Each year, Gilda’s Club provides support to thousands of people with cancer and their loved ones with a free service that relies solely on funds raised. 

At the May 21 Waunakee Rotary Club meeting, Lannia Stenz, Gilda’s Club executive director, talked about the nonprofit, noting since the pandemic and the use of virtual meetings, it now serves people throughout Wisconsin. 

Its mission is to uplift and strengthen people impacted by cancer at any stage of the illness. The organization also tries to ensure that they, along with their entire circle of friends and family, do not feel they are facing it alone. 

Lannia talked about Gilda Radner, the original Saturday Night Live cast member who inspired Gilda’s Club. She showed clips of Radner’s characters – Emily Litella, Lisa Luebner and RoseAnn Rosannadanna – noting that rooms at the Middleton Gilda’s Club are named after them. 

After Gilda died, her husband, Gene Wilder, and others organized the first Gilda’s Club.

Since then, cancer survivors have begun living longer and facing more challenges from the treatments’ side effects. 

Gilda’s Clubs offer support groups around different types of cancers and circumstances, for instance people with children with cancer. They also act as patient advocates helping individuals through claims issues and with family and patient counseling. 

Gilda’s Club Wisconsin had 8,200 program visits in the past year with 1,319 active participants in 37 different Wisconsin counties. 

That’s resulted in better treatment and outcomes, and better communication among family members. 

Lannia said Gilda’s Clubs are located throughout the United States and urged Rotarians who know people outside of Wisconsin to spread the message that if they have cancer, they can locate the Gilda’s Club closest to them. 

Lannia’s role as Gilda’s Club executive director has a deeper, more personal meaning. She does this for her mother, she said, adding when her mother was battling cancer, Lannia was her caregiver.

“One of my jobs in my life was to make her laugh every day,” she said. 

She appreciations being part of an organization that works with individuals facing cancer and uses humor. 

Gilda’s Club Wisconsin has three major fundraisers, the Backyard BBQ on June 11, the Red Doors Golf Outing with tastings at every hole on  Aug. 17, and Gilda’s Run on Oct. 4. It receives no other funding. 

There are a number of ways to volunteer, as well. For information, visit the Gilda’s Club Wisconsin website. 

 

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Other news:

• Ken Pesik updated the club about fundraising for the arch project. The Endres Manufacturing Foundation donated $50,000 toward the project and that should allow it to begin. Linda Olson noted that club members can donate to the Waunakee Rotary Foundation for the arch project and receive points toward a Paul Harris Award. Usually those points are awarded when donating to the Rotary International Foundation. 

• The recipients of the Waunakee Rotary Foundation’s Service to Humanity Scholarships have been chosen. They are: Adrian Lopez Mateus, Waunakee High School, $3,000; Hayden Janus, Waunakee High School, $2,500; Andrew Berger, Waunakee High School, $1,500, and Alianna Reefe, Edgewood High School, $1000. Adrian is attending Marquette University next year, Hayden and Andrew are attending UW-Madison, and Alainna is attending the University of Tennessee. 

• Nick Mischler donated a check for $57 in celebration of his 57th year of marriage to Elaine. Congratulations to the happy couple. 

• The Interact Club’s hygiene drive is continuing through June 7, so just a couple more weeks left. 

 

Coming Up

• June 8: Madison West–Middleton Golf Outing

• June 24: Steak Fry and Changing of the Guard at Drumlin Ridge

• June 11: Midnight Splash cruise on Lake Mendota

Greeters: May 28, Shelley Moffatt and Jean Elvekrog; June 4, Veronica Castillo and ??

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#/