Events

Julie Fagan is Host

Number of volunteers needed = 6

Nuber of Volunteers Needed = 6

Number of Volunteers Needed = 5

JOE GOTHARD is a native Madisonian who moved away to Minnesota and returned in May of this year to become superintendent of the Madison Metroplitan School District.  He is the recipient of several awards including the 2024 National Superintendent of the Year Award from the American Association of School Administrators and the 2024 Minnesota Superintendent of the Year Award from the Minnesota Association of School Administrators.  His presentation will highlight the focus of his work – people, purpose and pride. Joe will outline what’s next for the district following the successful passage of the referenda--from innovative programs and initiatives to modernized facilities and learning spaces that support student learning. He will highlight MMSD’s demographic shifts, this year's increased enrollment, and MMSD’s traditions of excellence. Joe will share his vision for Destination MMSD and the district’s pivotal role in educating students and preparing the future workforce. 

Carol Koby will lead a discussion on the book, One Nation Under Guns: How Gun Culture distorts our history and threatens our democracy by Dominic Erdozain. The book was published in 2024. This historical dissection of the American gun culture argues that the nation’s founders did not intend the Second Amendment to guarantee an individual right to bear arms and that this distortion is an urgent threat to democracy.

Guest speaker = John Cobb

John Cobb is the Associate Director of Retail Operations for St. Vincent DePaul, he will be speaking about sustainability in our community and how his organization supports those efforts. 

REBECCA REDMANN joined the Lullaby Project at the Overture Center for the Arts in 2021 and later became the Lead Teaching Artist for the program.  She will be speaking about the Lullaby Project and its impact on local families.  She will also share snippets of some of the songs that have been created in the five years that Overture has been part of the Lullaby Project, and she will share one song in a live acoustic ("unplugged") performance.  

Join fellow Rotarians in volunteering for the Empty Stocking Club at the Alliant Energy Center on Thursday, Dec 12, 4:00PM - 6:30PM:

• 4 Volunteers Needed at Checkout
• 1 Volunteer Needed as Greeter/Registration

Book = Precipice ,a historical novel about the British cabinet during World War I, by Robert Harris

Meeting location is Rich Leffler's Home; if inclement weather, then mtg will be via Zoom

JOHN KOSKINEN is the Chief Economist for the Wisconsin Department of Revenue and has served in that capacity for several administrations.  The Wisconsin Economy enters 2025 with the strongest economy it has had in a generation.  Koshkinen's presentation will review the multiple facets of Wisconsin's improved competitiveness in its region and nationally.  This provides a foundation for Wisconsin to continue a strong economy into 2025. 

Ed Hughes will discuss Doris Kearns Goodwin's book, "An Unfinished Love Story: A personal History of the 1960s."

For many of us, our knowledge of the contributions of African Americans in America is limited. Historically, the contributions and stories of people of color in America have been omitted or ignored in American history textbooks. During JUDGE DEREK MOSLEY's presentation, he will examine the many contributions of African Americans and help us fully understand that Black History is indeed U.S. History. On this journey, we will meet people and hear stories that will amaze , enlighten and inspire.

Special Invitation for DEI Committee Members to attend.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82032368763?pwd=ZEFqSDM2YjRhYUFERnFGSndFMTJQUT09

Meeting ID: 820 3236 8763
Passcode: 821622

JAY ROTHMAN began his tenure as the ninth president of the Universities of Wisconsin on June 1, 2022. With 13 universities and a statewide extension network, the UW is home to world-class education, research, and outreach, serving approximately 161,000 students and awarding nearly 37,000 degrees each year. President Rothman leads a statewide workforce of some 35,000 faculty, academic staff, and university staff, and is responsible for the UW’s $6 billion annual budget. 

The Universities of Wisconsin serve more than 162,500 students.  These 13 public universities are Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live.  Providing a 23:1 return on state investment, the Universities of Wisconsin also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy.

President Rothman will discuss the Board of Regents approved budget request for the 2025-2027 biennium and its importance for the people of Wisconsin.

The book to be discussed is The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, a novel by James McBride.

Ecologist Jeb Barzen explains what’s behind the comeback of bald eagles in Wisconsin and the on-going efforts to protect and understand them. We’ll learn more about this fascinating raptor found soaring in large numbers in Sauk Prairie these days and what we have learned from them. 

Guest Speaker = Peter Robinson  

Zomm Link:  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85239514533?pwd=IamquF88aQzMveRdJNbJOAviEOzb8p.1 

JIM LATTIS is director of the UW Space Place and a native Madisonian. He manages the historic Washburn Observatory and teaches course in introductory astronomy and its history as well as leading many trips focused on astronimical tourism. He will discuss some of this year's current and upcoming astronomical events, including current solar activity and the associated auroral activity, solar and lunar eclipses, and what the planets are up to in our night sky.

Book to be discussed is "Freezing Order" by Bill Browder

Dinner at 107 State Restaurant prior to Overture's show, "Shucked"

Hosted by Areli Estrada and Clement Abongwa

Cost = $32/person

Like the rest of the world, Wisconsin is experiencing climate change and its impacts. The past two decades have been the state’s warmest on record, and the 2010s was Wisconsin’s wettest decade. How can we put these kinds of climate changes into historical context, and what does the future hold for our state? For many years the Wisconsin State Climatology Office and the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI) have been documenting climate change and its consequences across the state. STEVE VAVRUS's presentation will highlight some of the major trends and effects, including those associated with extreme weather.

Guest Speaker = Chris Campbell

The landscape of behavioral health crisis care in Dane County has developed significantly in recent years. While Journey Mental Health has provided a 24/7 crisis hotline as well as mobile crisis response for decades, Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) adds a fourth branch of emergency response to 911 calls. SARAH HENRICKSON, Clinical Team Manager in Journey Mental Health Center’s Emergency Services Unit, and SHANE QUELLA, a CARES Crisis Response Team Member will discuss a partnership between the City of Madison Fire Department, Journey Mental Health, and the Dane County Public Safety Communications (911) to dispatch a non-law enforcement response to behavioral health calls for service in Madison, with expansion into surrounding areas pending.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89730123254?pwd=S5RmVbgTHhaF3oXfIamLAPhheBJu4s.1

Meeting ID: 897 3012 3254

Passcode: 034374

Book = Kingmaker by Sonia Purcell

Dave Edinger would like to start a monthly Sat am meeting at Olbrich to walk along the creek bank, watch how it changes with the seasons, and get ideas for a project.  Start Sat March 1, 9am at Olbrich entrance.

Going Green Fellowship members to participate in an onging survey of Starkweather Creek and making plans for a project.

YANG TAO is the Director of the City of Madison’s Traffic Engineering Division, which has over 150 employees and is responsible for the City’s pedestrian, bicycle and motor vehicle transportation systems. 

Yang will talk about the City of Madison’s Vision Zero Initiative, an innovative strategy aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe, healthy and equitable mobility for all road users in Madison. He will discuss the progress the City has made so far, such as implementing the Safe System Approach, enhanced public engagement, the new Safe Streets Madison Program, speed management, and the team’s successful efforts on securing over $10 million of safety related federal grant funding. Yang will also share lessons learned along the way.

Melinda Heinritz to report on Book and Dagger: How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of World War II. By Elyse Graham

Regardless of your role, what are people, customers and business partners looking for in you? What is the workplace culture you have created with your team that leads to success? Creating a mission driven culture with compassion and trust turns satisfied customers into loyal customers. In addition, if the work we do is tied into a purpose beyond profits, our job satisfaction increases substantially and employee turnover is reduced.  Guest speaker JOHN McHUGH, Vice President of External Affairs for Kwik Trip, Inc.,  will explore the role you play in your organization’s success and how you can find the key people to help you achieve that greatness. His examples and stories are ones that you won’t forget.

Guest Speaker = Courtney Westover

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81758211401?pwd=WVFFMVcya3dCRnZNU2k0Z3dGcUhJQT09

Meeting ID: 817 5821 1401
Passcode: 968367

Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85239514533?pwd=IamquF88aQzMveRdJNbJOAviEOzb8p.1

JEN RUBIN, the former producer of the Moth StroySlam, and DANIELLE HAIRSTON GREEN, a host of the Moth StorySlam, will talk about the Moth, a nonprofit organization that celebrates the commonality and diversity of human experience through the art and craft of personal storytelling, what type of storytelling events are happening in Madison and the benefits of storytelling for both the audience and the teller. 

Dinner at Merchant prior to A Beautiful Noice, The Neil Diamond Musical

ANTHONY COOPER has worked for Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development since February 2013 as Director of Reentry Service and recently as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Reentry Services.  Having a strong foundation in financial management and business operations, MARK CASH continues to expand his expertise through ongoing education in technology, legal frameworks, and business practices bringing those skills to serve Focused Interruption.  Together, they will highlight building safer communities through engagement and support, and they will share data-driven insights, lessons learned, and future plans for expansion to address systematic challenges.  

Book = The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway

Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85239514533?pwd=IamquF88aQzMveRdJNbJOAviEOzb8p.1

The Wisconsin Department of Revenue is a national leader in technology innovations and the use of data to inform decision making. Secretary DAVE CASEY will discuss innovations in customer service and fraud detection, including new tools to improve business and individual taxpayer experiences.  DOR also maintains a wealth of publicly accessible economic, tax and property data used by government agencies and businesses alike to plan for economic growth. He will also touch on the use of this data to round out this less than taxing discussion.

Going Green Fellowship members to meet with UW Madison students to discuss composting projects for 2025 and a Spring seminar about composting facts for community gardeners.

Do you know how many voting members are in the House of Representatives? What year the US Constitution was written? Passing the US Citizenship Test might be trickier than you think! Approximately 9.1 million immigrants in the US are eligible to naturalize but haven’t done so yet (US Department of Homeland Security, 2019). In this overview of the citizenship process, you’ll learn the basics: eligibility requirements, steps in the legal process, the four areas of the test, and how Literacy Network helps over 100 students on their citizenship journey each year. A tutor-learner pair in the citizenship program will also join us to share their experience working toward this essential milestone.

CAITLIN MACKESEY found her way to the world of adult education when she signed up as a volunteer tutor at Literacy Network in 2010. After studying languages at UW-Madison, she taught English in Marseille, France. Since 2015, she’s lead ESL and citizenship programs at Literacy Network for adult learners from over 100 countries. 

Guest Speaker = Trey Sprinkman

Congressman MARK POCAN was sworn in as the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin’s second congressional district in 2013 following 14 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly. In the 119th Congress, he serves on the House Appropriations Committee where he sits on the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee and the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee.  He will share the latest news from Congress with Rotarians and guests.

Steve Wallman to report on Technological Republic by Alex Karp and Nicholas Zamiska

League Awards Banquet

THOMAS FRIEDRICH is a professor of virology at UW-Madison, where he teaches students about global health, HIV/AIDS and emerging infectious diseases. In his research, Dr. Friedrich works with teams of scientists to understand how viruses like influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and Zika jump species to spread and cause disease in humans.  His Rotary presentation will cover: 1) what we specifically know about the dairy cattle outbreak; 2) what we know and don't know about how influenza viruses jump species and cause pandemics; 3) how we access pandemic risks; and 4) what we can do the control outbreaks.

Morton Forest, Dane County Parks - https://parks-lwrd.danecounty.gov/Forest/Morton-Forest

https://parks-lwrd.danecounty.gov/ParkDocument/GetFile/543/MortonForest_OverviewUpdates.pdf

Total = 10 volunteers will make non-perishable boxes for drive through food pantry. This activity would include bending, twisting, lifting up to 20lbs, and being on your feet for two hours. 

Organizer = Jenni Jeffress

ZOOM DETAILS

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87381790527?pwd=uz4HCIscgGJUog659UGHx4BnqU9y5q.1

Meeting ID: 873 8179 0527
Passcode: 581217

MARK MALONEY is a member of the law firm of Blackburn, Maloney and Schuppert, LLC, focusing on taxation, estate planning, and agricultural law.  A member of the Rotary Club of Decatur, Alabama, USA since 1980, Mark is currently serving as Chair of the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation. He also served as Rotary International president during 2019-2020 when he advocated for the addition of the environment as a seventh area of focus. He also emphasized strategies to grow Rotary, presided over the first virtual RI Convention that was organized during the COVID-19 pandemic, and increased awareness of Rotary’s longstanding relationship with the United Nations.  Mark led a Group Study Exchange to Nigeria.

3-5 Rotarian volunteers to help Simpson Street Free Press students to edit their stoires that will be published online on May 10, 2025.

Organizer = Eric Krieghoff

Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85239514533?pwd=IamquF88aQzMveRdJNbJOAviEOzb8p.1

Communities Learning to Invest and Mobilize for Business (CLIMB) has a mission to help teens and young adults to improve there financial capability through education and capital market engagement.  CLIMB's president, ROBERT WYNN, will provide an overview of CLIMB's work to date in our community and  its launchpad program elements.  In addition, Oregon High School senior PIERRE NICKLES will share his experience as a CLIMB Youth Leader.

Meet at Olin Park at 5:30PM Sharp

Ride with fellow Rotarians of our club and with Madison South Rotary members

Going Green Fellowship members to tour the Dane County Landfill.  Tour organized by Mike Engelberger.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89117925371?pwd=NkxMUjNlTnQ5TC9JYkpLRzhtTmlydz09

Meeting ID: 891 1792 5371
Passcode: 211495