Over the past two months, I have traveled across the region visiting Rotary, Rotaract, and Interact clubs to witness firsthand the energy, service, and community impact happening in every corner of our district.
Each visit showcased dedicated Rotarians making a difference.
These travels reinforced one message: our clubs are energetic, engaged, and deeply committed to doing good—making this a perfect time to read the full story and celebrate the momentum across our district.
I hope you choose to read on and discover the uniqueness of each club and what I was fortunate to experience at every visit.
SPECIAL SELECTION PROCESS IS NOW OPEN THROUGH 12/23/2025!
Nominations are now open for District 6250’s 2028 Council on Legislation Representative and Alternate - a vital leadership role that connects local Rotary clubs to Rotary International’s global decision-making process.
This three-year position (2026–2028) reviews proposed legislation, represents district viewpoints at the triennial Council on Legislation, assists clubs with their own proposals, and reports outcomes back to members.
Serving as the district’s voice in Rotary’s grassroots democratic system, the COL Representative plays a critical role in shaping Rotary’s constitutional future.
Clubs may nominate qualified candidates by December 23, 2025, by submitting signed nominations to District Governor Michael Kloss at
As you know recently Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica and surrounding islands with all of her wrath! I have been in contact with Rotary in Jamaica and their District Governor Bill Aiken to offer our help as Rotarians. The image shows a QR, offering a direct way to respond and help and the continuation of this article offers more information.
Rotary District 6250 is excited to announce that Eva Marie Restel, a dedicated Rotarian from La Crosse, Wisconsin, has been selected to serve as the District Governor for the 2028–2029 Rotary year. A committed member of the Rotary Club of La Crosse, Eva Marie brings a strong record of leadership, service, and engagement to this role.
In addition to her club involvement, Eva Marie currently serves as an Assistant Governor to District 6250. The district congratulates Eva Marie Restel and looks forward to her leadership in the years ahead.
District 6250’s International Service Committee is highlighting several exciting global opportunities; from major water pipeline work in Tanzania and a high-impact waste-management project in Chile, to critical medical initiatives in India and Hungary.
With strong host partners, sustainable plans, and excellent matching-fund potential, these projects offer meaningful ways for clubs of all sizes throughout our district to engage in Rotary’s global mission.
Recent successes in Brazil and India show what’s possible when clubs take the lead. Explore the full list and learn how to get involved by visiting our website for more details. And don't forget the opportunity for double matching on global grants through February!
District 6250 is heading to Kenya in May 2026 for an unforgettable Rotary Friendship Exchange (RFE) with District 9212, a region that includes Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and South Sudan.
Participants will stay with local Rotarians, explore vibrant cities and Maasai wildlife parks, savor authentic Kenyan cuisine, and experience Rotary fellowship like never before. This once-in-a-lifetime adventure will also include District 9212’s final conference before it divides into two districts, bringing together more than 1,000 Rotarians to celebrate service and friendship.
The return exchange will welcome Kenyan Rotarians to Wisconsin in the fall of 2026, a chance to extend the bonds of international goodwill right here at home.
Interested in traveling, learning, and building global connections? Contact Edwin Bos at edwin@bosdesignbuilders.com for details, and get ready for a true Rotary adventure!
Learn more about the trip details and how to apply here.
Rotarians, we are now four months into our Rotary year, and I’m excited to share more great news! Our District continues to thrive—by the end of October, we recorded a net gain of 11 new members, bringing our total to 2,220. This momentum is incredible, and we want to keep it going.
Membership Olympics is still in full swing, and November features Game Four - Engagement Activity: Organize a membership engagement activity that supports personal growth, leadership development, service, or networking opportunities.
Please email your club’s completed Membership Engagement Activity to me at maugs13@gmail.com
So how do we retain members and help them feel valued? Rotary International reminds us that strong retention is one of the clearest signs of a healthy club. If your club has lost members over the past few years, take time to review their profiles—age, profession, length of membership—and look for patterns. Consider inviting former members to participate in an “exit interview” to better understand their reasons for leaving.
Sharing Rotary’s story is one of the most powerful ways we inspire membership, highlight impact, and strengthen our clubs. If you are a club that has a Public Image chair and they are listed our district dashboard, great! But what happens when your club doesn't have a Public Image chairperson?
We are especially looking to hear from clubs that don’t have an official Public Image Chair, but do have Rotarians who are actively helping promote your service projects, fundraisers, and social events. These are the members who create flyers and brochures, update your website, post stories and reels, or help with anything that showcases your club’s impact. They may not hold the title, but they are absolutely helping with your public image!
I promise this is not a trick to give anyone more work. We simply want to find and connect all the amazing people who can and do help your club shine.
As requested by Rotarians throughout our district, we will be offering a second opportunity to attend a Vibrant Club Workshop closer to the western side of the state on the morning of January 10th. More information and opportunities to register will be coming your way!
If most of us were asked what “access to clean, safe water” means, we wouldn’t know how to respond. For the people of the Santa Rosa de Copan region of Western Honduras, it means their children won’t get sick; it means they no longer have to fetch water from a river or stream with unknown contaminants; it means they can bathe at home and use their own bathroom.
When I want a drink of water, or take a shower, I turn on the faucet. When I need to use the restroom, I walk down the hallway, shut the door, and use it. This is not the case for 2.2 billion of our global neighbors. One in four people lack access to safely managed drinking water, and another 703 million people lack a safe water source within a 30-minute round-trip walk of their home.
In early September, along with nine other Rotarians and four World Vision staff members, I had the opportunity to meet with families in five different communities in this area whose lives have been changed forever because they now have water and latrines at their homes. The children now have separate, lockable bathrooms and handwashing stations at their schools to support hygiene habits. With these improvements, girls can now stay in school during their menstrual cycles because of the single-stall toilets and water.
In the heart of Chile’s wine country, the rural municipality of Curacaví is tackling a problem that’s both urgent and universal: waste management.
With a population of over 32,000 people spread across 431 square miles, and no local landfill, garbage must be transported over 62 miles for disposal. The result? Soaring municipal costs, micro-dumps, and growing health and environmental risks.
Rotary Club Curacaví has a clear, actionable plan: build and equip a trash compaction and recycling facility that will dramatically reduce transportation costs, eliminate illegal dumping, increase collection frequency, and improve the health and cleanliness of the entire region. The municipality has already committed to providing the building, staffing, and long-term operational support. Now, they need our help to make it happen.
The Jefferson Rotary Club will host its annual Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at East Elementary School in Jefferson, WI.
This beloved event supports children in Jefferson County’s Head Start Program. Head Start students and their families enjoy a warm buffet breakfast, followed by photos with Santa and a special gift for every child.
Rotary members purchase gifts for all Head Start students and their siblings—this year, 48 boys and 41 girls. Student volunteers from the Jefferson High School Rotary Interact Club are already signed up to help make the event a success.
Chippewa Falls Rotary Club has been busy! 10.18.25 – Club members sponsored a bed delivery day with Sleep In Heavenly Peace – WI Chippewa Valley and delivered 23 beds to kids. That’s 23 kids off the floor and into their own bed! 10.21.25 – Club members volunteered to cook and serve meals at Agnes’ Table in Chippewa Falls. 153 meals were served that evening! 10.29.25 – Chippewa Falls Rotary Club hosted their annuals Pints For Polio and Chili Cook Off Fundraiser at Chippewa River Distillery to celebrate fellowship and help raise funds to end Polio. Chippewa Falls Rotary Club raised: $502 10.31.25-11.8.25 – Chippewa Falls Rotary Club is hosting 6 guests from Poland as part of the Open World Project. Club members Mark Broses and Allyson Wisniewski planned a very robust agenda focusing on Chippewa Valley economic development. Local leaders and other community members have also been involved with the planning and execution of a successful visit. Guests will visit breweries, wineries, a Christmas tree farm, apple orchards, a music festival grounds, local colleges and universities, local museums, local dairies, a maple syrup facility, tour the insides of the Wissota Hydro Dam, and attend Swan Lake at a local performing arts venue.
The Janesville Noon Rotary Club hosted its annual Meat Raffle Fundraiser in October, and it was a smashing success! Rotarians, guests, and community members came together for a day full of laughter, friendly competition, and generosity, all in the spirit of service.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of attendees, donors, and sponsors, the club raised significant funds to support Rotary International’s mission to eradicate polio and to provide college scholarships for local high school seniors.
Club President Janet Fugate, a former Miss Janesville and Miss Wisconsin runner-up, kept the energy high as she took the stage during the live auction, which featured the now-famous “Dinner with the Queen” —a lighthearted and memorable highlight that had everyone talking! To make the day even more special, Janet’s “royal” dinner will be made for fellow Rotarian Ron Mallon, who also happens to be pictured with her (see photo).
The event was a perfect example of what Rotary does best, combining fellowship, fun, and philanthropy to make a lasting difference both locally and globally. The Janesville Noon Rotary Club extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended, donated, and volunteered to make this year’s Meat Raffle so successful.
Together, we continue to live out Rotary’s enduring motto: Service Above Self.
