Continuing an effort begun by the La Crosse Tribune, our club will honor recipients from local high schools with the "Extra Effort Award".
Students will receive a financial scholarship donated through the generosity of many Rotary Club of La Crosse members.
Recipients will be joined by those who have supported them in their educational journey thus far such as their parents, administators, staff and fellow students.
This is an ongoing project of our Youth Committee with leadership from Tom Berkedal.
Last Week: Dr. Carolyn Bostrack, Lead FIERCE, One Bold Step at a Time
Dr. Carolyn Colleen Bostrack, Ph.D., is an award-winning author, international speaker, executive leader, and humanitarian whose work inspires transformation and resilience. She is the founder of the FIERCE Foundation, a platform dedicated to empowering individuals to overcome challenges and achieve personal and professional success.
Carolyn is the author of F.I.E.R.C.E: Transform Your Life in the Face of Adversity, 5 Minutes at a Time! and co-author of Academic and Educational Entrepreneurship, works that have impacted thousands globally. As a UN Delegate for the Commission on the Status of Women, Carolyn champions overcoming adversity and bridging divides through communication and leadership.
Her mission is to foster respectful dialogue and collaboration through effective communication and leadership. Carolyn's FIERCE Action Framework equips individuals and organizations to tackle adversity with courage and clarity, turning challenges into opportunities for growth.
With almost two decades of experience in healthcare, leadership, and executive coaching, Carolyn's work has touched lives around the world. Her impact is seen not only in her leadership initiatives but also in her ability to spark transformation, inspiring others to thrive against all odds.
Lunch this week: Cheeseburger with a side of Garden Pasta Salad
Coffee, ice tea, and water available.
Guests are ALWAYS welcome! RSVP in advance to Niki Pohnl if know you are bringing guests but last minute invites are also welcome!
ROTARIANS ARE...PEOPLE OF ACTION!
Thank you to all who volunteered this last weekend between the Community Theater, the River Clean Up, and the Mail Carrier's Food Drive. Way to represent our club!
STAR Meeting Coming Up!
Our next STAR Meeting will be Tuesday, May 13th from 12-1pm. Location: The Parenting Place, 1500 Green Bay Street, La Crosse. Hosted by Jodi Widuch, Todd Restel, and Jeanne Meyer
STAR - Specialized Training for Action in Rotary....you will meet other new Rotarians from the area. We will provide programs on the Avenue of Service, The Rotary Foundation, and the Rotary Works Foundation, along with other aspects of Rotary. This is a great time to ask questions you may have about our club or Rotary in general. Hope you will be able to join us.
Please join us for our next Cooking Fellowship Saturday, May 17th at 6pm. Julia and Tom Behrenbeck have generously offered to host this potluck meal at their beautiful home in La Crescent on the Mississippi River. Our theme is Enjoying Spring’s Bounty and will feature mostly plant-based dishes. Julia is taking the lead and will be preparing Jackfruit Barbecue as our main course. The rest of us are invited to prepare an appetizer, side/salad or dessert to share with the group. Fruits, vegetables, and grains will be the stars of the evening, but include dairy and other ingredients as needed for your dish of choice.
Partners/spouses and plus ones are welcome. We are also inviting fellow club members from the Environmental/Climate committees. In addition to lots of socializing, let’s take some time to share our practices and ideas around eating for our own health and the health of our planet. Your tips on incorporating more vegetarian meals into your routine, reducing personal food waste, favorite veggie recipes, etc. may be just the idea or nudge another club member needs. (My tip: Cauliflower Tacos – they are amazing!!)
Details:
When: Saturday, May 17th, 6pm
Where: Julia and Tom Behrenbeck
864 Shore Acres Road
La Crescent, MN
Please RSVP with number of attendees. If you know in advance what you plan to prepare please email Mary Bethor Sheila. It’s helpful but not necessary.
May Club Social - Camp Decorah, May 22nd
Join us at Camp Decorah to fellowship in the outdoors. Enjoy the views of the Black River, the stocked Trout Pond, or other sites such as the Bouldering Wall, Nature Trails, and Skilled Trades Post. Valley View Rotary has also been invited. Light snacks will be provided.
The following community member has been proposed to become members of our club: Brad Weber, Operations Administrator at Mayo Clinic Heath Systems. Brad was proposed by Eva Marie Restel.
According to club procedure, applicant names are to be published in our weekly email bulletin for two weeks. If there are no objections from the current membership, these applications will be approved. Please contact the Club Administrator if you object to this application by May 27th.
Contact Bill LaRue for tickets or more information!
FOUNDATION MINUTE: May 12, 2025
Welcome to Week TWO of RI’s Month of Youth Service.
Hope all the mothers of Rotary had a wonderful Mother’s Day! This week’s report is an excerpt from TRF’s Trustee Chair, Mark Daniel Maloney published in the current edition of Rotary Magazine. Maloney reminds Rotarians worldwide of the past challenges the organization has faced and overcome, especially in its efforts to make life worth living for all people, and how through partnerships with various global incentives, while more success is being recorded, the journey has not been
without challenges.
“Today in Afghanistan, vaccinators are prohibited from conducting house-to-house immunization campaigns, while in Pakistan, conflict, terrorism, and migration hinder access to children in certain regions.” Maloney specifically laments the United States’ withdrawal from WHO, the defunding of USAID, and restricted interactions with the CDC. “These developments present obstacles for our polio eradication efforts and other Rotary global partnerships and programs. Yet we rise to meet the moment, just as we have done before. We did so in India when we faced spikes in cases before the country was declared free of wild poliovirus in 2014. In Nigeria, we also encountered obstacles, but in 2020, WHO certified the country – and by extension,
all 47 countries in the WHO Africa region – wild polio-free… As a nonpolitical
organization, we remain focused on operational solutions while serving communities and protecting public health.”
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