In October we dedicated our meeting time to Rotary’s Eradicate Polio initiative. October 24th was World Polio Day for Rotarians and we were encouraged to give to the End Polio Now fund on the Rotary International Foundation donation page found at rotary.org. It’s not too late to donate and to watch the recording of the Changemakers October meeting. The end of polio is so close. Let’s help push it over the finish line. During the November 7th monthly meeting we will be focusing on the Rotary Foundation. We will talk about the Every Rotarian Every Year giving initiative and how Rotary gives back to local clubs like ours.
We are still accepting donations for our Peace Pole Project. A district grant will match our club’s contributions. We need $213 from our club for the Elmwood Elementary School’s International Peace Pollinator garden. Donations can be made to the Changemakers account online on the District 6250 Foundation donate page. Or a check can be sent to:
District 6250 Foundation
c/o Brian Watson
4030 E. Stone Ridge Dr.
Milton, WI 53563
Make check out to District 6250 Foundation and write peace pole in the memo line. Thanks!
Please make our monthly meeting a priority. If you can’t be with us live, look for the video recording mid month. I’m always open to your ideas and suggestions! If you have an idea for a guest speaker, we still need speakers for February through June and into the 2026-2027 new Rotary year.
Also, consider becoming our President-Elect! Your training and lodging will be covered by Changemakers Rotary. I attended the Midwest Presidents-Elect training the last two years and the presentations were incredible! Don’t miss this opportunity to serve our club. Take some time to consider it. Contact me if you would like to talk about this.
Rotary International has declared October 24th World Polio Day. It is a time for Rotary members to educate themselves about Rotary’s important role in the fight to eradicate Polio from this world. Our October meeting will be dedicated to providing information on what Rotary International and its partners have been doing. 
This past week I had the privilege to host Marianne, a Rotarian from Bromölla in the southern part of Sweden. I was part of a group of eleven District 6250 Rotarians who were hosted by four Swedish clubs over ten days in June. Marianne and four other Swedish Rotarians came to Wisconsin on September 19th and left on September 29th. They were hosted in La Crosse for three days, in Baraboo for three days, and in the Madison area for four days.
Some highlights included visiting the Peace Park in La Crosse, taking a tour of the Nasonville Dairy’s cheese manufacturing plant and Heiman’s Holsteins in Marshfield, hiking in Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo, touring the International Crane Foundation near Baraboo, visiting Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesen in Spring Green, touring Epic in Verona, experiencing the Dane County Farmers’ Market and the Wisconsin State Capitol Building, and many more activities.
We shared meals and conversation and talked about what our clubs are doing and how we try to accomplish “Service Above Self”.
I highly recommend going on a District Friendship Exchange. You truly become friends and feel like you are part of a big Rotary family.
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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. Get more involved with Changemakers, we are looking for someone for membership committee, foundation committee, a President Elect for 25-26 who would be president next year, a grants committee and treasurer. Grants are based on giving to the Rotary Foundation. To be eligible a club needs to achieve the Every Rotarian, Every Year pledge. Go to MyRotary.org under Participate and Support Our Foundation to donate or set up a monthly pledge. The Polio Plus fund can also be contributed to this way.
We are always looking for new members. Current members are encouraged to share meeting invites on social media. Use the hashtags #servicebeforeself #peopleofaction #rotary to get better noticed.
The Executive board meeting is the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 5:00. All club members are welcome. This month is September 9th.
Committee meetings are the 4th Tuesday of the month at 5:00. Next meeting will be September 23th at 5:00. Access the meetings the same as a regular meeting. Find your passion and enhance your Rotary experience.
The Service Committee grant application for a Rotary Peace Pole for Peace Garden Global at Elmwood Elementary school in Zion Illinois has been approved. Changemaker Julie Zilmer is leading the peace garden project. We have pledged and are collecting $213 for this project, with matching district grant funds. Donations can be mailed to our district foundation treasurer:
The Ukrainian Refugee School service project is still progressing. Our district will match any donations 1:1 The Hungarian Rotarian global grant number is 2457939 and will kick off in autumn of 2025. Donations can also be made same as for the peace pole, but choose the Ukrainian-Hungarian Budapest School option, or put in check memo line.
An international pen pal project is being set up with the Ukrainian Refugee School to enhance English proficiency and foster cross-cultural connections.
Operation Pollination is well underway for this growing season. Plants are thriving, projects are wrapping up for the season.
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Wishing you a September of Uniting for Good and Service Above Self! Don’t miss our September 5th monthly meeting. Join the Changemakers for fellowship at 7:30 am. Our meeting starts at 8 am and Cathy Statz and I will tell you about our experiences on the Rotary Friendship Exchange to Sweden this past June.
District 6250 will be hosting the Swedish Rotarians in La Crosse, Baraboo, and Madison from September 19th-29th.
In October we will be concentrating on Rotary International’s initiative to Eradicate Polio.
The Service Committee has begun the fundraising for the Rotary Peace Pole Project for Elmwood Elementary’s Peace Pollinator Garden in Zion, Illinois. We need to raise $213. If every Changemaker contributes we can accomplish this easily. District 6250 is matching this grant to reach the total number of $425.
Donations can be made to the District 6250 Foundation online on the district website or by mailing a check with Changemakers Peace Pole in the memo line to the district foundation treasurer Brian Watson. You can find the information on the Changemakers website for making a donation to the Changemkers Rotary account with the District 6250 Foundation. Thank you!
 Hey Changemakers, Did you know that in addition to Changemaker's Facebook page, we also have a Facebook group for members only? We do, and we want you to join. Search for 6250 Changemakers Rotary Club in Facebook and choose the Group. The community service is the public facing page. |  |
Find a full recording of the August 2025 meeting here.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. Get more involved with Changemakers, we are looking for someone for membership committee, foundation committee, a President Elect for 25-26 who would be president next year, a grants committee and treasurer. Grants are based on giving to the Rotary Foundation. To be eligible a club needs to achieve the Every Rotarian, Every Year pledge. Go to MyRotary.org under Participate and Support Our Foundation to donate or set up a monthly pledge. The Polio Plus fund can also be contributed to this way.
We are always looking for new members. Current members are encouraged to share meeting invites on social media.
The Executive board meeting is the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 5:00. All club members are welcome. We, as a club, achieved 18 of 18 goals for the 24 - 25 Rotary year ending June 30th.
Committee meetings are the 4th Tuesday of the month at 5:00. Next meeting will be August 26th at 5:00. Access the meetings the same as a regular meeting. Find your passion and enhance your Rotary experience.
The Service Committee announced our grant application for a Rotary Peace Pole for Peace Garden Global at Elmwood Elementary school in Zion Illinois has been approved. We have pledged and are collecting $213 for this project. The district grant will match our funds. Donations can be mailed to our district foundation treasurer:
The Ukrainian Refugee School service project is progressing. Our district will match any donations 1:1 The Hungarian Rotarian global grant number is 2457939 and will kick off in autumn of 2025. Donations can also be made same as for the peace pole, but choose the Ukrainian-Hungarian Budapest School option, or put in check memo line.
An international pen pal project is being set up with the Ukrainian Refugee School to enhance English proficiency and foster cross-cultural connections.
Operation Pollination is well underway for this growing season. Plants are coming in fast, projects are under-way. Note the locally sourced Red Spotted Admiral Butterfly and Hummingbird Moth pictures taken the past few weeks.
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Service Above Self
La Crosse, WI 54601
United States of America