Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant Changes Winter Hours

• Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik in Sister Bay has changed its winter hours for the first time in many years. Beginning Nov. 27, both the restaurant and Butik hours will be 7 am – 3 pm, with the exception of Dec. 26 – 31 when they will be open from 7 am – 8 pm.

“This is the first time we haven’t had winter dinner hours for a number of years,” said co-owner Lars Johnson, “but back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the business closed entirely all-winter-long. We’ll be closed during the dinner hours for a number of months this winter, but will re-start our dinners early next spring.”

Al Johnson’s will be open daily for dinner through Nov. 26 and is open from 7 am – 8 pm until the winter hours take effect on Nov. 27.

Al Johnson’s annual Butik sale, offering discounts up to 50 percent, is still in process and will go through the end of December. The Butik, closed on Thanksgiving Day, is open daily from 7 am – 8 pm until Nov. 27.

• The Wisconsin Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (WACVB) recently awarded a 2011 Wisconsin Tourism Trailblazer award to the Door County Visitor Bureau (DCVB) for their outstanding “Your Stories. Our Setting. Like Nowhere Else.” social media campaign.

Each year WACVB gives out Wisconsin Tourism Trailblazer Awards to destination marketing organizations like the DCVB for outstanding marketing and partnership projects that help to advance Wisconsin’s tourism industry. This year 10 organizations were nominated and awards in three different categories were handed out.

The DCVB integrated its “Your Stories. Our Setting. Like Nowhere Else.” advertising campaign to social media, creating an ongoing dialogue with visitors by having them tell their Door County vacation stories and having community members blog about the destination. Since launching the new campaign on Facebook and Twitter in the spring of 2010, the DCVB has seen the number of Twitter followers and Facebook “likes” more than double, blog views are up dramatically and web visits are up 5 percent over 2010 with lodging pages receiving the most visits on http://www.DoorCounty.com, the destination marketing organization’s website.

Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Stephanie Klett joined the WACVB in presenting the award to DCVB Director of Marketing & Sales Mary Denis during the WACVB’s 2011 Wisconsin Fall Tourism Convention in Lake Geneva on Nov. 3.

The DCVB previously won Tourism Trailblazer awards for their Festival of Blossoms marketing and partnership project in 2009, their Explore The Door video podcast initiative in 2006 and for their Kingdom So Delicious promotion in 2005.

• Jacqueline Szczepanski of Pulaski, Wis., has joined Thrivent Financial for Lutherans as a Financial Associate with the organization’s Northeast WI & Upper MI Regional Financial Office. Szczepanski offers area Lutherans comprehensive financial strategies, personal customer service and a wide range of financial products. Her office is located at 160 S. Madison Avenue in Sturgeon Bay.

Before joining Thrivent Financial, Szczepanski worked at Peninsula School of Art. Szczepanski graduated from St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis., receiving a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

“We see Jacqueline as a valuable addition to our office’s field staff,” said Janelle Fuhrmann, managing partner of the Northeast WI & Upper MI Regional Financial Office in Appleton. “We look forward to the energy and dedication Jacqueline will bring to the team. She will play a key role in our mission of serving our members’ financial needs.”

For more information, visit http://www.thrivent.com.

• Golden LivingCenter-Dorchester has made two additions to its management team.

Elizabeth Stuart is the new director of the Alzheimer’s/Dementia Care Center. Her responsibilities include enhancing quality of life for residents in the 24-bed unit, named the Coventry Care Center.

Stuart, of Sturgeon Bay, holds a degree in social work from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, where she assisted with research concerning person-centered care and language-based strategies for people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Stuart also worked at the Milwaukee Catholic Home and interned at Woodstock Health & Rehab Center and the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Kenosha.

Linda Watch was named the new rehab program coordinator by Aegis Therapies, an affiliate of Golden LivingCenter-Dorchester. She most recently worked as a certified occupational therapist assistant for HCR Manor Care, Denver, and has more than 18 years experience in occupational therapy.

For more information visit http://www.goldenlivingcenters.com or

http://www.aegistherapies.com.

• Husby’s Food and Spirits in Sister Bay is celebrating the gun deer season with a Big Buck Contest. Entry into the contest is $20.

Husby’s will hold a raffle Sunday, Nov. 27 at 6:30 pm featuring hunting equipment, tree stands, ground blinds and much more, including two shotguns, two rifles and three muzzleloaders.

The gun deer season runs through Nov. 27.

• The acquisition of “The Corner of the Past” museum property from the Village of Sister Bay by the Sister Bay Historical Society became a reality with the signing of a conveyance agreement by Village President Denise Bhirdo and Society President Fred Johnson.

The society had been partnering with the village for nearly 20 years under an operating agreement, with the village owning the land and buildings as part of their park system and the society owning the furnishings and other artifacts and responsible for maintaining and operating the facility.

“I think this serves as an acknowledgement that the society has ‘grown up’ and is now ready for the responsibility of full ownership,” commented Village Trustee Patrick Duffy, who serves as the village’s liaison on the Society Board.

“Over the years, our members have invested a great deal of time and effort into The Corner of the Past, and we are grateful for the confidence that the Village Board has shown in our ability to carry on with the task of preserving our local heritage,” Johnson noted. “Full ownership of the museum property will challenge the society in coming years to find means of financially supporting the operation. Establishment of our Legacy Endowment Fund and continuation of the Brick Sales project are part of that effort.”

• The Wellness Center of Door County is partnering with holistic health care practitioners to provide affordable access to acupuncture, reiki, and massage services. Starting this month, patients can make appointments to see any of the following therapists.

Alison Beadell, L.Ac., of Wood Rabbit Acupunture will see patients on Mondays at the Wellness Center of Door County. She uses Traditional Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture and herbs, to treat conditions which include the common cold or flu, women’s health issues, sinus problems, depression and anxiety. Treatments are also effective in encouraging the body to heal following surgery or injury.

Joshua Nelson, LMT, will offer massage services, including craniosacral and myofascial release therapies. He is a graduate of Blue Sky School of Professional Massage and Bodywork. Nelson aims to offer therapy to aid in recovery from trauma, provide lasting relief from pain, and prevent the occurance of chronic disease.

Sue Powers, RN, BSN, Reiki Master, will offer her services on Mondays and selected weekday evenings. Kathy McCabe, Reiki Master, will provide Reiki on Monday evenings and Tuesdays. “Reiki preserves health and fights disease by using the energy system of the body,” said Powers.

All services will be provided on an income-based sliding scale. To make an appointment with any of the above providers, call the Wellness Center of Door County at 920.746.9444.

• Wisconsin Cheese Masters have received a shipment of the oldest sharp cheddar in the world: Hook’s 15 Year Old Sharp Cheddar.

This very rare cheese is revered by cheese aficionados throughout the world, and it is carried exclusively in northeastern Wisconsin by Wisconsin Cheese Masters. It is housed in a special temperature controlled refrigerated cooler to maximize its one of a kind taste and textures.

Very limited quantities are available at $69 per pound. Customers may call 920.868.4320 to reserve their order. For those outside of Door County, shipping is included in the per pound price.

Wisconsin Cheese Masters features all Wisconsin, farmstead, master and artisanal cheeses, with over 80 varieties available every day. It is a family and locally owned and operated business, located at 4692 Rainbow Ridge Court, Egg Harbor.

For more information visit http://www.wisconsincheesemasters.com.

• Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) received the “Futuremakers Partner Award” from the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Board during the board meeting at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) on Nov. 8.

Dan Clancy, president of the WTCS, presented the award to Bill Laakso, vice president-Human Resources at WPS.

“The Futuremakers Partner award was created to celebrate the impact of college and employer collaboration in helping hundreds of thousands of students set a direction for their future,” Clancy explained.

“I’m very proud to be here representing WPS. The energy industry is very technical, very skilled,” Laasko stated. “All of our jobs require post-secondary education. Our average employee age is 47, so we recognize the need for a skilled workforce plan. That is what motivates our involvement with NWTC; we have a ready resource. We have partners at NWTC.”

WPS and the college have worked together closely for at least 20 years.

The Wisconsin Technical College System offers more than 300 programs awarding two-year associate degrees, one- and two-year technical diplomas and short-term technical diplomas. In addition, the system is the major provider of customized training and technical assistance to Wisconsin’s business and industry community. For more information about educational programs visit http://www.witechcolleges.org.