The Brain Game

DRC Sponsor: Shannon Duncan

The Rotary Club of La Crosse launched The Brain Game in 2001, a free resource for new parents that highlights activities and milestones critical to positive early childhood development. The Rotarians collaborated with early childhood development experts at Gundersen Health System and Mayo Clinic Health System Franciscan Healthcare in creating the parent resource. They were originally inspired by Nan Brien of the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, who shared research indicating that parental involvement during the first three years of a child’s life is key to brain development. Interested in getting this information into plain English (and later Spanish), which regular parents could use, a coalition was formed. This group effort involved pediatricians, early childhood development experts, neonatologists, in partnership with the two major medical centers, local schools, and parenting resource agencies. After two years of research, the first book was published.

Since its inception, every new parent who visits an obstetrician or pediatrician within either of the aforementioned healthcare center systems receives the book. The book has been purchased for use by major city charities, medical centers in many states, and service clubs across the US and Canada. It has been updated to reflect current early childhood development standards and recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and now exists as a third edition. Since The Brain Game was first printed in 2001, over 85,000 copies have been distributed in at least 32 states and three countries.

Bill Hoel is a member of the La Crosse Downtown Rotary Club and a past club President. He served as Rotary District 6250 Governor from 2018-2019. He serves on the Board of Directors for Rotary Lights in La Crosse, as well as on the Board of The Brain Game. He’s a member of the Board of the 7-11 Club, a group of Rotarians interested in preserving the history of Rotary, and serves as the regional membership coordinator for part of District 6250. Bill also serves as a Director of Freedom Honor Flight and is Chairman of the Board of the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona.

Decorah Rotarian Steve Slessor is Chief Administrative Officer at Winneshiek Medical Center (WMC), having been appointed on June 1, 2021. He served as the chief executive officer for Buchanan County Health Center in Independence, Iowa, and had been in that role since 2013. Prior to serving there, he held various leadership and administrative roles at UnityPoint Health Allen in Waterloo, Iowa, including Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, Vice President of Operations, Senior Director of Strategic Development, and Director of Business Planning and Development. He received his Master of Health Administration from University of Iowa, and his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from University of Northern Iowa. Steve is interested in bringing The Brain Game to our local hospital so that every child born at WMC and their parent/s get a copy of the book.

For more information about The Brain Game please visit their website at https://thebraingame.org.

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**Please complete your meal sign-up prior to the meeting, preferably not later than close of business Monday. Our face-to-face meeting will be hosted at the VFW. The meal sign-up, meeting announcment, and any other logistical information will be distributed in advace to all members by email.