November was a pretty quiet month for our club.  The Care and Share committee graciously received our donation of $400, a combination of $200 we earmarked in our budget and a $200 match from our generous members.  Thank you all!

 

However, November was a busy month for the Interact Club.  They held a very successful local food drive for their contribution to iFeed.  Over 1500 pounds of food was collected and $100 was donated and matched by Sterling Pharmacy.  Everything was given to our local food shelf.  The winning classes at the middle school and high school received donuts and hot chocolate.  First place at the elementary schools was a pizza party.  The second place was a candy treat.

 

That brings us to December, which is very busy.

 

Do you want to take some stress out of your Christmas?  Let the Interact members wrap presents for you.  Anyone interested in their services, drop your gifts off at Immanuel Lutheran Church.  The cost is a free-will donation when you pick up your wrapped packages.  The dates are December 18, 12-4 p.m., and December 20, 5-8 p.m.  Rotary members are encouraged to help wrap or donate wrapping paper.

 

In January the Interact Club continue its positive efforts by making plans to work on the homelessness project in the La Crosse area.

 

As for us, we are gearing up for Rotary Lights!  Please do what you can to get the food donations to their final destination at our local food shelf.  Food collection is on December 3 and December 27 and unloading the following day.  If you haven’t already done so, please sign up to work our shifts at Rotary Lights on December 27.  Ashley wrote a press release for publication in the Argus this week and information will also be appearing on the Hauler’s sign.   

 

We are almost to the halfway mark of our Rotary year.  I am looking forward to hearing from our committee chairs at our first December meeting.  What do you love about Rotary?  What do you want to see accomplished during the remainder of our year?  I would like to express my sincere appreciation for all you have done to make our club a success and close with this quote from John F. Kennedy.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”

 

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season!