December Newsletter

 

CRSC WINTER HOLIDAY POTLUCK (for CRSC members and friends) on Friday, December 19 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship, 401 West Ave. S., La Crosse. Bring some food to share, and/or a holiday dessert! Beverages provided. Bring your own foodware if you wish. Carpool? Visit https://tinyurl.com/CRSCWinter25.

DEC. 9 - CHAPTER ACTION HOUR     On Tuesday, December 9 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., join  the Wisconsin Chapter’s first monthly action hour which will help get you up to speed and take action on environmental legislation in Wisconsin! This action hour will include letter writing on data center accountability, protecting sandhill cranes, or supporting a strong Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. You do not need to be a Sierra Club member to participate! All are welcome! Register at https://tinyurl.com/2512WISCAction or call the chapter office at (608) 256-0565 for access information.     

DEC. 14 - JAN. 5 - BIRD COUNT     Audubon's 126th Christmas Bird Count will be held from Dec 14, 2025 to January 5, 2026! Feeder counters, people who count birds at their home bird feeder, are invited to participate. A feeder count can be as simple as a single count of the birds that are present at any time on that day (10 minutes will do) or it could be a compilation of multiple counts from different times throughout the day. Any level of time and effort is a big help and greatly appreciated! To participate, contact Dan as soon as possible at DEJackson2256@gmail.com. 

CRSC ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANT APPLICATION NOW OPEN!     Every year, the Coulee Region Sierra Club offers grants of up to $200 each for environmental education programming for students in grades K through 8. Teachers, schools, and programs that serve students in the eight-county CRSC area (Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau, and Vernon counties) are eligible to apply. The deadline will be January 2, 2026. CRSC hopes to promote student exploration, protection, and enjoyment of the natural environment. 

Projects must:

• Provide hands-on experience for students to learn about and explore the natural environment.
• Promote a world which allows all life forms to live and prosper.
• Show students that they can make a difference in their environment, whether rural or urban.Be completed within the school year.  A follow-up report will be due upon completion.
  

Grant recipients will be asked to 

• Take pictures and write an article for the CRSC newsletter.
• Be open to making a presentation to at a local Sierra Club meeting.
• Be accessible to local media if publicity is desired
  

Visit https://sierraclub.org/wisconsin/coulee/education or email CRSierraClub@gmail.com for more information.

NOVEMBER REPORT     A small but appreciative group gathered at the People’s Food Co-op on November 6 for a Chapter Awards Watch Party. We welcomed Natalie Heneghan and Kahya Fox of Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Area as they accepted this year’s Community Steward Award.

November’s Action Gathering included information about defending clean energy solutions. Even though it is a popular bi-partisan issue,  coal and gas corporations are making inroads with big investments in their misinformation campaigns. Ten  people participated in the action - calling Governor Evers to ask to protect clean energy projects in the works and solutions. Evers is co-chair of the U.S. Climate Alliance. Participants also shared what personal small steps individuals could take.

CRSC sent a letter  to the La Crosse County Board of Supervisors supporting continued funding for the Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit bus. The SMRT provides vital transportation for southwestern Wisconsin non-drivers and is a powerful tool to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. The Supervisors did vote to restore funding for 2026 to give more time to seek ways to make the system more sustainable.

Two CRSC board members had 15 minute meetings with La Crosse Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey in November to discuss how our club can help the city continue taking strong climate action and working on its comprehensive Climate Action Plan. If you are a CRSC member who lives in the City of La Crosse and would like to participate in a future meeting, please email us at CRSierraClub@gmail.com.

MORE DECEMBER EVENTS

• 12/ 2: Nature Movie Night at 6 pm at the Lunda Center, BRF. https://tinyurl.com/BRFNatureFilms
• 12/ 3: A Marsh Walk:  A Trail Progress Report, Trail Plans and Marsh Critters in Winter at 3 pm at The Nature Place, Myrick Park. https://tinyurl.com/1203MarshWalk
• 12/ 3: Climate One LIVE with Jonathan Foley 8 pm Online. https://tinyurl.com/foleyatcommonwealth
• 12/ 6: Friends of KVR Holiday Happening from noon to 5 pm at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. https://kickapoofriends.org/events/holiday-happening/
• 12/ 6: Norskedalen Old Fashioned Christmas from 10 to 4. https://tinyurl.com/2025NorskeXmas
• 12/ 7: Winter Makers’ Market from 11 to 4 at The Nature Place, Myrick Park. https://natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/winter-makers-market/
• 12/ 9: Data Center Goldrush & Water Demands at 6 pm Online. https://tinyurl.com/WILWVDataCtrs
• 12/10: Salt Smart workshop, 4 to 6 pm. Black River Beach Center, La Crosse tinyurl.com/1225LaXSaltSmart
• 12/10: Driftless Dialog: Rediscovering the Night from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. https://kickapoofriends.org/events/#events-calendar
• 12/10: Foraging 100% of My Food for a Year at 6 pm, Larson’s General, 509 Main St., La Crosse. https://www.robingreenfield.org/foragingyear/
• 12/14: The Science of Christmas Trees, 11 to noon at Second Nature at Read’s Creek, Readstown. https://tinyurl.com/xmastreescience
• 12/20: Flood Plain Restoration at Kickapoo Bottoms from 9 to noon. https://tinyurl.com/1220fprestore 

The CRSC Board will meet online at 6:30 on Dec. 3. The meetings are open. Please call 608-315-2693 or email CRSierraClub@gmail.com for access information.

CRSC BOARD ELECTIONS. If you are a CRSC member, you should have received a postcard or email with voting instructions. If you would like a paper ballot, please email us at CRSierraClub@gmail.com or call 608-315-2693. The ballot deadline is December 22.