According to the CDC's guidelines, individuals in communities at a low level should stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and get tested if you have symptoms, but do not need to wear a mask indoors in public. However, additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness. People may choose to mask at any time. If you have been exposed to COVID-19 or test positive, we ask that you follow the CDC guidelines for quarantining/isolating.
This Week at Rotary: Tom Schlesinger, Climate Change
Thomas Schlesinger, Ph.D, talks about what science tells us about climate change and why we should be worried....
This presentation, intended for the general public, discusses three topic areas: 1) What does science tell us about the issue of climate change? 2) What kind of solutions are most likely? 3) So, how worried should I be about climate change? and 4) What can I do, as an individual, do about climate change?
Tom holds a Ph.D. in Political Science specializing in Health Care Policy. He worked at Gundersen Health for almost twenty years where he led the strategic planning work. He also holds a master’s in Political Science specializing in International Environmental Policy- that is, climate change.
After retiring from Gundersen, he joined a midwestern climate change group where he now serves as Board President. The nonprofit group is incorporated under the name Integrated Exergy Solutions, Inc. but is in the process of changing its name to the Climate Alliance for the Common Good. The company specializes in raising public awareness around climate change, and in particular High-Value Energy Conservation (exergy).
But technological know-how is only part of the solution to climate change, we also need to build grassroots support for the changes that are needed to confront the threat of climate change.
Last Week at Rotary: DEI Guest Speaker, Caden Pohnl
Caden Pohnl is a lifelong member of the La Crosse Community who shared his journey with us and talked about how his family, his community, and his faith stood beside him.
Caden is the son of Niki Pohnl, our Club Administrator. He is a recent graduate from UWL with a degree in Elementary Education and currently works as a substitute teacher in the La Crosse School District.
If you have any questions or would like to have further discussion about what was talked about, feel free to reach out to Caden Pohnl.
The meal will be Ham and cheese sandwich with TWF house salad (alternative offered to those with dietary restrictions).
Milk and iced tea will be available for you to pick up at the north bar as you find your seat. Cargill Room staff will also be happy to deliver a glass of milk or iced tea to you while they're serving the meal.
Note: If you prefer to keep your mask on during the entire meeting, you will be provided a boxed lunch to take home with you.
What a beautiful Spring morning for the Kids' Coulee Clean Up this year! THANK YOU all who helped give the playground a good cleaning.
Youth Exchange Update:
Rotary Club of La Crosse has been assigned a young lady from France as our Inbound student starting August 2022! She is from Albi, a city of about 50,000 in the south of France.
She has two older siblings and will be 17 when she arrives and will not have graduated from HS. Her father is a Sales Executive at a French company. Her mother also works at a French company.
Her interests are reading, cooking, and art - she paints and draws every week! She claims to not be athletic - she appears to be the artsy type. She also is very well traveled - she has been virtually everywhere... Spain, Italy, England, Portugal, the United States, Canada, Reunion, Hong Kong, Macao...all around the world. This fits with her goal to go to a top-tier university to get her master's degree in luxury marketing.
We are still in need of (1) youth exchange counselor.... we have two others to share the duties for the year, and (1) host family. The student will most likely attend Logan High School. As a host family, it is not required to: have other children living at home; to be a Rotarian; and a host family can be a single adult. Contact Jim Salmo for more details about counseling and hosting
Thanks for considering these important and rewarding roles of host family and youth exchange counselor.
Rake Missing -
If you attended the Kid's Coulee Clean Up and accidently took home a flexible (not rigid) steel leaf rake, please contact Kurt Schroeder.
Hospitalizations and Illnesses
Please keep Ed Neuman in your thoughts and prayers as he was recently diagnosed with Acute Leukemia and is currently undergoing chemo treatment.
Feel free to reach out to Ed at 88 Shore Acres Road, La Crescent, MN 55947. Ed says he may not be attending meetings in person for the near future but will attend online as much as possible. He wants us to know our group has been such a huge part of his life and he cares about all of us.
For future updates, following the Caring Bridge link below.
The Environmental Committee and Rotary Board encourage you to participate in the La Crosse River Clean Up on Saturday, May 7th from 8 am to noon. This is a great activity to help take care of our wonderful river and surrounding environment. This helps keep our river clean and prevents trash from polluting our oceans.
There will be four start/collection sites:
Goose Island, west landing
7th Street landing in La Crosse
Clinton Street West Landing on the Black River
Fred Funk Landing on Brice’s Prairie
At these four sites, volunteers will receive trash bags and gloves, then move out on the water, along shorelines, and through neighborhood streets near the river to collect trash and return it to the landings to be properly disposed of. Wear proper clothing and expect them to get wet and dirty. Thank you for considering!
Matthew Curtis has submitted his application for Club Membership. According to club procedure, Matthew's name is to be published in our weekly email bulletin for two weeks.
If there are no objections from the current membership, this application will be approved.
Rotarians are responding to the urgent need for humanitarian assistance for the people of Ukraine. The unprovoked Russian invasion has devastated cities and sent millions of refugees seeking safety in surrounding countries, all of which have Rotary clubs providing direct help to desperate people from war-torn Ukraine. Our District International Service Committee working with our District 6250 Foundation, has established the Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief Fund. Already we have raised over $41,000 towards our District goal of $100,000.
Rotary Western Great Lakes District Conference "TriCon" April 29 - 30, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
The Rotary Western Great Lakes District Conference, intended for any Rotarian, not just leadership, is set for Friday April 29 and Saturday April 30, 2022. Attendance will be in person at The Osthoff Resort, Elkhart Lake, WI. Attendees from Districts 6220, 6250 and 6270 will have the opportunity to gain useful skills that can be used in their Rotary club, and inspiration that will motivate them to embrace Rotary even more. Internationally-known featured speakers will provide keen insights about their passion projects during the addresses on both days.
District Grant Reports Due May 15 –
Clubs receiving District Grants during the 2021-22 Rotary year are required to file final reports by May 15. These reports will be used to help share the impact of Rotarian contributions to the Annual Fund/SHARE program. The reports are also critical to close the District Grant process to access District Designated Funds for grants during the 2022-23 year. Reports should be sent to D6250Grants@gmail.com
District Grant Applications Due May 25 –
District Grant applications for projects during the year starting July 1 are due by May 25. Application materials are available on the District 6250 website under the Foundation tab. There will be more than $90,000 available for District Grants again this year. Now is the time for project planning and drafting an application to ensure your club has an opportunity to receive matching funds for qualified projects. Contact D6250Grants@gmail.comwith questions.
Meeting Responsibilities
Sergeant at Arms
Christians, Kenna
Secretary
Journot, Lauren
Treasurer
Carey, Diana
Registration Manager
Gschwind, Mary Ann
Piano
Haase, Ann
Program Chair
Restel, Eva Marie
Duty Roster Coordinator
Ericksen, Cindy
Rotarians in the News
Horne, Scott
Introduce Speaker
Schnick, Roz
Introduce Guests and Visitors
Grathen, Trish
Hospitality Greeter
Porter, Stephen
Greeter
Candahl, Timothy
Raffle Ticket Seller
Swanwick, Bruce
Scrip Seller
Bordeau, Travis
RAFFLES
April 21, 2022
$10 Kwik Trip Gift Card
Dean's Marbles $140
April 14, 2022 Raffle $109 - Fines $104 - Scooters $4 - Scrip $20
Raffle, Fines, Birthday, Anniversaries and Scooters
are donations that go to directly to our club.
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