Tag Archives: Networking

New Member Networking Event December 10

Posted on December 14, 2015 by jaynecoster | Leave a comment

–submitted by Haley Saalsaa; photos by Dave Ewanowski

Club President Ellsworth Brown and Haley Saalsaa

On the morning of December 10 25 of us got together for a new member event at the Blackhawk Country club. We were welcomed with fresh hot pastries accompanied by coffee and orange juice.

From left: Jorge Hidalgo, Mike Casey, Larry Collins & Carol Goedken

We took the first thirty minutes to talk amongst ourselves and then the fun really began. Jason Beren orchestrated a Bingo game deriving answers from surveys we had all previously taken. It was a unique networking event and fun to try something new. Often times networking is the same and discussions become routine. The bingo game allowed us to find out unique things about our fellow Rotarians that we may not have known before. For example, did you know that our president Ellsworth Brown played cymbals in high-school? He could put on quite a show incorporating CO2 for special effects OR that TJ Blitz is a trained stage actor?

From Left: Sandy Morales, TJ Blitz, Craig Bartlett & Tom Popp

From left: Mary Borland, Ellsworth Brown, Nick Curran

These are the types of things that likely would not have come into conversation if we weren’t playing an exciting game of Bingo! Jason threw a great event and I look forward to this spring for more events to come.

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Posted in 2. Meetings, 5. Members, Networking, New Member Events, Rotary Club of Madison, Social Media

Tagged Fellowship, Membership, Networking, New Member Events, Rotary Club of Madison, Social Media

New Member Coffee Event Held December 11

Posted on December 11, 2014 by jaynecoster | Leave a comment

–submitted by Mary Borland; photos by Jason Beren

Several new members along with established members, gathered the morning of December 11 for networking and education. Jason Beren led the meeting.

Guest speaker Victoria Gammino, an epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, presented information about Rotary International Polio Plus and the impressive work that has been done to try to eradicate polio. There is still work to be done internationally, especially in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria, so our continued contributions to the Rotary International fund are very much appreciated.

Cheryl Rosen Weston presented information about the Madison Rotary Foundation and how our club is unique in having a Foundation. Many clubs are much smaller than ours and only contribute to the Rotary International Fund. Our dollars, donated to the Madison Rotary Foundation, go right into our local community to fund important causes. Roth Judd followed up Cheryl’s presentation with a wonderful visual chart that helps us all better understand where our monies flow, whether local or international.

Doug Dittmann provided information on the Community Grants Committee. Committee members make personal visits to prospective grant recipients and then share their findings with the rest of the committee to decide on specific funding to be provided. New members are encouraged to consider serving on this committee – you’ll learn a lot!

The next new member meeting is January 28 at 11:15am, prior to Rotary, and a plan will be started to roast President Tim! Don’t miss this one!

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Posted in 2. Meetings, 3. Committees, Networking

Tagged Fellowship, Networking, New Member Event, Rotary, Rotary Club of Madison

Meet Tim Stadelman: Club President

Posted on July 24, 2014 by jaynecoster | 1 comment

–submitted by Andrea Kaminski; photo by John Bonsett-Veal

President Tim Stadelman (Pictured above at left with Past Club President Rob Stroud) was our speaker on Wednesday, July 23. He spoke about his past and connected it with his goals as President of our club. Tim referred to four core areas of his life – Rotary, Family, Findorff and the Community. He said all four mainstays are connected, and the first three support the community.

Tim thanked his wife Lori and sons Ross, Tommy and Justin as well as his partners and colleages at Findorff for their support. He thanked Rotary members for “the opportunity of a lifetime to lead the Club.”

The sixth of seven children, Tim grew up near Belleville. His father was a cheese maker and the family lived on the upper floor of the cheese factory. After raising seven children, his mother became a kindergarten teacher. Tim’s parents wanted all of their children to go to college, an opportunity they themselves did not have. Tim graduated from UW-Whitewater with a degree in accounting.

In August Tim will celebrate 25 years with Findorff, where he is CFO and an owner of the company. He noted similarities between Findorff’s core values and those of Rotary, including taking a long-term view, fostering strong leadership, maintaining a community focus and engaging multiple generations.

Tim gave a preview of what to expect as the Rotary Board enters the fourth year of our Club’s five year strategic plan:

Marketing will continue to be an emphasis, so that all materials and messaging will have a consistent focus on core concepts;
Membership development efforts will focus on building connections for members, especially those in their first few years with the Club. Each committee and fellowship group will be challenged to organize one shared activity or event with another committee or group.
The Board will lead us in identifying a fourth focus area for Service, in addition to the current areas of Basic Needs, Education and Mentoring, and Civic Leadership.
We will increase involvement with the Rotaract Clubs at UW and Edgewood College, as well as support a new Interact Club at Madison East High School.

Finally, Tim promised 10% more fun! District Governor Dave Warren will explain this in detail at our July 30 meeting.

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Posted in 1. President's Messages, 2. Meetings, Networking, Weekly Rotary Guest Speaker

Tagged Membership, Networking, Rotary, Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club President, Rotary Meeting, Weekly Rotary Guest Speaker

Madison Hosts 2014 Rotary Can-Am International Curling Event January 16 – 18

Posted on January 21, 2014 by jaynecoster | Leave a comment

–submitted by Rich Lepping, Organizer of International Curling Event in Madison

Nineteen teams from Canada and the United States competed at the 60^th Jubilee of the Rotary Can-Am Bonspiel on January 16 – 18. The international curling event concluded on Saturday with Rogers Ark, a team from Arkansas, taking first place for the United States and the Peterbough team winning for the Canadian side. These teams will go on to compete in the Rotary World competition in Aberdeen Scotland, March 27 – April 5.

Our Rotary Club of Madison President Renee Moe (pictured at left with Rich Lepping) welcomed the 125 guests Friday evening at Maple Bluff Country Club. She told of the number of members our Rotary club has and the events leading up to our 100^th Birthday celebration. Also helping over the weekend were Rob Stroud, Dave Johnson, Gary Peterson, James Tye III and Tony Arneson. Tony’s daughter Olivia also volunteered her time to the project.

Madison Curling Club member Rich Lepping will be installed as the next President of the International Fellowship in Aberdeen, Scotland.

One of the many highlights of the banquet was a raffle held to support the Goodman Community Center. John Hayes of Goodman’s Jewelers donated a pair of stunning diamond earrings for this raffle with over $1,400.00 raised for the center.

Thanks to all for your time and support!

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Posted in 4. Fellowship Groups, 5. Members, International Fellowship

Tagged Curling Fellowship, Fellowship, International Fellowship, Networking, Rotary, Rotary Club of Madison

Holiday Kick-Off Party December 3, 2013

Posted on December 5, 2013 by jaynecoster | Leave a comment

–submitted by Kathleen Woit; photos by Nancy Young

Pictured above back row from left: Gail Selk, Joan Collins, Carol Koby, Petie Rudy & Valerie Kazamias; front row from left: Nancy Young, Joy Rice & Kathleen Woit

Rotary members and guests gathered to ring in the Holiday Season at a festive party in Petie Rudy’s new condo. A buffet dinner and wine created a relaxed setting for conversation and candid photos. A delightful evening was had by all!

Photo 1: Joy Rice, Petie Rudy and Nancy Young gather near the Holiday tree.
Photo 2: Kip Frautschi, Petie Rudy and Kathleen Woit at the buffet table.

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Posted in 4. Fellowship Groups, Networking, Special Events Committee

Tagged Fellowship, Membership, Networking, Rotary, Rotary Club of Madison

Buon Appetito! A Tour of Italy at The Madison Club

Posted on November 7, 2013 by jaynecoster | Leave a comment

–submitted by Kay Schwichtenberg; photos by Kris Ashe

Buon Appetito! That is how Chef Andrew Wilson greeted 38 Rotarians and their guests on Tuesday evening, November 5 at the Madison Club. A tour of Italy through its cuisine was on tap for the evening.

Part of our tour allowed us some time in the kitchen with Chef Wilson. He demonstrated making pasta from scratch as well as some delicious fillings. The pasta was prepared with local eggs from a farm in McFarland, many with double yolks resulting in wonderfully rich tortellini.

From there we gathered in the dining room to begin the ‘official tour’ starting with a Sicilian first course of octopus, fennel and olives. The Emilia-Romagna region was next with a wonderful tortellini en brodo. The third course was a specialty from the Lombardy region, Osso bucco and polenta. And if we had not had quite enough with the wine flights and food, we finished the evening with a Piedmont specialty, Gianduja chocolate tart, sea salt caramel gelato and candied hazelnuts.

When we left for the evening everyone was saying– complimenti alla cuoca! Thank you to Culinary Arts Fellowship Group Chair Valerie Kazamias (pictured at left) for organizing this event for our group.