You might not ever guess that Taylor Endres has had more than 20 surgeries throughout his life.

 

One of the Waunakee Rotary Club’s newer members, Taylor gave his classification talk at the Aug. 4 meeting.

 

He said he was born with huge ears and a giant head. Actually, he had hydrocephalus, a medical condition in which there is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain. Usually that fluid drains through the spine, but in Taylor’s case, shunts had to be put in.

 

Taylor had his first surgery at just 10 days old and his last one during his freshman year of college.

 

His uncle, Rex Endres, remembered the experience well, he said, calling Taylor his “favorite nephew who belongs to Rotary.”

 

Of the first two years of Taylor’s life, about 1 1/2 years was spent in the hospital, Rex said. The prognosis was he would never walk or talk. “He’s a miracle baby the way he ended up,” Rex said.

 

Taylor is the youngest of four children, and all were in high school together when Taylor was a freshman.

 

His father works part time for himself doing carpet installation and part time at Sergennian, where Taylor’s mother also works. His parents are divorced, and his mother is remarried.

 

Taylor began working in middle school at Piggly Wiggly. During college, he worked at Murphy Insurance. Today, he works at Avid Risk Solutions, another independent insurance agency, and part time at Sergennians.

 

A graduate of UW-Whitewater with a bachelor’s degree in finance, Taylor joined Pi Sigma Epsilon, a marketing club, and he organized a regional conference for the Midwest. He graduated in December 2014.

 

Taylor said he joined Rotary to give back to a community that has given him so much.

 

“I love this community,” he said, “I hope when I do have a family I hope to raise it in Waunakee.”

 

The Aug. 4 meeting was club assembly, as well. Sean Wayne, filling in for President Travis Heiser, reported the following donations approved at the board of director’s meeting:

 

•$250 to Vogel for school supplies.

•$500 for Special Olympics.

•$1,500 for the Food For Kidz event.

 

The board also approved Tom Kennedy as a member.

 

Other news:

•UW basketball coach Greg Gard will speak at the Aug. 25 meeting. If you plan to bring a bunch of guests, let Rex know so he and staff can plan accordingly.

•Ken Pesik is forming a new committee to build a storage building for Rotary lights and other equipment.

•The exchange student is coming from Brazil and will stay with the Dan Evans family.

•The fellowship committee is planning a social at Lone Girl and a tour of an aquaculture facility that raises clown fish.

•The pizza stand at Rotary raised about $7,350, about $1,100 more than last year’s sales. Phil Willems said it will sell pints of Culver’s ice cream next year.

•The new member Red Badge Program will begin soon.

•The club will provide $500 to SOAR Kenya to help defray expenses for its staffer.

 

Guests: Jenny Bannink, guest of Phil Willems. 

 

Visiting Rotarians: None.

 

Birthdays: Aug. 11, Corey Randl; Aug. 12, Scott Cochems; Aug. 13, Kathy Cefalu; Aug. 13, Brent Ziegler; Aug. 14, William Erickson.

Anniversaries: Aug. 13, Danny and Yvonne Paul; Aug. 14, Randy and Amy Guttenberg; Aug. 16, Kevin and Kathy Kearney.

 

Programs: Aug. 11, Jon Callaway, Football Officiating 101; Aug. 18, Rotary Theme, membership and extensions month.

 

Greeters: Aug. 11, Ken Ballweg and Roberta Baumann; Aug. 18, Scott Biba and Connie Blau; Aug. 25, Jonny Buroker and Kathy Cefalu.