November Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in November. “Don't wait until the fourth Thursday in November, to sit with family and friends to give thanks. Make every day a day of Thanksgiving!” — Charmaine J. Forde |
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Fraud and Financial Crimes Robert Schuldes, Senior Vice President Director of Financial Crime for Associated Bank Fraud Division updated the Elmbrook Rotary members on current scams and how to avoid being a target and victim. Watch for red flags “Fraudsters are especially active during times of uncertainty, trying to take advantage of fear, empathy and desire for more information. The types of communications vary, so it is critical you look for any red flags with emails, phone calls, letters, text messages, faxes and social media.” |
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An Inclusive Play Space for All The Partnership between the City of Brookfield, Elmbrook Rotary, and other gracious donors has brough the vison of an all-inclusive playground to Wirth Park. On a beautiful evening, John Kelliher and Mayor Steve Ponto welcomed and recognized the Staff, Playground Committee, City Council members, Friends of the Park and Recreation, local business/individual donors, and the Elmbrook Rotary for their $100,000 donation to the project. A large crowd of playground enthusiast attended the opening… eager to try out the numerous engaging pieces of equipment set in a cushioned base, providing “an extra layer of safety, making it a worry-free environment for active play”. The playground committee was assigned the task of raising $300,000, to date… $301,152.72 has been raised… the goal has been met, thank you for making this a reality!!! |
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October Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in October. "October is a symphony of permanence and change" by Bonaro W. Overstreet |
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Safety. Shelter. Support. On Friday Sept. 20, the Elmbrook Rotary Club morning meeting was hosted by the Woman’s Center in Waukesha. Executive Director Faith Holly Beal and Mike Hogan in charge of Management/Operations, welcomed the group and provided the history, mission, and a tour of the facility. The Women’s Center provides a range of services aimed at supporting and empowering individuals affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence, child abuse, and trafficking regardless of age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, nationality, or immigration status. “Our vision is to create an engaged community that does not tolerate or accept interpersonal violence and provides abundant resources to ensure futures free of violence.” |
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Nine Win... the Luck of the Draw On Friday September 7th, the Elmbrook Rotary Annual Packer Ticket Raffle drawing took place. Nine community members won two tickets to an upcoming home game at Lambeau Field. Congratulation to:
A big thank you to our Raffle Leader and Organizer Karl Schulz, and fellow members, who sold tickets at the Saturday morning Brookfield Farmers Market. And, thank you to all our members who sold and purchased tickets. 100% of the proceeds go to funding the community and international non-profit organizations we support! |
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Depolarize and Come Together Braver Angels (formerly known as Better Angels) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to political depolarization in the United States. Founded in 2016, its mission is to bring Americans together to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen democratic values. They organize workshops, debates, and other events where people with differing political views can engage in meaningful conversations and better understand each other's perspectives. Former Rotarian, Beth Bauer, the new State Coordinator for Braver Angles shared the organization’s mission and vision of how-to bring people together on all sides of the political spectrum. |
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Sounds of Hollywood On a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon at the Hart Park Rotary Stage in Wauwatosa, the Medical College of Wisconsin Orchestra in conjunction with the Wauwatosa Rotary, presented “Sounds of Hollywood”. The concert highlighted the works from well-known composers; Henry Mancini, John Barry, Jerry Goldsmith, Hans Zimmer and John Williams who wrote the scores for Chariots of Fire, Star Wars, Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Trek, 007 and others. They also included a segment of jazz tunes, and a fantastic clarinetist, William Helmers, accompanied by the orchestra. Conductor, Dr. Alexander Mandl provided the audience with an engaging introduction for each selection. This two-hour concert was a tribute to a number of great composers, performed by a talented consortium of musicians from MCW. |
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Partners in Food Every Saturday during the harvest season, the Brookfield Farmers Market highlights local vendors and growers from 7:30 – noon in the Brookfield Central parking lot. Elmbrook Rotary is a partner with the Market and the Salvation Army Food Pantry. Around noon a member fromthe Elmbrook Rotary collects donated produce at the Market’s to be given to the Waukesha County Food Pantry. The generosity of the fresh produce given by Market Vendors is truly appreciated by those who are served by the Pantry.
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Milwaukee Rep Powering Milwaukee... Our Theatre, Our Community, Our Future At a recent meeting, Milwaukee Rep Theatre Executive Director Chad Bauman, reviewed the past, present and future of this great theatre company. Chad recently was named the non-profit executive of the year and is a member of the Milwaukee Rotary Club. His presentation covered the early beginnings, continual growth, and the current remodeling project. |
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Bridge to Brighter Elmbrook Rotary Club member Nick Sgarlata is the Executive Director of Bridge to Brighter. At the Friday morning meeting, Nick shared stories about the mission, vision and history of this great organization. Nick and his wife Carrie are foster adoptive parents. They have fostered 15 children, adopted two, and have three biological kids. Bridge to Brighter is an organization dedicated to supporting youth in and aging out of foster care in Milwaukee County. They provide vital services, resources, and programming to help these young individuals transition successfully into adulthood. Their focus is on building independence and self-sufficiency through life skills training and supportive housing. |
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September Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in September. "September days have the warmth of summer in their briefer hours, but in their lengthening evenings a prophetic breath of autumn." - Rowland E. Robinson |
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Reading: A Way to a Better Life “Reading is the most important skill we have in life.” Brian Floriani shared his life story and journey that brought him to the founding of Bernie’s Book Bank, a non-profit organization that is named after his avid reading father. As he began his career as an elementary school teacher, in a under resourced community outside of Chicago, Brian realized how critical literacy is, and how this transformative time in a child’s life, effects the rest of their life. He embraced the impact of literacy, and in 2009, started Bernie’s Book Bank out of his garage, with $5,000 on his credit card, in hopes to make a difference in the lives of children without books. “The vision is where every child has equal access to books and the opportunities they inspire.” |
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Summer Highway Cleanup Six Elmbrook Rotarians performed the Summer Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup on August 22. In 2022, The Elmbrook Rotary Club adopted a section of State Highway 59, also known as Greenfield Avenue, in the southwest corner of Brookfield. The Adopt-A-Highway initiative is one of the efforts of the Club’s Community Service avenue of service. We are pleased to have this project and to contribute to the health and aesthetics of our community. |
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Nation Building in Afghanistan Another great presentation at the Friday morning ERC Sunrise Meeting. Our speaker, Bethany Rentsch, studied terrorism at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, lectured at the University of Leipzig in Germany, and taught young girls English and social responsibility in Palestine. She was recruited as a US Military advisor for the NATO mission in Afghanistan where she worked as a contractor trainer for 16 months. Bethany shared her story of “Nation Building in Afghanistan: How it Began, Why it Failed, and What Happens Next” |
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Rise and Shine This article highlights several recent Club activities. Community members are welcome to join us at any of our events... check out our website calendar for up-coming Friday morning speakers, club projects and activities.   Get your Packer Raffle Tickets! Tickets can be purchased at the Rotary Table at the Brookfield Farmers Market on Saturdays from 7:30am to noon. Tickets can also be purchased from any Elmbook Rotary Club member, or by contacting Karl Schultz at kschulz2@gmail.com. “For only $10, a single Raffle Ticket gives you 9 chances to win 2 tickets to one of the 9 home games at the famous “Frozen Tundra” and every penny goes to support needs in our community and beyond",.. supporting our 35 plus community and international non-profit organizations. |
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Wirth Park Playground Renovation The City of Brookfield Wirth Park Playground Renovation Project is almost complete and looking great! This project is all about providing “a space for leisure and play for all abilities and ages”. The playground is designed with inclusive features allowing the opportunity to play and socialize together. The Elmbrook Rotary Club is a major sponsor of this project serving the community providing funding and local support. Recently, John Kelliher, Director of Parks, Recreation and Forestry for the City of Brookfield, pointed out the signs recognizing the Club’s contributions to this worthy community project. He also mentioned the plan for an additional Elmbrook Rotary recognition sign along the walk leading from the parking lot to the playground. Stay tuned for the Grand Opening. |
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Meals from the Heart: Nourishing Families in Need What Is “Meals from the Heart”? “Meals from the Heart” is a beautiful program that embodies compassion, community, and sustenance. At RMHC, it’s not just about providing shelter; it’s about creating a home-away-from-home for families facing challenging times. When a child is receiving medical treatment far from their own home, the burden can be overwhelming. That’s where “Meals from the Heart” steps in. How Does It Work? |
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ShelterBox: A Beacon of Hope in Times of Crisis ShelterBox is a remarkable organization founded with a simple yet powerful vision: to provide emergency shelter and essential supplies to people affected by disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide. Since its inception in 2000, ShelterBox has been a beacon of hope for those who find themselves displaced, vulnerable, and in urgent need of assistance. Fellow Kenosha Club Rotarian Fran Wargolet shared her passion, commitment, and history with the ShelterBox organization. She thanked the Elmbrook Rotary Club for their past support and funding for this great cause. Recently, Fran and her daughter participated in a fundraising 30-mile hike around Yosemite National Park for ShelterBox. To date they have raised $16,000… congratulations and thank you! The history and impact of ShelterBox: |
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Democracy and Governance The World Affairs Seminar, “Peace Through Understanding” is a “unique interactive educational program for high school students sponsored by Rotary International District 6270. It is a weeklong experience providing an opportunity for international students to discuss issues in a non-threatening environment.” The Seminar was started in 1977 with over 30,000 future world leaders participating in this great program. For many years, Elmbrook Rotary has sponsored two delegates from Brookfield East High School. At a recent meeting, Doug Jacobson introduced Brinnly Ward and Ava Hicks, the clubs two representatives to the 2024 World Affairs Seminar that recently took place at Carroll University. The theme this year was “Democracy and Governance: Evolving Global Perspectives”. Brinnly and Ava thanked the club for their sponsorship, gave a synopsis of the Diplomacy Simulation exercise, including highlights of their experience of collaboration and international friendship building. |
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July Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in July. “The summer looks out from her brazen tower, through the flashing bars of July.” - Francis Thompson |
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ERC Assists at Bikes for Stripes Summer Resource Fair The Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative (MHVI) has been providing services to veterans since 2008. In the past three years, the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation has provided mini-grants to the MHVI's "Bikes for Stripes" program. On Flag Day, June 14, 2024, seven club members and family members from the Elmbrook Rotary Club donated 24 hours of service to the "Bikes for Stripes Summer Resource Fair" at the West Allis Farmers Market. A total of 82 bicycles were received by veterans who waited in a long line to register and to receive a bicycle.   In addition to MHVI staff, some 14 partner organizations were also present, providing free gifts and services to the veterans.   ERC participants helped by readying the bicycles, serving food and drinks, and distributing many other free gifts.  Thanks to the following for their participation and hard work: John Allen, Christoph & Larry Myers, Jack Nelson, Bill Selzer, and Evonne & Mark Zalewski. They demonstrated "Service Above Self" in order to "Create Hope in the World."
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2024 Wellpoint Community Garden On June 4th, Wellpoint Care network launched their 2024 vegetable and flower Community Garden season. Children from St. Margaret Mary School were in attendance along with representatives Jack Nelson and Bill Selzer from the Elmbrook Rotary Club, and Wellpoint Staff were in attendance. The group was welcomed by Alex Williams and the Wellpoint Garden Team. The Team recently completed 9 raised planting beds, three of them set for kids and six taller beds that are accessible for walkers and wheelchairs. Thank you, Bed Builders; Jack Nelson, Tom Curl, Thomas Steinbach, Kerri Richlen, Mark Thurner, and Bill Selzer were thanked for their hard work and craftsmanship. Blessing Clark from Wellpoint was also a member of the construction crew. The activities included:
The Community Garden Team looks forward to the completion of the MMSD project, and development of in ground garden plots, and a Peace Garden giving staff and residents a tranquil place to enjoy. To view the Wellpoint Garden event article thanking the Elmbrook Rotary, click on this link: https://wellpointcare.org/media-and-events/blog-stories/volunteers-the-catalyst-behind-wellpoint-care-networks-mobile-garden-beds |
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Memorial Day... Honoring Those Who Gave Their Lives On Monday, May 27th, our country remembered and mourned those who have lost their lives fighting for our freedom, and celebrated, for all those who have served and are serving in our armed forces today. The Elmbrook Rotary members, families, and friends recognized this day at a gathering at John and Jeanne Allen’s home to watch the Elm Grove Memorial Day Parade. After the parade, a potluck lunch was shared. Thank you to Jeanne and John for hosting, and all those who attended and brought great food to share.
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BloomMKE Garden BuildingBloomMKE and Elmbrook Rotary Club built a garden at the VA hospital.
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May Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in May. “May is the month of expectation, the month of wishes, the month of hope.” - — Emily Brontë |
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New Member... Kurt Schley On April 19th, President Chris Spresser inducted Kurt Schley into the fellowship of the Elmbrook Rotary club and Rotary International, serving throughout the world. Kurt, President of Elmbrook Hospital, was proposed by Steve Ponto for membership, who presented Kurt with the Rotary lapel pin. “With the motto Service Above Self, the object of the club and all Rotary clubs is to encourage and foster this ideal as a basis of worthy enterprise.” Welcome Kurt to the Embrook Rotary club! |
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Welcome... New Member Induction On Friday April 5th, David Weinberg was inducted into the Elmbrook Rotary Club and Rotary International. President Chris Spresser requested Lucas Severson to present the Rotary pin, representing the ideals of Rotary to David. “Service Above Self, the Object of this club, and all Rotary Clubs, is to encourage and foster this ideal as a basis for worthy enterprise.” Welcome David, to the Elmbrook Rotary Club! |
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"Every Student, All the Time, Every Time" Dr. Mark Hansen, Elmbrook School Superintendent, presented his annual update to the club on the Elmbrook School District’s recent accomplishments and programs. Dr. Hansen has served the district since 2012 and has seen the system flourish and grow both academically and socially. Recently, he received the State Superintendent of the Year Award for 2024… Congratulations Dr. Hansen! The School District of Elmbrook’s “Mission is to educate and inspire every student to think, to learn, and to succeed… with the Vision and Core Values to inspire the work of our students, staff and community as we prepare all students for success”. “We have amazing results across the system.” |
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2023 Common Hope Graduation Ceremony Bill and Fe Pettersen along with Marie Owens and Todd Hill reported on the 2023 Graduation, of Elmbrook Rotary sponsored students. Bill and Fe have followed the educational journey of their student, Evelyn Roxana, from 7th grade to high school graduation. She graduated with special training to become a chef and is interning in a restaurant while working in a factory. Over the years, Elmbrook Rotary has been involved in Guatemala by sponsoring students, building homes and providing other health and education related services on their annual pilgrimage with Common Hope. |
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"Developing a Space for Leisure and Play for All Abilities and Ages" John Kelliher, Director of Parks, Recreation and Forestry for the City of Brookfield gave a presentation on the Wirth Park Playground Renovation Project, planned for construction this spring. Over the years the Park and Recreation Programs have grown, providing “Children and families spending time together… that is what relationship building is all about”. The City of Brookfield is excited to announce the Wirth Park Playground Renovation Project. The playground will be designed with inclusive features allowing all ages and abilities the opportunity to play and socialize together. |
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April Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in April. "On April Fools Day, believe nothing, trust no one, just like any other day." – Unknown |
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April Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in April. "Spring will come and so will happiness. Hold on. Life will get warmer." – Anita Krizzan |
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Congratulations on Completing the Red Badge Program On Friday, John Schindler was recognized for completing the Red Badge Program. The program is part of the orientation process for becoming a member of the Elmbrook Rotary Club. |
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Project ADAM (Automatic Defibrillators in Adam's Memory) Jodi Wenzel, Project Coordinator for the ADAM Project has practiced as a pediatric nurse at Childrens Wisconsin Hospital for 15 years. At the Friday meeting she shared her passion, knowledge of Sudden Cardiac Arrest, and the evolution of the ADAM Project. In 1999, a 17-year-old athlete, Adam Lemel, collapsed by sudden cardiac arrest while playing basketball. CPR was started and 911 called. At that time there were no AEDs available at the school, or a practice plan in place. EMS personnel arrived and were unable to revive Adam… he passed away on the court. As a result of the tragic loss of their son, Joe and Patty Lemel worked with Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin to develop Project ADAM (Automatic Defibrillators in Adam’s Memory). Lumel’s continuing to advocate for Project ADAM, keeping Adam’s memory alive and his legacy has prevented over 200 sudden cardiac deaths. |
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7 Solar Eclipses Around the World - Erik Moeser Rotarian Erik Moeser has traveled to Hawaii, Chili, Aruba, Zambia, Libya, Australia, and Tennessee to experience the totality of a solar eclipse. He shared his knowledge and passion for the heavens with the club at the Friday Sunrise Meeting. It all started in the late 50’s when his dad woke him up at 4am and went to the flood control dam to witness the passing of the Soviet Union Satellite… Sputnik. On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse can be viewed across the northern hemisphere from Mazatlán, Mexico to Burlington, Vermont. Along this path, eclipse seekers will be able to enjoy a 4minute and 27 second show of solar eclipse totality. Up to the point of totality, the viewer must wear approved eye protection, and during the brief blackout, the protection should be removed to observe the umbra where the moon has completely blocked out the sun. |
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March Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in March. “It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” ― Charles Dicken |
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"A Place Where Always Something is Happening"
On Friday February 23rd, the weekly Sunrise Meeting was hosted by our 30-year community partner, the Wellpoint Care Network. Rotarian Jack Nelson, a Wellpoint Board Member, introduced President and CEO Ann Leinfelder Grove, who has been with the organization for the past 34 years. Ann welcomed the club members and thanked the group for their support and volunteerism through the years. “We believe in the healing power of relationships and connections… it is what we are about.” The three-core services Wellpoint provides are:
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Three Members have Completed the Red Badge Program
On Friday, Dave Urban, Sandy Wysocki and Kerri Richlen were recognized for completing the Red Badge Program. As part of the program, a mentor is assigned to provide a new member with support and guidance. |
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"It Is Up To Me, If It Is To Be" - 95th Street School Creed
 At the February 16th Sunrise Meeting, Sarah Pinto, Principal of the 95th Street (MPS) School shared the love of her school and thanked the ten Rotary Tutors for their dedication to her students. Sarah has served in various positions within the MPS system since 2003. Prior to becoming the Principal at the 95Th St. School, she was the Vice Principal at the Starms Discovery Learning Center for 4 years. She has served as Principal for the past seven years with the philosophy that “all students can learn at high levels when given a positive learning environment, strong and knowledgeable leadership, an encouraging school community, and support of the family”. Principal Pinto thanked the Club for their generous donations of school and recess supplies for the kids. She also recognized the efforts and commitment of the 10 ERC Tutors. “Students working with our tutors are making academic gains in the areas of reading and math and making a positive impact on our school community.” |
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February Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in February. "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind. And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind." — William Shakespeare |
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2025 Rotary Peace Fellowships
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Brookfield East Interact Club Visit
On February 9, 2024, 3 officers of Brookfield East's Rotary Interact Club visited the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC). Interact clubs bring together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of "Service Above Self.” The Brookfield East club organizes at least two projects every year, one that helps their school or community and one that promotes international understanding. Rotary clubs sponsor, mentor, and guide Interactors as they carry out projects and develop leadership skills. The ERC's mentor is Rotarian Jack Hill. The club has grown from 10 members last year to 60 plus this year. Participating in the Club Fair and modifying the meeting times helped grow interest in joining the club. |
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"I LOVE tutoring at the 95th St. School" - Jackie Thurner
This article will highlight the history, stories, and impact of the tutoring program. Thank you, Jan Constable, and ERC Tutors past and present, for providing the history and sharing your recent experiences at the 95th Street School. Program History: In 2008 Tony Consiglio was serving as President of the Elmbrook Rotary Club. As a new community service project, he asked club Rotarians to determine if there was a way to get club members involved in a literacy project. A small group was formed to act on his request. After several meetings the group decided to investigate three activities. The three activities were tutoring inmates at the Waukesha Huber Jail, tutoring at an elementary school, or starting our own after school student tutoring program. The group met with representatives of the Huber Jail and the Executive Director of the Capitol West Academy a Private Charter School located in Milwaukee. After additional discussion we decided on the Private Charter School. Meeting with the Executive Director of the school, we asked first that we be assigned to teachers that wanted tutors, second, that when tutoring in reading we also include comprehension and vocabulary. And third, that we tutor the students that are in the lowest 10% of the class. ERC members and spouses tutored at the Capitol West Academy for 12 years. Each year 15 to 20 ERC tutors supported the school. In addition, each year the ERC held a school supplies drive for the school. During the 12 years, three ERC members served on the school’s Board of Directors. |
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"To Curb the Evils of the Opioid Epidemic"
Kevin Roche introduced two past work colleagues and friends for over forty years, George Moore, and Dick Niles, who are on a mission to reduce the adolescence death rate due to opioid overdosing. In recent years the addition of fentanyl laced opioids has created an Opioid Crisis. In Wisconsin over 100 adolescents have died of overdoses in the last 10 years, and a total of 1400 Wisconsinites between 2012 and 2022. Goerge and Dick are founders of the Addiction Resource Council after the tragic loss of Geroge’s son, George IV. due to an accidental opioid overdose. “Our son George Moore was 28 when he died from an accidental overdose in 2016. He died 3 days after leaving the inpatient facility. We were so proud of him and his enthusiasm and willingness to seek and continue treatment… to make positive life changes and start his road to recovery. Our world was shattered 3 days later.” |
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Service Project at the Women's Center
This past week 6 Rotarians prepped and paint two rooms as part of a refresh project at the Women’s Center in Waukesha. Thank you, Mike Hogan and Mark Zalewski for Tuesday’s prep, and Jan Constable, Mark Thurner, Paul Langer, Bill Selzer, Tom Curl and Jackson Bubolz for their cutting and rolling on Thursday. |
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Three Classification Talks
What is a new Rotary member Classification talk? The talk is usually given to the membership within the first six months after joining. It is an opportunity for our new members to share their life experiences and give the club a snapshot of who they are, what has been their vocation path and what drew them to the fellowship of Rotary. Recently, Janie Jacobson, David Urban and John Scott shared their life journeys during their talks. Welcome to the club, we look forward to you being involved in our mission, “providing service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders”. Thank you for sharing, your talks were great! |
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Paul Harris Awards
Three members of the Elmbrook Rotary receive recognition from President Elect Thomas Steinbach for their financial contributions to Rotary. Kevin Roach, Linda Edelstein and Jim Dunn were recognized and thanked for their continued support of the Rotary mission. Kevin provided four gifts in honor of his children and spouses, while Linda and Jim received their Plus 7 awards. Congratulations, and thank you for your dedicated service and generosity. |
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"The Future of Elm Grove is Bright"
Rotarian John Schindler introduced Elm Grove Village President Jim Koleski, at the Sun Rise morning meeting. Jim has served as an Elm Grove resident volunteer on the Building Board since 2017, as a Trustee since 2022 and was elected President in 2023 after the retirement of former President Neal Palmer. Jim recognized Neal’s many dedicated years of service to the Village. He also recognized the previous Board and new Village Staff members. “I would like to thank all the volunteers that support the Village serving on committees, supporting fund raising and investing their time and talents.”  He provided a quick review of past Village projects and focused on several ongoing and new ones.
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Another Great Addition to Our Club
A group of Elmbrook Rotarians braved this past Friday’s snowstorm to meet and greet our newest inductee while others joined the gathering on zoom. Lucas Severson and Mark Thurner sponsored Michael Asuncion for membership in the into the Elmbrook Rotary Club and Rotary international. After his induction by President Spresser, Mark Thurner presented Michael with the Rotary Emblem pin. As part of the Red Badge program, a mentor is assigned to the new members to assist and guide them through their first year of Rotary. Tony Consiglio will be Michael’s mentor and guide. Thank you, Tony, and welcome Michael. |
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Helping Underserved Children Get Ahead One Book at A Time
Linda Irwin, Secretary of Book Ahead, shared with Elmbrook Rotary the mission and vision of this non-profit organization. The goal is to provide underserved children ages 0-5, in Waukesha and Milwaukee counties, with a book every month of the year, increasing early literacy and positive parent/child interactions. Reaching 3,500 kids with 10,500 books equates to “3 books in the hands of our littlest readers”. Book Ahead has become Community partners with:
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Recipient of the First Responder Scholarship... Maya Pagel
In 2020, Rotarian Jack Nelson spearheaded, along with fellow Dan Roads, the creation of the Elmbrook Rotary First Responder Scholarship in recognition of retired Elm Grove Fire Chief William Selzer’s years of service. This scholarship provides a full-time student with $1000 towards tuition in Protective Services studies at a college level. The recipient is eligible for an additional $1000 for their second year of coursework. At a recent meeting, Maya Pagel was awarded the scholarship by Jack Nelson and Bill Selzer. Congratulations Maya, and the best to you in your quest in becoming a fire service professional. |
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The Elmbrook Rotary Holiday Party!
On Friday, December 22nd the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) partook in their annual holiday party, which is looked forward too all year round. As one can deduce from the pictures, this is a festive event that brings holiday dress, food, and several religious celebrations together to honor both American tradition and family traditions. Here is a link to a video: https://youtu.be/le7t2G-U26A and read more to see more festive pictures from the event!
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January Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in January. "We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws, but for potential." — Ellen Goodman |
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Welcome Jean Guzzetta... Our Newest Member
Recently Jean Guzzetta was inducted into Rotary International and the Elmbrook Rotary Club by President Chris Spresser and, received her Rotary pin from Rotarian Erik Moeser. Jean’s late husband Larry Winkelhake, who passed away this last October, was an Elmbrook member since 2017. Jean continues her affiliation with the Potawatomi Area Scouting Council where she and Larry served for many years in various capacities within the Scouting family. Jean, we look forward to having you being part of our organization, providing “Service Above Self”. |
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Playbook for strategic planning of Elmbrook Summer Fest
The fundraiser that happens the first week of June is Elmbrook Rotary Club's biggest event of the year. As we pivot toward a future attracting businesses, families, and kids to our event, we need to be well prepared. The event is less than 6 months away. Please click: Read More for details on how you can help make the event great!
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Virtual Reality for Training, Learning and Beyond
Thomas Kauer, a Harvard Masters graduate in technology, innovation and education presented a program covering the benefits of using VR for training. He currently is a Digital Project Manager for Edward Jones.  The Virtual Reality (VR) industry is rapidly moving forward and expanding offerings in the markets of gaming, entertainment, training/learning, meeting collaboration, and design by seamlessly blending digital content with your physical space. VR changes the way you upskill/onboard/build capabilities with augmented reality. In the education and business world, students and employees learn through augmented reality learning and training. They:
Employee experiences are improved through virtual reality training which increases engagement and drives efficiency, safety, and knowledge transfers, allowing the creation of rich content experiences regardless of the technical level of employee. |
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Global Grant Scholarship Application Deadline
International Rotary District 6270 is offering a Global Grant Scholarship for matriculation in the 2024-2025 academic year in the amount of USD $30,000. The scholarship is for overseas graduate study and must be closely related to one of Rotary’s Seven Areas of Focus. Application deadline is January 15, 2024. For detailed information, eligibility requirements, and the application form, please visit: https://rotary6270.org/page/scholarship-global-grant-application  |
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RPF Fellow Nicole McNevin Update
Wisconsin native Nicole McNevin, an RI District 6270 endorsed Rotary Peace Fellow (RPF) at Tokyo's International Christian University, embodies dedication to peace and education. Her fully-funded Master's journey, supported by The Rotary Foundation (TRF), stems from four years of teaching English in rural Japan. Fluent in Japanese, she explores barriers hindering rural youth from studying abroad. Neenah Rotarian Betsy Rozelle's encouragement led her to the Rotary Peace Fellowship, in which Nicole pioneers research to broaden study-abroad access for underserved Japanese youth. Nicole's impactful speaking engagements across Japan, coupled with her plans to continue promoting educational exchange, showcase Rotary's transformative opportunities. View the recent interview/update with Nicole below or click here. The 2025-2026 application cycle of Rotary Peace Fellowships begins in January. View the details of the RPF programs, and access the application process, at the following URL: https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/peace-fellowships |
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Tony Consiglio... TCD Award Recipient
 At the Friday Morning Sunrise Meeting, Rob Bassett, the RI District 6270 Gifting/Giving Subcommittee Chair and member of the Mitchell Field Rotary Club, recognized Tony Consiglio as a "Triple Crown" Rotary Foundation Donor. Tony has been a member of Rotary since 1997 and with the Elmbrook Rotary club since November of 2001. He has supported his local clubs and Rotary International through his generous donations, embodying the Rotary motto of Service Above Self, and participating in numerous service projects and events over the 26 past years.
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Building a Better World... Engineers Without Borders
 Three Marquette engineering students, leaders of the Engineers Without Boarders chapter, presented a program highlighting recent projects in South America. The EWB chapter was founded in 2005 and is mentored by Dr. Mark Federle who has been with the program since 2008. Since its inception, 10 student-led projects to serve communities in Guatemala have been completed. “Marquette University's Engineers Without Borders is building a better world through engineering projects to help communities meet their basic human needs. Throughout the academic year, student members become leaders to design sustainable infrastructure projects that are later implemented alongside the community to solve the world's most pressing challenges.” |
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Elmbrook Rotary Make You Wanna say "Hay... Ho - Ho - Ho"
The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) has sponsored the German Holiday Market for many years, but 2023 was the first year with pleasant weather! Dr. Thomas Steinbach, Kemal Yilmaz, & Chris Salani led the first shift of the Rotary's contribution, organizing the hayride, helping community members on and off, and directing traffic.   Tony Consiglio, Jackson Bubolz, and Chris Salani again took over for the evening shift. If you haven't been to the event, or it's been a few years, please put the first weekend of December on your calendar. The City does a tree lighting, has a warm tent with vendors, coffee, and popcorn, and there was even live Christmas music. Another event that Brookfield and our sister city Seligenstadt, Germany can both be proud of!
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With These Gifts… Paul Harris Rotary Foundation
Recently, members of the Elmbrook Rotary Club were presented certificates in recognition of their financial contributions to Rotary International. “With these gifts Rotary can carry out an array of programs that achieve beneficial changes in our world.”  These programs improve living conditions, increase food production, and provide better education opportunities. With wider availability of treatment and rehabilitation for the sick and disabled new channels for the flow of international understanding and brighter hope for peace can be attained.  Harry Farchman received his 5th Paul Harris Award, while Dan Roads presented his wife Mary with her certificate. |
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Induction of a New Member
Debbie Tietjen is not new to Rotary. She has served as a Rotarian in various clubs over the past 30 years. Through the years she has travelled around the world involved in the Water for the World project, working with countries to improve sanitation globally. “Service above Self, the object of this club, and all Rotary clubs, is to encourage and foster this ideal as a basis of worthy enterprise.” The Elmbrook Rotary Club welcomes Debbie to the fellowship of Rotary International throughout the world, and to our club. |
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December Birthdays & Anniversaries.jpg)
"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is time for home." — Edith Sitwell |
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Ukrainian Refugees Recognized by ERC Rotarian
On Tuesday evening, November 21, 2023, the Rotary Club of Nanaimo North (Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, in RI District 5020) assisted ERC Rotarian Larry Myers in recognizing two Ukrainian refugees with Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) awards. Assistant Governor Ken Hammer of RI District 5020 made the presentations with the assistance of Nanaimo North President Bill Grace.  Nadiya Tykhovod and Dr. Liudmyla Tykhovod are presented with Paul Harris Fellow awards by RI District 5020 Assistant Governor Ken Hammer. The new PHF recipients are Dr. Liudmyla Tykhovod and her daughter, Nadiya Tykhovod. Nadiya served as Myers' Russian-language translator and classroom assistant at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in Odesa, Ukraine, in 2018. Dr. Tykhovod spent a lifetime of service in the medical profession. The family lost everything when the Russian military occupied their home city of Berdyansk on the Sea of Azov. The family eventually found their way out of Ukraine, through Lithuania, to Vancouver Island in Canada under auspices of the CUAET (Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel). Read the story of this family and their community service in the PHF citations (by clicking here).  The entire Ukrainian family celebrated the event. L to R: Dr. Liudmyla Tykhovod, Nadiya Tykhovod, daughter/sister Anya Dmytriienko, and her sons Vladyslav & Ivan Rotarian Myers provided these two RPF award recognitions through use of his "Foundation Recognition Points." Foundation Recognition Points (sometimes just referred to as Points) are awarded to donors who contribute to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) through the Annual Fund/SHARE or PolioPlus or a Rotary Foundation grant. Donors receive one recognition point for every U.S. dollar contributed to these funds. Points can be transferred to other individuals to help them qualify as a Paul Harris Fellow (PHF) or multiple Paul Harris Fellow. To understand the nature, purpose, use, and transfer of Foundation Recognition Points, read the attached document.
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Named the Number One Suburb in Wisconsin…The City of Brookfield
“Located in the heart of Southeastern Wisconsin, the City of Brookfield is a community of choice for families and businesses and a premier sustainable place to live, work, shop and play.” Elmbrook Rotarian Steve Ponto, Mayor of the City of Brookfield gave the members an update on developments, projects, and city news at the Sunrise Meeting. In 1990, as a practicing corporate attorney, Steve moved to Brookfield with his family. From 1998-2010 he served as an Alderman and then President of the City Council. In 2010 he became Mayor and has since served three consecutive terms. What makes the City of Brookfield the great community that it is?
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Elmbrook Rotary 2023 Businesspersons of the Year Dan and Christine Roehling
Dan and Christine have co-founded two non-profit organizations. The first, The Beat Goes On Foundation, is focused on children’s heart health (supporting heart transplants). They are also the architects of a successful, rapidly growing full-service design/build construction company, R-Five Construction in Brookfield. They are outstanding in their support and commitment to this community. Through their non-profit, they have raised well over $100,000 for... |
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Recipients of the Paul Harris Award: Joann Gould and Walt Smanski
The Paul Harris award recognizes individuals who contribute or who have contributions made in their name to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.   Joann and Walt were presented Paul Harris Award certificates for contributions made by Ralph Gould and Wally Smanski. Thank you, Ralph and Wally! |
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New Member Shares His Life and Work Experiences
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End Polio Now – Triathlon
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November Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in November. "The thinnest yellow light of November is more warming and exhilarating than any wine they tell of. The mite which November contributes becomes equal in value to the bounty of July." - Henry David Thoreau. Happy Birthday! Wishing a wonderful year of good health, happiness, and success to our members:
ERC also recognizes the following membership anniversaries:
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Raffle Winners Enjoy Lambeau Field Experience
On October 29, Elmbrook Rotarian Larry Myers and son Christoph enjoyed the results of winning a set of tickets in the annual Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) Green Bay Packers Raffle. Their comments say it all: "The pre-game and half-time performances by the University of Wisconsin Marching Band were phenomenal. Likewise inspiring was the National Anthem flyover by F-35 fighter jets assigned to the 62d Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ." Noticably absent from their comments is anything about the playing performance of the Packers in the 24-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. They did note that, once the stadium was filled to capacity, there were as many if not more purple, white, and gold in the seats than there were Green and Gold. Perhaps other raffle ticket winners will bring home a win. Most importantly, the proceeds from the annual raffle will be used to assist community-based charities in meeting their mission goals and objectives. Thanks to all who participated by purchasing and selling tickets! |
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2023 Book Drive a BIG success
This year's Elmbrook Rotary Club's (ERC) magazine and book drive was a huge success. Club members collected 88 magazines and 531 books. The magazines were donated to the Brookfield Library's free magazine rack. The books were donated to Literacy Services of Wisconsin (LSW), which is an adult literacy center located in Milwaukee. Their students will have the opportunity to select reading, recipe and decorating books to read, share with friends and family, and to start their own home libraries. The picture shows part of the donated books along with staff from LSW and ERC's Ian Smith. First Row - Madison Olig, LSW's Manager of Development & Volunteer Engagement - Holly McCoy, LSW's Executive Director. Second Row - Aaron Goyette, LSW's Associate Director - Chad Knezel, LSW's Director of Development and Volunteer Engagement - Dustin Slane, LSW's Director of Marketing and IT - Ian Smith, ERC's Community Service Committee Chairman. |
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Rotary “Geared to Eradicate Addiction”
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Wellpoint Care Network Community Gardens … an Invitation to the Community
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Welcome…. John Scott to the Elmbrook Rotary… Service above Self
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Rotarians…. Thank you for Adopting Me!
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An Exchange Between Municipalities and Schools
In 2006, a team of organizers and supporters visited Seligenstadt Germany, City of Brookfield’s Sister City with the goal of establishing a student exchange program. City of Brookfield Mayor Kate Bloomberg (Elmbrook Rotary member), and Elmbrook Schools Superintendent Matt Gibson led the campaign along with other supporters. Agreement in hand, a partnership was created that has given students... |
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October Social This Tuesday: Camino West Allis
Thank you for joining us on October 17th for our social at Camino in West Allis! 5p - 7p A fantastic time was had by all. Another Social event will be shared for November. Please bring friends, family, and those interested in Rotary.
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“I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag …”
Cub Scout Pack 55 presented the colors to begin the Elmbrook Rotary Sunrise Meeting this past Friday, followed by a presentation by Paul Schwartz. Paul is the Executive Director of the Potawatomi Area Scout USA Council; he shared the history and current challenges of scouting today. For the past 113 years, the twelve principals of the Scout Law; a Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent have been the foundation of the program.  The Potawatomi Area Council is... |
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Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No! … It’s Erik’s Drone!
Erik Moeser has enjoyed the world of photography since he was a young boy, when his parents gave him a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera. At the morning Sunrise Meeting, he shared his love of photography and adventures with drone videography of the City of Milwaukee and the lake front. The views from the sky over Milwaukee were stunning and gave the members a different perspective of Milwaukee. Erik, thank you for presenting and for your... |
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Welcome New Member Janie Jacobson
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October Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in October. "My beloved October has returned—with its brilliant colors, cool temperatures and sunny, cloudless, azure skies, and I must enjoy it before it escapes for another year." — Peggy Toney Horton, Somewhere in Heaven My Mother Is Smiling |
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PolioPlus and Leadership Update
Rob Bassett, the District 6270 PolioPlus Committee Chair, delivered an update to the Elmbrook Rotary Club in September. Rob thanked the members for being one of the district leaders, on a per capita basis, for contributions to PolioPlus and the Rotary Foundation. World Polio Day will be recognized on October 24th. |
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WellPoint Back To School Bash Sets Records!
WellPoint reports that their Second Annual Back-to-School Bash was a record-breaking success, with more than 2,000 children and families attending and more than 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies distributed!
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The Elm Grove Green Team and Sustainability
Nicci Sternitsky and Deb Baesemann are members of the Elm Grove Sustainability Committee and Green Team. They shared their mission of preserving resources for future generations with the Elmbrook Rotary. In their presentation, they shared their vision and traction in assisting residents, businesses, and government in embracing best practices for sustainable living, business growth, and development. How can the village residents and businesses reduce the 1,700 tons of trash/garbage collected each year through recycling and other sustainable means? To understand the... |
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2024/ 2025 Global Grant Scholarships Available
Rotary International District 6270 is pleased to announce the availability of a Global Grant Scholarship for matriculation in the fall of 2024 or spring of 2025. The amount of the scholarship is USD $30,000 and must be used for graduate school studies outside the United States. NOTE: Applicant cannot be a Rotarian or be related to a Rotarian but can be a member of Rotaract. To be eligible, applicant must be a resident in the geographical area of District 6270, or be a student at a college/university in the geographical area of District 6270, or have strong ties to Southeast Wisconsin (see District 6270 map). Experience (professional or volunteer) in the field of study is required. All fellowship/scholarship/stipend funding opportunities must relate to one of Rotary’s Seven Areas of Focus.  Deadlines are as follow: September 1, 2023 – Application form available (online) January 15, 2024 – Complete Application Deadline (submit via email only) February 10, 2024 - In-Person or Zoom Interviews scheduled. An in-person interview is preferred. February 19, 2024 – Successful Scholar Notified (for matriculation in 2024-2025 academic year.) Click Here to access the “Scholarships” page on the RI D-6270 website for detailed information, the application form, and other supporting documents. Address any inquiries to Larry Myers, Chair of the D-6270 Scholarships Subcommittee (Email:scholarshipchair@rotary6270.org OR Larry Myers). |
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Mini-Grant Final Reports Due
It's that time of the year when a "Final Report" is due for each Mini-Grant awarded in 2022-2023. In fact, a new Mini-Grant cannot be awarded to an organization unless a Final Report has been received. One of the first Final Reports already received came from the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative (MHVI). Its "Bikes for Stripes" program was awarded a $3,000 Mini-Grant in 2022-2023 from the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation. Debbie Buchanan, MHVI's leader and executive director, included the following in her Final Report: "Thus far in 2023, 101 bikes have been distributed. The program truly makes a difference. For example, we had a veteran scheduled for a job interview and reached out to us for transportation assistance. His dilemma was that the job was located on a bus route, but the route ends 1 ½ miles before reaching his destination. We were able to provide him with a reliable bicycle that he could take on the bus and then ride the rest of the way. The veteran reported to staff that he was hired and is working full-time. It will take him several months to save enough money to purchase a vehicle, but how grateful he was for the Bikes for Stripes Program – not only was he able to get to the interview, he got the job!"   A fillable PDF for the Mini-Grant "Final Report" can be accessed by clicking here.
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Thank You, Harry Farchmin and Club Members
The Elmbrook Rotary Club recently received the Rotary 2022 -2023 Citation for "Helping Imagine Rotary in the Lives of People All Over the World”. Chris Spresser shared that “this is the most significant award a club can receive”. The club “demonstrated a commitment to achieve its goals, with power and impact”. Thank you, Harry, for your leadership this past year.
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More Paul Harris Pins Awarded
Chris Spresser presented Greg with his Paul Harris Fellow Award pin. The 2 blue sapphire stone pin signifies that Greg has reached the +2 level of seven for contributions to the Rotary Foundation. Congratulations Greg!
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Welcome Raghav
Raghav Patel is this year’s Elmbrook Rotary Youth Exchange Student. He recently traveled from India and was met at the airport by several club members. Raghav gave the club a brief synopsis of his travels from India, meeting his great host family Karen and John Selkey, and his first adventure……a trip to Green Bay for a Packer preseason game. He will give the club weekly updates on his experiences at Brookfield Central and his life journeys this school year. If anyone has an outing, event, or experience they feel would add value to Raghav's time in Wisconsin, please reach out so the Elmbrook Rotary Club can help organize.
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Waukesha County Airport Flyover of ERC
Kurt Stanich, Airport Manager of the Waukesha County Airport, provided the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) an excellent presentation. It began with the history of aviation dating back before the Wright Brothers December 17, 1903, flight at Kitty Hawk, as well as highlighting the development of aviation through the years, including the beginning and growth of the Waukesha County Airport/Crites Field located at 2525 Aviation Drive, Waukesha, Wisconsin. Did you know, the first flight in Wisconsin took place in Beloit on November 9th, 1909.
“Since its humble beginnings in 1935, the Waukesha County Airport/Crites Field has evolved into a state-of-the-art facility meeting the unique aviation needs of both enthusiasts and area businesses, while greatly contributing to the local economy.”... |
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September Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in September. "By all these lovely tokens, September days are here. With summer's best of weather and autumn's best of cheer." -Helen Hunt Jackson |
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Improving Health and Wellbeing of College Students
Bruce Korus has spent his career in numerous healthcare related positions, including hospital administration and physician group management. He joined the Elmbrook Rotary meeting to share his insight on the mental health crisis in colleges today and offer suggestions on how to “help your kids survive and thrive through their college years”.Today, anxiety is the most common challenge for students, with almost 1/3 of college students feeling so depressed that they... |
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Rotary Youth Exchange Builds Peace One Young Person at a Time
At the Friday breakfast meeting, Rotarian Ralph Gould introduced his grandson Alex Seaborg, a Rotary exchange student who spent 11 months in Hat Yai Thailand experiencing the culture, volunteering his time, and traveling. After graduating from Middleton High School, Alex applied through Rotary District 6250 to participate in the student exchange program. His parents were part of similar exchange programs; Dad went to Japan and Mom to London. Their experiences inspired Alex to follow in their footsteps.The Rotary International student exchange program has sent young people around the globe to experience new cultures. Currently, about 9,000 students are... |
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Nominations Sought for the 2023 Business Person of the Year Award
Brookfield, WI – The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) is seeking nominations for its 7th annual Business Person of the Year Award. ERC will present the award to a majority owner and/or operating head of a successful for profit business or non-profit organization. Additionally, applicants must be living in and/or have a business located in the City/Town of Brookfield or Village of Elm Grove. “ERC presents the Business Person of the Year Award to honor a strong local leader who has entrepreneurial skills and strategic vision,” said Award Program Co-Chair, Ralph Gould. “This award helps ERC shine a spotlight on a successful business owner or non-profit director who is making a difference in our community.” Prior winners include Lisabeth Passalis-Bain of the Elm Grove News-Independent, Mark Mirsberger, of Dana Investment Advisors, Jamie O’Donough, of O’Donough’s Irish Pub, Bill Selzer, retired Elm Grove Fire Chief, Phil Landry, Owner of C3E Geomatics, LLC and Neil Palmer, retired mayor of Elm Grove Village. Award nominations will be accepted on-line only through Saturday, October 14, 2023 via the Elmbrook Rotary Club website:ElmbrookRotary.org A selection committee of ERC members and local government officials will review all nominations and select the award recepient. ERC members are not eligible for the award. The 2023 Business Person of the Year award winner will be honored Friday morning, October 27th at the Elmbrook Rotary Club meeting. ERC will also make a $200 donation to a charity specified by and in the name of the person who has nominated the award winner. Established in 1983, the Elmbrook Rotary Club has been active in our community for 40 years. We are a part of Rotary International, founded in 1905. ERC is an energetic group of more that 80 individuals with a wide range of backgrounds, from business professionals to community leaders to those dedicated to public service. The Rotary International official motto is “Service above Self” and our Club slogan is “We rise & Shine” referencing our being the first breakfast club in our Rotary District 6270. |
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Restoring Hope and Dignity… Hebron House
Hebron House, the largest and oldest non-profit organization in Waukesha County, is celebrating 40 years of service to unhoused men, women, and children. The mission is restoring hope and dignity to those still facing a crisis of homelessness and not turn anyone away in need of immediate help or a long-term solution to housing. Hebron House provides two shelters and two affordable housing developments. The goal is to help 6-8 families per month find permanent housing.Kathleen Christianson Fischer, Executive Director and Addy Fahrenkrug, Fund Development Manager, addressed the Sunrise Meeting of the Elmbrook Rotary on August 4th. They reviewed the organizational goals, new programs, and services Hebron House provides to those in need of shelter, stable housing, or...
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Another Habitat Build in the Books
Although not an official Rotary event, 4 of the 6 members of the #ElevateWI Habitat build were current Elmbrook Rotary members. Thank you to Paul Sawicki, Tom Curl, Jackson Bubolz and Kerri Richlen (who quite literally jumped in the morning of!). Thank you to everyone who donated a day of their time to building sustainable housing in Milwaukee. Apologies for the lapse of a group photo, but there are a few action shots around trimming drywall to the window opening, and learning more about Habitat during our lunch break:   If you feel you've missed out on an opportunity, please let Jackson Bubolz know you'd be interested in being a part of a Habitat build. There are lots of projects this Fall and Winter that do not require ladders or lifting walls, so if there is demand from the club, we should be able to staff one or more builds in 2023.
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Heads in Beds... Mission of the Visit Brookfield Team
Ann Marie Hess, Director of Sales, and Dustin Hicks from the City of Brookfield Travel and Tourism Visitor’s Bureau joined the July 28th Elmbrook Rotary Sunrise meeting to share the opportunities available to travelers, and the impact tourism has on the city. Currently, the City of Brookfield makes up 40% of all tourism, spending, taxes, and employment of Waukesha County and 3% of State visitor spending. This equates to visitor spending of $308.8 million, employment from tourism of 4,076 and $33 million in tourism state and local taxes. During the months of June, July and August, the number of guests visiting Brookfield is greater than the City population of 41,000. This not-for-profit organization is funded entirely by... |
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Welcome Sandy Wysocki and Kerri Richlen
What is a Classification Talk? A Classification Talk is one component for a newly inducted member in the Red Badge Program. This program is part of the orientation process for becoming a member of the Elmbrook Rotary Club. |
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Spirit of Humanity Award
On Friday July 21st, the Elmbrook Rotary Club received the Bridge to Turkiye Fund (BTF) “Spirit of Humanity Award for Global Kindness in Support of the 2023 Turkish Earthquake and Service Above Self Representing the Very Best of Human Spirit”. |
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Elmbrook Rotary Past Presidents
Elmbrook Rotary Past Presidents: Dennis Lawler 1983-1984 Peter Vanderpool 1984-1985 Rick Little 1985-1986 Chuck Steinbach 1986-1987 Don Wilson 1987-1988... |
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Rotary Started with the Vision of One Man... Paul Harris
After setting up his law practice in Chicago, Paul Harris gathered several business associates to discuss the idea of forming an organization for local professionals. He envisioned a place where professionals of diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. After years of service, Harris died on 27 January 1947 in Chicago at age 78 after a prolonged illness. Continuing the legacy of the founder, the Paul Harris Fellow program was established in 1957 to show appreciation for financial contributions by members that support the Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or an approved Foundation grant. “Rotary Foundation is the economic engine for the good work that we do in the district and around the world.” It is through consistent giving to the foundation that allows us to provide service locally and internationally.
At Fridays Sun Rise meeting, 5 members of the Elmbrook Rotary Club were recognized by Don Griffing, the Rotary District 6270 Governor... |
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World Affairs Seminar - Building Strong International Leaders for a Better Tomorrow
On July 7, 2023, Francis Vogel, Executive Director of the World Affairs Seminar was accompanied by Ava Gomez, a Senior at Brookfield East, and her mother, to share highlights and experiences from the 2023 World Affairs Seminar at Carroll University in Waukesha. Francis reviewed how the seminar provides a unique forum for future international leaders to address urgent global issues. Student delegates from around the world gather to hear renown speakers, take interesting and fun field trips, and interact in challenging small group learning and projects. The academic approach of critical reflection, interactive learning, and hearing others’ opinions, in a delegate-centric environment allows delegates to develop their own ideas and strategies, and present and defend their ideas and approaches.
Beginning in 1977.... |
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4th of July Parade!
On July 4th, 2023, our newly appointed President Chris Spresser rode the convertible down Calhoun wishing everyone a wonderful 4th of July. The weather was hot, the parade route was packed, and our 57lbs of candy made it almost to the end of the route. Chris was joined by Phyllis Blodgett, Paul Sawicki, Kemal & Visile Yilmaz, Tom Hochuli, & Jackson Bubolz and family.  If you know anyone who wants more of this type of camaraderie and goodwill in their life, bring them to a meeting! We're always welcoming new members wanting to make a difference at home or far away.
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Rotary & World Affairs
On June 29, 2023, Jack Nelson, Harry Farchmin, John Allen, Doug Jacobson, & Jackson Bubolz took the World Affairs Seminar (WAS) up on their offer see a few presentations. The seminar is a 4 day event where students from all over Wisconsin, the United States, and the world come to learn about important world issues and how to have an impact on them. This year's topic was on Climate Change and Sustainability. Throughout the day, over 600 high school students will listen to world renowned thought leaders, do group research on a specific challenge, or what we did, hear our current Rotary International President Gordon McInally speak (pictured). The Elmbrook Rotary Club sponsors...
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Changing of the Guard 2023
On the last Wednesday of June, 2023, the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) met at the Elm Grove Woman's Club. As the club does the last Wednesday of every June, we celebrated the closing of the 2022/2023 Rotary year, and welcomed the 2023/2024 year. We heard from exiting President Harry Farchmin about our effectiveness in updating our club's bi-laws and addressing venue challenges throughout the year. Harry is proud to have moved our club forward as he served as our President. We also heard from our incoming President Chris Spresser and her intentions to focus on fun, mentorship, and having a club of Rotarians, not just people signed up for Rotary. We'd also like to welcome...
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July Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in July. “I drifted into a summer-nap under the hot shade of July, serenaded by a cicada lullaby, to drowsy-warm dreams of distant thunder.” - Terri Guillemets |
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New Member Induction
On our June 23 meeting, Elmbrook Rotary introduced another new member to our Club: Member Jack Russel. Jack is currently a commercial real estate agent with Judson Realty. He is married with a baby at home and another on the way... |
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The Forgiveness Project – Helping Heal
On Friday morning, Pardeep Kaleka shared his story of loss and “forgiveness after hate”. On August 5th, 2012, his religious community was attacked when a white supremacist opened fire on a crowd of worshippers, murdering 7 and wounding four. That day at the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Pardeep lost his father in a terror attack. The loss robbed his family of a loving father and husband who will “never come home”. In a quest to heal... |
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ERC 40th Anniversary Reunion
Elmbrook Rotary Club will celebrated its 40th Anniversary with a Reunion of members on Friday, July 21. All members, past and present, and their guests were invited. Venue is the Starry Nights Concert at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center's beautiful Gerlach/Haack Outdoor Theater. One of the most popular Wilson Center summertime traditions, all Starry Nights outdoor concerts are free and open to the public of all ages. Dress was casual attire. The music of the Rocking' Robins were featured on Friday, July 21. |
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Helping the Wisconsin State Fair to Grow
At the Friday Sunrise meeting, Anna Zack, Executive Director of the WI State Fairs Park Foundation, provided a history and overview of the Foundation’s activities, highlighting changes and projects underway at the Fairgrounds.
The Foundation’s Mission is to preserve and enhance the WI State Fair and help it to grow for generations to come! Through the support of: |
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Spikes Photo Share
Final numbers for our 2023 Spikes Campaign are forthcoming. (donations accepted through 6/30/23) We do know we had great weather, we had guests who were there for reasons other than volleyball, and we had growth over last year. Here are a few pictures of the fun. If you have any you'd like to share with the PR team for upcoming events, please email to Jackson Bubolz.   |
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No One Leaves Home Unless Home is the Mouth of a Shark
Larry Myers, Chair of the Rotary International District 6270's Scholarships Subcommittee, meets some of the most outstanding young people who are making a difference in the world. While introducing our speaker, Myers stated how amazed he is at what the recipients of Global Grant Scholarships are doing worldwide. One of those outstanding recipients is Brigitte Potter, the District 6270 2023-2024 Rotary Global Scholar, and graduate from Brookfield East High School. At the Friday morning meeting, Brigitte presented her goals, dreams, and journey to becoming one that can make a difference in this world through peace building and conflict prevention. She attended UWM and received an undergraduate degree in English Second Education with the thought of becoming a teacher. Her experiences since have provided clarity for her mission in life, drawing her in another direction. After UWM, Brigitte spent a semester abroad at the Universidad De Granada in Spain... |
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We're Loving It!
On Thursday, 8 June, a handful or Rotarians got together at the Ronald McDonald house to cook and serve a meal to the worn out families of patients at Milwaukee's Children's Hospital. Volunteers were: Ian Smith – Coordinator and Cook Thomas Steinbach – Shopping for Groceries Emily Jones – Cook & Recipes Paul Sawicki, Harry Farchmin, Dan Roads, Anne Klug - Cooks Participants report that it was fun, rewarding, and they are open to organizing another one. If this project looks interesting, please reach out to Ian Smith or any of the other participants. As with all of our projects, the more interest we have, the more effort we can direct toward that cause. |
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Veterans in Focus Request
As you can see, the Elmbrook Rotary Club has supported Veterans in Focus for quite some time. In addition to providing funds to purchase photography equipment and software, the Elmbrook Rotary has a tradition of donating the June edition of the Rotary magazine. One you have finished with the June 2023 edition of the Rotary magazine (which is the photography award edition), please bring it in so Veterans can expand photography creativity. Here is a link to last year's photo submissions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8fdZ2VF5oI |
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Impactful Service Opportunity
If you've ever enjoyed a breeze over the Elmbrook Rotary's newsletter or liked a Facebook post, that's thanks to the PR Team. If you've needed to see who the speaker was the next meeting, or when the shoot clays event is, that can be found thanks to the PR Team. If you've needed to find a link for Spikes, or a grant form, or wanted to share how to become a member... that's right... PR Team... The PR Team makes a weekly impact on our members and is |
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A Successful Spikes Event!
What a Spikes event! 2023 was slated as the year to revitalize Spikes and find more ways to draw in both community members and community businesses. With teams up 40% over last year and donation seeds being replanted, this event looks to yield fruit for years to come.  We are still waiting for the final tally on 505/50 raffle, food & bev sales, and donations before totaling a final number for donations generated. More to come... Rest assured, with the excitement of J.K. Lee, face painting, and a bounce house, this Spikes event is likely to only gain momentum in the "First Saturday of June's" ahead. Thank you for everyone who donated time, talents, and treasure. This event takes a village, and hopefully we've positioned out club in a great space to serve more people the next 12 months. |
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Bridge to Turkiye Fund (BTF)
The Bridge to Turkiye Fund (BTF) has a culture of giving and civic involvement as a part of their heritage. It was founded in 2003 by a few like-minded Turkish Americans and Friends of Türkiye with the simple desire to Give-Back. Based in the Triangle region of North Carolina, BTF quickly grew all across the US with many regional grassroots Giving Circles, and today has individual donors and supporting communities in all parts of the globe.” Emin Pamucak, President of the Bridge to Turkiye Fund, presented a program highlighting the great work this organization provides to Turkiye including the recent earthquake response and the Child Amputee program. |
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Our Vision: A Hope Squad in Every School
Joining our Friday morning meeting, School Counselor Jason Lippold, Principal Andy Farley and School Psychologist Aimee Schneidewent from Brookfield East High School. They presented the Hope Squad, a school-based peer to peer suicide prevention program, with a mission to reduce youth suicide through education, training, and peer intervention. In its sixth year at East, the Squad is comprise of 50 students representing each grade. Hope Squad members are nominated by their classmates as... |
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June Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in June. “And since all this loveliness cannot be Heaven, I know in my heart it is June.” – Abba Woolson |
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Leadership Landed
On May 27, our fearless new leader Chris Spresser landed in Melbourne, Australia. Over the next few days, she will take in dozens of Rotary presentations, meet hundreds of Rotarians from around the world, and hopefully bring back a few new ideas to keep our club moving forward. Here are a few more of the early pictures that have come from the other side of the world:
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Extra "Service" in the Memorial Day Parade
May 29 is when Elmbrook's Memorial Day Parade took place in 2023. The parade, and the entire holiday, is meant to commemorate the brave women and men who have served our country. We specifically recognize those who gave everything, including their life, for our great country. In addition to marching bands and service professional like fire and safety professionals, the Elmbrook Rotarians were out in full force.
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SPIKES 2023 on June 3!
SPIKES 2023 is Saturday, June 3, from 9 a.m to 2 p.m. at Mitchell Park in Brookfield. SPIKES is a full-day event with the major focus on one-hour volleyball matches played for fun. Some 40 volleyball playing teams will be fielded by local businesses, high school sports teams and clubs, Scouts, faith-based youth groups, and groups of family & friends. SPIKES is also a team-building opportunity for your co-workers, staff, board members, etc. Click here or on the image below to view a video summary of the day's purpose and activities.
Elmbrook Rotary Club members joyfully and willingly support this important day. Click here to view and hear their comments.
SPIKES is free and open to the public. Click here for a map to the event location. The event will include free family-friendly activities such as:
Food & beverages will be available for purchase, served by Elmbrook Rotarians:
Vendor Fair will showcase local community partners & businesses:
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New Member Induction
The Elmbrook Rotary's May 19th Sunrise Meeting saw Sandy Wysocki, Executive Director of the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center, be inducted into membership of the Elmbrook Rotary. Sandy is now part of our community of “Fellowship of Rotary around the world" with the ideal of “Service Above Self”. |
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Classification Talks 05.19.23
We had a real treat at our May 19, 2023 Elmbrook Rotary Club breakfast meeting. Two new members gave their Classification Talks, John Schindler and Michael Arndorfer. Both members were inducted into Rotary in February of this year. John was sponsored by Jackson Bubolz and mentored by Jack Nelson, while Michael was sponsored by Julie Craig and mentored by Wally Smanski. John and Michael gave a brief life history and why they were drawn to and joined the Elmbrook Rotary. We also were able to hear from Mike Schmeling, long time member and past president. Thank you all for sharing your journey.  What our members share about their career, families, and philanthropic interests help us to get to know each other better, yet that content isn't designed to share via a newsletter. If you're curious what motivates these folks to volunteer, network, and give, join us for a 7a meeting. We'd love to hear your classification talk someday :)
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Donations for Wellpoint Garden Collected
Thank you all who were willing to part with your unwanted or unneeded tools for a great cause. Some Rotarians even purchased tools for the Wellpoint Community Garden Project. Your generosity will be greatly appreciated by the gardeners. The collection is on-going... |
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$30,000 Global Grant Scholarship Awarded to Brigitte Potter
MILWAUKEE, WI—Rotary International District 6270 is awarding a Global Grant Scholarship in the amount of $30,000 to Brigitte N. Potter of Glendale, Wisc. The grant has been approved by The Rotary Foundation with an 80% match of District Designated Funds (DDF) provided by the district. Ms. Potter will use the grant to obtain a Master of Science degree in International Migration and Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom. She intends to focus on the issues surrounding refugees and forced migration. Her Rotary Area of Focus is “Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution.” Ms. Potter is a graduate of UW-Milwaukee and has studied abroad at the University of Granada in Spain. She has also worked in refugee camps in Greece and for a maternal health organization in Uganda. In Milwaukee she continues to volunteer among the refugee population. She states, “I’m eager to learn what can be done from a social and political perspective to prevent forced migration at its root and as a result keep people safe within their communities.” Her graduate program is a 12-month program and will end in September 2024. She is married to Dan Scholz, also a Milwaukee native, whom she describes as “a wonderfully supportive husband." Ms. Potter will be the featured speaker at Elmbrook Rotary on Friday, June 9. A breakfast buffet is served at 06:45 a.m. |
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Daylighting of the Underwood Creek
Rotarian John Schindler, Village of Elm Grove Trustee, shared with the Elmbrook Rotary Club his involvement in the Underwood Creek Daylighting Project. On 12 May he also discussed other duties and village related projects including the Chair of the Public Works Committee... |
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A chilly night at Franklin Field
May 9th, 15 Rotarians and friends saw UWM squeak by Northwestern. Final score 3 -2 on an eighth inning inside the park home run. The victory was sealed... |
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Strike up the band!
Rotary is a multi-faceted group, and whom better to show that off than some of our longest tenured members? |
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Once a Resident, Always a Resident
Senior Living Specialist Katrina Keene presented an overview and history of St. Camillus at the Friday weekly meeting. The order of St. Camillus (International body) has provided Covid, hurricane, and disaster relief to 22 countries as well as living communities in the United States.Locally, St. Camillus is a faith based, not for profit Life Plan Community. They offer |
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May Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in May. "The world's favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May." - Edwin Way Teale |
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We have a new Leader... or leaders emerging
On April 28th, the Elmbrook Rotary Club held one of its most important meetings of the year. We talked about what's going well as we prepare for our largest fundraiser, Spikes, what needs attention, and activities still pending. With many Spikes event leaders out of town at a Rotary event in LaCrosse or elsewhere, one might be concerned with how our planning session would go. But fear not...
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Friends for Health in Haiti
On April 21, 2023, the Elmbrook Rotary Club was reunited with Dr. Catherine Wolf of Friends for Health in Haiti. The Elmbrook Rotary has partnered with Health for Haiti for several years, providing funds that continue to grow after the donation is spent. Thank you Phyllis Blodgett for the introduction to this organization. In our 2022 campaign, Elmbrook Rotary donated funds for beans, which once grown, |
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Workplace Violence Prevention
-We Train You -You Train Your Staff- “Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) training provides the de-escalation techniques and behavior management strategies you need to create a culture of safety.”Matthew Wolak of CPI, the largest global workforce violence prevention training company with over 15 million trained, presented a program highlighting their programs, goals, statistics, and a few techniques on de-escalation. |
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Places You Give Money to Want to Sponsor Spikes!
Our 2023 Spikes Sponsorship sign up is open! Please let your employer, your friends who own businesses, and the businesses you frequent know that Rotary is NOW ACCEPTING SPONSORS! Various levels of sponsorship are available, together with benefits for each level. You are someone's favorite client, and they would love to sponsor your Rotary Club! Spikes is a great team-building, family-fun event that allows small businesses, neighborhoods, or any club to hang out in beautiful Mitchell Park. There will be food and beverages served, live music, and of course the dog park and kids' park. With a bounce house, balloon animals, martial arts and face painting, the 2023 Spikes provides lots of reasons for any group to sponsor a team and join in the fun! Please encourage the businesses in your life to bring a team and create some community memories. |
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Rocket Fuel for a great SPIKES!
SPIKES! is the Embrook Rotary Club's #1 fundraiser. More than 1/2 of the funds we donate in a year will come from this single day event. (June 3 at Mitchell Park) This is the event that raises money for ventilators for Andean Health and Development and to provide clean water in Guatemala. This is the way we support dozens and dozens of students at Well Point, and how we encourage hundreds locally through our relationships with Women's Center, Addiction treatment organizations, and Re-Entry programs. Just as the diagram depicts, a great SPIKES! starts with preparing to launch. If we aren't preparing and focusing energy now, in 8 weeks our SPIKES! will come out weak. |
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Pilots Flying to Serve the Needs of Humanity
“The International Fellowship of Flying Rotarians was formed in 1965, focusing on fellowship and service by providing volunteer pilots to help with medical related transports.” Rotarian Mark Hanson updated the Elmbrook Rotary on the newly formed partnership between the International Fellowship of Flying Rotarians and Air Care Alliance (ACA). In partnership they are providing private volunteer pilots in their own aircraft for medical and emergency missions, at no cost. |
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Foundation Grants Span Local to International Organizations
Charitable grants distributed by the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation through FYE 6/30/22 are now categorized by service areas and alphabetized by organizations. See the Contributions flyer to view Elmbrook Rotary's priority areas, from local to international causes.Click here to download Grant Contributions listing
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Analyze, Recommend, Implement and Review
“Avoidance of pain and attainment of pleasure” can be realized by saving for today and planning for tomorrow with a protection strategy encompassing product solutions, wealth management and financial planning. On March 31st, Michael Beinlich from the Wauwatosa Westpoint Financial Group Branch visited the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC). |
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April Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in April. "Winter’s done, and April’s in the skies. Earth, look up with laughter in your eyes!" – Charles G.D. Roberts. |
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Ending the Silence on Mental Health Conditions
Inspiring the Hope of Recovery Mary Madden, Executive Director of NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness, presented an overview of how NAMI serves individuals and families affected by mental health conditions. At no cost, NAMI provides services to Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Jefferson County residents. Mary was accompanied by Angela Reilly Director of Development and Marketing. |
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Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity - Bringing People Together to Build Homes, Communities, and Hope
Caroline Martini is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Milwaukee Habitat construction sites. Since 1984, Habitat's small staff of 8, volunteers and new homeowners have built over 600 homes. These homes create significant improvements for the immediate area. Milwaukee Habitat revitalizes entire neighborhoods, block by block, with the goal of decreasing crime, increasing community engagement, and creating a vibrant sustainable neighborhood “where everyone has a decent place to live”. Offering a hand up versus a handout, Habitat homeowners help build their own homes and pay an affordable $600-$900 per month mortgage, that fosters housing longevity. Did you know that: |
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TONIGHT! MARCH 21st! Well Point Re-Introduction
An Invitation to everyone wanting to keep up to date with the mission at Well Point Care Network (Formerly St. A's)  |
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Fighting Poverty in Guatemala – One Vision Team at a Time
Since 2011 the Embrook Rotary Club has sent 11 Vision Teams to Guatemala. They have partnered with Common Hope, whose mission is “Promoting hope and opportunity in Guatemala. Partnering with children, families, and communities who want to participate in a process of development to improve their lives through education, healthcare, and housing”. Did you know that: |
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Compassionate Service with a Campaign for Community Connection
On March 3, 2023 Ann Leinfelder Grove, President, and CEO of Wellpoint Care Network visited the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC). Leinfelder Grove reviewed the history, growth, and goals of Wellpoint Care Network, which serves 5,000 individuals daily in southeastern Wisconsin. Through the practice of Trauma Informed Care, the Wellpoint staff and volunteers help children and families thrive by restoring connections that promote equity, learning, healing, and wellness. |
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March Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in March. “March, when days are getting long, Let thy growing hours be strong to set right some wintry wrong.” ― Caroline May |
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Spikes Reboot
As the snow begins to thaw, members of Elmbrook Rotary Club look forward to an event that is reliable as day-light savings time... Spikes for Tikes! As we've discussed in meetings, this year the club is re-doubling our efforts to bring in more sponsorships, more volleyball teams, and more members of our community attending the fun. Please mark 6/3/23 as a full day of fun and service at Mitchell Park in Brookfield. Things we can start doing right now to ensure a great event: |
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Club Happenings
We've had a busy few weeks at the Elmbrook Rotary Club, initiating a new member and celebrating 3 Red Badge recipients. The Red Badge is recognition of new members completing their training to be a strong Rotarian. This involves joining a board meeting, being involved in a service project, and taking part in a Fireside chat, etc. etc. |
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Eras - Engage. Relate. Advocate. Support.
Eras Development director Heather Uzowulu presented their available programing, including volunteer opportunities. She also shared best practices on preventing senior fraud and scams. |
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Updates! Guatemala & Common Hope
Our Common Hope team in Guatemala has landed safety and got right to work. Please use this link to see the beginning of their experiences serving in Central America: Look for Elmbrook section. If this looks like a good way to spend a week in February, the 2024 team will begin forming shortly after this team returns.
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Classification talks 02.03.2023
One of the Elmbrook Rotary Club's favorite events are "classification talks". This is where members can share about their upbringing, their vocation, their families, hobbies, and aspirations. During classification talks, members get to know each other more intimately, which leads to stronger relationships and a more engaging member experience. |
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February Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in February. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” — Martin Luther King, Jr. |
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Openings on the PR team
2023 is shaping up to be a memorable year for the Elmbrook Rotary Club. We've resumed our annual service trip to Guatemala and refreshed SPIKES, our largest fundraiser. With all of that, plus all the other nice things we're doing in the community, the PR team needs reinforcements. The PR Team wants to do a great job sharing what the Elmbrook Rotary Club is doing to be part of the solution, and we could use some help telling the stories. Opportunities are:
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More Than a Place to Stay - Keeping Families Together
This Winter, John Cormana presented to the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) an update on the growth, services and volunteer opportunities at the Ronald McDonald House. A volunteer since 2011, John shared stories of how volunteer services have provided families with comfort during challenging time in their lives. “We are just there to minimize the families worries.” John stated. The Ronald McDonald House provides a no cost, clean, & safe place to stay while their child receives treatment. Families receive lodging and meals when a child is in the hospital. This provides parents the ability to focus their full attention on their child. “Hope in healing is provided through strength and support from families, staff, and volunteers. By keeping families together, stories are shared, and memories are made”. Since 1984, over 50,000 families have benefitted from the Ronald McDonald House. |
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Money Smart, Life Smart, Breaking the Generation Cycle
Brenda Campbell President and CEO of SecureFutures shared the vision, goals and volunteer opportunities for this non-profit organization. Secure Futures programs are “Building stronger communities by empowering teens with financial education, tools, and mentorship. An investment in teen financial capability is an investment in the future.” These programs focus on 11th and 12th grade students, and Brenda shared success stories and examples of how communities are stronger through these financial literacy programs. |
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You're Never Far from Rotary!
One of the Great things about Rotary is you are welcome to attend Rotary meetings all over the world! Rotary has a Club Locater App that lists every Rotary club in the world, when and where they meet. Next time you travel, check out a Rotary Club in the area. Call ahead if you can - but even if you just stop in - they will be welcoming. Here is a recap of memorable experiences I've gained:
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Adopt our Adopt-A-Highway Program
Our club has big volunteer commitments like building homes in Guatemala, small commitments like collecting produce after the farmer's markets, and everything in between. This opportunity is much closer to the smaller end. The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) is looking for (2) people willing to each organize (1) Adopt A Highway clean up a year. This project is ideal for the person who wants to contribute their time, but is not able to commit to an ongoing project with lots of meetings and follow up.
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Comparing notes
Did you know that a Rotary member is welcome at Rotary meeting in the world? On January 17, 2023 Rotarians Paul Sawicki & Jackson Bubolz decided to follow up on the advise given by our district governor and check out another meeting. They visited the Milwaukee Rotary club, noticing many similarities and many differences. |
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A First Line of Defense in Keeping Your Loved Ones Safe – Smoke and CO Alarms
The installation and maintenance of smoke and CO alarms are key to an early warning of a fire or the presence of carbon monoxide (an odorless and colorless gas that can cause illness or sudden death) Safety Tips:
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Every Student, Every Time, All the Time
Elmbrook School Superintendent Dr. Mark Hansen presented a district update at the Elmbrook Rotary Club's 1/13/23 meeting. Dr. Hansen has served as Superintendent since 2012 and shared how the district has grown and prospered over the years. “With an amazing staff, really engaged parents and thoughtful kids”, the district has been ranked in the top four in the state, based on student achievement and customer satisfaction. |
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Why is Rotary Growing in Ukraine During a War?
By Tom Gump, member of the RI Membership Growth committee and past governor of District 5950 (Minnesota, USA), and Mykola Stebljanko, public image coordinator in Zone 21A and past governor of District 2232 (Ukraine) Membership has grown 23.5% in Ukraine since Russian forces invaded the country on 24 February 2022. The region, which comprises Rotary District 2232, has added four Rotary clubs and five satellite clubs. The reasons behind this growth hold important insights for any Rotary club interested in increasing its membership or any district looking to add clubs. We conclude that no one joins a club, Rotary or otherwise, to sit around and do nothing. People join because they want to become engaged with a cause and do something real. Rotary matters and engaging our members in service opportunities that create lasting change matters. |
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Network with "Northern Rotarians"
We continue to hear that Rotary isn't just about having breakfast while listening to a speaker. Some may conjecture that breakfast is the smallest piece to being a Rotarian. Our club has a social event lined up on January 25th where Lucas Severson will be delivering a late afternoon Trivia session. If trivia isn't your thing, or you want to take a drive after the last question is answered, there is an excellent opportunity to network with Rotarians who meet to the North of us. Rotarians will discuss projects they are excited about, items that aren't working quite yet, and everything in between. |
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Register Now for Rotary TriCon 2023
Rotary International Districts 6220, 6250 and 6270, which span from Rotary clubs in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the majority of Wisconsin, are jointly holding an outstanding Rotary conference experience. The topics and goals would be difficult to accomplish with the resources of a single district, so don't miss out on this lively, educational, and fun-filled Rotarian experience. |
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Snow Blower Injuries: The Invisible Danger
Snow season is here, bringing the need to shovel or use a snowblower. There are more than 3000 snowblower injuries each year resulting in lost fingers, mangled hands, and injured wrists. These types of injuries are life-changing. Here are a few tips on how to avoid lacerations, the loss of fingers and broken bones:
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January Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in January. "December is letting go, Of all the past year’s fails, And starting anew in January, As time again chases its tail." – Stewart Stafford |
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Elmbrook Rotary Interact Club
On December 12, 2022, 4 officers of Brookfield East's Rotary Interact Club visited the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC). Interact clubs bring together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of "Service Above Self.” The Brookfield East club organizes at least two projects every year, one that helps their school or community and one that promotes international understanding. Rotary clubs sponsor, mentor, and guide Interactors as they carry out projects and develop leadership skills. The ERC's mentor is Rotarian Jack Hill. |
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Christmas Tree Safety |
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Renovation and Remodel of the Western Racquet Club
At the December 16, 2022 Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) meeting President Harry Farchman introduced Timon Corwin, General Manager of the Western Racquet Club. Corwin shared the Western Racquet Club's (WRC) goal to update key areas within the club. The vision is to make the club a member destination where they can socialize, watch live events or enjoy the bar room, dinner, or relax by the fireplace. Upgrades of the dining room, boardroom, bathrooms, and lobby will give the club a new fresh inviting look. To keep the full-time staff employed, there will be various projects available, and opportunities and benefits for the members during the construction phase.
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Holiday Special Coming
Each year, the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) puts on a Holiday special to celebrate traditions and the excitement at the end of year. Please join us for our last meeting at the Western Racquet Club this Friday (12.16), & check out the Holiday program at our temporary home, The Machine Shed in Pewaukee on 12/23. Our 12/23 Machine Shed meeting will offer great food, holiday fun, and the perfect way to close out the 2022 calendar year. Please join us at 7a the 16th and the 23rd!
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Pancake Partnership
2.5 weeks until the Pancake Breakfast! Our District Governor Mike Phillips encouraged our group to engage other service groups in the area. This event would be a great way to get things rolling. Please save the date for February 4th, and maybe invite your family or a friend to join you. The more interactions we have with other service groups, the more opportunities are bound to present themselves. Event details: https://www.facebook.com/events/656691889269884
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In Memory of Gordy Miller
Last week, Gordy Miller, 73, passed away. Gordon K. Miller (October 17, 1949 - December 4, 2022) Obituary He had been our foundation treasurer and has been a very active member of our Club for 18 years. Please keep Jerri and Gordy's family and many close friends in your prayers. In lieu of flowers, please send donations directly to the Arthritis Foundation at https://www.arthritis.org or the Elmbrook Humane Society at https://ebhs.org We have some great pictures with Gordy from December meetings.
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Elmbrook Rotary Hayride
For years the Elm Brook Rotary Club (ERC) has sponsored the Hay Ride at the Brookfield German Holiday Market. The tradition continued another year as Rotarians braved the cold to staff the attraction and share with others what Rotary is all about. Do you know people that think standing in the cold for charity is a good deal? Bring them to a Rotary volunteer event!
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Candy Cane Connection
On December 11, 2022, the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) at the Wellpoint Candy Cane Connection Event.  If you know people who have this kind of cheer, invite them to our next Rotary meeting!
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Growing Rotary Through Service
Mike Phillips, District Governor, and member of the West Bend Sunrise Rotary Club addressed the Elmbrook Rotary at the Friday Dec. 9th meeting. He reviewed his role as Governor and talked about the structure of Rotary, number of clubs word wide, the Rotary Presidents Theme “Imagine Rotary”, and the challenges of growth and retention. In President Jennifer Jones's Imagine Rotary theme, she encourages: |
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Wellpoint Foster Family donation
Christmas is on for over 100 families at Wellpoint! Students at Wellpoint can be candidates for very few presents or no gifts during the holidays. The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) donated both monies that were turned into toys, as well as bought and wrapped toys themselves. Each of the gifts matches a specific "wish" for a boy or a girl in our community. |
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December Birthdays & Anniversaries
"To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold." - Aristotle |
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Volunteers needed!
The Elmbrook Rotary Club is proud to sponsor the Brookfield German Holiday market each year. There is community, tree lighting, and a hayride! We are currently looking for volunteers for the 3p-5p shift, and the 5p-6:30p slot. If interested, please reach out to Chris Salani at chriss289@gmail.com or: 262-442-3595. Thank you in advance for making the event memorable!
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Polio Update
What is that Polio Picture? What will it take? A little history - Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, progress towards eradicating polio was proceeding at a remarkable rate. During the 1940s and ’50s, when polio outbreaks were a common scourge of the summer months, the disease killed or paralysed more than half a million people worldwide each year – mostly children. The introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) and, later, live attenuated oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) led to a dramatic reduction in the incidence of polio in higher-income countries during the 1960s and ’70s. But it wasn’t until the 1980s that the battle against polio really commenced. |
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Holiday Season Safety Tips
Before the Holiday festivities begin, there are a few fire facts and fire prevention suggestions from the National Fire Protection Agency: |
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Don't let their Stories get away! - The Stories Project
At the 11/18/2022 Friday morning meeting, President Harry Farchmin introduced Toomas Mitt, founder of The Stories Project. The Stories Project began one year ago with the ultimate mission to "Honor and celebrate people’s stories and provide a video keepsake for their families”. The finished product is a way to share life stories with future generations. The Philosophy: Everyone has a story to tell. |
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Our Local End Polio Now Ride
When we couldn't make the trip to Tucson for the End Polio Now Ride headline event, we decided to reprise last year's ERC Freeze Out Polio Ride on Saturday. It’s obvious not everyone in the Land of the Lambeau Field Frozen Tundra is a fan of cold weather (especially when it was in the 70's a week earlier.) But 2 intrepid riders (thanks Greg) and 3 boosters (thanks Harry, Anne and Evonne) came out for the ride. And few more (thanks Jim and John) showed up at the Post-Ride Festivities at O'Donoghue's. Although the offer of a pint of Guinness may have helped. But there's nothing frigid about the generosity of Elmbrook Rotarians, and our commitment to end polio worldwide. We have raised nearly $5,000 this year with this event - and that gets matched 2 for 1 by the Gates Foundation. So GREAT JOB and thanks to everyone who supported the effort. In the last 2 years its now close to $20,000! |
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Light News...
Seems like a light news week, doesn't it? The ERC Sunrise eBulletin is comprised of stories of completed service projects, updates on donations, recaps of weekly meetings, birthdays/ anniversaries, & some club related mischief. The website & newsletter have links to upcoming events, direct links to Rotary, and upcoming speakers. The website and the eBulletin are as robust as what's shared with the PR team. If you have a completed project, upcoming involvement opportunity, or mischief, please send a short article and a picture and we'll get it in the Sunrise. A big THANK YOU to Bill Selzer for taking over weekly meeting recaps. His articles are delivering great recaps of our Friday meetings. Thanks to Chris Salani for always snapping the pictures. Please keep the PR team up to date with the positive projects you're working on, and we'll keep the Sunrise full. |
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Waukesha County Park System – A Way to Enjoy All that Nature has to Offer
Rotarian Mark Thurner introduced Steven Siodlarz and Emily Hiller from the Waukesha County Park System. Steven is a senior landscape architect who plans, designs, plus manages the construction and development of the System’s lands and facilities. The WCPS is a passive recreation nature-based system comprised of: |
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The Good, Bad and the Ugly – Lessons Learned
On 11/4/2022, Linda Wickstrom, an Elmbrook Rotarian and Public Information Officer (PIO) for the Waukesha County Health and Human Services Department gave a presentation on the role of the Public Information Officer. As a member of the Incident Management Response Team (IMT) for Southeast Wisconsin, she described the need for a “Go Bag” that is kept in her car with the essentials needed to perform her duties. As a Team member, she may be deployed at any time, day, or night. |
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Elmbrook Rotary Announces Business Person of the year
On November 9, 2022 the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) announced Neil Palmer, President, Village of Elm Grove, as the recipient of the 6th annual Business Person of the Year Award. The program recognizes the leadership and accomplishments of a successful Brookfield or Elm Grove individual. |
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November Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in November. “There is music in the meadows, in the air — Autumn is here; Skies are gray, but hearts are mellow…” — William Stanley Braithwaite |
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Elmbrook Rotary 2022 Business Person of the Year – Elm Grove Village President Neal Palmer
Every year the Elmbrook Rotary honors a local businessperson “For Outstanding Business Achievement and Community Service”. This year’s recipient, Neal Palmer, was introduced by Rotarians Ralph Gould and Doug Jacobson. |
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Partners In Hope Annual Fundraiser
Community Warehouse’s Partners In Hope, a faith-based prisoner re-entry program based in Milwaukee and one of Elmbrook Rotary’s mini-grant recipients this year, held their annual fundraiser at the beautiful Sharon Lynn Wilson Center on October 22.
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Rotary Social at C.C.'s Elbow Room
Rotary is about raising awareness of causes, donating time, and giving money. It's also about having fun. On October 19th the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) went out of a few drinks at C.C.'e Elbow Room in downtown Brookfield. Family stories were shared, business was discussed, and ideas for making the next Rotary project bigger and better were hatched. As you can, these Rotarians are too deep in thoughtful conversation to pose for a picture. Please mark your calendars for November 19th. A month after a great weekday social, we'll gather at Chris Spresser's renovated and reimagined home for an open house. Come anytime between 12-5p. |
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Small commitment, huge harvest
Trumpets are sounding - I’m happy to report with October 22nd's produce collection of 206 lbs of unsold produce, the Elmbrook Rotary has collected 3,068 lbs of excess produce so far this season! The Salvation Army THANKS you for collecting food that’s cooked up meals for those in need as well as fresh items that are also added to the food pantry. Thank you! The last farmer's market in Brookfield is 10/29 and we could use one more person for the final week of produce collection. The task is collecting remaining produce from vendors and transporting it to the Salvation Army. Please see Kevin Roche or Mike Groth if interested.
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Elmbrook Senior Taxi
“Dedicated to Providing Safe, Reliable, and Affordable Transportation” On 10/21/2022 guest Marj Koslowski, Board President, and Tom Slavinsky, Executive Director, of the ELMBROOK SENIOR TAXI visited the Elmbrook Rotary to talk about their service. For the past twenty-nine years, the non-profit organization Elmbrook Senior Taxi has been serving seniors 62+ years old and adults with disabilities. Their mission is to “provide transportation to low income, elderly, and otherwise needy residents of City of Brookfield, Town of Brookfield, Village of Elm Grove and Village of Butler”. |
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Connecting with our Rotary Roots
On a recent trip out East, Elmbrook Rotarian Bill Pettersen & wife Fe travelled to Wallingford, Vermont where they were able to visit the home town of Paul Harris. Paul was the founder of Rotary and said the values of his small town were the values he hoped to find in others.    As you may know, Paul's "Rotary" club has grown into one of the largest service clubs in the world.
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Milwaukee Symphony’s Beautiful New Home
On October 14, 2022 Architect George Meyer visited the Elmbrook Rotary Club to talk art and architecture. Meyer practiced architecture for 35 years and retired in 2021 as CEO of Kahler Slater Architects. The firm has been involved in many key downtown revitalization projects, i.e. the Calatrava Art Museum, Milwaukee Museum, and Kimpton Journeyman Hotel.  |
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Elmbrook Rotarians Clean Up Well
Being a Rotarian means giving a little of ourselves back to our community. Pictured on October 15, 2022 are Dean Johnson, President Harry Farchim, Scott Dryburgh, and Tom Curl in front of one of the signs touting Elmbrook Rotary's Sponsorship. They pictured are a few of the 9 Rotarian and one spouse team participating in our Adopt-A-Highway initiative. This is a recent initiative for the club, taking responsibility for a stretch of Greenfield Rd and keeping it looking great. If you feel like you'd like to be proactive around some of the "trashy" challenges in our society, check out a 7a meeting. The Elmbrook Rotary Club offers programming, volunteering, and donation opportunities year round round to keep Rotarians engaged in making the world an even better place to pass on to our children. |
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Changing the way America Travels - Front Desk
On October 7, 2022 the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) was visited by Frontdesk CEO Jesse DePinto. Frontdesk is a six-year-old Milwaukee based company offering an option to hotels, Vrbo’s and Airbnb’s. Frontdesk provides fully furnished luxury apartments that are cost-effective, and 50%-100% larger than a average hotel room, including cooking and laundry amenities. The company is in 33 markets with 1,000 units inside 160 buildings. They are myopically focuses on urban downtown neighborhood settings, such as Milwaukee’s Third Ward.Jesse shared his company’s mission “to provide short term stays for modern dynamic living”, and a vision for “leading a cultural shift to a type of immersive lifestyle that defines modern travel”. |
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Elmbrook Foundation & Club meeting 9.27.22 recap
Board meetings are an opportunity for everyone to be a part of open dialogue addressing what types of projects our club pursues, how the club dues are spent, and where our donations end up. All new members are expected to attend a meeting within their first year, and veteran members who haven't been in a while are encouraged to drop in and keep things interesting. On September 27, 2022 the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) & the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation (ERF) met. A few highlights were: |
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Welcome back Veterans in Focus
On Friday, September 30, the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) welcomed the Veterans in Focus program and Bonnie Bertram introduced guest speaker Courtney Zeller, C.T.R.S. Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. Courtney has been a Specialist for 12 years with the Zablocki VA Hospital Health Care System. Accompanying her was US Army Iraq Veteran Lavella Green, a program participant, and Kris Hinrich a Milwaukee Rotary V.I.F.P. volunteer member. As an outpatient health setting specialist, Courtney’s goal is to have a positive impact on veterans who have served our country, focusing on mental health, wellness, and maintaining a stable housing setting. |
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Many donations harvested at the Brookfield Farmers Market
All Summer Rotarians have been taking turns cleaning up at the Brookfield Farmer's Market. What they are doing is collecting unsold produce late morning and delivering it to the Salvation Army. On October 1, 2022 Kevin Roche (pictured with Market manager Bobbi Harvey) rounded up another 251 lbs of fruit and vegetables, bringing the total the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) has collected to 2,570 pounds... and counting... If this sounds like a nice way to get out in our community and help address food insecurity, please connect with Mike Groth to save your spot as one one of the last produce-donation collectors in '22. If you'd like to learn more about the ERC, please join us for a 7a meeting at the Western Racquet Club.
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October Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in October. "October is the treasure of the year, And all the months pay bounty to her store…" - Paul Laurence Dunbar |
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ERC completes 3rd Habitat project in 2022
The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) made a decision in 2021 to actively search out opportunities to preform more "hands on" service work. One partnership that really took off was with Milwaukee's Habitat for Humanity. |
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On Demand Club Runner Training
Ever wonder when the next Rotary volunteer event is? Check Club Runner Curious who our speaker is next week? Check Club Runner Want to invite a friend to the next Rotary social? Check Club Runner If you aren't that familiar, please use this link to learn what's all available to you on Club Runner: https://elmbrookrotary.org/ |
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Sending or Hosting an Exchange Student?
The Rotary Youth Exchange program is our flagship study abroad program for young people ages 15 – 18. The experience begins the year before going to study abroad, with the application, selection and preparation processes. Students spend a year abroad integrating into a different culture, attending school, and learning new languages. Have a child or grandchild wanting to go abroad? Considering hosting? Join the info session: September 27 2022 7-8pm - Link |
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Updates From the District 6270 Website
Here are some updated from the District 6270 website https://rotary6270.org/ that you might enjoy: Info Session Scheduled for Rotary Youth Exchange Our fall Virtual Information Night for the Rotary Youth Exchange program is scheduled for 7pm on Tuesday, September 27th. This is meant to be an info night for students who are interested in the program. Rotarians and others who would like to learn more about the program are welcome to attend as well. Please share with youth who may be interested in a study abroad experience, local high schools, newspapers, friends, and others. Please contact Kristine Bantz, Outbound RYE Coordinator with any questions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- First Case of Polio in US in Nearly a Decade The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has been informed of a case of paralytic polio in an unvaccinated individual in Rockland County, New York, United States. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are coordinating with New York State health authorities on their investigation. Initial sequencing confirmed by CDC indicates that the case is type 2 VDPV. Any form of poliovirus anywhere is a threat to children everywhere. It is critical that the GPEI Polio Eradication Strategy 2022-2026 is fully resourced and fully implemented everywhere, to ensure a world free of all forms of poliovirus can be achieved. We are calling on every single Rotarian to take action and be a part of the fight to end polio, helping to raise $50 million per year for polio eradication. New PolioPlus Society in Rotary District 6270
Rotary District 6270 is excited to announce the start of the PolioPlus Society in our district. This is a district program to recognize those Rotarians, Rotaractors, and friends of Rotary, who have pledged to give at least $100 annually to the PolioPlus Fund of The Rotary Foundation, until the wild poliovirus is no longer endemic around the world. The goal of this PolioPlus Society is to raise awareness and provide recognition for Rotary’s goal of eliminating the disease from the planet. We would like to invite you to consider and join the Rotary District 6270 PolioPlus Society by completing the pledge form on the PolioPlus Society page, https://rotary6270.org/sitepage/polioplus-society. Members of the Rotary District 6270 PolioPlus Society will receive a certificate and a specially designed PolioPlus Society lapel pin. Stay up to date with all things Rotary at: https://rotary6270.org/ |
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Global Grant Scholarship Opportunity
Rotary District 6270 is pleased to announce the availability of a Global Grant Scholarship for matriculation in the fall of 2023 or spring of 2024. The amount of the scholarship is USD $30,000 and must be used for graduate school studies outside the United States. NOTE: Applicant cannot be a Rotarian or be related to a Rotarian but can be a member of Rotaract. To be eligible, applicant must be a resident in the geographical area of District 6270, be a student at a college/university in the geographical area of District 6270, or have strong ties to Southeast Wisconsin (see District 6270 map). Experience (professional or volunteer) in the field of study is required. All fellowship/scholarship/stipend funding opportunities must relate to one of Rotary’s Seven Areas of Focus. Deadlines are as follow: |
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Common Hope Partnership & Walk
On September 16th, 2022 the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) was visited virtually by Krista Rivard of Common Hope.   She shared with us that the ERC's donations go toward covid relief, daily living personal goods, and their school. The donations from club members cover the tuition of 20 students, who are all pictured above. When students graduate and begin in a profession, their wage is usually able to raise their family out of poverty. The Common Hope presentation was coordinated with the ERC's Common Hope walk which happened the following day (9/17) at Mitchell Park. The walk not only raises funds, but also raises awareness of ERC's annual trip to Guatemala which will happen February 5th-12th. If anyone is interested in joining the group of 9 Rotarians and spouses already enrolled, please talk with Erik Moser to learn more about the trip. If you think learning and contributing to international issues sounds interesting, check out a 7a Friday meeting. If you'd like to do more international volunteer work, the Elmbrook Rotary Club may be just what you are looking for.
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Many Ways to Engage Rotary
Rotary can look like a Friday morning breakfast meeting. It can be reading to children, building a home in Guatemala, or remembering to bring in your plastic bags or a few cans of food. Rotarians and their friends spent time on the 10th biking for a great cause:  Please watch the website, check your newsletter, and talk to fellow Rotarians before meetings to find the best way for you to be involved with the Elm Brook Rotary Club!
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Habitat Opportunity in September!
Have you been envious over those well tanned and sculpted Rotarians talking about the great time they had laying flooring, painting, or prepping a home for it's presentation to a family? Fret not. When the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) asks... the Community Service Team answers. There is another opportunity to get involved, get a workout, and get an education around the housing challenges in Milwaukee. The Community Team has locked in September 22nd as our next Habitat Build! The task for the day will be framing. Our project will consist of raising, lining up, and tacking down pre-built walls of a new construction home. Participants must be comfortable lifting 25lbs throughout the day, and also be ok using a ladder to access the second story of a home. The build will happen from 8a-3p and Habitat asks volunteers arrive promptly at 8a and stay for the day. If this sounds like a fun way to give back and get some exercise, please talk to Mike Groth or Jackson Bubolz ASAP. The plan is to staff the 6 person team with Rotarians, but if we aren't able to round out a team, we will need to reach outside the club to make it happen. (think prospective members...) This group really does move mountains. Whether this event works for you or not, thank you for your contributions to the ERC and our surrounding community. |
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Upending Alzheimer's Disease
On September 9, Tim Harrington & Anne Marie Pilot (virtual) form the Alzheimers Association stopped by the Machine Shed to share some news and updates around Alzheimer's disease. Tim shared that both of his parents lived with the disorder which got him active in both awareness and also fundraising to find a cure. A few takeaways are:
There wasn't a happy, uplifting end to the talk. There is still no "cure" for Alzheimer disease, yet on-going research provides potential hints to moving this disorder from incurable to treatable. Alz.org provides more information on research, fundraising, and stories of hope.
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Rotary "Cleans Up" at the Brookfield Farmer's Market
The ERC likes to split our giving between time and treasure. Since July 2nd, various Rotarians from our club have been volunteering each Saturday late morning to collect excess produce from vendors to donate to the Salvation Army. Last Saturday Bill & Fe Petterson collected 251 pounds of produce bringing our 2022 summer (to-date) total to 2,137 pounds! This is a tremendous outcome that came about from a handful of people being creative around saving food, and putting in the effort to make it happen. Thank you to everyone who spent a Saturday morning at the Farmer's Market this Summer. We'll be back again in December for the Brookfield German Holiday Market.
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Wellpoint Community Garden Grand Opening
At 11:00am on August 16th, members of the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) attended a Community Garden Grand Opening Celebration, held at Wellpoint. Program Director Starlet Hayes welcomed the attendees to the event and introduced staff members. Wellpoint President Ann Leinfelder Grove talked about the mission of Wellpoint and vision for the Community Gardens. She acknowledged the Community Garden Committee, Volunteer Staff , Elmbrook Rotary and those who have been instrumental in the garden project; Tony, Jodi and Zachery Consiglio for rototilling the garden plot and for their continued project support. Jack Nelson, a key member of the Wellpoint Board of Directors and member of the garden planning team, received a beautiful piece of art created by children from the community representing the garden project. Jack addressed the attendees, explaining how the project has and continues to develop with the input from the team. He encouraged community members to share any ideas they have for the project.   The ceremony was concluded with the unveiling of the Community Garden sign and community children along with Jack and Ann ceremonially turning the first shovels and raking of the soil. Refreshments were served after the ceremony. Wanting to be a larger part of your community? Consider joining the ERC for a 7a breakfast meeting and learning about this and other opportunities to literally and figuratively get our hands dirty serving others.
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2022 Packer Raffle Winners Drawn
The winners of the 2022 Packer Ticket Raffle have been drawn. Thank you everyone who participated. This raffle raised thousands of dollars which will go directly back into the Elmbrook and surrounding communities via grants, donations, and raising awareness of great causes local and internationally. Winners of 2 tickets for each game are as follows:
If you have not been contacted by a Rotary member or the Club itself, please reach out to David Irwin: dwi2020@outlook.com to solidify the pick up of your prize. |
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Nature in our backyard
On September 2, 2022 Eddee Daniel of A Wealth Of Nature visited the Elmbook Rotary Club (ERC) to share how this program is promoting the outdoors in our communities. Eddee is on a 2+ year project to capture pictures, write ups, and park information for all of the county and state parks, preserves and sanctuaries in South Eastern Wisconsin. He shared stories of exploring and talked at length about some of our more storied treasures like the Ice Age trail and Lapham's Peak. If you'd like to plan your next adventure in a S.E. Wisconsin park, please use this website to begin your research: https://awealthofnature.org/ If you'd like to spend more time with people wanting to keep S.E. Wisconsin a great place to live, join us for a 7a Friday breakfast meeting!
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the passing of Chuck Steinbach
It is with a heavy heart that I'm writing that Chuck Steinbach, Charter and Honorary Member of the Elmbrook Rotary Club, passed away this week. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in November 2021 and succumbed to the cancer August 28, 2022. A gathering will be held at Krause Funeral Home, 21600 West Capitol Drive, Brookfield, Wisconsin, on Friday, September 9, 2022, 4:00 PM – 6:45 PM. Sharing of Memories at 7:00 PM. For more information visit the Krause Funeral Home website at https://www.krausefuneralhome.com/obituary/charles-w-steinbach/ The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation, PO Box 1014, Brookfield, WI 53008-1014 or National Brain Tumor Society, 55 Chapel Street Suite 006, Newton, MA 02458. |
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Show Your Elmbrook Rotary Pride
Display your Elmbrook Rotary Pride on the golf course, in the office on Casual Friday, working with fellow Rotarians on a Project, at a Club meeting, or just around the neighborhood. We are now taking orders for Elmbrook Rotary Club Logo Wear - many colors and sizes to choose from:
     Shirts come in many colors and you can mix and match colors. Sizes up to 6X Prices will depend on the quantity ordered and are expected to be between $33 and $37 each. For more information see the below links to the Russell Hampton Web page. Caps are Men or Women's style but come only in Blue and will be about $14 And display your Elmbrook Rotary Pride on the road - with a Elmbrook Rotary Club License Plate Frame  Why drive around in your BMW or Lexus with a cheap plastic frame advertising for some sleazy car dealer, when you can impress your friends and display your "Rotary Pride" with a classy Elmbrook Rotary Club Frame? The frame style will be as shown - but you can choose from a variety of color themes to compliment the look of your car. Cost will be about $25 The attached link below has more information. Questions - or to order any of these items - email Mark Zalewski with the number of items you wish to buy, with sizes & colors. We will be accumulating the orders over the next few weeks with a target order date of October 1. If you wish you can elect to be billed on your next Club dues invoice for your items. Your final cost will depend on the quantities of items we order as a Club - plus shipping and taxes which will be allocated among the orders. Long Sleeve Polo: https://www.bestclubsupplies.com/custom-RP96.asp Classic Polo: https://www.bestclubsupplies.com/custom-RP98.asp Cotton Twill Shirts: https://www.bestclubsupplies.com/custom-RT99C.asp Men’s Baseball Cap: https://www.bestclubsupplies.com/Navy-Cap-withRotary-Masterbrand-Signature-Logo/productinfo/RC1M/ Ladies Baseball Cap: https://www.bestclubsupplies.com/Ladies-Navy-Cap-withRotary-Masterbrand-Signature-Logo/productinfo/RFC5M/ Elmbrook Rotary: Club License Plate Frame https://www.bestclubsupplies.com/Customized-Rotary-Item/productinfo/R67492C |
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September Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in September. “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald |
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Thanks for stepping up!
The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) is a vibrant group. A big reason this club is so impactful is we are so active. Our meetings are well attended, our donations are notable, and we organize volunteer projects locally and internationally. The reason we're able to do all of this so effectively is we have lots of different people leading and supporting different projects. Mark Zalewski and Mike Hogan have taken lead on Spikes for Tykes for years. Gordy Miller, Paul Langer, John & Jeanne Allen are staples at board meetings and past presidents continue to serve in new capacities. The list of people who really put in time for the club is long, sorry I missed so many of you. It's important to note, the same folks can't do it all... forever. A great example of getting more members involved is Steve Stocker running the raffle since inception, and diligently transitioning it. Larry Meyers has made a wonderful contribution to our club with an effective newsletter and website. When he started training me, I realized how much work he was putting in every week. I asked for help and had several people reach out. Thank you. Special thank you to Emily Jones who has gracefully accepted the role of social media manager, and a few others have voiced interest in sharing what the ERC is up too. As we've seen so many people step up and into new roles, I wanted to take a moment to thank them. These commitments help to make our club fun, enriching, and a source for good. Thank you to our Club Chairs Mike Groth, Erik Moser, Tom Curl, & Jack Nelson. If you don't have your hands in a project with the ERC, please get them dirty. You will enjoy your time with the club even more and you will have proof you're part of helping to make our world a better place. If you don't have a project you are active in, please ask a Club Chair what projects they have available. PR will be posting any upcoming activities we're notified of and posting pictures and recaps of events we're sent. Thank you to everyone for making the Elmbrook Rotary Club a great club to be a part of.
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Bringing some Class to the ERC
On August 19, 2022 the Elm Grove Rotary (ERC) was introduced to the Carolyn Korona & Anne Harberg of the Elm Grove Lifelong Learning. Aging is a combination of staying active mentally, as well as social, physically and spiritually. The lifelong learners aim to provide opportunities to exercise many of those aspects at once. The wide ranging class topics include everything from wildflowers to Nazi POW, home cooking to chair yoga, Antarctic expedition to Civil War nursing... here is the link to learn more and sign up for a discussion: https://www.egs4ll.org/ Classes run October 3 - November 8 2022. $10/ class or $65 unlimited classes
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Elmbrook Rotary August Social
Each month the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) meets outside our traditional Friday morning meetings for fellowship in the community. On August 8, 2022, several Rotarians met at Greenfield park for stories, laughs, and refreshments.    (one may notice, those who provide content get featured in our Club communications :)) Rotary is all about doing good in our world. At the same time, it's about what we do while we're doing good. Please check us out for a meeting of a social event!
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Bridge Builders Inc - Transforming Neighborhoods Block by Block
On August 12, 2022 the Elmbook Rotary Club (ERC) was visited by Kurt Owens of Bridge Buiders Inc. Kurt talked about the ground up approach Bridge Builders uses to empower the people of the communities they serve block by block vs. relying solely on governance. The ways they are empowering the communities they serve is by keeping good housing stock, leveraging the available workforce, dovetailing efforts with other non-profits, create full time neighbors, and revive community owned businesses. Their current project is raising funds to buy 20 homes and make them "Lighthouse" properties, or properties where a full time neighbor who is dedicated to the community lives. To learn more, please visit their website: https://bridgebuildersmke.org/ and to learn more about Rotary, please join us for a 7a meeting.
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Adopt A Highway
On August 6, 2022 the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) launched it's inaugural cleanup of Greenfield Avenue, (Hwy 59), between Barker Road and Hwy 164. Paul Sawicki, Chris Salani, Phil Landry and son, Jeanne Allen, Paul Langer, John Allen Rick Chabot and Rick's son-in-law David. Bill Petterson behind the camera. They collected 5 bags of trash plus several larger objects. The next cleanup date will be in October. If you're interested in talking trash, please see Paul Langer. |
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Elmbrook Rotary Club Assembly
On August 5, 2022 the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) held an assembly to reflect on how the club is upholding the 4 way test of what we think, and do. We looked for ways we can provide a better Rotary experience for everyone, and enjoy our own time with Rotary all the more. The common themes were finding more ways to get to know Rotarians, both in meetings and outside of them. We also had calls for better communication on upcoming service projects and working professional programing our presentations. Our breakout sessions allowed us to identify opportunities to grow as a club, as well as offer solutions to our concerns. Please stay tuned for meeting time and place where all ERC members are encouraged to help us Image a 2022-2023 Rotary year. Members will work though these and other items, and work to be intentional in making this Rotary year one to remember. |
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Our Green Bay Packer Ticket Raffle Fundraiser is Back! Looking for a chance to WIN tickets to a Green Bay home game during the 2022 season - and help needy organizations and causes at the same time? Club President Harry Farchmin is urging everyone to do their part in buying and selling Packer raffle tickets during our 7th Annual Green Bay Packer Raffle Ticket Fundraiser from now through September 9! Donations will go to the programs and organizations we support in Brookfield, Elm Grove, and around the world! |
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Sargent Shakedown Spotted
There's a new Sheriff, I mean, a new Sargent in town, and he means business. On July 29, 2022, it appears Sargent at Arms Dave Engle delivered back to back to back to back fines to unsuspecting Rotarians. Some were the variety that we expect (late fines, pin fines) and some were blatant money grabs (like accusing and fining a member for not wearing their name badge... while that member wore their name badge...) Either way, another few dozen dollars were raised because we lacked some attention to detail. A note to newer members. The Sargent at Arms has special authority to hand out fines to members who are not keeping Rotary as crisp as it could be. Those fines could be for:
This list is not inclusive, and some have been fined for something off the wall. The spirit idea behind the fines is keeping everyone focused on taking pride in being a Rotarian, respecting the time of the other members, and maybe get Happy fines going if it's a slow start. Please keep an eye out for Sargent Shakedown... and wear your pin! |
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ERC Awards Scholarships
The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) is active in many different areas of our community. Sometimes there are projects at the Women’s Center we can help with. Other times Rotarians will commit to weekly volunteering and helping students with their literacy skills. Today’s report is on seeds (scholarships), that we hope will bloom into impactful careers. The ERC awarded 3 scholarships to worthy recipients. A $1000 scholarship paid each year for four years went to Sarah Astley from Brookfield Central High School who will attend UW- Stevens Point.A $1000 scholarship paid each year for four years went to Adriga Bhattacharyya from Brookfield East who will attend UW- Milwaukee.A $1000 scholarship paid each year for two years went to Charles Benjamin Fleming who will attend Waukesha County Technical College. This scholarship is specific to a student entering a two year program in a field that relates to a First Responder status. The scholarship is funded by Elmbrook Rotary Club to honor the 40+ years of service that retired Fire Chief William (Bill) Selzer gave to the Elmbrook Community.Dr. Thomas Arndt, President of the Elmbrook Rotary Club presented all three scholarships at the respective school’s Senior Honors Night at the end of the school year. If getting involved with any area of our community is of interest, please reach out us via our website: https://elmbrookrotary.org/. Membership info is under the join tab. |
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ERC Announces Total Charitable Contributions 2021 - 2022
The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) ended it's 2021-2022 fiscal year on June 30th, 2022. This was the completion of a year where we saw in- person meetings return, favorite projects and events renewed, and new service opportunities surface. This year has pulled our club together, and we had lots to celebrate. Service projects are a big part of what the ERC does each year. The other facet is the charitable contributions our members and community leaders make. These donations are raised by a mixture of fundraising events such as Spikes for Tykes, a silent auction, and our upcoming fundraiser, and the upcoming raffle for Packers tickets to home games in 2022. In 2021 - 2022 the ERC had one of the largest donation totals in recent memory. The $154,514.62 reflects both the efficacy of fundraising efforts, and also the size of the club's heart. The club often added several hundred more dollars to a donation when the "hat gots passed" to help out.  The ERC is grateful for the opportunity to strengthen those around us, both with service effort, and with intentional donation. If you are interested in connecting with our local Rotarians, getting involved in a service project, or donating to a cause that is special to you, please connect with our membership chair John Allen at jallen@jallengroup.com.
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August Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in August. “August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time.” – Sylvia Plath |
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Discovering the Town of Brookfield
On July 22, the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) welcomed Anna Antoine, Town of Brookfield Tourism Director. Anna outlines the areas where City of Brookfield & Town of Brookfield meet, and let us know of the coming accommodations to the area. Wimmer Properties is extending their luxury apartments on the corner of Barker & Bluemound and on that same intersection a Tribute by Marriot will be completed by 2024. Ms. Antoine also updated us on upcoming events at the Corners like their food truck festival and Brooktoberfest.   If you would like to get the Town of Brookfield newsletter, click here. If you would like to learn all of this information first hand, please join us for a Friday morning meeting.
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Help Requested for 2022 Packer Raffle
Service clubs are built around volunteering time in a community to strengthen it, and to donate funds to organizations, allowing them to do their work more effectively. This is an opportunity to partake in both aspects of service! Our Saturday mornings 7:30a-12p, there is a Farmer's Market in Brookfield (16900 Gebhardt Rd, Brookfield, WI)  At that Farmers Market the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) will be both selling raffle tickets for the Packer's home games this season, as well as sharing what Rotary is, how we help our community, and how interested folks can get involved. Volunteering for this project allows the opportunity to grow our club and grow relationships inside our club, as well as collect proceeds from the raffle to continue supporting the 40+ organizations the ERC works with. David Irwin has stepped up to organize and oversee the raffle this year. Please reach out to him with interest and questions. Mike Groth of the Community Service board and Steve Stocker, long time organizer of this event, are also available to answer questions, talk strategy, and share how fun this event is to be a part of!
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Classification talks July 8, 2022
Classification talks are among Rotarian's favorite meeting outlines. A member of the club shares a bit about their past, what drew them to Rotary, and what they are looking forward to accomplishing. On July 8 the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) was fortunate to learn more about Julie Couden & Emily Jones.  Julie grew up in New Berlin, traveled the world, and has circled back to where she started. She's always been inquisitive, and she's allowed that curiosity lead her the Wartburg College to pursue a degree in social work. Curiosity then led her to Africa to study health, water, and disease, and then to China to work in tech before landing in her newest adventure... sales.  Emily Jones is used to having to think on the fly. As a mom, a teacher, and a black belt, she has to be ready for anything at all times. When she needed to be at work vs. in person for her talk, she flipped over to Zoom and didn't miss a step. Emily studied Spanish abroad in Salamanca, Spain and loves teaching Spanish. She works at Tosa East as a Spanish teacher and enjoys volunteering locally with her church and Rotary, as well donating her time as far away as Costa Rica. A fun fact about Emily is she is the youngest of 11 siblings.
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Elm Grove Independent News July 2022
The July copy of Elm Grove Independent News is off the press. You will find an article about Spikes for Tykes on page 2.
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Addressing Anger with Serenity
On July 15, the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) welcomed Kenneth Ginlack, CEO of Serenity Inns of Milwaukee. Ken shared that being in long term and active recovery himself, his experiences have allowed him to connect personally with the men at Serenity Inns. As he's counseled hundreds of recovering addicts, he's found that pain and anger are the triggers which lead most people to relapse. He's also noticed that so much of their anger and pain are tied to early childhood episodes of abuse. Although what happened can't be changed, the staff at Serenity Inns works to help the men to use different coping mechanisms to work though the hurt. The work Serenity Inns does is emotional and frustrating at times, but it is also leading people back to a productive life and a hopeful future. If you are interested in getting involved, the men's evening meal is completely dependent on donations. People will make a meal, come to the home and have dinner with the staff and men in recovery. If you are interested in learning more, please connect with them at: http://serenityinns.org/
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Avalanche of Paul Harris Award Winners
At its Changing of the Guard ceremony held on June 29, Elmbrook Rotary Club presented forty Paul Harris Fellowships. These Fellowships included four first-time Paul Harris fellows, five Fellowships presented as gifts from a Rotarian to a spouse, one Fellowship earned by a non-Rotarian and thirty additional Fellowships presented to Rotarians who were already Fellows. The remarkable number of Fellowships awarded was due not only to the generosity of Club members but also to two limited-time Paul Harris matching programs which have since expired. Under the first matching program, the Club matched each donation of $500 to The Rotary Foundation with a transfer of 500 recognition points. Under the second program, the Club matched any gift made to The Rotary Foundation for polio prevention with an equal number of recognition points. The recognition points were provided by the Club itself and by members who have accumulated a large number of recognition points. These matching programs generated a Paul Harris “buzz” among Club members and prompted many of them to make contributions they might not otherwise have made. The net result of the matching programs has been a substantial increase in contributions to The Rotary Foundation and more engagement by Club members. To build upon past success and encourage more Paul Harris giving, the Club continues to offer two matching programs. For Rotarians who have not yet obtained a Paul Harris Fellowship, the Club will match a donation of $500 to The Rotary Foundation with a transfer of 500 recognition points. For those who are already Paul Harris fellows, the Club will contribute 200 recognition points for each donation of $800 to the Rotary Foundation. Anyone who wants more information about the matching programs and anyone who would like to receive quarterly reminders about making regular Paul Harris contributions is encouraged to contract Foundation Treasurer Gordy Miller. |
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July Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in July. “July is hot afternoons and sultry nights and mornings when its joy just to be alive. July is a picnic and a red canoe and a sunburned neck and a softball game and ice tinkling in a tall glass. July is a blind date with summer.” – Hal Borland |
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Ukrainian Relief updates
At Rotary, we are deeply concerned by the escalating loss of life and humanitarian hardship caused by the war in Ukraine. We’re using our deep networks and decades of experience to take swift action in the region. How we are taking action: (click for video) All donations to our Disaster Response Fund from 3 March to 30 April 2022 have been prioritized for use providing humanitarian aid to regions that are supporting Ukrainian refugees or other victims of the war. Thanks to the generosity of donors around the world, we raised more than $15 million in contributions that are already helping provide people with essential items such as water, food, shelter, medicine, and clothing. So far, 142 disaster response grants totaling $4.3 million have been awarded to support people affected by the war. The Rotary Foundation will continue to use the donations for humanitarian aid in and around Ukraine, and districts can apply for these grants until 31 December 2022. Donations made to the Disaster Response Fund after 30 April will be available to all communities around the world that need assistance recovering from disasters. |
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2022-2023 Rotary President Jennifer Jones Takes Office
On July 1, 2022, Rotary Clubs all over the world turned over leadership to the next round of leaders. The 2022 transition is especially notable as Rotary International President Jennifer Jones is the first woman to lead Rotary as President. In Jennifer's "Imagine" speech from January 2022, she channels John Lennon's famous declaration: "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one" She says it's a challenge to all of us to imagine, and also act. Rotarians have imagined a world without polio, a world with clean water, and a world with peace. This Rotary year, imagine what big outcomes we'll realize in the future, from the seemingly small actions, done consistently. Best of fortunes to President Jennifer Jones, and all the new presidents in our 2022-2023 Rotary year! |
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2022-2023 Changing of the Guard
On June 29, 2022, the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) held it's annual celebration, the Changing of the Guards. This ceremony offers thanks and gratitude to the resigning president, and promotes current members to move up the leadership ranks. This year we celebrated Thom Arndt as he wrapped his 4 years of service, the last presiding as president. Thom's goals were to bring more hands-on projects to our club. That led to a highway clean up commitment, several Habitat for Humanity builds, and an in person Spikes event this Spring. Thank you Thom for your leadership. Moving up through our leadership ranks, Harry Farchmin will serve as our president in the 2022/2023 Rotary campaign. Chris Spresser will be our Vice President, and Tom Steinbach will act as our Secretary. Joining the leadership seats this year is Dave Engel at Sargent-at-Arms.  A big thank you also to Mark Zalewski and Gordy Miller for overseeing the responsibilities of club treasurer and foundation treasurer respectively. Rotary is a collection of people who understand that change starts with us. By following the 4 Way Test, we all work to build our community in the way that best fits our skills and interests. Please consider joining us for a breakfast meeting in our 2022-2023 Rotary year.
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Pop up Habitat Project
On June 23, 2022 the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) helped staff a Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity project. Rotarians Mark Zalewski and spouse Evonne Zalelewski joined Jackson Bubolz to round out a group of seven volunteers. They lifted pre-built walls to the second story of a new Habitat home and raised three walls on the second level. Habitat for Humanity is an avenue to give time or treasure for aiding housing issues in Milwaukee. Housing is often the "lead domino" which causes many additional challenges for families such as education, crime, and employment. Habitat works to provide families with affordable housing to help stabilize their expenses for shelter and to stabilize neighborhoods by increasing home ownership. Please connect with Jackson Bubolz if you are interested in taking part of a Habitat build this year. There is high demand for volunteers; so this is a unique way to be active, be involved, and also learn some construction skills!
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An International Focus
The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) welcomed two speakers with focus abroad to our June 24th breakfast meeting. Jennifer Demar of the NGO Guatemala Service Project shared the challenges the Guatemalans have confronted. Recognized as the "Poorest Country in the Western Hemisphere," this developing country has daily challenges many Americans never contemplate. Examples are malnutrition, contaminated water, and lack of access to diapers and other hygiene resources. The Guatemala Service Project is helping to address these needs with awareness, the collection of donations, and helping anyone who wants to get more involved, do so.  The second speaker was Rotarian Dick Debe, member of the Mukwonago Rotary Club and former District Governor of Rotary International District 6270. He shared how his club's involvement with Guatemala has led to even more involvement. The Mukwonago RotaryClub has sponsored projects and earned grants to deliver seeds and create farming programs. They've had chickens delivered to Guatemalan communities to create food, or revenue, or both. Rick has gotten the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) involved in clean water initiatives, getting water purification tools to remote communities so they can drink water with confidence. The ERC shares its focus among many local and several international organizations. ERC donates volunteer time, financial gifts, and insight to programs. The overarching intention is to be a catalyst for positive change. ERC is always welcoming new members and meets weekly on Fridays at 7:00 a.m. at the Western Racquet Club in Elm Grove. Let a member know if you're curious about joining.
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Changing of the Guard and Silent Auction
Elmbrook Rotary Club's (ERC) Changing of the Guard occurs on Wednesday evening, June 29, at the Mitchell Park Pavilion in Brookfield. The “Outdoors” will open at 5:00 p.m. for social time and activities that include a 50/50 raffle and a wine pull. This is a business casual event, and it is suggested that you bring folding chairs because seating could be limited. A buffet dinner will be served by Bunzel’s Catering, and seating will be on picnic benches surrounding the pavilion or on your own chairs. The program, which begins at 7:00 p.m., will be inside the pavilion that is air conditioned. The online silent auction goes live at 12 noon on Wednesday, June 22, which is also when bidding begins. Lots of great items have been donated, and bidding is expected to be brisk! If you can’t wait to see the many awesome items, you can get a preview of them at https://www.32auctions.com/ElmSilAuct2022 To participate in the silent auction, click https://www.32auctions.com/ElmSilAuct2022 Before bidding, you will be asked to create an account which must include your email address. A phone number is optional. Check the "Help" section for details if you have any questions about the auction. Under the bidding section, you will see how the watch list works. At the end of the auction, bidders will receive a notification that has a link to an invoice. Before paying the amount due, please consider placing an Add-on amount to help defray the software costs that the club will incur. All funds will then be credited to the Elmbrook Rotary Club PayPal account. There is also a green "Donate" button on the home page for cash donations. The auction will close at 10:00 p.m. on the evening of the Changing of the Guard (Wednesday, June 29). As soon as payment is made, winning bidders may pick up items at the offices of Jackie Radomski from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday, and 8:00 a.m. to noon on Friday (except on holidays). Her address is Gordon J. Maier & Company LLP, 12778 W. North Avenue, Bldg A, in Brookfield. Please pick up the items won (and paid for) no later than Wednesday, July 13. If not picked up, the items will be considered forfeited and donated to a worthy organization. Thank you and enjoy bidding. Proceeds will be allocated to the Elmbrook Rotary Club's Community, International, & Vocational Committees for the benefit of the many grants and programs that we support.
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Shoot to Thrill
The Elmbrook Rotary Straight Shooters (RI District 6270) enjoyed a joint outing with the Madison Shooting Sports Fellowship (RI District 6250) on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at the Milford Hills Hunt Club in Johnson Creek, WI. While It turned out to be the hottest day the year so far, a great time was had by all in meeting new Rotarians and breaking clays over the scenic fields. After a fun late-afternoon shooting participants learned more about each other in fellowship while enjoying beverages and a meal. |
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Richard Barnhouse & WCTC
On June 16, 2022, Dr. Richard Barnhouse came to the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) to share the foundation that Waukesha County Technical College WCTC has established as a powerful educational resource in our community and where he sees WCTC's future programming. Dr. Barnhouse spoke about the two-year applied science degrees offered by WCTC as well as their one-year technical degrees. He explained that nursing and protective services (fire, police, EMT) are still some of their most popular programs, but there are other programs such as cosmetology that are quietly growing . Dental hygienists are in very high demand, if one is looking for a carer, and there are are many open seats in those classrooms. WCTC is used both by individuals in our community and by employers, who provide on-going training for their employees. Dr. Barnhouse insists that WCTC stands among the top two-year schools in the country, and he is excited to continue to build the programs which people in our county need. If you are interested in taking a class, the enrollment periods are now every four months since WCTC switched from the semester academic system. Rotary offers engaging speakers, fellowship, and opportunities to give back to our community. Please join us at a 7:00 a.m. Friday breakfast meeting at the Western Racquet Club in Elm Grove.
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Rotary Response Update for Ukraine
With deep sadness, we feel the plight of Ukraine and its people. When someone is suffering, we reach out to help. Rotary International, a service organization, is doing just that and is calling us to help those in need. The Rotary Foundation (TRF) moved quickly to provide grant funds for the relief effort in Ukraine and for those fleeing to other countries. The Rotary Disaster Response Fund has received more than USD $15 million through June 8, 2022. Any contributions made after April 30 are being used by the Disaster Response Fund for disasters throughout the world and not just Ukraine. The Elmbrook Rotary Foundation (ERF) Board of Directors agreed to match individual Rotarian contributions up to USD $15,000. In the past months our Elmbrook Rotary Foundation has sent more than $34,000 to The Rotary Foundation Disaster Response Fund to support relief efforts in Ukraine and the Ukraine refugees. This includes member contributions and the full $15,000 ERF match. Thank you so much to everyone that has donated! This is a great response, and we can all feel proud of our Elmbrook Rotary Club! Thus far, some USD $3.3 million have been released through district grants to assist with relief efforts in Ukraine and with Ukrainian refugees. Soon after the Russian invasion began, Czech and Slovak Rotarians assisted in opening a train corridor to get much needed supplies into Ukraine. You can read about that ongoing effort by clicking here or on the photo below.  Numerous other examples exist. Rotarians and Rotaractors throughout the world are responding and acting. Read the stories here! ERC members who attended the RI Convention in Houston, TX, report that, in the Parade of Flags, the blue-and-yellow flag of Ukraine received a standing, thunderous ovation from the thousands of attendees. Help keep the tragedy of Ukraine front and center for both Rotary and the public in general.
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A Look into the 2022 RI Convention
News from the Rotary International Convention Fellow Elmbrook Rotarians Tom Curl, Harry Farchmin, Tom Hochuli, and their spouses attended the RI Convention in Houston, TX, taking in all of the sights, sounds, experiences, and relationships at the largest gathering of Rotarians in the world. Charlie Duke, retired astronaut (see story screenshot above), talked about the need for our communities to work together as space missions were compelled to do. Tom Hochuli has shared pictures of events on opening day, including one of a Texan telling a very interesting story about (or to) his armadillo (see photo below).   This convention is held each year and is open to any interested Rotarian. Mate, next year's convention will be held in Melbourne Australia.
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Thanks for Making "Spikes" a Success
Prep and Tear down No event can be a success without lots of working planning ahead of time and dedicated people on site early to prep and make sure the day gets started well.     We also needed volunteers willing to stay afterward to clean up, pack up, and keep going after everyone had their fun . . .   and last but not least... friends & neighbors to come celebrate a great Rotary year and a strong Spikes for Tykes event!   Thank you to all the Rotarians and their families for the effort that went into this year's event. It was great to be back among our members and our Elmbrook community! Don't forget the online "Silent Auction," which begins on June 22, as part of the annual "Spikes for Tykes" fundraising effort. |
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Spikes for Tykes 2022
The Elmbrook Rotary Club's "Spikes for Tikes" annual fundraising drive experienced one of its culminating events on Saturday, June 4. The June 4th in-person wrap-up was a volleyball event held at Mitchell Park in Brookfield. Approximately 20 teams from the community played an hour of volleyball and learned more about Rotary. Each playing team received six (6) long-sleeve commemorative T-shirts. A cash raffle added to the funds raised, and both food and drinks were available for purchase. Enjoy the photos from the June 4th wrap-up, snapped by ERC member Erik Moeser, by clicking here. "Spikes for Tikes" is the club's largest fundraising event and is the main way the club creates funds to donate into our community. If you wonder about where the money goes, check out this PDF which lists the 2020-2021 charitable donations of Elmbrook Rotary Club and its Foundation. It's impressive! If your school, company, or place of worship missed the event this year, please reach out to one of the Elmbrook Rotarians. We'd love to get you involved in "Spikes '23" and also introduce you to the ways we're serving our community through Rotary. The fundraising effort continues through the club's "Changing of the Guard" event at the same location (Mitchell Field, Brookfield) on June 29. Connected with that event will also be a "Silent Auction," proceeds of which will be added to the "Spikes for Tykes" totals. The online portion of the "Silent Auction" will begin on June 22—lots of treasures, goodies, and experiences to win (for the right bid)!
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ERC in EGNI June 2022 Edition
The June 2022 edition of the Elm Grove News - Independent has been printed and distributed. You'll find the ERC paid ad in the "Business Directory" on p. 3, the ERC Friday meetings information in the "Calendar of Events" on p. 5., and an article by Erik Moeser about Common Hope in Guatemala on p. 8. Click here to access and read. Copies are also available for pick up at the Elm Grove and Brookfield libraries, Sendik's, Ace Hardware, etc.
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June Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in June. “Far up in the deep blue sky, Great white clouds are floating by; All the world is dressed in green; Many happy birds are seen, Roses bright and sunshine clear Show that lovely June is here.” — F. G. Sanders |
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Rotary Fellowships Month
June is designated Rotary Fellowships Month to recognize the importance of international fellowship and goodwill among Rotarians with similar recreational and vocational interests, to promote increased participation in fellowships, and to increase understanding of this program. What are the benefits for Rotarians in joining a Rotary Fellowship? Fellowship provides opportunities for Rotarians to make lasting friendships outside their own Club, District, or country. There are many Fellowships that would be of interest to members, and they are detailed at https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/more-fellowships A handful of Elmbrook Rotary Club members belong to various Rotary Fellowships. Examples include Beer Rotarians Enjoy Worldwide (BREW), Cycling to Serve, Shooting Sport Rotarians, and Surfers Unite. Just ask around, and you'll find a great deal of interest in the 100+ Rotary Fellowships. |
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Purposeful Higher Ed - LAUNCH of Elmbrook
The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) has consistently focused on enhancing the opportunities of the students in our community. The LAUNCH program of Elmbrook has been a wonderful way to focus time and resources back into the high schools in our immediate school districts. On 31 May, the ERC sponsored a large conference room block for the LAUNCH program's "Watch It Live" so their students could showcase what their semester's efforts had created. The LAUNCH program represents over 400 sophomores, juniors, and seniors from the Elmbrook and Wauwatosa School Districts. Student are grouped into interest "strands" such as global business, future teachers, business analytics, media solution, IT, engineering, healthcare solutions, manufacturing, and several other options. Student groups are paired up with mentors from related industries to receive insight and training from beyond the school's walls. Each mentor brings a real life "problem statement" from their business to the project. The student's job is to solve the problem through their own resources and rely on the mentor for guidance during challenges or confusion. |
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Building Media Relations
On 27 May, Trish Nitschke of the Center for Business Communication Excellence met with the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) to share ideas on how to make one's brand more visible. Take-aways that can be used for business or personal branding are:
As the ERC continues to attract new members from all areas of our community, it was a treat to have Trish share top ideas around branding. Because these strategies are readily available for growing businesses and personal brands, there is carryover to how ERC can leverage these strategies to grow awareness of our club and increase the impact we make. Please consider bringing a friend to our next 7:00 a.m. breakfast meeting to hear great speakers like Trish!
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Memorial Day Social
The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) loves to help out locally and internationally whenever we can. When not actively serving, many Rotarians enjoy kicking back and relaxing in our community. On 30 May, ERC members Jeanne & John Allen invited club members and their families to take in the Elm Grove Memorial Day parade from the comfort of their front yard. Food, drinks, and stories were enjoyed all morning and into the afternoon as friendships were deepened along with our appreciation for Rotary. Thank you for hosting, Allens! Social events, educational breakfast meetings, local volunteer events, and international service trips—Rotary offers something for anyone who wants to be better connected to those among whom we live.
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Friends for Health in Haiti Update
On May 6 the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) welcomed Dr. Catherine Wolfe, Founder, Executive Director, and Clinical Director for Friends for Health in Haiti. Dr. Wolfe shared how gang violence is intensifying challenges of the pandemic and recent earthquakes. Inflation is leading to hunger being increasingly prevalent. It's not all bad news though. Through programs like Friends for Health in Haiti, communities are able to get organized and work toward solutions. Leveraging repeatable farming techniques, having consistent education for children, and building solutions for clean drinking water and sanitary latrines are all ways Rotary clubs like ours can help boost the wellbeing of others. Other recent breakthroughs include installing solar panels at the hospital to deliver days of reliable power. Friends for Health in Haiti is also realizing the superior ability of cinderblock structures to weather storms and earthquakes vs. using rocks or tin materials. They are looking to implement stronger materials whenever possible. There are also opportunities within the ERC to have donations go further. $2,000 has been matched by an anonymous donor to help Friends for Health in Haiti, making a total USD $4,000+ that was raised to support the agricultural seed project of Friends for Health in Haiti.
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Highlights of Boards of Directors
The Elmbrook Rotary Foundation (ERC) Board of Directors and the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) Board of Directors met via Zoom on Tuesday, May 24. Among the highlights of the two board meetings were the following:
Any ERC member is welcome to attend the meetings of the Board of Directors. Follow this website and the weekly ERC eBulletin for announcement of BoD meetings.
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The Women's Center & ERC Go Way Back
Anyone who has spent time at Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) meetings knows well that the club has deep ties to The Women's Center (TWC). At our May 20th meeting, Jessie Trauth (the TWC Shelter and Housing Programs Director) shared the legacy that compliments our deep connection. Over the last 30 years, ERC has:
As Spikes of Tikes, ERC's largest fundraiser, approaches its conclusion, it is important to remind all Rotarians, friends of Rotary, and local businesses that none of the positive and impactful work the ERC does can happen without donations of both time and treasure. We're looking forward to great Spikes for Tikes' results in 2022 and opportunities to continue our work in the community, while hopefully adding an organization or two to support in the 2022/2023 Rotary year.
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New Members & Stories within the Elmbrook Rotary Club
The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) had a meeting full of introductions on May 13, 2022. After visiting a few meetings, Emily Jones & William (Bill) Selzer both decided to join our club. Over the next few months they will hopefully make friends with many Rotarians, as well as better understand the ways they can be involved in local to international efforts. They will have a chance to choose an Avenue of Service that best fits their interests and share their classification talks with us later this year. Part two of our meeting was hearing classification talks from slightly more seasoned members. |
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Getting Kids Fit - Physically & Scholastically |
New PolioPlus Society in Rotary District 6270
