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March Meeting Recap

Find a full recording of the March 2025 meeting here. March Meeting Recording

We recited the four way test to remind us of our Rotary ethics of truth, fairness, goodwill, friendships and beneficial to all.

Looking to be more involved in Changemakers Rotary? We have leadership positions open for membership committee, foundation committee, president elect, president nominee, treasurer, and grants committee. Please let an officer know if you are interested. Thank you to current club officers, look for the full list on our website.

We are still looking for help to co-chair the service committee, and someone to arrange monthly guest speakers for us. Please talk to Sharon about any opportunity for you to serve your club.

Kathy Roberg was the winner of our 50/50 raffle. Congratulations Kathy!

All are encouraged to contribute to the Rotary Foundation program called Every Rotarian Every Year. In order to be eligible for grants, we need to average $100 per person per year donations to the Rotary Foundation.

We are always looking to grow our club. Invite people to join us for our monthly meetings.

The fourth Tuesday of the month is for committee meetings. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, March 25 at 5 pm. Join a committee and enhance your Rotary experience! If you are passionate about something that would help Rotary advance its mission, let a club officer know.

Our Service Committee is still collecting funds for the District 6250 Ukrainian Refugee school, our district will match any donations 1:1. We have heard from Viktoria Griessmuller of Hungary that the school is now in its second year, it has moved to the new larger building, and has 450 refugee students and over 50 refugee teachers. A list of donations they already received were shared with us. A check can be mailed to Rotary District 6250 Foundation, c/o Brian Watson, 4030 E. Stone Ridge Dr., Milton, WI 53563. Be sure to note that it is for the Hungarian-Ukrainian School project.

The school is also seeking our help to launch a Pen Pal Program between American and Ukrainian students to enhance English proficiency and foster cross-cultural connections. Our Julie Zilmer hopes to implement this soon with her class.

In July, Fran Wargolet, a Kenosha Rotarian and ambassador to ShelterBox U.S.A. spoke to us about this organization that is a partner if Rotary International. It offers shelter and supplies to people in natural disaster areas and to others in areas of conflict, sometimes before a peace settlement has bee reached. The shelter might be a tent, tarp, or house repairs. At the January service committee meeting, we decided to begin our next project for ShelterBox USA. We set up a fundraising goal of $500 by June 10th. We can all help in donating and telling our friends, families, and associates about this opportunity to make a difference by making a donation to the Changemakers Rotary District 6250 Foundation account. District 6250 Donation Click on the Donate Now button and be sure to select ShelterBox - Changemakers Rotary Club in the dropdown. Alternatively, you can write a check to Rotary District 6250 Foundation and mail it directly to: Rotary District 6250 Foundation c/o Brian Watson, 4030 E. Stone Ridge Dr., Milton, WI 53563. Be sure to note that it is for the Changemakers ShelterBox project.

Members of the Rose Bowl float committee were at PETS last month. If you want to find out more, go to www.RotaryFloat.org.

Congratulations to Valerie Wachuta for becoming a Paul Harris Fellow. The Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation.

Operation Pollination's next growing season is approaching fast. Make you plans for Spring and visit the Operation Pollination website.

Congratulations to Changemaker Julie Zilmer, who has won an Illinois Schoolyard Habit Action Grant for Elmwood Elementary School in Zion, Illinois. Julie is a 3rd grade teacher and Earth Club Leader. The project is a 12 foot by 12 foot pollinator garden designed to provide essential habitat for bees, butterflies, and other pollinating species. The primary goal is to provide students and staff with hands-on leaning opportunities, fostering curiosity and critical thinking about ecosystems, pollinators, and plant growth. Another goal is to strengthen connections between the school and the local community by creating a shared space.

Sun Prairie East High School Interact has three projects for second semester. 1) Letters of Love to make and send cards to patients and Children's Hospitals and to involve elementary and middle school students. 2) To make pollinator garden seed packets to pair with a small pamphlet and to hand them out at a community event 3) End of semester book drive to donate books to elementary student to take home for the summer. Interact President Teegan Davis and her Cap City Cougars hockey team are state bound. Congratulations Teegan!.

Tricon will be April 25 - 26 in Brookfield Wisconsin. Registration is now open. The Rotary International Convention will be in Calgary Canada, June 21 through 25. Register here for the Rotary International Convention.

In our April meeting Valerie Wachuta will lead us on the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) activities and getting ready for another year of pollinators.

Our guest speaker for March was Bill O'Donnell, who talked to us about his experiences in Team Rubicon. Team Rubicon is a veteran-led humanitarian organization that serves global communities before, during, and after disasters and crises.

Team Rubicon members are called the Gray Shirts. They write their names right on their shirts, that is how they recognize one another on their missions. Bill joined Team Rubicon in 2017. There are 13 operations, in eight states and Canada. People from all over the world belong to Team Rubicon. Bill works with chain saws.

Team Rubicon started with a 2005 UW Madison graduate Jake Wood, who became a marine. After his time in the marines, an earthquake in Haiti occurred. He knew that he and his fellow veterans had the skillset needed to help with the recovery in Haiti. He gathered his friends and equipment and they all went to help in Haiti. Their name was chosen after crossing the river between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, like Caesar crossing the Rubicon. After returning, they realized they could work on projects in US too. One original member committed suicide two years later. No they have a training that includes suicide prevention. Most training is on-line, but hands on is in person.

To become a member, take Rubicon 101 training and pass background checks. You do not need to be a veteran. Their Motto is get shit done. They are obsessive about safety and fond of patches. For vaccinations they have a patch that says "Get shots done".

Rubicon has done projects in all 50 states and several countries. They work with other agencies including Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and Emergency Road Clearance Teams. Highly skilled sawyers, be at the airport within 6 hours of call.

FEMA - core operations gathers information about what needs to be done, they do damage assessment, with information going into a database. Team Rubicon is assigned from this, so they know what to bring with them. This link is for a Team Rubicon Call up for a March event, to further explain their process.

To find out more, visit teamrubiconUSA.org.

President's March Message

It’s Saturday night, March 1st and I have just completed a day and a half of the Midwest President Elect Training Seminar. I want to thank you for your generous support of this intense weekend of learning how to be a Rotary leader. Last year I was blown away by the plenary speakers at the general sessions and the dedication of the fellow Rotarians who facilitated the break out sessions. This year’s seminar has matched the high bar set by last year’s. I have another half day tomorrow that I am very much looking forward too. I have met so many Rotarians from Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin who have shared so many experiences and ideas.

I want to share something from each of the general session speakers that has inspired me.

Nicki Scott, International Vice-President during the presidency of Jennifer Jones.

A manager does things right. A leader does the right thing. Don’t be afraid of change; it can always be reversed. Say yes to change. Initiate change with a compelling vision and a sense of urgency. Empower others. The best leaders create leaders. Involve as many people as you can.

Taylor Huie, Rotary International Membership Growth Committee

It is an honor to lead your club. Embrace it. Rotary has 1.2 million + people of action. The world has 8 billion potential people of action. Right now, about 1 billion people prioritize giving back to their community. There is so much opportunity for growth. Who are our potential members of Rotary? Get out into your community and interact with potential members.

Salvador Rizzo Taveres, Rotarian from Nuevo León, México. CEO of Grupo Rizzo, that includes a wholesale office supplier and hardware and software sales to private companies, educational institutions, and governments. He established Rotary Leadership Institute in 11 countries and led them for 10 years, training more than 5,000 Rotary Members.

His message to us was Innovate, Transform, and Connect. He encouraged us to stay relevant, innovate in membership, transform how to carry out service projects, and to connect more deeply with our members and with humility with our partners.

Ed Futa, member of Madison Rotary Club, past General Secretary and Operating Officer of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation, and since 2016 Primary Rotary International Representative to the United Nations.

I was unable to take notes for Ed’s presentation because the lights were turned down low. But, I can assure you that it was incredible. He told us how much good that Rotarians do in the world and how they are there for their communities. He talked about an area where a tsunami had caused great destruction. A few years later all of the aid workers are gone. And who is still there? The Rotary Club. It’s their home and they are caring for it. Ed talked about an area where girls couldn’t go to school because they have to carry water all day so that their families aren’t thirsty. Ed’s solution? Rotary drills wells. Now girls and boys go to school. He finished by telling us to go out into our communities and make a difference.

Sunday morning I have one more district breakout session where I will be meeting with my assistant governor and my fellow president elects and one more general session where I will hear Gary Metevier’s presentation on the power of storytelling. Another Midwest PETS training will be completed. My plan is to share all of the inspiration and enthusiasm with you, my fellow Changemakers.

February Meeting Recap

Find a full recording of the February 2025 meeting here. February Meeting Video

We recited the four way test to remind us of our Rotary ethics of truth, fairness, goodwill, friendships and beneficial to all.

Sharon has volunteered to be president of Changemakers for the upcoming year - July 2025 through June 2026. She is asking for help co-chair the service committee, and someone to arrange monthly guest speakers for us. Please talk to Sharon about any opportunity for you to serve your club.

Cathy was the winner of our 50/50 raffle. Congratulations Cathy!

We are always looking to grow our club. Invite people to join us for our monthly meetings.

The fourth Tuesday of the month is for committee meetings. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, February 25 at 5 pm. Join a committee and enhance your Rotary experience! If you are passionate about something that would help Rotary advance its mission, let a club officer know.

Our Service Committee is still collecting funds for the District 6250 Ukrainian Refugee school, our district will match any donations 1:1. A check can be mailed to Rotary District 6250 Foundation, c/o Brian Watson, 4030 E. Stone Ridge Dr., Milton, WI 53563. Be sure to note that it is for the Hungarian-Ukrainian School project.

February is the Rotary Month of Peace Building and Conflict Prevention. In July, Fran Wargolet, a Kenosha Rotarian and ambassador to ShelterBox U.S.A. spoke to us about this organization that is a partner if Rotary International. It offers shelter and supplies to people in natural disaster areas and to others in areas of conflict, sometimes before a peace settlement has bee reached. The shelter might be a tent, tarp, or house repairs. At the January service committee meeting, we decided to begin our next project for ShelterBox USA. We set up a fundraising goal of $500 by June 6th. We can all help in donating and telling our friends, families, and associates about this opportunity to make a difference by making a donation to the Changemakers Rotary District 6250 Foundation account. District 6250 Donation Click on the Donate Now button and be sure to select ShelterBox - Changemakers Rotary Club in the dropdown. Alternatively, you can write a check to Rotary District 6250 Foundation and mail it directly to: Rotary District 6250 Foundation c/o Brian Watson, 4030 E. Stone Ridge Dr., Milton, WI 53563. Be sure to note that it is for the Changemakers ShelterBox project.

Operation Pollination's next growing season is approaching fast. Make you plans for Spring and visit the Operation Pollination website.

PETS training in Itasca Illinois will be February 28 through March 2nd; Sharon will be representing Changemakers. The required grant seminar will also be held February 12th.

Tricon will be April 25 - 26 in Brookfield Wisconsin. Registration is now open. The Rotary International Convention will be in Calgary Canada, June 21 through 25.

Our March meeting will feature Bill O'Donnell, who will talk to us about his experiences in Team Rubicon, a veteran lead humanitarian organization tat serves global communities before, during, and after disasters and crises.

Our guest speaker for February was Paul Sukenik, member of the Madison South Rotary Club. Paul has been with Habitat for Humanity of Dane County since 2016 when he started as Family Services Director. Currently he is Vice-President of Community Services for Habitat for Humanity of Dane County.

Habitat for Humanity is a Christian based housing ministry, although all faiths are welcome. It was founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller.

So far they have built over 500,000 homes in all 50 states and about 70 countries. 6.8 million people have been served by Habitat. Jimmy Carter was in Madison for Habitat for Humanity in the early 2000's.

There are 32 Habitat affiliates and 29 ReStores in Wisconsin. Dane County, one of the Wisconsin affiliates, has two ReStores, builds about 15 homes per year, and provides home repair and financial education.

Applications are evaluated on household need for affordable housing, buyer's ability to pay a mortgage, and willingness to partner with Habitat. Multiple criteria must be met to be eligible for home buying.

Some people who are initially turned down take the financial education and then are later approved for a home.

In 2024 Habitat Homeowners paid $1,069,019.90 in property taxes throughout Dane County – so just like any homeowner, they do participate in our government funding.

You are encouraged to watch the meeting video for a full recap. Visit www.habitatdane.org to volunteer, donate, or learn more. They are always looking for volunteers at ReStore.

President’s February Message

February is the month of Peace Building and Conflict Prevention for Rotary International. The Changemakers Rotary Service Committee has chosen to focus on ShelterBox U.S.A. for our next fundraising project. Fran Wargolet, a Kenosha Rotarian and ambassador to ShelterBox, U.S.A. was our guest speaker in July. This partner organization of Rotary International offers shelter and supplies to people in natural disaster areas and to those in areas of conflict, sometimes before a peace settlement has been reached. The shelter comes in various forms and it might be a tent, a tarp, or other house repairs. So, how can our members help? We can tell our friends, families, and associates about this opportunity to make a difference by making a donation to the Changemakers Rotary District 6250 Foundation account. You will find this by choosing “Foundation” in the menu at the top of the page on rotary6250.org.

You will find the Shelterbox-Changemakers Rotary Club on the foundation page. Next, you click on the button “Donate Now” which takes you to the donation page. You will need to select Shelterbox – Changemakers Rotary Club in the drop-down menu and to put in your donation amount. If you prefer, you can write a check to Rotary District 6250 Foundation and mail it directly to our treasurer:

Rotary District 6250 Foundation

c/o Brian Watson

4030 E. Stone Ridge Dr.

Milton, Wi 53563

We would like to wrap the ShelterBox project up by early June.

We are also continuing to collect donations for the Ukrainian-Hungarian Bilingual School in Budapest.

Additionally, we need to be aware of our club goal to donate $400 to the International Rotary Polio Plus. As of the end of January our members have donated $130. You will find a “donate” button on the my.rotary.org web page, or set up easy monthly payments.

If you are looking for a way to do service in person, consider volunteering for Habitat for Humanity or search the websites of Rotary Clubs near you live and volunteer for their service projects. You will be welcomed with open arms!

As your President-Elect for 2025-26, I am looking forward to attending the Midwest President-Elect Training Seminar later this month in Itasca, Illinois. It is a great opportunity to hear inspiring speakers, network, and learn things that will improve my leadership skills. Thank you for entrusting me with the presidency for one more year. Please consider volunteering to be our President-Elect for 2026-2027. It is a rewarding way to serve our Rotary Club!

January Meeting Recap

Find a full recording of the January 3rd 2025 meeting here. January Meeting Link

We recited the four way test to remind us of our Rotary ethics of truth, fairness, goodwill, friendships and beneficial to all.

Thank you to current club officers, look for the full list on our website. We have leadership positions open for membership committee, foundation committee, president elect, president nominee, treasurer, and grants committee. Please let an officer know if you are interested.

We are always looking for new members. Spread the word to your contacts.

Allison was the winner of our 50/50 raffle again. Congratulations Allison!

All are encouraged to contribute to the Rotary Foundation Annual Fund-SHARE. In order to be eligible for grants, we need to average $100 per person per year donations to the Rotary Foundation, in a program called Every Rotarian Every Year.

The Rotary Rose Parade float won the Tournament Volunteer Trophy for the most outstanding floral presentation of the theme among float 35 feet and under.

The fourth Tuesday of the month is for committee meetings. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, January 28 at 5 pm. Join a committee and enhance your Rotary experience! If you are passionate about something that would help Rotary advance its mission, let a club officer know.

Operation Pollination's growing season is over. A winter reading assignment is to visit the website https://operationpollination.net/

Rotary Magazines - you can receive these online or print. The default is online. To switch to print, email data@rotary.ort or call the circulation department 866-976-8279. Rotary International has begun charging the clubs for the magazines, and so we need to pass this along to our members. Quarterly dues will be $75 starting on January 1st, 2025.

Sun Prairie East High School Interact is planning for the Spring term. They have collected money at sporting events for hygiene product boxes for Women for Women International. They also made and delivered holiday cards to send to seniors citizens.

The Vibrant Club workshop second session will be in Madison on January 11th at First Supply Plumbing, 6800 Gisholt Drive.

PETS training in Itasca Illinois will be February 28 through March 2nd; Sharon will be representing Changemakers. The required grant seminar will also be held in February.

Tricon will be April 25 - 26 in Brookfield Wisconsin. Registration is now open. The Rotary International Convention will be in Calgary Canada, June 21 through 25.

Our February meeting will feature Paul Sukenik, member of the Madison South Rotary Club, and Vice-President of Community Services for Habitat for Humanity of Dane County.

Changemaker Cathy Statz shared with us 2025 International Year of Cooperatives.

The United Nations has declared 2025 as the International year of Cooperatives. The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) serves as the global coordination, with the US activities managed by the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA CLUSA International) The ICA has consultative alliance with United Nations. (They have sustainability goals, like Rotary)

A cooperative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise. They exist more for service than for profit. People take to priority over the enterprise.

The Cooperative Principles include

Voluntary & Open Membership
Democratic Member Control
Members' Economic Participation
Autonomy & Independence
Education, Training and Information
Cooperation among Cooperatives
Concern for Community

Cooperative Values include:

Self-help
Self-responsibility
Democracy
Equality
Equity
Solidarity

Ethical Values include:

Honesty
Openness
Social Responsibility
Caring for Others

Cathy travels a lot for cooperative education. She recently travelled to India for a global cooperative conference.

Happy New Year, Changemakers Rotarians! President’s message for January, 2025

Many people reflect on the past year and think about what they can change in the new year. As Rotarians, let’s make a special effort to do our best in serving others. How many of you set goals for the new year? We are halfway through our 2024-2025 Rotary year and at our January board meeting we will be revisiting the goals we chose last June, checking on our progress, and making any changes as needed. You are all welcome to join us on Tuesday, January 14th at 5 pm. If you would like to see a copy of our goals, please send me an email, sharon.bradish@gmail.com.

Are you familiar with a Vision Board? I recently made my vision board for 2025 including the most important aspects of my life. I chose Inspiring as my theme word. Who and what inspire me and how do I inspire others. If you are a crafty person, you can make a paper creation or you can use the free app Canva. I am going to share my Vision Board with you and of course Rotary is one of my inspirations. I hope it is one of yours as well. If you make a vision board, please share it with me.

Congratulations to our fellow Changemaker LeRoy Kemnitz who inspires all of us. LeRoy just received his Paul Harris Fellow +2 award. He has a received a pin with two sapphire stones. To achieve this award, LeRoy has contributed $3,000 to the Annual Fund, Polio Plus, or an approved Foundation grant over his lifetime. LeRoy you are an inspiration and thank you for your service and loyalty to Rotary International.

Paul Harris Fellow +2 Recipient: LeRoy Kemnitz

Congratulations to our own LeRoy Kemnitz for receiving the Paul Harris Fellow +2 award. He has received a sapphire pin with two stones for level two.

The Paul Harris Fellow award is given to Rotary members who give a minimum contribution of $1000 to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or and approved Foundation grant over their lifetime. Additional awards are:

Paul Harris Fellow +1: A contribution of $2,000
Paul Harris Fellow +2: A contribution of $3,000
Paul Harris Fellow +3: A contribution of $4,000
Paul Harris Fellow +4: A contribution of $5,000
Paul Harris Fellow +5: A contribution of $6,000
Paul Harris Fellow +6: A contribution of $7,000
Paul Harris Fellow +7: A contribution of $8,000
Paul Harris Fellow +8: A contribution of $9,000

Rotary established the recognition in 1957 to encourage and show appreciation for substantial contributions to what was then the Foundation’s only program, Rotary Foundation Fellowships for Advanced Study, the precursor to Ambassadorial Scholarships.

Many notable figures have been named Paul Harris Fellows, including U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, U.S. astronaut James Lovell, UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar, and polio vaccine developer Jonas Salk.

The number of Paul Harris Fellows reached the 1 million mark in 2006.

Congratulations LeRoy!!!

December Meeting Recap

Find a full recording of the December 6 meeting here. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VuRAG7_yMR4EY5ib-vX3SEoaXIHwmig6/view?usp=sharing

We recited the four way test to remind us of our Rotary ethics of truth, fairness, goodwill, friendships and beneficial to all.

We are always looking for new members. If you're not a member already, join us for a meeting.

All are encouraged to contribute to the Rotary foundation Annual Fund-SHARE.

Anyone wishing to find more about the Rose Parade Rotary Float can click here.

Committee meetings are usually the 4th Tuesday of the month. With the holidays, December's meeting is being moved up one week to December 17th. We encourage you to find your passion, enhance your Rotary experience, and join or create a Rotary committee.

Our Service Committee is still collecting funds for the District 6250 Ukrainian Refugee school, our district will match any donations 1:1. We viewed several photos of happy students and their certificates printed in the Ukrainian language.

We have collected our pledged $500 for new dental equipment for the Kalibo Philippines Rotary club. Changemakers collaborated with the Rotary Club of Jefferson to make this possible.

Operation Pollination's growing season is over. You can still participate by being lazy and Leave the Leaves until next Spring, so the pollinators have shelter for the winter. A winter reading assignment is to visit the website https://operationpollination.net/

Sun Prairie East High School Interact is planning for the Spring term. They are collecting money at sporting events for hygiene product boxes for Women for Women International. Send donations to Sharon Bradish via PayPal or Venmo - sharon.bradish@gmail.com and she will make sure they get it. They are also making cards to send to senior citizens.

Vibrant Club workshop second session will be in Madison on January 11th at First Supply Plumbing, 6800 Gisholt Drive.

Tricon will be April 25 - 26 in Brookfield Wisconsin next Spring. Registration opens December Ninth. Grant seminar will be held in February 2025. The RI Convention will be in Calgary, June 21 - 25.

Sharon shared the video of her interview of Susan Holding of The Little French Bakery located between Baraboo and North Freedom. Susan demonstrated how to make a tart. Email Sharon.bradish@gmail.com to request the Pate Brissee and Pear tart recipe. You can view the demonstration here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=072dguhdIr4

Friday, January 3rd Changemaker Cathy Statz will be sharing with us 2025 International Year of Cooperatives.

A message for December from Changemakers Rotary Club President Sharon Bradish

This is the time of year when we count our blessings and look for ways to share with others. We also think about giving to charities by the end of December to get tax deductions. There are many worthy causes; however, I would like to remind you of “Every Rotarian, Every Year”. An annual campaign that encourages all members to donate to the Rotary Foundation. The goal is for each club to average $100 per member per Rotary Year. Our current year began on July 1st, 2024 and will end on June 30^th, 2025. District and Global Grants for the 2025-2026 year will be awarded through the Rotary Foundation to those clubs who meet this goal. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to anyone of our club officers. I hope you all have a My Rotary account with the International Rotary site, rotary.org. It is easy to set up and you are able to donate to the foundation online or to find information on how to mail a check.

I hope you can all join us for the December 6^th monthly meeting starting with social time at 7:30 and business meeting from 8:00 – 9:00. Our guest speaker is Susan Holding from The Little French Bakery between Baraboo and North Freedom. I visited Susan at the bakery and we taped an interview. You will learn how she evolved from nurse to pastry chef and bakery owner. Susan also will show you how to make a tart shell. If you cannot make the meeting in person, Val will post a link and it will by on changemakersrotary.org for you to view at your convenience. You might want to have head phones or earbuds in order to hear the interview better over the bakery noises.

We are still accepting donations to the Ukrainian-Hungarian Bilingual School in Budapest. You can give online at the 6250 District Foundation.

At our board meeting on December 10^th from 5:00 to 6:00 pm we will be discussing participating in a Rotary Global Grant project for the opening of new maternity wards in the Rhine-Sieg region of Germany. All members are welcome to attend our board meeting. The link is found on changemakersrotary.org

We were able to donate $500 to the Rotary Metro Club of Kalibo’s fundraising project for dental equipment. Thanks to all our members who donated.

This is my sixth month as President of Changemakers Rotary Club. My presidential year is flying by! I want to be frank with you. I cannot keep wearing all these hats, President, Service Club Co-chair, Interact liaison, and program chair. I need other people to share some of these duties. We still need a president-elect for 2025-26.

The Midwest President-Elect Training will be from February 28^th through March 2^nd at the Westin Hotel Chicago Northeast near Schaumburg, Illinois. For more information go to midwestpets.org. Our club pays for your registration fee but not for your lodging. I attended PETS last year and it was an incredibly rewarding experience. We also are looking for a treasurer for next year. Reach out to any board member for more information.

Wishing you all a wonderful December and holiday celebrations.

November Meeting Recap

Find a full recording of the November 1 meeting here. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ie_S5rn6Yr305vKiSmgsr1SrtQx9kebk/view?usp=drive_link

With Sharon in Paris, Val lead the meeting. We recited the four way test to remind us of our Rotary ethics of truth, fairness, goodwill, friendships and beneficial to all.

Peter spun the wheel and was the winner of the 50/50 raffle.

We are always looking for new members. If you're not a member already, join us for a meeting.

We had our monthly encouragement for contributing to the Rotary foundation Annual Fund-SHARE.

Anyone wishing to find more about the Rose Parade Rotary Float can click here.

Committee meetings are the 4th Tuesday of the month, November 26th this month. We encourage you to find your passion, enhance your Rotary experience, and join or create a Rotary committee.

We are still collecting for new dental equipment for the Kalibo Philippines Rotary club. Changemakers has pledged $500, and so far we have collected $135. To help out, go to the District 6250 Foundation on rotary6250.org. Click on Donate Now, and select the Kalibo Philippines Dental Clinic from the dropdown.

Sun Prairie East High School Interact is up and busy. They will be doing Operation Christmas Child mid-November, packing Christmas shoeboxes for children in need. As Changemakers is the Interact club's sponsor, it would be nice if our members could chip in on the cost of supplies. Anyone wishing to help out, contact Sharon or venmo her, and she will see that they receive it.

Vibrant Club workshop is next Saturday, November 9th in Tomah. There will be another session in Madison in January.

Tricon will be April 25 - 26 in Brookfield Wisconsin next Spring. Registration opens December Ninth.

Next month's meeting will be Friday, December 7th. Sharon will be with Susan Holding of the Little French Bakery. Come and meet the Master Pastry Chef and get some ideas for holiday baking.

Erin Luken was our guest speaker, talking about things that our foundation is doing in the district and around the world. She started with a Polio update, as October was Polio month. The Foundation has already awarded nearly $70,000 to 12 district grants, and the money for this year is gone. District grants are increasing in popularity, so they may require goals and prioritize requests in the future. They are accepting applications for Graduate level Global Scholars and Peace Studies.

There is a new Service Project Center spc.rotary.org . This will replace the project showcase, and any club member can add a project, or view what other clubs have done or how they did it.

District Designated Funds, or DDF is going through some changes. DDF funds will expire after five years, so the money must be spent or it goes back to International. This is because other districts were holding onto large amounts of funds instead of spending it on projects. Our district will implement solutions to spend down what is currently in D6250. Keep an eye out for news in the District Dispatch.

The Rotary Foundation is launching a Million Dollar journey in November, to be completed at Trican 2026, about 18 months later. Erin shared a slide of how a monetary gift can grow and produce more earnings than the original amount, funding more projects.

Coming up in D6250 - Vibrant Club Workshop in November, and again January 11th in Madison. Grant seminar will be held in February 2025. Tricon will be April 25 & 26. The RI Convention will be in Calgary, June 21 - 25. Someone from our club needs to attend the grant management seminar (2025). Online training also available, cert needs to be sent to Erin.

The presentation ended with a request to support the Rotary Foundation. DDF comes from the Annual Fund-SHARE. Giving is easy using Rotary Direct. Consider giving at the Paul Harris Society level.

October Meeting Recap

For those of you on vacation or otherwise unable to attend, here is a recap of our October club meeting, held on October 4th. The meeting recording is available here.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T80A-LhZz9rJWpiQAuZSv79Xk4f9G4kE/view?usp=drive_link

We recited the four way test to remind us of our Rotary ethics of truth, fairness, goodwill, friendships and beneficial to all.

Officers were named, with a call out for volunteers for additional positions. We need a Membership Committee Chair and a Foundation Chair for this year and a President Elect, who will attend President Elect Training and be president for 2024-2025.

50/50 raffle: Congratulations to Allison, our winner again!

Please remember that in order for our club to apply for district matching grants we need every member to donate $100 to the International Rotary Foundation. Donations to Polio Plus also count toward this. You can make a donation or set up ongoing donations through My Rotary https://my.rotary.org/en/donate.

Anyone wishing to donate to the Rotary float in the Rose Bowl Parade can find out more at www.RotaryFloat.org.

We are always looking for new members. Please invite people you think might be interested to join us for a monthly meeting.

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, October 22nd at 5 pm via Zoom. If there is something that you are passionate about that would help Rotary to advance its mission, let a club officer know, and form a committee and set a meeting time if the fourth Tuesday doesn't work.

We are continuing to fundraise for the Ukrainian Hungarian Bilingual School in Budapest. Our district will match any donations 1:1. Donations can be made directly to the District 6250 foundation on line, https://rotary6250.org/page/district-6250-foundation or a check can be mailed to Rotary District 6250 Foundation c/o Brian Watson, 4030 E. Stone Ridge Dr, Milton, WI 53563. The International Grant application is in-process.

Operation Pollination: Pollinator season is drawing to a close, but remember that the insects over winter in sticks, leaves and garden refuse. So you have an excuse to not clean out the garden until Spring.

The executive board has voted to raise our quarterly dues to $75 starting on January 1st, 2025. If you are only receiving the online version and would like to get the magazine mailed to you, email data@rotary.org or call the circulation department at 866-976-8279.

The Sun Prairie Interact Club that we are sponsoring is active in the Sun Prairie area, contributing to International and local Rotary projects. They have a Google classroom set up, and participated in the Sun Prairie Farmer's Market on September 21st.

Rotarians from the Philippines District 3850 were here for two weeks in September. They spent a couple days in Chicago, six days in the Madison area and another week in the La Crosse area. This is the Exchange from our District 6250 trip in May. Sharon hosted one of the guests in exchange for Cathy's trip last Spring. Everyone had a great time and couldn't say enough about how great the Rotary Exchanges are. District 3850 is the FUN district with a heart for SERVICE.

Next meeting: Friday November 1, our speaker will be Foundation Committee Chair Erin Luken.

District 6250 Governor, Todd Restel, spoke to our club. His advice is to be a great story teller and get people's heads nodding. He spoke to us a lot about toilets. For instance, Chicago had the first city sewer plumbing in the USA. November 19th is World Toilet Day. The World Toilet Organization - WTO - is working to provide clean, safe toilets around the world. A lack of clean safe toilets keeps girls from attending school.

Todd also spoke about Peace - that there are wars going on around the world except in North America. Most of us lack the correct words to discuss peace. District 6250 is a Peace Building district. Rotary International website has lots of information on Peace. Todd asked us all to take the two hour course "Rotary Positive Peace Academy" available for free online at https://www.positivepeace.academy/rotary

The power of Rotary comes through each Rotarian. We should approach our community to make us simply irresistible to them.

September Meeting Recap

For those of you on vacation or otherwise unable to attend, here is a recap of our September club meeting, held on September 6th. New! The meeting was recorded, if you prefer to watch the link is here.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s2xHSVOtYdzI2ctIZZ6r1bEL8mIZ8BYY/view?usp=drive_link

Teegan Davis, our Speaker and the Sun Prairie East Interact Club president started the meeting off with a recap of her International youth exchange in July. She had an exciting trip full of activities every day. Watch the team meeting link to see all her exciting adventures.

After Teegan rushed off to school, we recited the four way test to remind us of our Rotary ethics of truth, fairness, goodwill, friendships and beneficial to all.

50/50 raffle: Congratulations to Allison, our winner!

Congratulations us! We were awarded the 2023-24 Rotary Citation for meeting the majority of our goals that the club set and worked towards last year.

Did you know that Rotary has been sponsoring a float in the Rose Bowl Parade since 1980? 2025 will be the 45th consecutive Rose Parade Entry. Find out more at www.RotaryFloat.org.

We are always looking for new members. Please invite people you think might be interested to join us for a monthly meeting.

4th Tuesday of the month is our Committee Meeting time. We encourage everyone to join a committee to enhance their Rotary experience, and are open to new ideas! Just let us know how you would like to serve our club. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 24th at 5 pm via Zoom. If there is something that you are passionate about that would help Rotary to advance its mission, let a club officer know, and form a committee and set a meeting time if the fourth Tuesday doesn't work.

Our executive board has approved $500 for the project proposal from the Rotary Club of Metro Kalibo, Philippines for updated equipment for the dental clinic. Meg Lunns, the 6250 District Administrator, is a member of this club. Tax deductible donations can be made through the district website foundation page https://rotary6250.org/page/district-6250-foundation Be sure to select Kalibo Philippines Dental Clinic from the dropdown when selecting the amount.

Operation Pollination: Our club has signed the pledge backed by Rotary District 6250 and we would like you to send any photos of what you are doing to promote pollinators in your yard or neighborhood to wac7158@gmail.com.

The April District 6250 Friendship Exchange to the Philippines will be hosting Philippine Rotarians in September, one week in Madison and one week in La Crosse. Sharon will be a Madison host, in Cathy's place.

Rotary Magazine and dues. As of the current invoice for Rotary International, the magazine is no longer included in your RI dues. Either the digital or print copy subscriptions are now $18 per year, charged back to Changemakers. The executive board has voted to raise our quarterly dues to $75 starting on January 1st, 2025. If you are only receiving the online version and would like to get the magazine mailed to you, email data@rotary.org or call the circulation department at 866-976-8279.

Next meeting: Friday October 4, our speaker will be District 6250 Governor Todd Restel.