As December arrives, Rotary emphasizes Disease Prevention and Treatment by working on initiatives such as eradicating polio, supporting mental health, and improving communities. Key efforts involve funding vaccines, addressing healthcare needs, ensuring clean water, and providing medical training in underserved areas, all aimed at addressing the root causes of illness for sustainable change.
The Rotary Club of Eau Claire is partnering with Hy-Vee to host the ninth annual Thanksgiving Dinner Drive today. The Rotary Club, with the support of Hy-Vee for the first time this year, will provide groceries for a traditional Thanksgiving meal to local families in need so they can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal in the comfort of their own homes.
Editor’s Note: This “DID YOU KNOW?” article is designed to help you discover and learn about the rich Rotary International life that happens outside of our individual clubs’ walls.
This month’s article is on Podcasts produced by and for Rotarians.
I just recently discovered a Podcast produced by Rotary International called “All Things Rotary – A CDS Americas Podcast”. This group formed 4 years ago and produces 4 or 5 episodes per year. The topics discuss small but mighty clubs, Rotaract, innovative club models and many more relevant topics to everyday Rotarians.
By: Janine O’Rourke Rotary Club of Madison Youth Exchange Officer &
District 6250 Youth Exchange Inbound Chair
The newly established ROTEX group of District 6250, composed of Rotary Youth Exchange alumni, recently kicked off a fun day with Inbound Exchange Students on November 10th in downtown Madison.
Ensuring that your club's authentic story is visible through your online presence is crucial, as this is where both community members and newcomers seek information about Rotary in your area.
To support this, the District 6250 Public Image committee is evaluating each club's online representation by examining how effectively you convey your club's vision through your website and various social media platforms.
Succession planning is one of a few topics that I will readily discuss for hours. I strongly believe that succession planning builds lasting institutions and serves as a key building block for all successful entities. A few years ago, I directly experienced the power of succession planning when our 127-year-old family business implemented our emergency succession plan to great success.
Ensuring that your club's authentic story is visible through your online presence is crucial, as this is where both community members and newcomers seek information about Rotary in your area. To support this, the District 6250 Public Image committee is evaluating each club's online representation by examining how effectively you convey your club's vision through your website and various social media platforms.
We join the world on December 5th, in celebrating International Volunteer Day, a day dedicated to recognizing and honoring the tireless efforts of volunteers everywhere. Volunteers are the quiet champions of progress, bridging gaps in their communities with compassion, innovation, and selflessness.
On December 3, 2024, we observe the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD)—a day to celebrate the strength and contributions of persons with disabilities while renewing our commitment to fostering inclusion and equity. This year’s theme, “Building an Inclusive World: Innovation and Accessibility for All,” invites us to reflect on the progress made and the work that remains to ensure no one is left behind.
Wow, we have some great news for membership again this month! Our District membership remains strong at 2,280 members, remaining +14 members since the start of this Rotary year on July 1, 2024. We are 100% stable from statistics in November. Clubs, keep up your great work!
D6250's newly formed ROTEX (Rotary Youth Exchange alumni) kicked off with a fun day for our Inbound exchange students on November 10th in downtown Madison. Oscar Mullikin, Germany 2022-23 Rebound from Ashland, WI and current UW-Madison sophomore along with 4 other Wisconsin Rebounds hosted 9 of our current Inbound students with a State Street scavenger hunt, lunch at Ian's Pizza and cheering on the UW Badger Women to a 4th quarter comeback win over Georgetown.
Today, December 1, 2024, we pause to observe World AIDS Day—a moment to honor lives lost, celebrate progress, and reignite the global fight against HIV/AIDS. This annual commemoration reminds us of how far we’ve come and how much further we still need to go in our collective battle against this global epidemic.
As the year winds down, December serves as a time to reflect on one of Rotary’s core causes: Disease Prevention and Treatment. From eradicating polio to supporting mental health initiatives, Rotarians worldwide work tirelessly to improve health outcomes and build resilient communities.
Rotary After Hours members got to experience the Magic of Rotary through the Rotary Friendship Exchange (RFE) in La Crosse from the Philippines. Joe Hammes, Jenny Arihood-Hanabarger and Stefanie Kline all were hosts for the Filipinos for 5 days and we got to experience the magic of the La Crosse area through their eyes. Other local Rotarians that helped host were Mark and Sharon Jolivette, Nancy Schmidt, Kathi Millard and Bud Hammes. All local Rotarians had a busy week with the RFE guests and also enjoyed getting to know each other.
Changemakers Rotary Club is a virtual club and we would like to introduce ourselves to all of you and invite you to any of our monthly meetings. We are always accepting new members.
District Public Image Chair, Rotary Club of La Crosse
In the October Public Image article, “Navigating Your Club’s Social Media,” I highlighted the significance of utilizing #hashtags. Since then, our District Public Image committee has chosen #Rotary6250 as the official district hashtag. Moving forward, please incorporate #Rotary6250 into your social media captions to bolster a stronger Rotary presence for both your club and our district’s public image.
As a retiree you may now enjoy having time to pursue your hobbies or find new ones. But keep your guard up. It’s crucial to be vigilant about cyber risks that could threaten your financial security and personal information.
On Saturday, October 10, Food-4-Kidz returned to Stoughton for the eleventh time to assemble and distribute these meals to places in the world in need of food. Fundraising, preparation, and volunteer recruitment began several months before to prepare for the big day. On Friday and Saturday morning, the fire station was emptied and by 6:30 on Saturday morning, the crew was there setting up forty tables to create an assembly line.
In the world of fishing, where patience meets passion, the musky is known as the "fish of 10,000 casts." Yet, Al Louis, a dedicated Rotarian from the Rotary Club of La Crosse, has defied the odds by not only catching these elusive fish but also creating waves of change through his innovative fundraising efforts.
District 6250 has played a vital role in assisting Rotary clubs and districts around the world to bring positive change. One notable example is the Global Grant WALK VAN for D3850 in the Philippines, showcased in the photos here, which has consistently served many Filipinos in need.
The Rotary Foundation: Making a Difference and Transforming Lives
Megs Lunn
2024-11-05 06:00:00Z
0
Community Service,District Grants,Foundation,Impact Story,International Service,Magic of Rotary,Making A Difference,News,PeopleOfAction,Promoting Peace,Public Image,Rotary,RotaryResponds
As November 1, 2024, dawns, the global community of Rotarians anticipates the arrival of a special month-long celebration - the Rotary Foundation Month. This annual celebration hails the commendable efforts of the Rotary Foundation in promoting peace, fighting disease, and bolstering many other diverse causes worldwide. Themed around testament, transformation, and togetherness, Rotary Foundation Month 2024 seeks to highlight the organization’s successes while anticipating the challenges and opportunities the future holds.
I have some great news to share for the end of October! As of October 29, 2024, our District is 14 members greater than it was on July 1. We currently have 2,280 members. Let’s keep up this amazing momentum as we are beating the odds.
On the 19th of November 2024, the international community comes together in the pursuit of a critical yet often overlooked agenda: sanitation. The United Nation's Annual World Toilet Day seeks to ignite discourse and incite positive change around the global sanitation crisis, and this year is no exception.
Editor’s Note: This “DID YOU KNOW?” article is designed to help you discover and learn about the rich Rotary International life that happens outside of our individual clubs’ walls. This month’s article is on The Rotary Foundation.
With November being Rotary Foundation Month, I am excited to announce that our District is kicking off a Million Dollar Journey to raise funds for The Rotary Foundation (“TRF”). The timing of our Journey coincides perfectly with TRF’s goal to build its Endowment Fund to $2.025 billion dollars by 2025. This monetary goal is part of the TRF’s larger mission to help Rotary members advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty.
There is no better time than the present to add a bit more VIBRANCY to your Rotary Club and no better way to accomplish this than by attending the District 6250’s Vibrant Club Workshop at the Cranberry Country Lodge in Tomah, Wisconsin!
Rotary Friendship Exchange is exactly that – an exchange with another district in order to create new friendships and foster international understanding and good will. Participants are ambassadors for their own club and their country. Friendship Exchange is an intense social and cultural experience.
(A Compilation of Words from Zone Institute Attendees)
Rotarians from District 6250 attended the Zone25b29 Institute held in San Antonio, TX during the first week of September. These members were: DGE Michael Kloss, DGN Scott Ryan, Erin Luken (Foundation Chair), Marc Augsburger (Membership Chair), Michelle Skemp (Public Image Chair), Ben Bauer (a Zone presenter and Regional Public Image Coordinator) and Joe Ruskey (Zone Institute Executive Committee Chair).
In 1985 Rotarians made a promise to the children of the world. We promised them that we would eradicate polio from the face of the earth. On the day that we made that promise there were 125 countries on 5 continents that were polio endemic and during the year of 1985 more than 350,000 children—nearly 1,000 children every single day—were paralyzed or died as a result of the polio virus.
October is recognized as Economic and Community Development Month, a time to celebrate and highlight the efforts to foster economic growth and community wellbeing. For Rotarians, this month is a reminder of the pivotal role they play in driving sustainable development and creating resilient communities.
Commemorating Economic and Community Development Month: October 2024
2024-10-05 05:00:00Z
0
Community Service,District Grants,Growing Local Economies,Impact Story,International Service,Magic of Rotary,Making A Difference,News,PeopleOfAction,Public Image,RotaryResponds
Posted by Joe Ruskey and Lyn Hewitt-Perez on Oct 05, 2024
We clean our gutters; we put new filters in the furnace; we swap screens for storm windows, so let’s be just as safe and prepared with our home computers, laptops and tablets.
We have some great news for membership again this month! Our District membership remains strong at 2.267 members, remaining +1 members since the start of this Rotary year on July 1, 2024. Current new member leaders are Madison South with 6, followed by Janesville Morning and La Crescent with +4. Keep up the great work everyone.
Editor’s Note: This “DID YOU KNOW?” article is designed to help you discover and learn about the rich Rotary International life that happens outside of our individual clubs’ walls. This month’s article is on Rotary International’s Awards.
Milestone in cervical cancer prevention in Ghana: each of the 16 Regions now has at least one institution where women can have treatment of cervical precancer with ablation.
Above: Group photo of recent graduates from the last training program. The box in the center is one of the thermal ablators purchased with our global grant funds.
Having had the joy of attending the last two, in Melbourne and in Singapore, I suggest that you consider traveling up to Calgary this June for no other reason than to get a much larger sense of what Rotary means to people around the world. Plus, until we go to Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN in 2029, this is the shortest distance you would have to travel to a convention.
If you are working with your club’s public image, congratulations, you have chosen a very important role! #PublicImageIsEverything because it weaves together membership, service projects and helps tell your club’s story to the broader community. It’s important for engaging current members, and attracting new! So…You’ve agreed to help, but what do you do now? Read on for some helpful tips!
On Saturday, October 26, the Rotary Youth Exchange Committee will be interviewing potential American Outbound Exchange Student Ambassadors. Do you know any potential Student Ambassadors who are good students (top half of class) and be between 16 and 18 1/2 years at approximately this time next year? If so, spread the word! This could be the start to a life-changing experience for them!
Rotary International recently released some figures that back up the claim that Rotarians are “People of Action.” With more than 1.2 million members, Rotarians transformed communities on a worldwide basis by volunteering approximately 47 million hours last year. In addition to our time and talents, The Rotary Foundation was able to award $291 million for sustainable global service initiatives during the 2023-24 year. As a CPA, I believe that these impressive figures back up the claims that Rotarians work hard to make the world a better place. Beyond the quantitative numbers, I see evidence of our value and good deeds in every community that hosts a Rotary club.
Our dedication to peacebuilding aims for the most significant impact. Let's explore Admin Megs's involvement with ROTARY - Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). Being a member of the Rotary Club of Metro Kalibo in D3850 Philippines, she proudly carries the title of Peace Ambassador 2021 Alumna.
As a dedicated Rotarian, you enjoy the positive impact your club makes on your local community. You also value how you, a Midwesterner, can help change lives of people you will never meet half way across the planet.
That is the power of Rotary. That is the power of your club!
When I send out Rotary-related emails, my signature block includes the following sentence which I believe captures the essence of who we are as Rotarians:
“Rotary is a global network of more than 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.”
Our digital age goes beyond our cellphones, laptops, and televisions. Now even our homes can be smart.Smart refrigerators make your grocery list, and then order the items. Thermostats learn our likes, dislikes, schedules. These devices can and do revolutionize our lives. However, smart homeowners wonder if they should be concerned about the security and privacy implications of the revolution.
It's that time again when I get to catch you up on what's been happening in my world. I hope this letter finds you well.
Isha with her Rotary host family in Beloit From left to right Alice, Kris and Nick Dimassis. Nick is a member of the Beloit Rotary Club and the Director of the Beloit Public Library
It is time for our District to begin the process of selecting the next person to join the District Governor Team, following DG Nominee Scotty Ryan. This person will serve as our District Governor in 2027-2028.
On August 15, 1910, Rotary held its first convention in Chicago, setting the stage for a global movement of service. From 17 clubs and 1,000 members then, to over 46,000 clubs and 1.4 million members across 200 countries today, Rotary's growth has been nothing short of remarkable.
The convention of the Rotary Clubs of America was held in Rotary’s birthplace, Chicago, in 1910.
On August 12, 2024, we celebrate International Youth Day, an occasion that has been recognizing young people's contributions to society since 2000. This year's event takes on special significance as we continue to navigate the post-pandemic world, with organizations like Rotary International playing a crucial role in empowering youth.
International Youth Day 2024: Celebrating Global Change-Makers and Rotary's Youth Impact
2024-08-12 05:00:00Z
0
Community Service,Interact,International Service,Magic of Rotary,Making A Difference,News,Promoting Peace,RYLA,Rotaract,Rotary,Rotary Youth Exchange,RotaryResponds,Youth Programs
Currently 166 District 6250 Rotarians are members of the Paul Harris Society (PHS). PHS recognizes those Rotarians whose INTENT is to donate at least $1,000 annually to the Rotary Foundation.
Let me tell you a fishy story that started with diapers.
Question: What do disposable diapers and the Wisconsin state fish have in common?
Answer: Two crazy Rotarians by the names of Al Louis and David Amborn. One is passionate about musky fishing; the other was passionate about meeting the needs of young children, especially newborns and infants. Both were members of the Rotary Club of La Crosse. Unfortunately, David died suddenly before he could see all the good that their crazy dream has produced. Al is still an active member.
In today’s technological world, we all face significant Cybersecurity risks in both our personal and business worlds. With this in mind, District Governor Todd Restel reached out to Joe Ruskey to submit a monthly article with helpful security tips.
Joe is the owner of Dependable Solutions, Inc., an MSP firm specializing in providing Secure Technology Solutions to organizations throughout the Midwest. He and his Dependable Family are passionate about finding the tools needed for today’s ever-changing technology arena. They are dedicated to maximizing an organization’s value of technology while mitigating their risk with the ever-increasing cyber-attacks plaguing us all today.
Many of you may be familiar with Joe, as he had the privilege to serve as our District Governor in 2017-18. He lives in La Crosse with his wife, Tina, where he is a member of the Rotary Club of La Crosse and serves as the club’s Rotary Foundation Committee Chair. Joe also serves at the Zone level as the Chair for the 2024 Institute in San Antonio.
Read on for the first submission of Stay Cyber Safe:
Are you and your club looking to spice up your Rotary year? Read on! The Open World Program is sponsored by the Congressional Office on International Leadership (COIL) and is available only to Rotary clubs in the United States. It provides an opportunity to build fellowship and friendship and to strengthen international understanding by hosting emerging Eurasian leaders from a long list of countries.
If you are reading this article, chances are you have found yourself tasked with enhancing your club's public image. You may find yourself wanting to share the story of your club and showcase your service activities, but you aren’t sure by where to begin or which avenue to pursue. That's where we can help.
What’s some of the most fun you can have on a sunny summer day? How about a convertible ride through the hills and coulees of Western Wisconsin with a group of like-minded Rotarians?
Editor’s Note: This “DID YOU KNOW?” article is designed to help you discover and learn about the rich Rotary International life that happens outside of our individual clubs’ walls. This month’s article is on Rotary International’s Fellowships. Personally, I am a lifetime member of the Scouting, Whisk(e)y, and Wine Fellowships.
The Rotary Club of Madison West Middleton had a fun night-out at a Miracle League of Dane County triple-header weeks ago. Twenty three club members and friends attended. This is a program that affords children and young adults an opportunity to play a modified version of baseball. Players are young people, 4-19 years of age, with some disability, who are aided by "buddies. " The buddies are community volunteers who assist the players bat, run/wheel the bases and play the field.
It is time for our District to begin the process of selecting the next person to join the District Governor Team, following DG Nominee Scotty Ryan. This person will serve as our District Governor in 2027-2028.
Hey, community builders! August is here, and it's all about celebrating and boosting memberships and new clubs. Whether you're part of a school group, non-profit, or corporate squad, this month is your time to shine.
Rotary builds peace. Our District 6250 has recently taken a significant step towards advancing Rotary’s peacebuilding initiatives by becoming a “Global Peacebuilder District.” As one of Rotary’s seven areas of focus, individuals working to create peace in our communities does have a global effect.
We have a great opportunity for both Rotary Fellowship and a District Fund Raiser on Tuesday, August 6th at The Duck Pond at Warner Park! This is the home field for the Madison Night Mares and the Madison Mallards. The night's game will feature the Madison Night Mares, a NEW semi-pro girls fast pitch softball team. The Night Mares have waived the regular cost for us to host a fund raiser with them (saves us $600!) whereby for each $16 ticket sold to the game through the attachment, our District will receive $8 back. In addition, we have the opportunity to raise even more by selling 50/50 raffle tickets during the game. The stadium will provide us with the tickets to sell as well as vest to identify us as 50/50 ticket sellers. District 6250 will reap the benefit of 50% of those ticket sales as well.
July holds several important celebrations in the Rotary Calendar. These include the Rotary New Year, Rotary Leadership, Maternal and Child Health awareness, and marking 117 years since Rotary's inaugural community service project - establishing a public restroom in Chicago. This humble beginning set the stage for a global movement of service and impact.
Last July 1st, Rotary International embarks on a new year dedicated to service and making a difference. Guided by the theme "The Magic of Rotary," over 1.4 million members spanning across 200 countries are ready to create positive changes in communities worldwide.
Attending the Singapore Rotary International Convention
May 25-28, 2024
by: Stefanie Kline, President, Rotary After Hours
How many Rotarians have been to a Rotary International Convention? Have you traveled the world to hear motivating speakers on topics of sanitation, polio, and making a difference in the world? Have you ever heard the International President speak about their goals and vison for the Rotary Year? Have you had the chance to sit with 13,000 of your Rotary friends from all over the world to experience the magic of Rotary?
Here is my story from this year’s Rotary International Convention in Singapore. I attended the convention as a first-time attendee. I traveled 20+ hours to reach Singapore, a city that is safe, clean, innovative, technologically savvy and beautiful, but so hot and humid! Attending a convention at the Marina Bay Sands hotel and convention center was like a scene out of a move!
For the purpose of this article, I wanted to share with my fellow D6250 friends the truly uplifting, enlightening and magical journey experienced in Singapore. Not only did I attend the convention, I made so many connections from around the world and friends for life, but also memories and an experience that was impactful for my growth as an upcoming President Elect of the Rotary Club of La Crosse After Hours. If you have not been to an RI Convention, please consider going. You won’t regret it!
It’s one remarkable run. For five decades, Madison South Rotary has operated an all-volunteer brat stand across the street from Camp Randall (near the railroad tracks on Regent Street) during home UW football games. In doing so, it has raised well over $1 million dollars for dozens of non-profit groups in south Madison, as well as college scholarships. In addition, a tip jar added in more recent years has pumped thousands more dollars to Polio Plus vaccines.
If your club has ever struggled to keep your website and social media platforms updated with fresh content, worry no more! Thanks to the innovative efforts of our District Governor Todd Restel, along with his fellow WI 6270 District Governor, Peter Bosch, and other newly appointed district governors from zones 25 and 29, the Media Kits Initiative has been launched to provide clubs with user-friendly materials conveniently packed in a zip drive.
We are pleased to announce new hosting opportunities under the Open World Program during the 2025 calendar/hosting year, which will mark the twenty-sixth anniversary of Rotary’s participation in the program.
Editor’s Note: This “DID YOU KNOW???” article is designed to help you discover and learn about the rich Rotary International life that happens outside of our individual clubs’ walls.
As a final note, I (Todd Restel – District Governor 2024-25) do plan to talk specifically on two of Rotary’s areas of focus: 1- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and 2 – Peace & Conflict Prevention/Resolution during my club visits. If I don’t have a visit scheduled with your club, please reach out to me.
Club Visioning is a volunteer-based initiative to assist a Rotary Club with planning for its future using a proven process delivered by the District’s Visioning facilitators in a team approach.
July 1, 2021 did you know what you would be doing three years in the future? Maybe not. Todd Restel knew. He knew because July 1st three years ago he took his first steps on the District Governor path that would lead him step by step through DGND*, DGN**, DGE*** and now …DG.
The Holmen Area Rotary Club, Past President, Kathy Reinolt, facilitated a new member project that resulted in "Teacher of the Month" award and recognition. The new member group came up with the idea, developed criteria, nomination forms (both print and online versions), and created special tote bags, mugs, tumblers to give to the winning teacher. They worked with the school district administrator, Kris Mueller, also a member of the Club, to meet with the principals of each of the four elementary schools in Holmen to promote the project.
One of my favorite habits is sitting down to read the Rotary Magazine delivered to my home each month by the USPS (to be read as “Yes, I actually still enjoy the tactile feeling of the Rotary Magazine instead of the electronic version.”) However, just so you don’t think that I am too old school, I also love reading the electronic version our District 6250’s monthly Dispatch as well as my own Rotary Club of La Crosse’s weekly Coulee Report. I never get tired of reading, seeing and hearing stories about “People of Action” and “Service Above Self.” In my mind, I am able to connect these stories to the many fellow Rotarians that I have come to know as I enter my sixteenth year of being a Rotarian and to those Rotarians to whom I might not personally know but still inspire me.
The Holmen Area Rotary Club, Past President, Kathy Reinolt, facilitated a new member project that resulted in Teacher of the Month award and recognition.
The Rotary Friendship Exchange (RFE) from District 6250 traveled to the Philippines from May 16th to the 24th. Ten travelers, including eight members from various Rotary clubs in Wisconsin, participated in this life changing experience.
Members include Assistant Governor and RFE Team Leader Aaron Frank of Rotary Club of Madison South and spouse Rotarian Dawn Frank of Rotary Club of Madison-After Hours, incoming president of Rotary Club of La Crosse-After Hours Stefanie Kline, incoming president Mark Jolivette of Rotary Club of La Crosse-Downtown with spouse Sharon Jolivette, Elizabeth Naughton of Rotary Club of Lake Mills, Brent Van Gysel of Rotary Club of Columbus-Fall River with brother-in-law Craig Kolasinski, Jim Van de Bogard of Rotary Club of Beloit, and Cathy Statz of Rotary Club of Changemakers.
(The photo captures the entire RFE Team Philippines enjoying breakfast on the stunning island of Boracay in Malay, Aklan, Philippines.)
Fifteen Rotary-connected Wisconsinites from District 6250 had a great experience recently, doing 3-day Rotary Friendship Exchange with the Het Hoogeland Rotary Club in the northern part of the Netherlands. Edwin Bos was our intrepid leader, as his parents and grandparents were all from that area, and he still has cousins there. Actually, most of the people looked like Edwin’s cousins—they are a long legged group, those Netherlanders!
I appreciate the chance to highlight an outstanding educator from the School District of Fort Atkinson, particularly from Rockwell Elementary School – Mrs. Jessica Hansen.
Please accept my sincere thanks to you all for giving me your ears and eyes for the past three years as I have shared advice, insights and alerts about public image. I hope you enjoyed reading the messages as much as I enjoyed writing and sharing them.
On July 1st I take on a new role as President of the Fitchburg Verona Horizons Rotary Club and you all will be very well served by our new District Public Image Chair, Michelle Skemp of the Rotary Club of La Crosse.
Hello Rotary Club Presidents and Rotary Youth Exchange Officers!
It is time to get your club’s commitment sent in for hosting an inbound student in the 2025-26 year. We are hoping that each club who has hosted a student this year will agree to do so again in 2025-26. We hope that additional clubs will agree to host due to more high schools being willing to accept high school exchange students. As a special incentive, funds may be available to help these “new” clubs experience the joy of hosting an exchange student.
Welcome to June, a month dedicated to Fellowship and above all, FUN. It seems only fitting that I end my Rotary year on that note – reflecting on the most significant piece of Rotary in my heart – connection. Connection is always front and center for us, not just in the month of June.
Rotary Friendship Exchange for November 2024! New Zealand!
Contact Mark Etrheim at mark@mchlax.com with any questions and if you would like to go...
OPEN FOR PARTICIPANTS!
Exchange between 6250 and New Zealand District 9920
If you have not been on an RFE, you have not truly experienced real travel. You will make new friends and see more than any tourist ever will. Priority given to first time RFE participants, this trip is sure to be full so get your name in and an application asap. Our Rotary District 6250 Friendship Exchange Committee has arranged an exchange with Rotary District 9920 New Zealand. This district is on the North Island starting in Auckland, and traveling to 5 Rotary clubs. We will send a group of Rotarians and guests to their district from November 6 to 22, 2024. We will host an inbound group from their district from June 29- July 5, 2025. It is expected you will host them when they visit as well as plan their trip and help driving.
The American Cancer Society opened the Hope Lodge in 2003, providing free lodging for cancer patients and their caregivers who were coming more than 40 miles to Marshfield for cancer treatments. The organization closed the lodge in 2020 because of the pandemic and shortfalls in funding.
Last Apr. 26th, the Rotary Club of Waunakee and the Rotary Club Jefferson of District 6250 joined forces with the Rotary Club of Metro Kalibo (D3850) and Albasan Elementary School in the Philippines to inaugurate and hand over the RCC Livelihood and Training Center in the Philippines. District 6250 Administrator Megs Lunn and Rtn. Janette Jordee from Waunakee were present for the momentous occasion.
The RCC Livelihood and Training Center holds its inauguration event
2024-05-06 05:00:00Z
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CreatesHope,District Grants,Events,Growing Local Economies,International Service,Making A Difference,News,PeopleOfAction,Public Image,Rotary,RotaryCreatesHope,RotaryResponds
The Menominee Rotary Club submitted for and has received a District Membership Growth Grant of $485 towards an amazing opportunity where the club hosted an event called the ‘Africa Safari an Immersive Experience’ to boost their club’s membership!
The McKinney-Marshall Scholarship Committee is happy to announce that Ms. Elena Meloy of Madison Wisconsin is the 2024 recipient of the McKinney-Marshall Scholarship.
Rotarians from three districts recently gathered in Green Bay, WI for TriCon 2024, each arriving with their own intentions and unique purpose. Some attendees were eager to explore new service initiatives, others aimed to enhance their comprehension of Rotary’s impact, and many looked forward to rekindling old friendships and forging new connections. The event served as a platform for members to engage in meaningful discussions, exchange ideas, and collectively work towards “creating hope in the world,” championed by a message from Rotary International’s current president.
We do great things in Rotary, and the more we tell our members and the public about our accomplishments, the more impact we will be able to have. That's why it's so important for Public Image, Membership and The Rotary Foundation to work together in all we do, and why our Public Image efforts are integral in all we do in Rotary.
The Rotary Club of La Crosse After-Hours has been completing their Shark Tank project from the past Rotary year. Many members, along with parents and teachers of Northside Elementary School and members of Trinity Lutheran Church have come together to construct a large 'living classroom' that will assist in growing plants as students learn about botany and help families gain access to fresh and nutrient dense food.
The Rotary Midwest President-Elect Training Seminar (PETS) is one of the largest multi-district PETS in the United States. It was formed in 2012 with a view to becoming a premier training event with the atmosphere of a mini-Rotary International Convention by leveraging the expertise and buying power of six Rotary Districts from Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, Districts 6220, 6250, 6270, 6420, 6440 and 6450.
Ten colorful string bracelets, made by Rotarian Justin Bodin, are a regular feature of the annual Holmen Area Rotary Club’s service auction. His bracelets, always a sell out in the $100-$200 range, go to support Casa Hogar, a home for children in the mountains of Peru.
Thank you, Rotarians, – this happened because of you. The Rotary Mobile Clinic continues to be a beacon of hope for our patients and a source of inspiration for our volunteers, partners, and communities. We received the Wisconsin Hospital Association’s prestigious Global Vision Award - an award is given out to two organizations each year with the hopes that others will create similar programming throughout the state.
Community Service,CreatesHope,Fighting Disease,Global Grants,Impact Story,Making A Difference,News,PeopleOfAction,Public Image,RotaryCreatesHope,RotaryResponds
Becoming an administrator in another district within the Rotary community presents a fresh and thrilling challenge. This year, I had the opportunity to interact closely with Governor Michelle McGrath and the rest of the district team, whom I had previously only seen virtually via Zoom since assuming the role on July 1, 2023.
On Feb. 17, D6250 Governor-Elect (DGE) Todd Restel led the District Team Training Seminar (DTTS) at her company’s First Supply function room in Madison. Governor Michelle McGrath set the tone by handing out playing cards, signaling the start of the fun. Admin Megs, who was visiting, met everyone for the first time. The breakout session was productive, with valuable insights shared. PDG Dean Ryerson also discussed the importance of facilitator training for clubs in need of support, focusing on sustaining both the district and clubs in the upcoming years.
Springtime in Wisconsin means that our Presidents-Elect have just returned from PETS, full of inspiration and ready to collaborate with their club members on what their club's vision and plans will be for the new Rotary year. As the District Rotary Foundation Chair, I hope that your club will consider planning and implementing a district grant. We were able to fund fifteen district grants this year, with our District Designated Funds (DDF) lasting until December 2023 as the committee approved grant applications on a monthly basis.
(In photo: Diane Whitmore picks produce during a volunteer event at River Run Farm for Harvest Against Hunger, a program of Rotary District 5030 (Washington, USA) that makes fresh, local produce that might otherwise go to waste available to people who face food insecurity by connecting farmers, truckers, volunteers, and food banks to bring resources into hunger-relief efforts across Washington state. Sequim, Washington, USA. 8 November 2023. Find the story in "Rotary" magazine, March 2024.)
Holmen Area Rotary Club built beds for local children in need to improve sleep quality and academic success. Around 40 children in the community lacked proper beds.
The Rotary Club of Chippewa Falls “Rotars of the Month” Ethan Faschigbauer, a senior high school at Chippewa Falls High School, with her team Kamryn and Bella, embarked on a project called "Impact Spouts" to benefit elementary school students, starting with Halstad and Parkview Elementary.
"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."
- Charles M. Schulz
Welcome to February, the month most of us associate with LOVE and in the RI world, the focus is on PEACE. Both important. Both necessary to create HOPE in our world. And if you're a Packers fan, LOVE did create HOPE, even if it didn't end like we wanted.
We’re once again inviting clubs to sponsor students to attend our District 6250 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) Camp. We are very excited about this year's program and the opportunity to mentor young professionals in our community.
The dates for this year's camp are May 17-19 at the Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center in Wisconsin Dells. Plans are coming together for another transformational and fun weekend!
New this year - Applications from clubs and Registrations from students/parents will be completely electronic. No more paper forms (woohoo)!
For RYLA leadership to get everything we need, you’ll simply have to complete these 3 steps:
Identify how many, and which students you’ll be sponsoring to send to RYLA (typically done with your local schools).
Complete the Club Application. You’ll use this form to tell us how many students your club is sponsoring and provide their names.
Ensure that students along with their parents/guardians complete the Student Registration form. Each student coming to RYLA will need to complete this form.
D6250 Hope Squad, led by Governor Michelle McGrath, is committed to promoting mental health and wellness, a significant focus for our district and RI. We are excited to announce the successful mental health series on January 16th, in collaboration with NAMI.
Mark your calendars for April 18th to 20th, 2024, and be sure to join us in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Please register early and take advantage of the Early Bird Specials.
The Coulee Region Rotary Clubs are working together to provide 100 rain harvesting and filtration systems to communities in Nicaragua. In this region, 65% of women spend over 10 hours per week collecting water for their families. By ensuring access to clean water and sanitation, the spread of waterborne diseases is curbed, children maintain better health and attend school regularly, while mothers can spend more time helping their families. Join us in this collaborative effort to make a difference.
Get to know your District Governor Nominee Designate, Scott Ryan of the Rotary Club of Holmen. Scott has held several roles in his club, particularly in the area of youth development. He is humbled and excited to be asked to serve in this leadership role for District 6250. Get to learn a bit more about Scott by checking out his bio. Congratulations, Scott!
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We are all meant to shine. And as we let our own light shine, we give other people permission to do the same." - Marianne Williamson
Happy New Year Rotarians! It's time to SHOW UP AND SHINE! As we stand at the starting line of a new year, let the timeless wisdom of Marianne Williamson guide us. Soak in these words of wisdom in print or watch them play out in one of my favorite clips from Coach Carter. Click HERE to watch.
Rotary Friendship Exchange – District 6250 (Wisconsin) and District 3850 (Western Visayas, Philippines) – Open to All District 6250 Rotarians.
For those interested; this Friendship Exchange will tie into the Rotary International Convention in Singapore which you can attend independently. Alternatively, independent additional time at the famous Boracay resort island can be added to the end of the trip.
Please read fully … contact Edwin Bos at edwin@bosdesignbuilders.com if interested. If you don’t receive a confirmation your interest HAS NOT been noted. Please resend.
TULIP LOVERS!!! Mini-Rotary Friendship Exchange – District 6250 (Wisconsin) and the Rotary Club Uithuizen - het Hoogeland (the Netherlands) – Open to All District 6250 Rotarians.
Please read fully … contact Edwin Bos at edwin@bosdesignbuilders.comif interested. If you don’t receive a confirmation your interest has not been noted. Please resend.
So much hope, peace and joy sent your way as we enter this holiday season. As we close out the calendar year, I want to extend a big THANK YOU for all you are doing to create impact, extend our reach, engage members, and adapt in the process - from the Club Level to District Leadership. It has been such a treat to visit your clubs these past several months and take in all of the JOY our members are spreading. 6250 Rotarians are creating so much HOPE and our world is a better place because of our members.
On Saturday, November 4th, district 6250 hosted the 2023 Vibrant Club Workshop (VCW) at the Cranberry Country Lodge in Tomah. The event was a success, with 42 Rotarians coming together for a day of camaraderie, training, and celebration. We focused on the Rotary Action Plan and its four key priorities, utilizing Public Image, The Rotary Foundations, and Membership to drive everything collaboratively.
Rotary Friendship Exchange – District 6250 (Wisconsin) and District 4640 (Brazil State of Parana) – Open to All District 6250 Rotarians.
Please read fully … contact Mark Etrheim at mark@mchlax.com if interested. If you don’t receive confirmation and an application to fill out and return within 2 days send it again.
How a small Rotary Club had an impact on the fight against this enduring disease.
The Idea: Hold a World’s Greatest Meal at the weekly meeting of the Fitchburg Verona Horizons Rotary Club. (https://wgmeal.org/) Because everybody eats and Rotarians gather around food.
The Invitation: Ask the Co-chair of the District’s Fight to End Polio Committee, Randy Sproule, to be the program for October.
The Offer: When Randy learned that he was part of our World’s Greatest Meal, he surprised us with an offer to match our pledges dollar-for-dollar up to $2000.
The Response: Randy’s powerful and personal presentation resulted in $755 from fewer than 10 of 23 members present. Following the meeting the club President sent an email with the offer to all members and more pledges poured in. The total reached $2450.
The Result: A small club of 23 members created a donation of more than $13,000 to help end polio.
To learn more about Worlds Greatest Meal find them on Facebook or visit their website here.
Join your fellow District 6250 Rotarians to *Learn-Share-Love* in beautiful Tomah, Wisconsin! All Rotarians that are looking for inspiration, whether to grow membership or to engage their communities, are encouraged to take part.
The Vibrant Club Workshop is all about how Membership, Public Image, and Humanitarian Service through The Rotary Foundation are connected and work together in Rotary. This year’s Vibrant Club Workshop will incorporate RI President Gordon McInally’s theme, Create Hope in the World and the action priorities of Rotary’s Strategic Plan.
Those attending a Vibrant Club Workshop will jointly discover and develop creative ways to achieve and sustain membership growth and retention, to increase Rotary Foundation giving and project engagement, and to gain enhanced public image in their communities.
***Please note that registration for the cranberry bog tour and museum tour are separate items. Go here to register for the cranberry bog tour and here for the museum tour.***
Join the Vibrant Club Workshop in Tomah, Wisconsin.
We are thrilled to announce that Governor Michelle McGrath, along with our district, supports mental health and wellness and a priority for both Rotary International and our district.
Join our District 6250 Hope Squad for the annual NAMI (National Association for Mental Illness) Walk, taking place on Saturday, October 7, 2023 in Madison, WI. Our goal is to raise $6250 and have 100 Rotarians participate in support of mental health for all. Click on this link below to join our team, and please share this information with your Rotary Club members. This event is sure to be amazing, with plenty of fellowship and fun for everyone who attends.
Let us gather around with the District 6250 Hope Squad. There is also the same walk (on September 28th) in the Eau Claire area. Please share Walk Day photos by using the hashtags #Together4MH and #WhyIWalk
Our latest partner, NAMI Wisconsin, will provide a brief overview of mental illness and mental health, discuss stigma and discrimination in the workplace, and provide suggestions on how to integrate mental wellness practices into your work culture. They will also share resources available in your area to promote work life balance, internal best practices, and additional speakers/materials available to meet the needs of your organization, club, or workplace. Please share the below link with your club members and JOIN US for this important webinar. If you are unable to attend that day, no worries – the webinar will be recorded and available to view on our website.
Rotary's brand represents more than just a logo – it embodies our organization's essence and what we stand for. To promote Rotary effectively and increase awareness, it's essential to use our brand consistently across all club communications.
As a unique organization, we need to ensure our messaging reflects our distinct character. To help you achieve this, we offer many resources that can be used to showcase Rotary in your community and demonstrate that we're people of action. If you're new to the Brand Center, take a look at our introductory materials to get started.
Cover Photo: Rtn. Vera Allotey of the Rotary Club of Accra Dansoman (Ghana); Photo above: Service project that sent 16,000 meals to Ukraine by PDG Ben Bauer
Every Rotary year gives us an opportunity to celebrate what our Clubs and District are doing to increase their impact and create lasting change. There's lots to celebrate so let's take a look back to 2022-2023 and take in some of the highlights of a year full of imagination!
Check out the links above for all the great videos.
Got a community service project to share? Email admin@rotary6250.org your story, video or project description and we'll share your project on our newly formed Community Service Committee page.
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do”. Steve Jobs
Welcome to August – a month dedicated to building the TEAM – your club, our district, and beyond. Surrounding yourself with the right people is always key – as Steve Jobs shares in his famous quote and commercial – the crazy ones, the people who see things differently are often the ones that change the world. I’m incredibly grateful to have those “people” Steve references, on our District 6250 Team. It brings me such JOY to plan, create, inspire and of course, enjoy fellowship with 6250 Rotarians. You are creating HOPE in all that you do. THANK YOU!
The Rotary Citation awards recognize the hard work clubs do throughout the year. Working to achieve the citation goals helps clubs engage their members, stay relevant in their communities, and run more efficiently. A welcoming and engaging club not only fosters a positive experience for its members, but also reflects the values of Rotary. When clubs achieve citation goals, they contribute to the overall health and culture of Rotary for generations to come.
8 clubs earned the recognition of the 2022-2023 Rotary Citation! Congratulations to:
Baraboo
Chippewa Valley After Hours
Eau Claire
La Crosse After Hours
Lake Mills
Madison Breakfast
Marshfield
Menomonie Sunrise
Several other clubs achieved double digit goals and were oh so close to getting the required 13. Please encourage your club leadership to engage with the citation again this year and use it as a tool to focus your club around some key measurements of club health and success. Citation goals can be found in Rotary Club Central. To achieve the Rotary Citation, review all the available goals, select at least half of them, achieve those goals, and report your achievement in Rotary Club Central. All achievements need to be reported in Rotary Club Central by 30 June.
Since there have been people to tell them there have been stories. Stories that connect us, teach us, remind us, inspire us, call us to action. Stories are social and cultural. Stories preserve our history and instill our values. Stories use emotion to stick to our brain cells and live in our neural libraries.
District 6250 welcomed 17 new students to Wisconsin in August for the 2024-2025 academic year!
Exchange Students: You will find a series of useful policy and form links on this page. Connect with us on the WhatsApp group with any questions (access is restricted to the inbound students).
Click or tap play on the video above, or click 'read more' if you'd like to see the full transcript and get links to all of the goodies Ben shared in his message.
P.E.S.O is an acronym for four avenues for your club’s messages and stories.
P is for PAID. Paying to place your message is advertising, and advertising isn’t free.
E is for EARNED. When you earn placement of your message or story you have gained the attention of a media outlet, through a press release, an email, a call. You earned it.
S is for SHARED. We share our messages and stories through social media. Whether it’s Twitter, Instagram, Snap Chat, Facebook, Pinterest, or any of the latest and greatest technologies springing up.
O is for OWNED. The most common owned channel is your website. Some clubs also produce a bulletin or send a formatted email. Owning also implies it is an internal distribution channel.
P. E. and S. are all external platforms to share messages and stories. O is the only internal channel. And yes, you may forward a bulletin, email or link which means this avenue offers another means to reach an external group.
Why is this useful? When you are aware of these four avenues you and your club can be more strategic and more effective building and maintaining your public image.
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2022-2023 District 6250 New Member Project Grant! Some surplus in our membership development budget has created a great opportunity to support more clubs! In addition to the 5, $1,000 grants, we're awarding 4 additional $500 grants.
Lake Mills Rotary ($1,000)
La Crosse ($1,000)
Mayville ($1,000)
La Crosse Valley View ($1,000)
DeForest ($1,000)
Waunakee ($500)
La Crosse After Hours ($500)
Marshfield ($500)
Chippewa Falls ($500)
Clubs must have obtained four new members who have maintained their membership in the club for at least four months during the 2022-2023 Rotary year. Priority of the awards went to the clubs that have the highest percentage of net positive member growth for the Rotary Year as of May 31st. These new club members will use these funds to support a service project of their choice, helping them jumpstart their involvement with their clubs. Engaging new members early helps improve member satisfaction and retention. Congratulations again to all of our membership grant recipients this year.
What do Copyright trolls and Risk Management have to do with Public Image?
More than we would like.
Risk Management at RI recently let us know that Clubs continue to post images and other media (cartoons, songs, etc.) online in disregard of copyright laws. This disregard has a direct and costly result for all of us. Over 40% of the open claims against our Rotary Club & District liability Insurance pertain to copyright infringement.
Software applications that “troll” the internet looking for violations. When a violation is discovered, owners are contacted, and they make a demand to settle the violation. Failure to respond makes the situation worse.
It is your club’s responsibility to comply with copyright laws.
Take these steps to avoid receiving a notice of copyright infringement:
Review your club’s social media accounts and websites and delete any content using images or other media where you do not have the copyright owner’s permission. This means everything-newsletters, bulletins, documents, forms, even if they are more than 10 years old.
Contact Risk Management immediately if your club receives a notice of copyright infringement.
Then from Now On:
Instead of “lifting” images or other media of the internet, use images or media created by members of your club (WITH THEIR PERMISSION) or use the Rotary Brand Center.
Never, NEVER, use images or other media without permission.
Click or tap play on the video above, or click 'read more' if you'd like to see the full transcript and get links to all of the goodies Ben shared in his message.
Start watching your inboxes for Inbound Commitment letters for the 2024-2025 Rotary Year. We had 16 clubs commit to hosting a foreign exchange student for the 2023-2024 year. Let's help District Governor Elect Michelle McGrath by raising that number by one or two. Support is available to new clubs that are interested or clubs who wish to re-engage with Rotary Youth Exchange. Reach out to RYE Chair BIll Pritchard at prosapiaeo@gmail.com for more details. Youth Exchange promotes Peace through Understanding...doesn't that feel like an important thing in our world today?
We all respond to images, especially images that move and have sound. The skills to assemble the images and craft a story are on display in this video about the Rotary Mobile Medical clinic out of La Crosse. As you will learn when you click on the link https://youtu.be/p6uN3eHX62c It’s an extraordinary tale of collaboration, cooperation, and what happens when our best selves devise solutions.
Click or tap play on the video above, or click 'read more' if you'd like to see the full transcript and get links to all of the goodies Ben shared in his message.
The Madison Breakfast Rotary Club utilized a District Membership Growth Grant to engage members in their project that will enrich the education and learning environments of hundreds of school children from pre-school into secondary school in Guatemala. Keep reading to see the rest of their project report.
ShelterBox currently has response projects ongoing in 11 countries. Rotary support from District 6250 is vitally important to enable this work and replenish our warehouses with the core aid items so we remain prepared for a rapid response to the next disaster. Please read check out this summary from Bill Tobin, Rotary Relations Manager at ShelterBox USA. Clubs interested in giving to this important work can use the mail in donation form.
There's still time to register for TriCon and be a part of a great event with amazing speakers, inspirational and informative workshops, and load of Rotary Fun! Join us for some fun and help us raise some dollars for Polio Plus! Get more info on the Polio Plus FUNdraisers (Pints for Polio Pub Crawl and an awesome Silent Auction).
The 2023 Midwest President Elect Training Seminar (PETS) was vibrant, engaging, and the first step towards a successful journey ahead. Over 400 Rotarians from 6 Rotary Districts in the Midwest gathered in Itasca, IL, on March 3-5th for a weekend of learning, inspiration, and fun. District 6250 had 72 participants representing Club and District Leadership. Club President Elects and Nominees spent their time learning from Rotary International experts, as well as, our very own District leaders - the Assistant Governors, Committee Chairs, and the DG team.
The weekend was kicked off with a special visit from the Rotary International President Elect, Gordon McInally. Gordon had a chance to speak individually to each district, as well as share his inspiring message from the main stage. He shared his vision of hope and peace for the upcoming Rotary year. Other speakers included, Greg Podd, Rotary Foundation Trustee, and PRIVP, Valarie Wafer. Our plenary sessions were filled with inspiring messages from leaders across the country sharing stories about the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, leadership, and mental health. Tom Farley and John Williams closed out PETS with an uplifting message about the importance of connecting with others and creating an ensemble for success.
Register now for the upcoming Rotary International Conference set for Melbourne, Australia - May 27-31, 2023. Melbourne, the sparkling second city of Australia, is a vibrant hub of art, sports, and cuisine. Rotary members, participants, and supporters from around the world are invited to Imagine What's Next and explore the possibilities for Rotary's future.
Please meet Karissa Bjornstad, who will be presenting on a Global Scholar’s Panel at TriCon!
Karissa is District 6250’s Global Scholar for the 2022-2023 year. She is studying at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, completing a Master’s Degree there. The Holmen Rotary Club is her sponsor club here in the US. She is sharing her latest information here.
Be a part of the final push to eradicate Polio. For polio eradication efforts, 2022 brought good news. Fewer genetic strains of the virus are circulating than ever before. Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries where polio remains endemic. And support from political, medical, and community leaders in those areas has strengthened vaccination efforts during the past year. Global support for polio eradication also reached new heights, as was proven at the World Health Summit in October, when Rotary and international partners and donors pledged a combined US$2.6 billion to eradicate the disease. Here's a few ways you can get involved:
Click or tap play on the video above, or click 'read more' if you'd like to see the full transcript and get links to all of the goodies Ben shared in his message.
Click or tap play on the video above, or click 'read more' if you'd like to see the full transcript and get links to all of the goodies Ben shared in his message.
As Rotarians, we have a responsibility to ensure that when we interact with youth through our programs and activities, we are following Rotary's general guidelines. Some of you may be quite familiar with these, but as a reminder, please review the following information and reach out with any questions. We appreciate every Rotarian in our district and your commitment to ensuring that we are in compliance with any Rotary International policy that helps protect our Youth.
Everyday is an opportunity to share Rotary. By showing up in our communities to serve and volunteer each of us is sharing what Rotary means to us, what Rotary means in our communities.
Sharing and showing up can be as simple as wearing your pin even on days when you don’t have a meeting. Add the Rotary logo or your club’s logo to the signature block of your personal email. If you use social media, post a mention of a speaker you heard at a meeting, link to an article in the Rotary magazine, put a Rotary decal on your car, in the window at your office. These are just a few suggestions that cost you little and will spread awareness that Rotary is here in our communities.
When people see us, see Rotarians in action, the opportunity opens to extend an invitation to a meeting, to be a volunteer, and just maybe to become one of us.
Hosted by District Ethics Initiative Chair Bob Shumaker and event co-chair Mike Gotzler 180 students from 20 schools braved the arctic cold Friday morning, February 5th. Madison Rotary Club volunteers were as excited as the students to share and explore the R-O-T-A-R-Y framework for ethical decision-making.
The young leaders came from small schools, large schools, public schools, private schools, schools who have participated in the past and schools for which this was a new experience. The excitement, and not a small amount of anxiety filled the welcome sessions. High energy keynote group, the First Wave Touring Ensemble, vividly demonstrated realistic challenges and complexities facing all of our youngsters. The tone of the morning was set, the framework for decision-making explained. Participants streamed from the ballroom to their assigned breakout rooms. Students were deliberately scattered so they could meet and think with peers they didn’t know. Keep reading to hear how these leaders stretched their minds.
Once you’ve chosen a travel destination, what do you do next? Learn a bit of the language? Get a list of area highlights? Check out a map? Anticipate a warm welcome?
Our Rotary District will be hosting new member orientation throughout 2023. On every fifth Wednesday (March 29, May 31, August 30, November 29) at 7 a.m. or 7 p.m., new Rotarians – and Rotarians who feel new – can join others for an easy-going hour designed to give everyone a great start to a great Rotary experience. We will offer a warm Rotary welcome, Rotary language acquisition, Rotary highlights, and a Rotary map. This is not a series, it is a single opportunity, offered four days a year, at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. each of the four days.
Isha Paudel (the Girl from Nepal) was a Rotary Youth exchange student in our District during the 2019-20 school year. She was “discovered” as a 14 year old by a group of 6250 Rotarians who visited Nepal as part of a Rotary Friendship Exchange in 2016. She currently attends UW-Platteville and this is her most recent update to the District 6250 Rotarians who help sponsor her education. Keep reading for a letter from Isha.
On the 21st of December our Club had its Christmas celebration. On this special occasion we wanted to honor fellow Rotarians who supported our Club`s help to refugees from the Ukraine and directly to the Ukrainian nation in their homeland. Therefore, we created a special statue "Dove of Peace" which is the representation of the Rotary motto "Service Above Self" and our motto for last year - "Service for Peace".
We think of your District as our true friend in the help that we offer to Ukrainians. We wanted to honor your District. In attachment I am sending you a photo of the statue and diploma. We plan to bring the statue with us on return Rotary Friendship Exchange to your District in June.
Thank you for registering for Vibrant Club Workshop on January 21, 2023! We are so excited for a fun event!
Vibrant Club Workshop – January 21, 2023
Online – 9:00 am to 11:30 am
In-Person – 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
Handouts & Survey:
Linked below please find handouts and the survey for this event. In Person event survey’s will be collected onsite. Virtual event survey’s should be emailed to DGN Todd Restel trestel@1supply.com.
There is a small parking lot on 8th Street and have access to the large parking lot next door on 8th Street as well. The 8th Street entrance is handicap accessible with an elevator lift inside.
Rotary Friendship Exchange to Budapest Hungary April 9 to 19, 2023.
Initial Details:
We're probably staying in a central Hotel in Budapest, some homestays possible.
9 Rotary clubs in Budapest will be taking turns showing us the city and important historical Stories and locations. 10 maximum team members.
The cost will be Airfare, probably hotel, meals, and incidentals. We would coordinate the flights with the team members if possible, so if you are a bit nervous don’t be, the team will take care of you!
If you have not been on one of these they are an amazing experience of seeing the sights, experiencing local culture and making real Rotarian friends
Group Leader will be Mark Etrheim, mark@mchlax.com, 608-769-7200. Any questions, please contact me directly.
Please read this report that details the use of $5,000 from District 6250 to help Ukraine. So much important support was provided including equipment for refugees, activities for Children from Ukraine, school supplies, Polish language lessons, an activation project, dental care and therapeutic support.
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2022-2023 District 6250 Membership Growth Grants.
Lake Mills Rotary
Madison Breakfast Rotary
Two $1,000 grants have been provided to these clubs to help with membership retention, recruitment, starting a new club, promotion, etc. To qualify, clubs must have a Membership Chair. Priority of the awards went to clubs whose efforts demonstrate innovative and impactful ideas for growing a club’s membership. Learn more about this grant program or our other membership grant program, the New Member Project Grant here. Applications for the New Member Project Grant are due May 31st, 2023 – don’t wait!
Your very own Rotary District 6250 is known for having the most robust Rotary Friendship Exchange Program in North American … take advantage of these once in a lifetime opportunities!
Background: Currently, the Rotary Club of Beloit is the primary international sponsor on a large Rotary “Digital Literacy” Global Grant that is benefitting schools in various parts of Croatia. The relationships Beloit has established over the past 3 years has led to this Rotary Friendship Exchange opportunity. Members of the Rotary Club of Beloit were given first “dibs” on this exchange, however, there are several spots remaining.
What: Rotary Friendship Exchange with Rotary Clubs and Rotarians in Croatia. Stay with local Rotarians, city and business tours, local food and drink, Rotary meetings and plenty of time for fellowship and discussion. Prepare to be surprised by the activities and tours organized for you. Return leg will bring Croatian Rotarians to Wisconsin in 2024. See also: Rotary International Website RFE Information and District 6250 Friendship Exchange Page
When: District 6250 travel to District 1913 in Croatia will be from September 7-18, 2023. District 1913 travel to 6250 is TBD in 2024. No visa requirements in either direction, just a passport. Keep reading for a more detailed itinerary and to learn how to sign up!
The Mayville Rotary Club exemplifies how a spark of an idea can take hold and bring community together. And it all started with a new member grant. From Mike Schuett:
The summer of 2022 had over 15 events in The Square many due to the new stage and equipment. Pictured is Ukekrazy performing at the Kids Rock Day Afternoon in July 2022. Keep reading to learn more.
Get to know your District Governor Nominee Designate, Michael Kloss of the Rotary Club of Eau Claire Morning. Michael is currently an Assistant Governor, representing our Group 1 clubs (Eau Clair, Chippewa Falls, Menomonie) and is an active community member in Rotary and other organizations. He’s clearly got a passion for service and will be an excellent leader of our District in the coming years. Learn more about Michael here.
When your club makes public image a priority, be prepared to see engagement rise. Showcasing how your projects make an impact in the community and touch people's lives gives the public an understanding of what Rotary does. Having a Public Image Chair is a great way to prioritize your club’s image. They can coordinate club messages and provide a consistent Rotary voice in communications. And the Brand Center is where they can find tools such as templates, images, and videos to create compelling ads, flyers, social media posts, and press releases. Keep reading to learn more about making public image a priority.
Happy New Year to all Rotarians in District 6250. It's that time of year where we make resolutions...reflect on what we did last year that we might want to change, do more of or stop doing completely. Most of the time these resolutions are self-
reflective, but I would propose a challenge to each of you to look outward with your resolutions when it comes to Rotary. The District has an upcoming Vibrant Club Workshop on January 21st that would be a great way to get some ideas to bring back to your club.
District 6220 (Northeastern Wisconsin) and District 6250 have collaborated to present an exclusive webinar series, this month, focused on how we might "Grow Rotary Through Service."
Please join nationally known Rotary Innovative Club Advocate and speaker, Alex Johnson, from the Rotary Club of Plano West in Texas, for a fun-filled and information-packed series of webinars taking place every Thursday this month at 7:00 pm (Central Time). These webinars will give you and your club the tools needed to involve non-Rotarians in your service projects, provide "comfort and care" to current and new volunteers so they remain or become Rotarians, and promote the great work your Club is doing in the community to convince even more to join in and help! Keep reading or Register Now!
Click or tap play on the video above, or click 'read more' if you'd like to see the full transcript and get links to all of the goodies Ben shared in his message.
And we share greetings. Annual letters, cards, e-cards, phone calls… Consider adding a mention of Rotary when you send your greetings this year.
Maybe your friends, co-workers and family members have heard you talk about Rotary, but maybe they haven’t. Experience shows us that sharing Rotary will build goodwill and better friendships, and as an added bonus will increase awareness of the organization we care so much about.
Thank you all, and please have a safe, happy, healthy season.
Planning on making a year end contribution to The Rotary Foundation? If so, make that contribution as soon as possible so staff can process all the donations by the end of the year. Keep reading for more information and clear and simple instructions of ways to make your donation.
The tales of ‘Ola, Boris and their New Friends’ and ‘Ola and Boris Go to School’ arose out of a heartfelt urge to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people who had to abandon their country because of war. The message these books convey is universal and would be an excellent read for any child you know.
Click or tap play on the video above, or click 'read more' if you'd like to see the full transcript and get links to all of the goodies Ben shared in his message.
Share a service project and win some cash for your club!
Submit your video today! District Community Service Chair, Andy Bakkum, shares an exciting new opportunity to share your Community Service projects, tell some stories and be recognized for a job well done! Click on the image above to learn about District 6250 Community Service Video Challenge!
In September 20,000 copies of “Ola y Boris Go to School” were printed in Poland using Ukrainian Refugee Relief funds raised by the District 6250 Foundation, Inc. and several District 6250 Rotary Clubs. The book was published pro-bono by the Heweliusza Institute and written pro-bono by the academic staff at two universities in Wroclaw, Poland. It is the second book in a series.
As a token of their appreciation, Rotary Poland and Anna Jasinowska-Czarny, Project Manager for the Heweliusza Institute, have made English language versions of the books available to all our District 6250 Clubs. Hard copies have been delivered or mailed to all Club Presidents. Digital copies of both books are available for FREE download at the link and/or QR below. The message these books convey is universal. They would be an excellent read for any child you know.
Listen to a podcast episode hosted by Steve Busalachhi and featuring Karen and Larry Hands about how they made environmental stewardship their RI Mission!!
International service projects improve life for the people served and create the humanitarian culture that we experience as Rotarians. This is true at every level of Rotary including your club and our District 6250.
District 6250 has many resources available to help your club achieve the international goals you have chosen. Those resources include mentoring, networking, and funding. Keep reading for a brief overview for reference while planning your next international service project.
District 6250 travel to 3170 … February 4 to 14, 2023. District 3170 to 6250 … June 10-20, 2023. There are visa requirements in both directions, but it can be done simply on line.
Travel to Mumbai(Bombay), then inland to their district. We will move in their district to visit parts of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka.
Maximum of 12 interested Rotarians, spouses and/or family members. Express your interest early!
Trip Leader 6250: Rotarian David Clemens, who was an exchange student to Goa in 1971, and has traveled to this area five times. Please contact Dave Clemens, if interested, at dclemens541@gmail.com, or text to 608-408-8941.
Rotarians around the world are celebrating the impact of The Rotary Foundation in November. We celebrate by remembering the impact our support is having to eradicate polio, fund humanitarian community projects sponsored by clubs, and the ways in which our work helps create peace by alleviating need where it exists.
Rotarians also celebrate by renewing their commitment to support The Rotary Foundation. Rotarians are encouraged to Support the Annual Fund/SHARE program that generates funds for use as matching grants by our District and the Foundation’s Global Fund.
In District 6250, your support means that we are supporting 15 active global grants and 12 active district grants. Because of you, we still have $125,000 to match Global Grant projects and $60,000 to match District Grant projects this year.
This is Our Rotary Foundation because Rotarians contribute the funds and Rotarians determine how the funds are used.Make your commitment today and work with your club to identify projects that can put these funds to use. And don’t forget, Rotary Direct makes it easy to give without reminders.
Thank you for supporting Our Rotary Foundation so generously!
The case of Polio that arose in New York is a reminder that our Rotary promise to children of the world to eradicate this devastating disease has not yet been fulfilled. While the New York case was brought from another country, it highlights the possibility that letting our guard down against this disease could have devastating consequences for countries that are currently polio free.
Your support for Polio Plus is a critical strategy to fulfill this promise. With the match from The Gates Foundation, your dollar is worth $3 for polio eradication.
Keep reading for more helpful info to help you achieve your Polio Giving Goals
By now you have probably heard the word “podcast”. Maybe you even listen to one or more.
If you don’t feel ready to produce a regular podcast, you can relax. Few of us have the skills, yet. But…we can all start asking questions of our club members and recording what they say. A simple question like: How did you come to be a Rotarian? Or something with a bit more depth: What keeps you in Rotary?
Do you need a tape recorder? If you have one, feel free to use it. Or…use that smartphone in your hand, in your pocket, on your desk, next to your cup of coffee. The recordings can be emailed to whoever will keep track of them until the club decides how to use them and share them.
Many clubs have returned to in-person meetings. Adding regular brief recording sessions may add a fresh motivation for showing up in person. Try “The question of the week” Or create something all your own, then share your idea with your AG.
And remember to have fun. Making recordings may create lots of laughter, may stir memories for sharing, could even prompt brainstorming for something new.
Click or tap play on the video above, or click 'read more' if you'd like to see the full transcript and get links to all of the goodies Ben shared in his message.
Reports from Rotary Wisconsin Project Partners in the Ukraine, Poland and the Netherlands. How Funds Have Been Used to Assist With the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis. Updated October 2022.
Note: This list does not include two $25,000 Rotary International Foundation Grants that Wisconsin Rotary has secured. The first, in support of Ukraine Medical Supplies and the second, in support of Kiev International Rotary's Refugee Housing Initiatives.
World Polio Day is October 24th. Some clubs have a tradition to raise funds for Polio Plus in October. District Governor Ben Bauer is also issuing a challenge to our District to raise $130,000 for Polio Plus by March 30, 2023. That is an increase of $11,000 over last year's success. Better yet, when we reach the goal, DG Ben will dye his hair purple in honor of our contributions! Keep reading to for more info and some tools to help us get there!
We’re excited to share the news of the rebirth of the Beloit College Rotaract Club! The club signed up 36 students at the Student Involvement Fair that happened at the beginning of the school year. At the Fair, Club President, Edgar Caracoza and Assistant Governor, Bill Beckly answered questions and represented the club. Congratulations!
Social media makes expanding your club’s reach easier than ever, but how? There are tips, tricks, and tools for creating content for social platforms, and the goal is simple: connection. A well-built social media presence will help you create connections in your community and beyond, from showcasing your club’s success to building awareness of its presence. To help boost your social media savvy, we’ve put together the following eight tips and tools (keep reading):
District 6250 Rotarians who participate in giving through Rotary Direct were honored at the recent Zone Institute at Mall of America. 11.5% of our membership use this convenient tool to make contributions to The Rotary Foundation.
Rotary Direct allows Rotarians to set a schedule for their contributions. Gifts can be made weekly, monthly , quarterly or in any interval you prefer. You can also designate your gift to any of The Rotary Foundation’s funds that you enjoy supporting. And you can change your giving schedule anytime you want.
A good way to use this tool is to start with your Annual Fund/SHARE contributions. The you can add contributions for Polio Plus, Endowment or Areas of Focus.
November is Rotary Foundation Month. Consider trying this tool as a way to manage your giving and eliminating the need to send a check. You can find more information at My Rotary/Donate.
And don’t forget, you can set a up a contribution to Polio Plus to qualify for the new Polio Plus Society. DG Ben Bauer has issued a challenge to reach $130,000 in contributions to Polio Plus this year. Let’s do this!
We use our five senses to perceive the world around us, including the Rotary World. What does this fact have to do with Rotary Public Image?
Everything.
Particularly seeing and hearing. The public part of Public Image is typically us giving out information about Rotary and our clubs that people can only see and hear. With communication options narrowed to just two of our five senses we must focus on how we reach people through audio, video, and print.
Most clubs have limited access to T.V., a little more to radio, and hit and miss on print newspapers. That leaves us with social media. Public Image is about Perception. So if the public can’t see or hear anything about Rotary they can’t perceive Rotary. Keep reading to learn about some key opportunities that clubs have to improve their perception...
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Thank you to all the members who took our District 6250 Member survey. Your input is incredibly valuable and there's no doubt that it will help guide the ways your District continues to support Rotarians and their Clubs. Keep reading to dig into the results!
As World Polio Day approaches, we’re getting ready to amplify our message about eradicating polio to protect the world’s children from this devastating disease.
We’ve made tremendous progress so far, and now’s the time to intensify our fight to make polio the second human disease ever to be eradicated. In 2020, the World Health Organization’s African region was certified free of wild poliovirus, showing that eradication is possible even in very difficult circumstances.
The wild poliovirus remains endemic in just two countries — Afghanistan and Pakistan— but as long as polio exists anywhere, it remains a threat everywhere. So let’s use World Polio Day to advocate for the support we need to end polio in countries where children are still as risk.
Get involved Take action this World Polio Day by hosting virtual and community events, creating fundraisers, and sharing posts about the importance of polio eradication on social media.
Use the World Polio Day Toolkit to find resources and tips for planning activities and promoting a polio-free world. Download the World Polio Day Toolkit
Register your club’s participation in World Polio Day to show how your club is taking action to eradicate polio. If you register your events, fundraisers, and promotions by 13 October, you’ll get early access to Rotary’s World Polio Day Global Update, one week before the program airs on 24 October on Rotary’s Facebook page and endpolio.org. Register your club's participation
Use Raise for Rotary to start a World Polio Day online fundraiser. All contributions will go to the PolioPlus Fund. The top Raise for Rotary World Polio Day 2022 fundraisers will be featured on My Rotary. Start a fundraiser
Please consider joining the District 6250 Polio Plus Society! This is a new program to recognize your gifts and pledges to support Polio Plus at a minimum of $100 per year. If you can’t give that amount, your contribution is still important to eradicate polio around the world. For the rest of this year and all of next year your contribution will be matched twice by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Fall means that Youth Exchange is back, and youth programs keep Rotarians young!
As I’ve scrolled through my social media over the last few weeks, I get a feeling or a sense of normalcy that occurs each fall. Back to school shopping, fantasy football leagues forming, people counting down to pumpkin spice being on menus again and most importantly for Rotary, Youth programs gearing up in full force. Interact Clubs reconnecting after summer break and exchange students being so warmly welcomed into District 6250. Keep reading to learn about all of the great Youth Program activity that’s happened recently!
The Open World Program is available only to Rotary clubs in the United States and provides an opportunity to build fellowship and friendship to strengthen international understanding by hosting emerging Eurasian leaders from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan in your community. Rotary clubs are needed to host six-participant delegations for eight days and nights and prepare a professional program related to business, community, and civic life in the United States. You can view our 2023 hosting themes here.
Click or tap play on the video above, or click 'read more' if you'd like to see the full transcript and get links to all of the goodies Ben shared in his message.
You may think you know the story of the 1987 change that allowed women into Rotary. With our first female Rotary International President, there’s no better time to hear the rest of the story. Rotarian Lyn Kenney (formerly of the Rotary Club of Madison South) is a historian with the Rotary Global History Fellowship. Read more to see more info about that Fellowship, or click here to watch a presentation about the many pioneering women who helped make this significant change happen.
You’re invited to take the next step toward your club membership goals with the support of a District Membership Grant! District 6250 has allocated $10,000 in New Member Project and Membership Growth Grants for the 2022-2023 Rotary year. This support comes through two grant types. One that is for new Rotary club members to use towards a service project of their choice, helping them jumpstart their involvement with their clubs. The other is all about Membership Growth to help with membership retention, recruitment, starting a new club, promotion, etc. Get started today!
Yes, this is the title of a new movie AND it’s the way we can feel at the beginning of the new Rotary year. Great new theme, new leadership, high expectations and higher energy. And overwhelm. Where to begin? How to start?
If public image for your club is up to you, and even if it’s not, here are a few suggestions:
List the events that you know will happen in the upcoming Rotary year. It helps to see how events flow through the year. Then they won’t surprise you.
For each event list your tasks, timeline, and who can help you
How will the event be publicized? Plan social media posts with details and images by date, channel, and time
Rotary’s club banner program recognizes excellence in achievements made across a Rotary year. In November, six clubs form District 6250 will be recognized for excellence in giving to The Rotary Foundation.
TRF Giving Banner – Awarded to clubs that achieve $100 per capita giving with 100% of members giving at least $25 to any of the following: Annual Fund, Polio Plus, approved global grants or the Endowment Fund.
Black River Falls
DeForest Area
Edgerton
Madison East – Monona
Onalaska-Hilltopper
Waunakee
Every Rotarian Every Year Banner – Awarded to clubs that achieve a minimum Annual Fund contribution of $100 per capita during the Rotary year, and every dues-paying member must personally contribute at least $25 to the Annual Fund during the year.
Black River Falls
Edgerton
Madison East – Monona
Onalaska-Hilltopper
Waunakee
We also had 11 clubs exceed $200 per capita giving to The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund. While this is not a formal recognition category, it is a remarkable testimony to the generosity of District 6250 Rotarians.
Rotarian support for The Rotary Foundation is the fuel that drives Rotary’s success to create lasting change that improves the lives of our neighbors around the world and in our communities. Thank you to everyone who gives to OUR Rotary Foundation!
We are welcoming 17 students to Wisconsin next month. The La Crosse Clubs are hosting these students the weekend of Dec 3 – Thank you La Crosse!!! We are hoping to add an additional winter weekend gathering in the January – February timeframe. Would your community be willing to host – perhaps 2 or 3 clubs joining together? The IB team of Janine O’Rourke, Rebecca Oettinger and Bob Dent would assist with planning. These students are looking for an opportunity to connect with each other and learn or see something new. An example weekend would involve:
Community center or host families to accommodate the students for the Friday and Saturday night
2-3 meals provided by the club or host families
1 Saturday activity (sporting event, museum visit, etc)
Student departure following Sunday breakfast
Please contact Janine O’Rourke (608-577-6395, janinemoroukre@gmail.com) to discuss ideas or learn more.
Have you ever seen one of those Facebook fundraisers that people do for their birthday or to simply raise funds for something they care about? It’s a great idea and can bring in some serious money – AND – there’s a better way! Raise for Rotary gives members a safe, secure way to do a personal fundraiser, maximize the dollars donated, and get Foundation recognition credit for the donations made by their nonmember friends. Keep reading to learn more and how to start your Raise for Rotary fundraiser!
We’ve all taken our own path to become a member of Rotary. Some of you joined because your father was a Rotarian. Some of us signed up because an employer tapped us on the shoulder and asked us to attend a meeting. Others became members only after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling made it possible. Yet each of us entered through one mechanism — an invitation.
Click or tap play on the video above, or click 'read more' if you'd like to see the full transcript and get links to all of the goodies Ben shared in his message.
THANK YOU, District 6250 Rotarians! During the 2021-22 Rotary Year, your contributions to the Rotary Foundation totaled $673,115. The total includes $412,156 for the Annual Fund/SHARE program, $116,578 for Polio Plus, and the balance going to Areas of Focus, Global Grants, and Endowment as designated by the contributing Rotarian.
There are many reasons to celebrate this result. Your generosity increased contributions to the Annual Fund/Share by $52,912 and $7,317 to eradicate Polio compared to last year’s totals. Keep reading for more results and results and information on matching grants and grant applications.
Thank You to Karen Hebert for your service as our District Governor in 2021-2022. There’s no doubt that your service has changed lives and you’ll continue to do so for years to come! Keep reading for some beautiful reflections from Karen’s year.
Key Details: District 6250 will travel to Poland approximately September 22nd to October 3rd, 2022.
District 2231 (Poland) will travel to 6250 in 2023 (most likely).
No visa requirements in either direction, just a passport.
Deadline to express interest: July 31, 2022 Contact Edwin Bos at edwin@bosdesignbuilders.com if interested. If you don’t receive a message confirming receipt, your interest has not been noted.
The Rotary Friendship Exchange program gives Rotarians (including spouse, significant other or one family member) the opportunity to host and visit Rotarians around the world. In addition to experiencing other cultures and making lasting friendships, an exchange provides a strong foundation for carrying out other international activities and service projects. Click "read more" to learn more about the upcoming Friendship Exchange to Poland!
Visiting another country and meeting its people may offer visitors the greatest educational epiphany imaginable. It might also be the key to unlocking our spirit of generosity. Such has been the case for Rob and Mary Gooze, itinerant travelers who are longtime donors to the Rotary Foundation.
Click or tap play on the video above, or click 'read more' if you'd like to see the full transcript and get links to all of the goodies Ben shared in his message.
Rotarians who were able to attend our District Annual Meeting at TriCon were invited to take a tree home. These little friends were representatives of District 6250 – our biodiversity and dependence on Rotary Life that motivates our fellowship and service. We take action to create lasting change – but we don’t control anything. We are stewards. When it works, we stand back amazed and grateful. When it doesn’t, we stand back amazed (or is that just me?) and adjust. Rotary Life grows us individually and together, and produces service, integrity, and peace.
The trees also served as a nod to this year’s launch of The Rotary Foundation’s seventh area of focus, “Supporting the Environment”. This year we took all kinds of action along this line: We TriCon districts joined together for Rotary Days of Environmental Service in early October, you responded with interesting projects, our District committed to protecting pollinators and joined Operation Pollination, a 6250 Club was awarded the first Global Grant focused on the environment, and awareness of environmental issues and motivation for meaningful action grew.
I was able to take home a little spruce. When Hubby and I packaged the trees, the spruce, with their well-developed roots, seemed unstoppably hardy. I planted mine in the sunlight afforded by last fall’s removal of an 80-year oak. Not only is it a great spot for the little guy, but its proximity to the memory of that mighty oak offered an excellent picture of Rotary Life. About two weeks after planting, I went to check on it and photograph it for an inspiring Facebook post I’d already written in my head.
The little guy was dying.
Not what I had planned.
I adjusted. Knowing that dying branches and brown needles don’t come back, I pruned. I hoped. I watered a little more carefully. I added a little red flag near the tree so I wouldn’t overlook it. I worried that others’ trees weren’t fairing well. I sent up a prayer and considered sending out tips. I nixed the Facebook post. It occurred to me that for twenty years of life together, that glorious oak hadn’t asked anything of me.
We never know what’s next. However, we can be certain that in Rotary, whatever is next is worthy of our generous attention and gifts. Beginnings are investments, maturity is productive, endings are bittersweet. Every 6250 Rotarian has experience with each phase. Beginnings and endings ask the most of us.
Thank you for planting yourself in Rotary. Thank you for opening yourself to Rotary Life. Thank you for stewarding Rotary Life in fellowship and service. Thank you for a great year Serving to Change Lives. I am proud and grateful to have served as your District Governor. Cheers to a healthy and productive new Rotary year as we Imagine Rotary under the leadership of DG Ben, your club Presidents, and all Rotarians living authentically in favor of service above self.
She’s like you in so many ways. As a Rotary Club President, she motivates, plans, leads, and finds a way to balance her busy non-Rotary life.
And then there’s the unusual, unexpected, and uninvited way she isn’t like you at all. President Nila is a refugee. Nila left behind soldiers and neighbors in Zaporizhzhia and attends Rotary Club meetings in her temporary home of Olstyn, Poland. There she met Irma, a fellow Rotarian and friend of 6250. Irma’s club and 6250 Rotarians successfully wrote a global grant to establish a culinary training center in Olstyn a few years ago. Plans for a Friendship Exchange have begun.
Together, Nila and Irma are leading efforts to do the most good in the best way for the people and soldiers in Zaporizhzhia. Devastated by battles, without access to medical care, in desperate need of intensive humanitarian aid, Rotary Club of Olstyn Varnia, plans to send first aid kits in two sizes. The small kit will be designed to strap to a belt and the large kit will fill a backpack. The kits are intended for use not only by medics, but also by other people in the conflict area who are able to provide emergency first aid, saving health and life. The kits have been conceived and designed in consultation with military and medical leaders serving on the front line.
Few opportunities to serve are so immediately necessary. Few opportunities will connect you so intimately lives saved and tended. Thanks to Rotary networks, miles do not matter. Will you help?
We hope to raise $30,000 in 30 days – half of the project’s total cost. Gifts can be sent to our 6250 Foundation via the link below or by scanning the graphic. Whether or not you have given to help Ukraine, we hope it will be your pleasure to help again. No gift is too small.
Our task force began its work in November of 2020 and is disbanding at the end of this month. During our existence we have been able to help clubs with technology recommendations, the purchase of equipment and provide best practices on running effective meetings.
If you, or your club are looking for information on these topics or anything else related to hybrid meetings be sure to keep an eye out for a special edition of this District Dispatch which will solely focus on the information developed by this task force for the benefit of all clubs in District 6250.
As we wrap things up I would like to acknowledge, and thank the contributions from the following who joined me on this task force: Melissa Carlson from Verona-Fitchburg-Horizons, Sue Sippel from Wisconsin Rapids Noon Rotary, Bob Spencer from the Rotary Club of LaCrescent, Brandon Harris and Marissa Dickinson from the Rotary Club of La Crosse-After Hours.
As always, should you have any questions about any aspect of hybrid meeting technology or best practices drop me a note at mdag6250@gmail.com.
In a recent survey, Rotary International learned that engaging members and delivering value was a challenge that 42% of respondents said was the toughest. Engaged Rotarians have found something that is valuable and that is why they stay members and invite others to join. Understanding (and being at peace with) where you are as a club is a first step. A quick second step is to plan how you’d like to move forward. Hear are some great resources to help you do all of that.
Three things you can do next to help your club thrive:
With your club leadership team take the Club Health Check. This interactive guide asks you to review elements of your club like the club experience, service and socials, members, public image, and business and operations. Then decide which areas need attention.
Learn from clubs in our region that are changing the experience they offer by engaging their members, conducting meaningful projects, and trying new ideas.
Share what you’ve learned about the health of your club and ask members for their ideas. Lasting change happens when everyone works toward the same goals. When you’ve developed a plan, you can customize this slide presentation to explain it during a club meeting.
If you haven’t yet explored the Club Planning Assistant, it’s available anytime, and you can visit it as often as you like. Your District Leadership team is here, pleaseremember that your Assistant Governor or any of us are available and happy to help.
Each month has a theme. June is Rotary Fellowships.
Each RI President has a theme and image.
The words and image are unique and personal to them and their year. The incoming RI President (RIPE) introduces their theme to the District Governors-Elect at the International Assembly each January. RIPE Jennifer Jones addressed the 529 DGEs almost six months ago and unveiled her stunning theme for 2022-2023: Imagine Rotary.
As Hamlet said, “If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all.
The 2022-23 theme is yet to come… July 1. It is not now. Now we are still “Serving to Change Lives”.
And yes, the readiness is all. Please be ready to use, share, and be energized by Imagine Rotary…July 1, 2022.
At the close of another Rotary year, our membership has changed. We are slightly fewer in numbers, have slightly more women, are somewhat more diverse, have very good retention in the long term, and are normal in comparison to the other districts in our zone - about 35 districts running north-south through the center of the United States and part of Ontario. Worldwide, Rotary has grown by a net 11,000 members – the first year of net growth for quite some time. South Korea, much of Africa, and India have lead the addition of new members and new clubs.
Here are some 6250 highlights!
Congratulations to the clubs who won membership grants this year. The district made grants to support membership recruitment events mid-year, and are happy to announce the grant awards supporting new member service here at the end of this year. Congratulations to the Rotary Clubs of Black River Falls, Janesville Noon, Lake Mills, Mayville, and Prairie du Chien! We look forward to what your cadre of new members plan and execute in Rotary service!
This year I also have the pleasure of awarding a special $500 Governor’s Grant for the new members of Rotary Club of Holmen Area (HARC). HARC inducted four members in the meeting immediately following the grant application deadline. While HARC applied for the grant and barely missed qualifying, the induction of four more new members puts them near the top of all awardees. I’m sure you’ll join me in celebrating their success! HARC also formally organized an annual new member service project under the leadership of their Past President - whether or not they win a district grant. Well done, HARC! We are proud of you.
Thank you to all of our clubs for inviting your community members to join you in Rotary fellowship and service. Mark your calendars now for next year’s membership grant opportunities: Membership Growth in December and New Member Projects in May.
District 6250 is a regional juggernaut in the area of Youth Exchange. We are amongst the largest programs in the Midwest, currently the largest of the 19 districts that make up the Central States Rotary Youth Exchange organization that stretches from North Dakota to Pennsylvania and includes parts of Canada. On average year, we welcome approximately 20-25 inbound students from around the world for a year-long exchange, an additional 14 students that do a yo-yo short term exchange (7 Americans go out and 7 foreign students return with them), and an additional 20 young Americans venture abroad from our cities and towns to points all over the world. All told, that means that over 50 students are touched by the Youth Exchange Program in District 6250 each and every year.
It goes without saying that to lead a program that is so comprehensive takes extraordinary individuals. Our district has been so ably served by our remarkable Youth Exchange chairs – from Harry Van Camp (now a member of Madison Breakfast), to Judy Levine (2008 – 2014), to now Jan Bonsett-Veal (2014 – current). Each of these leaders held numerous positions within Youth Exchange before ascending to the chair position. It may be safe to say that no one position within Rotary demonstrates such loyalty and dedication to purpose as does the Youth Exchange Program.
Jan Bonsett-Veal is about to embark on a new role as the Vice Chair of the Central States Rotary Youth Exchange organization. She takes over on July 1st, and will be the first woman ever to hold this position. In one year, on July 1, 2023, she will take over as the first woman president of the Central States Rotary Youth Exchange Organization. How fitting that this will occur the same year as Jennifer Jones becomes our first woman president of Rotary International.
I have the incredibly enormous challenge of filling these incredibly capable shoes. This year I will be co-chairing with Jan – but in truth just trying to keep up with the incredible flow of communications and work flow. Jan is quick to say that if it wasn’t for the dedicated volunteers who give incredible effort to the Youth Exchange program – from the Youth Exchange Officers, Counselors and Youth Protection Officers in our clubs… to the remarkable Outbound Exchange team (led by John Holevoet and Ann Oberle), Inbound Exchange team (led by Janine O’Rourke and Tammi Richmond), and Short-Term Exchange Team (led by Carl Kinsley)… to the remarkable Judy Steinhauer and Sharon Richmond – who keep on top of the incredible flow of background checks, applications, foreign visas…( I could go on and on). If it wasn’t for this dedicated team, I don’t know how it would get done. But it does… in large part to the incredible work over these past 8 years by Jan. Congratulations Jan!! On behalf of all who have had the honor of working with you, I think past chair Judy Levine said it best when she shared with me by email:
“She will be a great leader of Central States – just as she has been as our district chair.”
Katrina Kalcic, the 2021-2022 Global Scholar sponsored by District 6250 and the Janesville Morning Rotary Club, attended the Thames (UK) District Conference this spring. Katrina is pictured here kneeling in the front row, far right. She is in her final term of her Master’s Degree at Oxford University in the Blavatnik School of Government. The Windsor & Eton Club is her host in the UK.
Reflecting on her time at Oxford, Katrina said that collaboration with international professionals and students who are using diverse strategies to achieve positive social change has been a highlight of her work at the University. Learning the limitations of traditional economic theories in uncertain times has been an important part of her academic training. In her Principles of International Law class, she deepened her understanding of war crimes, genocide, and dispute resolution.
Katrina Kalcic grew up in Kenosha and attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison for her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Journalism. Before becoming a Global Scholar, she worked for two years in Uganda and was involved with the United Nations Spotlight Initiative working to reduce violence against women and girls in more than 25 countries.
District 6250 is pleased to fund a Global Scholar annually. Rotarian contributions to the Annual Fund/SHARE program make this scholarship using District Designated Funds. Thank you for supporting the Global Scholars we sponsor.
How a small Rotary Club had an impact on the fight against this enduring disease.
Rotary's brand represents more than just a logo – it embodies our organization's essence and what we stand for. To promote Rotary effectively and increase awareness, it's essential to use our brand consistently across all club communications.
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do”. Steve Jobs
Rotarians who were able to attend our District Annual Meeting at TriCon were invited to take a tree home. These little friends were representatives of District 6250 – our biodiversity and dependence on Rotary Life that motivates our fellowship and service. We take action to create lasting change – but we don’t control anything. We are stewards. When it works, we stand back amazed and grateful. When it doesn’t, we stand back amazed (or is that just me?) and adjust. Rotary Life grows us individually and together, and produces service, integrity, and peace.
Not what I had planned.
Together, Nila and Irma are leading efforts to do the most good in the best way for the people and soldiers in Zaporizhzhia. Devastated by battles, without access to medical care, in desperate need of intensive humanitarian aid, Rotary Club of Olstyn Varnia, plans to send first aid kits in two sizes. The small kit will be designed to strap to a belt and the large kit will fill a backpack. The kits are intended for use not only by medics, but also by other people in the conflict area who are able to provide emergency first aid, saving health and life. The kits have been conceived and designed in consultation with military and medical leaders serving on the front line.
We hope to raise $30,000 in 30 days – half of the project’s total cost. Gifts can be sent to our 6250 Foundation via the link below or by scanning the graphic. Whether or not you have given to help Ukraine, we hope it will be your pleasure to help again. No gift is too small.
In a recent survey, Rotary International learned that engaging members and delivering value was a challenge that 42% of respondents said was the toughest. Engaged Rotarians have found something that is valuable and that is why they stay members and invite others to join. Understanding (and being at peace with) where you are as a club is a first step. A quick second step is to plan how you’d like to move forward. Hear are some great resources to help you do all of that.
Katrina Kalcic, the 2021-2022 Global Scholar sponsored by District 6250 and the Janesville Morning Rotary Club, attended the Thames (UK) District Conference this spring. Katrina is pictured here kneeling in the front row, far right. She is in her final term of her Master’s Degree at Oxford University in the Blavatnik School of Government. The Windsor & Eton Club is her host in the UK.