Rotary Club of Madison Annual Fund Drive a Success!

Posted on February 2, 2012 by | 1 comment

From Renee Moe, 2011-12 Fund Drive ChairRenee Moe Photo:

Thanks to the participation of 410 of our members – and more who have shared they still plan to contribute – we have exceeded our $130,000 annual fund drive goal.

Much appreciation to each and every donor, the fund drive committee, members who donated incentives for our weekly drawings, our anonymous donor who encouraged numerous members to give for the first time with an innovative match gift, Pat and Jayne in the office, and a special thanks to the Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Foundation for making a generous gift in memory of Irwin and Bob and their long standing relationship with Downtown Rotary.Madison Rotary Foundation Logo

Our Board of Directors has confirmed that the annual fund drive is the Club’s top philanthropic priority. Thank you for demonstrating your commitment to our Club’s programs through  your financial support.

The Rotary Club of Madison has 500 members from business, academia, healthcare and public and community service.  It is one of the ten largest Rotary International clubs in the world and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.  Rotary International is a service club with local and global reach.  It’s 34,000 clubs in over 200 countries have 1.2 million members who meet weekly to develop friendships, learn, and work together to address important humanitarian needs. 

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So What’s the Rotary Tri-Quest? — Madison Rotary

Posted on January 23, 2012 by | 1 comment

Perhaps you have been hearing about the Rotary Club of Madison Tri-Quest, but haven’t really tuned in to what it is all about.

The Tri-Quest is a long-established and unique event that was started in LaCrosse 15 years ago by a group of athletic enthusiasts who wanted to incorporate golf into athletic competition. Its history was born in raising money for youth in the LaCrosse area. Over the last 15 years, 3,000 have participated and helped raise over $750,000 for the Children’s Museum, Boys and Girls Club and Family Services in LaCrosse.Rotary Club of Madison Tri-Quest Logo

Your Rotary club has licensed the right to use the event in Madison. Our goals are to:

  • To provide service to the community by promoting a unique, fun, challenging athletic event.
  • To raise up to $100,000 in honor of our centennial year. 
  • To increase Rotary’s brand awareness and to enhance our member’s experience in Rotary.

Your Board has designated the proceeds to the Madison Rotary Foundation Synergy Fund as the primary beneficiary. The Madison Rotary Foundation Synergy Scholarship Fund annually provides a four-year college scholarship to a low-income graduating high school senior from our community. Recipients excel in academics and are active in community service projects during high school, but they lack the financial resources to enable them to attend college. The Synergy Fund helps students in need to realize their college dreams; it is a gift that will last them a lifetime. Many recipients receiving our scholarship are the first in their families to attend college.

The event will be held Sunday May 20, 2012, at the Legends of Bergamont in Oregon. It includes a 5K run, 33K bike ride and 18 holes of golf. You can participate as a 3 person- corporate team, where the event is divided among competitors who compete in each leg of the event. You can also form individual, 2-person and 4-person teams where each of you participate in each leg of the event. There is competition in the male, female and co-ed divisions as well as age categories. Winners are based on overall positions in each leg of the event compared to the rest of the field. The golf event is either stroke play, best ball, scramble, or alternate shot, depending on the format of your team. It is non-handicapped event.

You can help with this event in a variety of ways. 

  • As a volunteer on the Tri-Quest committee or on the day of the event
  • As a participant, by forming either a corporate team or other team
  • By being a sponsor in one of the many categories or asking other businesses to sponsor
  • By inviting friends, colleagues and co-workers to be participants
  • By being a spokesperson in the community for this event
The Rotary Club of Madison has 500 members from business, academia, healthcare and public and community service.  It is one of the ten largest Rotary International clubs in the world and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.  Rotary International is a service club with local and global reach.  It’s 34,000 clubs in over 200 countries have 1.2 million members who meet weekly to develop friendships, learn, and work together to address important humanitarian needs. 

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Season’s Greetings – Rotary Club of Madison

Posted on December 13, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Enjoy this video short!  Thanks go to Neil Fauerbach for interviewing members and filming (he accepted and was off with the camera rolling about 1- 1/2 seconds after being asked), Rob Stroud for letting us put some wear and tear on his camera, Paul Ranola of Requisite Video for putting it together, and Lew Harned for…….. just being Lew.

Happy Holidays from the Board of Directors and Kitchen Committee!

The Rotary Club of Madison has 500 members from business, academia, healthcare and public and community service.  It is one of the ten largest Rotary International clubs in the world and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.  Rotary International is a service club with local and global reach.  It’s 34,000 clubs in over 200 countries have 1.2 million members who meet weekly to develop friendships, learn, and work together to address important humanitarian needs. 

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How’s It Going?? – Rotary Club of Madison

Posted on December 13, 2011 by | Leave a comment

From President Paul –

How is your Rotary year going?  Are you getting the most out of your membership?  Have you been able to work on a committee?  Join in fellowship group activities?  I hope so.  If not, jump in!  Not a week goes by that I don’t hear a member’s story about benefits they’ve received through contributing and participating – even just getting to know others at fellowship group events.

Feedback on weekly programs continues to be excellent.  Dave Mollenhoff’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer story was rightfully described as mesmerizing.

Please allow me to share a few updates on items from our strategic plan –

  •  Speed Rotary in August rocked.  110 out of 112 members that completed the survey said we should do it again.  Many thanks to Deb Raupp and her committee.  Look for a reprise in the spring.
  • The new member event at the Chazen was a hit – almost 300 attended and feedback indicated all had a grand time.  Thanks Petie Rudy, Virginia Bartelt and committees, and of course our hosts Mary Carr Lee and Russell Panczenko.
  • Scott Haumersen and his committee are working on Rotary Tri-Quest to benefit Dane County Youth — our Run-Bike-Golf fundraiser on May 20, 2012.  (Members Jason Beren, Susan Schmitz, and Carrie Wall & Jim Gilmore are pictured below.)
  • Derrick Van Mell has taken on the task of compiling a list of activities that our club may discontinue. Please contact him with ideas.
  • Laura Peck, Steve Goldberg, Wes Sparkman, Deb Archer, Linda Baldwin and their committees continue to lead projects related to our centennial in June 2013.  These include Rotary Plaza by the Madison Children’s Museum, Family Fun Fair and the Centennial Celebration.
  • And, many thanks to Rick Kiley, Paul Ranola and the Social Media Committee.  They are managing this blog, Facebook, LinkedIn and instituted ConstantContact for emails to members.  The emails are much more attractive, and we are gathering statistics on what is being looked at so we can adjust as needed.

How’s it going for me?  Really well.  What continues to amaze me is the spirit with which members embrace volunteer work for the community.  Recently I was asked to recruit a few more members to help on a committee.  The first five members said yes. 

Committee and Fellowship group chairs – remember, there is a standing invitation for you to pen an article for this blog to let members know what you’re up to.  Please remember to include a photo or three.

Wishing you and your family a festive holiday season!  In service,

Paul Riehemann

The Rotary Club of Madison has 500 members from business, academia, healthcare and public and community service.  It is one of the ten largest Rotary International clubs in the world and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.  Rotary International is a service club with local and global reach.  It’s 34,000 clubs in over 200 countries have 1.2 million members who meet weekly to develop friendships, learn, and work together to address important humanitarian needs. 

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Blackhawk Country Club New Member Event – Rotary Club of Madison

Posted on December 8, 2011 by | 1 comment

On Tuesday, December 6, our Member Development Committee hosted a New Member Event where over 30 Rotarians met in the morning for coffee at Blackhawk Country Club to enjoy fellowship, the beautiful view, and to help new members learn more about Rotary.

Patty Franson gave a presentation on our club’s proud heritage of philanthropy, Rotary International’s Foundation, our Madison Rotary Foundation, and our Annual Fund Drive. She highlighted the Philanthropy Committee’s focus on stewardship, acknowledgment, celebrating, and promoting how our collective gifts make a difference both locally and internationally. Obviously, since a picture is said to be worth a thousand words, Patty utilized Roth Judd’s famous diagram to help illustrate the link between the Annual Fund Drive and the community grants we provide.

The Annual Fund Drive Committee is encouraging new members to participate, even with a small gift, so that over time they will be able to experience the value of their gift at work locally and internationally.

Rob Stroud, Terry Anderson, and Roth Judd helped Jason Beren with a “Ways To Participate In Rotary” presentation. The discussion emphasized the many opportunities available to participate in Rotary, which also count as make-ups. A number of Rotarians shared personal stories about participating in our own club’s activities and attending meetings at other Rotary Clubs at home and abroad. Hopefully, our new members will be inspired to visit other clubs all over the world, explore and experience the benefits of committee and club service, and participate in the ever-popular fellowship groups.

The Rotary Club of Madison has 500 members from business, academia, healthcare and public and community service.  It is one of the ten largest Rotary International clubs in the world and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.  Rotary International is a service club with local and global reach.  It’s 34,000 clubs in over 200 countries have 1.2 million members who meet weekly to develop friendships, learn, and work together to address important humanitarian needs. 

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Rotaract Tour and Supper, 12.01.11

Posted on December 5, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Dan Larson, Chair and Jacqui Sakowski, members of the Rotaract Advisory Committee, accompanied students from Edgewood College and UW Madison on a tour of Full Compass Systems and to supper at The Imperial Garden Chinese Restaurant.

Roxanne Wenzel, VP Sales & Marketing, left above, guided the party through showrooms, recording studios, the colossal 80,000 sqaure foot warehouse and the a la carte bistro.

Johnathon Lipp, founder took the students through the history of the firm to the present day. The students were truly inspired to learn how Full Compass had bucked the recession and grown dramatically by doing the opposite of conventional business wisdom.

During a half-hour Q&A session Johnathon shared some of the downs as well as many of the ups, so everyone left with a taste of success underpinned with a good sense of the reality of managing a growing business in a fast changing industry.

Cool space, fast growing, hi-tech, rewarding, inspiring, were the words much used over a luscious buffet style meal at The Imperial Garden Chinese Restaurant.

Many thanks to Full Compass Systems and to Imperial Garden Chinese Restuarant for their time and contributions to this fun evening.

The Full Compass goody bags and cartons of Chinese food were enthusiastically apprreciated by our group.

The Rotary Club of Madison has 500 members from business, academia, healthcare and public and community service. It is one of the ten largest Rotary International clubs in the world and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013. Rotary International is a service club with local and global reach. It’s 34,000 clubs in over 200 countries have 1.2 million members who meet weekly to develop friendships, learn, and work together to address important humanitarian needs.

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