This Week: Leo Ris, My Memories of a Child of WWII
Leo was born in Rotterdam in the Netherlands in 1939. His family survived WWII. As a child, he was faced with learning problems and ended up at an elementary boarding school. No one at the time realize Leo was dyslexic. Facing many problem in his youth, he managed to finish high school and went to the university, graduating with a degree in engineering in 1963 and in 1967 received a degree in economics.
Leo's work brought him to 11 countries and he has lived in eight countries. His tasks were to help government to increase their export industry. Leo started and got 16 factories on track in the labor intensive sector and got five companies out of bankruptcy. He was part of the Dutch Secretary of Foreign Affairs. When he was living in Jamaica, he was also very close to the USA government and was an Advisor for four years to the Reagan Committee for the Development of the Caribbean under the chairmanship of David Rockefeller. Leo's other functions at the same time were the responsibility as a Consul for the north and west part of Jamaica, the liaison of the Dutch Interpol for 14 years, and he was involved in the intelligence for the Netherlands.
Leo met his wife, Judi, in 1983 while she was on vacation in Jamaica. She soon joined him there. In 1998 a U.S. company brought him to the USA to help their company in Mexico get through some problems. Leo went on to start two companies in Mexico and one in Haiti for the same organization.
Leo retired at 78 and decided to move from Texas to La Crosse, his wife's hometown. They now in Onalaska since December of 2024 and are happy to have found a great Rotary club here in La Crosse.
For 16 years, the School District of La Crosse and the Hmong Cultural & Community Center (HCCC) have worked together to give every 4th grade student a meaningful introduction to Hmong history and culture. Through the Hmong Education Project—aligned with state standards and district curriculum—more than 500 students and teachers each year experience a powerful, half-day immersion at HCCC that brings learning to life in an authentic and culturally grounded way.
In 2024, the program expanded to serve Onalaska, Holmen, and G-E-T School Districts, adding two additional weeks fully staffed by dedicated volunteers. This growth not only broadens access, but strengthens regional understanding, connection, and appreciation for the Hmong community—impacting students, families, and classrooms across our area.
Meal for This Week
Lunch this week: Taco Salad with cilantro-lime chicken.
Coffee, ice tea, and water available.
Guests are ALWAYS welcome! RSVP in advance to Niki Pohnl if know you are bringing guests but last minute invites are also welcome!
Allen Trapp, a past member of our club has passed away. Allen's Celebration of Life will be Saturday, March 14th. View obituary HERE.
WELCOME Leah Tanke!
Welcome to the Club Leah Tanke! Leah joined our club late January. Leah is looking forward to deepening her involvement int he community. She works closely with high school students on career planning and feels Rotary will give her valuable insight into local employment needs and allow her to better connect students with real opportunities. Leah is a School Counselor in La Crescent.
“Our meetings are dull, dull, dull! Our club never does anything interesting! And why are you and I the only two members left?”
These are common complaints. Okay, they’re not exactly common. But your Rotary Club is probably looking for ways to grow, or ways to make your meetings more engaging, or ways to make your club more active and more visible.
What better way is there than to share ideas and learn from other clubs? And what better time and place than TriCon 2026? The heart of TriCon is ideas, ideas, ideas!
Past attendees have called TriCon “inspiring,” “energizing,” "transforming," and “simply amazing.” And that is no exaggeration.
Built around Rotary’s 2026 theme, Unite for Good, this year’s conference will show you how to increase Rotary’s impact at your club, in your community, and worldwide. TriCon 2026 will offer practical learning and a celebration of all that Rotary and Rotarians can do and can be to build a better world. And as a bonus, it offers a chance bring the family and enjoy the Kalahari’s waterpark.
NOW is the time to register and book your room at Kalahari. Click the link on the bottom of this email to register.
FOUNDATION MINUTE: FEBRUARY 16, 2026 Welcome to Week THREE of RI’s Month of Peace & Conflict
Prevention/Resolution.
The news from RI this week centers on Rotary Foundation’s newest Peace Center. Leaders of Rotary International and Symbiosis International University gathered in Pune, India, to inaugurate a new Rotary Peace Center at the university. Supported through The Rotary Foundation, the center will provide experienced peacebuilders from across Asia with one-year professional development certificate fellowships to study subjects such as conflict transformation, sustainable development, and social change.
“With India’s rich diversity and complex social landscape, the peace center will offer unique opportunities for cultivating leaders who can navigate conflict with empathy and innovation,” says Bharat S. Pandya, a trustee of The Rotary Foundation and member of the Rotary Club of Borivli, Maharashtra, India. “This center will nurture a new generation of leaders in Asia who are dedicated to strengthening dialogue, understanding, and sustainable peace.” The new center will host up to 40 Rotary Peace Fellows per year to earn a postgraduate diploma in peace and development studies. The program is designed for midcareer professionals with experience working in peace and development fields, including within governments, non-governmental and community organizations, educational institutions, media outlets, and international agencies.
Symbiosis International University’s motto, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, or The World Is One Family, reflects a commitment to internationalism and cultural understanding that dates to its founding. Established in 1971 as a cultural exchange center for students from other countries (particularly Africa) who were experiencing discrimination, Symbiosis today has more than 55,000 students from at least 85 nations.
