WREA Executive Director, Diane Wilcenski.
Diane holds Fireside Chats on the 2nd Thursday of the month from 10am to 11am. If you would like to attend please email Diane at dwilcenski@wrea.net to receive the Zoom link. WREA website - click here to be directed there.
ScholarshipsBarb Myers attended the scholarship ceremony at Central HS, La Crosse where Ava Winton was awarded the LAREA scholarship. She will be attending the U of M-Duluth in the fall.
The scholarship for UW-L goes to Jonathan Vang which will be applied to his fall tuition bill.
Emily Schwartz was the recipient at Western Technical College and is enrolled in the Early Childhood program.
Thank you to all LAREA members who help support our scholarship program. Each scholarship is $500. Also thanks to Barb Schultz for writing all the checks, for keeping such great records, and for helping clear up all the questions that come up.
We Care Packages“We Care” Bags Project, presented by Lynn Lange, reminds us that the mission is “to provide ‘We Care’ packages, filled with comfort items for children in crisis, to take with them wherever they are living at that time. Our mission has a different purpose than organizations that collect school supplies in fall.”
So far, for the 2022-23 school year, LAREA, Gundersen Partners, Kwik Trip Retail Accounting Department, the Weber Group, and other pending businesses have helped us exceed our goal of $2,000. In October we will be distributing 300 “We Care” packages to 38 elementary, middle, and high schools. School social workers and counselors will distribute to children as a need arises. (Monetary donations collected from LAREA members so far equals $877.00!)
Whether or not you donate to the “We Care” package bag or not, we do appreciate if you cheer us on, seek out community support, sew bags, crochet stress relievers and bookmarks, make “I Spy” cards and reading sticks (even involving your grandchildren to help), take pictures of us in action, and so on. If you decide to donate money other than at the meetings, you can send your donation to Barb Schultz.
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PAST EVENTS
We Care Congratulations - 2021.Congratulations Mary Henthorne and Thanks to Members!Mary Henthorne was honored with a WXOW Jefferson Award. Like a Nobel Prize for Volunteerism, the award recognized Mary for her dedicated work on the ‘We Care Packages’ project. She in turn recognized her fellow volunteers and shone light on LAREA.
Note: you may need to copy and paste this link.
We Care Congratulations 2020.
Through Mike Foster, we received an anonymous donation of 21 tied blankets and 6 quilts for elementary school age children. Thank you for all who contributed to get the 2020-21 We Care Packages created and delivered to 350 elementary, middle, and high school students who are homeless or experiencing trauma in their lives. That is almost 3 times as many as we sent out last year. As you probably have figured, with the pandemic, it was extremely helpful that we could provide more this year…and according to the homeless liaisons, social workers, and counselors, many, many have already been distributed.
Barb Myers attended the scholarship ceremony at Central HS, La Crosse where Ava Winton was awarded the LAREA scholarship. She will be attending the U of M-Duluth in the fall.
The scholarship for UW-L goes to Jonathan Vang which will be applied to his fall tuition bill.
Emily Schwartz was the recipient at Western Technical College and is enrolled in the Early Childhood program.
Thank you to all LAREA members who help support our scholarship program. Each scholarship is $500. Also thanks to Barb Schultz for writing all the checks, for keeping such great records, and for helping clear up all the questions that come up.
“We Care” Bags Project, presented by Lynn Lange, reminds us that the mission is “to provide ‘We Care’ packages, filled with comfort items for children in crisis, to take with them wherever they are living at that time. Our mission has a different purpose than organizations that collect school supplies in fall.”
So far, for the 2022-23 school year, LAREA, Gundersen Partners, Kwik Trip Retail Accounting Department, the Weber Group, and other pending businesses have helped us exceed our goal of $2,000. In October we will be distributing 300 “We Care” packages to 38 elementary, middle, and high schools. School social workers and counselors will distribute to children as a need arises. (Monetary donations collected from LAREA members so far equals $877.00!)
Whether or not you donate to the “We Care” package bag or not, we do appreciate if you cheer us on, seek out community support, sew bags, crochet stress relievers and bookmarks, make “I Spy” cards and reading sticks (even involving your grandchildren to help), take pictures of us in action, and so on. If you decide to donate money other than at the meetings, you can send your donation to Barb Schultz.
Through Mike Foster, we received an anonymous donation of 21 tied blankets and 6 quilts for elementary school age children. Thank you for all who contributed to get the 2020-21 We Care Packages created and delivered to 350 elementary, middle, and high school students who are homeless or experiencing trauma in their lives. That is almost 3 times as many as we sent out last year. As you probably have figured, with the pandemic, it was extremely helpful that we could provide more this year…and according to the homeless liaisons, social workers, and counselors, many, many have already been distributed.
A total of 200 We Care Bags were completed and delivered to social workers in area elementary schools for students displaced from their homes. For middle & high school students, 150 desk/bags will be assembled soon.
See - We Care Packages.
Lee Rasch Community Partnership - 2019
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2019 Short Stories – SOPE Activity Our Spotlight on Public Education focus was to collect short stories regarding One Room Schoolhouses and other education stories. Booklets were printed and distributed to schools in our region. I  2018 Circles of Professionals SOPE Activity Focus: One just as important as the Next. Membership in LAREA/WREA is open to all currently employed and retired public school staff who are covered by the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). Please join us! Contact Mary Ann Ekern at ekernma@aol.com for more information.  2016 Book Marks – SOPE Activity LAREA is a nonpartisan local unit of the Wisconsin Retired Educators’ Association (WREA) which protects educators’ retirement fund (pension), supports public education, and encourages volunteerism and community activities.   - Images to be added soon. 2015 Reasons to join LAREA – SOPE Activity LAREA is a nonpartisan local unit of the Wisconsin Retired Educators’ Association (WREA) which protects educators’ retirement fund (pension), supports public education, and encourages volunteerism and community activities.  2014 Quilt regarding Public Education Initiatives – SOPE Activity. LAREA (La Crosse Area Retired Educators’ Association) is protecting our retirement fund. Please join us.  2014 Form SOPE's Request for Funding   |
