This Week: Karuna, Housing the Unsheltered: Julie McDermid
Julie McDermid is the Executive Director of Karuna Inc., a housing organization she co-founded with a dedicated group of colleagues who have decades of combined experience working with individuals and families experiencing homelessness, housing instability, mental health crises, and struggles with substance use. She is a member of the Human Rights Commission of the City of La Crosse and the former Project Manager for the Coulee Collaborative to End Homelessness. While working with Karuna to spearhead efforts to create innovative housing solutions that don't currently exist in our community, she also remains dedicated to contributing to the City/County collaborative development of a five year strategic plan to end homelessness in La Crosse.
Purchase through the Rotary office or purchase at club meetings for $20. Sizes range from S, M. L, XL, and 2XL.
FREE T-shirt when you volunteer for a club sponsored event.
STAR Meeting - Tuesday, September 12
Our next STAR Meeting will be Tuesday, September 12 from 12-1pm. Location: Rotary Office in the Capella on Cass, 432 Cass Street (parking in the back; enter through back door) Hosted by Jodi Widuch, Todd Restel, and Jamie O'Neill.
STAR - Specialized Training for Action in Rotary....you will meet other new Rotarians from the area. We will provide programs on the Avenue of Service, The Rotary Foundation, and the Rotary Works Foundation, along with other aspects of Rotary. This is a great time to ask questions you may have about our club or Rotary in general. Hope you will be able to join us.
PLEASE NOTE: This building is not handicap accessible. For special needs or to inquire about specifics, please contact Niki Pohnl to arrange for assistance.
Our first ever cycling fellowship event will be held the afternoon of Saturday September 23rd. We will meet at the MN Tourism site by Dresbach in the main parking lot.@ 1:30 pm. The primary route will take the bike trail north along the river to the lightly traveled road between Dresbach to Dakota MN and then return. This route is a little over 10 miles roundtrip and we'll go at an easy pace. If there are riders that want more challenge, they can climb the hill to the ridge from Dakota then across the newly paved County Road #1 to the descent on Apple Blossom and loop back to the Tourism site. No need to RSVP - just show up and join us! Contact Steve O'Malley with any questions.
Following the ride, we're invited to join the Beer Fellowship at 3:30 at the Sports Nut 25 Walnut St. in La Crescent.
Beer Fellowship - September 23rd
Our Rotary Beer Fellowship will meet from 3:30 to 5:30 on September 23rd at the Sports Hub (25 N. Walnut) in La Crescent. After an earlier bike ride, the Beer Fellowship will join us around 3:30, so there will be a double opportunity to get better acquainted with some of our fellow Rotarians. Contact Jack Haase with any questions.
Chuck Hanson is currently on a Rotary Friendship exchange in Croatia. We wish him safe travels!
Let's Celebrate!
Active Rotarians
182
Honorary Rotarians
12
Rotary Attendance
90 between in person, guests, and Zoom
Welcome to Week 2 of RI’s Basic Education & Literacy Month.
This week’s “Foundation Minute” is in memory of September 11, 2001, when Rotarians were galvanized into action following the devastating terrorist attacks. From a report by Cary Silver, then editor of The Rotarian, The New York Rotary Foundation raised a total of $1,499,154 for 9/11 with the help of generous and compassionate Rotarians around the world. Of that money, $1,226,808 was distributed to victims of the World Trade Center Disaster of 9/11. Rotarians from
around the world continued to send letters of support, make contributions, donate blood and visit the afflicted cities in a spirited show of support. Rotarians from New Zealand, Germany and South Africa offered to pay airfare and host children of victims in their Rotary homes.
Oklahoma City Rotary sent $100,000 to New York and $20,000 to the victims in Washington, D.C. Those Rotarians who reside near the disaster areas continue to rebuild their lives and reach out to those in greatest need — the so-called forgotten victims. RI President Richard D. King wrote on 12 September: "These events demonstrate all the more the importance of Rotary's Global Quest to keep our organization growing and thriving. Where Rotary exists in the world, there is a greater chance for peace. By swelling the ranks of Rotarians dedicated to peace, we can further strengthen Rotary's mission to foster international understanding
and goodwill."
It has been 22 years since September 11, 2001, and scores of earth-shattering disasters, human-made and natural, have followed; with the latest being the earthquake in Morocco on September 8, 2023, that so far has killed over 2,000 victims. The Rotary Foundation is not resting on its oars as it continues to respond to the needs of victims of terrorism, war, flood, fire, and earthquakes.
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