Thanks to his father’s Air Force career, Mike Kloss had traveled internationally before he knew what Rotary was. But not until he became a Boy Scout Leader and Scout Master did Mike learn about Rotary and come to join the Eau Claire Morning Club.
The current Rotary District 6250 Governor, Mike visited the Waunakee club as he is making his rounds across the district.
Born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Mike moved with his family to North Africa as a toddler, and the family lived in Morocco. Like many Air Force families, the Klosses moved around, returning to Wisconsin where his father was from before moving to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Michale attended Indiana University, where he married, and his career brought him first to Janesville then to Eau Claire.
He and his wife have three children, and as they were growing up, Mike became very involved in Boy Scouts. There he began to value community involvement, and after learning about Rotary, joined the club. He was impressed when an exchange student from Bolivia came to speak at a meeting and was enthusiastic about the opportunity to visit the United States and what the club was doing in cooperation with a club in her home town to improve water sanitation.
Mike became club president and attended the president training program. There a woman from Afghanistan spoke about her efforts to fund a bus to take girls to school. The Eau Claire club got involved right away, helping to find funding.
Mike noted the seven areas of focus for Rotary: peace building; disease prevention; water sanitation; children’s health; basic education and literacy; and protecting the environment.
They provide a good framework for the work Rotarians do.
Mike said he is impressed by the new Rotary International President, Francesco Arrezo, who believes clubs should be united for good and supports a creativity theme, allowing clubs to step away from traditions like attendance taking that might deter future members. Rotary has changed and is much more welcoming, Mike said.
For the district, Mike wants to focus on the Rotary Journey and the Million Dollar Journey, with a goal of raising $1 million and having Tri-TriCon raise funds, as well.
He is working on bringing Rotary to the Ho-Chunk Nation, a notion the Ho-Chunk members have expressed interest in.
Also, a $100,000 Polio Plus drive is underway for the 2026-27 District Governor, Scott Ryan.
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Guests: Mike Kloss, Rotary District 6250 Governor; Scott Ryan, next Rotary District 6250 Governor; Patrick Bainbridge, District 6250 Assistant Governor, guests of the club; Ophelia Whitley, guest of Sara Whitley; Amy Wilcox, guest of Paul Knutson.
Other News:
- President Tony Burns inducted Lauren Freeman as a new member. Lauren is the Village of Waunakee Deputy Administrator and Community Development Director. Welcome, Lauren!
- Work on the greenhouse at SOAR Kenya Academy is getting underway, Alex Welk said.
- Ken Pesik had food and drink tickets that businesses can sponsor for Wauktoberfest if they want to give them to their employees or customers.
- Ellen Schaaf thanked the club for its WaunaFest Run Sponsorship and gave away a couple t-shirts, along with tickets to the Mocktail Mingle planned for that evening.
- Kylie West thanked the club for its support of the Peace Pole at the Waunakee Neighborhood Connection plaza. She will be proposing to the Waunakee Parks Committee that it be named Peace Plaza. An unveiling of the mural there is planned for October.
- Weekly fellowship will be on Wednesdays at the Waunakee Farmers and Makers Market at Reeve Park.
Greeters: Aug. 28, Phil Willems and Max Ujdak; Sept. 4, Bill Kennedy and Jen Tasker; Sept. 11, Lori Derauf and ??
To sign up to greet or to find out if you are greeting, visit:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054CAAAA2CA7F85-44320149-2023#/
