Thanks in part to the Waunakee Rotary Club, 600 students in Kenya, Africa, are attending school and receiving an education they otherwise would not. 

James Yegon of SOAR Academy in Kenya attended the Oct. 15 Waunakee club meeting to talk about how the school began and its progress since, and to thank the club for its contributions. 

James said Kenya has a great deal of poverty, and as one of 10 children, James was the only one able to attend school and then earn a master’s degree in community development.

He did so with the support of Don and Mary Hoffman, two Springfield residents who later joined the Rotary Club. After James graduated, the Hoffmans asked him what he would like to do. He said he wanted to offer the same opportunities in his community, citing Nelson Mandela who said the only way to end poverty was through education. 

With the help of the Waunakee Rotary Club and other organizations, SOAR Academy began in 2011. Today, in addition to providing education to the 600 students, it employs 23 teachers and 10 support staff. 

Over time, the Rotary Club and other groups have helped to add dormitories, buildings, clean water for the community and electricity. 

Projects have also included a drip irrigation system and greenhouses for the farm so the school is sustainable. 

The SOAR Kenya Community Foundation also addresses community needs, such as providing sanitary towels to girls, who would otherwise miss four days of school a month without them. The foundation also provides sponsorships for families unable to afford the low tuition and holds Anti-FGM seminars to educate girls about female genital mutilation. 

The Waunakee Rotary Club also helped fund a water treatment project to remove excessive fluoride, which causes severe tooth decay, James said, adding that children are able to smile again. 

Today, SOAR Academy is in need of more lavatories and handwashing stations, dormitories, a computer lab and new books for the library. The best way to contribute to those projects are through the Waunakee Rotary Club, James said. 

 

Other news:

• Rotarians can still enter a fundraising raffle for Polio Plus at the Oct. 22 meeting. Tracy is ready to host the club for the Euchre FUNdraiser party at her house, as well, on Saturday evening starting at 5 p.m.

• Ken Pesik and Max Ujdak gave an update on the arch project, saying it should be ready for the Nov. 16 ribbon cutting. 

• The Interact Club has raised $6,000 toward its $10,000 goal for the Clean Water Campaign, Kylie West said. . On Oct. 16, Lundy’s will host a share night from 3-8 p.m. Plus the students will soon be selling Culver’s calendars. 

 

Coming Up

• Oct. 16: Euchre party at Tracy’s house.

• Oct. 17: Halloween on the Farm

• Oct. 25: Packers watch party at the Lamphouse

• Nov. 16: Rotary Arch ribbon cutting

• Nov. 22-Jan. 1: Rotary Lights

Greeters: Oct. 22, David Rupp and Bernie Kennedy; Oct. 29, Katie Ujdak and Carol Bleifield; Nov. 5, Nick Mischler and Tom Kennedy. 

To sign up to greet or to find out when you are greeting, visit: 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054CAAAA2CA7F85-44320149-2023#/

 

 

The Waunakee Rotary Club inducted five new members at its Feb. 5 meeting, bringing the total number to 94, which is likely a club record. 

President Tony Burns and the rest of the club welcomed Veronica Castillo, June Ganser, Cynthia Kennedy, Max Lenz and Andrew Quandt.

Each introduced themselves and talked a little about why they joined. 

Veronica is the director of the nonprofit Waunakee Neighborhood Connection. Born in Texas and raised in Iowa, she has now lived in Waunakee for a year but has spent about 13 years living in the Madison area. 

Kylee West introduced Veronica to the club, she said, and Ellen Schaaf invited her to join. Veronica said service is in her blood, and recalled wrapping gifts at the senior center as a child. 

“I love what I do daily,” she said about working at the social services agency that supports about a quarter of Waunakee’s community members who are not making ends meet. Veronica’s goal is to become more involved in the community, she said. 

Andrew is the general manager of Lundy’s Ice Cream Shop on Main Street and recently moved into the apartment upstairs. 

A native of the northern suburbs of Chicago, he roots for the Packers. Andrew moved to the Madison area in 2021. He joined Rotary because he likes to help and serve others, he said, as he does in retail. 

Andrew said his parents were also involved in their community. 

He joined Rotary because, he said, “I felt the cause was there and felt directed to take that route. I’m very excited to see projects grow.”

Max is a native of Waupun. He is currently an attorney with Godfrey and Kahn, and is a litigator who focuses on eminent domain and media law. 

He came from a small town with a service oriented family and joined Rotary because he felt it was a way to serve the community.

June Ganser helped her husband open Waunakee’s first auto parts store at the Village Mall and then built the building across the street. She went on to work with U.S. Agricultural Research Services in Madison then moved to the UW Madison where she worked in budget policy management. 

June’s husband passed away five years ago and she’s been thinking of getting more involved. 

“Here I am,” she said. “I’m happy to be here; I’m happy to serve.”

Cynthia Kennedy has several family members in Rotary and she’s participated in events for many years. She felt now is the time to participate as a member and to lend her bookkeeping skills to help with some of the treasurer’s duties. 

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Coming Up

Feb. 6-7: Rotarians will meet at Chet's Car Care to pack medical supplies to ship to Honduras. On Friday, they’ll meet at 5 p.m., then Saturday morning at 7 a.m. 

Feb. 10: Waunakee Chamber Business Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. at the Waunakee Public Library. 

Feb. 17: Morning fellowship at Grace Coffee, 7:15 a.m.

Feb. 19: Tour of the New Waunakee Middle School.

March 28: Easter Bunny Drive-Thru at Ripp Park

April 17: Tri-Con Convention

April 17: Chips & Chips Fundraiser

Guests: Mark Steward, guest of Lauren Freeman; new members Cynthia Kennedy, Veronica Castillo, Max Lenz, June Ganser and Andrew Quandt.

Greeters: Feb. 12, Jen Tasker and Phil Willems; Feb. 19 Shelley Moffatt and Todd Schmidt; Feb. 26, Dave May and Austin Maly; March 5, Alex Welk and ???; March 12, Chris Zellner and Roberta Baumann. 

To sign up to greet or to find out when you are greeting, visit: 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054CAAAA2CA7F85-44320149-2023#/