After a long day of travel and hours going through customs once in the United States, Brisa arrived in Waunakee from Mexico last week. The Waunakee Rotary Club got to meet the exchange student at the Aug. 31 meeting when her host father, Todd Schmidt, introduced her. Brisa is from Vera Cruz and this is her first time away. 

She then spent the weekend with other Rotary exchange students sailing in Chicago, then had a chance to have a meal with Carol Bleifield and another Mexican family Carol knows in Waunakee. 

The Aug. 31 meeting was club assembly day, so the committees delivered reports. 

From the meetings committee, Kylie West described a new process for greeters. Greeters will also be responsible for setting up the meeting room, putting out the badge box, the flags, the Four-Way Test wall hanging, and other items. A Sign-up Genius will be sent to members so they can volunteer for this duty when they want. If that doesn’t work, the club will stick with the same routine of assigning members to this duty.

Wauktoberbest begins next week with the Bourbon, Bacon and Cigar tasting on the Lone Girl rooftop Sept. 6. Ken Pesik says even if you don’t like bourbon, it’s a fun event and the food is good. The following weekend is the festival itself on the Endres Manufacturing grounds. Ross Mauer and Ken will begin work to improve the bar for the event. Set-up is Wednesday, Sept. 13, and the festival opens Sept. 14. 

Membership will be focusing on engaging the less active members and getting newer members established in the club. That committee will also explore other types of memberships, such as family or volunteer members. 

Fundraising is looking at Wauktoberfest, which last year raised $50,000 for community projects. Halloween at the Farm is the next event, followed by Rotary Lights, Phil Willems reported, 

The youth committee is welcoming Brisa. The members will also talk to the high school staff about other types of exchanges, such as outbound and short-term exchanges. 

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Other News:

-A group of Rotary Clubs is exploring a Pints for Polio fundraiser for October. If you’d like to get involved with planning this fundraising event, let President Jennifer Tasker know. 

-The club is collecting staple items of peanut butter and cereal for the Waunakee Food Pantry Just bring donations of 16-ounce jars of peanut butter and healthy, not-too-sugary cereals to meetings for Lori Derauf to drop off at the pantry. Also, the club is still collecting lightly used games for a library in Guatemala. The games should be in English and Spanish or not language oriented, like puzzles, chess, checkers, or jump ropes. 

Upcoming Events

-Sept. 6 - Bourbon, Bacon and Cigar Tasting

-Sept. 9 - Heritage Fest at Schumacher Farm

-Sept. 14-14 - Wauktoberfest

-Oct. 8 - Food for Kidz

Guests: Ivan Arins, Guest of John Cullen.

Visiting Rotarians: Ed Futa.

Birthdays: Sept. 10, Kevin Kearney

Anniversaries: Sept. 9, Linda and Don Olson

Greeters: 

Sept. 7, Paul Cardarella and Scott Cochems; Sept. 14, John Cullen and David Dargenio; Sept. 21, Allan Dassow and Lori Derauf; Sept, 28, Patrick Durden and Fritz Durst .