Meet the La Crosse Rotary Lights’ ‘s’more guy’
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — The art of a s’more is simple, but few see the master behind the craft needed for the Rotary Lights bonfire.
When Rotary Lights first started offering s’mores at the fire in 2017, they weren’t pre-packaged for guests. Pandemic precautions changed that.
“Pat said it needed to be done, and I had two willing hands and a willing heart, so I just jumped right in,” said Scott Lundeen, who volunteers his time at the rotary lights building in La Crosse.
Since 2020, Lundeen has volunteered as Rotary Lights’ s’more guy. He packs kits complete with marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers– down to a science.
“Last week, I did 540 in three hours, which is about 180 an hour,” Lundeen said. “Maybe the competitive side of me is saying that I’ve set the rotary lights record– but nobody else is doing it, so it’s pretty easy for me to win.”
Lundeen typically packages the kits on his own. Though he’s only made it down to the lights once this year, he hopes he’s bringing joy to its visitors.
“More smiles, more family time. What’s better than family time and the lights and a free s’more?” Lundeen said.
Rotary Lights provides the sweet treats and the bonfires to roast them over for free. So families can pay it forward.
“If everybody comes down for a s’more and brings a couple cans of food, it’s a good tradeoff,” Lundeen said.
The turnout has already been tremendous this year. Last year, with one fire pit, just over 6,000 s’more kits were used. This year, after two weekends of lights, they’ve already nearly hit last year’s total.
Food donations at Rotary Lights go to local food pantries, and the lights run through New Year’s Eve.
You can roast s’mores any night from 5:30 until 8:30. The fire pits are right next to the big snowman.
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