Club Activities

The Rotary Club of Wausau welcomes two new
members. Pictured, Darien Schaefer of the
Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention and
Visitors Bureau, and Tony Yaron of
Central Wisconsin Airport, welcomed
by Kirk Howard, Rotary Club President (center).

12-15-11
Hunger Plus-Marathon County
Hello Fellow Rotarians!

For those of you that have not heard…
and for those that have, a reminder…

The results of last month’s HungerPlus-Marathon County survey were pretty clear – an overwhelming majority of respondents felt our Rotary Club should get involved to combat hunger in our community, and felt our weekly guests, speakers and Uthrotars should be able to count on a regular meal.

The HungerPlus-Marathon County (HP) committee went to work right away! The HP initiative is being re-ignited in our Rotary club with the re-inaugural lunch event this coming Monday, the 19th! Unlike the 2005 initiative, we will have our regularly scheduled lunch…Yes, we have said “good-bye” to the dehydrated beans and rice!

That being said, we are faced with a new challenge. In the 1st initiative, with our beans and rice feast, our Club saved money (approx. $500) which was redirected toward matching our “happy dollar/sad dollar” donations during the HP lunches. In the first 12 months (1 lunch per quarter) we raised just over $3,800, donating the funds to The Neighbors Place and Salvation Army.

In the next 12 months we have a goal of raising $4,000 ($1,000 per quarter) + collecting nutritious food donations. For a list of nutritious food items/ideas, please go to http://www.unitedwaymc.org/PDFs/BestFoods.pdf.

We will be partnering with the Marathon County Hunger Coalition, a very active United Way group working with Marathon County food pantries, helping them coordinate, collaborate and cooperate with each other. All of our cash and food donations will be turned over to the Hunger Coalition!

The HP committee continues to brainstorm ideas for a sustainable initiative in our own Club. The next step would be to package this idea and along with the Hunger Coalition, present it to other Marathon County service organizations for their consideration of launching a similar initiative in their club!

In the meantime, I have been approached by an anonymous donor who is willing to put up to $250 toward a $500 matching fund, if, and only if, our Club does the same. Our Board has agreed to this! So, at least for the re-inaugural, we’ll again have a $500 matching fund! Our collective member’s happy dollar/sad dollar donations will be matched, up to $500 as we focus on our $1,000 quarterly goal!

I am excited and hope you are able to contribute toward our cause, whether that be a donation via cash, check (payable to “Hunger Coalition @ United Way”), pledge card to be added to your next quarterly bill, or a donation of nutritious food!

If you are unable to attend our meeting on the 19th and you’d like to participate, you may write out a check payable to “Hunger Coalition @ United Way” and mail/give it to Jamie Schaefer, Club Treasurer, POB 1503, Wausau, WI 54402-1503, or to me…my contact info is below.

If you have any ideas for this initiative that you would like to share, please, don’t be shy!

If I do not see you on Monday, I hope you have a very special Holiday season!

Patrick Bradley