This was our final club meeting as Changemakers Rotary, and we reflected what we had done as a club.
We recited the Four Way Test. Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendship? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? And Number five, will it be fun?
Changemakers Rotary was founded on July 2, 2022, and will disband March 31, 2026. Charter members who are still with us include LeRoy Kemnitz, Peter Groth, Cathy Statz, Valerie Wachuta, and Kwasi Obeng.
The club was small but mighty. Several of the members took on various multiple administrative roles, expanding our skill sets.
We lost three influential founding members in the short time we were here due to cancer and a tragic accident. Cheryl, Lisa and Dwight are greatly missed.
We won three big awards in our short time period, a Club Excellence award in 24-25, a Rotary Citation in 23-24, and a Foundation award in 22-23.
Rotary is a Service organization. Our first service project was Family Health La Clinica. We collected $11,000 including a district grant for a diabetes project of glucose monitors and test strips for workers in central Wisconsin.
We had a table at TriCon in 2023 promoting the La Clinica project, and later we got together to hand out the Paul Harris awards that members received.
Another service project was the Ukrainian Refugee School in Hungary. The project was started in Budapest, and three clubs in District 6250, including Changemakers, were collecting donations for the school and supplies. Sharon spoke at several clubs promoting the project.
Operation Pollination is a nationwide project with Rotary District 6250 as a contributing member. Our club signed the pledge to protect and promote pollinator habitat. Val created a pollinator garden in her back yard with native perennial plants. We were updated monthly on plants and habitat.
That project inspired Julie, another member to start a Peace Pollinator Garden at the school where she is a third grade teacher. Changemakers received a grant and purchased a Rotary Peace Pole for this garden, engraved with peace sayings in several languages. The installation ceremony for the peace pole at the garden will be later this spring when the weather is nicer.
Another aspect of Rotary is the Friendship Exchanges. Sharon and Cathy have been active in the Exchanges, as was Cheryl.
Sharon, Cathy and Cheryl were on the Exchange to Budapest, Hungary in 2023.
Cathy went to the Philippines early in 2024.
And Rotarians from the Philippines came here in September. Sharon was a host and they all had a wonderful time.
Cathy and Sharon both went to Sweden in June on another exchange.
And Rotarians from Sweden came here in September.
Our club was represented at Tri-Con every year. 2023 in La Crosse, was our biggest participation, with five members attending. (Photos above)
Tri-Con 2024 was in Green Bay, Sharon had a table promoting the Ukrainian Refugee school.
Tri-Con 2025 our club was represented by Sharon and Cathy.
LeRoy participated in the Rotary team RAGBRAI across Iowa in 2023.
LeRoy also bicycled from Rotary International Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, to the International Convention in Calgary, Canada in 2025.
Cathy also attended more than one Rotary International Convention, including at Calgary.
Changemakers sponsored the Interact Club of Sun Prairie East High School, and sponsored a student to the Rotary Youth Leadership Award camp every year. Sharon kept us abreast of their activities.
Monthly speakers are also a part of Changemakers. Thank you to everyone who spoke at a meeting, and thank you to everyone who lined speakers up for us, especially to Rita for speakers in 2026.
Several members have expressed an interest in remaining in Rotary, joining another club in the district. Here's hoping we stay in touch and someday meet again.
