U. W. Fox Valley

Dean Martin Rudd discussed how U.W. Fox is one of 13 campuses within the University of Wisconsin Colleges.  In the U.W. System, there are 26 campuses.  U.W. Fox provides the first two years of liberal arts education for students who wish to transfer and complete their baccalaureate degree at another university. The U.W. Colleges mission is to prepare students for success at the baccalaureate level of education and advancing the Wisconsin idea by bringing the resources of the university to the people of the State and the communities that provide for and support its campuses.  Because students are under prepared for college, U.W. Fox is working closely with their high school partners to try to understand what the students are missing to help them succeed at the collegiate level.  U.W. Fox hosted an in-service day for the Appleton West High School teachers to understand the difference between finishing a high school education and beginning a college education.  About 45% of the students at U.W. Fox are part time and 35% nontraditional students.  More than 50% of their students work more than 25 hours per week.  This can present some challenges.  There are 1819 students are U.W. Fox, 596 new freshman, 63% first generation, 34% age 22+ and have an average ACT score of 20.4.  The average student to faculty ratio is 20:1.  How do you retain students at all levels?  One of Dean Rudd’s passions is undergraduate research – taking sophomore level students and having them work on an undergraduate research project.  U.W. Fox is seeing an uptake in the number of students coming from high school backgrounds who are very prepared to do volunteer work and engage in civic projects.  Many of the classes at U.W. Fox encourage students to engage in civic learning projects to further their educational cores.  The U.W. System growth agenda goals are focused on producing more degree holders in Wisconsin, increasing the number of well paying jobs and building stronger communities.  How do they best prepare students?  They do so by the resources they use, operational excellence and collaborations.  Last Week, U. W. Fox opened a new collaborate engineering degree building with U. W. Platteville that was funded by Outagamie and Winnebago Counties.  There are 200 students in the collaborate degree program with U.W. Platteville.  Since 2005, they have put nearly 60 baccalaureate degree holders in mechanical and electrical engineering back into the community.  U.W. Fox is partnering in traditional and innovative ways for students to transfer from campus to campus in order to complete their baccalaureate degrees.  

Happy Hour - October 18th

The next Rotary Happy Hour, sponsored by the Family of Rotary Committee, is:

                                    Thursday, October 18^th from 5:00-7:00 p.m.

                                    CopperLeaf Hotel, 300 W. College Ave.  in Appleton

                                    Cash Bar and appetizers to purchase

Bring a spouse, significant other, friend, potential Rotarian – and join us.  See old friends, meet new ones and generally relax and enjoy the camaraderie and conversation.  It’s a great chance to get to know each other better and you also get a make up

Sharing Around (the World) Medical Project Update

On behalf of our President Saleem Zamindar and all members of Rotary Club of Karachi, Pakistan, I would like to convey our thanks for sending the Container having Medical Equipment and supplies.

The container was today unloaded and after making inventory we will start distribution to charitable hospitals. We are thankful to your club for this noble act which will bring relief and happiness to many poor and deserving.

Once distribution is completed, a detail report and pictures will be sent to you. In the past I have visited your club and will definitely visit your club again.

With kind regards, Aziz Memon

Peruvian Mobile Medical Unit

The proceeds of the past two Rotary Shines event have helped to fund the Peruvian Mobile Medical Unit in Arequipa, Peru.

NAMIWALKS – SUPPORT THE ROTARY CLUB OF APPLETON TEAM!

We have accepted the challenge! Now we need your help to reach our goal.

In support of NAMI Fox Valley, and the challenge we received today from our fellow Fox Cities Rotary Clubs, we have formed a Rotary Club of Appleton Team. We are looking for fellow Rotarians from our Club to sign up and join us for NAMIWalks on Saturday, October 6, 2012 at Appleton Memorial Park. Walker Check-In Time is 7:45 a.m. and the Official Walk start time is 9:30 a.m.

We have set a team goal for the Rotary Club of Appleton to raise $5,000!  Sign up to be a member of the team and/or make your gift today in support of Rotary Club of Appleton by visitinghttp://www.namifoxvalley.org/rotary.html. When you register or make your contribution please be sure to select the Rotary Club of Appleton Team. We have a little friendly competition and we want the Rotary Club of Appleton to bring home the traveling trophy!

If you have questions, please contact Chad Hershner, Team Captain for Rotary Club of Appleton at (920) 969-5360or via email at chershner@chw.org

All Rotary Drive - Emergency Shelter

The All Rotary Drive will be held October 2^nd on behalf of the Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley.  Items on the attached Wish List can be brought to the noon Rotary meeting held at Michiels Fox Banquets & Rivertyme Catering.  Please count your items prior to donation day and know your team color when you drop off.

League of Women Voters

Shirley Strange and Irene Strohbeen discussed how the League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.  They neither support nor oppose candidates at any level of government.  This does not mean that they do not have opinions or are willing to share them.  The League began out of the suffragists.  From 1848-1920, a group of women worked tirelessly to get the vote for women.  With the ratification of the 19^th Amendment on August 26, 1920, women got the right to vote and Wisconsin was the first state to ratify it.  From 1920-1929, the League began to evolve - designed to help 20 million women carry out their new responsibility to be an informed educated voter.  There are three levels of the League:  National, State and Local.  There are over 800 state and local Leagues.  The League helps with voter service, study issues, observe government, citizen education and action/advocacy.  When they speak out about an issue, it is because they have a position in their position papers.  They start by choosing an issue that is important in the community in January, present it as a study, accept it as a study, form a committee, gather information/speakers, disseminate information to the membership, call a consensus meeting, develops a position statement, goes before the full membership to accept as a position then it gets published and is advocated.  This process can take 1-2 years.  The League believes in respect for individuals and their opinions, diversity and the common good.  The U.S. Constitution grants voting rights to various groups:  15^th Amendment granted the right to vote to all citizens regardless of race, color or history of servitude; the 19^th Amendment granted the right to vote for women; and the 26^th Amendment granted the right to vote to 18 year olds.  The Voting Rights Act in 1965 ensured that these rights were being exercised.  The League’s mission is to maximize voter turn out among eligible voters. The U. S. historically is near the bottom of democracies of eligible voter turnout – 40-60%. The League’s Voter Service educates and informs through voter educational forums, voter registration assistance, outreach to 2^nd language speakers and candidate forums.  September 25 is National Voter Registration Day.  The 2011 Wisconsin Voting Law enables people to vote through voter registration, absentee voting and early voting.  

ALL ROTARY DRIVE FOR THE EMERGENCY SHELTER OF THE FOX VALLEY

The All Rotary Drive will be held October 2^nd on behalf of the Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley.  Items on the attached Wish List can be brought to the noon Rotary meeting held at Fox Banquets & Rivertyme Catering.  Please count your items prior to donation day and know your team color when you drop off!

Rotary on the Road - Boldt Construction

The Boldt Company is a fourth generation family owned business. The company started in 1889 when Martin Boldt opened a carpentry shop in Appleton Wisconsin.  Today, Boldt works across the United Stares from Maine to California and has projects ranging from healthcare, industrial and power. They are the 77th largest contractor in the United States and recognized as one of the safest construction companies in the nation.  They are also known for their scope of construction services and LEED projects.  Their driving corporate values are honesty fairness hard work and a passion for construction.

Rotary on the Road - Boys and Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley was established in 1998 assuming the lead role in developing a safe place for kids and youth in the Valley in direct response to the deaths of several area teens through gang activity.  The Club offers young people what they need and want most—adults who respect and listen to them; a safe environment where they can have fun and be themselves; and interesting, constructive activities that channel youthful energy into challenging pursuits.  More than 14,000 children and youth are served annually at our downtown Club and at six school-based sites including young people from every Fox Cities community and outlying areas.

The Boys & Girls Clubs provide diversified activities in five core areas: Character and Leadership Development, Education and Career Development, Health and Life Skills, The Arts, and Sports, Fitness and recreation. Through these programs and services we fulfill our mission of “Inspiring and enabling all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.” In addition, we offer an array of free mental and behavioral heath services through our Youth Resource Center including Youth & Family Counseling Program, Runaway Program, Truancy Reduction & Assessment Center and Center for Grieving Children. Youth who use their time constructively and have a positive self-identity, emotional health and physical well being, social competency, positive values and a commitment to learning will be more apt to become successful adults than youth who do not have these benefits.

Rotary on the Road - Outagamie Airport

Rotarians who visited the Outagamie Airport on Tuesday listened to an excellent presentation during lunch on the airport facilities, funding and future plans by Airport Director Marty Lenss.  The airport is owned and operated by Outagamie County but requires no county tax dollars to operate because the $9 million budget is funded by passenger use fees paid by airline travelers and by leases/rents of airport buildings and property.  The airport is operated by 20 county employees and three contractors.  The contractors are responsible for public safety, the parking lot and the FBO (fixed base operator which has a flight school, maintenance facilities, rentals/charters and FBO services).  Outagamie County Airport is a significant asset for our community.  It is responsible for an impressive $407.5 million in economic output, supported 2,642 jobs and contributed an additional $119.9 million in wage income to neighboring economies.

After lunch the Rotary group boarded a Lamers bus and was given a guided bus tour, with Marty Lenss as our tour guide, of the Outagamie County Airport site including a trip through the maintenance shop.  During a snow event, employees working in the maintenance facility don't go home.  They are housed in a bunk house and are available to work when needed to clear runways, de-ice plans and keep the airport open.  As Marty said, "if you can get to the airport during a major snow event, we can get you on your plane and on your way to your destination.  We never shut down."  The bus tour took us by the Gulfstream facility which has over 1 million square feet of leased space, Fed Ex, the airport fire department, the new taxi-way that is being constructed for $12 million in federal capital funds to give full length departure access without crossing a runway, the site for the future Fox Valley Tech training center, Civil Air Patrol Buildings, and the area where new General Aviation buildings and hangars are going to be built.

The airline industry is incredibly competitive.  As Marty said, "In this turbulent economic climate, it's even more critical that our Fox Valley neighbors take full advantage of local air service options.  Ultimately, community support is the fuel that keeps our airport economy running smoothly and allows for regional business retention, relocation and growth."

Rotary on the Road - Outagamie Jail

The Outagamie County Jail opened in 1992.  The facility contains 556 beds between the 3-5 floors.  Currently, 75% of the facility is used for lock up and 25% Huber/GPS.  A majority of the inmates are white males, 40 years and under, from Appleton.  On an average, there are 17 people booked at the Jail per day.  The average stay in lock up is 21 days, Huber 24 days, GPS 41 days and DRC 36 days.  GPS populations began in June 2001 and DRC populations began in February 2004. The average daily population of adult lock up is 336 and Huber Law 40.  The Outagamie County Jail offers offenders programs such as alcohol management, creative writing, employability, employment assistance/referrals, GED/HSED and issues of incarceration.  They have also partnered with FVTC.  During lunch, we saw some types of contraband:  cup holder made of toilet paper, latex paint balls, Saran balls, lighters, greeting cards where things could be put between layers and dominos in a sock. Inmate health care is provided by a nurse practitioner, mental health care worker and nurse.  Inmates intake 2700 calories per day and the meals cost $1.06 per meal.  The facility has 300 cameras and everyone is recorded on the DVR system.  We were provided with a tour of the interview rooms, visiting area, camera room, processing area and recreation room.  

Rotary on the Road - Salvation Army

Captain Randy Tooley and Rob Waugus were our hosts.  Captain Randy and Melinda Tooley began their appointment as officers for The Salvation Army here in the Fox Cities, In July 2012.  They had previously served in Alton Illinois.

For over 125 years, the Salvation Army shield has been the symbol of commitment to helping people in need.  Their purpose is simply stated.  They are dedicated to doing the most good.  They work closely with neighborhood groups and residents to identify and address specific issues through programs and initiatives that embrace both body and soul.  They rely on volunteers and passionate supporters to accomplish their mission.  The Salvation Army is active in over 115 countries in every corner of the world.  They were at ground zero on 9/11 offering pastoral care to firefighters, law enforcement officers and others.

Locally 83% of all funding goes directly to services provided by The Salvation Army.  About 60-70% of all of their funding comes from “Bell Ringing” during the holiday season.  This is a great way to volunteer with friends or family members.  Last year a national record was set for money raised in this area during the campaign.  They have many programs some of which are:  Noon Feeding Program –which offers a noon meal 365 days a year, over 60,000 free meals were provided last year; Food Pantry which provided over 1,000,000 pounds of food last year; Transitional Housing Counseling; Worship services and Sunday School Programs; Children’s Day Care Center; and Utility, food and clothing  assistance.  There are always in need of volunteers to assist with noon meals, bell ringing and many other ways. 

Children with Disabilities Grants

The mission of the Children with Disabilities Committee is to develop and carry out projects that benefit mentally and physically challenged children in Appleton and the immediate surrounding area. The projects are funded with income from the Helen Thom Fund that was started in 1941. This year, 12 agencies requested $46,751 in grants. The committee reviewed the applications and granted $22,284.59 to the following organizations: Appleton Area School District, Building for Kids, Cerebral Palsy/ARC, Chaps Academy, Easter Seals Disability HelpLine, Fox Valley Sibling Support Network, Girl Scouts, Muscular Dystrophy, Special Olympics and YMCA Fox Cities.

New Members

The Rotary Club of Appleton inducted Sonia Barham, Executive Director of The ARC Fox Cities, Inc. and Randy Prasse, Executive Director of the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau.