For more than three decades, the Coulee Region’s Avenues of Service Event has brought area Rotarians together to celebrate service, recognize meaningful projects and honor the people who make a difference. This year, 170 Rotarians and guests representing nine Rotary clubs gathered for an evening of fellowship, connection and a shared commitment to Service Above Self.
What happens when nine Rotary clubs and 170 Rotarians and guests come together for one night? You get a pretty powerful picture of Rotary in action. For more than three decades, the Coulee Region’s Avenues of Service Event has brought area Rotarians together to celebrate the people, projects and partnerships making a difference close to home and around the world.
This year’s gathering was dedicated to the memory of Pat Stephens, a pillar of the La Crosse community who lived and breathed Service Above Self. Known affectionately as “Positive Pat,” he had a special ability to bring people together around a common purpose, making it especially fitting to remember him during an evening centered on service and connection.
Club projects representing Rotary’s Five Avenues of Service were recognized, each illustrating a different way Rotarians put Service Above Self into action: Club Service, strengthening our clubs; Vocational Service, using our skills and professions to serve others; Community Service, addressing needs close to home; International Service, building understanding and improving lives around the world; and Youth Service, developing and empowering the next generation of leaders. Three area Interact clubs were also recognized for projects making a difference in their schools and communities.
The evening celebrated a handful of the people who make Rotary stronger across the greater La Crosse area. Each of the nine area clubs (Holmen Area Rotary Club, Onalaska Hilltopper Rotary Club, Rotary Club of La Crescent, Rotary Club of La Crosse-After Hours, Rotary Club of La Crosse, Rotary Club of La Crosse East, Rotary Club of La Crosse Valley View and Rotary Club of Sparta) honored its Rotarian of the Year, while the Rising Star Award and Lifetime Achievement Award recognized two Rotarians whose leadership, service and commitment have made an especially meaningful impact.
But the awards and recognitions are only part of what makes Avenues of Service an annual highlight for so many of us. It is an evening we all look forward to, to connect with Rotary friends, get to know members from the other clubs and simply enjoy a night together. That sense of connection is something we are fortunate to have across the Coulee Region. While each of our nine clubs has its own personality, meeting style and priorities, there is a strong tradition of supporting one another and finding opportunities to work together.
Sometimes that means joining forces on a larger project like the Rotary Mobile Clinic. Other times, it is showing up for another club’s fundraiser, exchanging ideas, sharing resources or coming together for an event like Avenues of Service. Those connections help us learn from one another and often open the door to new partnerships and opportunities to serve.
Avenues of Service is one of the places where that collaborative spirit really comes to life.
At its heart, it is a night to celebrate Rotary together. It gives us a chance to recognize great people, meaningful projects and the service happening throughout the Coulee Region, while also reminding us what is possible when we stay connected and work toward a shared purpose, here at home and around the world.