Season Greetings,
I want to pause and thank you for your hard work and dedication. As we Unite for Good, we enter this holiday season knowing we have made a tangible impact on our communities and the world, with even more on the horizon for 2026!
I am proud to serve as your District Governor, but even more proud of the incredible members here in District 6250. Every day, I meet new faces and am consistently impressed by the Rotary spirit, passion, and energy I see in action.
The past few weeks have been incredibly busy with travels and events, starting with the Madison South Club, especially known for its long-standing, efficient Brat Stand at UW Football games. I was privileged to present their club with awards for being #1 in our District's Foundation giving, having a $100 Average Giving and $100 Per Capita. What an honor for their small but mighty and passionate club! Past-President Steve Fine and President Mike True also honored four Rotarians for achieving 50 years of Rotary membership—what an incredible achievement! Thank you, Club President Mike, for a great visit! [Top Photo]
I was back home in the middle of the month to visit the Chippewa Falls Club. Their meeting site has one of the most beautiful views overlooking Lake Wissota. This is a club with a long history of great things, including their famous Rotary Rose Sale. I presented them with their 2024 Club Excellence Award for achieving a majority of their 25 goals. Congrats to Past President Susan Emerson and President Charles “Buddy” Brannen and thank you for a super visit!
Next was the fun, dynamic, and age-diverse club of Lake Mills. They were finalizing plans for their Stone Soup Supper in conjunction with the Legendary Lake Mills Tree Lighting. One member was also promoting an ice sailing opportunity! What truly stood out was their Interact Club, with over a hundred students involved—this is amazing! They successfully couple this with a strong Rotary Teachers of the Month program to honor local educators. Thank you to Club President Anita Martin for such a welcoming club!
My travels then put me at the Lodi Club for their evening meeting. They are a small but engaging club filled with a lot of community spirit. Some of their activities include Breakfast with Santa, the Suzie the Duck Parade, and their famous Lodi Rotary Smelt Fry coming up on March 19th & April 2nd. Thank you to Club President, Matt Jesse, for sharing all that your club does for Rotary! [PHOTO]
My December travels started with an early-morning trip where I was greeted by a welcoming and friendly group of Minnesotans in the Caledonia Club. They taught me how District 6250 gained its Minnesota sliver: La Crescent was sponsored by La Crosse in 1982 and Caledonia was sponsored by La Crescent in 1990. They just completed selling flowers to raise funds for the Imagination Library, Neighbors Day, and Rotary Lights. Thanks to Craig Jhrke who was covering in President Dan Small's absence in Japan.
Looking Ahead to 2026
I have one more club visit for 2025, scheduled for next week at the Menomonie Club. That should put me at about 61% completed, with another 19 either set or to be scheduled yet. I have been actively reaching out to the remaining clubs to get on your
calendars for 2026. I am really looking forward to visiting the remaining clubs! Finally, I want reiterate three key dates are circled on your calendar:
President Elect Training Seminar (PETS): March 6-8, 2026, in Itasca, Illinois Refer to District Governor-Elect Scott Ryan for more details.
TriCon Districts 6220 6250 6270 Conference will be held on April 17-19, 2026, at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells, WI. As always, ALL Rotarians are invited, but this year there is a special emphasis on families coming along for the extended weekend.
○ Home to Wisconsin's largest indoor waterpark at 125,000 SF
○ Tom Foolery's Adventure Park: A massive indoor theme park spanning over 100,000 SF
○ Dining: There are numerous on-site dining options, from casual eats to fine dining
○ A 15-screen movie theater at Desert Star Cinema
● Upcoming Rotary International Conventions:
2026 Taipei, Taiwan June 13–17
2027 Dubai, UAE May 22–26 (Recently Announced)
2028 Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA May 27–31 (Tentatively Selected)
2029 TBD
2030 Chicago, Illinois, USA May 25–29 (125th Anniversary)
Wishing you and your families a wonderful and meaningful holiday season, filled with Rotary spirit and cheer!
Unite for Good,
Michael Kloss
District Governor 2025-26
Rotary Club of Eau Claire WI