VIEWING YOUR NEWSLETTER...You will notice at the top of the newsletter a statement... "Having trouble viewing this email? Please click here." This format will allow you to see any embedded videos and animated ads within the newsletter. Email newsletter will allow you to see your commitments at the end of your personal newsletter...online newsletters will not show this, the bulletin on the web site may have a more readable format...you can also view bulletins online.....www.rotarycluboflacrosse.org
Our club will have a ZOOM meeting again this week. We will be sending you a browser link via email Thursday morning. We will open at 11:30 and our meeting will start at Noon. If you have an announcement you would like to make...please contact Andy Bakkum. If you would like to have a guest attend, please let Andy know and YOU can forward your email link to them.
Thanks to Sarah Arendt-Beyer you can now view past Zoom Rotary Meetings - she will post each week on our web site......LINK.
Oct 22, 2020
Bill Pritchard - Governor, District 6250
COVID Opens Opportunities
Rotary Club of La Crosse welcomes our District 6250 Governor and previous club member.
Have your favorite coffee mug, beer mug, wine glass ready to toast Bill at
or Zoom meeting on Thursday!!!
For Bill Pritchard, his awareness of Rotary did not truly begin until after he had already been a Rotarian for several years. A district governor-elect asked for a cup of coffee meeting. During the meeting Bill was asked how many District Conferences he had been to? Bill’s answer was none, which prompted this follow-up question: Why would you join an organization that you obviously care enough about to attend meetings with your busy schedule, but not care enough to give even one days-worth of investigation into the ways they serve and give back to their local communities?
Bill did not have a good answer. So, he attended his first District Conference in 2010. And he became AWARE… 😊
That awareness quickly grew to involvement. Since 2010, Bill has held numerous club and district posts and responsibilities – starting with becoming a Youth Exchange Counselor in his club in 2010 (still active) and the first Ethics Committee chair for District 6250 in 2011. He has served as the District 6250 Membership Chair, the District 6250 Youth Exchange Inbound Coordinator, and was President of the Rotary Club of La Crosse in 2014-2015. His worth at the district level expanded to the Zone and Multi-Zone levels – serving as Curriculum Director for the 19 districts of Central States Rotary Youth Exchange as well as the Assistant Rotary Zone Coordinator for Zone 28.
It is well known that Rotarians do not get involved for accolades (or the pay 😊), but Bill has been honored as Rotarian of the Year by both his Rotary Club (2012-2013) and District 6250 (2011-2012). He has been recognized for his efforts in the area of Membership (2016) and in assisting with the local area Interact Clubs (2016), and most recently was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Rotary Works Foundation (2015-2016).
When not involved in a Rotary project, Bill is the Branch and Portfolio Manager for Stifel Financial. When he can, he enjoys finding moments to chase small white golf balls around a golf club near his home in Holmen, Wisconsin when not on his boat on the Mississippi River. Bill is blessed with two wonderful daughters, hundreds of Youth Exchange Sons and Daughters around the world, and a wife who he adores.
iFeed may not quite be the same this year, but there are still opportunities and the great need to support our community. The Onalaska High School Interact Club is holding a food drive to support local food pantries. Empty out your cupboards and help those in need.
October 20th & 22nd 5-7pm Onalaska High School Drive By Food or Monetary Donation Drop Off
We have received the Presidential Citation four years in a row! During a year that was challenging for many Rotarians around the world, our club demonstrated a commitment to achieve its goals, which ultimately helps strengthen Rotary and shape our future. Thank you to all for your service to our club, community and world. Your service and your donations to the Rotary Foundations helped us achieve the goals to receive the Presidential Citation for 2019-20. Presidential Citation 2019-20 criteria link.
We began a new year, July 1, 2020 and we will work towards achieving the Presidential Citation for 2020-21. This year we will be able to select the 12 goals we would like to achieve. Presidential Citation 2020-21link.
We are seeking nominations for Club Board Directors. The term would be a three-year term starting July 1, 2021. The Board meets every second Monday of the month by Zoom. We hope to get back meeting at the Radisson Hotel once the restrictions are lifted and we feel it is safe. If you are interested or would like to nominate someone, please contact Tami Woods.
Benefits of sponsoring an ad on the Rotary Club of La Crosse web site: Enhance your business' public relations and image. Advertise an upcoming event. Opportunity to sponsor and support the Rotary Club of La Crosse and your community. Sharing with fellow Rotarians in our club and other local clubs who would like to know what you do.
Why advertise on the Rotary Club of La Crosse web site?The majority of visitors to our website are members and friends of our club. This makes our site's web sponsorship an ideal opportunity for small and large businesses to promote their products, services or an upcoming event in our community. Moreover 100% of the advertising revenue goes back to our club; this in turn supports the local community.
Cost is $20 per month up to $120 per year . . . . click here for form and more information. We will include your logo/link on our web site, send one email blast to all Rotarians and include an initial mention in our newsletter and on our Facebook page.
Click on the logos under Web Site Sponsors...located on right side of our home page and in each newsletter.
NEW SPONSOR THIS MONTH
FOX2548 & WIProud is excited to announce an original production, a spooky special – Rivertown. In this 30-minute special program, we uncover the historic underbelly of early small-town life in the La Crosse area. Explore the gritty history of our Rivertown with interviews with local historians and dramatic reenactments of the shocking events in our small town’s history. Rivertown will air twice this Halloween season, Saturday October 25th and Saturday October 31st after First News at Nine on FOX2548.
Happy Birthday Tom Fider (H) - Oct 18 Dean Dickinson - Oct 20 Michael Nickel - Oct 23 Marj Gillespie Oct 28 Justin Boge - Oct 30 Jerry Hanoski - Oct 31
Happy Wedding Anniversary Brian (Kellie) Reitzel - Oct 18 Ben (Laurie) Lachecki - Oct 21 Steve (Sude) Tanke - Oct 23 Peter (Amy) Grabow - Oct 25 Jim (Lisa) Salmo - Oct 25 Carl (Caralee) Miller (H) - Oct 28 Thomas (Julia) Behrenbeck - Oct 29 Craig (Pam) Ubbelohde - Oct 30 Kerstin (Zach) Boudreau - Oct 31
Rotary Anniversary Judy Kirkpatrick (H) - Oct 21 - 27 years Tom Thompson - Oct 21 - 21 years Don Zimmerman- Oct 22 - 33 years Eric Filter - Oct 24 - 1 year Tami Woods - Oct 29 - 11 years
Rotarian Diana Carey. Diana was diagnosed with a treatable lymphoma. She is still going through further tests and would appreciate your thoughts and prayers. Once the tests are complete she will be starting chemo. Diana's address is W5999 Shultz Lane, Onalaska, WI 54650.
Barb Hammes (wife of Rotarian Bud Hammes). Barb is battling pancreatic cancer. She started her first round of chemotherapy. For many reasons they are hopeful that her cancer will respond well to this chemo, but until we are into treatment for a while, we will not really know. If you would like to send get well wishes....Barb's address is 314 Shore Acres Road, La Crescent, MN 55947
Rotarian Tim Ehler who is battling cancer (melanoma). He has a Caringbridge Site....LINK. If you would like to send get well wishes...Tim's address is W5871 Cedar Road, La Crosse, WI 54601.
Pat Smith family. His mother Alice Smith 92, passed away October 7. Please remember Pat and family at this difficult time. Obit link. Pat's address is 3303 Nathan Lane, Holmen, WI 54636
Peter Grabow family. His mother Constance Grabow, 89, passed away October 2nd. Please remember Peter and his family at this difficult time. Obit link. Peter's address is 2603 Hackberry Lane, La Crosse, WI 54601
Past Toastmaster International Director Jim Kohli discussed Toastmasters, their mission, and a new partnership with Rotary International. Jim Kohli is a cybersecurity architect for GE Healthcare, a family man with two adult daughters, and a Toastmaster who has served on the board of directors for Toastmasters International.
We had a wonderful presentation today at our weekly Rotary Club of La Crosse meeting by Toastmasters. They discussed a new partnership with Rotary International.
Each week President Andy will interview one of our Rotary Family. We will post the video each week in our newsletter. We will also post on Facebook and our website: PAGE LINK. You can share this site with prospective members.
Last week Andy interviewedDiana Careyclick on photo to view.
Last year Dean had announced he would no longer organize our Christmas Program. He has agreed to co-chair with Katie Berkedahl this year and help her plan the program. The show will go on!! Thank you to Dean and Katie for agreeing to co-chair this event.
Note from Katie.....the weather is starting to cool, so we've started preparations to warm your with the annual Rotary Holiday Program! Dean and I are working together this year to turn this virtual reality into the best show yet, but we need your help.
If you have children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, neighbors or whomever willing to share their holiday spirit through their musical gifts, please sign up. Because we're doing this thing virtually, think beyond local! Performers can join from anywhere in the world this time!
The program is December 17th at noon and we're looking for at least 10 families of performers.
Fruit Basket Fundraiser.....will now be a Fruit BOX Fundraiser! Yes we will be having our fundraiser despite COVID-19! We are replacing the baskets with a box - same amount of fruit (8 apples, 4 oranges, 4 pears and a bag of peanuts). Boxes will cost less than the baskets, are recyclable and you will be able to personally send them to family and friends out of town.
David Amborn and Steve O'Malley have met with the La Crosse County Health Department to review what we will need to do to make this a safe and healthy event for our members and customers. Things may be a little different this year....we will be wearing masks and gloves, distant ourselves and work in shifts.
Boxes will be $23 each and every Rotarian must buy or sell 5 baskets OR if you wish you can do a buy out at $100. This is our major fundraiser of the year and we hope you will start promoting our fundraiser to your friends, family and co-workers. Do you know of a business that might want to purchase them as a gift for their employees? All proceeds go to our club and are used to support a wide variety of activities and initiatives (Youth Exchange, Interact, Wheels of Hope, Kids Coulee..lots of things.)
We will be assembling the boxes the weekend of December 12th....with deliveries on December 12th and 14th. So save the dates.
Sarah Arendt- Beyer is working on an online form....hoping to make it easier for you to place and pay for your fruit box orders!
Advertise in the 2020 Rotary Lights Booklet. The full-color book will feature a history of the project, maps, schedules, photos and much more! 30,000+ will be printed and will be personally handed out to each vehicle and to groups of walkers that enter the park and can be viewed on the Rotary Lights web site.
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.