A leader, a friend and a proud Rotarian
Dedicated Rotarian and friend Dan Giesen passed away Sunday at Angel’s Grace Hospice. We salute him for his 44 years of tireless service to our club, and to the community as a whole. He was our colleague, our inspiration, and a dear friend. Services pending. Rotarians will be notified about service details as they become available.
OCONOMOWOC ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
The Rotary Foundation presented a check for $2,500 to the OHS Band Aids to assist in the Carnegie Hall wind symphony trip and performance April 9 at 10:15 p.m. in New York. Pictured, Rotary Foundation president Paula Jacobs, band instructor Mike Krofta, students Simon Field and Hailey Hanson, President of the Band Aids Jen Mortensen and Rotary president Kevin Pehler. The students will perform as part of the 2020 New York Invitational Music Festival.
“We’re a product of our success and this community’s support,” Krofta told Rotarians. “We have maintained integrity and excellence, and every year the talent of these kids gets better and better.” 60 students and seven chaperones will endure an 18 hour bus ride to the city that never sleeps, compete with a handful of schools across the nation, and experience a professional stage with unmatched lighting and acoustics. “This is big. This is really big,” said student Field. “We’ve done Disney, Music for All, and now Carnegie.” Krofta said the community helped raise $92,000 in less than 30 days to buy new band uniforms, passed a referendum to build a new auditorium, and now is actively sending the wind symphony to Carnegie. “This community is second to none. It has been incredibly supportive of the arts, and of us.”
TALKING TRASH
More than 20 Rotarians and Scouts picked up litter on Highway 16 W. Saturday during the annual fall highway pickup. Thank you to Boy Scout Troop 12 and Scoutmaster John Kyle for leading the pack, along with mighty Rotarians Jackie Foti, Kevin Pehler and daughter Maddy, Dave Breckenfelder, Rod Bluhm, Dave Perry, Sarah Williams-Berg and Roger Mayer. The group collected 19 bags of trash, dodged road kill, leapt swollen gullies, braved 30 mph wind gusts, and helped to beautify the area from Schwefel's to the BP station.
SANTA STROLL
Joel Lammers described the Santa Stroll Dec. 14, starting with a social at 4 p.m. and a 6 p.m. mile loop of downtown. Walkers will pay an entry fee, receive drink coupons and gather friends to walk with.
FOUNDATION SEEKING FUNDS
The Oconomowoc Rotary Foundation is once again seeking annual contributors for the Oconomowoc Scholarship Fund. Checks are payable to the Oconomowoc Rotary Foundation and can be given/mailed to either George Justice or Brion Collins. Rotarians may make a one-time gift or make a three year commitment. Rotary is seeking two or three individual or corporate sponsors who are in a position to support this project with a $5-10,000 annual gift. Last year a number of Rotarians contributed $1,000 and still others $500. The annual cost to the club for the scholarship is $15,000. Thank you for supporting this rewarding project.
- Dave Perry is willing to take Rotarians’ shoes to the Soles for Jesus warehouse for use in impoverished countries.
- Play Bingo with Shorehaven residents Monday, Oct. 28 after the evening social at 6 p.m. Light up resident lives with joyful, competitive interaction.
