Our presenter next week will be Steve Kopp: Director of Information Technology from Hawkins Ash CPAs. He will discuss "Computer Security and Cyber Terrorism."
Outgoing President Bill Pritchard welcomed everyone to our Riverfest meeting. We were also welcomed by some of the Riverfest Commodores with a melody.
Bill congratulated us all for successfully surviving an entire year of him being our President. He said it has been an honor to serve us. Last week he shared our successes in 2014-15. In order to achieve these successes – it takes a long list of people who have been instrumental in making this all happen. He thanked everyone but had special mention to…the Board of Directors (Kelly Barton, Patt Boge, Roger Christians, Dave Clements, Steve Doll, Mary Ann Gschwind, Kelly Krieg-Sigman, Annette Mikat, Maria Norberg, Jeff Odom, Rob Palmberg, Todd Restel, Gary Schettle, Ben Wedro, John Wettstein and Jodi Widuch.) A special thanks went out to Mary Ann Gschwind, Jeff Odom, Gary Schettle and Ben Wedro who have completed their term and will be leaving the board. Bill welcomed the new members of the board, Matt Boshcka, Sue Durtsche, Steve Lindeman and Bruce Swanwick.
He thanked all the committee chairs and members that met with him to share their impressions and hopes for the club. He highlighted the work of the Membership Committee, led by Greg Curti, who worked tirelessly to look at options to improve opportunities and increase engagement within the club….and the Youth Committee, the work headed by Keith Lease and continued by Matt Boshcka, Thad Anderson, Michelle Skemp, Kelly Cottrell, Rob Palmberg and members of all the area clubs to create the Interact Programs around our city.
Thanks went Roger Christians and Patt Boge…our next two presidents ….for attending meetings with him to work thru the responsibilities of the presidency. He also thanked Lyn…she is the glue that holds our club together, her attention to detail has been much appreciated..but even more than that her heart is truly in the right Rotary place.
On to the 2015-16 Rotary year.... our 2015-16 President Roger Christians presided over the rest of the meeting.
Roger thanked Bill for his strong leadership this year. He even taught us some new languages! He was a passionate supporter of the Youth Exchange, RYLA and the youth. We now have four new Interact Clubs in the area under his leadership - West Salem, Central, Logan and Aquinas. His passion for Rotary went beyond our club....he was Membership Chair for our Rotary District and traveled many miles through the year visiting other clubs and events promoting Rotary. We honored Bill with a Paul Harris Fellow+4....which incidentally came in a"Green Packer Glass!" Thank you Bill for your strong leadership this year and guiding us through another successful year at La Crosse Downtown Rotary.
President Roger made presentations of Paul Harris Fellow recognition. We recognized the following members:
Catherine Kolkmeier with her first Paul Harris. Richard Strauss, Marv Ramsay, Sara Battison and Bruce Swanwick with their Paul Harris + 1 Tom Thompson - Paul Harris + 2 Bill Pritchard - Paul Harris + 3 & 4
Dave Clements - Paul Harris + 4 Sharon Imes - Paul Harris + 6 Donald Zimmerman - Paul Harris + 8
These members have continued their contributions to the Rotary Foundation's educational and humanitarian programs and its commitment to peace and to a better life for people across the world whom you will never meet. This is truly a selfless action. We thank them for their continued commitment.
President Roger then briefly talked about the Rotary International Conference in Brazil. Our Rotary International President K.R. "Ravi" Ravindran's theme is "Be a gift to the world" Ravi has set some high goals for clubs to receive the "Presidential Citation." Roger hopes with all of your help that we can be a Presidential Citation Club this year. Click here to view Ravi's full theme speech, view theme brochure and Presidential Citation.
COME FOR SUPPER....The Humanitarian Committee will be helping again with the "Come for Supper Meal Program" at Our Savior's Lutheran Church - 612 Division Street on Tuesday, July 28th from 4:30-6:00 p.m. Click here to volunteer. We need six volunteers.
GREETING CARDS BY ANITA - QUARTERLY REPORT...Anita Froegel sent a check for $310.00 to Rotary Works from the second quarter card sales. This brings the Y-T-D card sales for 2015 to $520.00. It looks like we will have a record year for card sales. Thank you to all who support this fundraiser....special thanks to Anita for her creative talent and time in making each card. Reminder if you would like to have a personal card made you can contact Anita at..anitafroegel@centurytel.net
Our Rotary Youth Exchange Student for 2015-16 will be Anniina, a 16 year-old girl from Finland. We are excited to sponsor Anniina while she is here. She will be arriving on Thursday, August 13th at 1:40 pm at the La Crosse airport. It would be nice to have a welcoming group go from our Rotary Meeting to the airport to greet her.
We hope you will consider opening up your hearts and home to make Anniina feel welcome. She will be staying at three host families while she is here however, we would love to have other Rotary families help make Anniina feel at home in La Crosse. Are you going to have a family gathering or attend a special event....ask Anniina to join your family.
Things she would like to do while she is here...Loves Nature - Hixon Forest Hike to Grandad Bluff; Riverside International Friendship Gardens; Visiting the Shrine an Visiting St. Rose Convent. Let Bill know if you would like to give her a tour of any of the above.....it will be a great way to learn more about Anniina.
PLEDGE DRIVE...Thank you to all who have returned their pledge forms.If you have not returned your form yet, please do so this week. If we do not receive your form back we will be making a personal call to you next week....please save us time and return your form.
AVENUES OF SERVICE BANQUET...Our 26th annual Avenues of Service Banquet will be on Tuesday, August 18, 2015 at the Four Seasons Community Center, Caledonia, MN. Save the date for an evening of Rotary fellowship. We will gather with area Rotarians to recognize the hard work of individuals and clubs. Each club will recognize one member of their club for Rotarian of the Year....we are now taking nominations for our 2014-15 Rotarian of the Year, the Lifetime Achievement Award, Avenues of Service Awards and the Rising Star Award. Visit our Avenues of Service page on our web site for more information on these awards and for nomination forms.
Please submit your Avenues of Service forms by July 15, 2015 to Justin Garvey.
GIFT BASKETS.....We are also looking for items to put in two gift baskets that we will raffle off at the banquet. All proceeds will benefit the Rotary Works Foundation. If you have something you would like to donate, please drop it off at the registration table.
Happy Birthday
Dan Howes - July 9
Sara Battison - July 10
Patt Boge - July 10 John Honadel - July 10
Happy Wedding Anniversary
Tom (Jean) Thompson - July 9
Tara (Tim Padesky) Johnson - July 12
Mike (Karen) Desmond - July 14
Brad (Kelly) Reinhart - July 15
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.
MEMBERSHIP 2014-15
Active Membership
June 30, 2015 - 167 July 6th - 167
Honorary Members 23
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.
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.
Moon Tunes of La Crosse is a Valley Rotary Project bringing free concerts to Riverside Park most Thursdays in the summer from 6:00 – 8:00 pm....click here for schedule.
If you would like to volunteer to give your Classification Talk, do Rotarians in the News be a greeter or raffle ticket seller, or announce guests, you can email the Monthly Program Chairs that are listed above....just click on their name.
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5-16 President Roger Christians. Elmer Grassman (1977-78) started the hand off (photo of Elmer and his daughter Karla). 
GET WELL wishes go out to Hal Keitel. Hal is in the hospital in Rochester..we hope he will be back home soon.
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