City Hall  
City of La Crosse, Wisconsin  
400 La Crosse Street  
La Crosse, WI 54601  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
International Committee  
Monday, March 25, 2024  
5:00 PM  
Cliffwood Conference Room  
Call to Order  
Chair Art Marson called the meeting to order at 5:13 p.m.  
Roll Call  
Members marked excused were unable to attend due to technical difficulties with  
Zoom.  
7 -  
Present:  
Irene Barmore, Michael De Yoe, Art Marson, Chris Woodard, Jerry Berns,  
Dana Young,Thomas Monson  
6 -  
Excused:  
Melissa Giefer, Karolyn Bald, Alyson Glenz, Lynn West, Mindy  
Wiesjahn,Karena Norton  
Mission of the International Committee  
The City of La Crosse International Committee exists as an umbrella committee to  
advise the Mayor and City Council, to act as a resource on international matters, to  
advise and recommend future relationships with international cities, and to act as a  
liaison among the La Crosse sister city relationships.  
Welcome and Introductions  
Approval of Minutes  
Motion by Monson, second by Young, to APPROVE the minutes of the January  
8, 2024 meeting. Carried.  
Treasurer's Report  
Monson reported that the budget balance remains at $5,000. $810 is allocated to  
sister city dues and $500 is allocated for each sister city committee. Adjustments can  
be made during the year as needed.  
Agenda Items:  
Summer Travel  
24-0449  
• A student group is planning to visit Junglinster in June. The Mayor is planning to join  
them and visit the nearby cities of Epinal and Friedberg as well.  
• Tom Monson will be visiting our sister city in Norway this summer.  
Funding Requests  
24-0450  
24-0451  
• Funds were requested for recognition of participants of the bi-lingual education  
program, perhaps a dinner or a scholarship. Due to a need for more information the  
item was tabled.  
Website Update  
• Members were reminded that Kerry Gloede in the City IT Department would assist  
and make changes to the Sister City Website.  
• It was decided not to include phone numbers in directories, only an email contact  
information.  
• Potentially we could have a calendar of events.  
• It was decided we should have a completed draft of each cities webpage for review in  
May.  
International Banquet  
24-0452  
24-0453  
24-0454  
• April 20. Global citizen showcase from 5:00p – 6:00p prior to the banquet. Epinal  
and Friedberg will have a table. Others welcome. Banquet tickets are $35 and  
committee members are invited to attend.  
Cultural Center Discussion  
• The southside library will not be an appropriate site for sister cities to have  
international display or cultural information. We will continue to look for an appropriate  
site, perhaps at one of the universities, library, or other location.  
Sister City Correspondence  
• Marson indicated he receives many emails from Sister Cities International. He wants  
members to be aware of and use information as appropriate. He will forward selected  
emails and will share password information to those who want to use the site.  
Sister City School Reports/Announcements: Bantry. Epinal, Dubna, Forde,  
Kumbo, Friedberg, Luoyang, La Crosse School District, UW-L, Viterbo,  
Western.  
24-0455  
Bantry:  
*The LBFA 8th annual Coulee Hoolie Ceili was a success. Raised much more than  
the past, but final numbers are not in yet. LBFA will have a small delegation arriving  
from Bantry for participation in Irishfest August 9-11. Councilman Danny Collins will be  
one of the visitors.  
Epinal:  
*The revised website material is nearly ready for Kerry Gloede.  
* We have had a link to a page on Facebook for the student exchange, but the price is  
rising and we are seeking an inexpensive platform for nonprofits.  
* The Epinal/La Crosse Literacy Project, sponsored by Rotary Clubs, was a success.  
7-10 year olds at Northside Elementary read a book, then created an artwork, which  
we, LECE board members, had fun judging for prizes.  
* LECE will have a booth at the Global Citizens showcase before the UW-L  
International Banquet, April 20.  
* Mayor Reynolds has been officially invited & will be in Epinal June 12-14.  
* The annual wine tasting fundraiser will be at Le Chateau August 21.  
Dubna:  
*Chess project continues.  
*A Dubna reunion concert will be held at Capella on May 11 featuring the new Dubna  
Trio and Russian Music.  
Forde:  
*Tom will be going to Forde this summer  
*A delegation from Forde is interested in coming to La Crosse in September 2025  
Kumbo:  
*Construction of a new structure for a Resource Computer Center was completed.  
The Computer Resource Center provided expanded computer training facilities at St.  
Elizabeth's Hospital in Shisong. This replaces a shipping container that had been  
used.  
*A project entitled Hearts to Schools Revisited provided needed renovations for three  
primary schools in Northwest Cameroon. $122,000 was raised to renovate 18  
classrooms with repairs to damaged walls, replacement of roofs and doors. in addition  
a library is a significant new resource for students.  
*The story behind both project reflects the community determination to provide a  
better future for their citizens, and the important role the global community can play.  
*Attendance at schools has wonderfully improved success rates. Also student  
success rate for passing the all important six grade test which allows students to go  
on for further education has greatly improved.  
*Sr. Theodosia, the TSSF superior, will be visiting La Crosse after Easter.  
Friedberg:  
LAGRA will host a table at the upcoming International Banquet  
La Crosse School District approved a request for student exchange group with  
Friedberg. La Crosse German students will be hosting this fall and then will plan to  
visit Friedberg summer 2025  
LAGRA is working on updating information on the city website.  
Luoyang:  
*Visiting scholar at UWL is living on campus  
*China town hall webcast will be held on April 9 featuring the Assistant Secretary of  
State on US China relations.  
Junglinster: No report  
School District:  
*Central HS had international food at a recent Family Night  
*For Diversity in Reading Month there is a story walk installed along the trail between  
Chad Erickson Park and State Road Elementary School. It's about a Native American  
girl going to a powwow.  
*The Hmong Heritage program in the Hmong Community Center. All fourth grade  
classes participate in a reenactment of the journey from a Laos village, fleeing through  
the jungle, crossing the Mekong River, and applying for asylum in the US in a refugee  
camp.  
*In April all 2nd grade classes attend a La Crosse History field trip, going to the Hixon  
House, Poage Park, and La Crosse Heritage Center  
*Students visiting UWL from Fukuoka, Japan visited Emerson and State Road to  
teach about Japanese writing and origami.  
*Spanish teacher: Spanish class is creating Huevos Pintos (painted eggs) and  
Alfombras (carpets) based on Semana Santa (Holy Week). Students learned about  
products and practices during Semana Santa in Latin America and Spain and are  
depicting them on their eggs.  
*A Chinese Exchange Teacher was at Spence on March 22nd meeting with every  
classroom to speak on different topics.  
*Logan Spanish class students are doing LinguaMeeting which is a virtual coaching  
session with a native speaker in a Spanish speaking country. They have 30 minute  
chats about once a month  
UWL:  
*Cultural Coffee Hours - 5:30pm, Hall of Nations - FREE & Open to Community  
March 26th - Topic: Languages  
April 16th - Topic: Food Culture  
*59th Annual International Banquet - April 20, The Bluffs, UWL Student Union  
5-6 pm - Global Citizenship Showcase: Seeking proposals for posters and table  
displays for the event - highlighting international research, projects, and experiences.  
OPEN to the public & free!  
6-9 pm - Intl Banquet with food representing Uganda, Bangladesh, Belgium, Ethiopian,  
India, Germany  
*Ethnographic Film Series - Global Forces, Locally Lived. - 4-6 pm, UWL Student  
Union Theatre - FREE & Open to the Public  
April 11th: Kotla Walks: Performing Locality  
This film series focuses on documentaries that show how wider global forces are  
experienced by people in their daily lives. It is free and open to the public. Free  
popcorn for all attendees!  
Viterbo: No report.  
Western: Still looking for a representative.  
Next Meeting:  
Monday, June 3, 5:00 p.m. Change of date as the regular meeting falls on Memorial  
Day.  
Adjournment  
Motion made by Barmore, second by Burns, to adjourn at 6:29p. Carried  
unanimously.