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This week’s program will focus on our club’s 100th anniversary and the efforts that we will undertake over the next several months. As a special treat, we are bringing in one of the completed sculptures that will go into the garden later this summer. I hope to see you at our meeting this Thursday. This is an important topic and a great way to be sure that we are all on the same page.
As previously mentioned, Rotary International’s focus for the month of April is on “Maternal and Child Health.” Jodi Widuch, past-president of our club and executive director of the Parenting Place, shared this link with me from Psychology Today. The article discusses the stress that mothers face today. It is a fascinating study on mothers. LINK.
Over the weekend, I spent some time researching other organizations celebrating their 100th birthday. One of my favorite things to do is visit our nation’s National Park system. I discovered that we share our birthday with the Grand Canyon attaining National Park status. Details on its’ celebration can be read in this link. LINK
I did want to include one short video. This 2.5 minute video was created by Khan Academy to celebrate the Museum of Modern Art’s 100th birthday a few years ago. One of my favorite artists, Marcel Duchamp, is discussed in this link for his contribution to changing the art world. I was censored back in high school when I tried put my own interpretation on an art piece called “Fountain” that Duchamp had made famous. Just last month, I was inspired to start up the high school art piece again with a slightly reinterpreted design. LINK
This week at Rotary you will be updated on our Centennial Project. You will hear about the upcoming celebration on June 20th, the Cameroon Garden, Centennial Coins, etc. More information can be found on our web site....LINK. We will be given a sneak preview of one of the sculptures! Letter from President Todd Restel.
We have had an inspiring year – now it’s time to celebrate, as well as exchange ideas and plan for the future. In keeping with President Barry Rassin theme ”Be the Inspiration”, we have some truly inspiring stories to share with you. We also have some inspiring challenges that face our entire district, that we will address and ask “What can a Rotary Club do about this?” Two of those biggest challenges are the opioid epidemic in our region, and human trafficking.
Besides the thought provoking sessions, we will have a membership summit meeting, our annual business meeting, and fun! Be sure and check out the House of Friendship, and the silent auction items up for bid. And take in some of La Crosse’s fun at the free Artspire street fair, just a block or so south of the La Crosse Center. In the evening, there will be live entertainment there. We also have several “international” ports of call lined up so you can sample La Crosse’s walkable downtown nightlife.
Rotary’s slogans and messages come and go, but this year’s theme will stay with me forever. Because a central part of each and every Rotarian’s responsibility is truly to “Be the Inspiration”. That should not end at the close of this Rotary year. I hope each of us will embrace that mission, and share the gifts of Rotary with many others in the years to come!
Last week at Rotary our guest speaker was Alexander Platt - The Life and Times of a Modern Day Maestro. Alexander Platt has built a unique career spanning the worlds of symphony, chamber music, and opera. He is Music Director of both the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra and the Wisconsin Philharmonic, and spends his summers in Woodstock, New York as Music Director of the Maverick Concerts, the oldest summer chamber-music festival in America. He also serves as the artistic director for music at the Westport Arts Center. Platt's web page.
We also had surprise performance by guest artist Yevgency Kutik! With a “dark-hued tone and razor-sharp technique” (TheNew York Times), Russian-American violinist Yevgeny Kutik has captivated audiences worldwide with an old-world sound that communicates a modern intellect. Praised for his technical precision and virtuosity, he is also lauded for his poetic and imaginative interpretations of standard works as well as rarely heard and newly composed repertoire. Kutik's web site.
Congratulations to Craig Ubbelohde the winner of the March Madness Fundraiser. We will donate $560 to the Rotary Foundation Polio Plus in his name and transfer 560 points to his account towards a Paul Harris Fellow. Thank you to all who participated and to Nick Passe who organized the fundraiser. Please remember to pay Nick if you were one of the participants!!
The Coulee Region's Youth Exchange Cultural Celebration with the exchange students our area clubs are hosting this year was last Thursday at the La Crosse Club. Rotarians & friends gathered to try food native to each of their countries (made by local area chefs) and to learn more about each of the students. Great job Miki, Amy, Lucia and Kajus. Our exchange student, Lucia served rice pudding made by our very own chef Rotarian Carol Abrahamzon.
We learned a lot about the students and their countries. Each student prepared a picture board representing their country. They individually mingled with guests sharing information about their country. We also had a MC (Bill Pritchard), who asked questions of the students for all the guests to listen to.
The food was excellent. This is what they served us:
ClubRunner Mobile App is now available for download! A great tool to stay connected with your club and fellow Rotarians.
The ClubRunner Mobile App is your key to connect to your ClubRunner website on the go! Completely, free to download and use, this app will let you access the key info you need while you're on the go. Password protected just like your website, the ClubRunner Mobile app is comprised of 3 main modules.You now will have the ability to view your member directory, view the articles posted to your website and locate the nearest club right from your iPhone or iPod, bringing you even closer to being able to connect, collaborate and communicate!
To downloadthe app from the Apple App Store or from Google Play, simply type in 'ClubRunner' in the search bar. Our mobile app is compatible with all versions of the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch sets that have iOS 3.1 or later and with versions of Anrdoids that are 2.3.3 or better.
Click here for more information.Note the app is the one that has a blue background and has CR on it. It will give you easy access to all our member's contact information.
On the membership module you will need to make sure and sync to update the membership directory with our new members.
In the upper right hand corner you will see the circle/arrow sync icon
Rotarian Marv Davis' grandson, Sam Patschull, was installed as an Eagle Scout on Sunday, May 7th. Sam partnered with Rotarian Cheryl Hancock at Coulee Council on Addictions to raise funds so he could buy/ build/construct items for afflicted and addicted persons in our community; fishing poles, walking-sticks, etc.
The Rotarians in our club gave the vast majority of donations to make this happen. Congratulations to Sam and thank you to all the Rotarians that helped Sam fund this project. It is always nice to learn of the outcome of Rotarians generosity AND how the youth in our community are making a difference.
We will again have a Rotary Fellowship at the Loggers Game on Thursday, May 30th...La Crosse Loggers will be playing the Duluth Huskies. Picnic begins at 5:30 with an all you can eat buffet until 7:05 - burgers, brats, hot dogs, beans, chips, popcorn, cookies and includes soda and water You will be able to purchase beer in the tent at the regular price. Once the game starts you are welcome to stay in the tent OR go to your seats in the grandstand...OR back and forth. Cost is $20 per adult and $15 child 4-12 and free for 3 and under. This will be a Polio Plus fundraiser and the La Crosse Loggers will donate $2.50 per ticket to Polio Plus. Register here if you plan on attending.
Youth Exchange Committee: Our Rotary Club's next exchange student will be Inga from Germany. Her mom and dad are both scientists (radio astronomy). Their son is on exchange in the USA this year and they are excited that Inga will have a similar opportunity this coming year.
Inga will turn 16 shortly after school starts. She is fluent in English but also studies French, Polish, Latin and Spanish. She likes to read, draw, play tennis and volleyball, bake, garden and write. She plays piano and ukulele and enjoys photography. She is not religious but is supportive of those who are. She has traveled with her family and describes herself as patient and ambitious. Her future interests are not yet decided but she has interests in being an MD, owning a cake shop or becoming an architect.
We have a first and third host family, presently going through the background process, but are looking for host family two in the Logan School District. Having three host families gives the student a more well-rounded experience in a culture, having experienced family life from multiple perspectives. It is also less of a commitment for host families; the typical length of stay is about three to four months instead of a full year. Hosting an exchange student is life changing for you, your family and the exchange student. It allows you to become familiar with another culture and provides the opportunity to share a young student's hopes and ambitions. Youth Exchange promises to enrich the lives of the student and every member of your family.
Rotary District Conference in La Crosse:La Crosse Center June 7-8, 2019
Centennial Dinner Celebration: La Crosse Center - June 20, 2019 - Speaker will be Stephanie Urchick - a member of the Rotary Club of Canonsburg Houston, Southpointe. She has served Rotary as a Foundation Trustee, RI and TRF Committee member, District Governor, Regional Foundation Coordinator for ZONE 29, International Training Leader, RI President's Representative, Regional Leaders Training Institute Moderator, district delegate to Councils on Legislation, Training Leader at Zone meetings, and in various club and district Foundation roles.
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 11th: Raffle $44; Fines $63.76; Scrip $260; Scooters $0
ROTARY ATTENDANCE April 4th - 68% April 11th - 50%
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 October - Chuck Hanson November - Grant Withrow December - Tami Woods January - Kenna Christians
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.Unlike other membership categories that can be requested by the member, Honorary Membership is bestowed upon a member by election from the Board of Directors. 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.
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 Sarah Arendt-Beyer.