

The PR Team makes a weekly impact on our members and is
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.
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...
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.
The event will include free family-friendly activities such as:
- All-Day Bounce House
- All-Day activities by J.K. Lee Waukesha
- Face Painting
- Deejay
Food & beverages will be available for purchase, served by Elmbrook Rotarians:
- Bakery in the morning
- Hamburgers, hot dogs, brats & chips starting late morning
- Soda & Raised Grain Beer throughout the day
Vendor Fair will showcase local community partners & businesses:
- Walk through the booths and talk with staff/volunteers from local organizations Elmbrook Rotary supports, thanks to funds raised at SPIKES.
- SPIKES celebrates the impactful work these organizations make in our local community. Learn how to get involved and/or leverage their services.
The collection is on-going...
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.
The victory was sealed...
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...
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
-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.
“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.
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.
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:
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:
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.
Eras Development director Heather Uzowulu presented their available programing, including volunteer opportunities. She also shared best practices on preventing senior fraud and scams.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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:
