La Crosse Kiwanis Club

08/30/2026

We love our Circle K Club! Always doing good for our community.

🎉A big shoutout to University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Circle K for hosting a Pay to Paint fundraiser where 2025 CMN Hero Athena Burg and her sisters decorated all sorts of wonderful items like tumblers, glasses and wooden shapes of many designs! We loved the insect and flower shapes the most!🎉

07/03/2026

Beautiful day at Riverfest La Crosse! Come enjoy the music and activities. Be sure to stop by the north soda stand and say hi to your smiling Kiwanians!

07/01/2026

We’re open! The La Crosse Kiwanis Club is serving cold beverages at Riverfest through July 4th! We’re located next to the Community Tent! 🇺🇸

06/23/2026

The Kiwanis Mission: Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.
Our La Crosse Club is proud to support the La Crosse Concert Band.

It's Tuesday at Noon! That means the La Crosse Kiwanis Club is gathering at the Radisson for their weekly meeting. Find out more about our season sponsor at LaCrosseKiwanis.com or their page.

We are grateful for the support of the La Crosse Kiwanis Club, a sponsor since 2004. Their contributions ensure that our Wednesday night concerts are FREE.

06/23/2026

The Kiwanis Motto: Serving the children of the world.
This Wednesday we'll be assisting the La Crosse Concert Band with their weekly Children's March. Kids are invited to parade the aisles with American flags.

Get ready to CLAP YOUR HANDS to this familiar symphonic march! Children are invited forward to parade the aisles with American flags. At the end of the march, kids receive coupons for free ice cream from Ranison Ice Cream & Candy and root beer floats from Rudy's Drive In.

About the song: Vienna was central to the revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire and appointed prime ministers were reserved about the future course of action. In May 1848 the minister of war Count Baillet von Latour endorsed military action without consulting Franz Joseph I of Austria. Joseph Radetzky von Radetz engaged and defeated Charles Albert of Sardinia in June and July 1848. These victories of the Imperial Austrian army were celebrated in Vienna to the tune of the Radetzky March. Along with "The Blue Danube" waltz by Johann Strauss Jr., the piece became an unofficial Austrian national anthem.

When it was first played in front of Austrian officers, they spontaneously clapped and stamped their feet when they heard the chorus. This tradition, with quiet rhythmic clapping on the first iteration of the melody, followed by thunderous clapping on the second, is often observed when the march is played in classical music venues. (Wikipedia)

06/23/2026

Our club is a proud supporter of the La Crosse Concert Band!
See you in Riverside Park on Wednesdays in June & July.

You know the tune by Ludwig van Beethoven, often titled, "Ode to Joy". Brian Beck has composed an uplifting journey through the grandeur and beauty of one of the most famous melodies ever written, the theme from the 4th movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9.

Our wind band is going to the symphony hall (well, Riverside Park) under the direction of Michelle Jensen. Music begins at 7p with the national anthem.

Bring a kid for the Children's March, led this week by our concert sponsor, the La Crosse Kiwanis Club. It's FREE!

06/23/2026

The La Crosse Kiwanis Club has been a sponsor of the La Crosse Concert Band since 2004! Come join us in Riverside Park on Wednesday and celebrate life-long music-making. We'll be assisting with the Children's March this week.

Yes, there will be Sousa, but not a march! "I've Made My Plans for the Summer" is the maiden's reply to a marriage proposal in this humorous song. The lady dreams of happy days at Luna Lake at NY's Coney Island amusement park "shooting the chutes" (pictured here from an old postcard). She says she might reconsider at the end of the summer.

Our maiden will be guest vocalist, Christiana Martin, on Wednesday, June 24, at Riverside Park. She will also lead us in the national anthem at 7pm. See you there!

06/20/2026

The La Crosse Kiwanis Club is a proud sponsor of the La Crosse Concert Band! Join us on June 24 for "No Strings Attached" conducted by Michelle Jensen. Kiwanis President, Abbie L-G, will be leading the Children's March midway through the program. Hope you'll join us in support of life-long music-making in Riverside Park.

MEET THE CONDUCTOR!
Michelle Jensen was born and raised in Marshfield, Wisconsin, a moderately sized community known for its outstanding medical center, the Marshfield Clinic. The amazing music teachers in the Marshfield School District: Robert Lightfoot, Dennis Kramer, Timothy McCollum, and Lyle Iverson, were incredible musical influences in her life.

Michelle received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Instrumental Music Education from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse in 1990, where she studied trombone with Dr. James Wheat and Mr. Ross Lewton.

After a 35 year career teaching students through music, Michelle retired from the School District of Holmen in 2025 where she taught for 14 years. Prior to teaching in Holmen, MIchelle was band director in the Sparta School District from 1997-2011, and in the Aquinas Catholic Schools system from 1990-1997. Highlights of her teaching career include student performances at two college bowl games, travel to NYC, performing with the Dallas Brass, taking top honors at the Eau Claire Jazz Festival in 2010, performing at the 2018 NBA-WC state convention, and being honored with Teacher of the Year in 2018.

Michelle has been a member of the La Crosse Concert Band since the late 1980’s as a member of both the trombone and euphonium sections. She has had the honor of conducting this tremendous ensemble since 2019, and currently serves on the Board of Directors.

Michelle lives in Onalaska with her husband, Scott. Her three sons, Brad, Tom, and Michael are all close by. When not making music, Michelle enjoys reading, painting, brewery road trip adventures, and spending time with family and friends!