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This week at Rotary Steve O'Malley will present a program about the Habitat for Humanity - 5th and Mississippi Project for 2017 that will be sponsored by the City of La Crosse, County of La Crosse, Beer by Bike Brigade and Rotary Works. Web Site Info.
Our Spring Social on June 29th will be a fundraiser for this project...so save the date for "Cruisin' for Humanity" on the La Crosse Queen from 5:30-8:30. More details coming!!
Last week at Rotary we welcomed Peter J. Blum, Deputy Director of Admissions, Recruitment and Community Relations - Challenge Academy.
The Wisconsin Challenge Academy is an alternative education program designed to reclaim the lives of at-risk youth and produce graduates with the values, skills, education and self-discipline necessary to succeed as adults. In 1993, Congress created the National Guard Youth Challenge Program, a civilian youth opportunities program and authorized the Secretary of Defense to use the National Guard Bureau to conduct the program for at risk youth. (32 U.S. C. § 509) The Wisconsin Challenge Academy is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs. (Wis. Stat. §321.02(1(c))) The Challenge Academy, located on Fort McCoy, offers youth the opportunity to change the direction of their lives and develop the strength of character and life skills necessary to become successful, responsible citizens. The Program consists of a 5 ½ month-long Residential phase followed by a year-long Post-Residential phase
This crucial program is campus driven by student and community volunteers as well as support from the Police Department. Operation: River Watch began in 2006. Sigma Tau Gamma at UW-La Crosse took over the coordination of Operation: River Watch in 2007, although student volunteers come from all three campuses in La Crosse. “I am a big fan of Operation: River Watch. Over the years, there have been other examples of wonderful student-led projects. But they rarely carry on to the next ‘generation’ of students, states Lee Rasch, President of Western Technical College. “It is even more unique to have three institutions of higher education collaborate on a multi-generation project.”
Operation: River Watch consists of four volunteers patrolling the river each Thursday through Sunday from 11p.m. to 3a.m. and has been credited with preventing several drownings. Volunteers typically intercept 700 or more people in Riverside Park during an academic year, as reported in a 2015 study.
“We are honored for this opportunity to have a partnership with the Rotary Club of La Crosse”, said Daniel Potter, Director Operation River Watch. “In order to keep our city safe year round, we are in need of constant and effective patrolling of the Mississippi River.” As Summer approaches, it becomes more difficult to recruit volunteers for work that is truly making a difference and saving lives. If you would like to volunteer to participate in Operation: River Watch, please contact Danny Potter at potter.daniel@uwlax.edu.
GET WELL wishes go out to Lindy Saline. Lindy is recovering from another fall - hip surgery at Mayo Clinic Health System. Lindy's home address is Eagle Crest South Thursday...622 Bennora Lee Court apt #254, La Crosse WI 54601.
Last month Jodi Widuch and Todd Restel attended PETS (President-elect training seminar) in Illinois. Chuck Hanson serves as our District representative to the Midwest PETS Council and sent me the link so we all can hear the great speakers they had. Anyone interested can log on and chose any program they would like to see.
To access them, just go to the Midwest PETS website (https://midwestpets.org) and click on PAST PETS .... 2017 at the top of the page to view the videos. Simply click on the video to watch it. If you want to share the video via email, Facebook, etc., you may click the "Share" icon at the top right of each video.
Kids Coulee Work Day Saturday, April 16th ....it is SPRING!....time to spruce up Kids Coulee in Myrick Park. We will plan to start at 10:00 and end with a lunch around 1:00.....please volunteer online so we know how many to plan for. Bring your family!!
Anita will no longer be selling cards every week at Rotary...watch the bulletin for days she will be selling. Anita will take special orders. Place your order by emailing Anita at anitafroegel@centurytel.net
CARDS WILL BE AVAILABLE NEXT WEEK...April 13th
Easter, Aquinas, Logan and Central graduation cards will be available along with Birthday, Wedding, Sympathy, Get Well, Anniversary, Congratulations, Note Cards and other cards, All cards are unique and hand-made. Thank you cards are only $1.00, as are the note cards, which are blank inside. The regular cards are $2.00 and $3.00 each. Some cards are three for $5.00 and some three for $10. Anita donates all sales to the Rotary Works Foundation!
We are looking for nominations for "Rotarian of the Year" from our club....please submit you nominations to rotarylax@charter.net by May 1st...click here to find all nomination forms. The board will review the nominations at the May board meeting and make a selection. The Rotarian of the Year will be recognized at our Spring Social and the Avenues of Service Dinner on Tuesday, August 15th. Lifetime Achievement, Rising Star and Avenues of Service forms are also located on our web site with the link above...deadline for those nominations will be July but can be submitted now.
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.
April 6th: Raffle $39; Fines $98: Scooters $12; Scrip $40
Happy Birthday Steve Kopp - April 13 Rob Palmberg - April 19
Happy Wedding Anniversary None
Happy Rotary Anniversary Kerstin Boudreau - April 13 - 11 years Mary Ann Gschwind - April 13 - 11 years Bill Nelson - April 13 - 11 years Gibran Augustine - April 14 - 1 year Chris Hackner - April 14 - 1 year Dave Trapp - April 17 - 31 years Joan Mueller - April 18 - 15 years
District Governor Dean McHugh invites you to the 6250 District Conference in La Crosse on May 12-14, 2017
Rotary International President John Germ has encouraged us this year to be "Rotary Serving Humanity". As I visited the 63 clubs in District 6250, I have seen evidence in every club where we are living up to this, both locally and internationally. Even more powerful, we are working together with our friends as we make meaningful differences in the lives of others.
I encourage you to celebrate Rotary friendship and Rotary progress with your fellow Rotarians in La Crosse. At District Conference 2017 we will learn about some of the outstanding projects happening as a result of the efforts of our District's clubs and assistance from The Rotary Foundation. We will have opportunity to learn more about specific Rotary roles and programs at District Assembly and at workshops. We will hear from several young people whose lives have been changed forever by Rotary Youth programs. We will hear inspiring messages about service and philanthropy from Rotarian and non Rotarian keynote speakers. Probably most important of all, we will meet and talk with Rotarians from all around our District, taking home new ideas to improve our clubs.
Join me in La Crosse to renew old friendships and make new ones in Rotary. May Rotary friends and Rotary ways continue to help us serve.
ROTARY DISTRICT CONFERENCE.....Help us welcome 63 Rotary Clubs to the Rotary District Conference to be held in La Crosse....May 12-14, 2017 at the La Crosse Center. This is a great opportunity for fellowship and showing visiting Rotarians that the La Crosse area is a welcoming and fun place to visit. We hope you will VOLUNTEER a few hours that weekend. Click here to volunteer.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY...(will count as a make-up).
Red Cross is partnering with the La Crosse Fire Department to install free smoke alarms in residential homes on Saturday April 22nd. Our goal is to install 100 alarms, and we are asking for 25 volunteers. We are asking volunteers to arrive at 8:30am at the LCFD (726 5th Ave S. La Crosse, WI) and plan on the event going until about 4pm, unless we finish early. Food and drinks will be provided. If anyone cannot attend the event but would still like to help, we will be doing some pre-canvassing starting April 1st, and we could use volunteers for that as well. The link to sign up to volunteer is: register here.
COMMUNITY DRUG FORUM: May 15, 2017 from 6-8:30 pm Stoney Creek Inn....view flyer.
ROTARY ATTENDANCE March 16th - 65% March 23rd - 65% March 30th - 47% April 6th - 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 Raffle
July - Sue Durtsche August - John Wettstein September - Mary Ann Gschwind October - Tim Durtsche November - Candice Tlustosch December - Bruce Swanwick January - Todd Ondell February - Kurt Schroeder
Honorary Membership is offered to members who have distinguished themselves by meritorious service in the furtherance of Rotary ideals. Honorary membership is the highest distinction that a club may bestow and should be conferred only in exceptional cases. Honorary members cannot propose new members to the club or hold office and are exempt from attendance requirements and club dues. Honorary members will continue to receive The Rotarian Magazine compliments of the club.
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 of $70 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.
Grant Restel, son of Rotarians Todd and Eva Marie Restel is one of our outbound exchange students...he is in Osaka, Japan. You can follow Grant's year on his Facebook.
Ashlyn Neader, one of our outbound exchange students has arrived in Austria! She will have a blog on her adventures...... click here to view. Updated post...... 'A Day in my Life'
HILLTOPPER ROTARY 2ND ANNUAL SPRING GALA: The Court Above Main, April 21, 2017; 6-9 pm, Field to Fork Gourmet Dinner, $65 per person...Click here for more information.
Rotary Works Foundation Golf Outing: Please join us Wednesday May 24, 2017 at Cedar Creek Lane, Onalaska. 4-person teams, $85 per person includes: 18 holes, cart & dinner; $30 Dinner only. Schedule of Events: 12:30 pm Shot Gun Start, 5:00 pm Cocktails, 6:00 pm Dinner. Register online here. Questions: Contact Bob Allen at 708-785-1727 or email Rotary Works.
If you would like to volunteer to do Rotarians in the News, be a greeter, raffle ticket seller, scrip seller or announce guests, you can email the Monthly Program Chairs that are listed above....just click on their name. If you would like to give your classification talk please contact Program Committee Chair Todd Restel.
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This week at Rotary Steve O'Malley will present a program about the Habitat for Humanity - 5th and Mississippi Project for 2017 that will be sponsored by the City of La Crosse, County of La Crosse, Beer by Bike Brigade and Rotary Works. .png){kind=logo}
Last week at Rotary we welcomed Peter J. Blum, Deputy Director of Admissions, Recruitment and Community Relations - Challenge Academy.
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Grant Restel, 
