milwaukee journal sentinel
Corner on keeping kids safe
Cold easier for guards to take than bad drivers
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Dec. 10, 2005
Saukville - Helen Galvin has been patrolling the sidewalks and school crossings along busy Highway 33 - the artery that leads to the entrance of Saukville Elementary School on Mill St. - for 33 years.
And during that time, she has learned a few things, specifically about staying warm this time of year.
"In the wintertime, if you keep your head, rear and hands warm, and think warm thoughts, you'll stay warm," Galvin said.
For Galvin and fellow crossing guard Cindy Douglas, though, working the crosswalks is something they have done out of a sense of duty.
Douglas has been at her post 16 years.
They work for the Village of Saukville under the jurisdiction of the Police Department, and, they say, they don't tolerate inattentive driving.
Both Douglas and Galvin said most drivers adhere to their directions but added that some push the envelope.
"Especially with the construction we've had," Douglas said. "We'll get the license plates and phone them in if there is an infraction."
Galvin's normal post is at the lights at 33 and Mill St. During the extensive construction project on Highway 33, she has moved about half a block west.
Douglas is across the street at Highway 33 and Main.
Douglas came to the job after filling in for another guard.
"One day, I was asked to fill in on a corner," Douglas said. "After about five years of subbing, I took over the job.
"I've always kind of felt nobody else wants to do this. I love kids, and they need us."
Galvin said she was "asked to try it out for a few days."
Galvin and Douglas take their stations at 7:30 each morning and 3:15 each weekday afternoon during the school year.
Part of their duties includes remaining vigilant.
"I don't take anything for granted when it comes to drivers," Douglas said. "I make sure people see the kids. I make eye contact with the driver."
Kathleen Tubbs, principal of Saukville Elementary School for seven years, appreciates the way both women put the safety of the children first.
"They keep the kids accountable and look out for them," Tubbs said. "They both have a passion for what they do and keep us informed."
"The crossing guards look for students that normally cross with them," Tubbs added. "If the child is not there, they're concerned. They keep an eye open for everyone."
Cultural center chief learning on the job
Barnett looks forward to daily challenges of month-old position
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Dec. 25, 2004
Cedarburg - After a month on the job, Susan Barnett says her position as the director of the Cedarburg Cultural Center is exactly what she anticipated.
"I expected it to be a really overwhelming job because there are so many components, and I have not been disappointed," she said.
"While there is a lot to do, I find I'm learning something new every day - no two days are exactly the same," Barnett said. "I'd like to keep on growing with this job. This type of position depends on the support of the community and board of directors. I feel I have that now.
"I feel like it's starting to come together. It's going to take me a long time to get to know the community. I've met hundreds of people already, and I'm trying to learn names. People have been so welcoming to me. I'm starting to get a handle on all the different things we do, working with the volunteers."
Barnett said she probably will steer the cultural center on a slightly different course.
"The direction it's going in now is very good, and we may make some adjustments. Perhaps a little more concentration on the visual arts, some cosmetic improvements to the space, display art a little more prominently . . .," she said.
Barnett came from Butte, Mont., where she was "director of a non-profit art center and museum similar to this, only on a smaller scale."
She replaced Sarah Hall, who stepped down for personal reasons and became part-time performing arts coordinator at the center.
In Butte, Barnett operated her own gallery and picture framing business for more than 15 years. "I guess I outgrew that aspect of my life. I also managed some rental properties and was involved in restoring a commercial building."
Barnett was also treasurer, a board member and the principal cellist for the Butte Symphony.
Despite living in various parts of the country, Barnett says her roots are in the Midwest.
"My husband and I have family in central Illinois so it made the move back to this part of the country much easier," she said.
"Right now we live in South Milwaukee and the commute is a little difficult. My husband's training is in transportation logistics and we have a 16-year-old in high school and he's starting to make connections.
"We are definitely looking forward to living in the Cedarburg or Grafton area. I want to be able to run home for a little after-school time with my family. If I lived a little closer, this would all be workable."
Barnett says Lake Michigan provides a formidable replacement for the mountains around Butte, and she said she's happy to be close to the North Woods.
"When we came to visit, we knew we were looking for a place near an airport and cultural amenities and better job opportunities," Barnett said. "We were so impressed with Milwaukee, the way the city integrated the old and the new. People genuinely looked happy. There was a lot going on in the summer when we visited, so that helped us in our decision."
Even though she and her family hadn't visited Cedarburg before the job became available, Barnett says she wasted no time in finding out what the area had to offer.
"As soon as I applied for this position, I visited the Cedarburg Web site. Then we visited and walked around town," Barnett said. " 'Quaint' was the first word that came to mind. They've done such a nice job planning this village, keeping consistent with everything."
Barnett says she has been impressed with the number of artists who call Cedarburg home.
"Since we arrived, I've noticed a strong sense of community in Cedarburg, and the cultural center is part of that," Barnett said. "I think the fact the cultural center spans a wide array of interests, it has something that would appeal to anybody. They might love the blues performances, the jazz or the art. We're involved in so many different forms."
The search for the right job and living conditions took Barnett and her family to both coasts.
"We looked at Seattle, Portland," she said. "The housing prices on the West Coast were way above the income levels and there was a lot of urban sprawl."
Barnett says the Cultural Center is a place for people to come together to enjoy performances, events and festivals.
"We have a wonderful work environment. Ideas can come from the staff, board members. We have a huge amount of things that are already in place, but . . . adding new and different events is something we will consider."
Germantown school pool to close next summer
Board decides after two referendums for a new pool were defeated
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Dec. 13, 2004
Germantown - The Germantown School Board voted Monday night to close the high school pool on Aug. 20, 2005, after a $4.275 million referendum to build a new pool failed in November.
The vote was based on the unsafe condition of the pool, which was built in 1967 and has already stretched beyond its predicted life expectancy of 20 years.
According to school board officials, the aluminum pool suffers from serious problems, including leaking, and doesn't meet the requirements of new competitive swimming rules. The costs to keep the pool open are prohibitive, they said.
In November, voters rejected a plan that would have provided for a new pool and locker room addition at Germantown High School, and school board members warned this action would follow if the referendum failed. Voters also turned down an April referendum proposal in which construction of a new pool was included along with several other building projects.
Board member James Lynch, chairman of the board's building committee, said he favored keeping the pool open, saying it is widely used by the community.
Lynch said he will do what he can to ensure the pool is operating until Aug. 20, when summer swim lessons and open swimming end.
Lynch said the building committee meets again on Wednesday.
"I don't know if the pool will make it until Aug. 20th," he said. "I was a little surprised the community rejected the referendum, and there will definitely be a void."
High school officials are seeking alternative locations to hold swim team practices and competitions for the next school year.
Board President George Sloan says there is no plan to eliminate swimming activities for high school students.
"This is probably a drama that is underscored because you're actually closing something," Sloan said. "The people have spoken not once, but twice. I understand the tax situation, but it's a shame for a community of this size to be, at least for a while, without a swimming pool."
Sloan says among the alternatives is a combining of swim teams with another school, such as the situation with Menomonee Falls and Hamilton Sussex.
"That's my goal, to not see the end of the swim teams," Sloan said. "Of all our school facilities - in terms of hours of use - the pool was used the most frequently."
Sloan said it is important to keep in mind that this issue isn't solely about the money; it's about safety as well.
"If numerous swimmers were in the pool and it should develop a large crack, it could endanger the lives of those people."
At Monday's meeting, there was a mood of sorrow over closing the pool.
Scott Moschea, who has lived in Germantown for 14 years and has a daughter on the swim team, was the only person to speak before the board.
"We wanted to keep the initiative alive. I don't know if enough information reached the voters on the referendum," he said.
Strawberries are forever - at least this weekend - in Cedarburg
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: June 17, 2004
Rarely has such a diminutive fruit captured the imagination of so many.
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If You GoCedarburg will host the 19th Annual Strawberry Festival, which takes place along Washington Ave. and throughout the town on Saturday and Sunday, June 26 and 27.
"It's a big part of our tourism plan in Cedarburg," says Mary Gielow, the public relations and marketing director for the festival. "We've found festivals probably showcase Cedarburg better than anything else we've tried. Various shops throughout town will participate. We encourage the Lions Club and the Boy Scouts to get involved as we want everyone to be showcased."
Gielow says the festival started out as a way to promote a strawberry blush wine produced in Cedarburg, and it grew beyond expectations. "Last year we had close to 40,000-50,000 people attending the event. People come for the strawberries but find so much more. It's good exposure for our town and keeps the retail spaces rented and Realtors in the area do very well because of the exposure."
According to Gielow, the event hasn't been spoiled by rain in its 19-year history. "Washington Avenue will be closed to auto traffic for the festival and people can stroll down the street and enjoy the shops and activities."
The Ozaukee Arts Center Fine Arts Fair will feature arts and crafts vendors along the avenue. The Strawberry Festival Country Craft Fair is a juried show that also features arts and crafts by area artists. The Cedarburg Cultural Center Fine Arts Fair is also a juried show in the cultural center parking lot.
"The Ozaukee County Humane Society is hosting a pet pageant and pet talent show," Gielow said. "Pets do various tricks. There are seven categories in which pets can compete."
Prizes will be awarded for first place and second place in each category. "We'll also have a bubble gum blowing contest, a berry-bob and a strawberry shortcake eating contest."
One of the most popular events, Gielow says, is the all-you-can-eat Sunday Morning Pancake Breakfast sponsored by the Cedar Creek Settlement. "There are a lot of strawberry farmers in the area. People like the local strawberries because they tend to be smaller and sweeter."
Gielow said that these days pancake preparers have the luxury of griddles where they once were relegated to using an open fire. "All the money from the breakfast goes to promoting the settlement. The cost for the breakfast is $5.50 for adults, $3.50 for kids 12 and under, kids under 3 are free.
Also under the umbrella of the Strawberry Festival is the Plein Air Painting Contest. "Plein Air means painting outdoors," says Sandra Pape, the founder of the competition. "This will be our fourth year at the festival."
Several years ago, Pape, a member of the Cedarburg Artist Guild, was approached with the idea of Plein Air painting. "It struck me as a wonderful thing for Cedarburg. It's been absolutely wonderful. The first year we would have been happy with 15 artists, but we got 54. Last year we had 106 artists participate."
Pape says the competition draws artists from Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and as far away as California. "We have a father and his two daughters in the competition and a family that spans three generations."
Festival-goers are invited to talk with the artists while they paint. "Some of the artists have asked people to sit as subjects for their painting," Pape said. "People have embraced the painting as part of the festival."
This year the competition has 70 pre-registered artists. "Once an artist is registered, they can paint as many canvases as they'd like for competition, as long as they've had the back of their work stamped by officials." Painters work on Washington Avenue from Friday through June 25.
"They can only pick two paintings to be judged," Pape said. "We have three jurors and more than $5,000 in prize money."
Pape says the artists work in a variety of mediums. "It doesn't matter what they use. Water color, oil, acrylic, pastel, they just don't use charcoal. It doesn't represent the style very well."
Pape says everything that's painted will be for sale. "The artists name their own price and are happy to sell them."
West Bend will host air show
Event tries to offer closer look
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: June 12, 2004
Pilots, flight enthusiasts and those merely enamored with the idea of being airborne will gather at the West Bend Airport June 19 and 20 to participate in the Southeast Wisconsin AirFest.
Herb Baker is not only a pilot participating in the show, he's also the producer of AirFest. Baker will fly his Navy-style aerobatics in his T-28 trainer Ditto, an aircraft which includes a wing-tip vortex smoke system that he designed himself.
"There are air shows that are primarily military in nature that draw up to 300,000 people, Baker said. "We want to make it more intimate so people can learn about the airplanes, meet the pilots and perhaps get some autographs."
Baker says he's able to put together the ensemble of pilots because he already knows most of them and flies with them in different air shows.
"We try to select some pilots that do different things. Some of the planes will include large and graceful maneuvers while others will be more high-energy performances."
Aside from entertainment, Baker says his efforts are also designed to encourage people to take up flying.
An up-close look
AirFest patrons will be able to see things up close that would be virtually impossible at other airport facilities. "During the air show, we can perform below 1,500 feet. I looked at the surrounding airports such as Mitchell International and Timmerman. West Bend was the only airport that could appropriately handle the show," Baker said.
Among the featured fliers at AirFest is the Lima Flight Team, billed as the world's only six-aircraft formation aerobatic team. The Sky Knights Sport Parachute Club from East Troy will open the show and perform stunts and pinpoint landings. Participation by five branches of the military will include a demonstration flight by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter and a flyover by a B-2 Stealth bomber.
In the face of all the planning, Baker says the event takes place at the mercy of the weather, which "is absolutely critical to our success," Baker said. "We will fly with low ceilings and will do some kind of show, regardless of the conditions. We may have to wait for some rain to pass or incur some time delays."
Baker, who lives in West Bend, purchased his own plane from the United States Navy after it was no longer used as a training plane for cadets.
"It's been a passion to share my airplane with others. Before going into the entertainment industry, flying with friends wasn't satisfying to me. Now I find it very satisfying because you never know whom you're going to influence."
Demystifying aviation
Gordon Bowman-Jones serves as the announcer for the show and brings more than 30 years of aviation experience to AirFest both in the cockpit and behind the microphone.
"I like to demystify aviation," Bowman-Jones said. "I want people to understand the nuances of flight. My personal goal is to make sure everyone leaves the air show with 10 percent more information and knowledge about flying than they possessed when they arrived."
Bowman-Jones has owned and flown numerous aircraft, including a Messerschmitt, MiG and a blimp.
In preparation for air shows, Bowman-Jones often receives a duplicate of notations made by the pilot describing maneuvers that will be conducted during the performance. "When you're watching, a lot of what happens in the show seems spontaneous. I can tell you they are carefully choreographed routines practiced at many levels," he said. "In this business, being right 99 percent of the time isn't good enough."
Gate admission is $12 for adults, $10 for youth. Children 8 or younger are free. Parking is free and the show runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The West Bend Airport is on Highway 33. Call (888) 660-7392 or visit www.sewairfest.com for more information.
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7th-grader gets place of honor in juvenile arthritis awareness walk
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: May 8, 2004
Ashleigh Cummings will be 13 in October, and already she's experienced her share of discomfort and aches due to arthritis.
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What: Arthritis WalkAshleigh, a seventh-grader at Silverbrook Middle School in Allenton, has been chosen as this year's Arthritis Walk honoree.
The Arthritis Walk will be held on Saturday, at the West Bend Mutual Insurance Co. campus at 1900 S. 18th Ave. in West Bend.
The Arthritis Walk is meant to create awareness and understanding about how the disease can affect people of all ages.
Ashleigh, who was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at 3, has volunteered her time and energies to illustrate that arthritis is not just something that afflicts older people. Nationwide, the disease affects about 300,000 children, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
"I'm going to give a speech describing what it's like to have arthritis as a kid," Ashleigh said. "Kids do have it, kids cope with it. Some people think arthritis is only for adults but any kid can get it."
She says the disease can pose some problems in her daily life, causing her to drop out of some activities with friends.
"When I play soccer, sometimes I can't run as quick and stay out as long as the other kids," she said. "You feel like you're very different from everyone else."
Juvenile arthritis is a general term for all types of arthritis that occur in childhood. The most common symptoms include pain, stiffness and swelling in and around the joints.
The Arthritis Foundation, Wisconsin Chapter, provides a number of programs including special family day events, educational programs and Camp M.A.S.H. (Make Arthritis Stop Hurting), a summer camp for young people 9 to 17 who have arthritis or a related disease.
Ashleigh stretches and exercises daily to stave off the effects of arthritis.
"I don't like doing certain exercises, but they want me to exercise as much as I can, but don't overdo it."
At first, the family pediatrician didn't know what was afflicting Ashleigh.
"All we knew was our child was in pain," her mother, Mary Cummings, said. "It took us several years to come to grips with it. She'd do therapy and scream because of the pain. It's been difficult.
"The way I look at it is, it's something God is testing us with."
Mary says Ashleigh takes medication three times a day and receives an injection once a week to treat the arthritis.
"It's not genetic," Mary Cummings said. "They don't know the exact cause, but she had some viral diseases when she was young, sometimes that can be a trigger."
The family became involved with the Arthritis Foundation five years ago during a family day, where other kids with arthritis spend time together and share experiences.
"The foundation does a lot, but Camp M.A.S.H. is phenomenal," Mary adds. "That whole time is for them to network and discuss how they feel about things."
Participants can choose either a 5K or one-mile walk. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with a group warm-up at 9:30 a.m. and the walk at 10 a.m. A post-event celebration begins at 11 a.m.
Artist collective throwing itself 20th birthday party
Open house will celebrate growth of group that just wanted place to show work
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: April 22, 2004
An artist often creates aesthetically pleasing and influential work. More than a dozen artists in one locale for more than two decades can change the artistic landscape of a county.
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The Studio 6 Artists Cooperative, a collection of 13 artists in Cedarburg, will observe its 20th anniversary May 7 with an open house from 5 to 9 p.m. that will include drawings for several pieces of original artwork.
The story of Studio 6 began in a log cabin between Cedarburg and Grafton with six local artists.
"It doesn't seem like it's been that long," says Polly Frank, the sole remaining founding member of the gallery, who is from Cedarburg. "The man that owned the log cabin told us we could use it if we paid for the heat, and we thought that was a pretty good deal."
Frank, a watercolor painter, says she and the five other artists just wanted a place to show their work.
"I think I always drew and sketched even when I was a kid," Frank said. "I guess the longevity of our gallery is kind of unique for this kind of venture. I don't think we thought about how long we'd be around in the beginning."
Studio 6 is an art and gift gallery that is staffed and operated by participating artists at W63-N684 Washington Ave. that includes painters, potters, weavers and calligraphers.
The artists moved from the log cabin to the present location in the mid-1980s.
"Most artists don't want to paint or create just to sell," Frank says. "Every one of our artists brings something different to the table."
There is a sizable commitment from each of the artists to belong to the gallery.
Each shares equally in the expenses, including rent.
They sign a six-month contract to participate and each donates time to cover the floor of the shop during working hours.
The artists all are familiar with other members' work and encourage a sale, even if it isn't their work.
Helen Waldschmidt has been a member of the gallery for 17 years and started learning to make pottery 24 years ago.
"I think there are a lot of qualities that have gone into making Studio 6 a success," Waldschmidt said. "We are able to work well together, and each of us has an input into decision making."
She says the gallery closed for four days in January so the interior could be repainted. Everyone involved with the gallery helped with the work.
"Our members have to really want to create. They want to have an outlet for that creation. Some want to be able to sell their work and make a decent income, but not necessarily make a living at it."
Waldschmidt says most of the artists work in their own studios or at home, but some work is done in the gallery.
"At times, we're able to meet the customers when we are working. You get the customers' feedback and have repeat business because they get to know you. Customers love to watch an artist working there. They'll gain some insight. I think people are more aware of handmade art than they were 20 years ago. They're more interested in how something is made, the value that it is handmade."
Helen Nelson is a calligrapher who joined the gallery 16 years ago.
"As a whole, it's the flexibility we have as a group, the cooperation we have between members that has helped make it a success," she said.
New artists are invited into the gallery after their work is reviewed by members; there is a waiting list with four prospective members.
Nelson says that when a member leaves, the new member they bring in brings new ideas to the gallery.
Artists tend to learn about the gallery either through word of mouth or in response to an ad placed in a newspaper.
"We welcome young people," Waldschmidt said. "They've got the energy and enthusiasm. The only problem is the work schedule. Most people in their 20s are holding full-time jobs and are only available once in a while."
Nelson particularly enjoys working the store and talking with customers. "I usually work weekends, when they're available. I've discovered some great friendships from the gallery. Each artist gives each other complete support. We're tickled to death when we sell someone else's art."
Students join Honduras mission
Rotary Club sponsors medical aid trip, takes along 2 Slinger seniors
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: April 8, 2004
The Slinger/Allenton Rotary put its commitment to world service into practice with a medical aid mission to Honduras last month and opened the eyes of two Slinger High School seniors to an entirely different world.
Joe Walter, a marriage and family therapist in West Bend and Hartford, helped coordinate the trip in early March.
He had read about a similar mission that Marquette University students took in 2003.
"We had someone come from Marquette to speak to my Slinger/Allenton Rotary Club. We made a donation last year but decided we wanted to do a lot more this year," he said.
"I have a son who was adopted from Honduras and I'd wanted to travel back there ever since," Walter said. "My wife and I wanted to give a little back to a country that had given us so much."
Walter says groups from Marquette University had made the same trek the previous two years.
"It was like I didn't need to reinvent the wheel," Walter said. "The club president was excited about a hands-on world service project."
Walter said the club had more than one reason for the trip.
"One of our goals was to help facilitate a medical mission and involve a couple of Slinger students to help them gain some real-life experience."
Prepared the students
Christine Wojtanowski and Simon Griesbach were selected from the 25 students who applied for two spots on the trip and wrote a 500-word essay describing their background and why they'd like to make such a journey.
"We certainly let the kids know what they were in for before we left," Walter said. "We told them they'd be seeing poor and disadvantaged people. They were ready for that and they were prepared to help."
Wojtanowski and Griesbach attended preparation classes at Marquette before the trip.
"I know a couple of other people who made a similar trip," says Wojtanowski, who plans to be a neonatal intensive care unit nurse. "When the opportunity came to our high school, I interviewed."
Wojtanowski says the trip gave her a chance to experience what it would be like to be a nurse in a real-life setting.
"I knew I wanted to be a nurse and go to another country," she said. "It was even better than I expected, seeing people smile. We collected coloring books and crayons and gave them to the kids. They just loved it, the fact they got something."
38 people made journey
Wojtanowski says she took blood pressure readings and worked in the pharmacy.
"We had a person translating the doctor's orders and writing them on the medicine labels," she said. "The last day we had over 600 people show up. At one point, we had no electricity, no lighting, but we didn't let anyone go away empty-handed, even if we just gave them some Tylenol."
A total of 38 people, including eight physicians, two nurse practitioners and two pharmacists traveled to Honduras.
The group was based in Nuevo Paraiso and visited five different communities in the surrounding area.
Physicians who took part in the trip had gathered medical supplies in the United States for the mission.
"Each of us was allowed two 70-pound duffel bags full of medical supplies on the plane," Walter said. "We brought antibiotics, blood pressure medication and the whole range of potential treatment options. We literally carried that down there with us."
After their arrival in Nuevo Paraiso, the volunteers pooled the supplies and broke them out into categories.
The next day, they split into five teams and moved into the nearby communities that were expecting them. Each team set up shop with the physicians and translators who were interviewing as many as 500 patients a day.
Would go back again
The living arrangements for the volunteers were sparse by American standards, in small brick houses with tin roofs.
"Even their capital city didn't compare to any city we have here," Wojtanowski said. "I would definitely go back and help again. We helped them, but what about two months from now, knowing they're still there and living in those conditions?"
Griesbach said he plans to study philosophy in college and go into medicine.
Much of his time in Honduras was spent translating for doctors and working in the pharmacy.
"My experience in Honduras shifted every paradigm I had about the Central American life," he said. "It's our responsibility to go and help rather than just sit and feel sorry for them. There's a lot more you can do."
Griesbach says he wasn't ready for the amount of Spanish he would need to speak in Honduras.
"Even though I took Spanish in high school, it's difficult to understand 100 percent of what they're saying. It was either sink or swim with the language; I think I swam. I picked up Spanish very well. Being there was really the best teaching device there is."
Such a trip can have a lasting impact on volunteers.
Griesbach says it may be the kind of thing more people in the U.S. might want to experience. "You can't get a full impression of what it's like, every second being down there, immersed in poverty."
Cedarburg father, son going distance in marathon training
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: March 20, 2004
When father and son activities come to mind, you think of a ball game, perhaps a weekend fishing trip.
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A marathon in Alaska doesn't usually make the top of the list.
Cedarburg residents Craig Gagnon and his 17-year-old son, David, however, opted to participate in the Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska.
The 26.2-mile run will take place June 19, less than a week after David graduates from Cedarburg High School.
"I was never a runner," Craig said. "I guess I am now."
The Gagnons, who have been training since mid-January, follow a rigid schedule.
"From now on it will be at least 6 miles a day, five days a week. It's a lot of work and requires a lot of perseverance," Craig said.
It's all part of Team in Training, a nationwide fund-raising program for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Last year, 36,000 people joined Team in Training to raise $84 million for research on leukemia and other blood-related cancers.
"There are days when I just don't feel like running," the elder Gagnon said. "I had shin-splints when I first started, but that went away as my legs strengthened. Most of the stuff has gone away, but new things develop."
A lot of things keep you going during training, he said.
"For one, we know we're running for a purpose, for a greater good. Once a week we run with a group of about 30 people from Wisconsin that are going to run in Alaska."
Factoring in diabetes
For son David, a grueling marathon is compounded by Type 1 diabetes.
"David has been great," Craig said. "This event has required a lot of his time and effort. If he's hurting, he keeps it to himself. I'm extremely proud of David's efforts. Just managing diabetes is not an easy thing, and he's been doing it since he was 4 years old."
Craig says the family has recently decided that David should use an insulin pump. "He's on the pump now, and that's one of the things that has made this run possible."
The Gagnons are running about 25 miles a week, or 3 to 5 miles a day, Craig said. "I did more wheezing at the beginning of this thing. My confidence has increased, and we've been doing it for more than 6 weeks."
The first day the pair began training, the temperature was minus 4 degrees and the wind chill was 20 below zero, Craig said.
Father-son bonding
Craig said the run will be a lasting memory for father and son. "That's part of the reason we're doing this. He's going off to college in the fall and it's very much a last hurrah for he and I as a father and son thing."
"It's been really great," David said. "It's a first-time thing for me, and we're raising money for a good cause."
David plans to major in chemistry in college and then become a veterinarian. "I've always loved animals," he said. "At the beginning of high school, I thought about other careers, but it's always kind of been in my head. I started liking science and math and began working at the Cedarburg Veterinary Clinic."
So far, the diabetes hasn't caused David too much trouble during his marathon training.
"I always have to think about it," he said. "It hasn't bothered me psychologically, but I always have to calculate as to how much insulin to give myself. I'm much more comfortable with running than I was. It helps a lot that we're running together, or I may have only lasted a week."
To this point, David's classmates applaud his training and his goal, even if they haven't been digging for their wallets.
"So far, I haven't gotten too much money from my classmates," he said. "But teachers and parents of students have been giving freely."
According to David, part of his strategy in training is not to think about the run too much. "Right now, I'm doing about 8 miles and I'm tired, but I could probably do another 1 or 2 miles, but I don't know how much more."
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Starting off with a bang and a toot
New Horizons puts instruments in the hands of older adults
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: March 4, 2004
Port Washington - You don't have to be able to carry a tune or read a note of music to be part of the New Horizons Band - all that's required is the desire to play an instrument, that you are older than 50, and that you show up.
Similar bands already exist in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Madison and more than 70 other cities in the nation. In January, 16 prospective members of the group came to the First Congregational Church's fellowship hall in Port Washington to follow a dream, or at least a curiosity.
During this first gathering, people had the opportunity to try out various instruments, including the flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, baritone horn and saxophone, under the guidance of the Tri-County New Horizons Band's teachers. The group consists of members from Ozaukee, Washington and Sheboygan counties.
"The only requirement is you have to want to play," band director Tom Miller said. "Five or six of my students have never picked up an instrument in their lives. Some had been in their high school band 40 or 50 years ago. In this class, I'd say I have three people that can play an instrument pretty well."
The instructors first provide students with some lessons with rehearsals beginning in February.
Miller, who lives in Port Washington, said he stresses learning by ear for the first few months.
"I want them to think how the music sounds," Miller said. "One of my students is a retired elementary school teacher who always wanted to play the saxophone. I have another student who played the sax on and off for 40 years - mostly off. I've got a former financial officer who plays the trombone; a drywall installer who plays the violin. Members of his family purchased a violin for him because he always wanted to play one."
Miller says New Horizons bands were formed in 1991 in Rochester, N.Y., and there now are about 75 bands throughout the country. Miller, now retired, has degrees in music education and taught at Cedarburg Middle School for 32 years.
"The program restores intellectual stimulation and opportunity that members previously had relied upon the workplace to provide," Miller said.
"The motivation for these students is internal," Miller added. "People feel good about being able to play an instrument. I'll walk into a rehearsal and some will already be playing together. The saxophone players will get together and start playing tunes.
"In class, we'll play simple tunes like 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' and 'Hot Cross Buns.' There are lots of smiles and lots of laughs," he said. "One of the neat things about my students is everyone practices every day. It seems to give them a good feeling."
Picking up the drumsticks
Among those in the band is Stan McDowell, who played the snare drums in high school but hasn't done anything musically since.
"I haven't played an instrument in 60 years," he said. "I was just sitting here doing nothing and it sounded interesting."
McDowell said being part of the band allows him to relax.
"It gets me into something and it's interesting," he said. "My daughter thought it was a good idea, too. She's a musician and played in the high school band."
Organizers point out that older adults have the time and motivation necessary to develop music skills rapidly. They say performing music, especially in large groups, can improve their health and quality of life.
Also working with Miller are instructors Tom Fisher of Grafton and Diana Jonen of Germantown. They're both state-licensed teachers with many years of experience in beginning instrumental instruction.
"I've never played anything in my life," said George Brookins, an aspiring violinist from Fredonia. "I had a violin given to me by my mother-in-law and I told her since I got it, I'd learn to play it. The band is an opportunity for me to play.
"The violin has four strings and my fingers can work it pretty well. I have arthritis and I can't get my hand around the neck of a guitar, which I also own," he said.
Most of the other band members are retired. One of the drummers is a widow who said she wanted to get out of the house and do something, Brookins said.
"There's a guitar player and myself, we represent the only two string instruments in the band," he said. "Right now we're learning some real simple songs. I'm still trying to get 'Jingle Bells' down."
Brookins said his wife used to play the organ and he'd like to get her to take it up again.
"She puts up with my playing," he said.
Port Washington ready to tighten liquor license ordinance
Officials want to close troubled taverns faster
By LARRY SUSSMAN and JIM CRYNS
lsussman@journalsentinel.com
Posted: March 3, 2004
Port Washington - The Common Council appears ready to tighten up the city's liquor license ordinance so that troubled taverns, such as Coyotes, could be shut down faster, Ald. Thomas Hudson said Wednesday.
The council on Tuesday night discussed ways to better control what happens at Coyotes, 219 N. Franklin St., without coming to any decisions. City Attorney Eric Eberhardt was directed to forward copies of other municipal ordinances regulating taverns to the aldermen, who are expected to discuss the tavern issue again at their next meeting on March 16.
But it was clear from the discussion that Coyotes was the center of the council's concern.
"The fact of the matter has been that this establishment (Coyotes) has been affecting lots of the businesses downtown," Mayor Scott Huebner said.
"For the most part," the mayor said, "most of the other bars in the area are fine. Of course, you'll have some unruly behavior in bars, but others haven't been a problem for us."
Erik Straseske, owner of Coyotes, did not attend the meeting.
City officials are considering modifying the current demerit system, which assesses penalty points if a tavern is convicted of a number of violations. The council's Alcohol License Review Committee can suspend or revoke a tavern's liquor license if the tavern accumulates 200 points over a year or 475 points in three years.
Some of the penalties include 50 points for selling to a person who is underage or drunk, for selling liquor after hours or for staying open after hours.
Eberhardt, the city attorney, said the city could selectively increase points for the most serious offenses or reduce the time period in which the infractions take place.
For instance, he said, if a tavern gets 125 points in a six-month period, the council may want the right to revoke or suspend its liquor license.
But Eberhardt cautioned that for infractions that take place outside a bar, it is harder to prove that the bar caused the problem.
"But if a person can be identified and placed in the bar," he said, "you may be able to say serving the drinks to an intoxicated person exacerbated the problem."
Hudson said some action needs to be taken.
"At the very least, if we're going to retain the point system, we need to find a streamlined way of assigning demerit points to outfits that aren't good businesses," he said.
Larry Sussman is a Journal Sentinel reporter; Jim Cryns is a Journal Sentinel correspondent.
Families are focus of celebration
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Feb. 7, 2004
There's a celebration in Washington County this week to pay tribute to one of the county's most valuable natural resources: its families.
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The 13th annual Celebrate Families Week gets under way today at Washington County Fair Park and runs through Feb. 15.
"We'll do a brief welcome, then open the grounds to the public," said Kandi O'Neil, one of many members of the event's planning committee. "We say the celebration lasts all week throughout the county."
Although today's activities take place at County Fair Park, the rest will be held at community sites and include such activities as story times at libraries and cross-country skiing. For example, on Wednesday, Kairos Counseling and Cooperating Churches of West Bend will hold a workshop on making families stronger.
Most of the events are sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Extension of Washington County.
The concept of celebrating families surfaced more than a decade ago after a group of people recognized how much their communities were changing, O'Neil said.
"Washington County is one of the fastest-growing areas in the state," he said, "and it's the families that help shape what this county will become."
A group called Partners in Education identified individuals, agencies and organizations that focus on the family and were willing to share information with others.
"It started in West Bend," O'Neil said. "When we started, we had about 500 people attend the first celebration. Last year we had close to 4,000 people come out to visit the booths and take part."
This year's kickoff celebration includes 55 resource booths appealing to residents of all ages.
"We have 10 more booths than last year," O'Neil said. "And we have more that have called and are on the waiting list for next year."
Entertainment today will include a performance by the Mayville Pan James Steel Drum Band, a troupe that includes seniors from Mayville High School. The Mirror Image Dance Academy and the Hartford Union High School poms squad also will perform.
A model railroad will be on display, and there will be an injury prevention exhibit featuring child seat displays and and demonstrating proper seat installation. A rock wall climbing tower, bingo, fingernail painting and 4-H Club archery ranges also will be featured.
"We'll have a treasure chest," O'Neil said. "Every person that enters the fairground will receive a key, and it may or may not open the chest. Area merchants donated the prizes in the chest."
Children also will be able to participate in a scavenger hunt by completing activities at the booths of organizations taking part in the resource fair.
"It's become huge," said Jay Fisher, executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Washington County and one of the chairmen of the celebration. "We have so many different activities. It's a great day for families to come out and see what is offered for families to do together - and it's free."
Fisher said the celebration emphasizes how important families are to the community.
"Families nowadays are made up of so many different kinds of people; this is a day for them to enjoy family structure," he said.
Fredonia project needs impact study
240 acres could be annexed for development
From the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Feb. 3, 2004
Fredonia - The Germantown-based developer of a 240-acre project was told Monday night that an impact study must be prepared before the village would consider annexing land for it.
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It's likely several months will pass before the developer can complete a study that would measure the development's impact on the village's water, sewer, fire, police and traffic, Fredonia Public Works Director Allen Neumann said.
For instance, a state Department of Transportation traffic impact study typically takes four to five months, Neumann said.
While he doesn't expect the project to require the village to expand its water and sewer treatment capabilities, "We don't have the numbers," he said. "If we did, we wouldn't have to do the study."
"You've done a good job of telling us what was coming," Neumann told JBJ Development Inc. officials Monday night. "But that's only one component of an impact study. We need to know numbers, and you need to tell us what the entire potential area is (for) putting down our pipes."
"If you rush this type of thing, you'll screw it up," said Plan Commissioner Lou Robinson. "We want to work with the developers. We don't want mistakes. We want a win-win situation."
JBJ is proposing a mixed-used development east of Highway 57 and north of Highway A to include more than 200 single-family homes, two senior housing projects with a total of 88 units, 19 duplex lots, 40 apartments and 70 acres of commercial development.
Most of the commercial area would be along Highway A and could include a grocery store or other large anchor store, officials said.
The impact study is just the first step before the development can occur, according to Neumann.
After the study is complete, the village must negotiate an agreement before annexation, vote to annex, then approve a preliminary plan and authorize any zoning changes, he said.
Extending sewers into the JBJ development is contingent upon approval to expand the village's sewer service area from the state Department of Natural Resources and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.
That will be the subject of a public hearing to be held with SEWRPC officials at 7 p.m. Thursday in Fire Department meeting room, 201 S. Milwaukee St.
The village also needs approval to extend sewer service to two other proposed annexations west of Highway 57 - a 170-acre residential project north of Highway A, and about 100 acres south of Highway A for a business park.
Neumann said the project will be on the Plan Commission's March 18 agenda.
Officials are generally favorable to the project, and there has so far been little or no opposition, they said.
"The people want to do it, and the village says if we can follow the guidelines of the land use, we'll approve it," Village President Bob Rathsack said. "If we don't grow, we're going to die, so I think it's a good thing."
Dan Benson of the Journal Sentinel staff and correspondent Jim Cryns contributed to this report.
Academy will lease Grafton building
Village Board OKs use of old high school for classes in the arts
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Dec. 30, 2003
Grafton - The Village Board voted unanimously Tuesday to lease the Timothy Wooden Building to the North Shore Academy of the Arts, a not-for-profit organization supporting opportunities in the performing, visual and literary arts.
The structure, connected to the Grafton Public Library, once served as the public high school. It was slated to be shut down because of budget constraints.
Academy founder and President Sheri Bestor said the building will be operated primarily as a school.
"We feel we can touch all of the surrounding communities," Bestor said. "As we're a teaching academy, we thought it would be beneficial to move to an existing school location where they had actual classrooms, and a stage and room to expand. We've had nothing but positive cooperation from the village in all respects."
"Right now, the space we are in is too small," said Bruce McIlnay, an academy board member and the attorney for the organization, which currently is in the Historic Grafton Mill.
Bestor said the academy acquires most of its operating budget through student tuition, fund-raisers and donations from the community. "We've got support from Grafton, Mequon, Saukville, Whitefish Bay and other areas. Grafton is centrally located," Bestor said.
Prior to voting on the lease, the board stipulated that the cost of maintenance and utilities for the building would be the sole responsibility of the academy, except for a shared elevator maintenance cost of about $300 a year.
The amount of the lease was not disclosed at Tuesday's meeting.
In other action, the board voted unanimously to accept a donation from Cornerstone Community Bank to fund Channel 14, Grafton's public cable access channel. The annual donation of $3,700 will fund five hours a week of programming on the channel. In exchange, Cornerstone will receive sponsorship credit during the programs.
Until the bank came through with the donation, the station was scheduled to go off the air on Thursday because of cuts in the village's 2004 budget. In 2003, the village expects to spend $6,728 for cable access programming.
The channel broadcast Village Board and Plan Commission meetings but no longer will, even with the funding from the bank. It will focus on sports and community events.
Residents howl over Richfield pet limits
Complaints prompted Town Board proposal
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Dec. 18, 2003
Richfield - A proposal to limit the number of dogs and cats that residents living in subdivisions could own came under criticism from residents at a Town Board meeting Thursday night.
"I'm totally against it," said Marla Williams, who wore a T-shirt that read "One can never have too many cats."
"I've got six cats and one dog. Animals come to me. What am I going to do?" Williams asked. Town officials are considering a measure that would ban all exotic pets and would allow only residents living on farms or country estates to have more than two dogs and two cats.
Those who live in residential neighborhoods and now have more than two dogs and/or two cats would be allowed to keep them. However, once a dog or cat is sold or dies, a homeowner could not replace it if that would result in more than two dogs and/or two cats in the home.
About 70 people attended Thursday's meeting, and while there were few objections to the proposed ban on exotic animals, residents made it clear they opposed any limits on dogs and cats.
"The way it's written now, it's a Milwaukee ordinance," said Pauline Phillips, who owns three dogs. "I moved here because it was rural. I'd like it to stay that way."
Town officials said they decided to limit the number of pets residents could have in their homes after receiving about 100 animal complaints per year over the last three years. Most of the calls came in response to dogs barking, roaming or biting someone.
Nearly a dozen complaints involved dogs at the home of James and Cynthia Neu on Stevens Drive, and the couple has been repeatedly cited for dogs at large or barking dogs, records show.
In mid-October, the town filed a public nuisance lawsuit against the couple and asked a Washington County judge to order the Neus to pay fines of up to $50 a day until they came into compliance.
"This problem has escalated," Town Administrator Cody Cotter told the residents. "Other towns have instituted limits. We're here to find out what's right for Richfield."
Supervisors decided to table the issue until their January meeting.
Bridging the generation gap
Funding sought to continue West Bend program that joins pupils, seniors
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Dec. 13, 2003
West Bend - A program that has connected elementary school children with seniors at a West Bend center over the last three years will come to an end in May, unless a new funding source is found.
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Residents at the Cedar Bay assisted-living center have been receiving regular visits from pupils from St. John's Lutheran School in West Bend as part of a program called "Bringing Generations Together."
At its peak, the program involved about 40 schools and nursing homes in southeastern Wisconsin and was run by St. John's Communities Inc. in Milwaukee, with funding from a grant through the Northwestern Mutual Foundation. That grant, about $40,000 annually, was used to transport pupils to nursing homes and pay administrative costs, said Sybil Bell, director of development for St. John's Communities, which is not affiliated with the West Bend school.
After 12 years of funding the program, the foundation decided to stop after last school year, Bell said. However, some grant money was left, enabling about 20 schools and nursing homes to take part in the program this year. That leftover money will run out at the end of this school year.
Not having the money to pay for transportation will make it more difficult for the pupils to get to Cedar Bay, said Jim Williams, director of operations at the facility.
"We have between 30 to 35 activities per week for our residents, of which the visits are one component," Williams said. "We're going to try to work to bring in a new sponsor for the trips."
Williams is quick to give the Northwestern Mutual Foundation credit for the sponsorship it has provided over the years.
"They've been very generous to participate in the first place," he said. "It is a great community service. I think for them it's just a repositioning of dollars. We've been appreciative of their efforts and we will part good friends."
Those who participate in the program say it benefits both the seniors and the students.
"It's an excellent way for our students to be sensitized to the elderly," said St. John's Principal David Kellerman. "The program provides the students with a slice of joy. It's not a long time we spend there, but it seems to brighten their lives."
"The residents soak in the smiles of the children," added Karen Strom, Cedar Bay activity coordinator. "The residents have a great appreciation of the knowledge these kids have today; they see the kids as smart and worldly."
And while there are dozens of other activities at Cedar Bay, Strom said some residents participate only in the visits from St. John's students.
"We won't tell them the program will end until it's over. There's no need to upset them earlier than necessary," she said.
On a recent Thursday, about 20 residents and the same number of kids paired off for a game of bingo.
"It's a lot of fun to have the kids come here," said Ruth Bixler, a Cedar Bay resident. "They're so enthusiastic. I look forward to the different grades coming out here."
Williams said the connections shared between the elderly and the children are important.
"The laughter and the energy that comes from these visits bring a lot of vitality to the residents," he said.
He added that the program also helps youngsters become more familiar with the elderly.
"A child may feel comfortable around their grandparents, but not other older people," Williams said. "If they can become accustomed to someone in a wheelchair or a walker, it breaks down barriers."
From the Dec. 14, 2003 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Mountain guide reaches out to boost rescue efforts
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Dec. 6, 2003
Dave Hanning makes his living in simultaneously beautiful and potentially dangerous terrain as an international mountain-hiking guide.
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He makes his home in Salt Lake City, Utah, but finds time to come home to Cedarburg to visit family during the holidays, although projects to make other people's lives better seem to occupy his mind these days.
You can usually find Hanning on the summit of Mount Rainier or other such vistas, but it was a climbing trip near Orizaba, Mexico, that inspired one of his most ambitious efforts.
"Two of my good friends, Monty Music and Alan Scherer, and I were climbing in Mexico, when Monty became ill," Hanning said. "We encountered the rural Mexican rescue effort, which turns out to be next to nothing."
Music was stricken with pulmonary edema while hiking in the high altitude. This condition, fairly common among climbers, occurs when fluid accumulates in the lungs, blocking transport of oxygen into the blood.
"It was serious enough for us to be concerned," Hanning said.
On average, there are more than a dozen rescues a year for injured climbers near Orizaba, about 150 miles southeast of Mexico City. About 2,000 climbers a year attempt to climb Pico de Orizaba, and more than half of them are Americans.
There are no rescue vehicles equipped to travel the five- to six-hour round trip to and from the base camp on heavily rutted, rough dirt roads.
"This terrain would eat up most four-wheel-drive trucks," Hanning said.
So Hanning became involved in an effort to purchase a reinforced four-wheel-drive pickup, have it outfitted with emergency equipment and donate it to a Rotary Club in the Puebla area. The ambulance could extract people who are ill and also people who need to be rescued from the three large and high mountains in the region, he said.
Hanning says the local residents have been using an old 4x4 Dodge to evacuate people from the mountain. It's more rugged than a sport utility vehicle you would find in the U.S., he said, but doctors can't respond to incidents on the mountain.
After the group was able to get Music stabilized, Scherer became determined to help give the Mexican community some much-needed equipment to deal with medical emergencies.
Scherer is a member of the Sunrise Rotary Foundation in Tucson, Ariz., which is overseeing the ambulance project.
"We need the ambulances, equipment and tools for transport," Hanning said. "It was initially started from private donations from guides, then Alan went to his Rotary Club with the project and they said, 'Let's do it.' "
About 1 million people live in the area at relatively high altitude. "It's an underserved area where many field workers tend corn crops, small sheep herds . . . and where many people die because of poor extraction and lack of service," Hanning said.
So far, about $40,000 has been raised for the project, and Hanning hopes the ambulance can be delivered to Mexico early next year.
Hanning grew up in Shorewood. He graduated from Shorewood High School in 1988 before his family moved to Cedarburg, and he went on to study history at the University of Minnesota.
Hanning wasn't daring as a kid, as one might expect from someone who has no trouble climbing 10,000 or even 20,000 feet above sea level. Instead, he engaged in outdoor activities, but not necessarily the extreme sports. He played soccer and did a little skateboarding.
"I joined the Boy Scouts," Hanning recalled. "That's where I learned about wilderness camping. At camp in Boulder Junction, that's where I discovered minimum-impact camping. We'd take canoe trips that lasted almost two weeks, and that's what got my attention and started my interest in the outdoors."
Hanning's family still lives in Cedarburg, and he visits as often as possible.
He says family members support his unusual lifestyle - although it took a while for them to get on board.
"My family didn't always understand my need to be in the mountains," Hanning said. "I know I'm very lucky to get to do what I do, and I do it my own way. When you do something your own way, there's a little more pride and joy in the accomplishment. My family sees the joy I take from what I do."
Brewing up a niche in Mequon
Coffee shop owners think spaciousness will keep business perking
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Nov. 29, 2003
Mequon - A forte may be viewed as something an individual is particularly good at - a strong point in action.
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Cafe Forte owners Fred and Betty Rubner, who just opened a new coffeehouse in Mequon, appear to have found a niche in an increasingly crowded field.
If coffee is a beverage that brings people together, then Cafe Forte may be the venue where individuals were intended to meet.
The Rubners have paid their dues in the restaurant industry, cutting their teeth on Gloria Jean's franchises.
In a market in which coffee shops are springing up all over, the Rubners believe they have created a unique atmosphere.
"I don't think the industry is saturated with this particular concept at all," Betty Rubner said. "We've certainly done our homework. I don't think we've traveled to any city during the last 10 years where we didn't visit a coffee shop wherever we were."
A place for families
The owners believe the spaciousness of the business at 10530 N. Port Washington Road may be a selling point.
"You can bring your children in here, and there's a little toy area," Fred Rubner said. "This is something we never saw. It wasn't like we saw this concept somewhere and said to ourselves, 'Yeah, we're going to do that.'"
The cafe was something that evolved from their knowledge of coffee and from what they needed as human beings, Fred Rubner says.
"We had the experience in the coffee business, what we realized most of the communities lacked was the real meaning of what coffee is all about," he explained. "We feel that coffee should be nothing short of an experience.
"If a mother has dropped her children off at school, she can come here with her preschool-aged kids and watch a DVD, and the mothers can visit with one another."
One of the unique concepts of the cafe is the conference room that is made available, free of charge, to anyone who reserves it.
"There's really no place for meetings in a business setting or away from home in this area," says Maggie Sanderson, the cafe's general manager. "So, that was our thought process when we put this room in primarily as a conference room. We've had bridge clubs, Bible study groups, quilt weavers and business meetings."
Sanderson says the staff has been trained to accommodate what the customers want.
"We're looking to help you with anything you need," she said. "We're willing to go the extra step and make them comfortable."
Featuring local artists
Work by local artists, friends and people they know adorn the cafe walls, says Betty Rubner, who is also a painter.
In addition, the cafe has live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights, featuring musicians and poets from the area.
"Our entertainment is all local and we try to stay with only local suppliers. People like that because they know you're supporting local businesses," she said.
The cafe offers both flavored and traditional coffees, teas and blended coffee drinks and the serious coffee drinker can buy beans in bulk. Each day the cafe offers fresh sandwiches, salads and fruit cups.
It's Fred Rubner's contention that coffeehouses can fill a void in people's lives, especially since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
"Since 9-11, you could see signs of people coming together as families and they were looking for somewhere to hang out and feel at home," he said. "Sometimes we need to get away from home and spend some time in a neutral setting. This place has interesting little niches for a lot of people."
Sanderson says the cafe is more concerned about people coming back than sheer volume of customers.
"We want people to sit down and relax, and we'll take care of the rest. We believe that if you welcome people, they will come back," she said.
Which college student made the 'Jeopardy' semifinals?
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Nov. 22, 2003
A Concordia University student who appeared on the popular game show "Jeopardy" pulled off a come-from-behind victory to advance to the semifinals of the show's annual college championship last week.
Heather Groggel didn't quite make it to the final round, but the self-confessed "Jeopardy" fanatic says she still walked away with an experience of a lifetime.
The college championship was taped at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.
In the first week, each player appeared in one of five shows. Groggel won her match in dramatic fashion, beating out the other two contestants who were way ahead in earnings going into the Final Jeopardy round.
"I barely got any questions right," Groggel said. "I was in third by quite a large margin - about $5,000 behind the second-place person. The Final Jeopardy category was state capitals and I figured it wasn't going to be an obvious one."
Groggel correctly named two of three state capitals with only five letters in their names. Her answer was Boise, Idaho, and Salem, Ore. The third is Dover, Del.
"I wasn't sure if my answers were right, but I knew I had to write something down," Groggel confessed. "I bet everything I had except $200. I didn't want to get to zero."
As it turns out, the other two contestants wagered against each other and neither came up with the right answer.
And, as quick as you can say "potent potables," Groggel was on her way to the semifinals.
In the second week, the nine semifinalists competed in three shows for a place in the two-game final match.
Groggel, who's from Oxford, Ohio, is a junior at Concordia University in Mequon, and is majoring in Lutheran elementary education.
Several Concordia students, as well as her parents, made the trip to Yale to support Groggel.
"I had five friends that drove out 15 hours overnight," she said. "It was great to have them there."
A huge fan of the show since she was young, Groggel tried out for "Jeopardy" during her freshman year. She passed an initial contestant test but wasn't selected to appear on the show.
"That got me excited," Groggel said. "After I did that, I thought, 'I really want to do this.'"
In September, Groggel drove from her home to Indianapolis, where the show was recruiting players.
"It's only an hour and a half from my house, so I took the test again. We participated in a mock game so they can see your personality and how you'd come across on television," Groggel said.
After she learned she made the cut as a contestant, Groggel had about a month before taping began.
"I'd watch the show and go through some quiz books to prepare," Groggel said. "The show covers so much material. You just never know what you'll get."
The producers of the show arranged for Groggel to fly out Nov. 12. They taped Nov. 14 and 15, and she returned home the next day.
Groggel says meeting Alex Trebek, one of television's most recognizable and imitated hosts, was rather anticlimactic.
"We didn't even realize he was on the stage. He was just there," she said. "He doesn't really talk to you except during the game; I think that's just how he is."
She was more impressed with the television set.
"The set was really cool," she said. "It looks exactly as it does on television with the big board."
After returning home, Groggel joined her friends at the Falcon's Nest at Concordia, where they watched her improbable victory.
"It was a lot of fun. I didn't expect the reaction from the students," Groggel said. "They'd cheer me when I got a correct answer and they'd boo the other contestants when they were introduced."
Student players wear a sweat shirt with their school name emblazoned on the front for the entire nation to see.
"I got a Concordia sweat shirt from Dr. Patrick Ferry, the president of the university," Groggel said. "They've been supportive the whole time."
The show in which Groggel appeared in the semifinal match aired on Wednesday. Groggel won $5,000 for reaching the semifinal. Even though she didn't win the grand prize, she remained upbeat about the experience.
"My goal was to get to the semifinals, and I got to the semi-finals," she said. "I really didn't think I'd make it to the finals. The two guys I played against were fast on the buzzer. Sometimes you get into a rhythm, and I wasn't able to answer very many.
"I wasn't upset. I can always say I won a game on 'Jeopardy.'"
Germantown gets the Giggles
Club finds a niche bringing big-name comedians to 'burbs
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Nov. 15, 2003
Germantown - It's the intensity of the laughter that counts, not the population of the town from which the amusement originates.
Jesse Borowski opened Giggles Comedy Club Pub in September 2000 with the belief that a smaller community like Germantown could sustain a club on the competitive comedy circuit.
"At first we looked at the demographics in Germantown and realized there weren't many places for people to go, and we thought we could get the comedy niche going," Borowski said.
The pub has shows Thursday through Saturday nights; on Sundays, it usually hosts private fund-raisers for a variety of groups.
Giggles has a 2,000-square-foot pub that seats about 90 people and a 4,000-square-foot theater with a capacity of 250.
In the 1980s, comedy clubs sprang up around the country. Many of those clubs seemed to have overplayed their collective hands by the early 1990s, closing almost as rapidly as they opened.
Borowski says the comic landscape once again started to change by 2000.
"I think Comedy Central on cable was doing a pretty good job in reviving comedy in the late '90s," he said. "Comedy was definitely making a comeback, and there were a lot of television shows that featured stand-up comics. Tim Allen was on 'Home Improvement,' Roseanne was going strong. Those factors gave my wife, Gabby, and I the confidence to open the club."
National acts appear
Recent bookings at Giggles have include national acts like Frank Caliendo, Kevin Pollak, Bob Goldthwait and Dom Arerra. And Aisha Tyler, former host of the E! network's "Talk Soup," will perform Friday and Saturday. Tyler now has a role on the hit sitcom "Friends."
Contrary to what one might think, it's not that difficult to get comics to come out to Germantown. Borowski says that once comedians come to Giggles to perform, they get a feel for the family setting and seem to be comfortable.
"I think it's a welcome stop for them on the road," he said. "We're a family-owned, suburban club, and Kevin Pollak seemed to enjoy that. He and I went out for coffee together and he was very warm to people who greeted him and asked for autographs."
The club uses an agency for some of its bookings, but many come through word of mouth. Once a comedian works Giggles, he or she will suggest a colleague to Borowski.
"They will say, 'You've got to book this guy, he's hilarious.' " He added, "I'm proud to say I've developed relationships with a lot of these performers."
Most customers are local
Borowski says he draws a lot of patrons from Milwaukee, but his largest group of customers comes from Menomonee Falls, Sheboygan and West Bend.
"We do quite well with some of the folks that don't feel like the long drive into the city. The club is just off U.S. Highway 45 at Mequon Road and Squire Drive.
"Overall, we've met and exceeded our expectations in terms of customers. We have a lot of regulars that come through on a regular basis," Borowski said. "Most of our crew that works here has been with us since the beginning."
Among the frequent customers at Giggles is Lynn Pollpeter, a Germantown resident who said she finds her way to Giggles a couple of times a month.
"What's kind of neat about Giggles is the fact that it's got a downtown feeling without the parking problems and the congestion you find in the city," she said.
"It's kind of like the bar in the 'Cheers' television show," she said. "Jesse and Gabby are always so pleasant. We can go in for a pizza and happy hour before the show to congregate and talk."
Pollpeter is impressed with the lineup Giggles is able to attract.
"The acts they bring into the pub are awesome," she said. "We're definitely lucky to have a place like this so close to home."
Borowski believes it's also important to promote the unique nature of live performance.
"We've found a nice niche of customers that come out to see us," Borowski said. "So, when our shows are sold out, I'll recommend the clubs in Milwaukee. I'd rather have them grow accustomed to going to see a comic than watch television."
While Giggles in located in a quiet suburban community that he describe as "kind of a sleeper town," that hasn't hindered his rather grand aspirations for himself and his club.
"I would love Giggles to become to Germantown what Lambeau Field is to Green Bay," he said. "I'd like to be that closely identified with the town."
Safety move: Gun owners can get free locks
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Nov. 8, 2003
Area law enforcement officials say they hope a new program expected to provide nearly 500,000 gunlocks to gun owners throughout Wisconsin will decrease the likelihood of children getting injured or killed in accidental shootings.
Project ChildSafe, which kicked off in Wisconsin in late October, calls for distributing the free locks and educational materials at 352 locations in Wisconsin, including the Mequon, Newburg, Saukville, Thiensville, Jackson and Grafton police departments.
About 210,000 cable-style gunlocks have been given to law enforcement agencies for distribution to gun owners. A total of 465,500 will be passed out during the next year.
ChildSafe, supported by a U.S. Department of Justice grant and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, is a component of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Gun owners who want a lock will be asked to use them only on their weapons and not for any other purpose.
Capt. Mike Keller, a 26-year veteran of the Port Washington Police Department, welcomes the program.
"We're hoping to assist gun owners in securing their weapons and in making their homes ultimately safer," Keller said. "Fortunately, I don't recall any accidents with guns during my years of service in Port Washington, but that's not to say potential doesn't exist."
Port Washington police have gunlocks to hand out at no cost.
Keller said that the department has been receiving a steady stream of calls for the locks and that people have stopped by the station as well.
"I don't see any down side to the program," Keller said. "The theory behind it is great, but it's important that the locks are used properly. If someone doesn't know something, all they need to do is ask. We promote that. . . . If the public has questions, they shouldn't hesitate."
Part of the solution
The program was also endorsed by Lt. Jeff Johnston of the Sheboygan Police Department.
"The locks help us ensure that people will lock up their weapons to prevent an accident or tragedy," he said. "It also provides a chance for parents to talk to kids about gun safety."
Johnston says it's important that gun owners look at the locks as one component of firearm safety and not a panacea to all the potential dangers. He says he's concerned about a potential false sense of security on the part of gun owners.
"The locks are a part of the puzzle," he said. "I'm hoping the locks heighten awareness and remind people of the dangerous side of having a weapon."
West Bend Police Chief Ken Meuler said his department also supports the gun lock program, even though it is not distributing the locks.
"The Sheriff's Department is located in the city of West Bend," Meuler said. "Anyone who wants one can get one at the Washington County Sheriff's Department."
Locks not panacea
Meuler says officials decided to have only one law enforcement agency in West Bend distribute the locks to alleviate confusion.
While the chief sees merit in the program, he - like Johnston - said it's only one of the many ways to ensure gun safety.
"A gunlock itself is a great idea, especially in a home with kids," Meuler said. "There is more to the issue. People should be aware of all the safety tips - keeping ammunition in a separate spot, taking gun safety classes."
The same view is echoed by Washington County Sheriff's Sgt. Martin Schulteis.
"The locks are a great idea," he said. But when gun owners come to pick up their locks, "we make it clear that this is just one of many safety precautions people can take. The locks are not a cure-all."
Program generates interest
Schulteis says there has been a lot of interest in the gunlocks so far.
"We've had a lot of wives come in to pick up the locks," he said. "They wanted to make sure the guns in their home were secured; they are concerned. Half of the people that have come in for locks have requested them for handguns; the other half for hunting firearms."
The Ozaukee County Sheriff's Department received about 1,800 gunlocks.
"We want to keep all of our citizens - especially our children - safe," Sheriff Maury Straub said in a statement. "This is a unique opportunity to be proactive in promoting gun safety.
"There are many tragic deaths and injuries that could be prevented through better gun safety, including the use of gunlocks," he said. "This program is a real boon."
Artists create a place for themselves
Cedarburg trio opens third-floor co-op
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Nov. 1, 2003
Cedarburg - Artists are an independent lot.
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It's not a competitive environment, it's more a helping and a learning atmosphere. The gals that started the co-op chose the artists, they'd heard about most of us and asked us if we'd like to show our work. 
The TreeHouse in Cedarburg is a gallery operated by the same people who make the artwork, a haven for those with art in their souls and a hankering to express themselves.
"What we have is an artist co-op," says Betsy Kaplan, one of three owners of the venture. "We've created a gallery run by artists, we supply and show original works of art produced by local artists."
Since September, artists on the third floor of the Cedar Creek Settlement building have been creating non-traditional works such as fabric collage, fused glass, painted furniture and bowls, metal sculptures, digital art and oil paintings.
Kaplan owns the co-op along with Jan Stensby and Deborah Lighthart.
"All three of us are artists, and we wanted to discover a way to display our art. Each of us had a vision of what would be original and unique, we sort of came together and joined our thoughts and visions," Kaplan said.
Kaplan says there are advantages to operating in a co-op structure: Artists can showcase their own work; they can make the major deci- sions; and they have co-op members working with them to help staff the gallery.
"Each of us has other responsibilities in our lives," Kaplan said, who is a social worker by trade. "We also take on consignment artists. I'd say most of our work is offbeat and original."
Kaplan says the term "funky" doesn't sound right to a lot of people, but it typifies what artists at the TreeHouse present.
The gallery encourages artists to bring their work into the store and work in front of customers.
"Our oil painter, Pamela Ruschman, sets up in the gallery and works in front of the public when she's in," Kaplan said.
The co-op requires each of the participating artists to work three days a month in the gallery in various capacities, as well as pay a portion of the rent. After that, Kaplan says, the artists earn 100% of the sale from their work.
Pam Garski is a nurse, mother and artist, not necessarily in that order.
She creates wearable art - jewelry made from copper enameling, stones, twigs and shells.
"It's exciting to be with other artists because you don't really have to say what's great about something, they just know," Garski said.
The co-op provides a creative atmosphere where members bounce ideas off each other, Garski says.
"It's not a competitive environment, it's more a helping and a learning atmosphere. The gals that started the co-op chose the artists, they'd heard about most of us and asked us if we'd like to show our work."
Garski says she has sold a lot of her work at the store, even though it's been open less than two months.
"I've made some money, I try to make my work affordable," she said. "I can't stand going into a place and not be able to afford something. What's nice for me as an artist is three days a month I get to hear the feedback from people looking at the art."
Tree-cutting program lets students climb to top
MATC's Mequon branch teaches ups, downs of 'dropping' timber
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Oct. 25, 2003
In school, a dentist-in-training is granted the opportunity to work on the choppers of willing volunteers before they ask you to "open wide" in private practice.
In keeping with that methodology, the horticulture program at Milwaukee Area Technical College's Mequon campus has created a chance for aspiring arborists to hone their craft in the field before they "drop" a tree in a public or private setting.
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Mike Wendt teaches horticulture at MATC and takes his students into communities throughout southeastern Wisconsin to work on real trees while they crack the textbooks. His students trim trees in Cedarburg, Mequon, Grafton, Hales Corners, Greenfield and Wauwatosa.
"What we do is pretend there is a garage nearby or a greenhouse when we remove a tree," Wendt said. "We want to take everything down in a way so that we have complete control of the limbs we're removing and to do that out in the field is really the best scenario."
The real-life situations, most in parks, give students the chance to implement "rigging" strategies and determine the best manner to bring down a tree to avoid damage to structures and bystanders.
"The courses are designed to give students practical field experience," Wendt said. "These students get better training doing this than they would on the job because they don't have the time on the job to try this or try that. We want to do this in a situation that's not critical."
Working students
Wendt said many of the students who take his classes already have jobs with tree service companies or landscape services.
"Employers will send the students to MATC to get training for the job they currently have. If they don't already have a job, employers know if students take some of these classes, they will have a certain level of expertise coming in," he said.
The idea to work in public spaces came to Wendt when the school campus didn't have trees large enough to climb and provide a realistic setting. Wendt began contacting municipalities about working on park trees that need to be pruned or removed.
"We both benefit from this arrangement," he said. "Traditionally the kind of work we do is the work the city crews just don't have the time to go in and do, or in a few instances where they don't have the expertise to do a job. I've worked with six different communities in southeastern Wisconsin, and it's nice to be able to give something back to the taxpayers that support MATC."
Wendt says he's often asked by private homeowners and business to 'practice' on their trees, but he doesn't take them up on the offer.
"I avoid all of the private trees. We only work municipal, and I've got plenty of work to keep my students busy."
The "climbing and rigging" classes at the school attract about a dozen students each semester.
Zach Wren is a student of Wendt's who appreciates learning in the trenches.
"My company offers to pay for these classes to their employees so everyone has the same amount of knowledge, everyone knows the safe way to proceed," Wren said. "We learn to tie the same knots, make the proper cuts."
Different approach
Wren, who works for a company in Butler, says he learns a lot of different techniques from the field class that he may not be able to learn from another person on the job.
"Everyone has his or her own techniques and there is always a new way of learning stuff," he said. "This kind of a job you really can't learn out of a book. When you're 40 feet in the air with a chain saw, there's really no other way of getting used to it."
An acquaintance in the business piqued Wren's curiosity to begin climbing trees for a living.
Municipalities aren't going to look a gift horse in the mouth when it comes to receiving quality help.
"I think on our end it's definitely an advantage," says Ray Maurer, the director of parks and recreation in Cedarburg. "We also have groups from Concordia College that help us with some other projects in the parks. We have a lot of projects we're working on, and have to put some on the back burner. The help from the students speeds up the whole process."
Maurer says Cedarburg has worked with Concordia College for a number of years in various parks, keeping geese out of waterways and distributing mulch in various areas throughout the park system.
Raising awareness
Anti-family violence stamp getting local dedication
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Oct. 18, 2003
There are circumstances where pictures speak louder than words.
In this instance, the picture on a postage stamp is a chalk drawing of a little girl with tears running down her face, both of her arms raised above her head in a gesture of helplessness.
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The Stop Family Violence fund-raising stamp was issued nationally on Oct. 11 and local family violence groups will participate in a stamp dedication ceremony at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the West Bend Library. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
The stamp costs 45 cents. The 8 cents above the regular cost of a postage stamp goes to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which will fund domestic abuse programs across the nation.
Washington County District Attorney Todd Martens, who is scheduled to attend the ceremony, says the stamp highlights an issue that deserves more attention.
"The stamp reflects an increase in public awareness of domestic abuse as a problem," Martens said. "Domestic violence is largely underreported, and the public and law enforcement haven't taken the issue seriously enough."
Martens said 25% of homicides in Wisconsin originate in the home.
In 2001, the last year for which figures were available, there were more than 27,000 reports of domestic violence - a nearly 10% increase from the previous year, according to state figures. In Washington and Ozaukee counties, there were 580 reports of abuse in 2001.
Awareness is a critical tool in addressing and confronting domestic abuse situations before they turn harmful or lethal, he said.
"It's great to have the Postal Service recognize an issue that supports victim's rights," said Martens, who said he will use the stamps for his personal mailings throughout the holiday season and beyond.
Local officials to attend
Participants in Wednesday's stamp dedication ceremony will include West Bend Mayor Michael Miller, West Bend Postmaster Fran Bayne and Brian Myers, children's program coordinator for the Friends of Abused Families. A candlelight vigil will be held in honor of those who have survived domestic abuse.
Reba Pfannerstill-Kassin, associate director of Friends of Abused Families, said the introduction of the stamp is a historic event.
"Ten or twenty years ago, domestic violence wasn't even talked about," she said.
With the new stamp, "people can purchase something that will help our efforts and break the wall of silence."
Washington County victim witness coordinator Ali Krueger, who works with the district attorney's office on domestic abuse cases, is cognizant of the stamp's ability to bring knowledge and awareness of domestic violence to all families.
"It's way overdue," Krueger said. "One of the reasons the stamp is being issued may be the fact that domestic abuse isn't going away. It's here and it's happening every single day. In my opinion, the awareness issue will be greatly effected by the stamp - at least I that's my hope."
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The goal of the month is to celebrate survivors of domestic violence for their courage and strength, and to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives.
This will be the third fund-raising stamp issued by the Postal Service. The Breast Cancer Research stamp and the heroes of 2001 stamp were the first two. The Stop Family Violence stamp will remain on sale until Dec. 31, 2006.
Giving women, children a place they can feel safe
Shelter celebrates 25 years of fighting domestic violence
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Oct. 11, 2003
Hartford - We all deserve to be safe in our own home. A violence-free zone where we live is something many of us enjoy and perhaps take for granted.
And making sure that women and their children can live without violence is one of the top priorities of Friends of Abused Families, a women's shelter in Washington County that's celebrating its 25th anniversary.
"We've grown so much in last 15 years," said Ann Stoffel, the shelter's executive director. "We've been recognized by the Wisconsin Coalition against domestic violence, you're seeing more services provided, and awareness of the issue has increased."
According to Stoffel, during arduous economic times, incidents of physical abuse against women seem to increase.
"Abuse crosses all socioeconomic cultures," she said. "There is not one specific profile of an abuser, even kids learn real early. I've seen kids at the age of 2 who manipulate and practice control over their mothers."
Friends of Abused Families was incorporated in September 1978.
Through a grant from the United Way of Greater Milwaukee, the shelter was able to open an office in partnership with Citizen Advocacy in Germantown, staffed with volunteer outreach coordinators.
In 1995, the shelter added sexual assault services to its crisis intervention service. It also has a 24-hour crisis line.
The shelter also provides legal advocacy and one-on-one counseling.
Different types of abuse
Reba Pfannerstill-Kassin, associate director of the shelter, says people tend to be unaware of different ways abuse can manifest itself.
"Verbal abuse is very pervasive," she said. "For so many years we've focused on the physical aspects of abuse, rather than the emotional and verbal."
When someone inquires about the definition of domestic violence, Pfannerstill-Kassin tells them it's any pattern of behaviors designed to gain or maintain control over another person, including threats to harm or intimidate.
"We know abuse is a learned behavior and is passed down through generations. Without intervention, it will be passed on again," Pfannerstill-Kassin said.
"People need to take responsibility for their choices, show they're committed to changing their behavior and to take on the responsibility of finding a service to help them work on those issues," she said. "Right now, individuals that abuse their pets get more prison time than an individual that abuses their wife."
Should location be public?
A new issue facing the organization whether to make its location public. This is the trend among shelters, which previously have kept their locations secret for the safety of their clients.
Stoffel favors disclosing the location.
"The board is still discussing going public. We'd like to work with law enforcement to review plans and learn what security measures we'd have to have in place. Right now the perpetrators know where we are, it's the victims that don't know," she said.
Stoffel says it's a priority to provide extensive security for victims staying at the shelter.
"You must have a good security system, you just can't be too careful," she said. "We've had a few perpetrators try to get close to someone they've abused, but not very many. We have a very quick police response and I think the abusers know that."
Several women who now utilize the services of Friends of Abused Families said they opposed disclosing the location of the shelter.
The women, who did not want to be identified, said they're worried that abusers might come to the facility to harm them.
New outlook: 75 years later, 4-H still helps
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Sept. 27, 2003
This isn't the same club your parents and grandparents grew up with.
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The four H's stand for Heart, Head, Health and Hands, and they will all be required to help celebrate Ozaukee County's upcoming 75th anniversary with the organization. 4-H is the Youth Education branch of the Cooperative Extension Service, a program of the United States Department of Agriculture.
While common perception inextricably links 4-H club members with livestock, leaders want you to know some things have changed.
Today's members are building model rockets, organizing food drives, raising guinea pigs and delivering speeches before local government officials on issues that are critical to young people.
Anne Weyker is heading an organizing committee for Ozaukee County, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary with 4-H into next year.
"Our family has been involved with 4-H for a long time," said Weyker, who served as the Ozaukee County staff assistant for 15 years. "My children joined 4-H in 1969 and, altogether, we had five children that went through the program."
Weyker describes 4-H as a youth organization based around children who take on projects. She says while some of the projects do include animals, not everything has something to do with flora and fauna.
"Members go to project meetings with leaders and learn practical things," Weyker said. "There is this idea that it's all about farm kids showing their animals. We teach life skills, how to work together. In the long run, when you look at students that go through the program, they have solid communication skills, they're responsible, they're cooperative."
One of Weyker's duties as staff assistant was to get local newspapers and media outlets interested in the club's activities at the Ozaukee County Fair.
"I'd try to get a newspaper to focus on something new we were doing, but they always wanted to get a picture of someone washing a cow," Weyker said.
The Ozaukee 4-H has scheduled a walk-a-thon Oct. 5 to celebrate the anniversary and so far has 150 people signed up, Weyker said.
Walkers will start at Meadowbrook Park in Grafton and continue to the Justice Center in Port Washington, about five miles.
Weyker says she expects a lot of families to make the walk together.
"There will be things going on all year and hopefully we can generate some new interest in 4-H."
Weyker says 4-H members are compiling a 75th anniversary video that will be made available as well as a history book. The anniversary will be officially celebrated in October 2004.
Kelly Dobberfuhl lives in Mequon with her husband, Steve, daughter, Melissa, and son, Eric. The entire family participates in 4-H activities.
"A lot of people take their kids to soccer and drop them off, maybe watch," Dobberfuhl said. "With 4-H, we're able to participate with our kids."
Kay Buelke Schroeder, the 4-H youth development agent for the UW Extension in Ozaukee County, says she often is told about the poise youths develop through 4-H.
"What we hear again and again from those who have belonged to 4-H is the incredible speaking abilities gained from the projects," she said. "The chance to stand in front of an audience, they learn a lot."
History lesson outdoors
Re-enactors promote interest in life during Revolutionary War
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Sept. 6, 2003
It's been said that if you don't know your past, you can't know your future.
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You may have an idea as to how some critical events in the history of the United States unfolded, but sometimes it takes a vivid and technically accurate portrayal to really bring those events home, something that goes beyond the textbook.
The North West Territory Alliance is a living history organization formed to promote interest in America's Revolutionary War of 1775-1783. The group is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the study of the culture and arts during the American Revolution.
Last weekend, group members re-created a bit of history at the Ozaukee County Pioneer Village in the Town of Saukville.
Pioneer Village is a collection of historic buildings on Highway I and provided a realistic backdrop for staged battles of the Revolutionary War last Saturday and Sunday.
Almost all of the participants camped out in rudimentary tents at Pioneer Village on the Friday night preceding the battle re-enactments.
"There is a lot of research on behalf of those that participate," said Mike John, spokesman for the alliance.
"People from real units in the Revolutionary War are researched extensively. These days, there are chat rooms on the Internet for members to exchange information and discoveries."
During the rest of the year, when soldiers aren't shooting at each other, members repair and add to their uniforms and weaponry.
"This is a very family-oriented event, as the soldiers often had family nearby," John said. "Some of the soldiers' wives would accompany them on the battlefield and act as nurses, or they scavenged some of the equipment like ammunition and shoes, which were at a premium."
More than 200 re-enactors, representing 20 separate groups, depicted the struggle between colonial American forces and the red-coated British. The groups were a mix of colonists, professional British soldiers, French troops and German mercenaries.
Spectators numbering in the hundreds watched from atop a large hill as the soldiers maneuvered for position and began to scout out their enemy's position. Some of them were in the brush, others in the open. The weapons were loud, and at times the cannons could be deafening.
Other historic re-creations included the soldiers' camp life, 18th-century music and dance instruction, and a period fashion show for ladies and gentlemen.
Those who participate in this living history often catch the bug early. Scott Abig lives in Port Washington and first came to an NWTA event when he was 11.
"I'm 21 years old now and I belong to the Brigade of Guards," said Abig. "This is my 10th year participating in these events. When I first moved to Wisconsin, I came as a spectator to the re-enactment. They said I could come out, and I took them up on their offer."
Abig has done some research on the Revolutionary War.
"I read what I can," he said. "I portray an actual soldier by the name of Robert Bond who was a real soldier in the First Guard."
Abig said a soldier's rank was identified by the coats they wore, how many buttons they had on their coats and how they were sewn.
"You have to keep in mind that there wasn't a standard uniform," Abig said. "We have a tailor that can make our uniforms out of authentic patterns."
Break from Harleys
For Tammy Leonard of Grafton, the re-enactment provided a welcome respite from the Milwaukee area's Harley-Davidson mania. "It's peaceful out here at the Pioneer Village, and we heard buildings were brought in here from all over."
Leonard said she could smell the fires from the soldiers' camps when she arrived.
"It causes you to think of the energy, the basic sacrifice they made to go into battle," she said. "This is important for me and my family to see, it kind of puts things into perspective."
It's summer camp that offers a taste of Chinese culture
Songs, canoeing are part of helping adopted kids learn about heritage
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Aug. 16, 2003
Camping provides a great opportunity to get to know your counterparts. You rely on each other for shelter, entertainment and nourishment.
When the nourishment includes components of your heritage and culture, the enrichment can last a lifetime.
Milwaukee Area Families with Children from China sponsored an overnight Panda Camp last weekend for 27 area girls, most of them adopted from China, at the Silverbrook Girl Scout Camp in West Bend.
Panda Camps are designed to be cultural bonding experiences that allow families that have adopted children from China to come together to share thoughts and exchange life lessons.
Chapter started in '95
The organization is a group of families who have adopted or are planning to adopt children from China. A chapter of a national non-profit group was established in 1995 with a mission to provide a support network with social, educational and cultural activities that promote understanding and appreciation of Chinese heritage.
The girls attending the camp ranged in age from 5 to 10 and were accompanied by a parent. The children kept busy singing Chinese songs around the campfire, painting canoes and decorating them to look like dragons. The girls then participated in a traditional Chinese dragon boat race in the newly fashioned canoes.
Kate Muelrath is the organizer of the Panda Camp, which was held for the first time this year. She and her daughter, Lily, took part.
"I joined it even before I adopted Lily," Muelrath said.
Muelrath is a single parent, so she often answers questions from prospective single parents about the adoption process.
"Right now, China is one of the countries that is more open to this concept," Muelrath said.
Muelrath said that the international adoption process can take a long time and that people tend to become frustrated.
"It kind of goes back and forth. There seems to be times when the Chinese government is more open to it. If they change a law, then the logistics are affected," Muelrath said.
Different approach
She said the Panda Camp started after a group held a planning meeting and decided they had to do something different.
"We had a mini-camp two years ago," Muelrath said. "We did a lot of art projects. I'd never gone camping, and we wanted to do something overnight.
"We've already learned a lot of lessons from this one. We might try to do a longer camp next time. The Girl Scouts were instrumental in this event."
Among the girls attending the camp were Emily and Sarah Keehan of Cedarburg. Their mother, Wendy, said she understands the importance of her daughters' exposure to elements of their heritage.
Keehan said the camp provided families with an opportunity to get their children together with other adopted children, discuss adoption issues and ultimately allow all involved to talk about cross-cultural adoption more freely.
Last weekend, the girls enjoyed a traditional Chinese lunch.
"We eat Chinese food at our home almost weekly," Keehan said. "We get together as a group and celebrate the Chinese New Year. My girls feel 100 percent American. They do know they look differently than most of their friends."
This was the first overnight outing sponsored by the group, and 55 people registered. About half were children; the rest of the group consisted of parents.
"The girls discover a comfort level when they see other children that look like them," Keehan said. "My daughters don't speak Chinese, but a lot of the girls do. The research says it's very important to understand our children's culture."
Saturday lessons
Pamela Downing and her daughter Zoe also took part in Panda Camp. Downing created the Cricket Academy, an enrichment program that grew out of the group.
"The group rents a space and teaches the kids the Chinese language, about the culture, cooking," she said. The academy, which started about 31/2 years ago, runs from September through May on Saturday mornings.
Downing said another goal of the group is to inoculate the Chinese children from stereotypes and provide them with a knowledge of their culture.
"My daughter is very conscious of her Chinese identity," Downing said.
For information about Milwaukee Area Families with Children from China, contact Pat Thrams at (262) 593-2118.
Can't top the tank
Milwaukee-area fish enthusiasts sing the praises of the perfect pet
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Aug. 13, 2003
If you're a couch potato by nature, there may be a perfect pet for you.
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"Milwaukee is a big fish town," said Jim Kostich, who should know. He's been in the fish business since 1969 and is the manager of Aquatics Unlimited, 3550 S. 108th St.
"It's fun; it's a nice, relaxing hobby," Kostich said. "Fish are generally a lower-maintenance pet: no walking in the rain, no cleaning up in the backyard."
He explains that fish are perfect for someone who wants a pet companion but also wants one that doesn't require a lot of work.
"It's not too bad," he said. "If you get a decent-sized tank with adequate filtration, you only need to maintain the tank for a few minutes a day or an hour a month."
Although tank maintenance isn't overly difficult or time-consuming, fish owners still must be careful when caring for their finned pets.
"You don't want to physically play with or handle your fish," Kostich said. "There may be a small risk of some infections. I heard about someone getting an infection from some of the water he was siphoning from the tank."
The notion that people who keep fish are uncool is a misconception, said Jeff Michaels, the owner of Aquatic Clarity, a fish maintenance service based in Mequon.
Fish owners come from all walks of life, professional, and working families, he said. Often, fish are the only pets allowed in some residences, particularly apartments.
"Fish are very non-intrusive," he said. "You can go out of town for a week and not worry about them."
In addition, many businesses have fish tanks, Michaels said.
"In doctors' and dentists' offices, they've got people sitting in a waiting room," he said. "The fish are nice to look at. They're relaxing and therapeutic."
Unique issues arise when fish are in the workplace, though, he said.
"You get your office situations where you have a lot of staff," Michaels said. "In that type of scenario, either too many people or nobody at all ends up feeding the fish. That's where an automatic feeder comes in.
"It's not that the fish are necessarily going to overeat. They are in a closed environment, and if too much food goes in the water, it will rot, waste levels will build and hurt the fish."
Michaels said he developed his affinity for fish as a youngster.
"My dad kept fish when I was growing up," he said. "When I was in high school, I started working at a pet store and did that through college and a year or two after that. I majored in biology, so I guess you could say it's been kind of a theme in my life."
For now, he doesn't keep any tanks.
"I may have 50 or 60 tanks at one point, then none in the next," he said. "Tomorrow may be different. Sometimes it's too much to have a full-time job and take care of the fish, as well."
Warren Berg of West Allis, a corrections officer for Milwaukee County, also caught the fish bug as a child.
"I was 5 years old when my mom got my first tank for me," he said. "She purchased two black Moor goldfish and two Calico fantails. I remember those fish so well because my older brother killed them. He took a dart gun, took the suckers off and applied needles and shot them. He still thinks it's funny."
Despite that experience, Berg was hooked.
"A couple of years after I got my first tank, my mom couldn't keep me out of the ponds," he said. "I would catch goldfish in the pond after people grew tired of them and released them - that's if they didn't flush them down the toilet."
Berg says there is a distinction between people who keep fish and those who are hobbyists.
"I'm a hobbyist - someone that is into the technical aspects of the fish and their environment," he said. "A fish keeper is someone who might say, 'That would look nice in my living room.' "
Fish hobbyists can find themselves regularly digging into their wallets or purses.
Berg said he pays $200 a month to light his tanks and has subscriptions to magazines such as Tropical Fish Hobbyist and Freshwater and Marine Aquarium. "I can't wait for the new editions to get to the mailbox every month," he said.
"Lots of people ask me about my fish and think I'm a fish geek. I respond by telling them it's what I like to do. I'm not knocking other hobbies, but being a fish hobbyist is very intelligence-oriented and challenging."
Berg says that fish hobbyists and keepers have been around for a long time and that it's a growing hobby.
"Milwaukee is one of the better fish cities," he said. "Chat on the Internet seems to support that."
In Berg's basement are 13 fish tanks ranging from 5 to 100 gallons.
"I'm down here at least an hour a day," he said. "Some guys have more than 40 tanks in their basement. I know one guy that has his entire basement filled with tanks. He's got one tiny area closed off for the washer and dryer."
Global friendship
Exchange program uses 'citizen diplomacy' as step to unity
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Aug. 9, 2003
They say you can't pick your family but you can surely pick your friends.
Some friends have a hard time picking up the telephone, while others will travel halfway across the world to see you.
Ten members of the Friendship Force of Nelson, New Zealand, spent a week last month getting acquainted with life in the Milwaukee area as guests of the Friendship Force of Greater Milwaukee.
Based in Atlanta, the Friendship Force is a private, non-profit international organization that promotes "citizen diplomacy" through a short-term exchange program. Hosts open their homes to foreign guests, sharing experiences to eliminate barriers that separate people.
Mary Goeks lives in Cedarburg. She didn't host anyone this time, but she's done it in the past, including hosting a family from Nanjing, China, last summer.
"None of my guests had ever been to the United States before," she said. "You find you absorb their culture from living with them. We sat at the dinner table with a phrase book. The trip was arranged at the last minute, as it's difficult to get permission to leave China."
While in Milwaukee, the New Zealanders visited the Milwaukee Public Museum, the Milwaukee Art Museum and Lake Michigan.
"Showing people Lake Michigan is big on our list, as most people from other countries don't understand that there is a lake they cannot see across," Goeks said.
Goeks learned of Friendship Force from a friend who had participated and thought she'd enjoy it. Goeks says the program differs from others because it is only a one-week stay.
She says there are never enough visitors for all the members of the Milwaukee chapter to have a houseguest, so they have to take turns.
Several years ago, Milwaukee was the host chapter to a group from Cuba.
"There are lots of misconceptions about how we live here because people are acquainted with the movies," Goeks said. "I remember hosting two people from Moscow, and when they arrived they asked me if I lived in a big house. I responded that it was big enough for me. They were fascinated and took pictures of every room of my house. They explained how our central heat is something we take for granted. . . . In Moscow they hang carpeting on the wall to keep the warmth of the stove in."
When chapter members visit other countries, Goeks said, the hosts' home may be a two-room apartment.
"You sleep on the floor," Goeks said. "Some people don't have a realization that they're sharing everything they have and trying to give you a good time. Friendship Force is still right on track with its original purpose.
"The more people that are involved, the wider the understanding spreads. I would hope eventually there would be more understanding other cultures."
Lasting friendships are common as a result of the sharing.
"We visit back and forth. Last summer I had an individual come and stay with me that I had visited before," Goeks said. "Usually I try to prepare meals we'd normally eat. However, our chapter sets up dinner parties so the hosts don't have to cook every night, and our guests get the opportunity to see other homes and people."
The Friendship Force of Greater Milwaukee has about 175 members.
"Some of our members are doctors, postal workers, everyone is treated the same. Even if you can't travel, you can host. . . . We welcome new members and anyone who'd like to participate."
The Friendship Force of Greater Milwaukee is one of more than 350 chapters from more than 50 countries throughout the world. Milwaukee will host Russians under the Open World program in September, and in October members will travel to Trujillo, Peru, as guests of La Libertad Friendship Force, Goeks said.
"We try to foster peace and world understanding through individuals exchanging information and staying within each other's home to get a feel for what makes each other tick."
Booking comics is serious business
A funny thing happened to Port Washington woman on the way to law school
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: Aug. 2, 2003
Port Washington - Some people are innately funny, others have a gift of knowing comedy when they see it.
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Although she has never taken the stage in front of a microphone and a live audience, booking comics for clubs and festivals is how Samara Palubiski has earned her living for 11 years.
Palubiski's Port Washington-based Turner Talent Network secures comedians for venues around the country, with regular bookings in Milwaukee and Sheboygan.
She has worked with comedians such as Jay Mohr, Jim Breuer, Darrell Hammond and Tommy Davidson.
"I kind of fell into the business," Palubiski says. "My mother (Roz Turner, who now teaches comedy at the Comedy Cafe in Milwaukee) started the company (15 years ago) and I began doing some of the booking and learned a lot by listening to her and observed how she got things done."
Palubiski says it wasn't long before she was doing a lot of the work around the office. "I'd tell my mom, 'Don't worry about that show, I already booked it.' "
Working in the entertainment industry didn't get a nod of approval from both parents.
"My father is an attorney," Palubiski said. "He would have preferred I be an attorney or something with a more solid foundation. I gave some thought about going to law school, but I really started enjoying the comedy business. It's like my husband says, it's not a terrible thing to like your job."
The art of putting comics to work has a lot to do with building relationships.
"It's important to be a 'people' person," Palubiski said. "It's how you make your connection. Who knows if they're going to be the next Jim Carrey. Sometimes you have to walk a new performer through the process."
Most of the job relies on instinct. Palubiski's training is in psychology.
"I learn a lot from watching the acts," Palubiski said. "I also look at the audience. I watch them more than the show and use them as a barometer as to what people are looking for."
Palubiski says some new comics think they're going to be able to quit their day job and go on the circuit.
"What they don't understand is a lot of your life is spent traveling, living out of hotels or condominiums."
"Drew Carey worked very hard," Palubiski says. "When we booked him at Summerfest many years ago, he was living out of his car all year. He said it didn't make sense to pay for an apartment when he was living out of his trunk and condos all year."
She has booked acts in the Skyline in Appleton, the Blankenhaus in Portage, the Odyssey in Sheboygan and Pasquali's in Negaunee, Mich., as well as the Comedy Cafe.
Turner Talent does a lot of corporate bookings for conferences and seminars.
"Someone from a company will call me up and the first thing they are worried about is the comedian being dirty," Palubiski said.
"Most clubs these days don't want to book a dirty comic. I get a lot of information on a comic before I book them. You don't want to send the wrong person, maybe someone that specializes in that particular business."
Bands take a stand on illicit drugs
Washington County Fair opens with musical battle
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: July 23, 2003
Polk - You don't need a guitar, spiked hair and an amplifier to reach your audience, but in this instance, it seemed to work.
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Preview:"Battle of the Bands 2003," held on the opening day of the Washington County Fair, tried to illustrate how students can interact and have fun without the presence of drugs and alcohol.
Students from West Bend and Kewaskum high schools took it upon themselves Wednesday to send that message, hoping it would be more effective when delivered by peers and friends.
Their organization, Students Taking Action Not Drugs, or STAND, was created under the direction of Assets for Youth and the Council on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. STAND has the theory that teenagers are inundated with stern warnings from adults and the messages get tuned out and ignored.
Not so with advice from people closest to those who may need help, its members believe.
According to Linda Dymond, who organized Wednesday's concert, a group of high school students got together and complained there weren't a lot of fun things for them to do.
"Kids are telling us they want a place where they won't be hassled," Dymond said. "They don't drink or do drugs."
Dymond says she has 45 active members in the group, which had some strict guidelines for participants in Wednesday's concert.
"Songs can't be about drugs, alcohol or violence," Dymond said. "Bands have been told if they're cussing and swearing, they're gone after that song."
Nine bands appeared on the fairgrounds' stage, to the delight of dozens of spectators, while the group's members rated the musicians on sound, look, crowd appeal and whether their music was appropriate.
Brandon Dymond, 18, Linda Dymond's son, is the drummer for the band Flatline and a battle participant. "I'm part of an organization run by a bunch of teens that helps plan other drug-free events for teens," he said.
"I joined three years ago to help set up programs. I'm in a band, and I enjoy setting events up and playing in them. I think this event impacts a lot of people because it allows people from all over Wisconsin to come and showcase their talents."
Among those watching the battle was Dan Fedel of Germantown High School, who explained his support for the movement. "I hate drugs," he said. "I belong to a peer-mediating group. We deal with kids who have problems and don't want to go to a counselor."
Musician Seth Dougherty of West Bend East High School plays with Elements of Style.
"I think what we do matters because a lot of kids get together and listen to music," he said. "Drugs and alcohol can ruin your whole life. It can lead to depression and death. It can screw up your whole life. If people are only listening to our music because of the drugs and alcohol, then they don't really get the point."
Ham radio users step in for safety
Field Day event tests ability to rally during community emergency
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: July 5, 2003
Not everyone has a hobby that also saves lives, but that's what draws members of the Ozaukee Radio Club and hundreds of thousands of fellow radio operators around the world out for event like last weekend's Field Day.
Held at the Lazy Days campground near West Bend, members of the Ozaukee Radio Club honed their emergency preparedness and communications skills.
They hoisted antennas and sent out their call signs in hopes of reaching other operators doing the same.
To alleviate any confusion, ham is not an acronym. The theories of origin of the term are almost as numerous as the 700,000 operators nationwide.
Much like a boxer, when ham operators aren't in the "ring," they are busy training - and that's the reason for the Field Day.
Ham operators have become skilled in sending vitally needed information to facilities such as the National Weather Service during severe weather incidents.
They've been trained to communicate with police, firefighters and other first responders who do not use ham radio conventions during their normal work day.
"It is a hobby in the sense that all radio amateurs are strictly hobbyists since they can't charge for their service," says Stan Kaplan, the Wisconsin section emergency coordinator.
"It's also a vital service whenever there is an emergency. Throughout modern history, whenever there has been any kind of a disaster, it's always the ham operators that are first with communications in a particular area."
Ham radio operators work for the Wisconsin Emergency Management, Kaplan said.
"We supply emergency information to governmental infrastructure. It's purely voluntary, we cannot be paid as that would be against federal law. Society at large doesn't even know about us. The guy on the street wouldn't have any idea."
Kaplan says since Sept. 11, he's witnessed an attempt to incorporate volunteers into public safety. "We're seeing a rapid transition now," Kaplan said, "more acceptability of hams. "That's because police, fire departments, EMS, realize that in big disasters, they can't do it by themselves, there's just not enough equipment or manpower."
Leon Rediske is the vice president of the Ozaukee Radio Club and obtained his ham license almost 50 years ago.
"Once a month we have training for all sorts of potential accidents," Rediske said. "We train for gas leaks, hazardous materials, we train on rescue boats."
Rediske says some ham operators are trained as weather spotters.
"In the field, they will look for heavy rain, winds, funnel clouds," Rediske said. "They will report that information to a ham operator who works with the National Weather Service in Sullivan."
The ubiquitous web of radio security goes beyond dry land.
Jon Gilmore is the emergency coordinator for the Ozaukee Amateur Radio Emergency Service.
"When you call the Coast Guard, guess who responds," Gilmore asks? "A bunch of us hams that are out there on the rescue boats. A lot of the captains and crews on Coast Guard ships are ham operators. There are ham operators everywhere."
Gilmore says his emergency service has agreements with the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
"If there is a disaster, we'll be there. All the communications surrounding 9-11 were hams," Gilmore said. "All other forms of communication were out."
"If the communications goes down at St. Mary's Hospital in Ozaukee County, we've been trained to go in," Gilmore said. "We have an antenna there. We have direct communications with the Flight For Life. We can communicate with any emergency service."
"It varies how law enforcement perceives us," Kaplan said. "In Ozaukee County, they view us as an arm of emergency management. We are attached permanently to emergency management by common consent. We've had a good working relationship."
Kaplan says the ham radio operators aren't making the decisions at disaster sites, it's the law enforcement, or the shelter manager that dictates procedures.
"Hams are mostly conduits of information," Kaplan said.
Stay-at-home fathers now proudly fight convention
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: June 17, 2003
When you meet a couple watching over their children in a park, you can no longer assume it's the woman who spends her days at home with the kids. These days, more and more fathers are taking on the role of stay-at-home parent.
Jason Kauflin, who lives in Wauwatosa with his wife, Cindy, didn't grow up with aspirations of becoming a stay-at-home father, but after seven months with his 7-month-old daughter, Rachel, he may just as well have.
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Web Site:"Over the past few years, anytime the conversation of kids came up, my wife and I agreed that if one of us could stay home, we would for the betterment of the baby," Kauflin said. "I'm more domestic and better suited to be home. I do most of the dishes and house-cleaning chores because I want to."
Kauflin earned a degree in mathematics from the University of Dayton in Ohio. After college, he worked in sales and bounced around to different jobs as a result of corporate downsizing.
"After working for some so-so companies with so-so bosses, I've actually found something that's rewarding to do," Kauflin said. "I can't think of anything I'd go back in the corporate world to do. I think the older generation, no matter how much they support it, don't understand what I do by staying at home. I've had a few blatant 'whys' but essentially I've always been some sort of a non-conformist."
Kauflin says he's given up explaining his choice to those who just don't get it.
"I take my share of jeering and joking," Kauflin said. "I play hockey with a bunch of guys that say I'm freeloading."
Kauflin has taken his love of primary parenthood public and helped create a Web site with friend Paul Sawicki.
"I think it's important to offer some support to those dads who don't have help from neighbors and friends," Kauflin says. "At this point we want to have a weekly or biweekly play group, and hopefully it will turn into a night where the guys could get together and share experiences."
The efforts of Kauflin and Sawicki follow in the paternal footsteps of a father's group in Chicago that boasts more than 100 members. The group meets monthly and does a variety of activities together.
In November, Chicago will be host to a national convention of stay-at-home dads.
"They do workshops, they'll have a speaker in the morning, and they're looking for a comedian to speak to fatherhood issues," Kauflin said.
Dan Pelzek, who lives in Shorewood, is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A philosophy major in school, Pelzek understands the gift he's giving his 4-year-old son, Tyler.
"When he gets up in the morning, he doesn't get packed up and shipped off. He can have a little breakfast, maybe watch a little 'Sesame Street,' " Pelzek says.
"The stability of it is nice, as he's able to get the constant attention he needs," Pelzek said. "When I was little, we were shuffled about, so I think my being with him is a good thing. I'd like to think a lot of things we've provided our son has paid off."
Pelzek and his wife have welcomed a second son, 1-year-old Caleb, into their lives.
"When Caleb was born, it was a feeling like, 'Holy cow,' " Pelzek said. "When it was just one kid, I could time-out my day and sleep when Tyler slept.
"I have to say it's gotten better this year and we've somehow established a nap routine. People look at my life as a stay-at-home dad and think it's chaos. My patience is 10 times what it used to be. I'm more patient, more understanding."
Last year, Pelzek said, a carpenter doing some work on his home asked what Pelzek did for a living.
"I told him I was a stay-at-home father. 'That's great work if you can get it,' was the tradesman's response. You're definitely going against a societal norm. It's hard to break away from that," Pelzek said.
Gary Nosacek lives on Milwaukee's east side and is married to a physician. Nosacek said he appreciates the sense of security he was able to offer his five children, who range from elementary school age to college graduate.
"Knowing that one of the parents is there all the time is important," Nosacek said. "If one gets sick, they know there is someone there to get them. If there's something going on at the school, a little poem that they are reading, there is always someone there for the child."
Each of the stay-at-home dads acknowledged that being the primary caregiver has measured their mettle daily.
Pelzek says he has never met a person who tested his patience as a 3-year-old could.
"I never came close to losing control before. You just suck it in and let it go out," Pelzek said. "They really challenge you as a person to be your best all the time."
But he is happy with the decision he made.
"I haven't sensed a stigma about what I do," Pelzek said. "I don't think I can remember one instance where someone gave me a hard time or a look that said, 'That's not right.' "
Nosacek said he believes people have always looked at his decision backward.
"They didn't recognize that I wanted to be there for the kids. I wanted to be actively involved in their lives; I didn't want 'latchkey kids.' I know there are a lot more stay-at-home dads now than when I started," Nosacek said. "I have no regrets. I grew up to be exactly what I wanted to be. It took me awhile to realize that."
"It's pretty much lived up to everything I expected," Kauflin adds. "I'm able to find different ways to get done what I want to do. I made a contraption on the side of my baby stroller that is able to fit five clubs on the side," Kauflin says. "I take my baby to the golf range with me."
50 years - this calls for a celebration
Women spreading the word about Polish culture for a half-century
By JIM CRYNS
Special to the Journal Sentinel
Last Updated: May 27, 2003
No matter how you slice the anniversary cake, after 50 years together, it's going to taste especially sweet.
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Polanki, the Polish Women's Cultural Club of Milwaukee, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Polish Center of Wisconsin, 6941 S. 68th St. in Franklin. Since its establishment, Polanki has been dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of Polish culture throughout the Milwaukee area.
"It's wonderful to be a part of Polanki," said Monika Sobierajski, director of publicity for the club. "It's just a pleasure to be a member of an organization that has such a great history. It's important for a lot of the new members to see what others before them have done. A lot of younger individuals don't realize what's been accomplished; that's why the 50th anniversary was such an important milestone for the club. It provided an occasion for some to see what it was like during the early years."
Polish-Americans and Polish immigrants number more than 8.9 million; that's the ninth-largest ethnic group in the United States, club members said.
Polanki is most visible during the Holiday Folk Fair and Polish Fest. For more than 35 years, the club has hosted the Polish cultural booth at the annual Holiday Folk Fair sponsored by the International Institute of Wisconsin and has been responsible for the design and construction of the cultural exhibit at Polish Fest.
Polanki has over 150 members and is a self-supporting, non-profit organization.
The age of Polanki members runs the gamut, Sobierajski said. Most of the older members speak Polish, as it was their native tongue.
"From time to time, we do have people that come to the United States from Poland and end up moving to Milwaukee," Sobierajski said. "Those individuals and families tend to participate rather extensively with our events, as the club can act as a buffer while they become acclimated."
Sobierajski and her sister were born in the United States, but both of their parents are from Poland.
"We're constantly seeking ways to encourage and enrich our understanding of our culture and heritage," Sobierajski said. "We learn a lot from our older members. A lot of people use this organization to remember their culture."
Polanki goes to great lengths to promote Polish culture in the home and in Milwaukee-area schools. At the schools, the club sponsors presentations on the Polish culture.
The organization has donated more than $5,000 to help reconstruct the Kruza house, a former Polish homestead originally in the northern part of the state that was eventually moved to Old World Wisconsin in Eagle.
Throughout the year, Polanki invites speakers on Polish culture to its meetings and promotes public lectures and exhibits in the Milwaukee area.
Susan Mikos, a board member of Polanki for 20 years and a past president, was the keynote speaker at the 50th anniversary celebration.
"I think we've been doing something right for 50 years," Mikos says. "We've had to learn to change with the times, and that's helped us survive the last 50 years."
Mikos said her organization is sensitive to the changing cultural landscape and how that pertains to attracting newer and younger members. Mikos believes Polanki must constantly examine the demands made upon members to accommodate women in the workplace. Women working outside of the home was not common practice when the club was formed in 1953.
"I think attracting new members is a challenge for a lot of organizations, especially ethnic organizations," Mikos said. "There's always a crop of middle-aged people. It's somewhat difficult to attract younger people with families because they're busy with so many things. I think participation is important and it's a commitment, not just lending your name to an organization, but the time and energy is also a huge consideration."
Bernadine Jendrzejczak, the current president of Polanki, said she feels particularly fortunate to be presiding over the club during its anniversary year.
"I was really proud to be president in a landmark year," Jendrzejczak said. "This is especially rewarding during a time so many other clubs have gone by the wayside."