Park at the Radisson, the parking ramp, or street parking where available
Allow for time to go through buffet line!
September 10 - Radisson Ballroom
September 17 - La Crosse Center, Zielke Room
September 24 - Oktoberfest Grounds
This Week: Onalaska Hilltopper Rotary, Puerto Vallarta Water Project
The Onalaska Hilltopper Rotary Club will share the story of our recent Puerto Vallarta Water Filter Project and the incredible impact Rotary can make when clubs work together.
With support from the Sparta Rotary Club and a District 6250 Grant, we raised $13,500 and helped provide 245 long-term water filtration systems to families in rural communities outside Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. These filters provide safe drinking water for more than 10 years, helping families improve their health while reducing the cost of bottled water.
Several Hilltopper Rotarians traveled to Mexico in February to assist with distribution and witness the impact firsthand. Join us to hear how a local Pork Q fundraiser turned into a life-changing international service project and what it was like to see Rotary's work in action. Type caption here
Next Week: Dr. Larry Skendzel, Transforming Hope: How Community Hospice Serves
Dr. Larry Skendzel graduated with honors from Wayne State University School of Medicine in 1990. He has worked in hospice medical care for over 30 years! First in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and for the last 8 years here in La Crosse as hospice medical director. He loves working with a team of caring providers to put together a care plan for people with serious illnesses that incorporates their values and has a good chance of success! For him, he sees healing evolve every day and new hope grow in the people he serves!
He and his wife, Missy, have 3 children who are all out in the world doing good things for their communities. He loves to cook and time around the table with friends and family is such a great time to connect! He loves Cajun and Creole cooking! He loves going to music festivals and biking in the area. Polka, New Orleans and French-Canadian music are favorites.
His personal perspective: ”I feel so lucky to serve this generous community here in the Driftless! I am a member of Rotary After Hours and a Youth Exchange Coordinator.”
Meal for This Week
Lunch this week: Spaghetti & Meatballs, chef's choice vegetable. Marinara Sauce is vegetarian but meatballs contain gluten. Also includes garlic bread. Vegetarian option is GF pasta with vegan marinara sauce and Impossible burger crumbles, served with a vegetable.
Vegetarian Members - Please get a vegetarian meal tag from Sue upon check-in to give to the serving staff who will provide a meal for you.
Guests are ALWAYS welcome! RSVP in advance to Niki Pohnlby the end of day Monday for the meal on Thursday.
Only a couple weeks left to drop off your lithium batteries to be recycles. Drop off at Moontunes.
How interesting would it be to tour the Rotary Lights warehouse and see what happens behind the scenes. Schedule a group to tour with Bill Hoel.
Local Interact Clubs are looking for a lead to assist with coordinating this annual meal packing event. Contact Andy Bakkum for more information.
SAVE THE DATE!
World's Largest Polio Walk
October 24. 2026
Watch for more details about how you can particiate!
We have waited for literally years to be able to make this announcement. As of August 1st, the Wisconsin DOT has approved and made available Rotary license plates you can proudly display on your automobile. You can even personalize your own custom plates, offering a great opportunity to display who we are and what we stand for… “Service Above Self.” Best of all, $25 of your fee goes to the End Polio Now campaign,
Order your plates today by going to the Wisconsin DOT website at:
Rotary Vibrant Club Workshop - November 7th, West Salem
A Rotary Vibrant Club Workshop is an annual Rotary International event designed to inspire, equip, and connect Rotarians from across a district to help their clubs become more dynamic, inclusive, and impactful. It’s part of Rotary’s “Be a Vibrant Club” initiative, which encourages clubs to engage members, conduct meaningful service projects, and try new ideas to strengthen their communities. It is a great opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with Rotarians from other clubs in District 6250. The next workshop is Saturday, November 7, from 9am-1pm. Click the link below for more details and registration. Join the fun
Please considering traveling to the Guatemala Highlands in 2027 with the Rotary Club of Milwaukee. There are two trips planned, and they would love to have you join us. Sheila Riley and Cindy Erickson are already signed up!
Trip #1: January 9th - 17th, 2027
Trip #2: January 30th - February 7th, 2027
On a typical trip we will:
Experience the beauty of the people and the country of Guatemala
Stop at 4 to 6 other project sites and meet community members
Celebrate the start of a recent project with our community partners
Build new friendships with local Rotarians
Explore new project opportunities
Enjoy a meal with one or more local elected officials
Valley View Rotary will be sponsoring a Rotary Fellowship Danube River Cruise April 10-17, 2027. This will be a Viking 8-day cruise from Passau, Germany to Budapest, Hungary, with stops in Linz, Krems and Vienna, Austria, as well as Bratislava, Slovakia.
All Rotarians in District 6250, including their friends & family (18 years and older), are invited to join in, and we hope to connect with at least one Rotary club along the way for a meet-up, service project or to make plans for joint projects or RFEs in the future. Some of the best parts of Rotary happen outside our meetings—the conversations, friendships, shared experiences, and people we meet along the way. So why not take that fellowship all the way to Europe?
Viking's intimate river ships carry up to 190 guests with meals onboard, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi, guided excursions, and cultural enrichment included. You unpack once and stay in the same comfy cabin each night but get to enjoy the beauty and history of amazing scenery and destinations throughout the journey.
PRICES START AT $2,474 PER PERSON based on double occupancy (a discounted price from what is on their website). Additional discounts may apply and deposit is only $25 if you book with Matt before 8/31/26. Matt Boshcka, Valley View Rotarian and owner of Dream Vacations, has generously offered to do all the legwork to make this Fellowship Cruise happen. Contact Matt at 608-397-1855 or mboshcka@dreamvacations.com with any questions or to reserve your cabin. Come join us! Click here for more information on Danube Waltz - 2027 Itinerary - Passau to Budapest | Viking®
FOUNDATION MINUTE: AUGUST 31, 2026
Welcome to Week FIVE of RI’s Month of New Club Development.=
This week’s report is a plea from RF’s Chair of Trustee, Jennifer Jones: “This month, I want to have some fun and do a little preplanning exercise for World Polio Day on 24 October. Are you with me? Each year, World Polio Day gives us a moment to pause, reflect, and recommit to the promise Rotary made to the world that no child, anywhere, will ever again suffer the devastating effects of polio. This year, that moment feels especially powerful. President Yinka has challenged all of us to “better our best,” and I want to echo that call with a challenge of my own. Look honestly at what your club has done to support polio eradication. If your efforts have been strong,stretch further. If your club has not yet engaged in our No. 1 corporate priority, begin now by making a gift of at least US$1,500 at endpolio.org/donate. That single act of generosity will do much more than you may realize.
Thanks to the GatesFoundation’s 2-to-1 match, every dollar becomes three. Together, we can reach ourannual goal of $50 million and finish the job Rotary began. Each step brings us closer to a world where polio exists only in history books. But numbers alone do nottell the whole story. Above all, polio eradication is a human endeavor — built oncourage, compassion, and the belief that service can reshape the future.”
