We recited the four way test to remind us of our Rotary ethics of truth, fairness, goodwill, friendships and beneficial to all. Sharon Bradish has accepted the presidency for one more year and has attended the Midwest President-Elect Training Seminar. She will serve one more term, but needs help. We are looking for:
Someone to serve as Co chair of the Service Committee
Someone to arrange for monthly guest speakers for 2025-2026.
Please talk to Sharon about any opportunity for you to serve your club.
Rita Wachuta-Breckel was the winner of our 50/50 raffle. Congratulations Rita!We are still looking for new members. Invite people to our monthly meetings, post on social media.
Use the hashtags #servicebeforeself, #peopleofaction, and #rotary to add to service related social media posts. Rotary has a presence in FaceBook, Reddit, TicToc and Instagram.
The next committee meetings scheduled time is April 22nd at 5:00.
The Ukrainian Refugee School service project is progressing. Our district will match any donations 1:1
An international pen pal project is being set up with the Ukrainian Refugee School to enhance english proficiency and foster cross-cultural connections.
We are currently collecting for ShelterBox USA, who provide shelter and supplies after natural disasters or in areas of conflict. Changemakers has pledged $500 by June 10th. We are half-way there, thank you to all who have donated.
ShelterBox and Ukrainian Refugee School donations can be made online at Rotary6250.org, under Foundation; 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 our club name and which project it is for.
Operation Pollination is gearing up for the upcoming growing season. Visit the Operation Pollination website. We will have a presentation provided by ESRAG later this meeting.Sun Prairie East High School Interact Club has 3 projects for the second semester!
•Letters of Love to make and send cards to patients in Children’s Hospitals and to involve elementary and middle school students
•To make pollinator garden seed packets to pair with a small pamphlet and to hand them out at a community event
•End of semester book drive to donate books to elementary students to take home for the summer.
Changemakers Rotary is sponsoring Mackenzie Carpenter to the Rotary 2025 Youth Leadership Award. She will attend camp May 9 - 11 at Upham Woods. The camp is designed to build future leaders and Rotarians. You can find out more about RYLA at rotary6250.org.
Tri-con is coming up April 25-26 in Brookfield. Sharon and Cathy are going.
Cathy is attending the International convention at Calgary, and will volunteer to help if needed. She went to the one in Sydney, Australia. LeRoy is cycling to Calgary, starting at Rotary headquarters in Evanston Illinois. Register here for the Rotary International Convention.
Next month our speaker will be Elizabeth O’Donnell, a certified organic inspector for Midwest Organic Services Assn (MOSA). She is National Organic Program (NOP) accredited.
This month we have a recording of Eric Toensmeier, talking about perennials, pollinators, and permaculture. The recording was sent by the ESRAG Operation Pollination group.
He provided information about ecological edible landscaping, food forests in urban settings, low maintenance delicious foods, easy native fruits and berries.
He spoke about native plant species for pollinators and beneficial insects, native plant nitrogen fixers, and indigenous management history. He shared lots of resources with us, all available in the recorded presentation.
Sharon recorded an interview with Julie Zilmer, a member of our club and a third grade teacher who received a grant for establishing a pollinator garden at her school, for the students and the community to learn and enjoy. Congratulations to Julie on getting this grant.
Changemakers has so many exciting initiatives! We are sponsoring Mackenzie Carpenter, a Sun Prairie East High School sophomore, for the District 6250 Rotary Youth Leadership Award. Mackenzie will attend the camp at Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center in the Wisconsin Dells from May 9th through May 11th. Our current SPEHS Interact President attended two years ago, started the Interact Club, and last year was a RYLA counselor. 
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.
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. 
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.
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. 
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 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.
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. 
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. 
Operation Pollination's next growing season is approaching fast. Make you plans for Spring and visit the 
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.
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.
Some people who are initially turned down take the financial education and then are later approved for a home.
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 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.
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.
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. 
Changemaker Cathy Statz shared with us 2025 International Year of Cooperatives.
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
Cooperative Values include:
Ethical Values include:
Cathy travels a lot for cooperative education. She recently travelled to India for a global cooperative conference. 
Changemakers Rotary@Changemaker_Rotary
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Service Above Self
La Crosse, WI 54601
United States of America