Rotary Club of Appleton

Welcome to Rotary Club of Appleton, Leif Elsmo from Mosaic Health! We look forward to working with you in our community.

Congratulations to our Rotarians of the Year, Leslie Asare and Ralph DeMarco! This award is given to members of the club who demonstrate outstanding service as a Rotarian during the year. They reflect exceptional leadership, exceptional service, and noteworthy contributions to the community. Thank you, Ralph and Leslie, for all you do!

Join us this Tuesday at noon at Holiday's Pub in Appleton as we discuss the Highway 41 construction project with Curtis Riedy, Outagamie County Highway Commissioner, and Eric Gwidt, WisDOT I41 Project Supervisor.

Curtis Riedy has been with the Outagamie County Highway Department for 22 years and was appointed Highway Commissioner on January 1, 2026. He brings decades of experience, steady leadership, and a practical approach to keeping county transportation and infrastructure operations moving in the right direction. Curtis lives on the north side of Appleton with his wife and two daughters. Outside of work, he spends most of his free time serving as an unofficial chauffeur for his kids’ activities. On the rare occasion he finds a little extra time, he enjoys golfing or catching a Brewers game.

Eric Gwidt earned his BS in Civil Engineering from Michigan Technological University. He has been at WisDOT Northeast region for 20 years overseeing state highway projects. Eric has been fortunate to have been part of some of the region’s most complex projects, most notably the STH 57 expansion in Door County, STH 23 expansion in Fond du Lac, and Leo Frigo Bridge rehab projects. He spent 12 years as a project manager, 6 of those years managing construction for the 14-mile, US 41 project expansion in Brown County. For the last three years he has been the I41 Project Supervisor overseeing design and construction teams for the 23-mile corridor. Eric holds a Wisconsin Professional Engineers license. He is from Howard and lives there with this wife and two daughters. He spends his time watching his kids’ sports, enjoying outdoor activities, and at their cabin in White Lake.

Thanks to Fox Valley Technical College for giving us a tour of their Dental Hygiene Department. What incredible opportunities there are for students in the new labs. We love touring our areas fabulous facilities during Rotary on the Road.

Join us Tuesday, June 23 at noon at Holiday’s Pub on Richmond in Appleton.

Our speaker will be Curtis Riedy, Outagamie County Highway Commissioner, presenting on the current Hwy 41 construction status in Northeast Wisconsin.

With Hwy 41 construction affecting many people across the Fox Valley, this will be a timely opportunity to hear an update on the project, current conditions, and what drivers and communities may expect moving forward.

We look forward to learning more about this important regional transportation topic.

Reminder: This Tuesday's meeting is a Rotary on the Road! We will see you at Fox Valley Technical College at noon. Enter Door #15 (facing Northland Avenue).

The Rotary Club of Appleton-After Hours Satellite Club celebrated the induction of Chelsea Dresen as a new club member. Co-leading the induction were Club Chair Amy Flanders and Club Chair-Elect Sheng Lee Riechers. Chelsea is a Youth Exchange Program Officer for Rotary International.

Rotary Club of Appleton celebrated the induction of John Higgins proposed into membership by Ralph DeMarco. John is Pastor and Founder of Saint Julia Greeley Inclusive Catholic Community Appleton and Associate Financial Representative of Modern Woodmen of America.

We loved meeting all the winners of this year's Rotary Bright Futures Awards. We're proud of all the work you have done and can't wait to see what you do next!

Reconstruction of the WIS 47 interchange in Appleton, from a traditional diamond interchange to a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI), is set to begin. The WIS 47/Richmond Street bridge over I-41 will be closed beginning Tuesday, May 19, until fall 2026.

The NB I-41 ramps will remain open until late June. The SB I-41 ramps will remain open until mid-July. The reconstructed interchange is scheduled to open to traffic this fall.

Learn more: https://i41project.wisconsindot.gov/construction... See less