Happy Monday and welcome to the week, my friends. ☀️

Today on Good Morning, Coulee:

🏡 Local community organization highlight

☀️ Curated Coulee goodness

🍽 Coulee Crew Card news

Are you here for it? Let’s get into it.👇

🎶 Song of the Day

Here’s a little something to get your day rollin’ 👇

*If you want to listen along as you read, scroll to the top right of this email and click “Read Online”.

You vibin’? You can listen to the entire playlist here ➡️

💬 Today’s Thought

📰 Quick Hits

• Bangor School District names new principal for middle/high school (News 8000)

• La Crescent Lego Robotics Team heads to state league championship (News 8000)

• Acapella valentines hit perfect notes to raise money for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (News 8000)

• Over 1,000 students compete in State Ice Fishing Championship on Mississippi River (WXOW)

• Bullseye: Dart Tournament brings hundreds to the La Crosse Center (WXOW)

• Milestone reached in effort to end homelessness in La Crosse County (WEAU)

• Top-spelling students from Wonewoc, Holmen, and La Crosse earn trips to state spelling bee finals (WIZM)

🌤 Weather

Warmth is coming. 🔥

FREE Estimate ➡️

🍽 Coulee Crew Card: #001

As you may know, we’ve been hard at work with the rollout of the Coulee Crew Card. This card will entitle the holder to 10% off any of our partnering restaurants.

Here’s a sneak peak at some of the fine establishments that we are working with for this launch:

✍️ Monday Morning Memoir Group @ Pearl Street Books // Today, 10:30am-11:30am

📍323 Pearl St, La Crosse

Join us in store to talk about reading and writing memoirs every Monday from 10:30-11:30 am at Pearl Street Books. Sharon (a retired UW-L English Professor) will share short excerpts from memoirs for discussion, followed by further conversation about reading memoirs. Then we will end it with a short writing prompt (always optional) and if time allows, share our writing.

Bring your curiosity and a journal. No reservation or on-going commitment required!

🎶 Open Jam & Taco Tuesday @ Trempealeau Hotel // Tuesday, 6:30pm

📍 11332 Main St, Trempealeau

Yum! Bar opens at 3, dinner is 4-8, Open Jam is 630 until done. We’ll have some crazy tacos whipped up by Joerg. Also serving Guinness stew, appetizers, dessert, bangers and mash, beet stuffed delicata squash salad and other comfort foods. The music is great, but the camaraderie is the star.

🔴 Bingo @ Howie’s // Tuesday, 8pm-9pm

📍 1128 La Crosse St, La Crosse

🐕 Read With Scout – Certified Therapy Dog @ Pearl Street Books // Wednesday, 6:00pm-7:30pm

📍323 Pearl St, La Crosse

Read a book or just come and say hi to Scout, a certified therapy dog and Pearl Street Books’ favorite pup! She has a busy schedule, so be sure to check our social media pages to see if she’s coming by.

📖 Adult Book Fair @ the Root Note // Thursday, 7pm-9pm

📍 115 4th St S, La Crosse

Join us for another Pearl Street Books and The Root Note Adult Book Fair! Discover books perfect for cozying up indoors this winter, with titles to help you slow down, relax, and enjoy the season. The Root Note will have specialty drinks (NA included) available so you can sip and shop!

Come for the books, stay for the fun!

🐝 How to Create Habitat for Native Bees @ La Crosse Public Library // Thursday, 5:30pm-6:30pm

📍 800 Main St, La Crosse

Love the bees but not sure how to make a difference for them? Learn all about the biology and importance of native bees, and how to create habitat using native plants. Mississippi Valley Conservancy board member and biologist Danielle Hudson will walk participants through the steps each person can take, so that no matter the size of their property, everyone will leave with a plan for how they can support the bees we depend on.

This event is FREE to the public and sponsored by the La Crosse Public Library and Mississippi Valley Conservancy. Please register online so we can plan for seating.

https://www.mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events/how-create-habitat-native-bees

Learn more about Mississippi Valley Conservancy and all the ways you can help protect the native habitat and farmland in the Driftless Area here: MississippiValleyConservancy.org

🌳 Into the Woods - A Taste of Trempealeau @ Trempealeau Public Library // Sunday, 4:00pm-6:30pm

📍 11455 Fremont St, Trempealeau

The Friends of the Trempealeau Library invite you... On Sunday, Feb. 23, from 4 PM- 6:30 PM, we go "Into the Woods"🌲 for --A Taste of Trempealeau🏕 Financial contributions or donation items for the silent auction baskets are appreciated! If you would like to donate an item, visit the library & select a marshmallow tag. Thank you in advance & we look forward to seeing you at the Taste!

🧱 LEGO at the Library @ Holmen Library // 4:30pm-5:30pm

📍 121 W Legion St, Holmen

Kids of all ages (children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult) are welcome at our Lego® brick building events! Have fun free-building or be inspired by our suggested theme (hot air balloons!). No registration required.

📕 Baby Bop Storytime @ Onalaska Library // 12:00pm-12:30pm

📍 741 Oak Ave S, Onalaska

Join us Mondays at noon for story times designed for our friends ages 0-23 months. We offer 20 minutes of caregiver and baby fun and bonding with books, bounces, songs, and rhymes followed by 15 minutes of unstructured play and read time. No registration required.

🧵 Makers Monday @ La Crosse Public Library // 3:00pm-5:00pm

📍 131 8th St S, La Crosse

Come explore, create, and invent during open lab time in the Creation Space! Best for grades K-5.

📗 Library Learners @ Onalaska Library // 6:30pm-7:00pm

📍 741 Oak Ave S, Onalaska

Join us for story times full of books, movement, songs, and fun. Story Times last approximately 25 minutes and are geared toward youth ages 3 – entering first grade, but all ages are welcome. Registration recommended.

🏡 In The Community: GearUp

Empowering Futures, One Student at a Time 

Today, we’re shining a light on an incredible organization that’s making a meaningful difference in the lives of young people in the Coulee Region. Meet GearUp – a non-profit group with a mission that’s as inspiring as it is impactful.

Why are we sharing this? Because the transition to college or a skilled training program is a huge milestone, but for many first-generation and low-income students, it comes with significant financial challenges. GearUp tackles this head-on, ensuring that these students feel supported, prepared, and ready to thrive. 💪💼

🎒 Equipping Students

GearUp is laser-focused on making sure graduating seniors have the supplies they need to succeed in their post-secondary adventures. From dorm room essentials and school supplies to tech tools like laptops or calculators, GearUp ensures no student has to worry about how they’ll afford these necessities.

🎉 Celebrating Their Hard Work and Big Wins

The students GearUp supports have already accomplished something extraordinary: acceptance into college or a skilled training program! 🎉 These young people have worked tirelessly, often overcoming significant obstacles, to reach this point. They’ve leaned on their families, teachers, and mentors along the way, and now they’re ready to take the next step.

🌟 Creating Confidence & Belonging

This is perhaps the most beautiful part of GearUp’s mission. By removing the barrier of supply costs, GearUp gives students the gift of belonging. These students walk onto campus knowing they’re just as equipped and deserving as their peers. They’re not starting behind – they’re starting strong. 💪🏽🎒

GearUp is proof that a little help can go a long way in changing lives. Whether it’s a laptop for late-night study sessions or a set of dorm sheets that make a new place feel like home, the impact of their work is immeasurable.

So here’s to GearUp and the students they support – creating futures, breaking barriers, and inspiring us all along the way.

Want to learn more? Get involved? Or support their mission? Reach out to GearUp and join this incredible journey of empowerment and possibility.

🤝☀️ Help Good Morning, Coulee Grow 📈

If you get value from this newsletter, please consider sharing it with friends, family, business owners, or other community members.

The first milestone in our referral program is a birthday shoutout—pretty sweet, right? Play your cards right and there might be a bumper sticker in it for you somewhere down the line. 😉

In Partnership With

🏀 Local Sports

Friday 2/14

Logan Boys Basketball @ Onalaska // L 49-85

Logan Girls Basketball @ Onalaska // L 21-58

La Crescent Girls Basketball vs. Rushford // L 40-68

Saturday 2/15

Onalaska Boys Hockey @ Baraboo // W 6-3

La Crescent Boys Basketball @ Lake City // L 56-70

Luther Boys Basketball vs. Melrose-Mindoro // W 58-42

Luther Girls Basketball vs. Melrose-Mindoro // W 58-42

Monday 2/17

Logan Girls Basketball @ Winona // 7:00pm

Luther Girls Basketball @ Holmen // 7:15pm

La Crescent Boys Basketball @ Rushford-Peterson // 7:15pm

Tuesday 2/18

Central Boys Basketball @ River Falls // 7:15pm

Central Girls Basketball vs. Onalaska // 7:15pm

Logan Girls Basketball vs. Richland Center // 7:15pm

Aquinas Boys Basketball @ Sparta // 7:15pm

Aquinas Girls Basketball vs. Assumption // 6:30pm

Onalaska Girls Basketball @ Chippewa Falls // 7:15pm

Luther Boys Basketball vs. Black River Falls // 7:00pm

Holmen Boys Basketball vs. Tomah // 7:15pm

Holmen Girls Basketball @ New Richmond // 7:15pm

West Salem Boys Basketball @ Westby // 7:00pm

West Salem Girls Basketball @ G-E-T // 7:00pm

La Crescent Boys Hockey vs. Red Wing // 7:00pm

Thursday 2/20

Central Boys Basketball @ Onalaska // 7:15pm

Aquinas Girls Basketball vs. Sparta // 7:15pm

Luther Girls Basketball vs. West Salem // 7:00pm

Holmen Boys Basketball @ La Crescent // 7:15pm

Holmen Girls Basketball @ Tomah // 7:15pm

West Salem Girls Basketball @ Luther // 7:00pm

Friday 2/21

Central Girls Basketball vs. Onalaska // 7:15pm

Logan Boys Basketball vs. Sparta // 7:15pm

Luther Boys Basketball @ Viroqua // 7:00pm

West Salem Boys @ G-E-T // 7:00pm

La Crescent Boys Basketball @ Fillmore Central // 7:15pm

🎶 Live Music

Tuesday 2/18

7:30pm // Viterbo University Fine Arts Center Main Theatre // GET THE LED OUT (tickets)

9:00pm // Popcorn Tavern // Open Mic

Wednesday 2/19

[no events yet]

Thursday 2/20

7:00pm // No Name Bar (Winona) // Mike Munson

Friday 2/21

5:00pm // Grounded Patio Cafe // Colin Marshall

6:00pm // La Crosse Moose Lodge // Spunky Bumpkins

7:00pm // The St. Bernard Room // Zeke Fitz

7:00pm // The Hatchery // Sam Ness

7:00pm // Cat Daddy’s (Trempealeau) // Ryan Howe

8:00pm // Trempealeau Hotel // Laura Rain and the Caesars (tickets)

8:00pm // No Name Bar (Winona) // People Brothers Band ($15 cover)

Saturday 2/22

2:00pm // Elmaro Vineyard // Quenten Brown

4:00pm // The St. Bernard Room // David Nash

6:00pm // Two Fathoms Brewing (Winona) // Brian Beard Live

7:00pm // The St. Bernard Room // Tripp & Fayme

8:00pm // Fox Hollow (Barre Mills) // Volson Live (tickets)

8:30pm // Features West Salem // BLUE COLLAR 40

10:00pm // Popcorn Tavern // The Homeland Conspiracy, Abaddon’s End, Stopping Short ($5 cover) (hard rock)

Grateful for yet another Monday with you all. ❤️

Come see us tomorrow for:

📸 Featured image from a local photographer

🏛 Civic news to help you be a more informed citizen

🐶 An important and exciting update to our Pet of the Week segment

We’re in this together. Let’s get after it this week. 💪

Have something to say? You know what to do.

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