Editor’s note: The following story has been republished following a site-related technical issue.
By Chris Spangler
The Rotary Club of Fort Atkinson has recognized three members who exemplify the organization’s motto of “Service Above Self.”
Bill Camplin, Kris Curran and Jim Nelson were honored during the club’s annual picnic luncheon Monday at Rock River Park’s Rotary Pavilion.
Rotarian Jim Fitzpatrick presented Camplin with the Allan S. Haukom Service Above Self Award, which is presented to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of Rotary.
“It is special honor for a couple of reasons: First, ‘Service Above Self,’ of course, is our Rotary mantra, but to receive this award, well, that service must be taken to even greater heights,” Fitzpatrick said. “In short, honorees of this award set the bar high in often inspiring others toward service.”
Secondly, the award is named after Haukom, “a longtime Rotarian and a true champion of our community,” he noted. “Al, a former Marine and a certified forester and the president of Nasco, was a conservationist both personally and civically, and his footprint exists almost everywhere in Fort Atkinson.”
Haukom served on the School District of Fort Atkinson Board of Education, Fort Atkinson Historical Society Board of Directors, city commissions and many community organizations .
“As you stroll down the riverwalk or in Barrie Park, there are plaques and fountains that commemorate Al’s memory as one who truly recognized the value and magnificence of the Rock River and the importance of beautification efforts in taking advantage of this natural resource,” Fitzpatrick said. “The beautiful crabapple trees that line the bike path along Janesville Avenue are Al’s doing!
“Our recipient today, has many parallel attributes to Al.”
Fitzpatrick reported that Camplin grew up in a large family, the sixth of seven children. His father was a farmer prior to moving the family from Bloomer to the Milwaukee area.
“From my research, I learned our honoree himself would describe his childhood as carefree and lovely. There were always games to play with friends. It seemed like a more quiet and gentle time to grow up,” the presenter said.
Pewaukee High School choral teacher Margaret Hawkins, who eventually became the director of the Milwaukee Symphony, recognized Camplin’s musical talent.
“In addition to the musical tutelage Mrs. Hawkins provided her students, she also served as a mentor, bringing out the best in her young charges while also instilling in them a thirst and desire for social justice in making our communities a better place for all, not just the privileged,” Fitzpatrick said. “As a Rotarian and a community member, our recipient has never lost sight of this, as evidenced by his public activism.”
He pointed out that life has not always been easy for Camplin.
“He has always appreciated his blue-collar experiences that taught him a lot about life. I would submit he earned his Ph.D. in the school of hard knocks, laboring in metal fabrication factories and machine shops, working long hours and giving him a deep appreciation of the worker who toils every day without complaint in striving to make a living. These are the people who really make America go,” Fitzpatrick said.
While he did not attend college, Camplin is “a vociferous reader and a self-taught man who can engage in conversations that can be either scholarly or conventional,” he said. “Whoever he engages with, he demonstrates respect and great listening skills, an attribute that the great difference-makers in this world all seem to possess. Whether at a highly charged city council meeting or if having a casual conversation over coffee, when people engage with this man, you right away have an appreciation for his genuine integrity.”
Returning to Camplin’s musical talent, Fitzpatrick called him “a giant in Americana music circles, where the blues, folk music, country and bluegrass fans have received so much joy from his performances.
“Yes, our own Bill Camplin, our recipient today, is truly a celebrity, with a great reputation in music circles that all of us in Fort Atkinson can be proud of, knowing that he hails from our community,” he said.
A professional singer/songwriter and acoustic guitarist, Camplin made his bones in the late 1960s playing professionally in the Milwaukee area, according to Fitzpatrick. He has written and arranged his own material and has produced a considerable body of work.
“Two of his songs, ‘Village of Kindness’ and ‘Inspiration,’ invite us to think and dream about kindness and follow the inspiration of people we admire,” Fitzpatrick said.
Camplin appeared regularly at clubs including the Blue River Café, Numero Unos, The Crystal Palace, The Avante Garde and the 19th Street Coffee House and on college campuses.
“Some old-timers in Fort Atkinson may recall Bill first performing in our area at the old Green Dragon Inn, then on Blackhawk Island,” Fitzpatrick said.
In 1985, Camplin and “the love of his life,” Kitty Welch, opened the Café Carpe, a unique café, bar and musical listening room.
“The success of the Carpe since 1985 demanded the best out of both Bill and Kitty, as they also began to raise their young family,” Fitzpatrick said, citing son Satchel Welch and daughter Savannah Camplin.
He added that Peter Mulvey, a dear friend and fellow performer, described it best: “Bill is the spirit of the place, but Kitty Welch is the beating heart! Their harmony has warmed the spirit of many patrons.”
Mulvey continued: “The Café Carpe, a venue that Bill and Kitty run with their family, is a wellspring of camaraderie, geniality and openness. At four in the morning, utterly silent and empty, the Café Carpe is a place where it’s fine to be alone, but impossible to feel lonely.”
Also shared were remarks by Randy Sabine, another well-known musician who has known Camplin for 38 years.
“Over the years, we’ve bonded as musical colleagues on various stages (besides the Carpe) and in recording studios,” he wrote. “Our families have bonded as we’ve met each other on our various home turfs and at other social gatherings. My children love Bill Camplin. Everyone I know in this big musical milieu loves him. He is jovial, patient, kind, wise, generous, thoughtful, deep, caring and always damn good company. And no one can beat his sartorial taste.”
One can not overlook Camplin and Welch’s hard work at the Café Carpe, surviving difficult economic down-turns, recessions, hard times and the COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in many former well-known clubs and venues closing, Fitzpatrick pointed out.
“Yet, the Carpe endured as one of Fort Atkinson’s crown jewels,” Fitzpatrick said. “Many music people, respected locally, regionally and nationally, have been given the opportunity to showcase their talents in this intimate venue.”
He also shared remarks from Kaia Fowler, a Fort Atkinson singer who has performed at the Café Carpe.
“He is one of those rare performing artists who seems to become one with the song. Whether his own or a cover arrangement, he invites us into that experience as well. To be carried away by Bill’s music is not an escape so much as a journey of emotion and ideas,” she wrote.
Fowler said that, as a singer herself, she has extra appreciation for Camplin’s vocals.
“His strong, passionate voice, gorgeous and true, masterfully conveys all that each song has to say, fulfilling a promise to us as listeners,” she said. “I feel enormously grateful to have had the opportunity to enjoy his concerts, and even learn a thing or two from him over the years.”
Fitzpatrick emphasized that Camplin has given much back to Fort Atkinson.
“Servant leadership in a community is something to behold, and like our first-ever Service Above Self honoree Al Haukom, Bill has embraced this calling,” he stated. “As a valued member of the Heart of the City, Bill has been an activist in preserving existing and treasured civic characteristics, believing every member of our community is a valued stakeholder in assuring that Fort Atkinson remains a vibrant community cherishing its past while progressively planning and forecasting a thriving future.”
In addition, Camplin served on the Fort Atkinson Plan Commission from 2005-10, the Ad Hoc Riverwalk Committee in 2009 and the Fort Atkinson City Council from 2010-14, during which time he represented the council on the Airport Committee, Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals.
He is a member of the Fort Atkinson Historical Society Board of Directors, his term being from 2020-23, and on the Economic Development Commission, from 2017 through 2024.
Receiving the honor, Camplin recalled when he first came to town and Rotary held its Palm Sunday Lumberjack Pancake Breakfast at the Fort Atkinson Municipal Building for many years.
“I can remember Al Haukom … I always look to older people for inspiration … When I see them in this town, when they’re still vibrant and moving around and showing us the way to better age ourselves. Al was one of those people,” he said.
He concluded: “Rotary is doing good things in the world, and anytime people are doing good things in the world, I like to be on that team. Thank you very much.”
Curran honored
Also Monday, Rotarian Mike Bender presented member Kris Curran with the Five Avenues of Service Award.
“This mission of Rotary International is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders,” he said.
Bender noted that Rotary’s guiding principles include the Four-Way Test in which, when making decisions, one asks: “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it bring goodwill and better friendships? and Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”
Other principles involve Rotary’s commitment to “Service Above Self,” which is channeled through five avenues of service: club, vocational, community, international and new generations service.
“Club service works to strengthen fellowship of members through training and hospitality,” Bender explained. “Clubs have serious topics to work toward; having various social events bring members and their guests together informally for fun, which contributes to genuine fellowship.”
He said vocational service encourages members to serve others through their vocations, education and skillsets, while community service encompasses projects and activities clubs undertake to improve community life.
Rotarians also are involved in international service, “projects that work to expand the Rotarians’ humanitarian work around the world,” Bender noted. “This important service promotes understanding and peace, sponsors projects in other countries and works with international partners to support projects in their communities.”
Finally, new generations service is work to engage youth and young adults in leadership roles, according to Bender.
“Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is a training program run by Rotary for young people ages 14-30. It emphasizes leadership and citizenship. Rotaract is an international youth program for young adults (age) 18-30 and Interact focuses on international service for youths (age) 12-18 (high schoolers, in Fort Atkinson’s case),” he said.
Curran demonstrates outstanding efforts in all five avenues of service, Bender noted.
“She actively participates in club service in the social events the club has, especially the fifth Monday (social) events; in weekly meetings, either live or online; and she has had training with youth programs,” he said, adding that Curran always is available to help with club activities, volunteering many times with Feed Your Soul.
As for new generations service, Curran has been involved with Interact students. This year at the Fort Atkinson Club, she led a district winter meeting Youth Exchange Weekend for students and International exchange students from throughout Wisconsin.
“She headed up the program, requiring lots of planning. She coordinated volunteers, planned meals, logistics and arranged activities inside and out. She had to deal with one hiccup that no one would have foreseen: One of the activities was to be ice skating at Haumerson’s Pond, but that week, the ice had melted. Who would have thought there wouldn’t be any ice in the middle of February? This event also created lots of fellowship among members who were able to help. She even slept on the floor with the students,” Bender said.
Curran is a full professor of biology at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, serving hundreds of students every year, “sharing her knowledge, wisdom and skills in biology and science,” Bender continued, citing vocational service.
He said that her international service overlaps greatly with her club and new generations service.
“She got involved with a foreign-exchange students support system at UW Whitewater. The program was designed to build bridges across cultures. That experience led to meeting Dick Schultz (of Fort Atkinson) and getting involved with AFS. She and her husband, Carl Strayer, have hosted three international exchange students over the years: a young man from Germany, a young lady from Thailand and, most recently, one from Spain,” Bender said.
He continued: “These activities fostered an international bug for their son, Casey, who researched programs and picked the Rotary Exchange Program. He went to Brazil for almost a year until COVID cut things a little short. After that experience, they both decided to join the Fort Atkinson Rotary Club.”
Bender noted that many of the areas in which Curran volunteers her time are not quick and easy.
“Her commitment to the exchange student program means she has to make monthly contacts with the student, help organize their movement between host families, participate in monthly meetings with the district and coordinate getting the student a phone, bank account and funding for some basic needs,” he explained.
Just last month, Curran and her husband got to do a role reversal and were hosted by one of their students and her extended family in Spain.
“It is not common that we have Rotarians involved in all five avenues of service,” Bender concluded. “Kris’ commitment to the club and the depth to which she has gotten involved in it in such a short amount of time, and to get involved in all five avenues of service, is quite outstanding.”
Nelson feted
Jill Kessenich presented the Honorary Paul Harris Fellow award to Jim Nelson.
Lat year’s recipient, she noted that the fellowship acknowledges individuals who have made a significant impact in their community and the club contributes $1,000 in their name to the Rotary Foundation for humanitarian efforts worldwide.
“I couldn’t imagine anyone that is more deserving in our club of this recognition than this year’s selection,” she said of Nelson.
Kessenich recalled that she first met Nelson in the early 2000s, when they both were serving on the Fort Atkinson Historical Society’s Construction Committee for the expansion and remodeling of the Hoard Historical Museum.
“I enjoyed that experience very much, and looked forward to when our paths might cross again,” she said. “I was pleased to learn that he would be serving on the first board of the Fort Atkinson Club community center to assist the Jones family with the capital campaign and serve as a lead member of their renovation committee.”
She also became acquainted with Nelson’s wife, Marie, who at the time owned and operated the Velvet Rabbit Bookshop and who was a fellow member of another local organization.
Kessenich shared that Nelson grew up in Wisconsin Rapids, graduating from Assumption High
School. He played some tennis and wrestled in school, worked at a local grocery store and helped on his aunt and uncle’s farm during summers. He enjoyed hunting and fishing.
“Jim attended UW-Stevens Point, graduating with majors in managerial accounting and business administration and a minor in economics,” she said. “He earned an MBA from
Marquette University and received his CPA license in 1991.”
The Nelsons met when Marie, who was attending UW-Platteville, was in Stevens Point visiting a friend interning in the area. They were married 35-plus years ago.
“After living in several small apartments during grad school, with milk crates for furniture, Jim and Marie bought the building at 20 E. Sherman Ave., which would become the Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop,” Kessenich said. “They opened the bookshop in 1994; Clare was born in 1996.
“Jim had a job at Beloit Memorial Hospital when Marie was pregnant with Clare, and Marie remembers a long drive to Beloit Memorial during her labor, especially since there was a very nice hospital just a few blocks away! Jim started with Fort HealthCare in 1998, and Ben was born in 2000,” she added.
Kessenich shared remarks from a hospital colleague who worked with Nelson for 17 years.
“It became obvious early on that Jim was a talented individual,” the former colleague wrote. “Not only did he know his financial numbers, but he had the unique ability to think beyond the ‘debits’ and ‘credits’ of finance and incorporate the human element to his job. Jim is an excellent critical thinker and is able to think several moves down the ‘chessboard’ as he approaches his job.”
The friend continued: “He has a calming effect on any situation, which allows others to offer their thoughts for consideration. He is very inclusive and appreciates thoughts and perspectives that might differ from his own. He is a trusted colleague and friend. His
dry sense of humor can lighten even the most intense situations. Jim has played a big role in
the success of Fort HealthCare and has helped position them for continued success.”
Kessenich reported that Nelson was a member of the Fort Atkinson Historical Society Board of Directors for 10 years and also served as its president. He spent five years on the Fort Atkinson Community Foundation Board of Directors, including serving as chairperson in 2013.
In addition, Nelson was a member of the Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, serving as its president in 2016.
“Jim had years of fun as a basketball coach at St. Joe’s (St. Joseph Catholic School), where he coached both his kids. He was also very active with Boy Scout Troop 134. … He has been a trustee for St. Joe’s (Church and School) and has been on the Finance Committee since 2017,” Kessenich said.
She said, in addition, Nelson has been a board member for the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Fort Atkinson and Rainbow Hospice Care.
In his spare time, Nelson enjoys working in the yard, woodworking and traveling.
“In 2000, Jim joined the Fort Atkinson Rotary Club and was president in 2006-07,” Kessenich said. “He currently serves as the foundation chair and has been involved with Interact for many years. He serves as the Rotary Youth Exchange protection officer. Taking some high school students on a trip to help in the Philippines was a highlight for many, including Jim. “
She noted that Nelson is continuing his commitment to the Fort Atkinson Rotary Club by serving as next year’s co-president-elect.
Other recognitions
Also Monday, members reaching a first or multiple $1,000 contribution to the Rotary Foundation were recognized as 2022-23 Contributing Paul Harris Fellows. They are Margaret Bare, Bill Camplin, Kris Curran, Carla Haubenschild, Paul Cotts, Mike Wallace and Ardell Wiederhoeft.
In presenting the pins, Nelson said that Rotarians give of their time, talent and treasure, and the Contributing Paul Harris Fellow recognition focuses on the latter.
The fellowship is named after Paul Harris, who founded Rotary with three business associates in Chicago in 1905, he said.
“The fellowship was established in his honor in 1957 to express appreciation for a contribution of $1,000 to the humanitarian education program of the foundation,” Nelson said.
“Of our current 34 active members, 76 percent of you have supported the ideals of Rotary by making contributions to the Rotary Foundation during your membership,” he continued. “Sixteen of you are sustaining members, donating at least $100 per person this year, and 22 or 65 percent of you have achieved at least one (Contributing) Paul Harris Fellow or Honorary Paul Harris Fellow (award) and 16 of you have earned multiple Paul Harris Fellows.”
He added that the Rotary Club of Fort Atkinson members are credited with donating almost $176,000 to the Rotary Foundation since the beginning of their contributions.
Also Monday, Rotarians were recognized for milestone years of service. They are Joel Winn, 50 years; Christine Spangler, 30 years; Edwin Bos and Lisa Tuttle Woods, both 20 years; and Bob Jonas, 10 years.
New members welcomed are Sara Houseman Schultz, Peggy Stebbins, Matt Young and Brian Schleicher.
Incoming Rotary President Kessenich presented a gavel plaque to Past-president Margaret Bare. Bare accepted it on behalf of Jeff Okazaki, who, due to a career change, stepped down from his post prior to the end of his term.
Rotary Club of Fort Atkinson service award recipients are Kris Curran, from left, Bill Camplin and Jim Nelson. Chris Spangler photos.
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