This Week: Soren Minor, Outbound Rotary Youth Exchange Program
Soren Minor just completed a year abroad in Belgium with the Rotary Youth Exchange Program. He's an avid musician and outdoors enthusiast, and can usually be found hiking or biking around the Driftless Region. When he's not on his bicycle, he enjoys spending time around friends or enjoying a strong cup of coffee. Next year, he plans to major in Environmental Science at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota.
Last Week: Anne Gordon, CASA
Anne Gordon is the Executive Director of a local non-profit organization, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Kids. Anne joined the CASA team back in 2022 as a Program Coordinator and then later, the Program Director prior to becoming the Executive Director when the organization achieved 501c3 in November of 2023.
The CASA for Kids program roots were established in the La Crosse community in 1999 by a local judge and a steering committee. They identified the need for court appointed child advocacy in open CHIPS (Children in Need of Protection/Services). The program was placed under YWCA La Crosse and remained there until October 2023.
Guests are ALWAYS welcome! RSVP in advance to Niki Pohnl if know you are bringing guests but last minute invites are also welcome!
Club Information
Avenues of Service - Registration and Raffle
Don't forget to register for the Avenues of Service Event, August 21st! Event is held at the Cargill Room, begins at 5:30pm with dinner and program to follow. This even honors all area Rotary Clubs and celebrates how we have all helped our community and world. Registration closed on Monday, August 5th.
Each area club provides two raffle baskets for this event. All proceeds go to Rotary Works Foundation. Our baskets this year are "Sweet and Salty" and "Margaritaville".We will be collecting monetary donations the week of August 1st and 8th at our club meetings. You are welcome to donate via Venmo if you would like as well! See Niki Pohnl for more details if you wanted to contribute items rather and funds.
The quarterly meeting of the Scuba Fellowship will be held this coming Thursday at 1:05pm. Diving members of the Fellowship are asked to bring a short story on one of their favorite dives -- with pictures, if possible. I will have a 10-minute video of diving with great white sharks near Guadalupe Island, Mexico. There will be an opportunity for non-scuba-certified Rotarians to ask questions they may have on diving. Recognizing that everyone is busy, we will end our meeting by 1:35. Thank you...Jack Haase
Rotary Specific Announcements
How about a visual for your Rotary specific announcement? You are welcome to provide one or reach out to Niki Pohnl with the information and our Public Image Committee would be happy to help! Slides due by 9am the day of the meeting.
Youth Exchange Calendar
CLICK HERE for the 2024-2025 Youth Exchange Calendar of Events.
Thank you Julia Behrenbeck for creating this calendar for us to follow.
HOSTS NEEDED FOR FILIPINO GUESTS
A contingent of 12 very active Rotarians arrives Tues. Sept 24 from the central part of the Philippines, District 3850, in the return of a Rotary Friendship Exchange.. Among them are hosts for Mark and Sharon Jolivette in May. There are both men and women in the group, including a past district governor, attorney, architects, call center owner, educator, doctor, teachers, and a number of club presidents. They speak English well, will be with us until Sunday September 29, and will expand and grow our world understanding of Rotary. We have hosts for 3 in the group already, and the district would like hosts assigned by the end of July. Then we can begin to correspond person to person.
Hosts should provide breakfast and supper. Daily activities are planned, and the hosts are not expected to attend, but certainly are invited. This is Oktoberfest time. Hosts can work together on shared activities at the Fest. Please let President Mark Jolivette know of your hospitality and openness, how many you can house, and what gender you prefer: mjolivett@aol.com or 608-385-7659
Al’s Musky Challenge is a Rotary Beneficiaries Club of La Crosse Project that provides opportunity and support
to youth throughout the Coulee Region!
From July 25 through September 30, Rotarian Al Louis will be fishing Lake Vermilion in Northern Minnesota. This Summer, Al will fish with his fishing partners, both named A.J., as well as multiple sponsor guests and fellow Rotarians.
2024 recipients are the Boys and Girls Club of Greater La Crosse and the Family and Children's Center.
Al’s Musky Challenge continues to be dedicated in memory of founding member David Amborn.
Please consider pledging and paying later or donating now.
Viking River Cruises has three new shore excursions in La Crosse for their guests this season. Each needs a local host/ambassador to accompany the guests on the motorcoach. The three excursions are: (1) The Dahl Auto Museum tour and Antique Car Ride; (2) The Guadalupe Shrine tour; and (3) the Taste of La Crosse + Rivoli Theater tour. Between August and October, Dahl Auto Museum and the Guadalupe Shrine will each be visited 10 times; the Taste of La Crosse/Rivoli Theater tour will occur 3 times.
What are the specific duties & expectations?
Greet the guests at their coach down on the levee where the ship will be docked.
Wear your Rotary badge to identify yourself; dress in business casual and/or Rotary garb.
Introduce yourself to the coach driver, and deliver clear driving directions to him/her once you leave.
Follow the script that will be provided, but feel free to add any additional information or personal anecdotes you may have about life in La Crosse.
Represent our city and our club in a positive way.
Behave as if you were hosting an informal reception at your home. Make everyone feel welcome.
Welcome to the Last Week of RI’s Month of Transition.
At the end of the 2024 Rotary International Convention in Singapore, the fourth annual Programs of Scale grant was awarded to Partners for water Access and Better Harvests in India. The $2 million grant will fund rainwater collection systems that will check dams and ponds to increase groundwater tables by 10-15 percent each year, improving the livelihood of more than 60,000 farmers in four states.
Beginning in the 2021-22 service year, TRF awards a $2 million Programs of Scale grant to an evidence-based, sustainable program that targets at least one of Rotary’s areas of focus and can be expanded to create far-reaching change. Along with the current recipient, TRF has awarded $8 million in grants to support the following projects:
2023: United to End Cervical Cancer in Egypt, ultimately aimed at reducing the
number of cervical cancer cases in the greater Cairo region by implementing a four-
year campaign to increase awareness about cervical cancer.
2022: Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria, fostering the health of mothers and newborns to reduce maternal and neo-natal mortality rate.
2021: Partners for a Malaria-Free Zambia, a malaria elimination program that aims at reducing cases of malaria, particularly for pregnant women and children under 5 in 10 target districts in 2 provinces in Zambia.
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