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The past few months have flown by and spring is upon us!
We have many volunteer events coming up that we encourage you to help support and invite your friends, coworkers and families to join. We will begin Highway clean up soon- what treasures will we find?
The Magic of Rotary has been a great way to learn more about Rotary, La Crosse and our members. It would be great if you could share our Facebook events and posts to your own page or invite your friends to "like" our page. Spreading the Rotary love helps!
Special thank you to Marissa and the Foundation team for all their work for Shark Tank; Jenny AH for finding several new volunteer events in the coming months; Joe Hammes for his well-written club meeting emails all year long; our newest member Susan for inviting friends to the Pints for Polio event; Spencer for creating trivia at Pints; and to all those who attended the Pints for Polio event (48 people!) to help raise $600 towards Polio.
Rotary After Hours has been approached with the opportunity to take over Bartending at Riverfest. Riverfest 2025 runs from July 2-5, with bartending shifts starting at 11 AM and running until midnight. Multiple bars will be staffed, and if we participate, our club could earn $7,000 plus additional tips. Approximately 45 volunteers are needed each day to cover the shifts. This can include family and friends and/or we could work to recruit other Rotary Clubs and organizations to help. Shifts are 4 to 6 hours/each. We need to gauge interest from everyone in your personal committment to multiple shifts before moving forward.
Please take a moment to answer the questions in the linked survey no later than Friday, April 4th.
The Magic of Valladolid â A Rotary Adventure to Remember! â¨đ
In mid-February, seven RAHtariansâBill, Stef, Marissa, Joleen, Nicole, Angela, and Josh (who we still claim!)âalong with Janine from Madison and Pauline from Canada, embarked on a cultural journey to Valladolid, YucatĂĄn, Mexico. What began in 2017, when Josh first visited the area and attended a Rotary Club of Valladolid meeting, has since blossomed into a years-long friendship and a powerful partnership, proving that Rotary connections know no borders. đ
From the moment we set foot in Valladolid, we were embraced with the warmth and generosity. Our journey was filled with unforgettable momentsâsharing stories over empanadas and panuchos at Club Rotario Valladolid Pueblo MĂĄgico, diving into the rich history at ChichĂŠn ItzĂĄ, and cooling off in the crystal-clear waters of Cenote Saamal. Along the way, we reunited with old friends, made new ones, and discovered the true meaning of Service Above Self.
And, of course, no trip would be complete without a little adventureâbeach days in Tulum, breathtaking museum visits, an Airbnb lock mishap, reptilian friends in our bedrooms, and raising our glasses to new friendships under the YucatĂĄn stars.
Beyond the adventures, we saw firsthand how Rotary changes lives. At a local school, students proudly showed us their clean water filters, a project Rotary After Hours and Interact Clubs helped fund in 2018. In village homes, we witnessed the staggering impact of new stovesâreducing dangerous smoke, cooling temperatures, and making cooking safer and healthier for families. Our group financed nine stoves, including one in honor of Billâs generosity, ensuring more families can cook safely and live longer, healthier lives.
But our work isnât doneâeight more families are still waiting for an ecological stove. At $400 each, Rotary After Hours is committed to making this happen. Will you help us and the Valladolid Rotary Club change a life? No amount is too small, and every dollar brings us closer to our goal. Donations can be made via cash, check (payable to Rotary After Hours) or PayPal(QR code below), and we hope to wrap up fundraising by Friday, April 11th.
Letâs keep the magic goingâbecause small actions create huge impact. Thank you for your generosity! ⨠Watch the Project Video!
And a grande muchasgracias to Bill & Josh for making the trip a reality and oh so magical! If you missed the club meeting where we shared our magical moments, you can watch it on our YouTube channel!
RAHâs Annual Shark Tank: Making Waves for Good! đŚ
Our Annual Shark Tank is always one of our favorite meetings of the year! đŚđ Thanks to our successful Ugly Sweater 5K, we get to invest in meaningful projects that make a difference in our community.
This year, four RAH members dove in with jaw-dropping project pitches, each one a fin-tastic way to give back:
Shade for Paws & People â A sun shelter for volunteers & furry friends at the Coulee Region Humane Society đśđž Pitched by Megan Hafner
Arts for Young America Mini Grants â Funding field trips & sensory kits for local students at Viterbo Fine Arts Center đ¨đś Pitched by Rachel Frisby
ReNew the Block â Providing critical home repairs for families in need with Habitat for Humanity đ¨â¤ď¸ Pitched by Stefanie Kline
Lights Up! â Purchasing 10 new LED stage lights for The Pump House to keep the spotlight shining on local talent đ⨠Pitched by Brandon Harris, Dustin Luecke, and Pete Suardi
With 69% RAH member participation, the competition was fierce, but when the waters settled, Megan & Shade for Paws & People swam away victorious with $1,391 Shark Bucks! đđđž
A huge congrats to Megan and a big thank you to everyone who pitched, voted, and supported these incredible projects! Your engagement is what makes RAHâs 2025-26 Signature Project a reality.
And of course, a special shoutout to our emcee extraordinaire, Nick Ragner! Your mix of meaning and humor made the night extra fintastic!
Letâs keep making a splash together, RAH! đđŚ
Pearl Street Brewery was filled with good vibes, great people, and a shared mission to #EndPolioNow at our 7th annual Pints for Polio event on Friday, March 21st!
Together, we made memories, had an amazing time together and raised $600 for Polio eradication. Polio remains endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and until it's completely eradicated, it continues to pose a threatâespecially to children under 5âby attacking the nervous system and, in some cases, causing paralysis or death.
Huge shoutout to Brewmaster Joe Katchever for the brewery tour and to Spencer Hegenbarth for hosting another epic trivia competition!
A big thank you to everyone who joined us and to Tami, Joe, and Sprout at Pearl Street Brewery for being incredible hosts! Here's to another year of raising awareness, enjoying great beer, and doing great things together!
Join us in welcoming Jenny, Pete, and Susan to Rotary After Hours!
Theyâve stepped into a community where service meets fellowship, and where a little Rotary Magic turns small actions into big impact. Weâre excited to have them on this journey of making a differenceâone project, one connection, and one act of service at a time!
Shoot them a friend request on Facebook. Make sure to say hi and learn something new about them at the next RAH function and help us give them a warm Rotary After Hours welcome! â¨
Pictured Left to Right: Pete Suardi, Jennie Krantz, Stef Kline (President); Not Pictured: Susan Niedzwiecki-Pham
In Rotary, a Paul Harris Fellow isnât just a recognitionâitâs a reflection of generosity, service, and the belief that together, we can change the world. Every donation fuels life-changing projects, from eradicating polio to providing clean water, education, and disaster relief worldwide.
We celebrated the magic of giving with our newest Paul Harris Fellow recipients! Laura Lee (+8), Jeremy Moritz (+6), Brandon Harris (+5), and first-time recipient, Samantha Ruskeyâyour dedication and contributions make a real difference. Because of members like you, Rotary continues to turn hope into action and dreams into reality.
Join us in congratulating and thanking these incredible Rotarians!
We are seeking 3 amazing host families for our upcoming Youth Exchange year! Could youâor someone you knowâwelcome an international high school student into your home for 3-4 months?
Arrival: Mid-August 2025 (First family hosts (August - Early Dec), 2nd hosts (Dec-March), 3rd hosts (March-July)) Departure: Mid-July 2026 Who Can Host? Anyone! You donât need to have children at homeâall are welcome!
This is a chance to experience another culture right at your dinner table while making a lasting impact on a young studentâs life.
If you're interested or know someone who might be, please reach out to Ashley Santolin or Phil Waselik. đâ¨
When one of our fRAHmily members shines, we show up to celebrate! We were at the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce's Young Professionals Awards Night to cheer on Ashley, this yearâs Emerging Leader!
Her advice? âSay yesâyou never know what doors will open for you.â And sheâs lived by those words, saying âyesâ to RAH in so many waysâserving as club president (2022-23), treasurer, Ugly Sweater 5K chair, Youth Committee chair, and more!
CongRAHtulations, Ashley! Your leadership and dedication are leaving a lasting impact on our community. Weâre so proud of you!
TriCon brings together members from three Rotary International Districts: 6220, 6250, and 6270. These districts serve clubs in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a portion of Minnesota, and most of Wisconsin.
At TriCon, participants learn, are inspired, and grow through interactive workshops, plenary speakers, and networking opportunities. All this truly makes TriCon an outstanding Rotary conference experience.
Don't miss out on this lively, educational, and fun-filled Rotarian experience. All Rotarians are welcome to attend!
Creating Magic Through Giving 
