Door County Community News and Notes

• The holidays were perfectly grand for Amy Kiehnau and Tammy Kroll as the Sturgeon Bay Visitor Center (SBVC) announced the big winner of the Moo-La-La contest. Kiehnau was the official winner as her name was drawn from hundreds of entries, but she and her sister, Kroll, promised they would split the winnings if one of their names was drawn. Now they will each have a share of the $1,000 winnings in special gift certificates to use at 22 participating Sturgeon Bay businesses.

The 12-day Moo-La-La Fa-La-La contest was very successful for its first year, with not only the big finale winner but daily winners that won additional gift certificates and prizes. This year it really made sense to shop local and “jingle your way thru Sturgeon Bay.”

• The Village of Sister Bay hopes to increase opportunities for public access to the waters of Green Bay at the Sister Bay Marina and Waterfront Park. The Marina and Park Committees are seeking proposals for commercial use at the Village Marina and Waterfront Park for 2009.

The village is open to all proposals except for commercial or charter fishing operations. Usage is split into two areas, one for silent sports such as kayaks, canoes, and paddleboats, and the other is reserved for motorized boats.

As part of its Waterfront Park project initiated in 2007, the village is pursuing state grants to continue improvements to the beach and marina.

More information, including details on proposal requirements, can be found at http://intranet.sisterbay.com/default.aspx or by contacting Village Administrator Robert Kufrin at [email protected] or Steve Mann at 920.421.0273.

• The League of Women Voters of Door County has invited two fellow groups – Sustain Door and Door Property Owners – to join its next roundtable on Friday, January 9 at 11:30 am at the Inn at Cedar Crossing.

Sustain Door, Door Property Owners, and the Door County League of Women Voters share many of the same goals, concerns, and interests. The roundtable discussion will focus on problems facing Door County and how the groups might collaborate, increasing the impact of their efforts.

Members of the public, including members of other such groups, are welcome to attend and participate in the general discussion of issues important to Door County; however, an RSVP would be appreciated. Please contact to Susan Kohout at 920.743.1527 or [email protected] for more information or to RSVP.

• On January 20, 2009 at 5 pm the general public is invited to join in celebration of the new Obama Administration at The Door County Outpost Gallery & Café. Located at 4690 Rainbow Ridge Rd., Egg Harbor, The Outpost will host the night’s celebration with specialty beer, fine wine and great food. Guests who attend the inaugural bash will be able to enjoy the inaugural address on 100-inch movie screen.

For more information please call 920.868.4321. Reservations appreciated.

• Even though the official Polar Bear Plunge of 2009 has passed, the opportunity to get your souvenir shirt, while supporting the Jacksonport Fire Department and Feed my People, has not. The 2009 Jacksonport Polar Bear Club shirts are available at the Jacksonport Craft Cottage in downtown Jacksonport while quantities last. Other souvenir Polar Bear Club items available are caps, pins and fleece jackets – all while quantities last. For more information call 920.823.2288.

• Scholarships, Inc., an organization dedicated to helping students meet the rising costs of a college education, has announced that applications for the 2009-2010 scholastic year awards are now available.

Scholarships, Inc. partners with area high schools to encourage educational and personal growth. Last year, the organization awarded more than $497,000 to 503 deserving students. Scholarships, Inc. makes awards to graduating seniors at all 13 Brown County and five Door County high schools, in addition to scholarships for continuing students and returning adult students. For the first time, Scholarships, Inc., will be accepting applications for students attending technical colleges.

“If you’re seeking any kind of scholarship aid, now is the time to act,” said Joanne Angeli, Executive Director of Scholarships, Inc. “Many programs, including those administered by Scholarships, Inc., have deadlines fast approaching (February 15, 2009).”

For further information, call 920.430.1363 or visit http://www.scholarshipsinc.org.

• On December 7, 92 people toured some of Sturgeon Bay’s bed and breakfast inns as part of the Christmas Walk, which benefited the United Way of Door County.

The six featured locations, all decorated in their holiday best, included: Black Walnut Guest House, Colonial Gardens Bed & Breakfast, Inn at Cedar Crossing, Reynolds House, Sawyer House Bed & Breakfast and White Lace Inn.

Representatives from three of the inns (Geri Ballard – Black Walnut, Anni Lampert – Colonial Gardens, and Kelly Hellmann – Inn at Cedar Crossing) presented a check in the amount of $690 to Amy Kohnle, Executive Director of United Way of Door County.

“We were honored to have been chosen as this year’s recipient. This gift of money will provide rent and groceries for a family of three for one month in Door County.” Kohnle added, “It proves once again just how every dollar can make a difference in our community.”

Plan now to attend next year’s Sturgeon Bay Bed & Breakfast Christmas Walk to be held on Sunday, December 6, 2009.

For more information on United Way of Door County, please call 920.746.9645 or email [email protected].

• The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Wisconsin State Director, Frank Frassetto, announced the availability of funds for Homeownership and Home Improvement assistance.

The interest rate on these loans could be subsidized down to one percent. There is no down payment and no private mortgage insurance required. Closing costs and repairs may be included in the loan.

Home repair funds can be disbursed in the form of a one percent loan or possibly a grant if for those 62 or older. Grants must be used to repair heath and safety issues to the home.

Property eligibility and income restrictions apply. Please call for more information. Interested individuals are urged to apply now, so please call the Shawano Area Office for a free pre-qualification at 715.524.8522 ext. 4.

• A USDA Rural Development representative will be in Door County to provide information about the many loan and grant programs that are available to Wisconsin’s residents, communities and businesses.

Julie Felhofer, Area Specialist from the Rural Development Office in Shawano, will be at the Door County Senior Resource Center, 832 N. 14th Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, on Thursday, January 15 from noon – 2 pm, to hold these special community outreach hours.

Rural Development provides a wide variety of loans, guaranteed loans and grant programs to rural residents in the areas of housing, community facilities and infrastructure, and business development.

Further information on programs available through USDA Rural Development is available by visiting http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/wi.

For more information or to schedule an appointment to meet with Julie Felhofer on January 15, although walk-ins are welcome, please call 715.524.8522 ext. 4.

• Good Samaritan – Scandia Village, a senior living community in Sister Bay was recently awarded with a 5-star rating by the United States Government. The 5-star rating reflects the excellent care provided in Scandia Village’s nursing home. The rating is based on overall health inspections, nursing home staffing and quality measures.

Good Samaritan – Scandia Village provides housing and services for more than 175 seniors. Housing options available are villas, apartments, assisted living, 24-hour nursing care and specialized care for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Scandia Village also plays host to a multitude of events and services and provides meeting space for many groups throughout Door County.

The community is welcome to stop in for a tour anytime at 10560 Applewood Rd., Sister Bay.

For more information call 920.854.2317.

• HELP of Door County’s supply of personal care items is running very low and the United Way of Door County is asking everyone to do what they can to help re-build the inventory.

HELP of Door County is one of the 39 programs that United Way of Door County is funding this year, and among its many services, HELP provides emergency shelter to victims of domestic abuse. Community members who are being assisted by HELP are provided personal care items in these times of need. In addition, HELP offers these items to all members of the community who are in need.

The following items are needed: shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream (for men or women), deodorant (for men or women), razors (for men and women), paper toweling, toilet paper, pull ups and diapers (all sizes), tampons and sanitary pads, toothbrushes, toothpaste, cleaning supplies and facial tissues. Please keep in mind that full-sized containers are accepted, not hotel sized shampoos, conditioners and soaps.

Items can be dropped off between 9 am – 4:30 pm Monday through Friday at HELP of Door County’s new location, 219 Green Bay Road, Sturgeon Bay, or United Way of Door County, 57 N. Third Avenue, (lower level of Associated Bank), Sturgeon Bay.

For more information call 920.746.9645 or email [email protected].

• The Ellison Bay Service Club would like to say thank you to the people and businesses that helped make their first year a success.

Among the individuals and organizations the club would like express their gratitude to include (but are certainly not limited to): Baylake Bank – Ellison Bay; Businesses in Liberty Grove for their support of Olde Ellison Bay Days; Door County Advocate; Door Reminder; Ellison Bay Women’s Club; Liberty Grove Township; Bruce and Jan Mielke; Peninsula Pulse; T. Ashwell’s Restaurant and Tom Smith; Viking Grill and Restaurant and Danny Peterson and Wendy Smith.

Also, the club is grateful to everyone who contributed to their accomplishments in 2008, including: Olde Ellison Bay Days; new recycling containers; a new Web site; a tree planted in John Mahoney’s memory; coordinating and maintaining the new planters around town; “green” lights for the Christmas tree and the tree lighting party; Christmas Party; and town clean up.

Anyone who has any ideas or suggestions for 2009 projects is encouraged to attend the next general meeting of the Ellison Bay Service Club on April 16, 2009 at 7 pm at the Viking Annex.

• In conjunction with the Family Centers Pampering & Practicalities Evening for Women, five Door County salons are offering a complimentary “Pampering Session” to five lucky individuals.

Winners receive a new look, compliments of the salons and free admission to the Pampering and Practicalities event, which will be held on January 23 at Stone Harbor Resort from 5 – 9:30 pm. The “pampered patrons” will be special guests at the event, and stylists will unveil the “new look” that they have given the winners.

Anyone who knows of someone deserving of a little TLC is encouraged to nominate them for a “Pampering Session.” Nomination forms are available on the Family Centers Web site (www.doorcountyfamilycenters.com), as well as at the participating salons: Eklipse Hair and Nail Studio, Country Walk Shops, Sister Bay; Options Hair Studio/Day Spa, 213 Louisiana, Sturgeon Bay; Shear Style Plus, 4527 Hwy 57, Institute; The Clipper’s Mate, Madison and Maple, Sturgeon Bay; and The Yankee Clipper, 3rd Avenue, Sturgeon Bay.

Nomination forms and a recent photo should be returned to a participating salon by Saturday, Jan. 10.

• U.S. Senator Russ Feingold announced recently that he has nominated 49 young Wisconsin men and women, including Troy Tauber of Sturgeon Bay, for appointments to our nation’s service academies.

The applicants to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, the Military Academy at West Point and the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point started the screening process in the spring of 2008 and were rated on a number of issues including scholarship, character, and leadership potential. The academies will announce their appointees within the next few months for the class entering in July 2009.

• The Door County Green Fund Board of Directors held its annual meeting on December 17, 2008, at which they awarded one grant in the amount of $11,775 to the Door County Parks Department.

The Door County Parks Department will use the funds to help offset acquisition costs of its purchase of a 2.5 acre parcel of shorefront property approximately 4.5 miles north of Sturgeon Bay and adjacent to the north side of the Olde Stone Quarry County Park. Acquisition of this property will provide the public with 300 feet of accessible shoreline currently not available within the park. It will also provide an opportunity to protect the shoreline and provide a serene setting away from the busy launch area to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the shoreline and waters of Green Bay.

Green Fund board members also recognized retiring board member Cinnamon Rossman (2005 – 2008); welcomed new board member Mike Brodd; and returning board members Vinni Chomeau, Paul Dreutzer, and Lisa Frederick. The board was also very happy to welcome back past board members who have agreed to serve one year terms: Trish Konowalski, Ralph Bergman, Rob Burke, Rob Pollman, Henry Isaksen, Vicki Wilson, Tad Gilster and Mariah Goode.

For more information call Trish Konowalski at 920.746.8460.

• The Door County YMCA is offering some new classes for the first session of the New Year, which began on Monday, January 5. From Tai Chi Chaun and Broomball at the Northern Door facility to Kids Yoga and Basic Crochet at the Sturgeon Bay facility, 2009 promises to offer something for everyone. The entire array of Door County YMCA class offerings may be viewed online at http://www.doorcountyymca.org.

For more information on any of these classes or to register, contact the Door County YMCA at 920.868.3660 in Fish Creek, 920.743.4949 in Sturgeon Bay or visit http://www.doorcountyymca.org.

• Door County Tavern League presented Gina Wautier, representative for the Family Centers of Door County, with a check in the amount of $200. The Family Centers hold breakfasts for senior citizens and also does different projects with children throughout the year like Christmas shopping for family members, Easter egg hunts, and much more. Also pictured are Delores Brown, Sec. Treas. of the league and two happy shoppers. This donation will be matched by the Wisconsin Tavern League foundation.