Tag Archives: wisconsin

You Went Where on a Mission Trip?

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Monday Morning

We had 16 members at our Monday meeting along with our guest speaker, Melissa Hildebrand.  Charlene noted that our Annual Club Elections will be at our April 27th meeting.  The Nominating Committee is still looking for additional Board of Director candidates if anyone is interested.  “Happy Bucks” were offered by Bob Kahl and Gary Miller for a good showing by the Badger’s basketball team.  Dave Lefefer was the 50/50 Raffle winner on Monday and he drew the Ten of Spades, a $10 winner.  Congratulations Dave.  Next week’s drawing will have 42 cards, including seven pay cards, and a pot of at least $113.

Melissa Hildebrand, Blue Mountain Project

The Blue Mountain Project (BMP) is a grassroots, non-profit, volunteer organization that has been working for 11 years in the rural villages of the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. By living and working directly with the communities they serve, they identify key areas of needed development and facilitate sustainable solutions. Their priority program areas were determined in consultation with their communities and by a belief in a holistic approach to sustainable community development. Working with local and international volunteers, they make the most of every resource and donation to effect lasting, productive change.

The villages where the BMP works are the most isolated communities in the poorest parish of Jamaica, St. Thomas.  The villages are located towards the peak of Jamaica’s Blue Mountains and the only roads are dirt roads at incredible inclines and transportation in and out of the communities remains a serious barrier to economic, educational and health resources.

Melissa joined 15 other students from Moraine Park Technical College, Madison Area Technical College and Lakeshore Technical College in the Blue Mountain Project’s latest mission trip.  Melissa described to us the various things they did in their recent trip to Jamaica and described the living conditions of the people in the Blue Mountains.

What Is a Mentally Ill Person to Do?

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Monday Morning

We had 16 members at our Monday meeting at the Retlaw along with our speaker Dale Hans, President of the local NAMI chapter along with current Kiwanis Lt. Gov. Joan Pinch.  Gary Miller reported that we had 18 attendees at the Noon Club’s Grilled Cheese & Chili Lunch on February 19th as our February Inter Club.  Joan Pinch promoted the upcoming Mid-Year Conference this March, the Summer International Convention in Indianapolis and the need for a new District 11 Lt. Governor candidate for the next administrative year.  Sharon Kollman was the 50/50 Raffle winner on Monday and she drew the Ace of Hearts, not a winner.  Next week’s drawing will have 48 cards, including eight pay cards, and a pot of at least $40.  Gary Ring was the second winner of the morning and he won a bag of coffee that Dale brought as a door prize.

Dale Hans, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill

Dale Hans is the President of the local NAMI Chapter and he joined us on Monday to tell us about NAMI.

The mission of NAMI Wisconsin is to improve the quality of life of people and families affected by mental illnesses and to promote recovery.

NAMI Wisconsin will accomplish its mission through the following:

  • Promote public education and understanding of mental illnesses.
  • Advocate at all levels of government and throughout the public sector to improve mental health care in Wisconsin.
  • Support affiliates by providing follow-up advice and counsel; educational and training programs and materials; access to financial resources as appropriate; and by offering conferences, seminars, and presentations.
  • Establish and strengthen local affiliates to keep with NAMI’s principles and guidelines.

Dale also brought along several brochures that described several various educational opportunities that NAMI has available in their goal to educate about mental illness.

 

 

Kiwanis International President to Visit WI

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We are very excited about the opportunity to have the International President of Kiwanis visiting the Wisconsin area this year. Every 4 or 5 years the Kiwanis International President visits our District, and this year we are privileged to have the current president, Gunter Gasser visit our District in May.

He will be visiting for two days, May 2nd and 3rd in Milwaukee and Madison. On May 2nd he will be in the Milwaukee area and on May 3rd he will be in the Madison area. The visit on May 3rd is the Official District visit, but Kiwanians are welcome to attend either dinner. Check your calendars and see if you’re available on either of these evenings and maybe we can put an InterClub together.