Established in 1850, Willow River Cemetery is one of Hudson’s most historic landmarks and the final resting place of many of the community’s early settlers, veterans, business leaders, and families who helped shape the region and the community. Willow River Cemetery is an independent, non-profit cemetery, not associated with the City of Hudson. With nearly 10,000 gravesites, it offers a unique window into Hudson’s history through its monuments, symbols, and remarkable personal stories. Join us to learn more about the cemetery’s rich history and the important role Willow River Cemetery continues to play in preserving Hudson’s legacy for future generations.
Joining us are three members representing Willow River Cemetery: Caretaker Mike Miller and two members of the Board of Directors, President Ron Kapaun and Secretary Leanne Van Allen.
Mike Miller has dedicated more than 30 years to caring for Willow River Cemetery, a place that first became familiar to him as a teenager. During high school, he spent his summers performing maintenance work at the cemetery, enjoying a job that was within walking distance of his home and kept him active outdoors. Although he never envisioned a future in cemetery management at the time, those early experiences laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment. Today, as caretaker of Willow River Cemetery, Mike takes pride in preserving the grounds and honoring the memories of those laid to rest there.
Born and raised in Hudson, Ron is a lifelong member of the community. Now retired, he enjoyed a tremendously successful 40-year career at 3M, spending the first 20 years in research and development and the latter 20 as a safety engineer. Ron has served on the Willow River Cemetery Board for the past nine years and has been very instrumental in guiding the continued success of the cemetery.
Leanne joined the Willow River Cemetery Board in 2023 and is proud to be carrying on her father’s legacy of service on the board. Her family moved to Hudson when she was very young, giving her the opportunity to grow up in—and later give back to—the community where she and her husband, also a lifelong Hudson resident, have raised their two daughters. For the past 13 years, Leanne has served as the Director of Business Graduate Programs at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls. Prior to that, she spent 20 years as an executive in the staffing industry.
Remarkably, Mike, Ron, and Leanne all grew up within blocks of Willow River Cemetery. This historic and meaningful community fixture has long been near and dear to all of them.
Our Club has agreed to host Ian, a Belgian youth exchange student, for the 2026-27 school year. He is 17 years old, speaks French, is good at speaking English, plays soccer, and is open to all new foods and opportunities (except mushrooms or cabbage).
Please consider inviting Ian into your family for one of the exchange terms. While ideally the host family would have one or more middle or high school students living at home, that is certainly not a significant factor. The host family just needs to have a place for the student to study and a bedroom that is either private or shared with a member of the same sex, but with separate beds.
There are three exchange term opportunities: The 1st 3.5-month term (August 24 through Thanksgiving), the 2nd term (post-Thanksgiving to spring break), or the 3rd term (spring break to the end of the school year).
If you or someone you know would be interested in serving as a host family for Ian, please connect with Roy Sjoberg.
Grant Applications Open
Our fall grant application is now open, and submissions are due no later than September 1! Help us spread the word and collect requests that enhance opportunities for youth and/or create a better community for all in the Hudson community! Nonprofits can learn more about our grant and find the application at hudsondaybreakrotary.org/page/grant-application
This Weekend: CNC Art Festival
Hudson Daybreak Rotary will host a table at the Carpenter Nature Center Art Festival on Saturday, Aug. 22, and we’d love your help.
It’s an easy, fun opportunity to meet with attendees and share all the great things Hudson Daybreak Rotary is doing in our community.
As we continue the summer and head into fall, we need to continue to water the pollinator gardens at CNC three times each week. Watering can be done by one Rotarian each time.
People of Action: North Hudson Pepper Fest Grand Parade
Grace Place Meal Delivery
We have an opportunity in the upcoming months to deliver meals to New Richmond Grace Place. Rotarians will pick up the meal at Camp St. Croix Cafeteria at 4:30 pm and deliver to Grace Place by 5:00.
Reminder that all of our meetings are recorded! You can request a link to a specific recording by contacting John Salmi. The recordings are available for 25 days, after which they are automatically deleted.
Rotary International Magazine
Did you miss the most recent edition of the Rotary International magazine? Read the topic articles HERE.
Save the Date!
Minneapolis, MN, is set to host the 2028 Rotary International Convention. Mark your calendars for May 27 - 31, 2028.
Volunteer at the 2028 RI Convention
The dates for volunteer participation at the Minneapolis Convention are May 26-31, 2028.
Interested? Send your name, email, and club name to ri2028volunteer@gmail.com. District will follow up to keep you in the loop as details are available. All Rotarians are encouraged to sign up!
