Events

Dr. Qiang Chang, Director of the Waisman Center, will present an overview of autism spectrum disorder, including what autism is and what we know about its prevalence locally and nationally. The talk will explore why autism diagnoses have increased over time, address common misconceptions, and highlight the importance of evidence-based research, services, and community supports and suggest how we can work together to better support autistic individuals and their families.

How did a free newspaper founded at the Dangle Lounge manage to become a vital voice in a city of discerning skeptics, winning prestigious awards and earning the loyalty of thousands? Since it first hit the streets in April of 1976, Isthmus has informed and engaged Madison readers with in-depth local news reporting and informed coverage of arts and culture, reported and edited with great care and financed by novel business strategies. Hear about the realities of newspaper publishing in particular and the media industry at large.  Like all journalists working today, Isthmus staff work to serve our audience and connect with sources in new and changing ways. Since its “reboot” as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2021, Isthmus has been led by editor and president Judith Davidoff and publisher Jason Joyce, both veteran Madison journalists.

April 22 marks Earth Day, a global reminder that caring for our planet also means caring for
each other. In this engaging, story-driven talk, Dexter Patterson, author of Birds of the Great
Lakes, shares how the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin is reimagining conservation through
joy, accessibility, and intentional design.

Drawing from real-world experiences and the sense of wonder that birding inspires, he
emphasizes practical ways to create inclusive, welcoming outdoor spaces where more people can
connect with nature and find their own spark.

Participants will leave with practical strategies, a new perspective, and a deeper understanding
that when more people experience joy and belonging in nature, both humans and wildlife benefit.

Through climate events, a worldwide pandemic, and shifting political forces our ability to feed ourselves and our community is facing ongoing pressures. Madison has long been proud of itself as a foodie city with a strong local food system. Lessons learned during recent events have proven that perhaps we aren't as resilient and sustainable as we think we are. A well functioning local food system can help feed our community even when outside sources of food may be limited or hard to access.

Join Chris Brockel, NPC Food Systems Director of FEED Kitchens, as he presents on Healthy Food for All is a food recovery program that attempts to capture as much edible locally available food as possible, before it becomes waste, and use it to help support families in need. Healthy Food for All is a backbone organization that supports agencies and programs that are directly feeding people through multiple initiatives including: retail food recovery throughout the county, pickups of prepared food from corporate cafeterias and events, and farmers market end of market food recovery. In an effort to support local farms and help them earn income and increase their capacity, Healthy Food for All also operates Buy One for A Neighbor at specific farmer's markets along with occasional "Buy Out the Market" events. Recently, Healthy Food for All has also started working as a distribution partner for programs that are specifically growing food to donate. 

2026 marks the return of the FIFA World Cup to American soil. With all eyes on the States for the World Cup, Forward Madison is proud to serve as our community's conduit to the World's Game. Conor Caloia, co-founder and co-owner of the operating businesses at Breese Stevens Field, will share how the genesis of Forward Madison revitalized Historic Breese Stevens Field, our place in the US Soccer ecosystem, the birth of our new Women's Club Rally Madison FC, and how our youth and community programs are playing a role in developing and enhancing the soccer culture in Greater Madison.

Have you experienced the wonder of planting a tree and watching it grow from seedling to maturity?

Come meet the guy who wants to give every child this joy…and, in the process, beautify our neighborhoods, remove carbon from the atmosphere, and help instill in the hearts of our little ones a sense of magic, wonder, and love for our planet. What started as a seed in Minneapolis in 2010 has grown into a continent-wide movement ~ one of the largest and fastest growing tree planting initiatives in North America involving youth. Since 2010, Neighborhood Forest has mobilized over 4,500 schools, libraries, and youth groups, engaged over 750,000 volunteers, and given over 450,000 children in all 50 states (plus Canada and Mexico!) the opportunity to plant their very own tree!

Join Vikas Narula, Co-Founder of Neighborhood Forest, for an inspiring session and learn how you can help grow the forest in Madison and beyond!

Join Rotary for the Annual Scholarship Awards Program and hear a presentation from Dr. Christine Whelan.

You already live "Service Above Self" every week. You show up, you give back, you lead in your communities and your businesses.

So why does purpose still feel like something other people have figured out? 

Dr. Christine Whelan, “Purpose Professor” at Emory University and fellow at the Center for Healthy Minds at UW-Madison, brings behavioral science research to a question Rotarians are uniquely positioned to answer: How do you use your gifts, in keeping with your values, to make a positive impact? In this interactive, funny and research-backed talk, Dr. Whelan walks you through a hands-on exercise that connects your vocational life, your service, and the things that actually get you out of bed in the morning. Brick by brick, purpose is something you build. And you've been building longer than you think.

Discover how a statewide fatherhood needs assessment sparked the development of impactful initiatives designed to support fathers and strengthen families. This presentation will highlight how fathers’ voices shaped the creation of the Fathers in Focus Conference, the Focus on Fathers Virtual Workshop Series, and the Fatherhood Peer-to-Peer Initiative—three connected efforts aimed at increasing father engagement, building community, and promoting family well-being. Attendees will learn how investing in fathers leads to stronger outcomes for children and communities, and how partners like Rotary International can help advance this important work.

Barry Burden is the professor of political science and director of the Elections Research Center at UW-Madison. His presentation will look ahead to the upcoming midterm elections across the country, highlighting the factors that political scientists have identified as important predictors of election outcomes as well as unique aspects of the 2026 election cycle.

Our meeting will be at the Masonic Center, at 301 Wisconsin Avenue.  You’ll enter the lower level ballroom from the Johnson Street side of the building. This will be Anthony Gray's last meeting as president, and we will welcome Mark Greene as our new president.  After the official changing of the guard, we’ll adjourn and have some time for informal conversations while enjoying some dessert and coffee.

The American Revolution founded the independent United States and impacted the subsequent generations who founded Wisconsin. The Revolution's aspirations informed the state constitution and inspired the Civil War generation and beyond. Chris Kolakowski, Director of the Wisconsin Veteran's Museum, will explore Wisconsin's ties to the Revolution and present how it impacted the subsequent state.

Heading into his 12th season leading the Wisconsin men’s basketball program in 2026-27, head coach Greg Gard has built a stellar resume in Madison, amassing a 237-128 (.649) record that ranks as the third-highest win percentage in school history. After spending 14 seasons under Bo Ryan—contributing to two Final Four runs—Gard seamlessly took the helm in 2015-16, earning the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year award after navigating an interim start to a Sweet 16 appearance. Over his first 11 seasons as head coach, the two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year has guided the Badgers to two Big Ten regular-season championships, eight NCAA tournament appearances, and developed several marquee players, including consensus All-American Johnny Davis. Off the court, the Cobb, Wisconsin native remains deeply rooted in the community alongside his wife, Michelle, and their three children, having raised over $10 million for cancer research and patient care through their "Garding Against Cancer" initiative.

Homelessness affects every part of our community, yet many people are unfamiliar with the network of organizations, partnerships, and strategies working to address it. This presentation by Natalie Erdman and Kristin Rucinski, explores Dane County's evolving homeless response system, the role of Madison's new men's shelter, and how collaboration among government, nonprofits, businesses, healthcare providers, and community members is creating stronger pathways from homelessness to housing.

Join Dr. Joe Gothard, Superintendent, Becky Kundert, Senior Executive Director of Curriculum & Instruction, and Sonia Spencer, Senior Strategic Partnerships Coordinator, as they present the Madison Metropolitan School District's Early Literacy & Beyond, "It Takes a City," which focuses on fostering a community-wide culture of reading.  Our schools and teachers are shifting instructional practices to the Science of Reading and aligning with Wisconsin’s ACT 20 requirements. The district is implementing comprehensive strategies, including high-quality instructional materials, student-centered assessments, and personalized reading plans, alongside robust summer programming and district-wide reading challenges. To achieve these goals, MMSD actively collaborates with local partners while inviting community members to support student success through tutoring, mentoring, and volunteer opportunities. 

Join former United States Attorney for the Western District of WI, John Vaudreuil, as he discusses the Supreme Court's decisions, voting rights, and the voting process.

Join Mike Gomoll as he presents on Wisconsin's Musical Heritage. From the electric guitar, to sampling, to clean drums and fuzzy guitars, today’s modern music would not be the same (perhaps even unrecognizable) without the inventions and creativity of some Wisconsin-ites. Plus Wisconsin has been home to a few “What Happened?” moments as well.

Mary Beth Collins will define “civic health”, why it matters, and how we can all be a part of building a more civically healthy Wisconsin and world. Learn about the current state of Wisconsin’s civic health — including considerations of the media landscape, trust and mistrust in institutions, social capital, polarization and connecting across differences, elections and other democratic and public sector processes.

Scheduled Entrée to be: Lasagna

Robin Shepard, author of A Keg of Their Best, will talk about his new book published by the Wisconsin State Historical Society Press.  Wisconsin has long been known as “The Beer State,” and the history of its capital city brims with stories of brewing innovation—from the city’s earliest beer-makers and long-forgotten farmstead breweries to today’s experimental microbrewers and enterprising taprooms. In A Keg of Their Best, journalist and beer expert Robin Shepard offers an authoritative history of Madison’s brewing legacy and its key figures from the 1830s to the present. Drawing from newspaper accounts, ancestry and property records, hundreds of personal interviews, and the archives of the Wisconsin Historical Society, Shepard has compiled a thorough tribute to Madison’s beer-making heritage—including every known brewery in Dane County since the 1840s. Copies of A Keg of Their Best will be available for purhcase via credit card at the luncheon.

Scheduled Entrée to be: Asparagus Chicken and Mashed Potatoes

Darcie Lange Olson will speak about the Falls Free Dane Coalition.

As life expectancy increases, we may find ourselves fortunate enough to consider how we want to age. For most everyone, aging with dignity, health, and independence are valued. This is why addressing falls is so important, as falls are a leading cause of injury for older adults. Wisconsin leads the country in deaths from falls for individuals over age 65, but falls are not inevitable. The Falls Free Dane Coalition, led by Safe Communities, is actively working toward reducing fall risk and increasing resilience in our community. Members of the Falls Free Dane Coalition include representatives from a variety of local agencies, educational programs and many individuals with an interest in improving the safety of older adults. The coalition members provide evidence-based and evidence-informed educational programs and promote resources to reduce fall risk.

Scheduled Entrée to be: Pan Asian Buffet

Join Lynne Sexten, President & CEO of Agrace, for an engaging look at how dementia is reshaping the lives of individuals, families, and communities. Learn about its growing impact, the challenges faced by caregivers, and how Agrace is pioneering the United States' first Dementia Village. Inspired by the internationally recognized Hogeweyk model in the Netherlands, this innovative approach moves beyond traditional memory care to embrace a social model centered on autonomy, purpose, and meaningful daily living. Attendees will discover how thoughtful design, small-scale living, and community integration can enhance quality of life for people living with dementia and those who care for them.

Scheduled Entrée to be: Salmon

AI is everywhere in the headlines right now, but most of what gets covered is hype, not reality. As Director of AI Innovation at Recovery.com and a founder who built and sold a healthcare AI company, Nick Myers has spent the last few years finding out what actually works when you deploy AI inside a real tech-enabled organization, and what doesn't. He'll open by drawing a clear line between what AI can genuinely do today and what's still marketing noise, then ground the rest of the talk in RecoveryAI, the AI assistant his team built that only answers questions using a treatment center's own verified data. He'll also briefly walk through PULSE, the decision framework he developed to figure out where AI is actually worth deploying before spending a dollar on it. The goal isn't to sell you on AI. It's to show you, honestly, where the technology stands today.

Scheduled Entrée to be: Mushroom Chicken and Mashed Potatoes

Parks and Libraries have a lot in common: they're both free, available to anyone, and encourage connection - to learning and exploring, to healthy recreation, and to engaging with others in your neighborhood or community.  Learn about this new connected service model on Madison's northeast side with CJ Ryan, Assistant Parks Superintendent, and Tana Elias, Madison Public Library Director.  After more than a decade of planning, the Imagination Center will open to the public on September 25 at 1818 Parkside Drive. Rotarian Joy Cardin will interview CJ and Tana on the Imagination Center.

Scheduled Entrée to be: Taco Bar

Join Charles Franklin as he discusses the November elections. How do voters see the candidates, parties and issues in the elections for governor and for the legislature this November? Fresh Marquette Law School Poll data will offer a look beyond the horse-race to the issues that are motivating voters, and their perceptions of the candidates and parties, with less than a month to go to Election Day.

Scheduled Entrée to be: Picnic Menu - BBQ Grilled Flank Steak, Fried Chicken