Pat Stephens

Jesus calls upon each of us to be a light in the world. Nineteen years ago, Pat -Stephens assured that his bases were covered when he organized an effort with six area Rotary Clubs to begin a project called Rotary Lights—the spectacular holiday lighting display which now features over 2.8 million lights in Riverside Park. This anecdote, however whimsical, is apt for a “can do” Irishman who has a twinkle in his eye and a resume for pitching in to work on countless worthy community causes.
For much of his life, Pat has served, working tirelessly to better his community, his church and the lives of others. Rotary Lights, which also generates over 225,000 items for local food shelves, and which now involves over 82 nonprofit organizations is just one example of Pat’s extensive commitment to service. Name a notable or important cause, a prominent community event, or a person willing to take a challenging leadership role in getting a job done, Pat Stephens’ name, more often than not, is associated with any one of these endeavors. His philosophy of service is simple and to the point, “Roll up your sleeves, until you git’er dun.”

In 2008, he was a founding board member for the local chapter of Let Freedom Ring Honor Flight dedicated to flying veterans to Washington, D.C., to salute their service. Pat helped found and took a leadership role with Freedom Fest, an entertainment venue that raises dollars for scholarships for veterans and in support of the Veterans Hall of Honor on the UW-La Crosse campus. A further sampling of Pat’s commitment to service reveals a reach that is far and wide—from being on the board of the Boys and Girls Club, Holmen Area Foundation, Red Cross, Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity, Visitors and Convention Bureau, Knights of Columbus, and a host of other activities including being the founder and now nine-year president of Irishfest La Crosse.

For his selfless dedication, Pat has garnered the respect of others. He is the recipient of the Viterbo President’s Award, conferred for his outstanding volunteer service. Rotary chose to honor him with the Lifetime Achievement Award given to individuals who exhibit service above self. He also received the Iverson Freking Ecumenical Recognition Award for his commitment to ecumenism and his community. The La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce awarded Pat its highest community honor, the Chairman’s Leadership Award.

Pat and his wife Joanne have four children: Kelley, Shannan, Sean, and Casey, and 11 grandchildren.