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During my first month as our club’s president, I talked quite a bit about membership. Concurrently, Rotary International has been focusing on raising awareness of the many great accomplishments of Rotarians throughout the world. As we enter month of December and are almost half way through my year as president, this week’s message is simply a reminder of both initiatives. Our local Rotarians will truly make a significant impact during this holiday season. Tens of thousands of people will view the Rotary Lights. The majority of our club members will spend this weekend creating and delivering fruit baskets to distribute to friends, family and colleagues throughout our community. Additionally, we have members ringing bells for the Salvation Army and members who actively participating in many other groups not only this month, but on a year round basis. With so many great things to share about our club and Rotary International, please invite a potential member to one of our meetings this month. Remember, we have money set aside to cover the cost of your guests’ meals.
Each week, I have been sharing a video link which discusses a Rotary topic and a second link on a random, but informative topic. This week’s Rotary link addresses Rotary’s work to bring peace to the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DiH4nn1TMg
This week we will have an offsite meeting at Rotary Lights....yes the tent is heated!!! Parking is available in the park.
This week our presenter will be William Robbins. He will be discussing Foster Care in our Community. William and his wife became foster parents five years ago. Robbins said it's a great chance to make a real difference. "Both of us thought we could help a life, change a life, and help a family," Robbins said. It didn't take long before their help was needed. "There was a call and a child needed a placement," Robbins said. Robbins said it was a moment that changed both of their lives forever.
The number of kids needing foster care in La Crosse County hit an all-time high last year. County officials say there is a still a lack of foster parents in our area.
Last week Miranda TerBeest and some of her Model UN Summit Team made a presentation.
What is Model UN? Academic simulation of the United Nations. Model United Nations programs bring together different universities across the United States, as well as hundreds of college students, with the goal of furthering international awareness and building consensus. The program is designed to build students’ public speaking, analytical writing, negotiations, critical analysis and research skills.
Rotary Club of La Crosse lost a member of our Rotary Family. Richard “Dick” L. Wolfe Jr., 85, of La Crescent passed away Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018, at Valley View Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Houston, Minn. Richard was an honorary member of our club. He joined our club on October 6, 1977.
If you plan to attend we ask that you register online or at our upcoming meetings....please register YOURSELF and guests. If your guest is a performer, please indicate that. Register ONLINE HERE
Please contactDean if you have children, grandchildren, friends etc that would be willing to entertain us on Thursday, December 20th. They would need to be there between 12 and 1 that day. Contact Dean for more information.
Help make a lasting contribution to the La Crosse area by volunteering to ring bells and raise funds for the Salvation Army. Greet holiday shoppers and help spread Christmas cheer while accepting donations in the Famous Red Kettle.The money raised stays in our community, supporting the Salvation Army Food Pantry, Meal Program, Emergency Shelter, Families in Need, Sending Kids to Camp, and so much more.
Put a team together with a few of your Rotary friends (minimum of three participants per team) and email rgeister@trane.com. Talent entries can include singing, lip syncing, dancing, or other talents (please, nothing involving fire)!
We're also soliciting sponsors to donate prizes for the event.
Humanitarian Committee Members from Co-Chair Sarah Arendt-Beyer:
Thank you for all your hard work on our Warm Feet, Warm Hearts campaign this year! Our second annual campaign was a huge success. In total, in collaboration with Rotary East, Rotary After Hours, Valley View Rotary, Hilltoppers Rotary, and La Crescent Rotary we collected over 848 items and $235 in cash & checks for Catholic Charities. Catholic Charities also reported a small spike in direct donations during the drive. Last year we collected a little over 400 items.
I would also like to specially thank Sandy Schultz for hand-making over 100 hats and scarves which she donated. What an incredible gift, Sandy!
Thanks also to Mary Kay Wolf and the Public Relations committee we received excellent media coverage. A big thanks to Shiela Wieser for representing us so wonderfully!
We'll be holding a debrief meeting Thursday, December 13th at 11:00 AM at the Radisson Center to discuss what went well this year and what we can do to improve next year.
Please also join me in welcoming new member Kaycie Green, the Executive Director of the Women's Fund, to our committee!
If you're unable to attend the meeting on Dec 13 but have feedback/ideas to share, please feel free to email them to me in advance or give me a call at 608-406-7492 to discuss.
I am sending this in response to a tragedy. You have all heard about the horrendous wildfires that have done such damage in California. Perhaps no spot was more devastated than the town of Paradise. This town of 25,000 has a Rotary Club.
That Rotary Club has a foundation. So the means to donate funds that will get through to Rotarians in Paradise exists. Our District Charitable Trust has established an account for donations to the Paradise Rotary Foundation.
If you wish to make a donation to this cause, you can do so in any of the following ways:
1) Check made payable to “ The Rotary District 6250 Charitable Trust” and send to c/o Treasurer Bob Trussoni at : 907 Martin Drive Marshfield, WI 54449
2) Credit Card payments: Online with PayPal. To do this, go to this page on our District web site, and click on the Donate link:
Please indicate that your donation is for the Paradise Fire Relief Fund in the memo section of your check or PayPal payment so it will be credited to the right account.
Paradise is an active Rotary club. The immediate Past President is the City Manager. Big thanks to Lyn Kenny of Madison South Rotary, who has friends in California, for alerting us to this need and opportunity.
Happy Birthday John Wettstein - Dec 3 Marv Ramsay - Dec 4 Marcie Wycoff-Horn - Dec 4 Michelle Skemp - Dec 7
Happy Wedding Anniversary Jamie (Joe) Schloegel - Dec 8
Happy Rotary Anniversary Bruce Swanwick - Dec 1 - 13 years Barry Watkins - Dec 1 - 7 years Terry Witzke (honorary) - Dec 3 - 31 years Jamie O'Neill - Dec 7 - 1 year Jerry Arndt - Dec 8 - 13 years Tina Klinger - Dec 8 - 2 years
ROTARY ATTENDANCE Nov 1st - 53% Nov 8th - 58% Nov 15th - 54% Nov 29th - 60%
Rotary Attendance policy is to attend or makeup at least 50% of the club meetings during the first six months and the second six months. They can be done by: • Attending regular club meetings • Making up meetings at other Rotary Clubs ( which includes E-Clubs) • Engaging in club projects/events/fellowship/board meetings.
100% Attendance Winners July - Sheila Wieser August - Bob Riutzel September - Peter Grabow
New Member Ted Knutson - President of Aquinas Catholic Schools
Honorary Members 22 Dick Wolfe - Deceased November 25th
Associate Membershipis a program to recruit younger members, millennials, to membership. Associate Membership is available to anyone who is proposed for membership who is 35 years of age or less. Associate membership will end when that member reaches the age of 38. They would pay for dues and $100 for meals per quarter no matter how many meetings they attend that quarter.
Corporate Membership is a program to allow multiple employees of a business Rotary participation under one primary membership. Each corporate membership is limited to a three-year term. After the three-year corporate membership term, the individuals are required to become individual members. View Corporate Membership Policy.
Family Membershipis a program to allow a second individual Rotary participation under one primary membership. View Family Membership Policy.
Honorary Membership is offered to members who have distinguished themselves by meritorious service in the furtherance of Rotary ideals. View Honorary Membership Policy.
Excused Membership is offered to members if the aggregate of the member’s years of age and years of membership in one or more clubs is 85 years or more, the member has been a member of one or more clubs for at least 20 years, and the member has notified the club's secretary in writing of the member’s desire to be excused from attendance and the board has approved. Excused Members will pay the quarterly dues and only for meals when they attend a meeting.
Membership Proposals....we will no longer ask for three references when you propose a new member. This was a criteria that our club had set not RI. This will help us process new members into our club more efficiently. You can access the membership proposal form online, under the Club Information site page.
Please note: Raffle, Fines, Birthday, Anniversaries and Scooters are all donations that will go to the club If you are making a donation and would like it to go to the Rotary Works Foundation or Rotary International Foundation, we ask that you write a check to the Foundation of your choice.
Nov 28th: Raffle $62: Fines $193: Scooters $3: Scrip $680
If you would like to volunteer for Rotarians in the News, be a greeter, a hospitality greeter, raffle ticket seller, scrip seller or announce guests, you can email the Monthly Duty Roster Coordinator that are listed above....just click on their name. If you would like to give your classification talk please contact Program Committee Chair Andy Bakkum.