Our program this Thursday will be "La Crescent Neighbors in Action" presenter Sandy Graves. Neighbors in Action promotes the quality of life for older adults in the La Crescent area by engaging volunteers for service, advocating for necessary senior resources, and securing community support to sustain the program. Neighbors in Action provides services to senior citizens and others in need by recruiting volunteers to perform the following services: Seasonal outdoor chores such as shoveling or mowing; light housecleaning such as dusting or vacuuming; companionship or friendly visiting - transportation for appointments or errands; social and educational opportunities - minor household maintenance and repair; other services requested. Fees are determined using a sliding fee based on household income. They also gratefully accept and depend on donations. Please welcome Sandy to our club.
Majel Olson one of our newest members gave her classification talk. Majel joined us in November 2014. She is a Certified Consumer Credit Counselor at Consumer Credit Counseling Service of La Crosse. Click here to view her PowerPoint Presentation.
If you would like to give your classification talk...please contact one of the upcoming program chairs listed at the bottom of this newsletter.
We will also welcomed the "Students of the Month" Some of the students could not make it but we recognize the following for their dedication to their studies.
Central High School: Payton Zietlow - October; Lauren Lockington - November; Synclair Riley - December
Logan High School: Matthew Kind - October; Eric Jenkerson - November; Hunter Baumgardt - December
Aquinas High School: Kennedy Malone - October; Gillian Schultz - November; Kellan Dobertstein - December
Our next STAR Meeting will be March 12th.We will meet at the Radisson Hotel in the Wisconsin Room - 3(1st floor) at 7:00 a.m.
ALL NEW members become a member of this committee for one year. This breakfast is hosted (no cost to the new members). The breakfast and presentation will last no longer than one hour and the meeting will count as a make-up. The STAR Committee, in addition to meeting other new members and some of the present membership will learn more about various aspects of the Club.
We will be ordering "Women in Rotary Pins"...if you would like one please email Lyn at rotarylax@charter.net or sign up at the registration table. The cost will be no more than $9.00 each....will depend on how many we order.
Thank you to all who donated to Maike's Family Fundraiser...we collected $1,300 last week!!! I will have a basket at the registration table next week for those who still would like to donate. Reminder we meet at Piggy's on Thursday, Feburary 26th.
FROM OUR DISTRICT GOVERNOR DAVE WARREN... I’m sorry to report that one of our district’s inbound youth exchange students has suffered a serious medical emergency. Jan Bonsett-Veal, our Rotary Youth Exchange chair explains:
“ Maike came to Wisconsin in August 2014, a young lady excited to begin her Rotary exchange year as an inbound student from Germany. On January 19th her dream ended when she was rushed by med flight to a hospital in Madison to repair a bleed on her brain.
She spent 3 weeks in pediatric intensive care in critical condition and has just recently stabilized enough to be moved out of intensive care. She faces at least one more surgery with a 2-3 week recovery period before she can be released to travel back to Germany. The prognosis is that Maike will likely be paralyzed on one side but with 2-3 years of rehabilitation may regain her ability to speak, read and write.
Her family has traveled from Germany to be with her during this difficult time. They are so very appreciative of offers of support and the wonderful care their daughter continues to receive. The Ronald McDonald house has provided the family with meals and a place to stay when they are not at the hospital”.
As I’m sure you can imagine, this situation has had a profound impact on our exchange student, her biological family, her host family, her club and our entire district community. Rotarians have asked repeatedly what they can to done to help. I’m pleased to announce that our District 6250 Charitable Trust has now established a special fund to receive financial contributions to assist Maike’s family. This fund will be used to help pay travel, medical or other personal expenses the family has or will incur. All donations will be tax deductible as allowed by the fund’s IRS status.
Interact Clubs are being organized at Aquinas, Central, Logan and West Salem. Interactis Rotary International's service club for young people ages 14-18. Interact clubs are sponsored by individual Rotary clubs, which provide support and guidance.Do you have a a child, grandchild, niece, nephew or someone you know that attends any of the schools that would enjoy making new friendsand developing leadership skills while helping others? Talk to them about joining Interact.
West Salem has already been meeting...they helped at the Come for Supper meal ...what a great bunch of hard working young people!
I have listed the contacts for each school below.
Central's first meeting is planned for Thursday, March 5th at 7 am in room 224. They will have breakfast for the students and will set up future meetings from that point on. Contact Matt Boshcka - mattboshcka@yahoo.com or Thad Anderson - tjanderson@apacmail.com for more information.
Logan's first meeting is planned for Tuesday, March 17that 7am in the theater. Contact Stephanie Fraase - stephdesigns2@gmail.com or Keith Lease - keith@couleecouncil.orgfor more information.
District 6250 is happy to announce the 1st annual Foundation Celebration. This is an event in which we will thank those that have given, explain to others why we give, and feed the hungry all over the world at the same time. This is an event that will be family friendly, not only in words, but in action. Any children under 16 will be free! Children over 16 and adults are only $20 which will cover a portion of the wonderful lunch we will be having.
Happy Birthday Denise Vujnovich - March 6
David Stoeffler - March 8
Mary Kay Wolf - March 10
Richard Kyte - March 11
Kurt Schroeder - March 11
Happy Wedding Anniversary None
Happy Club Anniversary Herb Heili (honorary) - March 5 - 17 years
Jim White (honorary) - March 6 - 35 years
Phil Quillin - March 7 - 52 years
Kyle Visker - March 9 - 9 years
ROTARY ATTENDANCE
Feb 5th - 54%
Feb 12th - 55%
Feb 19th - 53%
Feb 26th - 56%
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.
Congrats to David Kilpatrick who won the $100 Marble Raffle last week.
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.
Feb 26th: Fines $182; Raffle $108; Youth Exchange Maike's Fundraiser $80
It is time to register for Tri-Con 2015, the multi-district Rotary conference for the entire state of Wisconsin and the very best parts of Minnesota too!
Register Prior to March 31st and registration fee will be discounted to $15.
Our club will reimburse $15 to the first 30 members that register early! Just give Lyn a copy of your registration confirmation and she will credit you $15 on your quarterly invoice in April.
Cards will be for sale before and after our Rotary Meeting.
Birthday, Wedding, Sympathy, Get Well, Anniversary, Congratulations, Note Cards and other cards will be available. 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. Anita donates all sales to the Rotary Works Foundation!
June - Rob Palmberg
Rotary Fellowship Month
Music - Lee Rasch
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.
Next Meeting
jel Olson one of our newest members gave her classification talk. Majel joined us in November 2014. She is a Certified Consumer Credit Counselor at Consumer Credit Counseling Service of La Crosse. 
