motion. The new Hybrid busses are sort of exciting as one of the components is made in Urbana. The district currently has 111 busses including rigid and articulated busses. The articulated busses work extremely well on the U of I campus due to their large carrying capacity and easy of navigating turns. The articulated busses are 60 feet long and have 3 doors instead of 2. Traditional busses of the rigid frame design are 40 feet long and have 2 doors.

The district currently has over 50% of the fleet as hybrid busses and plans to continue making the transition away from the conventional Diesel busses.

Bryan shared with the club that the district currently has 96 routes and only 6 spare busses which causes scheduling issues in order that scheduled maintenance and break-downs can be addressed. Song: Led by Don Hunt with

Case Sprenkle at the piano - ‘GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Announcements: President Chato shared highlights from the Board of Directors meeting. President Chato also polled the membership to determine if the club should schedule a trip to one of the Parkland College productions in the next few weeks.

Mission StatementExchange, America’s Service Club, is a group of men and women working together to make our communities better places to live through programs of service and Americanism, Community Service, Youth Activities and its national project, the Prevention of Child Abuse.

Opening Ceremony Led by President Beth Chato.

Pledge of Allegiance: Led by Beth Chato

Invocation: Presented by Dave Wilson

Weekly Meeting – Sept 29, 2016Reporter – Dave Wilson

EchoesOur 91st Year

Exchange Clubs Nation Wide: Focusing on Families and ChildrenSo Proudly We Hail

The Exchange Club of Urbana, IL, meets each Thursday at 11:20 a.m. at Clark Lindsay in Urbana.President: Beth Chato, 714 W. Vermont, Urbana, Illinois 61801.

Address inquiries to: Secretary Van Bowersox, 1811 Clover Lane, Champaign, Il 61821

Programs:October 6 – Molly Delaney, Executive

Director, Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation.

October 13 – Police Officer of the Year, Jimmy Kerner

October 20 – Mary Schenk, News-Gazette covering crimes and the courts will share a behind the sceens look at her job.

Ron Peters, Bryan Smith and President Beth Chato as Bryan receives a certificate for his MTD program presentation.

John Hummel made a call for nominations for the Exchangite of the year and other awards. John has a few letter giveaways from the 2013 Convention on a first come first serve basis. Henry Koertge shared a Greatest generation letter with the club membership that he read in a Farm Bureau news letter. Judy Hummel announced that work continues on the Holiday Party to be held on December 15 at the Urbana Country Club for a lunch meeting. Guests: None today

Three minutes of Exchange: Just a few highlights from the BOD Meeting, the BOD is looking into combining a few committees as we have several and membership is declining.

Joys and Sorrows: Presented by, Judy Hummel: Beth Chato, Joy of having

Bryan Smith as speaker today and for Case Sprenkle at the piano; Mike Halbach, $1, for Case Sprenkle at the piano; Ron Wilcox, Joy of having Bryan Smith join us today; Nancy Hesselmann, $31.00 for wedding anniversary #31; Ron Peters, $50.00 in pig, Commerating 50 years of being tolerated by the same woman; Fred J. Holhubner, $1, missed meeting; Doug Bauling, $1, Joy to have great sleeping weather; Judy Hummel, Nice to see (hear) Case Sprenkle at the piano.

Birthdays: None today but we sang Happy Anniversary to Nancy Hesselmann, 31 yrs and Ron Peters, 51 yrs .

Music: Led by Don Hunt, with Case at the piano;

1. ‘PAPER DOLL’, 2. ‘RED SAILS IN THE SUNSET’, and 3. ‘LOOKING FOR THE SILVER LINING’.

Book Report: None

Contributions:PIG $93.00FOUNDATION 0.00OTHER (operations) 0.00TOTAL $93.00

Program: Ron introduced the Programs for next few weeks of programs then introduced Ron Peters to introduce the program speaker. Ron introduced Bryan Smith the CEO for MTD. Bryan Smith is from Ohio and relatively new

here in Champaign-Urbana. He has 21 years of experience in the public transportation business and shared several items with club members. The MTD has acquired property and is planning a facility that will permit more efficient training of CDL drivers and provide the district with greater storage for the busses.

The training center will also include a bicycle training location dedicated to cyclists. The MTD has acquire4d 12 new busses from a new bus manufacturing company and is looking forward to their

Construction on the new MTD facility that will house 136 vehicles when completed. This includes busses and the vans used by the MTD.