There are over 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide who belong to approximately 45,000-46,000 clubs across the globe. When you look at those statistics, it’s pretty amazing that two of our District 6250 clubs were featured in the Rotary International magazine.
As our Club of Focus for the month, we asked Black River Falls President, Lynn Martalock-Wensel and Lake Mills President, Anita Martin a few questions about their experiences in being chosen to be featured in the Rotary International magazine, and here’s what they had to say:
Lake Mills President, Anita Martin:
Q: What did it mean for your club and community to be featured in the Rotary International magazine?
A: It was truly an honor and a thrill for both our Rotary Club and the Lake Mills community to be featured. Having our story highlighted in such a respected publication was something we were very proud of.
Q: What was your reaction when Geoff Johnson first reached out?
A: At first, I was a little leery. With so many spam messages floating around these days, it’s wise to verify authenticity before getting too excited. That’s good advice for all of us to remember.
Q: When did you realize the opportunity was genuine?
A: Once we connected by phone, it became clear very quickly. Geoff’s sincerity about sharing our story and shining a light on local Rotary clubs was obvious. His enthusiasm was genuine—and soon became contagious in the best way.
Q: What makes the Lake Mills Rotary Club special?
A: Our club has a heritage of more than 70 years. Over that time, Lake Mills Rotary has become an important part of the history and character of our legendary community.
Q: What did the article ultimately represent for your club?
A: It was a wonderful way to recognize decades of hard work by hundreds of dedicated individuals—many of whom are still active Lake Mills Rotarians today. It celebrated the people who have built and sustained the spirit of service in our community.
Black River Falls President, Lynn Martalock-Wensel:
Q: Were you surprised when Rotary Magazine reached out about doing an article?
A: Not entirely. A member of our club, Dana Johnson, had previously submitted the idea to Rotary Magazine suggesting they cover our BBQ Cook Off event, which at the time was held at the historic Sand Creek Brewery. Because of that pitch, we knew there was a possibility they might contact us. Around the same time, we had also decided to move the 2025 event to Lunda Park due to growing attendance and ownership changes at the brewery.
Q: What was it like working with the writer on the article?
A: Geoff was incredibly easy to work with and extremely professional throughout the process. He really took the time to understand our club—both our successes and our challenges. He highlighted the amazing growth of our BBQ event, which is our largest fundraiser, but also recognized the struggles many smaller Rotary clubs in smaller communities are experiencing today.
Q: What stood out most about how the story was told?
A: What impressed us most was how well he listened. During our phone conversation, I shared quite a bit about the history of the area and about Black River Falls itself. Geoff took that information and really ran with it. The piece ended up feeling a bit like a travel story as well, highlighting the charm and history of the community. Our local Black River Falls Area Chamber of Commerce was thrilled with both the article and the video.
Q: What message do you feel the article conveyed about Rotary?
A: Anita and I both talked about how Rotary may be a large international organization, but in many ways it also feels small and personal. This article captured that beautifully. It showed how smaller clubs are focused on doing good in meaningful ways right in their hometowns.
Q: What do you hope Rotary Magazine might do in the future?
A: While we love the international stories, we would love to see them continue highlighting smaller clubs and towns across the country. These clubs may be small in size, but they have a very large impact in their communities, and those stories deserve to be told.
Q: How do you feel about the final outcome?
A: We were absolutely thrilled with how the article turned out. And if anyone ever has the opportunity to work with Rotary Magazine, we would encourage them not to hesitate. It was a wonderful, smooth, and enjoyable experience from start to finish.