On September 11, 2001, Alene was working aboard a yacht at Chelsea Piers in New York City, just blocks from the World Trade Center. She witnessed the tragedy firsthand—and then witnessed something equally powerful: ordinary people responding with extraordinary courage and compassion. From the boat lift in New York and the Hero Highway to Operation Yellow Ribbon in Canada, people opened their hearts, homes, businesses, and communities to help strangers. Her presentation explores those stories and asks a simple question: Who do we become when others need us most?
Alene Keenan
Author of Wine Anxiety: From Confused to Confident
EXCLUSIVE UECKER FILM FUNDRAISER FOR ALS AT THE RIVOLI
MONDAY, OCTOBER 5
On Monday, October 5th, the historic Rivoli Theater is hosting a special fundraiser screening of the Bob Uecker documentary: Ueck! Here is the absolute best part: 100% of ticket proceeds will go directly to the Walk to Defeat ALS – La Crosse! Here is the schedule:
5:00pm – The Pre-Party: Doors open! Come early to grab a slice from Pizzeria Dolorosa, hit the concession stand and enjoy Miller Life specials in the lobby.
6:00pm – The Main Event: Settle into your seats for the incredible story of baseball’s most unlikely legend on the big screen.
7:45pm – Exclusive VIP Q&A: Do not leave when the credits roll! Dustin Luecke is stepping up as our guest MC for a LIVE Q&A session with the film’s producers and directors!
Tickets are only $10. Let’s completely pack the theater, celebrate a true Wisconsin legend and raise vital funds for our local ALS heroes. Click here for more details and tickets: Rivoli Theatre - Ueck
ALS WALK: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10
This year's ALS Walk is Saturday, October 10th. Registration starts at 8:30, with the walk beginning at 10. Like last year, there will be a kids zone where kiddos can play as well as some other fun activities for the adults, including a silent auction. Valley View Rotary will be supplying and manning the food tent this year for the walk, so see Gayle if you'd like to volunteer. Gayle has started a team, so use this link to register for the team or make a donation to the team in memory of Linda Lyche:
Please see Julie Nelson or Tom Byerly to sign up for a t-shirt or for any questions.
SAVE THE DATE: NOVEMBER 5
As of August 1st, the Wisconsin DOT has approved and made available Rotary license plates you can proudly display on your automobile. You can even personalize your own custom plates, offering a great opportunity to display who we are and what we stand for… “Service Above Self.” Best of all, $25 of your fee goes to the End Polio Now campaign.
Valley View Rotary is sponsoring a Rotary Fellowship Danube River Cruise April 10-17, 2027. This will be a Viking 8-day cruise from Passau, Germany to Budapest, Hungary, with stops in Linz, Krems and Vienna, Austria, as well as Bratislava, Slovakia. All Rotarians in District 6250, including their friends & family (18 years and older), will be invited to join in, and we hope to connect with at least one Rotary club along the way for a meet-up, service project or to make plans for joint projects or RFEs in the future. Some of the best parts of Rotary happen outside our meetings—the conversations, friendships, shared experiences, and people we meet along the way. So why not take that fellowship all the way to Europe?
Viking's intimate river ships carry up to 190 guests with meals onboard, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi, guided excursions, and cultural enrichment included. You unpack once and stay in the same comfy cabin each night but get to enjoy the beauty and history of amazing scenery and destinations throughout the journey. PRICES START AT $2,474 PER PERSON based on double occupancy (discounted from what you see on the public website). Additional discounts may apply and deposit is only $25.
Matt Boshcka, Valley View Rotarian and owner of Dream Vacations, has generously offered to do all the legwork to make this Fellowship Cruise happen. Contact Matt at 608-397-1855 or mboshcka@dreamvacations.com with any questions or to reserve your cabin.
Rotary provides many opportunities to create positive, lasting change in our community and around the globe. One meaningful way to strengthen that impact is to enroll in Rotary Direct, our Foundation's recurring giving program. Last year, thanks to generous donors, our Foundation was able to fund more than 1,488 global grants, 457 district grants, and 57 disaster response grants to help communities in need. Rotary Direct is one of the easiest and most secure ways for our donors to support this work. Because contributions are automated, donors don't need to send checks or remember to make an annual contribution.
Rotary Direct saves time and reduces administrative costs. It offers flexible giving options to fit every donor:
For more information, you can refer to these frequently asked questions. Thank you for your dedication to Doing Good in the World!
rotary works foundation
The Rotary Works Foundation was founded in 1982 with the purpose of awarding grants for qualified activities. Through generous gifts from local Rotary Clubs (including VVR) and others, the Foundation makes a difference in the quality of life in our communities. Please click on the link below for more information. Grantees of RWF funds are listed in the ABOUT section after the list of sponsors.
