Greetings fellow AH Rotarians,
 
Though the days are certainly getting longer, typically I think of mid-February as still being deep within the winter, but flowers are starting to show in my front garden and the buds on the cherry tree were such that I felt compelled to prune today. It has been a strange winter, with snow every Thursday, but soon it may all be past.
 
We have a number of important dates coming up in the next little while. Perhaps most important is the Rotary Tri-Con Conference that will take place at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse, April 27-29. The gathering is intended for all Rotarians, not just leadership. An impressive list of speakers has been recently announced for both the plenary and workshop sessions, and a number of Rotary Fellows and Grant scholars will also be present.
 
Even closer is International Women's Day on March 8. Rotary International will host a series of on-line events, including a conversation with RI President Jennifer Jones on March 8, a panel discussion about Equity at Work on March 9, and small group discussions that provide an opportunity to connect on March 13. For more information about this event, click here.
 
Friendship Exchanges to Budapest, April 9-19, and Croatia, September 7-18, may still be available. Although space may be limited, it is my understanding that priority is often given to those who are new to the exchanges.
 
And closer to home, we have a meeting on Monday (tomorrow), February 20 (Presidents Day), so please join us at the Park Hotel or on zoom at the usual times, 5:15 for the social and 5:45 for the meeting. Our speaker will be Ben Stanger, who will inform us about Green Box Compost.
 
p.s., please remember to vote on Tuesday