Service Above Self
Mequon, WI 53092
United States of America
Re-posted from the District 6270 website
At the heart of Rotary's mission lies the pursuit of service and the commitment to fostering understanding and compassion within our communities. As we navigate the intricate tapestry of human experiences, we are reminded of the fragility of mental health and the profound impact it has on our lives.
At the 2023 Rotary International Assembly, RI President Gordon McInally courageously shared his journey, urging Rotary members worldwide to destigmatize conversations around mental health. His poignant narrative, punctuated by the loss of his brother to suicide, serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of open dialogue and support.
During my club visits, I shared my journey through mental health and wellness. There was a time when I, too, felt engulfed by despair, believing that suicide was the only escape from my struggles. Yet, through resilience and support, I emerged from the shadows, embracing a newfound sense of hope and purpose.
Recent statistics published by The New York Times shed light on the alarming rise in suicide rates across the United States. In the past 2 decades, suicide rates have risen about 35% with nearly 50,000 annually, while the rates in other wealthy countries have been dropping steeply and steadily. In the face of this sobering reality, Rotary members possess a unique opportunity to effect meaningful change. By fostering a culture of empathy and understanding, we can create safe spaces for individuals to share their struggles without fear of judgment.
As stewards of compassion and goodwill, we each play a vital role in Rotary's Mental Health and Wellness Initiative. Contrary to popular belief, one does not need to be a mental health professional to make a difference. Through simple acts of kindness and active listening, we can dismantle the barriers that prevent individuals from seeking help.
To support our collective efforts, Rotary International offers a comprehensive set of tools and resources aimed at raising awareness and promoting access to mental health care. I encourage you to explore the downloadable brochure provided, which outlines actionable steps for eliminating stigma and fostering resilience within our communities.
Additionally, I invite you to engage with the Rotary Action Group on Mental Health Initiative, a valuable repository of toolkits, success stories, and other resources. Together, we can harness the power of collective action to drive positive change in the realm of mental health advocacy.
Looking ahead, TriCon 2024 presents a unique opportunity to deepen our understanding of suicide prevention through a special workshop titled, Question. Persuade. Refer. 3 Steps Anyone Can Learn to Help Prevent Suicide. Led by esteemed clinical therapist Sarah Danahy, this workshop aims to equip participants with the tools and knowledge needed to intervene effectively in times of crisis.
Let us heed the call to action and stand in solidarity with those grappling with mental health challenges. As members of Rotary, we possess the power to ignite hope, foster resilience, and save lives. Together, let us embark on this journey of compassion and healing, knowing that our collective efforts can truly make a difference.
The Rotary Club of Thiensville-Mequon’s proposed all-inclusive playground for Rotary Park, if ultimately approved, would be the Zrst of many improvements at the park. Image courtesy of the Rotary Club of T-M
MEQUON — The Rotary Club of Thiensville-Mequon’s all-user playground adjacent to the south pavilion at Rotary Park, 4100 Highland Road, is one step closer to becoming a reality.
The city of Mequon’s Common Council last week unanimously approved a pre-development agreement for the playground, which would meet the needs of all people — not just children — with a wide range of abilities and ages.
"As a volunteer for multiple organizations that serve the IDD community, I am excited that a play area for all abilities, and all ages has been so well received," Club President Jenne Hohn told the News Graphic Sunday. "It is wonderful to see the enthusiastic support from local leadership. I am thrilled that we are going to have this resource in Mequon at one of our loveliest parks."
According to the current concept plan, the park would consist of a large center structure with ramps, slides and climbing opportunities, surrounded by swings, including a wheelchair swing, sliders, archways, mounds, exercise equipment and a variety of other playground equipment.
It would also feature internal paths, landscaping, benches and shaded rest areas, with its colors and design resembling the park’s existing landscape, the club wrote, and in addition, include a safe entranceway, perimeter barriers and improved paths leading to the playground.
Former Mayor John Wirth told the council that this playground, initially identified as a need in the 2019 master planning efforts, is just one of several improvements that the club hopes to make to the park moving forward.
"Hopefully this is the first phase in a number of improvements we’d like to make to the park ...," Wirth said. "People go to Gathering on the Green, there’s no great path to get between the two pavilions at the park and there’s a variety of other improvements we’d like to see. But this, our first phase, is to do a playground. It’s something Mequon sorely needs."
The council agreed, noting that the new playground would be a significant improvement given that the current one’s equipment is more than 25 years old.
"This is a really exciting project...," Alderman Brian Parrish added. "They’re (playgrounds) very expensive and it’s going to take a lot of private groups to fund these over time, so to just get this one underway is very important..." The club, which reiterated that it was not seeking final approval just yet from the council, plans to gain additional input from the community and various organizations representing intellectually and developmentally disabled people.
If it receives final approval, the playground is anticipated to open in early 2026.
Superintendent
Matthew Joynt began teaching in public education in 1999. Prior to being appointed to the position of superintendent of schools in the Mequon-Thiensville School District in July 2017, he served as the assistant superintendent of educational services in the Mequon-Thiensville School District for four years. Dr. Joynt holds a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, a master's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
He is a Wisconsin State Certified Teacher and has taught at the elementary level and served as an assistant principal and principal at high performing high schools in the Milwaukee area.
Matthew has extensive experience working to engage students, capitalizing on opportunities to embrace diversity, and facilitating change and continuous improvement efforts within organizations located in metropolitan areas. It is his goal to improve school performance, and Matthew has led school reform at elementary and secondary schools improving teaching and school culture to promote academic growth and help students embrace lifelong learning.
Professional Statement
My professional goal is to be a district administrator and instructional leader in a strong and effective public school district focused on student success. To achieve this goal I believe that my leadership must:
- be driven through high expectations (goals and benchmarks) that are shared by all and monitored and assessed consistently.
- include communication among students, staff, parents and community members that provides for a positive school environment and decision-making focused on student learning.
- provide the means to make success a choice for all students and staff alike; then use accountability measures to ensure such success.
- utilize evaluation of data sources and assessment of current practice to promote continuous improvement for students, staff, and the organization.
MEQUON — The Mequon Park and Open Space Board tonight will consider a new all-user playground adjacent to the south pavilion at Rotary Park, 4100 Highland Road.
The Rotary Club of Thiensville-Mequon is presenting the plan.
If approved, the Rotary Club would plan, construct and donate the playground to the city of Mequon. The Rotary committee that is planning the playground is chaired by Club President Jenne Hohn and former Mequon Mayor John Wirth.
"An all-user playground, sometimes called an inclusive playground, is a play area with equipment and resources that meet the needs of all people — not just children — with a wide range of abilities and ages," Hohn explained. "It is an all accessible play area where users of all ages and all abilities will be able to play and thrive."
Such a park was initially identified as a need in the 2019 master planning efforts.
Designed by Zimmerman Architectural Studios, the current concept plan consists of a large center structure with ramps, slides and climbing opportunities, surrounded by swings, including a wheelchair swing, sliders, archways, mounds, exercise equipment and a variety of other playground equipment. The playground would also feature internal paths, landscaping, benches and shaded rest areas, with its colors and design resembling the park’s existing landscape, the club wrote.
In addition, there would be a safe entranceway, perimeter barriers and improved paths leading to the playground.
“The lake and parking areas at Rotary Park can be tempting to kids and those with autism,” Hohn said. “We want this to be a safe experience for all guests of the park and enjoyable for guests’ parents, grandparents and caregivers.”
The club, which hopes to improve other facilities at the park, either with the playground or in future phases, said the project would not impact the nearby soccer fields. It plans to seek additional input from the community and various organizations that represent intellectual and developmentally disabled people.
Due to the scope of the project, the club anticipates the playground to open in early 2026.
“This will be another great project in our club’s 87 years of giving back to Mequon and Thiensville,” Hohn added.
According to the Mequon Park and Open Space Board’s agenda packet for today, the current playground at Rotary south was constructed in 1996, as several of the playground components were either donated or moved from other locations and are older than 1996.
It wasn’t until last summer when the club approved an initiative to move forward with planning documents for a proposed playground.
The origin of this fund takes us back to the late fifties (1958-60) during the presidencies of Rudy Peters and Ralph Huiras. Ralph had been initiated into the mysteries of corn roasting by Doc Elbe, and very quickly Ralph conceived a plan for a family picnic to be known as the Annual Corn Roast and Bratwurst Fry. Others joined in on the development of the fundraiser which would also serve as a community service project. The net profits from the picnic were to be used to finance Boy Scout programs and school scholarships, and in some cases the fund could be used for other community projects. These profits were kept in segregated funds and invested separately from the club’s operating fund. Over the years, successive Corn Roasts continued to generate profits and the segregated fund grew to the point that earnings were enough to finance the Scouts and the scholarships. The goal had been set to build the fund to $25,000.
By 1967 when Jack Wiese because president of T-M Rotary, the fund had grown to $13,000. The time seemed right to set up the fund in a more formal and legal format. Wiese appointed a committee to study the entire Scout-Scholarship Fund situation and come up with a recommendation to the club. The committee consisted of Merton Campbell, Chairman, Dr. T. D. Elbe, Clem Freitag, Ray Hintz, Ralph Huiras, Francis Meer, Russ Risley, and Harry Schmit. After several meetings the committee finished its job, with Ralph Huiras providing the legal expertise. In September 1967, the report was submitted to President Wiese, who then presented it to the Board of Directors for its perusal. The Board accepted the recommendations with a few minor changes, and shortly thereafter the THIENSVILLE-MEQUON ROTARY CLUB FOUNDATION became a legal entity. The purpose was to provide scholarships to aid graduates of Homestead High School, to provide support to the Boy Scouts of America in the Thiensville-Mequon area, and to provide for emergency services connected exclusively with services to the communities of Thiensville and Mequon or to non-profit or charitable organizations within these communities. A Board of Trustees of five members of the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club was to administer the fund, and the method of selecting the Board was specified. The first Board of Trustees consisted of Ralph Huiras, Harry Schmit, James Schmitz, Harold Viste and Jack Wiese (past president). In 1986 the FOUNDATION was reviewed again and some amendments were made, namely; (1) A modification was made in the selection of Trustees, with the treasurer to serve a five-year term; (2) An annual donation of $1000 was to be made to the Frank J. Weyenberg Library Foundation; and an annual donation of $1000 was to be made to the International Rotary Foundation as a Paul Harris Fellowship; this became known as an Honorary Paul Harris Fellowship to be determined by the Club Board of Directors.
Shortly after T-M Rotary launched the Rotary Park project it was necessary to review the foundation again and amend it to cover the initial expenditure of $80,000 plus additional future expenditures toward this $2,500,000 project. Currently the fund is entitled the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Park Foundation, Inc. The foundation continues to be a vibrant force, as was it’s predecessors for the past 33 years, in meeting the service obligations and commitments of Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club as it serves our local communities.
PATRICK NETTESHEIM, CO-FOUNDER GUITARS FOR VETS
Patrick is a music teacher, composer and performer. In college, Patrick excelled in psychology and philosophy. He considered a career in medicine but chose the path of the artist instead. Music credits include many films and numerous bands in which he played guitar, bass and piano with styles covering rock, jazz, country, ambient and techno. In 2007, Patrick co-founded Guitars for Vets (G4V) with his student and friend, Vietnam Era Marine, Dan Van Buskirk. Since then, G4V has grown to more than 150 chapters throughout the USA. He is credited with developing the G4V “four-way path” known as PAGE—Patience, Acceptance, Gratitude, Empathy. The G4V community applies these principles in all aspects of operation as they strive to open “windows of serenity” with our military brothers and sisters that live with the challenges of PTSD. Patrick continues to compose and perform music in his band, Kharma Shotgun. His vision for the future is to offer the G4V program to all wounded Veterans throughout the USA and beyond.