Bill Dunnington,Russ Christian, Sarah Straka, Keith White, Dana Fager, Judy Steinhauer, Dave Reed, Mark Rooney, Heidi Kopras, Gary Tree, Elizabeth Grabe, Peggy Zalucha, Shawn Bollig, Brent Yauchler, Tracy Deihm, and Aubree Hanks were in attendance.

Guests included Mary Thompson, Jocelyn, Katherine Straka, and Zandra Heilmann.

 

Dana Fager shared the happy news that she recently became a grandmother. Her granddaughter, Laney Marie, was born after a difficult labor, but both mom and baby are doing well.

 

Mark Rooney shared the passing of Ann, longtime co-manager and master gardener at Cave of the Mounds, after a battle with bile duct cancer. He explained that the gardens at Cave of the Mounds have now been renamed in her honor. Mark also discussed promising cancer research involving the KRAS protein and a new clinical trial showing encouraging results in treating pancreatic, lung, and colon cancers. He shared that Sharon Baldwin is currently participating in the trial and is doing well, noting how advancements in research and technology, including AI, are helping accelerate breakthroughs.

 

Russ Christian reflected on the importance of medical and animal research in advancing cancer treatments and encouraged members to reach out and support former Rotarians Jim and Dixie during a difficult time. He acknowledged the challenges they are facing and encouraged members to share positivity and support. Russ also shared that Django achieved a new personal record jump of 42 feet, 9 inches, and celebrated Clementine’s 18th birthday.

 

Sarah Straka celebrated her daughter, Katherine, successfully completing her first year at UW–Madison, where she plans to graduate with a degree in civil engineering.

 

Zandra Heilmann shared highlights from prom weekend and spending time with friends, including dinner at Dave’s Hot Chicken with Clem and Django.

 

Frolic raffle tickets are available for purchase. Tickets are $20 each with a $10,000 grand prize, and members are encouraged to sell five tickets each.

 

An update was also provided regarding the recent club vote. Seventeen votes were received, and the measure officially passed.

 

Mary Thompson shared the story behind her children’s book, Adventures of Coco Mia: Lost in the Woods, and reflected on how deeply connected she still feels to the Mount Horeb community. Mary grew up on Maple Shade Farm just west of Mount Horeb, where her family lived for five generations. She shared memories of the family farm and noted that while the family recently closed that chapter, Mount Horeb still holds a special place in her heart.

 

Mary graduated from Luther College and spent her career working in education, including roles as a classroom teacher, a Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction program manager, and an HR executive in financial services. She currently lives in Madison with her husband, Larry Jenkins, and their dog, Coco Mia.

 

Mary explained that the inspiration for the book came after a traumatic real-life experience involving Coco Mia and two other dogs. While walking with a family friend, the dogs were struck by an SUV in a crosswalk. Miraculously, all survived, but Coco Mia went missing overnight, prompting an extensive community search effort involving neighbors, social media, police, and volunteers. The experience became the foundation for the book’s themes of courage, kindness, friendship, and the power of community.

 

The book is intended for children ages 3–8 and follows Coco Mia after she becomes lost in the woods and receives help from animal friends before finding her way home. Mary emphasized lessons such as “to have a friend, you must first be a friend” and highlighted the importance of pet safety and preparedness, encouraging pet owners to consider GPS or tracking devices for their pets.

 

Mary also spoke about the Rotary connections that helped bring the book to life. Through Rotary relationships, she found her illustrator, digital marketing support, and PR assistance. She shared that $5 from every book sold will be donated to the Rotary Foundation’s PolioPlus Fund.

 

Mary reflected honestly on the challenges of writing and publishing a book, noting that while the writing process itself came naturally, navigating editing, publishing, marketing, and promotion required persistence and support from others. She described the experience as both personally rewarding and unexpectedly transformative.

 

Following the presentation, several members shared meaningful stories about the role pets have played in their lives.

Peggy shared that during her husband Tony’s long-term illness, she unexpectedly felt he needed a cat for companionship. The cat became a constant comfort to him during his final months, often sitting quietly on his lap when he was ill and bringing moments of peace and joy. She reflected that every time she sees the cat now, she is reminded that bringing the animal into their lives was the right decision.

 

Brent shared the story of a small stray cat his wife rescued near her office. Shortly after being adopted, the cat suffered a serious accident after becoming trapped under heavy artwork overnight. Despite concerns about the severity of the injuries, the cat recovered and became a deeply loyal companion, greeting him enthusiastically every day when he returned home.

 

The stories led to a broader conversation about the important emotional support, companionship, and unconditional comfort pets provide during both joyful and difficult seasons of life.