Category Archives: Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker

January 24: Current State of Childcare in Wisconsin

Posted on January 26, 2024 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Jessika Kasten

Wisconsin Early Childhood Association Executive Director Ruth Schmidt spoke to the Club about the current state of childcare in Wisconsin. She made the case that to have a strong workforce, we need to have a strong childcare system that is affordable to families, accessible and fairly compensates its workforce. Today, childcare workers with an advanced degree make an average of $12/hour with no benefits – and parents spend an average of 30% of their income in childcare costs. Ruth asked members to keep talking about the broken system and encourage Wisconsin to join other states in underwriting this critical component of workforce development.

If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch it here:  https://youtu.be/n2JQUMsyj4E.

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Posted in Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker, Weekly Rotary Guest Speaker

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January 17: Dry January

Posted on January 19, 2024 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Jessika Kasten

Maureen Busalacchi, Director of the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project, spoke to the group about the strong alcohol culture in our state and the ways that we can support calming that relationship to bring it more in line with the rest of the United States. Limiting our alcohol intake has many personal health benefits including weight loss, improved sleep, lower blood pressure, skin clarity – and more. We have the opportunity to change the culture by being more thoughtful and intentional about the role alcohol plays in our lives, events and communities as well as within our public health policy.

If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch it here:  https://youtu.be/GsPGyO4aDHM .

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Posted in Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker, Rotary Weekly Guest Speaker

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January 10: A Refugee Family’s Journey to America

Posted on January 12, 2024 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Jessika Kasten

Professor Nam Kim spoke about his family’s refugee journey to flee danger and pursue the American Dream. Dr. Kim’s father was born in Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean War; his mother was born in Vietnam. They met and married in Vietnam, and fled to the Philippines, Guam and eventually the United States during the evacuation of Saigon. Ultimately, this is a story of hope and resilience, even through unfathomable adversity. Dr. Kim asked the group to consider the many ways of being “American,” as well as the complex identities and heritages of others.

If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch it here:  https://youtu.be/bQzzT3oSUPw.

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Posted in Madison WI, Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker, Rotary Weekly Guest Speaker

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January 3: Get Out There! Madison Parks Have Much to Offer

Posted on January 5, 2024 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Jessika Kasten

On January 3, Madison Parks Superintendent Eric Knepp spoke to the group about the multitude of opportunities our local parks offer to improve our quality of life. Over 95% of Madisonians live within a 10 minute walk to a park, allowing us all to easily find ways to find joy, purpose and connection. The Madison Parks Department hosts a variety of events throughout the year, focused on health, exercise, education and more. We encourage everyone to commit to learn more and take advantage of them regularly, especially as we start a new year.

If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch it here:  https://youtu.be/p5_V80m5GWE.

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Posted in Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker, Rotary Weekly Guest Speaker, Weekly Rotary Guest Speaker

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December 6: The World of Esports

Posted on December 8, 2023 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Kevin Hoffman

Brandon Tschacher, founder of the Milwaukee Esports Alliance, engaged and educated us on the significance and growth of the Esports industry. Esports is competitive athletic play in a video game setting such as on a PC, game console, or mobile device. It can involve master play online, single play or with traditional sports games such as Madden. While the average age of Esports players is 31 there are programs (with coaching and resources allocated) in middle school, high school, college, professional level (Bucks Gaming as an example) and local venues and leagues. Like other sports, there are many careers that support and produce the playing of Esports including STEM-related fields. And it serves as an inclusive answer to an athletic competitive community that hasn’t always had a home in the past.

If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch it here:  https://youtu.be/UChkkCFZoho.  

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November 29: Addressing Loneliness & Isolation in Wisconsin

Posted on November 30, 2023 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Jessika Kasten

Kris Krasnowski, Executive Director for the Wisconsin Institute for Health Aging, discussed the many ways that social isolation and loneliness can negatively affect the health of our community, including putting people at higher risk for heart disease, dementia and more. Even before the pandemic, about 50% of U.S. adults experienced loneliness. The WI Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness is adopting a plan to address this topic that includes strategies like strengthening social infrastructure, mobilizing the health care industry and reforming digital environments. You can make a difference by reaching out to those you know who may need additional social connection.

If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch the video here:  https://youtu.be/4W4MqvWrm20.

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Posted in Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker, Weekly Rotary Guest Speaker

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