Our speaker was Randy Sproule. Randy, an attorney for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He has been a member of Madison South Rotary since 1989 and has served as the District 6250 Polio Eradication Chair for the past 24 years. He is a Level 2 Major Donor to the Rotary Foundation. In 2008 Randy was one of 6 individuals in the United States to receive the “Service For A Polio Free World Award” from the President of the Rotary Foundation. He talked about Rotary’s extraordinary efforts to eradicate polio.
Sending thought of healing to Ryan Geister (shoulder replacement surgery) and Lee Rasch (knee replacement). Both are recovering well at home.
Ugly Sweater - December 5th
President Jolivette encourages everyone to wear their best ugly sweater, tie, sweatshirt, holiday wear to the meeting December 5th.
Looking for Youth Talent - December 19th
Dec. 19 is the annual Winter Wonderland Youth Talent Showcase! If you have a young performer who is willing to share their musical or dance talent in exchange for getting out of school for a bit and a delicious meal, reach out to Katie Berkedal with the student's name and musical choice as soon as possible.
Rotary Friendship Exchange - Turkey
District 6250 maintains a strong Rotary Friendship Exchange (RFE) program, welcoming several inbound exchanges. This program focuses on fostering new friendships and overcoming cultural barriers, encouraging participants to act as ambassadors for their clubs and countries, resulting in a vibrant mix of fun and cultural exchange!
To join our Turkey RFE team, reach out to Niki Pohnl for an application:
May 15- 25, 2025 - Out to Turkey
Sept 2 – 12 , 2025 - Incoming Turkey
Preference is given to District Rotarians who haven't participated in an RFE before, and new clubs are encouraged to host an incoming RFE team.
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Ring bells for the Salvation Tuesdays in November.
All proceeds go to the Rotary Club of La Crosse and are used to support a wide variety of activities and initiatives.
Each box contains 8 apples, 4 oranges, 4 pears, and a bag of nuts. Fruit is packed in elegant and sturdy white boxes.
Pick up your boxes on Sat. December 14th or Monday, December 16th, or we will deliver to within a 20 mile radius of La Crosse!
Rotary Club of La Crosse-Downtown Rotarians: you are required to purchase 5 fruit boxes OR you may choose the $100 buy-out. If you wish to donate your fruit boxes to a nonprofit, simply note the appropriate delivery address in the field provided.
Early-Bird pricing through November 29th. ALL sales end on December 6th.
Welcome to the Last Week of RI’s Foundation Month.
FM sends a hearty congratulations to India for her generous contribution of over $32
million (USD) in TRF giving last year. This week’s report is an appeal to Rotarians by
Anirudha Roychowdhury, RI Director, 2023–25 for a more vigorous effort at
contributing to the Foundation. The message is culled from the current issue of Rotary News.
“Our Rotary journey is built on service and a shared commitment to making the world a better place. At the core of these efforts is The Rotary Foundation, a powerful force that turns our aspirations into impactful action. Through its programs, the Foundation addresses global challenges — fostering peace, fighting disease, ensuring access to clean water and supporting education, among others. Yet, only 30 per cent of Rotarians currently contribute to this remarkable cause.
This is a call to action: supporting TRF is not just a responsibility, it’s an opportunity to create lasting change. Every contribution, no matter how small, fuels projects that touch lives locally and globally. The Foundation has set an ambitious target of $500 million for this year, and with your support, we can achieve it. Your donations directly impact lives. Fifty per cent of contributions go to the World Fund, supporting international projects, while the other half is invested in local initiatives through district/global grants. This ensures that your contributions benefit both local and global communities. Finally, we have a pledge to fulfil this year: we must ensure that our Endowment Fund reaches $2.025 billion by June 2025. Currently, we are $270 million short of this target. It is crucial that we encourage Rotarians to contribute to the Endowment Fund, helping to secure their legacy while supporting the long-term impact of Rotary’s mission.”
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