37 7 gIfTS fOR THE gIVINg - Coulee Region Women`s Magazine

Transcription

Do you think your
snoring is just a
pain to her?
Think
again...
FEIST DENTAL
831 Critter Court . Onalaska, WI 54650
IF YOU SUFFER FROM these symptoms, you could have Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• loud snoring • fatigue • trouble concentrating or staying awake
• waking up with headaches • waking up with a choking sensation
• perspiration excessively at night • dry mouth upon awakening
• depression • heartburn • sexual dysfunction
• frequent trips to the bathroom during the night
• restless sleep, tossing & turning • rapid weight gain
THE CARE
YOU DESERVE!
OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA OR OSA is a potentially life threatening
condition that is more common than most realize. Over 20 million Americans suffer
from this & don’t even know it! An apnea is when breathing stops for 10 seconds or
more while you are asleep. Coughing or choking sensations, which force you to
wake up or get elbowed by your sleeping partner are common signs. These abrupt
disturbances during sleep place signiﬁcant strain on your heart and cardiovascular
system. Snoring is often associated with OSA, although not everyone who snores
has this condition. OSA prevents air from reaching the lungs even though your body
continues its effort to breath.
Untreated sleep apnea can cause or worsen:
• high blood pressure & other cardiovascular disease • risk for heart attack
• risk for stroke • pulmonary hypertension • weight gain • migraine headaches
• hyperactivity in children • memory problems • impotency & sexual dysfunction
• depression & anxiety • job impairment • motor vehicle crashes
Dr. Jon Feist
Visit our Web site at
608.788.3384
1.877.788.3385
www.snoringlacrosse.com
zzzzzzz zzzzzz Sweet dreams are made of this...
www.FeistDental.com
When You
Love to Shop,
Shop the Best!
Enjoy the latest styles, a great selection of stores, the freshest
accessories and the convenience of the Valley View Mall Gift Card.
Barnes & Noble and 80 stores you’ll love!
American Eagle Outfitters • GAP • Talbots
Winslow’s Hallmark • Kay Jewelers • Hollister Co.
3800 State Road 16 • La Crosse, WI 54601
608.781.4700 • www.myvalleyview.com
A Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust Property
Gundersen Lutheran among
top 5% of hospitals for Women’s Health
Gundersen Lutheran Health System has received the 2009/2010
Women’s Health Excellence AwardTM from HealthGrades, the
nation’s leading independent healthcare ratings organization,
based on a recent study of patient outcomes. Only five hospitals in
Wisconsin received the award for 2009/2010.
Hospitals receiving this award rank among the top five percent of all
hospitals nationwide when it comes to providing care to women.
For all of your women’s health needs, choose Gundersen
Lutheran. Call (608) 775-8181 today for an appointment
or visit gundluth.org for more information.
CONTENTS
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2009
PROFILE
11
Leading by Serving
Barb Skogen gives back to the community she loves.
by Michelle Byom
FAMILY
14
The Women of Oktoberfest
For Mrs. Oktoberfest and the Grenadiers,
the Fest is all year round.
by Martha Keeffe
HEALTHY LIVING
17
Giving so Others Can Live
Organ and blood donations are gifts money can’t buy.
by Shari Hegland
GIVING
from the heart
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
21
Gifts that Keep Giving
Planned giving is a way to leave a legacy for
causes you believe in.
by Susan C. Schuyler
CAREERS
23
Local Women, Global Action
A small group of thoughtful women can change the world.
by Kim Seidel
NONPROFIT
25
Making Miracles Happen
Children’s Miracle Network helps create a bright
future for children.
by Janelle Roghair
WOMEN IN THE REGION
29
32
34
Incredible Edible Gifts
This holiday season, give gifts of great taste.
by Julie Nelson
RETAIL THERAPY
37
7 Gifts for the Giving
Wrap up your gift shopping with local treasures and finds.
by Melissa Hanson
DESIGNING WOMEN
Dogs and Their People
Renee Knutson coaches dogs and volunteers in
caring for a community.
The Fabric of Love
Generous quilters blanket the region—and the world.
by Lindsay Bonnar
by Heidi Griminger Blanke
HOME
FOOD
38
TRAVEL
Building a Community
The women of LABA give from the ground up.
by Fran Rybarik
IN EVERY ISSUE:
FROM THE EDITOR 7 | IN THE KNOW 9 | ACCOMPLISHMENTS 29
ADVERTISER INDEX 46 | COMMUNITY CALENDAR 46
43
Wonders of the Greek
Among archaeological wonders, find an individual moment.
by Charish Badzinski
ON THE COVER:
Pictured is Barb Skogen; photo taken at Hoch Orchard, La Crescent, Minn.
Photo taken by Janet Mootz Photography
Hair by Bellissimo–Jane Olson; makeup by Mary Kay–Trudy Swenson
www.crwmagazine.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2009 5
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FROM THE EDITOR
publishers
Diane Raaum, Doug Solinger
editor
Betty Christiansen
designer
Renee Chrz, Innovative Graphics, LLC
Marketing Account Representatives
Carol Schank
Claire Ristow-Seib
web master
Mader Web Design LLC
photography
Bruce Defries Studio Group
Janet Mootz Photography
distribution
Citywide Marketing Services, L.L.C.
Coulee Region Women is published six times per
year by Coulee Region Communications, L.L.C.
816 2nd Avenue S., Suite 600, Onalaska, WI 54650.
Subscriptions available for $17.95 per year (six issues).
Send check to the address above.
All unsolicited manuscripts must be accompanied
by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Coulee Region Women assumes no responsibility
for unsolicited materials.
©2009 Coulee Region Communications, L.L.C.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced without written permission from the publisher.
Coulee Region Women magazine does not necessarily endorse
the claims or contents of advertising or editorial materials.
Printed at Midwest Litho, Rochester, MN.
Printed in the U.S.A.
For advertising information
call 608-783-5395
www.crwmagazine.com
[email protected]
We want to hear from you!
Send comments, suggestions, ideas or original
recipes to: Coulee Region Women
Editor, 816 2nd Ave. S., Suite 600, Onalaska, WI 54650.
E-mail: [email protected]
contributed photo
Issue 46,Volume 8, Number 4
As Barb Skogen
points out in the
cover story, giving is
a skill best learned at
an early age. Here,
the editor's children,
2-year-old Eliot and
6-month-old Ivy, give
generosity a try.
S
everal months ago, I attended a very inspirational event put on
by two teachers and a class full of Longfellow Middle School
students. “The Road She Traveled” celebrated the culmination
of an annual project these students take on under their teachers’
direction: creating short videos featuring the lives of women
who give to our community in a wide variety of ways.
The project is impressive for so many reasons. First, there are the
teachers, Jeanne Halderson and Elizabeth Ramsay, who enthusiastically
and tirelessly direct 58 seventh-graders in finding, interviewing, writing
and directing the stories of these noteworthy women.
Then, there are the students themselves. The kids who presented that
night—and every student involved had a chance to speak—were poised,
articulate and clearly changed by the experience. Many reported on
what they had gained, from interviewing and critical thinking skills to
confidence and inspiration.
And finally, there were the women themselves. Sitting in the audience,
I found myself in amazing company: past and present subjects of
“The Road She Traveled,” all being honored for what they have given to
the Coulee Region. There was Justice Ramona Gonzalez, for example, and
artist Betty Kendrick. Misty Lown was honored for spreading her love of
dance throughout the community, and Mariel Carlisle for her commitment
to historical preservation. Amid all the accomplishment, generosity and
passion present at this low-profile event, I was overwhelmed most by my
own response: I, too, wanted to give. Big.
Giving begets giving, and the greatest gifts are inspired by the passions
of our hearts. In this issue, we’ll meet women who “Give from the Heart”
to our community and our world. You’ll meet Festival Foods’ Barb Skogen,
Mrs. Oktoberfest and the Grenadiers, and four-legged philanthropists.
You’ll see how some women serve the community through the La Crosse
Area Builders Association and Children’s Miracle Network, and how
others blanket the world with education, goodwill and even quilts. You’ll
learn ways you can give, from holiday gifts of food and treasures from local
merchants to spreading your wealth through planned giving and sharing
the ultimate gift of life through organ, blood and bone marrow donation.
Finally, an intrepid traveler gifts you with the true wonder of Greece—and
it’s not just the ruins.
If you haven’t had your fill of giving women after all this, you can check
out http://wiki.lacrosseschools.org/groups/theroadshetraveled and explore
the inspiring work of the next generation of givers. Who knows? Next year,
they may call on you.
Coulee Region Women is now on
!
Be sure to sign up as a fan at www.crwmagazine.com to share
your thoughts on our stories and learn more about upcoming events.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
THE LAW OFFICE OF
HEIDI M. EGLASH RElocating
to Serve You Better
Gundersen Lutheran
clinical manager
appointed to WCMH
Franciscan Skemp
Welcomes Obstetrician/
Gynecologist
Attorney Heidi M.
Eglash has established
an independent law
firm, after more than a
decade in corporate and
small firm practice. The
Law Office of Heidi M.
Eglash, LLC, will open
in October at Spruce
Center, 1212 Horton
Street, Suite 100, near the intersection of
South and West avenues in La Crosse.
Working in the areas of business law,
estate planning, elder care, real estate, debt
and financial management, as well as probate
and trust administration, Eglash explains,
“We assist clients in understanding how
the law interacts with personal or business
affairs, managing their resources wisely and
in keeping with their goals. We can help in
a crisis but aim to avoid future problems
with preventive legal planning. In our
new location, my team and I will continue
to offer personalized legal services and
solutions, peace of mind and resolution.”
Call 608-406-4356 or visit www.
eglashlawoffice.com.
Gundersen
Lutheran’s clinical
manager
for
Outpatient Mental
Health,
Sheryl
Gora-Bollom, MS,
LICSW, was recently
appointed to the
Wisconsin Council
on Mental Health
(WCMH) by Governor Jim Doyle
for a three-year term. The 15-member
WCMH, who advise the governor, are
made up of consumers, family members
and professionals who work with
mental health.
The council advises the governor on
policy and legislation related to mental
health, and evaluates the mental health
system’s progress toward achieving
improved client outcomes in the state.
Gora-Bollom has been employed
at Gundersen Lutheran in Behavioral
Health since 1987.
Melissa Nunn,
DO, recently joined
the
Obstetrics
a n d Gy n e c o l o g y
Department
at
Fr a n c i s c a n Sk e m p
He a l t h c a re .
Dr. Nunn earned
her medical degree
from the University
of New England in Biddeford, Maine,
and recently completed her Obstetrics and
Gynecology Residency at Mayo Clinic in
Rochester, Minn.
Dr. Nunn is board eligible and a
member of the American College of
Obstetrics and Gynecology and the
American Medical Association.
Her professional interests include, but
are not limited to, adolescent gynecology,
sexual dysfunction and minimally invasive
gynecologic surgery. Dr. Nunn will be seeing
patients in both Onalaska and La Crosse.
Travel Experts of
La Crosse Creates Memories
LOCAL
CHIROPRACTORS
SUPPORT TROOPS
The Mississippi Valley Chiropractic
Alliance, a group formed of area doctors,
is proud to announce its participation in
the third annual national movement of
chiropractors providing free chiropractic
care to U.S. military personnel for one year
upon completion of their tour of duty from
deployment in Iraq and/or Afghanistan.
“The members of the MVCA are
dedicated to serving those who have selflessly
served us, and we are honored to give back to
the men and women who have sacrificed so
much for our freedoms.”
For more information and locations of
the participating offices, please visit www.
mississippivalleychiro.com.
Petra Schmeckpeper and Renee
Paisley are excited to announce their
partnership with Travel Experts, a
Virtuoso agency that has been recognized
as one of the country’s most elite by
Conde Nast Traveler.
Having served the local travel
community for more than a decade,
Schmeckpeper and Paisley continue
to offer customized service, unique
itineraries and the ability to utilize the
resources of more than 130 partner agents
worldwide with access to exclusive tour
companies, hotel partners and on-site
destination specialists.
Call today for your travel inquiries;
office appointments are available.
Contact Petra Schmeckpeper at 507-8950419 and Renee Paisley at 608-780-6694.
www.travelexpertsoflacrosse.com
Save
the Date
October 25, 2009 • La Crosse Center
608.783.5395
www.theweddingmagazine.net
Accomplishments is a paid section featuring your business or organization. Call 608-783-5395 or e-mail [email protected] for more information.
8 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com
IN THE KNOW
Fashion
Cornucopia
The Women’s Clothes Closet
will hold its Fashion Cornucopia Style
Show on Saturday, Oct. 10, at Our Savior’s
Lutheran Church at 612 Division St., La
Crosse. Doors will open at 11:00 a.m. for the first
show and at 5:00 p.m. for the second show. The
style show will feature women’s and men’s fashions
from downtown merchants, including Chic Boutique,
CityWear, Dale’s, Funk, Kick, Lillians, Scott Joseph
Menswear, Three Rivers Outdoors and Touch of
Class. The event includes a gourmet meal, live
music and tours of the Women’s Clothes
Closet. Tickets are $25 and are
sold in advance only. All
proceeds will benefit the
Women’s Clothes Closet,
which provides gently
used clothing to low-income
women who are entering or in the workforce. For tickets, call 608782-3468 or visit www.oursaviorslutheranchurch.net.
The Wedding Party
Planning a wedding in 2010? You won’t want to miss the fifth
annual Wedding Party, held at the La Crosse Center Ballroom on
Sunday, Oct. 25, 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. From florists and photographers
to restaurants and wedding gowns, you’ll find all the local wedding
resources you need to plan your event. You’ll also be among the first
in the region to pick up the fifth anniversary edition of The Wedding
Magazine, co-published by Coulee Region Communications and
Weddings by Nancy. Tickets are available at participating businesses.
For more information and a list of participating businesses, visit www.
theweddingmagazine.net, contact Nancy Flottmeyer at 608-796-2257
or contact the Coulee Region Women magazine office at 608-783-5395.
GUNDERSEN
LUTHERAN
Women’s
Expo 2009
Mark your calendar for Gundersen
Lutheran’s Women’s Expo 2009, a
free event held Saturday, Oct. 24, at
the Onalaska Omni Center, 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Celebrate the joys of being a woman while learning
about healthy living and emotional wellness in breakout sessions,
demonstrations, exhibits, a fashion show, makeovers and more.
The Women’s Expo is pleased to feature author Mary Pierce of
Eau Claire, Wis., as the keynote speaker. Pierce is the author of
three books of inspirational humor for women, and is sure to
deliver laughter along with her heartwarming wisdom. For more
information, call 608-775-6861 or 800-362-9567, ext. 56861.
Read more at www.gundluth.org/womensexpo/.
Tiny Tim
Gala Grows
This year, the Tiny Tim Gala is
bigger than ever—a two-day event
that includes the Festival of Trees.
Sponsored by the Franciscan Skemp
Auxiliary, the Tiny Tim Gala kicks off
Friday, Nov. 13, at 4:00 p.m. at the La Crosse Center North Hall
with a viewing of more than 35 decorated trees, then continues
Saturday, Nov. 14, at the same location with an additional viewing
from noon to 3 p.m. followed by an elegant dinner and silent and
live auctions. Money raised will benefit St. Clare Health Mission,
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse, Riverfront Foundation
and SafePath. For more information, contact 608-392-9766 or visit
www.tinytimgala.org.
CRW Directory
Coming Soon!
When you need to locate a business or community resource in
the Coulee Region, don’t head for the phone book! The first-ever
Coulee Region Women-Business and Resource Directory puts great
service at your fingertips. Whether you’re looking for information
about local women-owned businesses, women’s groups, service
organizations or nonprofits, you’ll find whatever you need to help
meet your personal and professional needs. Look for your copy
wherever Coulee Region Women magazines are found.
Don’t miss
a single
!
performance
Eduardo Espinel
October 23 & 24, 2009
The
Conductor
Search
Season
608.783.2121
Tomasz Golka
November 20 & 21, 2009
Nobuyoshi Yasuda
December 18 & 19, 2009
Barnaby Palmer
January 29 & 30, 2010
Dregne’s
Scandinavian Gifts
March 12 & 13, 2010
100 S. Main, Westby, WI
1-877-634-4414
Daily shipping available!
Alexander Platt
April 23 & 24, 2010
Offering . . .
Beautiful selection of men’s, women’s
and children’s wool Norwegian sweaters,
Dale, Selbu, and Devold.
Baltic Inspirations capes, and Alpaca wool
sweaters and coats by Caamano. Your
complete source for Norwegian and Danish
limited edition Christmas collector plates.
Open Sundays starting November 29,
11 a.m. til 4:00 p.m. Open Mon.–Fri.
9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Sat. 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Yaron Gottfried
A Truly Victorian Inn
Start your holiday shopping here!
Jana
Dregne
• Lunch & Afternoon Teas; Tues.-Sat.
• Victorian Gift & Tea Boutique;
open Tues.-Sat.
• A “close to home getaway’ in the B&B,
each room with its own style & with private
attached baths. Jacuzzi Suites where you
will rejuvenate and pamper yourself!
Marie
Cimino www.westbyhouse.com
On Hwy. 14/61/27
23 miles Southeast
of La Crosse
200 W. State St.
Westby, WI
608-634-4112
Sometimes it’s embarrassing being a woman
“As I got older, I began to notice changes in my body. I had to go to the
bathroom so often it was affecting my work, my social life, and even my sleep.
I thought this was something I’d just have to live with.”
Millions of women experience incontinence, pain when urinating,
frequency and urgency of urination, and sexual problems.
Franciscan Skemp Healthcare has launched a new Pelvic Floor Clinic to help women
with this commonly occurring condition. The multi-disciplinary team is made up of
professionals from obstetrics-gynecology, urology, physical therapy, colorectal
surgery, acupuncture, behavioral health, and others as needed.
Many new treatments are available that can dramatically change the lives of women
with pelvic floor disorders.
To learn more, or to set
up a consultation, call
CARE THAT INSPIRES
(608) 392-9700.
PROFILE
Leading
by Serving
Barb Skogen gives back to
the community she loves.
by Michelle Byom
Photo by Janet Mootz PHOTOGRAPHY
Barb Skogen of Festival Foods, along with her husband, Dave,
gratefully contributes to the community that has given them so much.
O
ne senses titles are not important to Barbara
Skogen, as she stops to consider her own title
within the Festival Foods’ Board of Directors
(vice president). Neither are pretenses. She
is down-to-earth and enjoys working. She is friendly and
enjoys connecting with others. Skogen values her family, her
faith and giving back to her community.
The apple of her eye
Barbara Ann Elsie Mundt was the second daughter born
to teachers Clarence and Dorothy Mundt in Stanley, a small
north central Wisconsin town, in 1945. Her parents moved
Barb and her older sister, Michele, to Taylor, Wis., where her
dad was superintendent of schools and her mother taught
history and music. When Barb was in eighth grade, her
mother accepted a job within the La Crosse school system,
and they moved to Onalaska. “That was a tough transition,”
Barb says of moving during her early teens.
She first encountered future husband, Dave, in a
roundabout way in the Skogen’s IGA on Second Avenue in
Onalaska. “We could leave the high school grounds for lunch,”
Barb recalls. “One day, I walked to the grocery store and saw a guy
grab an apple off the rack and walk out the door.” Barb reported
the thief and learned he was the store owner’s son. “I earned a job
out of it,” she laughs. “I was hired on the spot as a cashier.”
They dated on and off, she graduated from Onalaska High
in 1963 and they married in 1965. Barb graduated from the
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and worked as a medical
technologist at Gundersen Clinic for nearly nine years, until she
and Dave decided she should stay home with their two young
children, Mark and Susan. That lasted two months. Dave’s father,
Paul, had just passed away, and Barb found herself working
deeper within the Skogen family business that included the IGA
stores and then Festival Foods.
Behind the scenes at Festival Foods
Although Barb has worked various positions through the years,
she primarily handled bookkeeping, payables
and overseeing the stores’ cash offices. The
number of Festival Foods’ locations continued
to grow. Today, the Skogens employ more
than 3,000 people throughout 13 stores in
eight communities within Wisconsin, and
they own a catering business in Green Bay.
Three years ago, Barb stepped away from the
day-to-day work within the company. Still, as
she sits behind her old desk, she hoists a thick
binder bulging with company documents
that she says took a weekend to pore through
and sign.
The need to serve
Barb’s life has not solely focused on
a career, raising children, assisting ailing
parents, helping with their grandchildren
(they have four, ranging in age from 9 to
13) or working within the family business.
She makes room for what she calls the need
to serve. “I enjoy being a service to others.
I’ve gained so many good friends, I have
broadened my horizons. I have learned
more from being on boards than I have been
able to give back.”
Barb’s calendar quickly fills with
meetings and committees she serves.
She is on Viterbo University’s Board
of Trustees, is active with Gundersen
Lutheran’s Medical Foundation Board
and is on the College of Business Advisory
Board at the University of WisconsinLa Crosse. Barb also assisted Onalaska’s
Omni Center in their growth efforts,
chairing one of their capital campaigns.
Near and dear to her heart is Bethany
Lutheran Homes, where Barb was president of
the board for four years and a board member
for 12. She also chaired the La Crosse Area
Chamber of Commerce for one year, and for
seven years was a board member.
Honoring commitments
It looks great on paper to be that
involved and committed, but does one really
make all those meetings? “If you make the
commitment, you have to stay committed,”
Barb emphasizes. “I like to be there,” she
says regarding meetings. “Besides, if you
aren’t, in your absence they might assign
you to a committee or job that nobody was
volunteering for!”
“When Barb is involved with something,
she is making things happen,” says longtime
friend Mary Jo Werner, a partner at Wipfli
who has served on various boards and
campaigns with Barb. “She is setting goals and
making strategic plans. Barb works to improve
things. I learn so much from her about really
giving just because you want to give.”
Barb also supports Dave in his endeavors
with the building and growth at the UW-L
stadium and the Onalaska area YMCA. That
facility and the community’s overwhelming
positive response is an example of how she
and Dave view giving back. “We don’t do
it to enhance our business. It comes back
to us personally tenfold, in receiving the
satisfaction that we have enriched and served
so many lives within the community.”
In addition, Festival Foods is a sponsor of
many community events and causes, ranging
from Steppin’ Out in Pink (Gundersen
Lutheran’s annual fund-raising walk for
breast cancer research) and the Salute to the
Fourth Pops Concert with the La Crosse
Symphony Orchestra and Fireworks Show,
to the La Crosse Area Miracle League Field
and the La Crosse Hmong Community
Center. Local scholarships and area charities
also have benefited from their generosity. In
fact, Barb and Dave Skogen were recipients
of the Outstanding Philanthropists award in
2007 from the Association of Fundraising
Professionals and were inducted into the
Onalaska High School Alumni Association’s
Wall of Excellence in 2008.
Teaching our children to give
Barb tells the story of how their church,
First Lutheran in Onalaska, incurred debt
with their second addition. Barb and Dave
challenged the congregation to match
their personal gift within three months.
“It was amazing to see the involvement
and response. From the youth holding car
washes and the little kids bringing in their
piggy banks, we met our goal.
“We are born as takers,” she continues.
“Babies take, children take. It is up to
parents to teach by doing. Children need to
witness giving.” Barb goes on to suggest that
parents teach their children to save money
for that special gift for a friend, to work at
the park, to volunteer their time. “Teach
them that it is not a free ride.”
Passion about giving back woven
into business culture
Festival Foods practices the Boomerang
Theory, a concept Dave embraces that is based
on an Irish grocery man’s book, Crowning the
Customer. The theory encourages them to
continually ask themselves with everything
they do in running their business, from
hiring to purchasing new equipment, “Will
it bring the customer back?”
“The premise is simple,” Barb explains.
“The core of our culture at Festival Foods
is Servant Leadership. To lead, you must
first serve.”
Barb’s passion about giving back—
whether it is her time and talents on a board
or their family philanthropic work—is
electric. “The people in the community
have supported us. It’s our obligation to give
back, and we find joy in doing that. You
stand back and look at the smiles and see
how the other people are enjoying it, and
that is reward.” D
A glance at Barb Skogen’s gifts of time
and talents in the community:
•Bethany Lutheran Homes
President of the board, 2000-2003;
board member 1988-1994, 1998-2003
•Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Board of Directors, 2006-present
•La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce
Chair of the board, 2003; board member 1998-2004
•M&I Advisory Board member 2004-present
Onalaska Omni Center, capital campaign
chair 2005-2006
•UW-La Crosse
College of Business Advisory Board, 2004-present
•Viterbo University
Board of Trustees, 2007-present
Michelle Byom enjoys good conversation during
an interview, and Barb Skogen was inspiring
and heartwarming, and her passion to give
back genuine.
Photographing your children
all the...
moments
of their
lives!
608.526.2266
www.luannsphoto.com
Put your
money
where your
market is!
If you want to reach women
ages 25–65+ in your
community then you need
to advertise in
7th annual
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009
Onalaska Omni Center,
10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Free admission
Mark your calendar for Gundersen Lutheran’s Women’s Expo
2009...a special day to spend with the special women in your
life! Enjoy a fun-filled day while learning about healthy living
and emotional wellness.
Breakout sessions • Demonstrations • Screenings • Exhibits
(area businesses/organizations and healthcare) • Fashion
show • Makeovers • Keynote speaker
magazine, the
highest quality publication
for women in the area.
For more information, call (608) 775-6861 or
(800) 362-9567, ext. 56861 or visit our web site
at gundluth.org/WomensExpo.
To advertise contact:
Carol Schank • 608-769-3161
[email protected]
Sponsored by
Charter Communications
[email protected]
CRW 1/3 Ad-Womens Expo.indd 1
9/8/09 10:15:12
www.crwmagazine.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
2009 AM
13
FAMILY
The Women
of Oktoberfest
For Mrs. Oktoberfest and the Grenadiers, the Fest is all year round.
by Martha Keeffe
Contributed photos
Above: The women of Oktoberfest 2008 include Royal Family members and a merry band of Grenadiers.
Right: Meet Mrs. Oktoberfest 2009: Barb Larsen.
O
ne hundred ninety nine years ago, Princess Therese
married Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria. In a
meadow outside the gates of Munich, Germany,
friends of the royal family were invited to celebrate
in wedding festivities so elaborate that horse races were staged—an
event that culminated in the participation of 40,000 people.
This celebration also served as a way for the citizens of Bavaria
to give thanks for their many blessings, specifically a fruitful harvest
and love, as illustrated by the union of Therese and Ludwig. It was
through this generous outpouring of hospitality that the spirit of
Oktoberfest was born and continues on today.
Values, such as a commitment to family, friends and community,
have been borrowed from those established back in 1810 and
provide volunteers of the La Crosse Oktoberfest Royal Family with
a positive foundation on which to promote the city of La Crosse.
And for the woman who is selected to reign as Mrs. Oktoberfest,
and the Grenadiers who “protect” her, the honor of representing
their community extends far beyond the promise of brats and beer.
Who is Mrs. Oktoberfest?
Mrs. Oktoberfest acts as an ambassador for the city of
La Crosse and Oktoberfest. Chosen through a nomination
process, those vying for the title must meet a series of
requirements: They must be (or have been) married, be
at least 40 years of age, reside within a 20-mile radius of
La Crosse and be actively involved with the community.
For Barb Larsen, Mrs. Oktoberfest 2009, the rise to royalty
reflects a combination of pride and continued involvement in her
community. She has served more than 15 years as a La Crosse Area
Chamber Ambassador, was an active participant in the Halfway
Creek Trails committee (which resulted in a walking/biking trail
between Holmen and Onalaska) and has received the YWCA
Outstanding Achievement Award. She has
also taught Sunday school, led a Girl Scout
troop and marched with various groups in
Oktoberfest parades as a chaperone—on
top of raising two daughters and teaching
business courses in Business Education at
Western Technical College. Larsen looks
forward to her new role: “It will be fun to
be part of parades and festivals promoting
the quality of life we have in the La Crosse
community,” she says.
And what exactly is a Grenadier?
Grenadiers were historically known as
uniformed escorts to the Bavarian Royal
Family. They earned their title through the
practice of carrying and throwing grenades.
Today—minus the ammunition—the
La Crosse Oktoberfest Grenadiers carry on
the tradition of escort by “protecting” the
royal family.
Dressed in brightly colored Bavarianstyle dirndls (dresses) for the women and
lederhosen for the men, the Grenadiers
enhance the pageantry of Oktoberfest.
“We walk next to the [Oktoberfest] float
during parades, dancing and singing while
surrounding the royal family,” explains
Kristie Arens, an Oktoberfest Grenadier
since 2008. “We help promote the annual
event in the surrounding area by attending
parades and visiting the fest grounds of the
respective celebrations.”
For Mrs. Oktoberfest and active
Grenadiers, this could easily involve a
full year of scheduled participation. Their
duties begin Oktoberfest week, when the
escorts are requested for the opening day
and the Maple Leaf and Torchlight parades.
Royal visits are also made to local schools
and nursing homes, where they entertain
their hosts with German folk songs, dances
and games.
And according to Marilee Zelewski, who
as Grenadier General 2009 coordinates the
Grenadiers’ schedule, the royal family is
blessed with a wide range of talent, which
allows their program to vary depending on
the abilities and expertise of its members. In
the past, themes have ranged from a focus on
the arts to nutrition—and with Larsen on
board as an avid perennial gardener, perhaps
gardening. Members may be asked to sing
along with an accordion to a traditional
German folk song, teach children about the
food pyramid and, of course, polka.
The royalty appear at approximately
22 different festivals a year, including local
favorites such as Kornfest in Holmen,
Catfish Days in Trempealeau and Applefest
in La Crescent, and some as far away as the
Winter Carnival in St. Paul and Festival
du Voyageurs in Winnipeg, Canada. “As
Grenadier Generals, my husband and I
have been able to choose activities that we
otherwise may not have done,” says Zelewski
of her experiences.
The gift of spreading joy
“I have always loved the energy that I
felt from the Oktoberfest parade unit as
they walked by,” says Heidi Overson, a
2009 Grenadier. “They—the royalty and
Grenadiers—always seemed happy and
presented themselves very well, bringing
joy and laughter to all the spectators. I love
to make people laugh and be happy, so I
thought it was a great place to be.”
Zelewski agrees. Grenadiers are selected
as married couples, so when she and her
husband, Terry, were searching for an
organization in which they both could
participate, Oktoberfest seemed like a
natural fit. “Oktoberfest is a very familyoriented group,” she says, adding that her
children, ages 9 and 10, have made a whole
new set of friends through their involvement.
“We can bring the kids to the parades, and
they can join us throughout the year. They
just love it.”
“The most rewarding and fun part, I think,
of being Mrs. O will
be the opportunity
to meet and greet
people all over,
including Canada,” says Larsen of her
upcoming reign. “I’m a people person, so I
should fit right in with these duties. Meeting
people energizes me.”
It’s about friends, community
and, of course, family
“I am using my Grenadier status to reach
out to as many people as I can,” comments
Overson, noting that she was drawn to
Oktoberfest because of its efforts to connect to
people throughout the community. “One of
the greatest feelings is to shake a child’s hand
during a parade and watch them light up. I
wouldn’t have that opportunity otherwise.”
Nor would they have the opportunities
to form some very strong and special
friendships. “The people we’ve met have
probably created the most memorable
part of being with the Oktoberfest
family,” says Zelewski.
As for working alongside their husbands?
They wouldn’t have it any other way. “My
husband will be accompanying me on all
of these ventures,” says Larsen of Terry,
her husband and greatest supporter in life.
“Being that he is recently retired, we are
looking forward to traveling to all of these
awesome cities and parades. Whatever we
need him to do, he will be there.”
And of course, there are some things
you wouldn’t do for anyone else but family.
“Terry looks great in his new German
attire,” Larsen adds enthusiastically, “even
the lederhosen!” D
Martha Keeffe lives in La Crosse with her
husband, Kevin, and daughter, Barrette. She
enjoys interviewing women who are active in
their community and encourages everyone to
discover their own passion.
Lynn Gundlach
spreads joy and
goodwill in the
community as
part of her role
as Grenadier.
HEALTHY LIVING
Giving so
Others
Can Live
Organ and blood donations
are gifts money can’t buy.
by Shari Hegland
Contributed photos
Gale Ross (left) received a kidney from his daughter
Fawn King three years ago. King said there was no question
she would help save the life of a terrific father and
wonderful grandfather.
H
Friday, they said we could do (the transplant) next
Monday or Tuesday,” she says. “I was in tears.” Days
“Now we really later, surgeons transplanted one of King’s kidneys
understand the in her father.
“I could feel the difference immediately, even in
true meaning
post-op,” Ross says of receiving his new kidney. “I
of ‘gift of life.’” felt that my vision was different. I had a tremendous
tingling sensation in my head, which the medical staff
said was toxins being removed. Now, every day is a
whole new world for me.”
Jessica Hubbard, a Melrose-Mindoro High School
senior, still had her whole life ahead of her when her
father donated a kidney to her.
“It’s like they gave me a second life,” she says of her parents.
The ultimate gift of love
“They saved my life, and now I have a new one.”
“There was never a hesitation, never a second thought,” says
Hubbard was just 7 years old when the kidney damage she
King of donating a kidney to her father. In early 2006, after 20
had battled her entire life developed into chronic renal failure.
years of battling kidney damage, Ross was approaching kidney
For the next six months, she sat through dialysis for four hours a
failure, and the doctors advised that he be put on the national
night three days a week. During that time, her father, Jim, battled
waiting list for a kidney transplant and prepare to begin dialysis.
red tape to be transferred from his military deployment in Korea
The estimated wait for a donor transplant was three years, “which I
and to get permission from the Department of Defense to donate
couldn’t make,” Ross says.
a kidney.
His wife, Sandra, and both of his daughters were confirmed
While her father’s recovery was tough, she was quickly back to
as potential matches through blood testing. King volunteered to
the life of a normal child, and today there is little the active teen
be the first to go through more extensive testing, conducted at
can’t—or doesn’t—do. She is involved in 4-H, FFA, cross-country,
Mayo Clinic on a Thursday and Friday. “At the end of the day on
olmen’s Gale Ross, a Realtor and retired
police officer, received the gift of life three
years ago from his daughter, Fawn King,
of Coon Valley, in the form of a kidney.
Mary Jo Rozmenoski of Black River Falls has seen
a life saved after the death of her son, Dustin. And
hundreds of Coulee Region residents every year both
give and receive the lifesaving gift of blood.
Incredible as these stories seem, they’re also a
reminder of the small steps each of us can take to
give of ourselves—literally—with life-changing, lifegiving results.
—Gale Ross
Mary Jo Rozmenoski addresses a group about organ donation. Her son, Dustin, died in an auto accident.
He had told his parents he wanted to be an organ donor, and they were able to honor his request.
track, basketball, academic decathlon,
student council and more.
“I have a great life,” she says. “I’m just
so grateful.”
Seeing new life through death
Mary Jo Rozmenoski feels she is
meant to share her son’s story, bittersweet
though it may be. Dustin, 23, was always
adventuresome and doing something active,
she says. And on June 5, 2005, he was
coming home to help Rozmenoski and his
sister, Dana, celebrate their joint birthday.
He never made it to their house. Dustin
was in an auto accident and taken to Black
River Falls Memorial Hospital and then
Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse. It
was there that Rozmenoski and her husband
learned he would not survive, and they were
asked if he would be an organ donor.
“There was no conversation about it,” she
recalls. “We knew what he wanted. When he
died, we were able to honor his choice.”
The decision to be an organ donor was
one Dustin had made as a teen in driver’s
education and had shared with his family. “It
was a conversation that we had throughout
those years quite often,” Rozmenoski says.
“He would talk about people in different
situations, and then remind me, ‘You know,
Mom, if something ever happens to me …’”
According to Jill Wilke, organ/tissue
donation liaison at Gundersen Lutheran
Hospital in La Crosse, that step of talking
to loved ones is important. “Let them know
that’s what you want,” Wilke says. “It helps
the family with their grief tremendously
knowing that you are going on to help
other people.”
Wilke also says it is important to
understand the need for not only organ
donation (heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and
pancreas), but also for tissues, including
bone, skin, tendons, ligaments, heart valves
and corneas. While only 2 to 4 percent of
people die in a way that allows them to be
an organ donor, she says, most can be tissue
donors. The average tissue donor can help
up to 80 different people.
Seeing this gift of life in action can be
tremendously comforting to grieving family
members. After Dustin died, “There was a
piece of me as a mom that just wanted to
wrap him up in a blanket and not touch him
anymore,” Rozmenoski says.
But her grief is eased now by the joy she
has shared with the woman who received
Dustin’s liver, one of the five organs he
donated, along with his corneas. Donna
Frett of McHenry, Ill., is the same age as
Rozmenoski, and in the last few years,
the two have developed a friendship and
even spoken together publicly about organ
donation. Dustin’s parents also attended the
2008 Transplant Games to see Frett compete
as an athlete.
“It was so empowering for us to be
alongside her as she competed and was
so strong and healthy, and to know it was
Dustin’s liver that was keeping her strong,”
Rozmenoski says. “There is just an energy
that is present when we are together with
her. It’s peaceful, and it’s healing.”
The lifeblood of giving
Ann Gilbertson of Chaseburg, Wis., first
gave blood 30 years ago, and she is still a
regular at the BloodCenter of Wisconsin.
“In the past five to six years, I’ve really
gotten into giving my platelets, which is
really, really needed,” says the Franciscan
Skemp nurse. “I work in an operating room,
so I see the need every day.
“I had surgery years ago where I had
to get blood, and I always wanted to give
back what other people gave to me,” she
continues. “It’s something I can do, and it
doesn’t cost me anything.”
So two to three times each month,
Gilbertson visits the BloodCenter of
Wisconsin’s La Crosse center or a mobile
blood drive location to donate a double unit
of platelets. “It costs me a little bit of my
time, but that’s about it,” she says. “It gives
you that warm, fuzzy feeling.”
La Crosse residents donated 8,265 units
of blood in 2008 through the BloodCenter
of Wisconsin, either at the organization’s
La Crosse Donor Center or at mobile blood
drives in the community. The community’s
“There was no
conversation about
it,” she recalls.
“We knew what he
wanted. When he
died, we were able
to honor
his choice.”
— Mary Jo
Rozmenoski
two hospitals received 14,646 units of blood
during that same period. BloodCenter
of Wisconsin serves 54 hospitals in 28
counties, including La Crosse, Monroe,
Trempealeau and Vernon.
“The need is ever-present for blood
donations,” says Jackie Fredrick, president
and CEO of the BloodCenter of Wisconsin.
“We draw about as much blood as we use in
any given day.”
BloodCenter of Wisconsin is also a
local affiliate of the National Marrow
Donor Program, which maintains the Be
The Match Registry, a nationwide database
of individuals willing to donate bone
marrow to benefit patients diagnosed with
cancer, anaplastic anemia, leukemia or
other illnesses. About 10,000 people in the
United States each year could benefit from
an unrelated bone marrow transplant, but
only about 4,000 are able to find matches.
Would-be donors join the registry
by establishing blood and tissue type
(determined by a painless cheek swab).
Then, “when and if you ever match a patient
in need of a bone marrow transplant, we
start the process for further testing and
evaluation,” Fredrick says. Although not as
simple as a blood donation, a bone marrow
donation can be made in an outpatient
visit, usually with local anesthesia.
How you can help
• Donate blood: Nearly anyone age 16
and older and in good health can donate
blood. Donating takes only an hour. To sign
up for a donation, visit www.bcw.edu or call
1-877-BE-A-HERO (1-877-232-4376).
• Be included on the National Bone
Marrow Donor Registry: To be included
on the registry, simply submit your name
and some basic information, along with
blood and tissue type (determined by a
cheek swab conducted at a registry site or
with a mail-in kit). For more information,
contact the BloodCenter at 1-866-702HOPE (4673) or visit www.marrow.org.
• Indicate your wishes to be an organ
or tissue donor: Individuals who wish to
have their organs or tissues donated in the
case of their death can do three things: First,
mark and sign the back of your driver’s
license. Second, file an advance directive,
or living will, with the local hospitals; this
document also addresses other healthrelated issues and names a medical power
of attorney. And finally, talk to your family.
• Find support for donors and recipients:
Both local hospitals work to provide organ
donors and recipients with support.
Franciscan Skemp Healthcare hosts
the Coulee Region Transplant Support
Group the first Tuesday of each month for
recipients of any organ transplant. Contact
the Nephrology Department at Franciscan
Skemp for more information.
Wilke and the staff at Gundersen
Lutheran coordinate trips to the Transplant
Games for the families of organ donors,
giving them an opportunity to see the
difference their loved ones’ donations make
in recipients’ lives. The 2010 Transplant
Games, sponsored by the National Kidney
Foundation, will be held in Madison.D
Jill Wilke, organ/tissue donation liaison at
Gundersen Lutheran
Jackie Fredrick, President and CEO of the
BloodCenter of Wisconsin
Holmen freelance writer Shari Hegland has signed her driver’s license to be an organ and tissue
donor and hopes to be a first-time blood donor in next few months. Life is too precious not to give
so others can live.
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
GIFTS THAT
KEEP GIVING
Planned giving is a way to leave a
legacy for causes you believe in.
by SUSAN C. SCHULYER
N
ancy Medinger, 51, smiles as she describes her life
in La Crosse. She enjoys a full, rich life as a single
professional woman without children, and she is
passionate about planning her next adventure on her
“baby”—a new yacht.
She’s also passionate about causes she believes in, and she
actively lives her passion by making regular cash donations to
Options Clinic, Inc., and serving as president of the clinic’s board
of directors. As she began her estate planning, she found a way to
keep her passion alive beyond her lifetime by naming Options as
the beneficiary of her life insurance policy. “I’m investing in what I
believe in,” Medinger says.
Her gift is just one of many planned giving instruments available
to donors. Planned giving describes a range of options that people
can use to leave money or assets to a tax-exempt organization at the
time of death or after, while still meeting current income needs and
providing for heirs. Brian Koopman, a vice president at La Crosse’s
Trust Point, Inc., who specializes in tax and planning, has a simple
definition: “What it comes down to is a gift that requires planning.”
Women and giving
Women in the United States increasingly are in a position to
make these gifts. According to an August 2009 article in the New
York Times Magazine, women control more wealth than ever before.
The Internal Revenue Service reports that 43 percent of the nation’s
wealthiest, with assets of at least $1.5 million, are women.
According to the same article, women make giving decisions
differently than men. In a study of 10,000 large donors, women
describe their giving as “emotional, an obligation to help those with
less,” while men use “practical” to describe their giving. Women
also are less likely to want their names on things, are more likely to
give as part of fund drives with other women and tend to choose
causes that support women.
Usually donors include charitable gifts as a part of their estate
planning, and gifting is an option for donors of all income levels.
“Anybody can give to charity,” says Darla Krzoska, an attorney at
Bosshard Parke, Ltd., who specializes in estate planning. An “estate”
is property, money or personal belongings that an individual may
have at the time of death. Koopman and Krzoska say their clients
begin estate planning in their 40s and 50s, a stage in life when
income potential increases and the financial demands of growing
families decreases.
Giving by the numbers
All planned charitable gifts have tax-saving potential for the
donor. In fact, Krzoska says, if you want to maximize the tax benefit,
then all of these vehicles are predetermined by the IRS. However,
Koopman often warns clients that tax advantages are the “icing on
the cake” and should not drive giving. “You have to have the need
and the intent to give. That’s got to be number one,” he says.
The simplest and most popular planned gifts are charitable
bequests made at the time of death through wills, according
to Krzoska and Koopman. Another simple option is a named
fund, which allows donors to give under the umbrella of an alreadyestablished fund. For example, donors to The Women’s Fund of the
La Crosse Community Foundation, which works to support programs
for women and girls, can create a named fund with just $1,000.
The named fund will begin to generate dividends after reaching
$10,000 within 10 years, according to Melissa Schultz, administrative
coordinator for the fund.
Other instruments, like gift annuities, charitable remainder
annuity trusts and charitable lead trusts, cost more to draft and
execute. Although these instruments offer donors more control of
the assets, they are better suited for wealthier individuals, with assets
in excess of $1 million, Koopman says.
Because planned-giving requirements are complicated and
IRS rules are subject to change, Krzoska and Koopman both
recommend that donors seek legal and financial-planning advice
before choosing any planned gift option.
Medinger recommends the same, but adds, “Don’t wait until
you’re old and gray. These organizations need these dollars now.”
Instruments for charitable giving
Below are brief descriptions of the
most common types of planned-giving
instruments. Please consult with an attorney
who specializes in estate planning, a trusted
financial adviser and your accountant to
help you make decisions about what is best
for your individual circumstances.
Gift annuities provide donors with
lifetime income. A donor contributes
funds or assets to a charity, and in return,
the charity makes fixed annuity payments
to the donor. The portion of the gift not
used for payments benefits the charity, and
the donor receives tax benefits for both the
initial gift and a portion of each payment.
Charitable bequests (testamentary gifts)
are anything donors leave to charity (property,
money or personal belongings) at the time of
death through a will or revocable “living” trust.
These gifts may provide tax savings.
Charitable remainder trusts
(CRTs) allow a donor (or other beneficiary)
to receive income from a trust for life or a
stated period of time. When the trust ends,
the balance transfers to a designated charity.
The donor receives income tax benefits on
the contributions made to the CRT. Two
common types of CRTs are annuity trusts
and unitrusts, which differ in how income
is calculated and distributed.
Beneficiary designation allows a
donor to name a charity as the beneficiary of
a life insurance policy or retirement assets.
Donors enjoy some flexibility in giving, as
well as some tax advantages.
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Charitable lead trusts allow a donor
to designate a charity to receive regular,
fixed income payments from a trust for a
specified time period, at the end of which
the trust passes to the donor’s heirs or other
noncharitable beneficiaries. D
For more detailed information
about each of these instruments, go to
www.savewealth.com
www.charitableremaindertrust.com
To research charities you may be
considering, go to
Charitynavigator.org
Guidestar.org
Susan C. Schuyler is a UW-L Communication
Studies instructor who is grateful for this
assignment as a reminder to stop procrastinating
and plan now!
CAREERS
Local
Women,
Global
Action
A small group of thoughtful
women can change the world.
by Kim Seidel
Contributed photo
The women of World Services of La Crosse, (from left, seated)
Maureen Jameson, Sandra McCormick, (from left, standing)
Deborah Lutjen and Mary Anderson, coordinate efforts to spread
education and community building in countries across the globe.
F
Inspiring innovation, creating hope
rom a small suite on the edge of the city, World Services
Talented, giving and professional individuals connect with
of La Crosse, Inc., is run by four remarkable women who
people and cultures of other nations through
make a huge global impact.
delegations coordinated by World Services. The
Bringing their diverse backgrounds and
organization’s key role is to work with developing
talents together, Sandra McCormick, president
countries to create infrastructure and an environment
and CEO; Mary Anderson, treasurer and nursing
which democratic processes can be established
consultant; Deborah Lutjen, project coordinator and
A small group of in
and sustained. These partnerships demonstrate U.S.
Maureen Jameson, operations director, coordinate
this worldwide endeavor.
thoughtful people systems, motivate innovation when the delegates
return home and give them hope for a better future
On this morning, they’re gathered in their
for generations to come.
conference room, which features flags representing could change the
McCormick says she’s most proud about World
some of the countries they regularly work with—
world. Indeed it’s Services
facilitating this opportunity for individuals
China, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan,
throughout the world who wouldn’t otherwise be
including La Crosse’s Sister City, Dubna, Russia. The
the only thing
involved in international activities. “It’s really a
mission of World Services is to serve as a leader in the
special opportunity to travel and to work in another
development and implementation of international that ever has.”
partnerships designed to advance health, civil —Margaret Mead country—and most of it is paid for through grants,”
McCormick says. “I’ve had people tell me it’s the
society, public administration and the environment
best experience of their lives.”
to promote peace and mutual understanding
Since 2002, World Services has hosted 1,114
throughout the globe.
international delegates who have visited 22 different
“We love to believe that we’re doing good things,
states, where they live with families. While they’re here, they
and we’re making the world a better place,” says McCormick,
participate in programs provided by professional volunteers. Of
who created the company in 2001. “Although World Services is
the 30 delegations this year, three will visit the La Crosse area.
a small organization, it is complemented by thousands of people
Delegates have come from Africa, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
who support our work and our mission. We have used Margaret
Republic of Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia,
Mead’s famous quote to guide our work.”
“
Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine
and Uzbekistan. They stay anywhere
from eight days to three weeks. Program
themes for the delegates have included
Agribusiness, Accountable Governance
and Civil Society (municipal and regional
government), Education, Environment,
Food Safety, Health, Human Services
(Child Protection, Domestic Violence
and others), Libraries, Nongovernmental
Organization (NGO) Development, Rule
of Law and Tourism.
Making connections, here and abroad
World Services operates with many
partnerships, including local organizations
that manage delegate programs and
professionals who share their knowledge
and expertise. Sister Cities International
partners with World Services to identify
local host communities. Funding
agencies, including the U.S. Agency
for International Development and its
grantee World Learning and the Open
World Program, provide World Services
with financial resources.
While international transportation
and interpreters are provided by funding
agencies, the time and commitment to
host can pose a barrier for many families
who are willing to share their home with
international visitors. In fact, finding host
families ranks among World Services’
biggest challenges, McCormick says.
Yet there are other ways to get involved
with delegates, such as inviting them to
share local activities. The delegates love to
experience American culture by attending
a Loggers baseball game or going shopping
at the mall, for instance. One group from
Ukraine even worked in the community
garden for an afternoon. “This is a very
giving community,” McCormick says.
“Some people like to write a check, but
many others give of themselves through
their time spent with the delegates.
“It’s a wonderful experience to connect
with people from other parts of the
world,” she continues. “You discover we’re
all the same—everybody loves their family
and children and wants to live a long,
healthy life.”
American professional consultants
also spend time working abroad through
World Services. Health care operations
in Russia and other countries have been
vastly improved with the work of volunteer
consultants. For example, as a nurse,
Anderson has seen firsthand outdated
hospital facilities and procedures that
have been transformed through the work
of U.S. professionals. A Reproductive
Health Counseling Workshop, for
example, explored counseling techniques
for couples, as well as for homosexuality
and adolescent issues.
In turn, delegates have visited La Crosse’s
health care facilities and have brought
improved waiting rooms, appointment
systems and pregnancy care to their home
countries. Overall, reproductive health care
services and education in Russia have been
greatly improved through the efforts of
World Services volunteer consultants.
WISE Program gets students involved
This summer marked the second year
for World Services to locally coordinate
the WISE (Wisconsin International
Student Experience) Program. About
10 university students from Dubna—
La Crosse’s Sister City—live and
work in the community for several
months at a time.
It’s made possible with the
support of area families and
employers who provide the
students with work as well as
cultural experiences. Participating
businesses have included Buzz’s
Bicycle Shop, Culvers, Festival
Foods, People’s Food Coop, Kwik
Trip, Logistics Health, Waterfront
Restaurant and Hale, Skemp, Hanson,
Skemp and Sleik Law Firm.
Students take back valuable information
to their home countries. Their months spent
working and living in America enhances
their personal and academic lives. The
hosting companies gain a lot of knowledge
and insight about another culture as well.
The economic impact on the Coulee
Region from the WISE students and
delegations can’t be understated, Lutjen
says. The visitors enjoy shopping, eating
out and attending cultural events during
their stays.
McCormick, Anderson, Lutjen and
Jameson have truly given of their time and
talents to demonstrate how the culture of
rural America, and the generosity of its
people, can make an impact around the
world. They’ve inspired innovation and, in
the process, created hope.
For more information about World
Services of La Crosse, visit www.wslax.us
or call 608-781-4194. D
Kim Seidel lives in Onalaska and writes
regularly for local and national publications.
She especially enjoyed writing about World
Services, as she hasn’t traveled abroad since she
was a college exchange student in England
(many years ago).
NONPROFIT
Making Miracles Happen
Children’s Miracle Network helps create a bright future for children.
by Janelle Roghair
Contributed photo
The Children’s Miracle Network Celebration is one of the biggest fund-raisers of the year for the organization. During Celebration 2009, Vicki Lomen of Wauzeka, Wis.,
shared her daughter Jordan’s story with WXOW TV-19’s Amy DuPont.
W
hen a child is sick or has a special medical need,
parents have a lot of worries on their minds.
Fortunately, there’s an organization in the Coulee
Region whose main goal is to ease some of those
worries—the Children’s Miracle Network at Gundersen Lutheran.
Lending a helping hand to children and families
Living in the Coulee Region, you’ve no doubt seen the trademark
red and yellow balloons of the Children’s Miracle Network at area
businesses or heard the stories of families helped by the organization
during television or radio fund-raising events. But you might not
realize just how the dollars raised locally help children and families.
“We assist families no matter what kind of disease or injury
they’re dealing with, from big to small,” says Jean Sterling, the
Children’s Miracle Network event planner at Gundersen Lutheran
Medical Foundation.
For example, Children’s Miracle Network may provide a family
with funds to help purchase an insulin pump for a diabetic child,
hearing aids or even special eyeglasses. They may supply a grant
for a family’s home remodeling project to install equipment like a
wheelchair ramp.
“Often, we provide families with something as simple as meal
tickets so they can get a bite to eat when they’re with their child in
the hospital or help them pay for travel expenses like gas,” shares
Heather Gilles, Children’s Miracle Network specialist.
A unique approach to giving
Gundersen Lutheran has been one of 170 Children’s Miracle
Network hospitals in the United States since 1986, but their
approach to distributing funds is unique. The majority of Children’s
Miracle Network hospitals use all of the money raised for pediatric
programs and equipment in their hospital. But that’s not the case
at Gundersen Lutheran, where Children’s Miracle Network also
grants funds to individual families.
“It’s important that we use some of the money raised for
programs and specialized medical equipment for children, like
ventilators, warmers and air transport isolettes, which cost tens of
thousands of dollars each. But we feel that it’s equally important
to give funds directly to families. It’s one of most rewarding things
we do,” Sterling says.
Another unique aspect of Children’s Miracle Network in the
Coulee Region is that families can receive help no matter where they
go for care. “Children’s Miracle Network is
truly here for the entire community. Every
penny of the money raised locally stays
local, and we provide assistance to families
in 24 counties in western Wisconsin,
southeastern Minnesota and northeastern
Iowa, regardless of where they receive their
health care,” Gilles adds.
‘An honorable job’
Some people may think that working
with children and families who are
struggling with serious medical issues might
be a difficult thing to do, but Sterling and
Gilles say that’s not the case at all.
“When I hear a parent say, ‘We don’t
know what we would have done without
Children’s Miracle Network,’ it sends chills
through me. I can’t believe I get to be a part
of this every day,” shares Sterling, who has
worked for Children’s Miracle Network
for 13 years. “Someone once told me, ‘You
have a very honorable job,’ and it’s true. At
the end of the day, I can go home and say I
helped a child lead a better life.”
Before she started working for Children’s
Miracle Network three years ago, Gilles was
personally touched by the organization
when her son was born.
“There was chance that Sean was going
to have to stay in the hospital a few extra
days,” Gilles remembers. “As a new mom, I
didn’t want to have to leave my baby’s side,
and the nurses let us know that Children’s
Miracle Network could help us out if
we needed to stay or if we needed food.
Fortunately, Sean got to come home with
us right away, but it was such a comfort to
know that Children’s Miracle Network was
there if we needed them.”
Now, as a part of the organization, Gilles
is inspired daily by the families she meets.
“It’s amazing to see the courage and strength
of the parents and kids,” she says.
Janelle Roghair is a communications specialist
at Gundersen Lutheran, and enjoys writing
about and sharing the inspiring stories of the
families and children who have been touched
by Children’s Miracle Network.
Every little bit helps
The work of Children’s Miracle
Network is made possible by the generous
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donations of people in the Coulee Region.
“It’s been a difficult year economically for
many people in our area, but that hasn’t
kept them from giving, and we’re so
grateful,” Sterling comments.
“Anything someone can give helps,”
Gilles adds. “Just $4 will buy a meal, so a
$10 donation means someone is helping
at least two people. A couple of dollars
here and there really add up and help us
continue to give back to children and
families in the Coulee Region.”
To learn more about Children’s Miracle
Network, go to www.gundluth.org/cmn. D
M E M B E R
M E M B E R
M E M B E R
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M E M B E R
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M E M B E R
WOMEN IN THE REGION
Renee Knutson’s dog Cooper connects with
a student during a Read to Rover session at
Trempealeau Elementary.
Dogs and Their People
Renee Knutson coaches dogs and volunteers in caring for a community.
by Lindsay Bonnar
Contributed photos
F
or Renee Knutson, director of the Pet Therapy Program at the
Coulee Region Humane Society, one moment stands above
the rest.
Knutson had been visiting a man named Tom for four
years. Tom had tremors in his hands and feet, and he never spoke.
When she visited, Knutson brought her dog, Cooper, a trained
therapy dog, and she did all of the talking herself.
“Cooper would come up to him, and all of a sudden, it was like
a calm came over him,” she says. “All the tremors would stop as he
petted her.”
One visit, Knutson brought Chase, a small brown therapy dog.
Once again, Tom’s tremors stopped as he petted the dog. The next
visit, Knutson brought only Cooper. The man petted Cooper,
looked up and said, “I really liked your little brown dog.” One small
dog meant enough to him to break his silence. “And every time after
that, we had a conversation,” Knutson says.
After that groundbreaking visit, Knutson said that if getting
Tom to speak was the only thing Chase ever did in pet therapy, it
was enough. The lesson Chase taught her—never underestimate the
power our dogs have—is one Knutson will never forget.
The power of a dog
Thanks to the dogs of the Coulee Region Humane Society Pet
Therapy Program, the region abounds with stories like these. And
these wonderful pet therapy dogs are handled by wonderful people.
The program has about 70 teams of volunteers, and these owner-dog
teams have been reaching out all over the community since 1985. They
visit local care facilities and hospitals, such as Gundersen Lutheran,
Franciscan Skemp, Schuh-Mullen Homes Boys and Girls Club, St.
Joseph’s Rehab Center, the Tomah V.A. Hospital, the Onalaska Care
Center and more. Teams also attend many community events, such
as pet photos with Santa and Salvation Army bell ringing during the
holidays. Now, through a newer program called Read to Rover, the
teams also visit area libraries and classrooms.
The Read to Rover program, which kicked off in 2006, is meant
to help build a child’s confidence and skill in reading. A child who
needs some help in the subject can read to a therapy dog—a loving,
nonjudgmental listener.
Alexys McVeitty, a first-grade teacher at Trempealeau Elementary,
has participated in the program for the past two years. “Everyone that
comes is so great, and [Knutson] is absolutely wonderful,” McVeitty
says. “The kids look forward to it so much.
They are always wondering who is coming
and what dog they get to see.”
“It’s all about connecting,” Knutson says.
A special breed of dog
Connection is an essential focus for the
CRHS Pet Therapy Program, and according
to Knutson, not every dog is suited to this
calling. Two things are critical in a therapy
dog, Knutson says. “They have to love and
seek out people, and they need to be able to
get along with other dogs.” Therapy dogs in
the program are also required to go through
obedience training and Canine Good
Citizen training.
“I tell every person who is interested in pet
therapy that you can pass the test, but that
is not a guarantee that your dog is right for
therapy work,” Knutson says. “It does indeed
take a special dog with the right combination
of skills and demeanor.”
Just as no two people are alike, Knutson
has found, the program works differently for
each dog.
“There are certain dogs for certain
situations, but you also have dogs that can
thrive in every situation,” Knutson says. “It is
important to help the teams find locations that
fit both the human volunteer and the dog. It is
critical that the fit be right for both members
of the team. That is really part of my job—to
assist, to guide, to suggest. Together we can
come up with just the right fit, where both ends
of the leash thrive and enjoy the experience.”
Pet therapy volunteer Deb Woerpel
found an unexpected niche in the program.
After spending time in classrooms with her
golden retriever, Gus, Woerpel was hesitant
to visit a different location. With Knutson’s
encouragement, they began making weekly
visits to Gundersen Lutheran cancer patients.
“Gus is kind of clumsy,” Woerpel admits.
“I didn’t think he would ever do well [in the
hospital setting], but Renee must have seen
something I didn’t.”
Woerpel and Gus begin nearly every
Friday morning in the pediatric oncology
unit, and she finds that the kids are what
determines Gus’s mood for the entire day.
Woerpel says that if one of the kids is having
a rough morning, Gus gets into a kind of
“funk.” If the kids are wild and excited, Gus
gets excited in return.
“These dogs react to situations; they
aren’t just robots,” Woerpel says. “It is
very overwhelming.”
Helping dogs help people
People can support the CRHS Pet
Therapy Program in many ways. A Pet
Therapy endowment has been set up so
that people who do not have the time to
volunteer can still help the program. In
addition to direct donations, people can
contribute to the endowment by purchasing
a “Love Dogs” charm. These silver or gold
charms are released in a series of five, the
first of which is available only at Touch of
Class in downtown La Crosse. These can be
personalized for an additional fee. “This is
a great opportunity to get a great gift while
benefiting the program,” Knutson says.
Additional information about the
program and the endowment can be found
at www.couleehumane.com or www.
myspace.com/crhspettherapy. D
Lindsay Bonnar enjoys spending time outdoors
with her own dogs, Digger and Gwynnie, who
are candidates for pet therapy dogs.
M E M B E R
Showroom of First Supply
106 Cameron Avenue, La Crosse, Wisconsin • (608) 791-3685
Monday 8−8 • Tuesday−Friday 8−5 • Saturday 8−1 • Appointments appreciated.
M E M B E R
M E M B E R
HOME
Question: If you walked into the
La Crosse Area Builders Association office,
what would you see?
A.
B. C. D.
Piles of tools and construction supplies
Blueprints
A man in a big office
None of the above
Answer: None of the above.
From left: Tina Wehrs, Amy Heinz and Vicki Markussen are the
women of the La Crosse Area Builders Association.
Building a Community
The women of LABA give from the ground up.
by Fran Rybarik
Contributed photo
A
my Heinz welcomes visitors to the La Crosse Area Builders
Association (LABA) office. Heinz coordinates membership,
events and logistics, and the décor of the main area reflects
her warmth and professionalism. The area behind her
workstation houses Tina Wehrs, the government liaison
and educator. And the executive office is occupied by Vicki Markussen.
Since 1971, the association has united professionals in the building
industry for education and interaction and promoted affordable,
quality housing in the La Crosse area. About 400 members from
five counties in western Wisconsin include builders, developers,
remodelers, suppliers and designers. A majority of members are male.
However, according to Markussen, of the 25 building associations in
Wisconsin, 24 have female leaders.
How do LABA members deal with the female staff? And vice versa?
According to Heinz, Wehrs and Markussen, “Very well!”
“Our members value input from our staff, and our staff value
the skill sets of our members,“ Markussen states. “It is important
to consider different perspectives and to balance the masculine and
feminine aspects of the organization. While men most commonly
are the builders, women are often the decision makers in building or
remodeling projects.”
Giving to members
Heinz and Wehrs point out that relationships between the
association staff and its members occur on several levels. For one thing,
the staff works for the members. For another, the industry is family
oriented, and many members have known each other a long time.
“Part of our value is that we know who to contact about what,”
Heinz notes. “Tina knows which government agency or legislator to
contact about specific issues. Some members are small family businesses,
where the husband wields the trade and the wife handles the office. If I
need a particular detail, I know whether to call her or him.”
Respectful interaction between staff and members leads to
appreciation of diverse and unique viewpoints. “The members are out
there doing a specific job, and the staff looks at a broader picture across
the industry,” Wehrs says. “We work behind the scenes to provide the
information they need to do their job better. We are kind of like the
glue that holds things together.”
The staff is like a small family, too. “I am very proud to say I work
for LABA. We get along great,” Heinz says. “We are organized, but we
are caring. We look out for each other and for our members.”
LABA’s members benefit from continuing education opportunities
that Wehrs coordinates. Topics include the latest trends in the building
industry—like building smaller homes in walkable neighborhoods,
recycling building materials and using more green technology—and
the federal, state or local regulations contractors must follow.
Helping the community
The current slump in the building industry hasn’t affected LABA’s
commitment to helping the community now and in the future.
LABA sponsors the Home and Garden Show in spring and
the Parade of Homes every summer. “These events educate our
community about the latest trends in building
and remodeling,” Heinz says. “This year, our
themes centered around environmentally
friendly building technologies.”
The association also works with Realtors,
banks, Habitat for Humanity, Couleecap,
Independent Living Resources and others in
the Fair Housing Partnership. The partnership
helps first-time homeowners find affordable
housing and work their way through the maze
of credit programs.
As a membership organization, LABA
acts as a screener for the building industry.
In the current economic climate, consumers
are more cautious about spending money.
By recommending reputable contractors
and suppliers for their home building or
improvement projects, LABA can help
consumers spend wisely.
The association creates a collaborative
milieu within the industry that increases
the professionalism of its members, which
in turn improves customer experiences with
the building trades. “The building industry
includes people with special, very needed
talents,” Markussen notes. “The beauty
of their connection through LABA lies in
their ability to share their gifts with the
community in larger ways than any of them
could individually.”
Good examples are the Rebuilding
Dreams projects. LABA members rebuilt three
area homes à la the television series Extreme
Makeover: Home Edition. Three families
saw their homes magically transformed in a
week, thanks to the skills of LABA members,
donations from the community and
coordination by LABA staff.
In the past 15 years, they built a smoke
house for the La Crosse Fire Department,
built a gazebo for Onalaska and remodeled
an American Red Cross building. They
updated an interactive model of a house at the
Children’s Museum called “This Is the House
That I Built.”
program for the tools they need, and grants are
awarded through the LABA board of directors.
“With school budgets being cut, LABA
literally gives schools the tools they need, while
creating interest in building trades among
the students,” Markussen says. She estimated
that LABA contributed $30,000 to $50,000
in tools to area schools. “That’s a lot of table
saws.”
This year, Wehrs is coordinating Career
Day tours for West Salem High School
students. LABA members work with students
at job sites or building supply sites for handson experience in the industry.
“Our members understand that their
trade is a gift. And they want to give back.
The association gives them a way to do that,”
Markussen comments. “It’s infectious. One
member decides to donate a day to a project,
another donates materials and another sees
that happening and joins in.” The outcome is
often bigger and better than anyone imagined.
The women behind these projects say
that providing opportunities for LABA
members to collaborate and connect are gifts
they give the association. These three women
extend their gifts beyond LABA, too. They
volunteer at churches, with the Chamber
of Commerce, with the symphony, and for
social justice issues. Their activities give them
networks and connections to support their
work at LABA, and they give our community
so much more. D
In between visits with her twin grandbabies, Fran
Rybarik writes from her home in La Crescent
(which was built by LABA members).
An eye to the future
Through their Building Careers projects,
LABA’s gifts look to the next generation of the
industry. They raise funds to purchase tools
for area high school shop classes by selling
Pella windows and excess building materials.
Schools apply to the Tools for Schools grant
FOOD
Incredible Edible Gifts
This holiday season, give gifts of great taste.
by Julie Nelson
I
t’s the second week of December, and you’re peering out
the window looking for the UPS truck. Any day now,
an anticipated gift will be at your doorstep. Maybe it’s the
popcorn-filled tin that your favorite aunt always sends; maybe
a college buddy ships a box of grapefruit from Florida. Sure, you
could order the same things online in July, but getting it just one
time a year is part of what makes it special. And when a food gift
is homemade, it becomes a true delight.
That’s why each holiday season Sue and Joe Paar turn the
kitchen of their La Crosse home into a gift assembly line. With
eggs, sweetened condensed milk and whiskey lined up before
the blender, the two spend a (sticky, messy) afternoon preparing
batches of their homemade Irish cream to give as gifts for their
friends.
“The recipe is really simple,” says Sue, “just put everything
into the blender and push the button.” The Paars could make
their liqueur all year round, but the limited offering makes it a
treat. “By making it only once a year, people have something
special to look forward to.”
The tradition of treats
Giving food as gifts is nothing new. Many Coulee Region
women make up “trays,” as they are frequently called in this part
of the country, and take them to share with their co-workers and
neighbors at holiday time. Often nothing more than a box lid
wrapped in seasonal paper, the trays contain an assortment of
cookies, fudge and other treats—the kind of gift that quickly has
the entire gang peering in and pulling out their favorite sweets.
Other common food gifts are jars of attractively layered
ingredients that require the recipient only to stir, add an egg or
some milk and bake. Festive ribbons or other decorations are a
cheap and easy way to make the gift seem even more special. One
La Crosse man makes a killer batch of homemade chocolate ice
cream topping for his relatives and a hot salsa for his iron-tongued
friends. A local woman gifts her elderly father, who lives alone, with
a cooler full of homemade frozen entrees ready to thaw, microwave
and eat.
Make a gift, join the fun
While giving and receiving the gifts is rewarding, making them
is part of the fun. Sue says that when she made her first batch of
Irish cream, she did it on her own. Now her husband is almost
more anxious to get started than she is and is happy to crack eggs
and pour the blended drink into bottles while the Trans-Siberian
Orchestra plays on the stereo. Cookie makers often get together
with friends to either make or exchange a variety of baked goods.
Of course, one of the best parts of the making is the tasting. “One
blender full of Irish cream fits into a regular liquor bottle, with
about a half a juice glass left over. So for every batch we make, we
have a little to sample,” says Sue, with no regret.
Food gifts are fun to make, but they have a practical side, too.
First of all, food gifts work well for a distant relative, co-worker or
someone you don’t know very well. The easy choice is to give a gift
card, but the more personal option is to give a food gift. Second,
food gifts are good for those on a budget. Most items are cheaper
to make than they are to buy in a store; your time and labor help
make it special. Finally, it’s a gift you can repeat. Food doesn’t last
forever, which means you can give the same item year after year and
it is always appreciated; no lists needed.
So if you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing, low-cost gift to give
this year, try the gift of homemade food. Who knows, your arrival
may be even more anticipated than that of the UPS truck!
¾
⅓
⅓
1
3
cup light corn syrup
cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt
cup water
tsp. vanilla extract
T unsalted butter,
cut into pieces
Melt chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over
a pan of almost-simmering water until smooth,
stirring once or twice. Turn off heat and whisk in
cocoa until dissolved; set aside. If you wish, melt the
chocolate in the microwave at 50 percent power
for three minutes, whisking the cocoa powder into
the chocolate once it is melted.
Warm sugar, corn syrup, cream, salt and water in
medium, heavy-bottomed, nonreactive saucepan
over low heat without stirring until sugar dissolves.
Increase heat to medium-high; simmer mixture,
stirring frequently, about 4 minutes.
Sue and Joe’s
Irish Cream
Makes 28 servings (1.5 oz. each)
1⅓ 1
½
4
2
1
½
cup whiskey
(no need to go for a name brand)
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
cup whipping cream
eggs*
tsp. instant coffee
tsp. vanilla extract
tsp. almond extract
* To reduce the risk of salmonella contamination,
pasteurize raw eggs by placing them in a pot filled
with water. Heat the water to 140 degrees (do not
exceed 150 degrees or eggs will cook) and keep
eggs in water for 3 to 5 minutes.
Pour all ingredients into blender and turn on high
until well blended. Shake well before serving, either
plain or over ice. Keeps in the refrigerator for up
to one month.
120 calories, 4g fat, 3g protein, 11g carbohydrate,
0g fiber, 35mg sodium.
Ross’s Homemade
Hot Fudge Sauce
Turn off heat and whisk in vanilla and butter. Cool
mixture slightly, about 2 minutes; whisk in melted
chocolate. Serve warm. (Can be refrigerated in an
airtight container at least 10 days before serving;
reheat over simmering water or in microwave for 1
to 1½ minutes, stirring several times, until sauce is
shiny and completely smooth.)
Note: Once made, this sauce will keep in the
refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 10 days. Be
sure to serve warm, and, when reheating, heat only
the amount of sauce you intend to use; repeated
heating and chilling can make the sauce grainy.
RECIPES IN A JAR
White Christmas
Cherry Bars
Makes 16 servings
¼ cup white chocolate
or vanilla chips
½ cup chopped pecans,
toasted and cooled
½
½
1
½
1
cup sweetened dried
cherries or cranberries
cup light brown sugar,
packed
cup buttermilk biscuit mix
cup brown sugar, packed
cup buttermilk biscuit mix
In a 1-quart wide-mouth glass jar, carefully layer
and pack ingredients in the order listed, beginning
with the white chocolate or vanilla chips. If there is
any space left after adding the last ingredient, add
more white chocolate or vanilla chips to fill the jar.
Recipe to attach:
Empty contents of jar into medium bowl.
Stir in:
½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Press into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with
cooking spray. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until
bars are light golden brown and center is almost set.
<1g fiber, 240mg sodium.
Instant Coca Mix
for Diabetics
Makes 8 servings
2
½
½
1
¾
cups nonfat dry
milk powder
cup low-fat powdered nondairy creamer
cup unsweetened
cocoa powder
T (10 packets)
Equal sweetener
tsp. ground cinnamon
Mix ingredients together and add to jar.
Recipe to attach:
For each serving, add ¾ cup boiling water to ⅓
cup cocoa mix in a heatproof mug. Stir to dissolve.
Makes 2 cups/16 servings
10 ⅓
⅓
oz. semisweet
chocolate, chopped
cup sifted Dutch process cocoa powder
cup sugar
Skillet Lasagna Mix
Makes 6 servings
¼
2
2
¼
¼
¼
1
½
¼
¼ 3
cup plus 2 T instant dry milk
T plus 2 tsp. cornstarch
tsp. chicken or
beef bouillon granules
tsp. dried basil
tsp. dried thyme
tsp. pepper
tsp. dried parsley flakes
tsp. garlic powder
cup dried minced onion
cup Parmesan cheese, grated
cups egg noodles
Layer the ingredients in the order given into a 1-quart wide-mouth glass jar.
Pack each layer in place before adding the next.
Recipe to attach:
1 jar Skillet Lasagna Mix
1 lb. ground beef
2 cups water
1 16 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
In a skillet, brown ground beef and crumble. Drain off fat. Add Skillet Lasagna
Mix, water and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15
minutes, stirring until thickened. Top with mozzarella cheese and let stand for
5 minutes or until melted. Serve.
440 calories, 24g fat, 30g protein, 28g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 870mg sodium. D
Julie Nelson works for the Riverfront Foundation. While her kids may
flee when it’s time to wrap presents, they’re always around when it’s time
to break up the freshly made almond bark.
RETAIL THERAPY
7 Gifts
for the
Giving
For your wine-wise friends, hand-decorated wine
glasses will make every vino-sipping soirée a momentous
occasion. $24/pair from Handmade Natural Beauty,
www.naturalbeautysoaps.net.
You’ve made your list and
checked it twice; they’ve all
been good, so not just any toy
will suffice. Treat little ones
to a cute and customizable
domino race set.
$65 from Cutie Patootie,
417 Main St., La Crosse.
A handmade pendant
featuring vintage kimono
fabric will add timeless
elegance to her already
impeccable style. $95/set
from Linda Mast,
[email protected].
This gift-giving season,
wrap up your shopping
list with local
treasures and finds.
by Melissa Hanson
Photos by Bruce Defries Studio Group
Give the gift of personal
pampering with lotions and
potions that will soothe seasonsapped senses. $13 to $20 each
from Honig’s Gift Shop, 531 Main St.,
La Crosse.
Apple TV is the latest gadget for viewing
shows, music videos, movies and even family
photos on your TV—on your terms.
Starting at $229 from The Mac Guys,
www.themacguys.net.
These tantalizing
handmade confections
aren’t just for gift
giving—they make pretty
and pleasing party platters,
too. $12.95/lb. from
Ranison Ice Cream
and Candy, 706 16th St. S.,
La Crosse.
Deck their halls with the sweet and sassy
hanging ornament that’s perfect for everyone
on your list … and it makes a great hostess gift, too.
$20 from Touch of Class, www.touchofclass.com.
www.crwmagazine.com
www.crwmagazine.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
2009 37
37
DESIGNING WOMEN
The Fabric of Love
Generous quilters blanket the region—and the world.
by Heidi Griminger Blanke
Contributed photos
S
titching together a quilt may seem like a mind-boggling
task, but for dozens of area women, it’s a warm and fuzzy
way of giving. Anyone who has snuggled under a lovingly
stitched quilt knows that its warmth comes from more than
the batting. Love and healing are magically woven into the quilt’s
very fibers.
Charitable quilting and sewing take place in the Coulee Region
on a near-daily basis. Thousands of items head out yearly to nursing
homes, hospitals, military bases, shelters and disaster areas, all sewn
together by caring hands. While proud of what they do to help
and comfort those in need, these sewers maintain a high level of
anonymity, working in church basements and at kitchen tables and
spending their own dollars on supplies.
Dora Johnson has been quilting with the St. Paul’s Lutheran
Church group for 35 years and has visited the Lutheran World Relief
warehouse in the Twin Cities. There, hundreds upon hundreds of
quilts are stored in bundles until a need arises. The St. Paul’s group
produces about 125 quilts each year for Lutheran World Relief.
Other La Crosse area Lutheran churches do the same. At St. Paul’s,
quilt tops are stitched at home, then brought together in assemblyline fashion at monthly church meetings. The majority of fabric
is donated, Johnson explains, and she is often surprised how the
fabric is “just there” when needed. Church members collect old
sheets and draperies to be used in the quilts, and some women have
been known to visit rummage sales in order to purchase clothing
that can be cut up into workable pieces.
Blanketing the world
The largest charitable quilting group in the Coulee Region
involves Lutheran church members, who quilt as part of Lutheran
World Relief, an organization that distributes quilts to disaster- and
poverty-stricken areas around the world. The quilters, from many
local Lutheran churches, collectively produce hundreds of quilts that
are sent to countries such as India, Kenya, Tanzania and Armenia,
with some quilts handed out locally to fire victims or the homeless.
Comforting the Coulee Region
Second in volume to the area Lutheran churches are the quiltmaking volunteers of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program
(RSVP). Last year, more than 300 quilts were made and donated
to local medical facilities and social service agencies, including a
display quilt for the Child Abuse Prevention Task Force. To create
that quilt, children’s drawings were transferred to fabric, then put
together by RSVP volunteers; this amazing quilt rotates through
the member Task Force agencies. RSVP
quilts are stitched in volunteers’ homes,
either by groups or by individuals, primarily
with materials donated through RSVP.
The Cut-Ups, a local, nonaffiliated
group, sews a variety of charitable quilts.
Currently, lap quilts are being sewn for
nursing homes, where the quilts are passed
from resident to resident. Member JoAnne
Degenhart explains that, several years ago,
the group stitched baby quilts, used them
to wrap baby supplies, and gave them “to
moms that might need extra help.”
The group also stitches surgery caps for
kids headed for the operating room, with
fabric donated by Olive Juice Quilts of
Onalaska and Yellow Bird Art of Lansing,
Iowa. (Olive Juice Quilts also serves as a
drop-off point for quilts headed to soldiers
at Walter Reed Hospital and new parents
at Fort McCoy, stored at the store until a
delivery can be made or shipped.) Surgeon
Scott Blanke said the kids choose from
several patterns, with SpongeBob and G.I.
Joe in high demand. The caps are such a
big hit that young patients keep them and
take them home. One 9-year-old patient
described his hat as “super-cool, man.”
Children are not the only patients
clamoring for SpongeBob surgical hats.
Adult surgical patients, primarily women
who have lost their hair due to breast cancer
chemotherapy, choose the cartoon caps over
the standard-issue blue paper ones.
One layer at a time
Hundreds, if not thousands, of quilts
touch the lives of Coulee Region residents
every year. At Gundersen Lutheran Medical
Center, donated quilts are kept on hand
to add cheer to a pediatric hospital bed.
At times, quilts are “ordered” for special
occasions, such as the end of a child’s
chemotherapy.
Susan Haase is not a member of a quilting
group, but when she retired last January
after 42 years as the Gateway Area Council
office manager, she began producing
charitable quilt after charitable quilt. She
works on several quilts at a time and can
sew one in a single day. “A crib quilt takes
about four hours to stitch,” she explains.
Haase provides her own resources for the
The quilters of RSVP display their handiwork, destined for Coulee Region medical facilities and social service
agencies. From left, standing: Caroline Peterson, Jan Shrauner, Dee Zemke, Kathryn Humble, Pat Forer,
Lois Olson, Jackie Hanson, Jolene Rust and Rosemary Stalsberg. Seated: Rita Pettis and Shirley Otto.
quilts and guesses she will spend $2,000
on quilting supplies this year. Most of her
quilts go to the cancer and acupuncture
units at Franciscan Skemp Medical Center
to keep patients warm during massages. The
staff there feels the quilts give the somewhat
sterile environment a sense of coziness.
Linda De Long heads a local chapter
of the national Project Linus (www.
projectlinus.org), a group that distributes
blankets to seriously ill and traumatized
children. Donors create blankets, some of
which are quilts, using washable fabrics in
child-friendly colors. Last year, about 20
“blanketeers” stitched close to 300 blankets.
Although De Long’s chapter is based in
Trempealeau, La Crosse area hospitals
receive some of the blankets. “Blankets are
like a big hug,” she explains.
Some quilts take a much more personal
journey, made by a group of women for a
friend going through a trying physical or
emotional time. Avid quilter Judy Lange
noted the restorative powers of a quilt for
both giver and recipient. “There is healing
in making a quilt,” she says.
All wrapped up
Quilts offer such a dramatic level of
comfort that one area day surgery unit
offers them to toddlers as a kind of security
blanket. While the original plan was to
reuse the quilts from child to child, no
2-year-old would give theirs up, and the
quilts are making their way to toddler beds.
There is a saying that “quilts wrap you
in love,” and, judging by the multitude
of quilts crafted by Coulee Region
women, our part of the state is swathed in
affectionate yardage. D
Heidi Griminger Blanke, Ph.D., is the
executive director at WAFER and a fabric
store addict. She offers an apology to the
numerous Coulee Region charitable quilters
not mentioned in this article.
Satori Arts
Gallery
A National Historic
Landmark
“Known for the unusual”
Ancient Chinese Artifacts • Custom
Wedding Rings • Mississippi River Pearls
Unique Handcrafted Jewelry
Sculpture • Graphics
800 S. 3rd St La Crosse, WI 54601
608-793-7000 or 1-800-732-8425
www.midwesttoyota.com
201 Pearl St., La Crosse, WI 54601
608.785.2779
The Downtown G
The People’s Food Co-op recommends handmade fair trade artisan
goods from around the world, or perhaps a delightfully decadent wine,
chocolate and cheese basket or a beautiful fruit basket.
To help you “give from the heart,” Grounded Specialty Coffee is
featuring World Blend, a fair trade coffee. Consumers will receive 10
percent off all beans while helping farming cooperatives provide medical
coverage, establish business fundamentals, access consumer goods and
improve equipment.
Visit Lillians for the chic techie on your list—you’ll find curved cell
phone wallets and laptop bags.
Steve Low’s Midwest Toyota offers gifts perfect for the car
enthusiast—how about detail packages, hand car wash services or a
year’s worth of oil changes? Stuff stockings with every car accessory
imaginable, from roof racks and floor mats to iPod hookups, remote
starts and Bluetooth. For an unforgettable gift, consider a new Toyota
car or truck!
VENZA
…sharing
the gift of
good health
with you.
Gift-Giving Guide
Feature your family in custom-designed Christmas cards from
Bruce Defries Studio Group.
Treat your friends or co-workers with a gift certificate for a wine-tasting
party at The Wine Guyz.
The Salon suggests funky fall hats, scarves and one-of-a-kind jewelry for
memorable gifts.
Choose from a variety of original jewelry with semi-precious stones at
Satori Arts. These gifts aren’t just jewelry—they’re heirlooms!
Stamp ’N Hand has everything you need to personalize a gift and to
personalize your entertaining. You’ll also find the makings for handmade
cards as well as many unique ready-made items, perfect for hostess gifts.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
October 10 November 13 Historic Downtown La Crosse Day
Downtown Holiday Open House
Excellent Rates!
Homes • Farms • Flood • Auto
Call for a Quote
Chris Hanson
608.483.2351
Hanson Insurance
Agency
S1805 Hanson Lane • Chaseburg, WI 54621
Stop in to talk to your local Apple experts!
1007 East Ave South
Jackson Plaza
La Crosse, WI 54601
(608) 782-1565
* Apple® and its’ products are registered trademarks or trademarks of Apple, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.
TRAVEL
Left: Santorini, Greece, is a frequent stopping place for cruise ships. Top right: Santorini is known for its Cycladic blue-domed churches and breathtaking views.
Bottom right: Caryatids, carved female figures acting as pillars, stare out from the porch of the Erechtheion on the Acropolis in Athens.
Wonders of the Greek
Among archaeological wonders, find an individual moment.
by Charish Badzinski
PHOTOS BY CHARISH BADZINSKI
M
y dinner host removes the beeswax coating and slices
some avgotaraho, a Mediterranean delicacy of cured
fish roe. He squeezes a lemon over the top, cracks
some fresh pepper over the platter, then holds it out
to me expectantly.
He pierces a slice of the roe with a toothpick, places it in his
mouth and savors the salty, oily flavor. It is subtle, yet somehow
sensual. After a reverent pause, he looks me in the eyes: “The
rich, they don’t know how to live, how to eat, how to love, how
to make love.”
The low light exposes his humble apartment like a secret
affair, filled floor to ceiling with books and jazz albums. The
deliberate enjoyment of such simple pleasures—music, food,
poetry—the philosophical conversations and social commentary
as complex as the food served, and the sense that there is not now,
nor will there ever be, a suggestion to leave or rush anywhere,
are uniquely Greek. In a society that claims to have invented
“everything”—including math, science and astronomy—that
once conceptualized a world map with Greece at the center, that
still hosts buildings more than 2,000 years old, the greatest of
monuments is the individual moment.
Perhaps it stems from their impressive history, or the strong
sense of nationalism you’ll discover among the Greek people, who
need little encouragement to tell you about the inventions and
discoveries of the Greek. It is a feeling lost as you stroll the Plaka,
one of the oldest sections of Athens, which is teeming with tourists
shopping for traditional kompoloi, or worry
beads, the distinctive liqueur ouzo and
leather goods. Yet it is rediscovered when
standing in the shadow of the Temple of
Olympian Zeus, the size and scope of which
will have you wondering whether Greece
really was and still is the center of the earth,
and if so, why would you want
to hurry off to anywhere else?
can take root. As you pick your way among
the fallen columns and moss-coated stone,
the ruins can lose their historic meaning and
decay to the intellectual stimulation of a pile
of rocks. Consider hiring a tour guide, or at
the least, buying a guidebook, to help keep
the wonder alive. Bring good walking shoes
Athens
It’s hard to walk around
Athens without your mouth
agape as you experience the
Acropolis towering over the
heart of the city, the winding
streets of the Plaka and the
crumbling archaeological sites
seemingly everywhere. These
historic elements seem to
arm wrestle with challenges
of the modern city: traffic,
pollution, graffiti, feral dogs
and noise. Athens is an assault
on the senses—a marrow-of-life
stew—and a welcome assault
at that.
The Acropolis Hill, or so-called “Sacred
Rock” of Athens, yields otherworldly
wonders as well as a panoramic view of the
city of Athens. The Parthenon is considered
to be the most important monument
of the ancient Greek civilization. The
Erechtheion is dedicated to the worship of
the two principal gods of Attica, Athena and
Poseidon, and includes the famous “Porch
of the Maidens,” where six graceful female
figures serve as pillars supporting the porch
roof. The Temple of Athena Nike and the
monumental gateway of the Acropolis, the
Propylaea, can all be seen on site.
Due to damage caused by pollution in
Athens, some portions of the monuments
have been moved to museums. For that
reason, a visit to the New Acropolis
Museum is recommended while in Athens,
in addition to a tour of the archaeological
sites. The Agora of Athens—the heart of
Athenian life in ancient times—and the
Temple of Olympian Zeus/Arch of Hadrian
sites are also worth a visit, in between stops
for lingering over Greek-style meals or plates
of flaky, honey-soaked baklava.
When staring at stone buildings in
various states of disrepair for hours, malaise
Steep staircases lead the way to homes perched
on the cliffs of Santorini before plunging into the
Aegean Sea.
and watch your step; crumbling rock has
led to many a twisted ankle near the city’s
archaeological sites.
Santorini
No trip to Greece would be complete
without a foray to its idyllic islands, most of
which can be reached via ferry, cruise ship
or plane. For dramatic views of Cycladic
blue-domed churches perched on cliffs
overlooking the Aegean Sea, Santorini is
an unparalleled choice. A ride on the ferry
from the port of Pireas will take the good
part of a day, more than seven hours, while a
higher-priced ticket aboard a catamaran will
take about four hours.
The approach to the island is
breathtaking, with layers of colorful rock
forming steep cliffs that dive nearly a
thousand feet in some places down to the
sea, offering one of the most spectacular
landscapes in the world. Ferry riders have
the option to taxi to Fira, though visitors
who arrive via cruise ship must choose
between taking a cable car from the Old
Fira port, walking or riding a donkey up
the 600-plus steps to the village of Fira.
However you get there, you will find hotels
and restaurants perched along the caldera,
offering great views of the sunken volcano,
whose eruption 3,600 years ago is believed
to have inspired the myth of Atlantis. Tours
of the volcano crater, which is still steaming
and spewing sulfur, are
available. Visitors can also opt
to bathe in the bubbling sulfur
springs of the volcano.
For those sun seekers
looking for unique beach
experiences, Santorini offers
a number of places to sprawl
about and enjoy the moment.
Many of the beaches have
black sand, while the Red
Beach is a popular choice for
tourists and locals alike.
Sunsets on Santorini are
the stuff postcards are made
of, literally. When visiting
the island, tourists flock to
the village of Oia near the
northern tip of the crescentshaped island, the population
of which swells at sundown as shutterbugs
try to capture the magical color changes of
the light. It is then, when the fading sun
dips below the steaming volcano and turns
to gold the whitewashed buildings perched
around the caldera, that you will most clearly
comprehend the everlasting Greek value
that never ages, of living in the moment. D
To begin planning your own adventure
in Greece, visit these Web sites:
For a guide to Greece:
www.visitgreece.gr
For a guide to Athens:
www.greece-athens.com
For a guide to the island
of Santorini: www.santorini-greece.biz
Charish Badzinski is a freelance writer with
an incurable case of wanderlust. One of her
favorite travel memories is watching the sun
set in Santorini with a terrier by her side, a
random street dog who stayed with her until
the sky turned purple, then wandered back to
the narrow streets of Fira.
ADVERTISER
INDEX
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
ONGOING EVENTS
At Home America ............................................................................................. 42
Bauer’s......................................................................................................................... 16
Beyer Cabinets ..................................................................................................... 27
Bruce De Fries Studio Group ..................................................................... 40
Carpet One ........................................................................................................... 27
Custom Closets ................................................................................................... 27
D.M. Harris Law, L.L.C........................................................................................ 20
Decker’s Floor to Ceiling ............................................................................... 28
Dregne’s Scandinavian Gifts............................................................................ 10
Drugan’s Castle Mound .................................................................................. 36
Elegant Stone.......................................................................................................... 27
Jon W. Feist, D.D.S. ................................................................................................. 2
Flooring Interiors ................................................................................................ 31
Franciscan Skemp Healthcare ...................................................................... 10
Gerhards/ First Supply ..................................................................................... 30
Grounded Specialty Coffee .......................................................................... 41
Gundersen Lutheran .....................................................................................4,13
Hanson Insurance Agency ............................................................................. 42
Hidden Valley Designs LLC ........................................................................... 26
Honda Motorwerks .......................................................................................... 48
Jandt Funeral Homes.......................................................................................... 20
Janet Mootz Photography................................................................................ 10
Kickapoo Homes, Inc. ....................................................................................... 31
La Crosse Radio .................................................................................................. 16
La Crosse Symphony Orchestra ............................................................... 10
Law Office of Heidi M. Eglash ..................................................................... 22
Lillians.......................................................................................................................... 41
LuAnn Dibb Photo.............................................................................................. 13
Masterpiece Collections ................................................................................. 42
Naturo Weight LLC .......................................................................................... 22
Nordeen Design Gallery ................................................................................ 33
Orthodontic Specialists..................................................................................... 45
Overhead Door of the 7 Rivers Region ............................................... 31
People’s Food Co-op ....................................................................................... 41
Renewal Home Energy..................................................................................... 27
River Road Quilt Shop .................................................................................... 42
Satori Arts Gallery ............................................................................................. 40
Schumacher Kish Funeral Homes Inc. ..................................................... 16
Solarworks .............................................................................................................. 28
St. Joseph Equipment ........................................................................................ 31
Stamp ‘n Hand ...................................................................................................... 40
Steve Low’s Midwest Toyota ........................................................................ 40
Take II ........................................................................................................................ 28
Take 5 Productions ............................................................................................ 22
The Mac Guys........................................................................................................ 42
The Salon ................................................................................................................ 41
The Salon Professional Academy .............................................................. 26
The Wedding Party................................................................................................ 8
The Wine Guyz ................................................................................................... 41
Touch of Class ...................................................................................................... 13
Travel Experts ....................................................................................................... 42
Trust Point .............................................................................................................. 20
Ultimate Insulation............................................................................................... 28
Valley View Mall ...................................................................................................... 3
Viterbo University .............................................................................................. 16
American Association of University Women
(AAUW) 2nd Sat. of each month (Sept.–May), 9:30 a.m.,
608-788-7439, www.aauw-wi.org.
Business Over Breakfast La Crosse Area Chamber
of Commerce, 4th Wed. every month, 7:30-8:45 a.m.
Preregister 608-784-4807, www.lacrossechamber.com.
Children’s Museum of La Crosse weekly programming:
Creation Station for all ages, every Sat. 10:30-11:30 a.m.
and 2:00-3:00 p.m.; every Sun. 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Save-On-Sundays $1.00 off admission every Sun.,
noon to 5 p.m.
Book Swap: On the first Sun. of each month, bring a
gently used, clean, children’s book from home and swap it
for a different book from the museum’s collection.
Mt. LeKid Climbing Wall open every Sat.
11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sun. 1-4 p.m.
A-B-C Learners’ Club for ages 1-5 with parent, every
Thurs., 10:30-11:15 a.m.
NEOS Exhibit opens Sept. 22. NEOS will help people of
all ages get their bodies moving in a fun way, encouraging
memory, coordination, thinking, strength and endurance.
Coulee Region Autism Society for family members,
friends and professionals who care for someone on
the autism spectrum. 3rd Wed. of each month, Chileda
Habilitation Institute, 1825 Victory St., La Crosse.
6:30-8:30 p.m. Child care available, call 608-519-0883.
[email protected] or autismfyi-lacrosse@
yahoogroups.com.
Coulee Region Professional Women (CRPW)
meets the 4th Tues. of each month, La Crosse Holiday Inn,
5:30 p.m. Madalene Buelow, 608-791-5282.
La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce monthly
breakfast meeting. 2nd Mon. of each month, 7:00 a.m.,
Radisson. Admission is $5 and includes breakfast. www.
lacrossechamber.com.
La Crosse Noon Business & Professional Women
meets the 2nd Thurs. of each month, The Waterfront, noon.
Carol Schank, 608-783-0419, [email protected].
Women in Networking and Support (WINS) meets
the 2nd Wed. of each month, Piggy’s, noon-1:00 p.m. No
reservation required, no dues, everyone is welcome to
attend. If you would like lunch (your cost), arrive early for
buffet. Kay Buck, 608-791-9253, [email protected].
Cameron Park Farmers’ Market, Fridays through
October, 4-8 p.m., La Crosse. Local produce vendors,
music, artists and more. www.cameronparkmarket.org.
Parents in Partnership, Oct. 16-17, Dec. 4-5, Jan. 2223, March 5-6, April 23-24, Stoney Creek Inn, Onalaska.
A free five-session training opportunity for parents,
grandparents, foster parents and guardians of children with
developmental delays, disabilities or chronic illnesses. John
Shaw, 608-266-7707, [email protected] or Phyllis
Voelker, 877-844-4925, [email protected].
Second Chapter Divorce Recovery, Tuesdays at 6:30
p.m. Sept. 8-Dec. 22, Southside Neighborhood Center,
1300 6th St. S., La Crosse, www.secondchapter.com.
Waterloo Heights Dental Center ............................................................. 47
CALENDAR EVENTS
Westby House ..................................................................................................... 10
Sept. 25-Oct. 3, Oktoberfest, La Crosse. Includes the
Maple Leaf Parade, carnival rides, ethnic food, music, beer
and more. 608-784-3378, www.oktoberfestusa.com.
Oct. 2-4, Bridal & Anniversary Expo, Center Court, Valley
View Mall. Dresses, services, samples, prizes and a fashion
show at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Oct. 9, Laura Ingalls Wilder, 7 p.m., Heider Center, West
Salem, 608-786-1220, ext. 4.
Winona Radio ...................................................................................................... 20
WKBT NewsChannel8 ....................................................................................... 6
Accomplishments
Franciscan Skemp .................................................................................................. 8
Gundersen Lutheran............................................................................................. 8
Mississippi Valley Chiropractic Alliance........................................................ 8
Law Office of Heidi Eglash................................................................................. 8
Travel Experts............................................................................................................ 8
Oct. 9, Hot Sauce, 7:30 p.m., Pump House, La Crosse.
Oct. 9-10, It’s YOUR Museum, La Crosse! community
weekend campaign. Show an ID with a La Crosse address
and receive $1 off admission, $5 off memberships and 20%
off in the museum store. Children’s Museum, La Crosse.
Oct. 10, Historic Downtown La Crosse Day. Celebrate
the history of La Crosse with live entertainment, trolley
and carriage rides, demonstrations and more.
Oct. 10, Fall Fun Fair, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Eagle Bluff
Elementary School, Onalaska. Raffle, silent auction, kids’
games, inflatables, train rides and more.
Oct. 15, Virsky Ukranian Dance Company, 7:30 p.m.,
Page Theatre, St. Mary’s University, Winona.
Oct. 15-18, How to Succeed in Business without Really
Trying, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15-17, 3 p.m. Oct. 18, Performing Arts
Center, Winona State University.
Oct. 16-18, Room Service, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16-17, 2 p.m. Oct
18, Viterbo University.
Oct. 16-25, Escape from Happiness, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16-17
and 22-24; 2 p.m. Oct. 18 and 25, Toland Theatre, Center
for the Arts, UW-La Crosse.
Oct. 17-18, Sports Card Show, Center Court, Valley View
Mall. Sports cards, racing items, collectibles and more.
Oct. 22, Rave On! Buddy Holly tribute, 7:30 p.m.,
Heider Center, West Salem, 608-786-1220, ext. 4.
Oct. 25, Halloween Showcase, Center Court, Valley View
Mall. Enjoy spooky tunes presented by the La Crosse Area
Music Teachers Association.
Oct. 25, Trick or Treat, 2-3 p.m., Valley View Mall.
Costumed kids can trick or treat at participating stores.
Oct. 25, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet Mask Theatre,
6:30 p.m., Page Theatre, St. Mary’s University, Winona.
Oct. 25, Bowfire, 7:30 p.m., Viterbo University.
Oct. 31, 7th Annual West Salem Holiday Craft Show, 8
a.m.-2 p.m., West Salem Elementary School. Sponsored by
West Salem Fine Arts Board.
Nov. 6, Don’t Stop the Music, Wisconsin Singers, 7:30
p.m., Heider Center, West Salem, 608-786-1220, ext. 4.
Nov. 7, Tim Eriksen, 7:30 p.m., Pump House, La Crosse.
Nov. 10, Alzheimer’s Association 20th Annual Fall
Conference & Celebration of Excellence Luncheon, 8:30
a.m.-4 p.m., Best Western Midway Hotel, 608-784-5011.
Nov. 11-15, Frozen, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11-14, 2 p.m. Nov. 15,
Toland Theatre, Center for the Arts, UW-La Crosse.
Nov. 11-22, Holiday Fair, La Crosse Center.
Nov. 12-15, The Crucible, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12-14, 3 p.m. Nov.
16, Page Theatre, St. Mary’s University, Winona.
Nov. 13, Santa’s Arrival, Center Court, Valley View Mall.
Enjoy a visit and photos with Santa beginning Nov. 13.
Nov. 14, Bill Miller in concert, 7:30 p.m., Heider Center,
West Salem, 608-786-1220, ext. 4.
Nov. 18-22, Love Song, 7:30 p.m., Performing Arts Center,
Winona State University.
Nov. 19, Five by Design: Club Swing, 7:30 p.m., Page
Theatre, St. Mary’s University, Winona.
Nov. 20, Angel Tree Celebration, Center Court, Valley
View Mall. Visit with Salvation Army volunteers to help
local people in need this holiday season.
Nov. 22, Cirque Le Masque, 7:30 p.m., Viterbo University.
Nov. 27, Holidays Unwrapped! 5-11 a.m., Valley View
Mall. Shop early for amazing sales, prizes, refreshment and
entertainment. Visit myvalleyview.com for more details.
If your organization would like to be included in
our Community Calendar, please contact us at
[email protected] or call 608-783-5395

37 7 gIfTS fOR THE gIVINg - Coulee Region Women`s Magazine

Transcription

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The Forest Grammar School, Winnersh, Berks.

October 2010

WAFER, Inc. Annual Report