Tag Archives: Rotary Club of Madison

Rotarian Bikers Enjoy an Autumn Ride on Madison’s East Side

Posted on September 18, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Five Downtown Madison Rotarians (Joan Collins, Dan Dieck, Dawn Crim, Steve Musser and Mark Moody) and spouses and friends enjoyed a 14-mile ride along the charming and scenic bicycle paths of Madison’s east side on Sunday, Spetember 16.  The group met at Olin Park and rode at a leisurely pace all the way to Madison College along the bike paths of Madison.

The weather was perfect, a magnificent fall day.  Fresh air, sunshine and a tinge of autumn in the air.  The group rode along John Nolen Drive across the causeway, and along the Capitol City path to the Goodman Center and then along Starkweather creek and the bike path all the way to Madison College.  The ride’s ultimate destination was the fun and funky festival on Madison’s inimitable Willy Street.

Along the way we enjoyed conversation, urban gardens, the sight of charming neighborhoods and various business establishments and local institutions such as Harmony Bar, Cafe Zoma, the Goodman Center and the Bridges golf links.  We saw walkers, cyclists, children fishing, ducks and even a blue heron gliding along Starkweather creek.

Rotarian Joan Collins was our host and guide.  Her affection and appreciation for Madison’s east side and its bike trails exposed the group to new sights and the scenery, safety and tranquility of Madison’s bikeways.  For Rotarians who have never had the pleasure of participating in the Willy Street Festival with its zany and whimsical parade, we highly recommend it to you.  It is a unique Madison tradition that beautifully illustrates the unique character of Madison’s near east side. If you have never joined one of the Rotary Bicycling Fellowship events we invite you to do so; you are always welcome!

Happy trails and please remember to share the road.

–submitted by Mark Moody

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

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Recent Rotary Fellowship Group Events

Posted on August 21, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Rotary Wine Fellowship Group Event on August 16, 2012
–submittted by Ellie Schatz; photos by Dori Hosek

Keeping 15 wine tasters listening and in a semblance of order can be a daunting task. So on Thursday evening, August 16, host and fellowship group leader Mike Wilson displayed his greenstone, a form of jade found in the South Island of New Zealand. Used by the Maoris as a weapon and considered more valuable than gold, our group was duly impressed with his trinket, but not given to voting any wine the best of the evening unless it truly passed an individual test for color, aroma, body, bouquet, finish, etc.

From left: Steve Landry, Robyn Kitson, Becky Steinhoff, Mike Wilson & Steve Mixtacki

Peggy Lescrenier & Robyn Kitson

After tasting 9 of the 12 wines featured, Mike called for a vote. With a few abstentions, a zinfindel from central California won by a 7:4 vote. This gave reason for Peggy Lescrenier and Robyn Kitson to raise their glasses in celebration of their fine wine-tasting judgment.

(Pictured above from left: Patty Wilson, Peggy Lescrenier, Steve & Meryl Mixtacki, and Keith & Juli Baumgartner)

Steve Mixtacki surprised us all with an unusual finisher: a red-wine gelato. Chocolaterie Stam, a shop on Deming Way in Middleton, makes gelato out of just about anything your heart desires. Here’s to Steve’s blend of Bordeaux with ice cream. I know where I’m getting the dessert for my next dinner party!

Rotary Bicycling Fellowship Outing on August 18, 2012
–submitted by Jeff Tews

We had a delightful Saturday morning for a Bike Fellowship ride around West Madison. In attendance (above), from left, Cindy Waldbillig, John Faust, Ted Waldbillig, Sue Faust, Susan Prest, Karen Ostrov, Michael Ostrov, Jeff Tews, Allen Sherwood. Picture taken by Susan Rather.

Rotary Scotch Whisky Fellowship Event on August 20, 2012
–photos submitted by Noel Pearson
The event was hosted by Lew Harned at his home on Lake Mendota.

From left: Dan Dieck, Melanie Ramey, Lew Harned and Mike Wenzel

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Posted in 4. Fellowship Groups, Bike Fellowship, Scotch Whisky, Lew Harned Society, Wine Fellowship

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Rotary Business LinkUp Meeting on August 9

Posted on August 13, 2012 by | 1 comment

-submitted by Dave Ewanowski

From left: Steve Musser, Deb Raupp, Bill Montei, Dave Ewanowski and Paul Olsen

Fifteen Rotarians and guests met at the Madison Club on Thursday, August 9th for an informative “Business LinkUp” session.  Members learned more about each other’s businesses and organizations as they discussed stimulating topics posed by moderators Derrick Van Mell and Roger Phelps.  Questions included “What is the value of a great idea?” and “What was your greatest risk?”  In addition, Rob Ringeisen spoke about his business (Tom James clothiers) and Dave Ewanowski, founding partner at KEE Architecture, highlighted recent work of the firm.  More LinkUp sessions are planned for the future.  Stay tuned…

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Posted in 2. Meetings, 5. Members, Social Media, Speed Rotary, Uncategorized

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At the Heart of Rotary

Posted on August 7, 2012 by | 6 comments

Last week I took the time to visit the Madison Horizons Rotary Club at the Radisson Inn West on Grand Canyon Drive.  I guess, I’m already missing some of the usual weekly interaction that comes from small lunch table conversation.  I always wanted to visit Madison Horizons but never took the time until last week.  They have a big Rotary Wheel outside of the hotel so I figured that they must be doing something right.  Well, I entered as a visitor, and I came out feeling like a member of the Club.  They gladly welcomed me and made sure that all of the visitors were formerly introduced to the entire club as we sat to enjoy a hardy lunch.

They had a very lively and upbeat speaker who provided valuable community information about the threats of poisonous gas in households.  I felt well informed and a little closer to the issues that fellow Madison homeowners face.  It was clear to me that Rotary plays a vital role in community service, education and public discourse.  It’s important to discuss vital issues face-to-face, when you can, to exchange ideas and creatively work to find solutions to problems.  As I took a minute to look around the room to see if everyone was engaged in the presentation, I also noticed one other thing.  Almost every Rotarian was wearing a Rotary pin.  The meeting was important to them, and they were proud to wear their pins.  It didn’t take me long to realize that this, community-oriented, Rotary Club sits at the heart of Rotary.  I’m going to take the time, during this Rotary year, to visit and fellowship with other clubs in Madison and I hope you do to.

Yours In Service,
Wes Sparkman
Club President

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Posted in 1. President's Messages, 2. Meetings, 4. Fellowship Groups

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100 Avenues of Service Project Off to a Great Start!

Posted on July 31, 2012 by | 1 comment

–submitted by Neil Fauerbach,  100 Avenues of Service Sub-Committee Chair

   Your Rotary Club of Madison has had a tremendous impact on our community and the world.  It is one of the reasons we are Rotarians–to make the world a better place, one small step at a time.
   As we mark our 100th year as a Rotary Club, we have many events, projects and celebrations to mark this milestone. One of the projects the Centennial Celebration Committee has planned is called “100 Avenues of Service.” This project will keep track of, count and document the projects that Rotarians carry out between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2013.  The idea is not to be boastful but to illustrate to our members and prospective members the value of being a Rotarian.
   What is a “Project”?   Sticking with the Strategic Priority, the projects should fall into one of our five avenues of service: Club, Community, Vocational, New Generations and International.  All Committees and Fellowship Groups will be asked to communicate their projects for documentation.
   Projects such as Polio Plus or the annual Ethics Symposium–even though they have multiple “touches” or meetings throughout the year–are considered ONE project.  A fundraiser by the Wine Fellowship Group to benefit a Rotaract project is ONE project.
   The 100 Avenue Projects will be communicated in a number of ways, as we all receive our information through different channels.  Projects will be recorded on our blog, tweeted, reported on our website, documented in our club newsletter and occasionally reported from the podium. The goal is to increase our activities in our Centennial year, document those activities and show the true impact our activities have on our community.
   When one gives of their time, their money and themselves, it not only helps others but also strengthens our own spirit. Some of the happiest people we know are the busy volunteers in our midst.
   This year we will show 100 more reasons we are proud to be Rotarians!  We are off to a good start with the following:

Pete Christianson

#1 – The Community Projects Committee organized the 3rd Annual Rotary Blood Drive held on July 11 around our weekly meeting. Twenty pints were collected from Red-Blooded Rotarians. (It was falsely reported that the Rotary Scholars/Mentors picnic was the first. Sorry, Ellie!)

Ellie Schatz (second from right) pictured with 3 of her mentees.

#2 – Rotary Scholar/Mentor Picnic was held on July 15th at the home of Nate Brand and Regina Millner. Twenty-five scholars and their mentors were served a cookout feast by the Kitchen Committee.

#3 – On July 21, the Bicycle Fellowship Group helped the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County in their annual bike ride to raise money for their great programs. The ride raised over $300,000 for the club.

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Braving the Heat – Rotary Style

Posted on July 26, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The Rotary Motorcycle Fellowship Group scheduled a ride on Sunday, July 22 to Lake Geneva for lunch, a cruise on Lake Geneva Bay and a swing through the Kettle Morraine on the way home.  Unfortunately, as the departure time approached, so too did a line of thunderstorms, followed by several more lines behind it.  The rain was moving northwest to southeast.  Since our Lake Geneva destination was southeast from us, we thought it best not to head in the same direction as the storms.
    The motorcycle gang wisely made the decision to delay our departure and change our destination to Spring Green (north and west of us) in hopes that the line of rain storms would pass us by.  And they did . . . mostly.
   We had a lovely ride out to Mt. Horeb, through Stewart Park and near Little Norway, around Barnaveld, north through the farm country of Iowa County to Taliesan, and across the Wisconsin River to Spring Green.  We had lunch there at the Country General Store and headed back north of the River to Sauk City, returning to Madison via back roads. 
   Rotary riders included Peggy Lescrenier, Rick Kiley, Steve Holzhauer, Jeff and Angie Bartell, along with assorted partners, spouses and friends.
    Our message to our Rotary brethren:  “Vrrrroooom!” 
–submitted by Jeff Bartell; photo by Rick Kiley

On July 23rd, 14 Rotarians and guests from our Club’s Golf Fellowship Group  braved the 100+ degree temperatures to play 18 holes of golf at The Legend at Bergamont golf course near Oregon. 
   While scores were not officially reported, there were reports of on course gambling and perennial favorite to win such events.
— submitted by Scott Haumersen; photo by Mike Engelberger

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Posted in 4. Fellowship Groups, 5. Members, Golf Fellowship, Motorcycle fellowship group

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