Lift UP Our Veterans by Voting for Kelly Colgan

05/03/2025

Thanks for the awesome blog story, La Crosse Habitat! They give me too much credit; couldn’t have broken the record without them!

Loosening up my conducting arms for my big debut 😬 Wish me luck as I conduct “Marche Militaire”, the perfect song for our cause and even better, only 2 beats 😉

05/02/2025

The Maestro might have some concerns about my rhythm 😂 but it was a thrill to get a brief tutorial and watch the behind the scenes action! See you all Saturday for my conducting debut at the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra representing La Crosse Habitat!

04/30/2025

Currently sitting at my desk, listening to "Marche Militaire", as I prepare to conduct the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra on Saturday!! I cannot believe we not only accomplished our goal but exceeded it by raising $42,000!!! My mind is absolutely blown by the generosity in this community. This experience has been meaningful to me in so many ways, and absolutely could not have done it without my amazing team La Crosse Habitat! They're in the midst of Housing Week and do so much impactful work for our community, yet still found time to support my efforts. So many others to thank but I'll keep it simple and end it with my parents. They attended the announcement and every event in between, dropping off flyers, collecting auction items, and keeping me sane! (or at least trying 🤣)

Lastly, I was a little worried when I met my 'competitors' back in March - a group of accomplished, well-respected and talented leaders in La Crosse's nonprofit world. Each of them give back to their community daily in their professional work and I was honored to 'compete' with them. Please consider supporting ORA Trails - Outdoor Recreation Alliance, LCNI, La Crosse Community Theatre and La Crosse Youth Symphony Orchestras - LYSO in the future! We're lucky to live in a community with so many people who want to work together and make it a beautiful place to live.

Thank you to EVERYONE for helping me Lift UP our Veterans 🏡🎈🇺🇸 An experience I will never forget and honored to break the #1 record for our Veterans!

04/28/2025

One last post of my favorite veteran before voting ends, my Grandpa Bob, one of the main individuals who instilled in me what it means to be a Veteran, to be engaged in your community and try to make everything you touch better.

Stolen stories from Timothy John Colgan: Bob served as an Armed Guard in the Navy. As an 18 year old kid from the big town of Norwalk WI, Bob would man these large guns on victory ships hauling people and cargo across the Atlantic to Europe and Africa. Their threat were the German U-boats prowling around the Atlantic. They would cruise along at around 10 mph which made them a great target for the Germans. He was a very proud veteran which he showed through his endless work at the VFW. I think two of his most proud moments were when he was honored at the Logger Baseball game and certainly being on the first Honor Flight. Without a doubt, he was from the greatest generation.

I also found this awesome article of Grandpa welcoming a "young" new Commander to VFW Post 1530 - Thomas Rooney Post. Knowing the future is with the younger veterans, who might have had different experiences, but share the same bond with their older veterans. https://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/article_ff850dde-3a01-11e3-a543-001a4bcf887a.html

Voting and Donating officially ends at Midnight on Monday April 28! Help me and La Crosse Habitat lift UP our Veterans and create a foundation for their next veteran home set for 2026! And bonus, you might see me conduct at the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra on May 3rd 🎼

04/27/2025

Found the American Legion San Dieguito Post 416 walking to the beach and it was a bustling place! La Crosse Symphony Orchestraport La Crosse Habitaty Orchestra and La Crosse Habitat, oh and me as the next Conductor Wannabe!

04/22/2025

Don't forget to stop by Rudy's Drive In - La Crosse, WI today and/or tomorrow to make your donation a double win! A win for La Crosse Habitat and your belly :)

$5-$15 donations -> FREE Root Beer Float
Every $20 donation -> $5 Rudy's gift card

Support a local business and a future home for a local veteran!

Send a message to learn more

04/21/2025

Today is my Grandpa Art's time to shine! Art Colgan was drafted in October 1941, completing basic training and engineer training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. On December 7, 1941, Grandpa said his Drill Sargeant came in after Pearl Harbor was bombed to tell them, "Party is over, we're going to war." Gulp, can't imagine what it was like to hear that...he spent 2 1/2 years in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands (google it!), sleeping in tents amongst the absolute desolation. One of my favorite lines of his time serving was, "There was a girl behind every tree, but there weren't any trees." 😅

Fortunately, he made it home after what I'm sure was 2 1/2 very long years and went to work on the railroad. As a kid, I remember my dad flying Grandpa Art to an army reunion in Missouri. If you knew Art, it would be no surprise that after all those years he still had great friends from his time serving.

When ;) I win La Crosse Symphony Orchestra Conductor Wannabe, I will be conducting the Symphony on his birthday - May 3 💚Please continue voting for me with donations, eating Rudy's this Tuesday and Wednesday and sharing my cause to anyone who is inspired to lift UP our Veterans 🏡🎈🇺🇸

04/21/2025

Yummm, who's thinking about dinner plans for the week??? Maybe I'm the only one that dreams of Rudys 😍 Stop by Rudy's Drive In - La Crosse, WI this Tuesday and Wednesday, and vote for me with a donation to La Crosse Habitat to earn some extra rewards from Rudy's!

$5-15 Donation = FREE Root Beer Float
Every $20 donation = $5 Rudy's Gift Card

We appreciate Rudy's adding us to their operation as we know they have their hands full (literally)! Cash and checks are ideal, but you can donate via one of the online options and show proof of donation. Hard to turn down an opportunity to eat hot dogs and fries for the great cause of lifting UP our veterans 🏡🎈🇺🇸

See you on La Crosse St. • Open till 9pm daily.

04/20/2025

Thanks for letting me crash La Crosse Habitat and Kahya’s interview! Appreciate the opportunity to share more about my mission to support veterans and win La Crosse Symphony Orchestra’s Conductor Wannabe completion!

She’s one of five groups in the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra “conductor wannabe” competition. Kelly Colgan, joins to discuss why she’s advocating for the Habitat For Heroes project.  La Crosse Talk airs weekdays at 6-8 a.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106...

04/18/2025

No need to make dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday next week! Rudy's Drive In - La Crosse, WI is generously supporting our mission to raise funds for La Crosse Habitat’s veterans programs with free Root Beer Floats for every $5-$15 donation and $5 gift cards for every $20 donation!

I can’t think of a better win win! Rudy’s in the belly and extra Rudy’s treats for any size of donation! Very appreciative of Rudy’s generously supporting our cause to lift UP veterans 🏡🎈🇺🇸

04/17/2025

Thank you WXOW for letting me share more about the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra Conductor Wannabe competition and my mission to support La Crosse Habitat's Veterans Programs!

PS They didn't include why I chose the Star Wars theme, I thought it might impress my 5 year old ;) Plus, a light saber would make a great conductor baton. Needless to say, I need to brush up on classical music masterpieces!

Meet Kelly Colgan who is working with Habitat for Humanity's- Habitat for Heroes