Rotary brings the world to Hamburg One of the city’s largest and most multi-cultural conventions will bring €24 million HAMBURG, Germany (30 April 2019)
When we say "WE RISE & SHINE” to others, it means:
WE RISE to meet early every Friday.
WE RISE to the occasion by helping those in need.
WE RISE to make a difference in our community and the world.
WE SHINE by living the Rotary 4-way Test.
WE SHINE by staying positive and encouraging others.
WE SHINE by lighting the way for service above self in Brookfield, Elm Grove, and beyond.
The tagline appears on our Coffee Mugs, on our Web site, on club emails, and on other communications going out. Try using the tagline the next time you’re talking to someone about Elmbrook Rotary or Rotary in general. In fact, consider purchasing an Elmbrook Rotary Coffee Mug for $7.
Enjoy this humorous video about what Rotary really is. Click me to view!
Filmed in 2017 in the Fargo-Moorhead area (North Dakota Minnesota border region), where there are five Rotary Clubs. Video was supported by Rotary District 5580.
You are invited to John & Jeanne Allen's annual Elm Grove Memorial Day parade-watching party on Monday, May 27. You'll have great viewing access and enjoy Bloody Mary's, bagels, and various treats and other drinks!
The parade starts at 10:30 a.m., but the streets are closed around 9:30 a.m.; so come early and chat with fellow Rotarians (past and present) and neighbors. Children and grandchildren are invited also!
When the parade is over around noon, you are also invited to stay for a cookout!
Address is 13455 Brook Ave. in Elm Grove. [Bring something on which to sit.]
On Saturday, June 1, Elmbrook Rotary Club will hold our 32nd annual “Spikes For Tykes Volleyball Spiketacular” at Mitchell Park in Brookfield. The day is sure to be filled with a whole lot of fun, with lots of food and drink and Rotary fellowship!
Spikes has been a big success for over 31 years because of the generosity and involvement of businesses, individuals, students, and Rotarians that have helped raise over $750,000 since it began. Last year, we had over 40 playing teams and over 100 sponsors who donated their time, talents, and athleticism.
If you intend to donate or take part in Spikes this year, please note that only a few days remain for you to help this one-day event make an impact for a lifetime.
Elmbrook Rotarians – Mark your calendars for our annual Changing of the Guard Dinner & Silent Auction on June 26 at the Western Racquet Club in Elm Grove. Join in celebrating our successes from the past year and giving a rousing start to the new Rotary Year!
The event will be held on Wednesday, June 26, with social hour beginning at 5:00 p.m. and dinner starting at 6:00 p.m. An email invitation will be issued in early June, through which easy registration will be possible (including choice of entrée). Club funds will pay for the participation of each ERC member and one guest; however, there will be a cash bar for cocktails.
The Silent Auction will once again feature a variety of items that will appeal to everyone – from wine baskets and weekend getaways, to tickets for sporting events and a whole lot more. Remember that all amounts raised in the Silent Auction go towards our annual Spikes for Tykes fundraising; so please take part and contact Kathy Becker or Bonnie Bertram if you have questions or anything to donate for the auction.
Click the following links for access to the documents for the Silent Auction. The Solicitation Letter can be used to request donations. The Silent Auction Donation Ideas handout provides a list of possible donation items. The Silent Auction Donation Form should be used to submit an item for bidding. And, the ERC Charitable Contributions PDF provides a listing of the organizations supported by ERC during Rotary Year 2017-2018.
The evening will also involve the installation of 2019-2020 Elmbrook Rotary Club and Elmbrook Rotary Foundation Officers, the celebration of our new Paul Harris Fellows, and other recognitions and awards.
Finally, as in the past, this event will take the place of our regular weekly meeting; therefore, we will not meet on the following Friday morning, June 28.
Classification talks are a chance to know the people you meet with on Friday mornings, and serve with throughout the year, a little better. Several meetings a year, we take time to learn more about members, their life stories and ambitions, and what brings us all together via Rotary.
In the past several months six ERC members provided classification talks. Click on "Read more..." to learn more about them.
Remember to join ERC each Friday morning at the Western Racquet Club if you're looking for a powerful group of people with whom to network.
Dean Johnson shared that his hard work over the past 3 decades is paying off as he enjoys less parenting responsibilities, more time skiing, sailing, and of course, working for the good of all as an active member of Rotary.
In April, Mike Groth shared how a co-worker and ERC member inspired him to check out a meeting, and he's been engaged ever since.You may also notice that Mike isn't retired... and that's ok. Rotary is for anyone who wants to give back!
Earlier in April, Jonathan DeVries shared his passion for HR, the Brewers, and being willing to be awake pre-5:30 a.m. to have breakfast with his fellow Rotarians each Friday.
In her classification talk, Lisa Molsbee shared the value she sees in sticking with things. She has been married 30+ years and has worked for Pro Health for 32 years. She loves Rotary because of it's give-back aspect.
In late March, Greg Smith talked about how family and work have deeply influenced his life, and how he and his wife of 38 years have always loved travel... and are doing even more if it now!
At the end of March, our "Favorite Texan" Tom Curl shared some impressive accomplishments such as his 47 years of marriage, and how Rotary has given him "Longer Arms."
Ciara McHugh, the 2018-2019 Global Grant Scholar from RI District 6270, began her PhD. program at Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in September 2018. She describes her program with these words: "Over the next few years, through the support of LINCS (Leverhulme Interdisiplinary Network for Cyber Security) and The Rotary Foundation's Global Grant Scholarship, I'll be exploring how police and communities interact around the world. I'm interested in looking at tensions between minority groups and police forces, and how we might rethink relationships between the two." ERC is the local Rotary liaison for Ciara during her Global Grant Scholarship, and ERC member Marie Owens is her contact. In addition, ERC member Larry Myers is on the RI District 6270 Scholarships Committee and guided Ciara through the TRF application process. She maintains a most interesting blog. Follow Ciara's progress and adventures via her blog: https://ciarajmchugh.weebly.com
The Western Racquet Club has recently increased the breakfast fee to $16 USD per person, up from $15 USD. This is due to increase costs associated with the food and the preparation of it.
As such, the Rotary Club of Elmbrook will increase the cost of breakfast to $16 USD per person. This new cost will be implemented on the 1st of April, 2019.
The Elmbrook Rotary Club Vision Team for 2019 returned from Antigua, Guatemala a few weeks ago after a week of service with Common Hope, Inc., a St. Paul, MN based Non-Profit organization which has spent the last 30 years improving lives with education, healthcare, housing, and social services.
This year's group of Elmbrook Rotarians and their guests included Chris Salani and Carina Salvadori, Mark and Jackie Thurner, Bill and Fe Petterson, Tom and Lynda Curl, Kate Bloomberg and Scott Dryburgh, Marie Owens, and Harry Farchmin..
Local families in Antigua become engaged by agreeing to keep their children in school and through hard work and “sweat equity” by taking part in various projects. Unfortunately, the typical outcome for many of the children in the area is to become an “economic unit”, as families put them to work in the fields from the time they are five or six years old, with very few kids not getting more than a third grade education. This sad cycle repeats itself to where many of the children have the same kind of life their parents have had with little hope for a better life. Fortunately, with the support of Common Hope, a child has a very good chance of making it through sixth grade and beyond to high school. Since they’re beginning, over 1,000 kids have graduated from high school as a result of the Common Hope programs.
The Elmbrook Rotary Club team, like more than 20 other teams that participate each year, spent a week building a simple home, working with kids in the classrooms of several of the Common Hope Partner Public Schools, distributing books, supplies, and sporting goods, much of it donated to the team from friends and local businesses and transported as excess luggage. They also provided welcome support for many social work visits, with team members being a required “witness”, allowing social work staff to make double the amount of calls they make during a typical week. In addition, and as part of a community effort in conjunction with the Antigua Rotary Club, filtration equipment was provided for many families who have no dependable supply of safe water.
The house that was built by the team, is for a family who have earned it through many hours of working with Common Hope at their facilities, and in the schools that partner with Common Hope, in the kitchens and in the maintenance departments. The house is “panelized” at the central work yard and transported to the site which may be owned or leased by the family who will live in the house. There is a tile or poured floor and two rooms, a total of approximately 250 square feet, and some functions are already in place outside the walls, such as communal bathrooms and cooking facilities. For the people who don’t own the land, the houses are easily disassembled and moved to another site if the need arises, including the tiled flooring.
Since 2011, Elmbrook Rotary Club has sent 8 Teams including the “Advance Team” that did the initial legwork for our efforts. Over 50 members including their friends and family members have traveled to Guatemala, with many making the trip more than once. Each person do so at their own expense which includes airfare and room and board while in Antigua. A small part of the trip also includes some sightseeing while enjoying the local culture of Antigua, a UNESCO World Heritage City boasting a long, interesting, and important history in Central America. A number of participants have extended their stay beyond the weeklong program, in order to see more of Guatemala’s amazing sights and attractions, including the Mayan ruins at Tikal, Lake Atitlan, and the giant Mayan market held in Chichicastenango.
Another very important aspect of the Common Hope program is the opportunity for Elmbrook Rotary Club members and their friends to sponsor a specific student directly, with visits to the family home and written communication throughout the year. The sponsorship helps tie in a family affiliation throughout the year while making school attendance possible for the children who don’t have to spend every day contributing economically to the support of the family.
For anyone who is interested in learning more about this program or any of Elmbrook Rotary Club’s International programs, including outreach efforts in India, Vietnam, and Ecuador, you are invited to contact Club President Kevin Roche at kjroche53@outlook.com.
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The Elmbrook Rotary Club Vision Team for 2019 returned from Antigua, Guatemala a few weeks ago after a week of service with Common Hope, Inc., a St. Paul, MN based Non-Profit organization which has spent the last 30 years improving lives with education, healthcare, housing, and social services. 