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.
This Week at Rotary:
Jul 23, 2020
Rebecca Schwarz
YWCA Restorative Justice Program
Rebecca Schwarz is the Mission Impact Coordinator for YWCA La Crosse where she works to ensure that the mission is embodied in the programing at YWCA La Crosse and advocates for social justice in the community. Rebecca is passionate about community education and collaboration. Prior to joining the YWCA La Crosse, Rebecca worked in Social Services for nearly 20 years, working with foster families, homeless youth, youth in the criminal justice system and teen parents. Working in social services taught her that for real change to happen, we need to work for system change but we also need people who are lifelong learners and who are willing to confront all forms of oppression.
DIRECTOR TOTAL FLEET FORCE MANPOWER AND PERSONNEL (N1)
Ms. Lynn C. Simpson assumed duties Director, Total Fleet Force Manpower and Personnel, U.S. Pacific Fleet in June 2014. As the N1, Simpson serves as the principal advisor to the Commander on all matters relating to the more than 130,000 personnel (active duty, reserve, civilian, and contractor) employed throughout the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet area of responsibility.
Each week President Andy will interview one of our Rotary Family. We will post the video each week in our newsletter. We we will also post on Facebook and our web site - PAGE LINK. You can share this site with prospective members.
This week Andy interviewed Rotarian Mark Jolivette - click on his photo to view.
There is a huge dairy product give-away scheduled from 10 am to 6 pm at Valley View Mall on Saturday, July 25th. The first two shifts are pretty much covered but the afternoon shifts need volunteers. This is spearheaded by Rotary Lights but we want to make this a full Rotary project as is possible. Please contact Pat Stephens for more information and to volunteer.
Avenues of Service Dinner has been cancelled for 2020. Another casualty of COVID-19. Rotary International requested that all of its clubs around the world limit their respective social gatherings and events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We thank the Avenues of Service Committee for making this hard decision in order to keep all of us safe.
If you submitted a nomination for this year, they will hold them and review them in 2021. We all will miss gathering with local Rotarians and celebrating our Service Above Self in the community and world.
Everyone keep up the great work and we will celebrate in 2021!!
Our club is forming a Zoom Committee to help members with issues/questions they may have using Zoom. We will have our own "Geek Squad." They will help you through your concerns on how to login, share screens, use backgrounds, audio and video issues, etc. Just contact Tami Woods and she will set up a time and someone will connect with you on Zoom.
If you are willing to be a member of the Zoom Committee, please also contact Tami.
Bill is a former member of our club and is now a member of the La Crosse Club of La Crosse-After Hours.
The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware… joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware
Henry Miller
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.
Local Rotarian Launches Unique Fundraiser Benefiting Local Nonprofits: Al’s Musky Challenge
La Crosse, WI – For one local Rotarian, landing a monster musky isn’t just about the thrill of the chase, it’s about giving back to our community. From July 26 through August 28th, for every musky Al Louis catches during a fishing trip at Lake Vermilion in Minnesota, he will be donating $100 to the Al’s Musky Challenge fundraiser. He is challenging fellow Rotarians and community members to pledge—or contribute a set amount—as well.
The fundraiser is benefiting local nonprofits, with Mobile Meals - Guardian Angel Fund; Gateway Area Council, BSA - Fall Cub Camp; La Crosse Public Education Foundation - Random Acts of Kindness; and Family and Children's Center - Chrome Book Project each receiving $1,000; and the New Horizons Shelter and Outreach Centers’ Stewards of Children Training program receiving the remaining amount. “One in 10 children are sexually abused before they turn 18 years old. That’s a horrifying statistic! The Stewards of Children program that New Horizons offers the community teaches people how to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse,” says Patty Nuttleman, Development Director at New Horizons Shelter and Outreach Centers, Inc.
To date, over $13,000 has already been pledged, and the Lake Havasu Rotary Club (of which Al is also a member) has agreed to match up to $1,000. Anyone donating $50 or more will receive a bronze Rotary Centennial coin. Louis's goal is to raise $20,000.
“COVID-19 has forced many of these groups to either cancel or delay their annual fundraising events. Help us exceed our goal of raising $20,000 to help support these five important non-profits that play a vital role in serving the Coulee Region,” says Al Louis, owner of Designing Jewelers in downtown La Crosse and a four-year member of the Downtown Rotary Club of La Crosse.
Last year Al’s Musky Challenge raised $4,000 which benefitted the 2019 Diaper Drive for The Parenting Place.
Thank you to Rotarians Jodi Widuch and Mary Beth Hensel for presenting our "Wheels of Hope" project. This is an international project that our club in cooperation with other Rotary Clubs has set a goal to raise money to fund a bus and a van to safely transport girls to their schools in Afghanistan. LINK to PowerPoint Presentation.
Only 12% of women in Afghanistan are considered literate. The Zabuli Education Center is one of the few successful schools for girls that is working to change that sad statistic. The Wheels of Hope Project is an important support to expanding educational opportunities for girls and creating safety. This work is inspired by Razia Jan, last year’s District Conference keynote speaker and founder of the school.
Follow-up from Jodi Widuch...….
Thank you very much for the opportunity to talk with you about the Wheels of Hope Project.
As follow up here details of how to donate:
1. Here is the link to our Go Fund Me Page. This is the easiest way to used a credit or debit card. There is a small processing fee that you can choose to pay for. charity.gofundme.com/razias-wheels-of-hope
2. You can also donate by check, payable to Rotary Works Foundation, Wheels of Hope in the memo, and mail to Jodi Widuch, 2555 Edgewood Pl., La Crosse, WI 54601
The Holmen Area Rotary Service Auction is live online! Bidding starts July 6th and runs 2+ weeks, leading to the live event streamed on Youtube on July 23.
Consider Being a Sponsor: You will notice that we currently have just 2 sponsors, whose logos appear on the page of each auction item offered. Please consider being a sponsor and adding your logo. Increased numbers attending our service auction means greater exposure for your business/brand. Cost is $200. Contact Holmen Rotarian Bob Buck: vonbuck100@outlook.com.
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.
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