January Community Service Activities STAR Gathering 2018 January Community Service Activities

People of Action Rotary is where neighbors, friends, and problem-solvers share ideas, join leaders, and take action to create lasting change. Each day, Rotarians pour their passion, integrity and intelligence into completing projects that have a lasting impact. And we keep at it until we deliver real, lasting solutions. Activities vary from Rotary Club to Rotary Club, but generally focus in one of our key areas – Growing Local Economies, Students and Youth, Promoting Peace, Fighting Disease, Supporting Education, Mothers and Young Children, providing clean water and the elimination of Polio.

La Crosse Area Rotary Clubs Holmen La Crescent La Crosse After-Hours La Crosse Downtown La Crosse East La Crosse Valley View Onalaska Onalaska Hilltopper

Rotary Club of Holmen Area Meets Wednesday Morning at 7 AM at Holmen Village Hall Community Activities Include: Holmen’s Hope Community Dinner Fundraise for K-9 Dog for Village of Holmen Boy Scout Building Restoration at Camp Decorah Deerwood Park Shelter Construction Bio Sand Water Filters for Peru Centralized Sanitation and Water System for Peru Christmas presents to children in Peru Hosting of Foreign Exchange Student Kenya Cow Project Holmen High School Scholarships Respect Retreat for Holmen High School Students Sponsor RYLA Leadership Training for High School Youth Spring Community Clean Up Adopt a Highway Roadside Clean UP Sponsor Holmen Street Banners Free Summer Lunches in the park for Children Tons of Taters Potato Donation to food pantry

Rotary Club of La Crescent Meets Friday Morning at 7 AM at Corky’s Community Activities Include: Highway Clean Up Apple Blossom Bike tour with proceeds benefiting local charities. Rotary Books around the world – partnering with a Rotary Club in Madison Wisconsin.

Rotary Club of La Crosse – After Hours Meets 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 6 PM at The Radisson Hotel Community Activities Include: Getting our hands dirty atNeighbor’s Day Learning proper business dinner etiquette from Janie Morgan. Ushering at the La Crosse Community Theater Maintaining Trails in Hixon Forest Park Mentoring Future Leader as facilitators at D6250 RYLA Placing Memorial Day Flags at Veteran’s Gravestones Cleaning up our adopted highway Volunteering for Habitat for Humanity La Crosse area build day. Setting up Riverfest fencing Sponsoring the Good Fight Community Center Sponsoring a foreign exchange student (Eugene from Taiwan and Clara from Italy!) Raising over $3000 for Youth Exchange at Mini Masters Helping pack over 72,000 meals at Rotary iFeed Ringing the bells for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign Hosting the Ugly Sweater 5K, with over 480 runners and 120 volunteers – proceeds to support Hixon Forest All in 2017!!

Rotary Club of La Crosse – Downtown Meets Thursdays for lunch at noon at The Radisson Center Community Activities Include: Helped a student obtain a Rotary Global Grant to pursue a Masters degree at the University of London for peace and conflict resolution. Members are involved in Rotary Fellowships – including International Fellowship of Rotarian Scuba Divers. Part of Public Radio WHLA 90.3 panel on future of service clubs. Developed The Brain Game – a book enhancing children’s brain development – that is provided to parent of all newborns born in La Crosse. Book is now available in Spanish and is available for purchase on Amazon.com Fielded two packing teams for iFeed. Ushering at the La Crosse Community Theater Host a Foreign Exchange Student and sponsor outbound exchange students to travel abroad. Ring the bells for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign Deliver meals each week for Meals on Wheels Sponsored/Support the La Crosse Airport United Service Organization Lounge. Participate each month at “Come to Supper” event at Our Saviors Lutheran Church that is dedicated to feeding the hungry in La Crosse. Major sponsor of Rotary Lights Secured District Grant for Habitat for Humanity Project and provided several teams of volunteers on several build days. Warm Hearts, Warm Feets project by Humanitarian Committee collected sweatshirts and socks to be distributed by Catholic Charities. Create and sell Fruit baskets – proceeds support club activities.

Rotary Club of La Crosse – East Meets Monday’s for lunch at noon at Piggy’s Restaurant (Upstairs) Community Activities Include: Rotary Lights – Host night at park and Bonfire & Smore’s. Chad Erickson Memorial Park Clean UP – maintenance Lobsterfest – Lobster Boil and live music event – proceeds benefit Chad Erickson Memorial Park for an adaptive/accesssible trail through park.(2017 Rotary Award Winner!) Partner with Global Partners Partnership to raise money for vision screenings, mobile library and other initiatives for people of Matagalpa, Nicaaragua. Volunteer Bartending at Oktoberfest Sponsor two teams at iFeed Deliver meals for Meals on Wheels Participate in the Big Blue Dragon Boat Festival with Rotary Works Foundation Rang Bells for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign.

Rotary Club of La Crosse – Valley View Meets Wednesday’s for breakfast at 7:30 AM at Famous Dave’s Community Activities Include: Rotary Lights – sponsor a night. Deliver Meals on Wheels a number of weeks each year. Have sponsored an Inbound Youth Exchange students as well as outbound students. Rockin Ribs – proceeds to help a list of local non profits. Murder Mystery Dinner – to benefit area non profits. Support India thru Rotary Grant Projects.

Rotary Club of Onalaska Meets Monday Evenings at 6 PM at the Blue Moon Community Activities Include: Road Clean up of Hwy 53 (2x each year) Sponsor Community Garden – 2 lots – veggies donated to Onalaska Food Basket. CRUSA Pancake Breakfast – Proceeds support CRUSA player sponsorships. Annual Wine/Beer Tasting – proceeds support Clearwater Farm and funds 5 scholarships to Onalaska High School Students.

Rotary Club of Onalaska - Hilltopper Meets Wednesday for lunch at noon at the La Crosse Country Club Community Activities Include: Rotary Rockin Ribs Sponsor the Onalaska Interact Club Host an International Exchange Student Sponsor Rotary Lights Participate in iFeed Volunteer at Place of Grace (3x each year) Clean Hwy 53 3 times a year thru Adopt a Highway campaign. Sponsor Hilltopper Spring Gala – Fundraiser for Onalaska School Gardens. Sponsor a Chicken Q twice a year – proceeds to support Onalaska K-9 Unit. Volunteer at the Onalaska Community Days

That is a lot of doing good! In 2018 – we are trying to get a better feel for the number of volunteer hours we dedicate to our club’s projects and passions. Watch for more detail soon – but it is likely to be in the 10’s of thousands of hours. What we See (0:90 seconds) Be part of the solution – get involved in an existing project, or suggest a new one! https://brandcenter.rotary.org/en-GB/App/Baskets/Basket/GetBasketDownload?&basketName=What%20We%20See%20Video&externalBasketId=7827&creatorsUsername=%2577%2569%256C%256C%2569%2561%256D%252Ea%252E%2570%2572%2569%2574%2563%2568a%2572%2564%2540%2573%2574i%2566%2565%256C%252E%2563%256F%256D