| In the mid 1980's Al DeSimone ( father of present club member and past President Dave DeSimone) was the extension chairman for Rotary District 6270, responsible for helping new clubs form in the district. Drawing on his experience of attending "Breakfast Clubs" in the US southwest, he recruited his son Dave from the Milwaukee Northwest Club and Glen Moder from the Milwaukee Northshore Club to start a breakfast club in the Milwaukee area. With the sponsorship of the two afore mentioned clubs, Dave and Glen were able to recruit new members and the club had its first meeting in the 780 North M&I building restaurant on Wednesday April 25th 1984. They quickly reached the 25 person membership needed for chartering by Rotary International (RI) but it took nearly five months to get approval as the Milwaukee Downtown Club objected to the establishment of a new club in their territory. A compromise between RI and the downtown club was reached which allowed for the club to be chartered in the North Shore as the Milwaukee North Sunrise Rotary Club but which would meet downtown. In 1997 the club moved its meetings to the Wisconsin Club and in 1999 moved to its present location at the Milwaukee Club. The club grew to 50-60 members in the early nineties where it has remained to date. In April 1997 the club name was changed to the Milwaukee Sunrise Rotary. Two major fund raising activities are key to the club’s charitable donations; the Ronald McDonald Golf Outing and manning a Bradley Center Concession Stand. The Golf outing was first sponsored by the club in 1988 after having been run for five years by a few stockbrokers including Bob Dyble, an original charter member and past President of the club. Under Sunrise Rotary leadership over $400,000 has been raised for the Ronald McDonald house. After trying some "interesting" fund raising ventures such as selling Milwaukee theme neckties and selling Brats at the Circus parade, the club was able in 1988 to secure a concession opportunity at the newly built Bradley Center. By working 22-25 events a year, the club earns an average of $10,000 a year while also building unique comradery and fellowship.
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