Were you unable to attend a meeting and want to catch up on what you missed out on? Several of our club meetings have been recorded and are stored on our Rotary After Hours YouTube Channel! Subscribe to our channel so you don't miss any of our future videos.
What happens when 12 Rotarians representing the area Rotary Clubs come together looking to do a $250,000 project that will benefit our community? A super cool collaborative initiative with St. Clare Health Mission that will bring medical service ON WHEELS, to the under and un-insured populations in the Coulee Region.
When we talk about the underserved we are referencing the economically deprived, the homeless, and an immigrant population that merit our help. The addition of the mobile clinic will deliver health care services to many who simply cannot make their way to the land based facility of St. Clare Health Mission in La Crosse.
It is conservatively estimated that the case load of St. Clare will more than double with the use of the Rotary Mobile Clinic. It seems to be more than timely that this facility will come on line when the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine to every area and every element of the population needs to be addressed.
The project is estimated to cost between $230-$240,000. A Rotary focus group, comprised of representatives from the nine area Rotary Clubs, has set a fundraising goal of $80,000; a community goal and a Rotary Clubs goal, each in the amount of $40,000. If we can raise $80,000 locally, we can apply for a Global Grant and the Rotary District 6250 Foundation and the Rotary International Foundation will provide the balance of over $150,000.
We hope that you will consider an investment in this project. You may want to make a contribution now or you may prefer to make a pledge commitment that will to be fulfilled with the actual contribution by 15 March 2021. In either case, your commitment will allow us to begin the process of purchasing and outfitting the Rotary Mobile Clinic. This mobile clinic will impact the lives of many people this year and every year going forward.
Individuals can donate through the local Rotary Works Foundation with a note that mentions the Mobile Clinic:
Any consideration you might give this will be appreciated and know that if you’d want a personal conversation to answer any questions you might have... we are available.
Sincerely, Bill Pritchard, Josh Mansee, Lisa Kobs and Marissa Dickinson Focus Group Members
Our club RAHssembly is coming up on Tuesday, January 26th from 6-7:30pm. This is a great opportunity to learn more about what each committee does!
We will also be presenting changes to our Bylaws that require member approval/vote and will be sharing our Strategic Plan.
The chairs/vice-chairs of each of our amazing committees are listed below:
Membership – Morgan Stittleburg & Jennifer Luedtke
Foundation – Josh Mansee
Service – Katelyn Doyle & Emily Nolte
Public Image – Dustin Luecke, Nick Ragner & Marissa Dickinson
Programs and Socials – Stef Kline
Fundraisers:
Mini Masters – Stef Kline
Ugly Sweater 5k – Ashley Santolin
Youth – Ashley Santolin
Each committee chair will give an update on committee:
Goals and progress
Accomplishments this past year
Announcements/upcoming calendar items
Call to action for our members - How we can help the committee!
WEAR YOUR ROTARY AFTER HOURS apparel and show some RAH pride!
If time permits, you will also have the opportunity to break out and ask the Committee Chair any questions you may have and see if joining is a good fit!
We hope to see many of you on Tuesday, January 26! You won't want to miss it.
2020 was an unusual year and our Ugly Sweater 5kwas no exception!
COVID-19 forced us to hold a virtual event and true to 2020 style, if something could go wrong... it did. Our lights on the marsh frequently malfunctioned, we unexpectedly lost some volunteers to quarantines, COVID tests, and injuries, and we even lost the keys to one of our UTVs! Despite all the difficulties, we were able to spread holiday cheer and raise funds for local and international charitable projects. We saw many ugly sweaters and masked faces on the marsh trails that we assume had smiles underneath. We exchanged many well wishes with race participants and we even received some generous donations! Thank you to all of our club members, participants and volunteers that made the best of an imperfect situation!We look forward to a more “normal” 2021!
2020 Ugly Sweater 5k by the numbers:
230 registered participants
100 new and improved poles to hang lights on (Thanks Brandon!)
Congratulations to Ashley Santolin, our Rotarian of the Month for December!
Ashley had a busy fall serving as the co-chair of our Ugly Sweater 5k fundraiser that our club held in December. So much goes on behind the scenes to prepare for the event and with the help of her efforts in coordinating logistics, securing sponsorships and being the queen of detail, our club will be able to do good things in the community like purchasing diapers for the Parenting Place, buying a van for The Good Fight Community Center, helping with Hixon Forest maintenance and so much more.
Whether it’s Youth Exchange Committee, Ugly Sweater, Board commitments, etc, she lives out the motto of "Service Above Self." Please join us in congratulating Ashley Santolin as our December Rotarian of the Month!
We'd like to recognize Lucas Severson, our December Rotarian of the Month!
While all of our volunteers are integral to pulling off our Ugly Sweater 5k fundraiser, it’s hard not to be full of gratitude for Lucas. Over the course of the weekend, he spent over 30 hours outside ensuring our lights and poles were set up and working. In his own words “the heavy lifting on set up and take down can be exhausting, but it’s all for a good cause!” (A special thank you to Laramie and Violet for loaning us him ALL weekend.)
Lucas also has also been our resident trivia master, coordinating virtual trivia this summer and Dave Knutson trivia night on 12/16. A lot of time and energy is spent behind the scenes preparing and we appreciate all that he does to make our club more fun.
Please join us in congratulating Lucas Severson as our Rotarian of the Month for December.
The Paul Harris Fellow recognition is Rotary’s way of expressing appreciation for contributions to the Rotary Foundation.
A contribution to the Foundation is an investment in goodwill, peace and understanding. It is an ideal held high by more than a million Rotarians worldwide.Our club recognizes two Rotarians for their personal support of The Rotary Foundation. It is because of gifts like theirs that The Rotary Foundation is able to carry out an array of programs that achieve beneficial changes in our world: improved living conditions, increased food production, better education, wider availability of treatment and rehabilitation for the sick and disabled, new channels for the flow of international understanding, and brighter hopes for peace.
Recognized for earning Paul Harris Fellow include:
• Josh Mansee received his Paul Harris Fellow +5. Fellow Rotarians shared that “Josh is one of the most dedicated and selfless people I have had the privilege of getting to know. He is a “doer” in every sense of the term. His willingness to lead from the front inspires others and has a ripple effect that goes far beyond his own actions. I don't hesitate to help when he asks because I know anything he's involved in will be well planned, organized and make a significant impact in the community or world. He appreciates the value that Rotary can provide in many different arenas and geographic locations, including the financial contributions as well as the hard work needed to carry out those financial contributions. Josh lives 'Service Above Self.’
• Laura Lee received her Paul Harris Fellow +4. Laura says “Throughout my life, I’ve been shown over and over that giving just a little goes so much further than you can imagine. I like to be involved and I thrive when I feel like I’m making a difference. Since joining Rotary in 2012, I’ve been beyond blessed with opportunities, friendships, memories, and experiences that will last a lifetime. Say yes, serve others, be kind, step outside of your comfort zone and give just a little more of you, the world needs it right now.” Laura is a true servant leader and exemplifies “Service Above Self.”
Congratulations to Josh and Laura! Thank you for all that you both do for Rotary and for your generous support of the Rotary Foundation.
To support the Rotary Foundation, sign up for Rotary Direct at rotary.org/donate
Making art, being mindful, giving back: Do what makes you happy!
Join area Rotarians for the Rotary Leadership Series featuring crochet prodigy, Jonah Larson on February 11th from 7-8am. The Rotary Leadership Series is designed for the members of the nine Coulee Region Rotary Clubs. Members may invite guests.
Jonah Larson is a 12-year old crochet prodigy from La Crosse. His infectious enthusiasm and commitment to giving back have earned him a worldwide following. His story has been featured in hundreds of articles including in the New York Times, The Times of London, Forbes, Oprah Magazine, People and USA Today. He has appeared on the Today Show, Little Big Shots with Melissa McCarthy, The Kelly Clarkson Show and Pickler & Ben to name a few. Larson most recently landed a position as a regular correspondent on The Drew Barrymore Show beginning Sept. 14, 2020.
We hope you will be able to attend!
In service, the Rotary Leadership Series Committee:
Lee Rasch, Andrew Bakkum, Scott Butler, Stephanie Fraase, Mary Beth Hensel, Art Lyons, Emily Nolte
The Downtown Rotary Club of La Crosse's club administrator, Lyn Sheffer has decided to retire after 18+ years.
Due to the size of their club, they have a paid position and are currently in search for a new club administrator. This person will manage all aspects of the Rotary Club of La Crosse and is responsible for finances, club communication and correspondence, maintenance of all records, meeting coordination, serving as the club’s expert resource on Rotary International, providing Rotary Club of La Crosse Board support and undertaking general tasks that result in a well-functioning Club. This position may solicit support from Club members as appropriate. In addition to the following functions and responsibilities, this position may perform other responsibilities as assigned by the Club President and Executive Committee.
Were you unable to attend a meeting and want to catch up on what you missed out on? Several of our club meetings have been recorded and are stored on our Rotary After Hours YouTube Channel! Subscribe to our channel so you don't miss any of our future videos. More to come!
The PI Committee is looking for someone interested in maintaining and expanding our social media presence. This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys creating high-quality social media content from our various meetings, service and social events to help share our Rotary story. Ideal candidates should have some knowledge of social media marketing and trends. However, the only qualifications are an active profile and desire to put your posts into Service Above Self.
If you are interested in assisting or know someone who would excel in this role, contact Marissa. To see examples of our social content, visit the RAH Facebook page.
Many thanks to all of you for your input and help to create the Rotary After Hours' strategic plan and road map for the next few years! The writing team and committee chairs collectively spent several hours off line helping to formulate this plan. You are encouraged to read through the goals identified and the actions that will help us achieve our goals (full plan will be emailed separately). After Hours has always been known as the "club of doers." We are ambitious and this plan certainly shows that, but no doubt, it will help us prioritize and see continued success in the future. If anything resonates with you in particular and you'd like to help the club achieve it, please reach out to Marissa or any of the committee chairs/vice chairs!
Our January 26th Club Meeting will be our Annual Assembly in which the plan will be shared in more detail. Committee chairs and their committee members will each share what they've outlined as priorities for the upcoming months. Please plan on attending and hearing more about how we plan to conquer the world!
New Members: Welcome Kate Bickett! (Big Brothers Big Sisters)
Rotarians Leaving Us: 0
Challenge: Invite a friend, co-worker or acquaintance to join a RAH event to check it out! There may be an entire group of individuals in our communities who would make great Rotarians… but could not find a comfortable way to join in person. Perhaps now is the time…
