Dearest Rotary Friends,
It is my hope that you all are able to say that without a doubt, October was a very successful month for our After-Hours club. Mobile Meals went strong with participation. I enjoyed the Hilltoppers Pork-Q. RAH had two great meetings with attendance and Vocationals, Oktoberfest Torchlight Parade and Bartending, and then a social/tour at La Crosse Distilling. Friends, there is so much to be proud of. You all make Rotary the awesome experience that it is.
This month of November is no exception. Wow! It is Rotary Foundation Month, and I would love to personally invite you to think about making a financial contribution, no matter how big or how small. You can head to this link to give a one-time gift or set up monthly recurring gifts! Your gift can be towards the annual fund, a specific Rotary area of focus, or Polio Plus. For our club to be eligible for district and global grants, it is vital that we are active donors to the foundation. Please know that you will touch many lives.
We can also keep the excitement going with the two upcoming meetings. Our first meeting on November 14th will bring to you our fellow member, Dustin Luecke. He has something special planned, so please don’t miss out. Our second meeting on the 28th will have my friend from Habitat for Humanity, Natalie. She will share all the exciting things occurring with their organization and how they are currently helping to create hope in the world. Please invite friends and prospective members to these meetings, as they will not disappoint. You can also invite them to RAH's Friendsgiving social at the Driftless Axe and Great Escape Room on the 10th.
On a different note, our Ugly Sweater 5k is coming up and is RAH’s largest fundraising event. We are all asked to sign up to volunteer. It is a great opportunity to hang out with your fellow club members and have a tremendous time together during this holiday season. And hey! For your hard work, all club members who volunteer will receive a long-sleeve Ugly Sweater 5k t-shirt. Sign up for your t-shirt by November 10. In addition, our Ugly Sweater 5k float will be in the Rotary Lights Parade on November 24th and we need people to walk alongside it. How about doing a ring-a-ding-ding with the Salvation Army Bells in December? Hey, maybe you want to have fun helping make S'mores at Rotary Lights? (We will be manning the fire pit two nights (12/10 and 12/27) and do not have a full night volunteering in the park this year due to the overwhelming response of corporate sponsors who wanted to). This is an exciting time of year, and we get out of it what we are able to put in. Therefore, you are personally invited to be a part of these moments that create such strong connections.
Friends, I look forward to spending this time with you all and as I love to say, you hold a large place in my heart. May you enjoy this time of year.
Blessings,
Phil