Park at the Radisson, the parking ramp, or street parking where available
Allow for time to go through buffet line!
We will be PASSING THE HAT this week to collect for our raffle baskets at Avenues of Service. All funds raised go to the Rotary Works Foundation.
Feel free to Venmo @RotaryClub-La Crosse, #4491 if you wish.
Thank you for your support!
This Week: Housing Access, Insecurity, and Discrimination
Explore local history as you deepen your understanding of how past and present racism and inequities have shaped housing disparities. Learn actions that community members can take to improve housing access and affordability in La Crosse. This presentation began as a collaborative effort with Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Area and La Crosse Public Library Archives along with other local nonprofits and community members.
Presented by:
Natalie Heneghan, Community Outreach Director at Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region
Jenny DeRocher, Archives Librarian at the La Crosse Public Library
Anna Sprague, Executive Director at Shelter Development, Inc.
Next Week: RI Convention Highlights
Highlights from the Rotary International Convention in Taipai 2026- shared by Richard Strauss and Todd and Eva Maire Restel
Meal for This Week
Lunch this week: Deli Buffet with shaved ham and turkey with creamy coleslaw (GF/Dairy Free) and house chips. Vegetarian option: Strauwerry poppyseed salad. Coffee and ice tea are available the beverage station.
Gluten Free Members - Please ask for a GF bread.
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.
A letter received from Pedro's Family last week:
Dear Rotarian friends,
Through these words, we would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the love, patience, and generosity you showed Pedro throughout his exchange year. It meant the world to us to know that he was surrounded by such wonderful people. This experience is a beautiful memory that he will treasure for the rest of his life. Every host family that welcomed Pedro was extraordinary and played a fundamental role in making this journey so meaningful. We would also like to give special recognition to the Rotary Club of La Crosse and their YEO/YEC team. Their kindness, dedication, sense of responsibility, and constant support for our son were truly remarkable. We will always be deeply grateful for everything they did for him.
Finally, we would like to share what this experience meant for us as a host family. When we decided to open the doors of our home to exchange students, we knew we were about to experience something special. But we never imagined how deep and lasting the bonds we would create could become in such a short time.
An exchange is much more than sharing a home for a few months. It is sharing life. It is learning new traditions, discovering another culture, laughing at our differences, celebrating each other's achievements, and realizing that love and friendship know no language and no borders.
In our case, the students we welcomed into our home—Anaëlle from France and Noé from Belgium—arrived as exchange students, but they left as members of our family. We shared simple everyday moments as well as unforgettable experiences: celebrations, trips, long conversations, and countless laughs. Every one of those moments will remain forever in our hearts. Through them, we also came to know a little more about France and Belgium, and we discovered that the true spirit of Rotary is built through people and the relationships they create. Exchange programs do not only shape young people into more open-minded global citizens—they also transform the families who welcome them. They teach us that, even though we may live thousands of miles apart, we share the same values, the same dreams, and the same desire to build a better world.
We would like to thank the Rotary Club and everyone who makes this extraordinary program possible. Thank you for building bridges between countries, cultures, and families. Thank you for showing us that peace and friendship are also built by opening the door of a home and the heart of a family.
With all our love, from Argentina,
The Mascaró Merino Family
Register Now for Avenues of Service Event
4 days left to register!
The Avenues of Service Event (also known as the Rotary Four Way Test Award Banquet) will be held on August 12th from 5:30-8:30pm. It is a chance for ALL area Rotarians to gather together to recognize and celebrate what the eight area clubs and interact clubs are involved in. The event includes a formal dinner and program recognizing nominated achievements in the last year.
Tickets are $55.00 and include three-course meal (including a garden salad, dinner roll, dessert) with complimentary coffee, ice tea, and water. Type caption here
FOUNDATION MINUTE FOR July 27, 2026 Welcome to Week FOUR of RI’s Month of Maternal & Child Health.
Since 1985, the Rotary Club of Casa Grande, AZ, has awarded scholarships to more than 900 students, providing over $1.68 million in financial support to help local high school graduates continue their education. This year alone, about 50 students received scholarships as they prepare to enter the next chapter of their lives. “We're reinvesting in the future,” scholarship committee chair Louie Sanchez said in a phone call. “We're investing in these students academically, but we're also investing in future leaders, future professionals (and) future community members who will, in turn, give back to the community (themselves).” Sanchez has led the Rotary Club of Casa Grande’s scholarship committee for the past 15 years, calling it a “meaningful endeavor.” Beyond the financial assistance, Sanchez said the scholarships send an important message to recipients: Their community believes in them and is committed to supporting their goals. While the Rotary Club has expanded its outreach and community programs over the years, Sanchez said providing scholarships remains a priority. He emphasized that the club serves primarily as a facilitator. “It's the community coming together and supporting our youth within Casa Grande,” he said.
