Door County Community Notes

• Governor Jim Doyle has approved grants for projects that will enhance local transportation options for citizens with disabilities. The grants, totaling $1,415,922, will support new public transportation services and alternatives for individuals with disabilities, and will promote coordination between specialized and public transportation statewide.

United Way of Door County, on behalf of Door-Tran Inc., and the Door County Transportation Consortium, is one of the grant recipients. They will receive up to $73,500 in 2009 to continue a full-time Mobility Manager, operate an affordable transportation voucher program and hire a Limited Term Employee to work with two providers on coordination of services to eliminate duplication.

For more information call Amy Kohnle at 920.746.9645 or Pam Busch at 920.743.9999.

• HELP of Door County, Inc. is announcing the establishment of the Anne Kok Social Justice Award. The award will recognize an individual, group or organization who has demonstrated a commitment to eliminating violence against women in all its forms, making an impact in Door County. The award is named after Anne Kok, former Executive Director and board member of HELP who passed away last February in a tragic car accident. Kok was also an activist whose efforts were instrumental in securing the initial domestic abuse program funding initiatives in the state of Wisconsin. Through this award, Kok will continue to be honored for her passion for social justice. Nominations may be submitted to HELP of Door County by February 15, 2009 and will be awarded at HELP’s annual meeting in April. For more information, contact Barb Maskell, Executive Director of HELP, at 920.743.8785.

• Neighbor-to-Neighbor Volunteer Caregivers of Door County facilitates companionship for people who are homebound and/or have no family in Door County, and volunteers are needed for this outreach service. Volunteers do not provide medical care or housekeeping, but they do talk with people, read and share about their lives. A half hour to an hour in-person visit or phone call can have a big impact in a neighbor’s life.

Neighbor-to-Neighbor is a non-profit organization that oversees four programs: peer companions, respite care for primary caregivers, medical equipment lending and The Lemonade Club, a cancer-survivor support group. All services are provided at no charge. The organization is dependent upon donations and is always in need of basic office supplies and financial donations to offset operating expenses. Some of the organization’s needs include: volunteers, white photocopy paper, stamps, and a small dorm size refrigerator. All donations are tax deductible.

If interested in volunteering or donating, please contact Jan Scoville, Executive Director, P.O. Box 626, Sturgeon Bay, WI or call 920.743.7800.

• Greg Sunstrom is organizing a bus trip to Granite Peak for a day on the slopes Tuesday, Jan. 27. The bus will leave Sister Bay at 6:30 am and return around 8:30 pm, after a stop for dinner.

The day’s skiing will include the Jon Sawyer versus Ivan Bridenhagen Slalom, or BS challenge.

For more information call Sunstrom at 920.421.0577.

• Sister Bay Trading Company will be hosting a Chili Cookoff with proceeds benefiting The Wellness Center of Door County on Saturday, February 7, from 11 am – 3 pm.

Area chili chefs are encouraged to enter their favorite chili recipes. Chili may be dropped off as early as 10 am at Sister Bay Trading. Judging by Michele Geiger-Bronsky, Executive Director of the Wellness Center, will be held at 3 pm sharp. Bowls of chili will be available for sampling for a donation of $5 per person. Guests will also enjoy 20 percent off all home accessories and 50 percent off holiday merchandise.

“The staff at Sister Bay Trading Company is happy to announce The Wellness Center of Door County as our 2009 nonprofit of choice," said Marilyn Jensen, owner of Sister Bay Trading Company.

For more information on the Chili Cookoff contact Sister Bay Trading at 920.854.2554.

• Northern Door Disaster Responders (NDDR) are organizing two more teams of volunteers for flood relief work in Hope, Indiana. All skill levels are needed. Teams will travel on weekends, leaving February 14 and March 28 for one-week terms. The second trip corresponds to the spring break of Gibraltar Schools. Teams will work on homes damaged by floods last summer. Housing is provided. Call Dave Schrader for details at 920.854.5218.

• The Wellness Center of Door County has been providing affordable services and offering free reproductive health care for eligible patients since 2003. By making use of the Wisconsin Medical Assistance Family Planning Waiver, females who are willing to use any form of contraception and fall at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level are eligible to receive birth control at no personal cost.

The staff at the Wellness Center is a dedicated group of compassionate clinicians known for their commitment to confidentiality and dynamic connections with patients. Their passion for helping patients find the “right fit” of medication or other health options that respects the dignity and choices of each person remains a focal point in the services they provide.

The non-profit organization provides care on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in Sturgeon Bay at 312 N. 5th Avenue. Weekly services continue to be provided in Sister Bay on Tuesdays at a space within the Partners in Health building at 10539 Applewood Drive.

For more information call 920.746.9444 or visit http://www.wellnesscenterofdoorcounty.com.

• The Health & Wellness Cabinet ministry at Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church in Ellison Bay will be addressing the subject of pain in three informational sessions in January, February and March. Each session will address a different aspect of pain relief and will be conducted by a specialist on that particular aspect of pain.

The first session will take place on Sunday, January 25 at 3 pm in the fellowship hall of the church, located on Highway 42 in Ellison Bay. It will address the Pros and Cons of Natural/Nutritional Therapies of pain relief. The presenter, Judith Reninger, has a Master’s Degree in Science and Nutrition and serves Shepherd of the Bay as the parish nutritionist and consultant. She will be covering such subjects as aromatherapy, food and nutrition management, inflammation control, herbs, non-traditional over the counter remedies, digestive disorders, blood type diets, and allergies.

The second session on the Pros and Cons of Complementary Therapies will take place on February 15, and the third session will be on the Pros and Cons of Traditional Medical Therapies.

For more information call 920.854.2988.

• Third Avenue Playhouse (TAP) is looking forward to 2009 as the year of high hopes. Even as TAP was celebrating the successful completion of a first phase of capital improvements in 2008, the staff and board noticed that year-end donations were falling short of previous levels. Not surprising. Still, the decline in contributions was sobering.

A past donor stepped forward and issued a matching funds challenge of $10,000. The donor will match, dollar-for-dollar up to $10,000, donations received through March 1, 2009. Deemed the High Hopes Matching Funds Challenge, every dollar contributed will be used to offset operating expenses and keep the performing arts accessible and affordable for members of the community.

Contributions should be sent to Third Avenue Playhouse High Hopes Challenge, PO Box 843, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235.

For more information, call 920.743.1760.

• United Way of Door County has announced that applications for their Third Annual Scholarship Program for Door County high school seniors are available. All high school seniors, whether home-schooled or at one of the five school districts are eligible for these scholarships. There will be up to four one-time $500 scholarships for college or technical school tuition awarded to Door County Class of 2009 students.

Applications detailing the criteria for consideration for the awards have been distributed to the local high schools and the Volunteer Center of Door County. The application is also available at http://www.unitedwaydc.com.

The deadline for submitting applications for the program is March 15, 2009. Recipients will be announced at the annual awards ceremonies at the high schools.

For more information call 920.746.9645.

• The Women’s Employment Project, Inc. (WEP) celebrates its 30th Anniversary in 2009, and to kick off this year of celebration WEP is hosting an Open House at the Door County Job Center 1300 Egg Harbor Road, Suite 124 on January 28 from 3 – 6 pm.

In addition to door prizes and an appetizer buffet, the Open House will highlight WEP’s current programs that serve Door and Kewaunee community residents. WEP has focused primarily on providing energy and employment programming for individuals and families working to improve their lives in our community, and the special event will be an opportunity to meet the WEP, Inc. Employment Specialists/Job Developers and Director.

For more information call Kim Carley at 920.743.7273 x114.

• State Representative Garey Bies (R-Sister Bay) recently presented legislation to restrict the sale of fertilizer containing phosphorous. This is the second session Rep. Bies has authored such legislation to protect Wisconsin’s lakes and rivers from excessive nutrient pollution.

“Last session we just ran out of time to get this proposal passed,” said Bies. “I am optimistic that with our early start this session we will be successful and I am heartened by the bipartisan support in both legislative houses.”