Home Page | Rotary Club of Thiensville-Mequon

We will be meeting at the Thiensville Village Hall for the following Tuesdays: February 18, 25, March 3 & 10.

Visiting and prospective Rotarians are always welcome. We hope to see you there!

Service Above Self

We meet Tuesdays at 12:00 PM
Ozaukee County Club

10823 North River Road
Mequon, WI 53092
United States of America

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Rotary Speaker: Peterson Apfelbach

Posted by Peterson Apfelbach

Our speaker this week was none other than our club's youngest member, Peterson Apfelbach! While he doesn't have as many years behind him, he still had plenty of great stories to tell!

Peterson has been a member of the Mequon-Thiensville community since he was three years old. He had the honor of receiving an education from the Mequon-Thiensville school district from K5-12th grade. During that time he was active on the tennis team, competed in chess tournaments, participated in curling bonspiels, and played clarinet in the band! During that time in the band, he taught himself how to play trumpet, a far more fun and flashy instrument! After a great adolesence, it was time to move on to something bigger, college.

While not his first choice, UW-Madison was always where he had been fated to attend. Even though a large portion of his time was dedicated to his studies in physics and economics, those were really just a side gig for his participation in the University of Wisconsin-Marching Band under the direction of Michael Leckrone. As a member of that band he got to travel all across the country performing for the best fans in the world at tailgates, sporting events, and numerous charity outings.

Following his time at school, we find him where he is now, serving as a financial adviser for Edward Jones in the heart of Thiensville! When he isn't working, he would be happy to challenge you to a game of chess, or perhaps get back to his Ironman training to have a cleaner race than last time! We look forward to his continued contributions to the club and hope he doesn't get hit by another bus.

Rotary’s alliance with Toastmasters

Posted by Peterson Apfelbach

Rotary International is working with Toastmasters to provide opportunities for our members to grow their networks, leadership and communication skills and increase their impact within the community. Learn more about Rotary’s alliance with Toastmasters International and how you and your club can get involved.

http://msgfocus.rotary.org/i/amf_highroad_solution/project_646/190809_interviews.jpg?size=150x150&w=B6CDY1zTrzL7KSZnbrhE4tUNpcAs>

Rotary, Gates Foundation extend funding match

Posted by Peterson Apfelbach

Rotary and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are renewing their partnership to end polio. Under the agreement, Rotary is committed to raising $50 million a year over the next three years, and each dollar will be matched with an additional two dollars by the Gates Foundation. The extended partnership will raise an additional $150 million for polio eradication every year for three years. Donate today and your contribution will be tripled.

http://msgfocus.rotary.org/c/17H0s3DwlH1vxmpiO48KUq20xHM

Rotary Speaker: Ed Fallone

Thank you to Professor Ed Follone for speaking to our club at Tuesday's meeting about some of the issues being faced in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election this Spring. Ed Fallone is a constitutional scholar. An expert in corporate and criminal law, whose advice has been sought from a wide range of people, including Senator Herb Kohl in connection with confirmation hearings of four United States Supreme Court Justices: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagen. Much like Justice Shirley Abrahamson, Barack Obama and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, he is an academic-- a law professor for the past ~30 years at Marquette University Law School where he has taught over 2,300 members of the Wisconsin Bar, including current and former judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys and Rotary Club Presidents-elect.

Ed has been an advocate his entire life for individual rights, including civil rights, human rights, women's rights and more-- his entire career has been spent fighting for justice. The son of a Mexican immigrant, he is a leader in the Latino community who started the Latino Community Center for at-risk youth to prevent the school-to-prison pipeline in a previously high crime neighborhood of Milwaukee's Southside, Centro Legal which provides affordable legal services, and has done extensive work with Catholic Charities for immigrants.

Ed is running for Wisconsin Supreme Court looking to add some diversity to the otherwise all white Supreme Court. if elected he would be just the first Latino Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice, and only the second justice of color in Wisconsin's history.

Student of the Month Jake Kallas

Posted by Megan Borland

The Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club honored our first Student of the Month, Jake Kallas, for the 2019-2020 school year. Jake is a senior at Homestead High School and is the son of Bonnie and Perry Kallas of Thiensville. He is an Eagle Scout, he has received the Merit Award all 3 years of high school, is a member of the National Honor Society, and a trumpet section leader for the Homestead Marching and Symphonic Band.

Jake has distinguished himself as someone who truly cares about giving back to his community. He has participated in several volunteer projects including Gathering on the Green, Family Fun Before the Fourth, and Lionsfest. Some of his most impactful projects include achieving his Eagle Scout Award. Jake’s projects included building planter boxes for Lasata as well as collecting toiletries for a homeless shelter in Milwaukee. Jake has also volunteered for the Riverwest Food Pantry Christmas gift program for the past 6 years, which involved collecting and wrapping gifts each Christmas.

Jake, we thank you for your “service above self” and all that you do for your community!

Rotary Welcomes a New Member: Jim Counsellor

Posted by Peterson Apfelbach

Welcome to the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club, new member, Jim Counsellor. Pictured above with his sponsor, Stan Lind, and club president, Rob Kos. We are very excited to have Jim join the club. He is a 35 year member of the Mequon-Thiensville community and has been married for 32 years! He retired after 40 great years in the technology industry serving Oracle on an international basis. He served 10 years as a marine officer and is a wounded veteran of the Vietnam War. We look forward to his continued contributions to our club!

Rotary Speaker: Erica Vitek

Posted by Peterson Apfelbach

For our meeting this week we were joined by Erica Vitek. She is an Occupational Therapist with Aurora Hospitals specializing in the treatment and therapy of individuals suffering from the progressive neurological disease Parkinson’s.

The form of treatment she adheres to is the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment, LSVT, named after its first patient. It is designed to create sustained improvement in speech and voice structures. The movements we do by auto-pilot such as speaking, walking, or getting up from a chair are the most impaired. This program tackles those problems head on by emphasizing very intentional motion. Therapists request the patient to think BIG MOVEMENT and LOUD VOCALS during their 1:1 sessions. The goal is to clear the space between how the patient is perceiving their own signals and how others are actually receiving them.

If you have any further questions, I encourage you to reach out to Erica using her email. She is one of the finest in her field and travels across the country instructing others in how to care for those who are suffering from Parkinson’s

Erica.Vitek@aurora.org

LSVT Global

Rotary Speaker: Jim Hahn

Posted by Peterson Apfelbach

Jim Hahn started with KIDS MATTER in 2008 as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program volunteer. His professional background includes more than 25 years in nonprofit fundraising and administration. He served as a national award-winning officer of the Greater Milwaukee Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and as a member of the Subject Matter Expert Corps charged with writing the international exam questions for the Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) credential. While pursuing his English degree at West Virginia University, Jim joined Alpha Phi Omega National Service Organization in 1983. Having served at all levels of the organization including on their national board of directors and as the National Marketing Director, today he chairs their efforts to expand into Canada. His experience in nonprofit service has afforded him tenures in addressing homelessness, healthcare advocacy, small business development, literacy, local historic preservation, as well as victims of child abuse and neglect.

Working with kids matter has been a Passion project for Jim. He started as a volunteer with them 12 years ago has been brought into their staff recently. His major role right now is searching for volunteers to be Court Appointed Special Advocates or CASA for short. their phrase for 2020 is to "change a kid's story." Court appointed special advocates are the voice looking out for the best interest of kids for safety and permanency as they enter and go through the process of the foster system. In some cases, the CASA may also be appointed the guardian ad litem for the child, but this does not always happen. Less than 50% of foster kids nation wide graduate from high school; however, in Milwuakee 100% of foster kids with a CASA have graduated.

There are several requirements for becoming a CASA. These include participation in a 30 hour training course to learn how to best evaluate, connect, and communicate with children and those involved in their lives. You must also be available to provide the court with your opinion at least every six months. The funding for the CASA program comes mostly from private donations although Kids Matter does receive funds from the state victim of crimes fund.

Student of the Month Jake Kallas

Posted by Megan Borland

Jake, we thank you for your “service above self” and all that you do for your community!

Rotary Event: Homestead Choir

Posted by Peterson Apfelbach

This week we had members of the Homestead Choir Perform form several holiday tunes for us. They were led by their director Jennifer Schwingle. Having them perform is always a tremendous pleasure for our club and we look forward to hearing from them again next year!

Full Program list:

Rise Up Shepherd and Follow
Jolly Old St. Nicholas
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Apple-Tree Wassail
All So Still
While By My Sheep
Deck the Hall
Silent Night
Joy to the World

Rotary Speakers: Julie Hoover and Kimberly Bikulcius

Posted by Peterson Apfelbach

Our speakers Julie and Kimberly were both here representing Family Sharing. Julie has been the Executive Director at Family Sharking for 4 years. Prior to joining Family Sharing, she was in the corporate world, most recently in technology consulting. She has a wide variety of experience from engineering, sale, and HR. She believes her skills are like a juggling act that is well suited for non-profit management.

Kimberly Joined the Family Sharing team in April. She is from Chicago, but relocated to Milwaukee about one year ago with her Fiancé. She has a background in non-profit fundraising and event planning for an international non-profit.

Family Sharing is a nonprofit organization that generates revenue through the resale of donations such as clothing, sports, equipment, and furniture. The sale of these donations provides $100k a year that goes toward keeping its food pantry open. For additional revenue, they also encourage donations of metals and textiles which con then be recycled.

This is the largest and oldest food pantry in Ozaukee County. In the month of September they served 481 households of varying size. Each household is allowed to come every other week and is provided with enough groceries to last the two weeks until their next visit. Their goal is to alleviate hunger in Ozaukee County with dignity and compassion. Because of this the visiting clients are eligible to pick and choose what food from the pantry they would like to take for themselves. The food pantry is always in need of more food donations; however, that is not the only thing they need. Many times people are in need of basic household and toiletry items. these are always greatly value and appreciated. Finally, they are more than welcoming to cash donations. Cash allows them to identify the goods they are short on and purchase them at cost from local grocery stores.

There are 15 employees and 115 volunteers on their roster that keep the resale store and food pantry functioning at a high level. Family Sharing is located just two minutes from downtown Grafton and is always welcoming to more help and donations.

Walk to End Alzheimer's Award

A message from the walk Manager for Ozaukee County.

Your team, Rollin' with Rotary, won Ozaukee's Walk to End Alzheimer's category: Largest Company Team with 21 people as of 10/28/2019!!!

Thank you so much for all of your hard work! Our walk is a success because of the hard work you (and your team) put in every year.

The link to RSVP for the party (please invite your family, friends, and co-workers along!): http://wteaozcelebration.eventbrite.com. Please see the flyer attached, for details.

Please let me know if you have any questions, or would like to schedule a follow-up phone call.

I have one request: do you have any pictures of your team (and some of just yourself) on walk day? The more pictures, the better! If you could have those to me by end of day tomorrow, that would be great!

Thiensville-Mequon at the District Dinner!

District Govvernor Steen Sanderhoff, Ellen MacFarlane, former DG Karl Hertz, and Carol Hertz enjoyed talking at the District 6270 Foundation Dinner at the West Bend Country Club on Wednesday evening

Trick-or-Treat

Posted by Samuel Azinger on Oct 31, 2019

Rotarians present at Tuesday's meeting gave generously to celebrate World Polio Day! $306 was raised by our Trick-or-Treater (Maureen's daughter, Jax). Peterson Apfelbach (pictured above), who warned us last week of the consequences of not giving, but still missed the meeting Tuesday, went from skin and bones to just bones. Peterson did, however, generously donate those bones (as well as a hat, tie, and name tag) to enlighten Rotarians on giving to Polio Plus to avoid the same fate as him.

October, 2019 Roadside Cleanup

Posted by Samuel Azinger on Oct 28, 2019

12 Rotarians, and 6 extras participated in Saturday's Roadside Cleanup. The 12 Rotarians and extras include those pictured below and Ellen MacFarlane. Photo's courtesy of Ellen MacFarlane... Would someone get her a selfie stick so she can be in some of the pictures too?

George Witte was represented by Jess and her husband and their two sons at Saturday's roadside cleanup. It looks like the Rotarian way of life may be rubbing off onto her. Pictured with Sandy Custer, who is of course instrumental to this service project, as he is so many others.

Carter Azinger puts a piece of trash gracefully into an open garbage bag held by Sam Azinger while Tim Carr looks on (note, this photo was posed before leaving), while Tyler Azinger looks for trash in the Kwik Trip lawn.

John Rosing and Tim Vertz show off their skills with full bags in hand and a clean roadside behind them.

Stan Smith sported a Rotary hat to assure anyone driving by at less than 50 MPH could identify the source of the good deeds (nobody slowed down, must have been all the Thiensvillians trying to escape Mequon as quickly as possible).

Mequon Mayor John Wirth and Alderwoman Kathleen Schneider are happy to take a break from their role of sitting behind a desk to keep Mequon beautiful, and instead participate in the laborious side of keeping their city beautiful.

Jim Lysaught and Rob Kos enjoy the relaxing task of cleaning Green Bay Road where the speed limit is only 30 MPH. Rob Kos only identifiable as a result of being the only person brave enough to sport a Yankees hat in Wisconsin.

Karle Naggs may have kept his boots clean, but he sacrificed his van's carpeting by picking up and dropping off the muddy trash collectors.

Giving to the Promenade

Posted by Samuel Azinger

Promenade Video Link

It has been brought to our attention that many Rotarians are doing their end of year donation planning and that they would like more information about donating to the M-T Community Promenade project. As you know Rotary and Rotarians have been actively working on the Town Center and River Walk projects since 2002. As a capstone landmark for this area we have been active in the planning and now the fundraising for the Mequon-Thiensville Community Promenade on the north east corner of Mequon and Cedarburg Roads.

First, prospective donors should know that both municipal governments – Village Board for Thiensville and City Council for Mequon – have collaborated to get this new landmark designed through a Joint Gateway Committee appointed in August 2017. And, the Village and City have pledged as many tax dollars as elected officials feel they can toward its construction. Collectively, the Village and City have committed $200,000 toward the total cost of design and construction.

We know private fund raising is not an appropriate function of municipal governments; therefore, we are personally and collectively committed to raising $500,000 in private contributions to meet the total projected cost of $700,000. As a club, we have donated $15,000 already with more to come after the Community Action Council meets in December. $30,000 remaining from the efforts for the River Walk have been transferred to this project. It is our expectation that more will come in the next two years.

The City has indicated willingness to authorize a construction contract to build the Promenade as soon as 75% or $375,000 of the private funds needed are pledged or in the bank.

Our Promenade Landmark Campaign Committee, composed totally of volunteers, has kicked off a quiet campaign to secure commitments for as many lead gifts as possible by January. We hope the Council will be able to issue that contract in February in preparation for construction in Spring 2019.

We are working independently, without the services of a professional fund-raiser so that funds raised will be used for construction, not fund raising.

Before asking others, Campaign Committee members pledged their own donations. Since then, we have secured four (4) lead gifts of $25,000 or more thus far, plus ten (10) commitments at other levels totaling private dollars raised of $211,400 to date Nov 10, 2018. More has come in since then, but we don’t have the latest figures.

Donations of $500 and up will be recognized on the donor wall. Pledges can be made to spread out a donation over three years. If you have an employer that will match your donation, please help us make that contact. Tax deductible donations are to the T-M Rotary Foundation, note to Promenade.

In the past, Rotarians have amazed us with their generosity, many pledging over three years. Our goal is to have donations from everyone in the club, no pressure on amounts, but eager participation.

Please feel free to share this information with others who may be interested.

Sandy Custer, Stan Smith, Dan Gannon, Tim Carr