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As the end of our 2022-23 Rotary Year comes to an end, we owe a great deal of gratitude to our outgoing President, Ashley Santolin
🌻 Ashley, your commitment to service and making a difference in our community has been truly inspiring. Under your guidance, our club continues to be active, vibrant, and making a lasting impact in our community and world. You've brought fresh ideas, encouraged collaboration, pushed us to IMAGINE what we can do through ROTARY, and fostered an inclusive environment that makes everyone feel welcome and valued. 🤝
🌍 Your vision for positive change has ignited a spark within us, motivating us to tackle challenges head-on and create meaningful initiatives that uplift those in need. Together, we have made a significant difference in the lives of countless individuals, all thanks to your leadership. 🙌
💫 On behalf of your Rotary After Hours Club, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your tireless efforts, unmatched organizational skills, and endless support. Your selfless dedication has left a mark on our club and we are proud your name will forever stand as a Past President of Rotary After Hours. 🌟
👏 Thank you for leading us with grace, compassion, and a commitment to service. We appreciate all you've done, President Ashley! It’s been a great Rotary year for After Hours under your leadership! You RAHk!
Join us for our annual RAHk the End of the Year Party!
It is the end of the Rotary year and President Ashley's last meeting! Join us for the meeting at The Main, TONIGHT, Tuesday June 27th from 6-7pm, then walk a little down the way to the party! We will head to Top Shots - located at 137 4th Street. Drinks will be on the house from 7 to 9 pm (shots are on your own) - there will be free pool, darts and music.
Wear your new Rotary gear as we plan to take our yearly group photo with a professional photographer who will be with us!
We still need several people to help us with Riverfest Fencing TOMORROW- Wednesday 6/28/2023! Come join your fellow RAHtarians at Riverside Park for our annual service event. We will begin at 4:00pm until completion. (Usually, it takes around 2 hours depending on how many people we have to help). RAH does receive a large donation for this volunteer work. The more hands, the quicker it goes! So, please come and join in! Sign up here!
Our club leadership does everything they can to keep dues and meeting costs to a minimum. With that said, both the dues we pay to the District 6250 and Rotary International are increasing.
From District Governor Ben Bauer - "This year, some extra time was spent giving thought to our dues structure as we work to get closer to a balanced budget in a time when costs have increased, and District membership has decreased. We found that District Dues haven’t increased for 10 years, and dues have been low compared to our peers (neighboring Districts in the Midwest). Additionally, the budget review team was aware of the increase in Rotary International dues, set to take place incrementally, over the next three Rotary years."
For the 2023-24 Rotary Year, our individual dues will increase by $10.
If paid quarterly: $42.50
If paid semi-annually: $85
If paid in full annually: $160 ($10 discount)
Meeting fees will continue to be $10 pending food costs don't increase and no other unforeseen issues arise.
Look to the next cRAHnicle to outline the details around our club dues and what they go towards.
Testimonials from the heart of our club - our people
Together we gather to network and learn. We roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty volunteering. We laugh (sometimes cry) and celebrate one another.
It's a special group that has made service a part of ourselves.
Please consider asking others to join us. The more RAHtarians we have, the more IMPACT we can make in changing the world.
Watch this 1 minute and 45-second video featuring club members and what Rotary After Hours means to them. The video was created with the help of a District 6250 grant to help recruit new members. Please consider sharing it on Facebook. You have the power to help us reach more potential new members. Thank you in advance!
A group of Cheddarheads traveled across the globe in February and were hosted by Rotary members in India
Last week, the new friends were welcomed into their homes here in Wisconsin. That's a Rotary Friendship Exchange!
Our Indian friends cruised the Mississippi on the La Crosse Queen, traveled up to Grandad's Bluff to see the splendor of the city, fined-dined at the Freight House, toured Mayo Clinic in Rochester, explored downtown La Crosse with the one and only Kelly Krieg-Sigman before feasting on pizza at Big Al's, learned about a few of our local Rotary projects, shopped locally and did so much more!
We welcomed them to our RAH meeting in June, as Jen told us about her experience in India and shared pictures from her time there. "It's been life-changing and one of the best experiences of my life!"
Jason Larsen, St. Clare Health Mission Executive Director came to an After Hours meeting to share the story of the impact the Rotary Mobile Clinic is having within our community. We got to tour the Rotary Mobile Clinic following the meeting. For some members, it was the first time being able to tour the mobile clinic that Rotarians across the Coulee Region and our Rotary partners in Germany & the Netherlands brought to life!
These three aren't just your typical run-of-the-mill people! They are selfless in their giving of their time and talent, they are dedicated to the mission of Rotary, they are so very generous in financially supporting that mission .... they are Paul Harris Fellows (+ many times over and over)!
The Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation. RAH has 21 active members who are PHF's.
Congratulations and thank you to Jeremy (+4), Laura (+6) and Brandon (+3). Pretty incredible!
Building Goodwill and Better Friendships... and our Future Leaders
Mari and Adysse attended Rotary District 6250 - RYLA camp with the help of RAH's David Knutson Youth Scholarship funds. Dave was a member of RAH for many years and unexpectedly passed away in December 2019 of a heart condition. One of his favorite weekends of the year was Rotary District 6250 - RYLA. To honor his legacy our club raised funds to create the scholarship fund and is able to send two students to RYLA every year. This allows RAH to continue to honor Dave, by supporting the youth of our community, while continuing to provide opportunities for students in the future.
Check out this year's video to get a glimpse of the good times and hear what Ady has to say about her RYLA experience - https://youtu.be/6ygNSq2xDg8 (She's featured at minute 3:26!) Ady is the daughter of Past RAH President, Keith Lease.
RYLA happens every year. Consider volunteering next Spring!
Cool story- she is pictured here with her first host family brother John. John did a Rotary Youth Exchange to Japan while he was in high school. Mari credits him for helping her learn and transition when she landed in Wisconsin last August and had very broken English. She has come so far and we are so proud of her!
If you missed Mari's presentation to our club in May, you can watch the recording and hear about her Youth Exchange experience over the past year living in La Crosse.
We are looking for 2-3 host families for our upcoming Youth Exchange year. Please reach out to Lisa Kobsif you (or a friend, family or coworker from the area) are able to accommodate a high school year for approximately 3-4 months. The student arrives mid-August and leaves mid-July.
You DO NOT need to have other children in your home. ALL are welcome to host!
Take me out to the ballgame! Join all your Rotary Friends at the Loggers Game!
Thursday, July 13th 2023 6:30 game time 5:30 for all-you-can-eat food/gates open
We will be on the Interstate Roofing Deck! Please invite friends, family, and other Rotarians. We can have up to 100 people and would be great to have a lot of new and familiar faces joining us!
Adults: $35 per person (food, ticket and (3) beers included) Kids: $15 per person (includes game ticket, all you can eat food! Ages 0-3 are FREE and 4-18 are $15.00.
All you can eat food catered to our spot:
Burgers Brats and hot dogs Toppers pizza (at Howies Deck) Beans and Potato Salad Chips, popcorn, pretzels, nachos (at the Howies Deck) Soda/water
RSVP is required and payment online by July 7th.
Hope to see you there!! If you have some RAH gear- shirts, hats, etc please wear so we can support our club too!
The Avenues of Service Banquet is August 16th, 2023
The greater La Crosse Rotary Clubs along with the Rotary Works Foundation are invited to the 2023 Avenues of Service banquet on Wednesday, August 16th, 2023 at the Cargill Room. Price is $50/person and includes dinner. Options include: steak, chicken parmesan or chef's choice (vegetarian option) and includes The Waterfront's house salad, greens and dessert.
Sign-up coming soon.
Area club projects will be recognized and celebrated, as well as each club's Rotarians of the Year, the area Rotary-club Rising Star and Lifetime Achievement will also be honored.
RAH's first Alpaca Pancake Breakfast is on Saturday, September 2nd!
SAVE THE DATE for the first Alpaca Pancake Breakfast fundraiser on Saturday, September 2nd from 8 am - 11 am at the Copeland Oktoberfest Pavillion! We will need MANY volunteers, and we are counting on YOU!
Tickets will go on sale in July. Tickets will be sold for adults for $10 in advance and $15 at the door and kids for $5 in advance and $7 at the door. Tickets include a pancake breakfast that includes sausage links, fruit, juice, milk, and water.
Attendees will have the opportunity to feed, pet, and take photos with the alpacas! At the end of the event, the alpaca who has won people's choice will be coronated. There will also be kids activities and live music.
Each is unique and special in its own way. We often collaborate and work together to make a greater impact in our community. Consider joining them for a club meeting to meet and network with other area Rotary members.
Meeting times and locations are as follows for these Rotary clubs:
Caledonia- 1st and 2nd Fridays at Elsie’s Bar and Restaurant from 7:30-8:30 am
Holmen Area - Every Wednesday at Holmen Community Center from 7-8:00 am
La Crescent - 1st and 3rd Friday at Corky’s in La Crescent from 7-8:00 am
La Crosse - Every Thursday at The Cargill Room (Waterfront) from 12-1:00 pm
La Crosse East - Every Monday at Schmidty’s from 12-1:00 pm
Valley View - 1st, 2nd and 3rd Wednesdays at The Onalaska YMCA from 7:30-8:30 am
Our Rotary District will be Hosting a New Member Orientation Throughout 2023
On every fifth Wednesday (August 30, November 29) at 7 a.m. or 7 p.m., new Rotarians – and Rotarians who feel new – can join others for an easy-going hour designed to give everyone a great start to a great Rotary experience.
We will offer a warm Rotary welcome, Rotary language acquisition, Rotary highlights, and a Rotary map. This is not a series, it is a single opportunity, offered four days a year, at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. each of the four days. Remember! Fifth Wednesdays, 7 a.m. OR 7 p.m.
Last week, the new friends were welcomed into their homes here in Wisconsin. 
That's a Rotary Friendship Exchange!
Burgers
Brats and hot dogs
Toppers pizza (at Howies Deck)
Beans and Potato Salad
Chips, popcorn, pretzels, nachos (at the Howies Deck)
Soda/water
