Door County YMCA Encourages Area Youth to Apply for Spirit of Community Award

• The Door County YMCA is encouraging local youth to apply for the 2011 Prudential Spirit of Community Award. If selected, the chosen student could receive $1,000, a silver medallion, and a trip to Washington, D.C. next May.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is a nationwide program for young people in grades 5 – 12 who are volunteering in their communities. The program is conducted on the local level through public and private middle level and high schools across the United States and through officially designated local organizations: Girl Scout councils, County 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs, and Affiliates of HandsOn Network. The students do not have to have volunteered at these organizations to apply, but at any organization in their community.

Interested applicants may apply online at http://spirit.prudential.com or fill out a paper application available at the Door County YMCA. Paper applications may be submitted to a school or one of the above-mentioned organizations for certification in order to be considered for the award at the state and national level. Applications must be submitted by November 1.

For more information visit http://spirit.prudential.com.

• Door County-based Antonia Nelson has developed a reputation among her peers and clients for the healing arts, and she will be offering complimentary life-coaching sessions.

Nelson has more than 30 years of experience, including l3 years as a facilitator for The Way of the Heart, an international company dedicated to empowering life purpose. Her expertise incorporates Massage Therapy, Myofascial Release, Cranio Sacral Therapy, and Life Coaching.

“I feel the combination of these techniques takes things to the next level of very effective healing emotionally, mentally, as well as physically. Each client can go much deeper into their own healing process in a very gentle and supportive way that can bring about true change in their life,” said Nelson. “I work with personal clients as well as bringing this work into business settings, to help create a more cohesive, creative and flourishing business and bringing that to the relationships of those working in the business.”

For more information and/or to receive a 20-minute complimentary session, contact Nelson at 920.818.0045 or 920.445.3561. Nelson has offices in Sturgeon Bay at Nelson Healing Center, 44 S. 2nd Avenue and in Green Bay at Body-Dynamics, 681 Baeten Road.

• Ephraim’s Hardy Gallery, a non-profit organization serving the visual arts and artists of Door County, successfully competed for one of the hundreds of grants from the Wisconsin Arts Board this year.

The Wisconsin Arts Board is the state agency that nurtures creativity, cultivates expression, promotes the arts, supports the arts in education, stimulates community and economic development, and serves as a resource for people of every culture and heritage in Wisconsin’s communities. The Arts Board’s grants to arts and community organization help make programs available to broad audiences, keep ticket prices down, and allow groups to undertake innovative programming.

The Arts Board also supports programs that bring artists into classrooms, as well as local arts councils in cities and towns across Wisconsin.

The Hardy Gallery, open 10 am – 5 pm daily, is located on Ephraim’s Anderson Dock. The gallery will close for the season on Tuesday, October 12. For more information call 920.854.2210 or visit http://www.thehardy.org.

• The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Education Fund applauds candidates for political office who have agreed to participate in debates and forums in the coming weeks.

“Debates offer the opportunity for candidates to state their views and respond in-person to their opponents’ statements. There is no better way for voters to directly compare the candidates and their positions,” said Andrea Kaminski, director of the Wisconsin League.

The League of Women Voters will be sponsoring several debates around the state, as will a number of other organizations. A frequently updated list of league debates can be found on the state League’s website at http://www.lwvwi.org. The national League offers a “Debates 101” website with resources to help viewers get the most out of their debate-watching experience.

The League offers the following advice for citizens who wish to learn about the candidates through the debates:

1. Seek out debates sponsored by trustworthy nonpartisan organizations.

2. Consider getting together with friends or family to watch the debate.

3. Pay attention to how the candidates respond to questions.

4. Be sure to seek information from other sources in addition to the debate.

For more information visit League of Women Voters’ online voter guide at http://vote411.org/ or visit http://www.lwvwi.org.

• Robert Nickel, Principal of Sturgeon Bay High School, announced that Gretchen Hathaway has been named a Commended Student in the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program. A Letter of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, will be presented by the principal to this scholastically talented senior.

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2011 competition for National Merit Scholarships, Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2011 competition by taking the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

• On Saturday, October 9, Will Oakley, candidate for Door County Sheriff, will make a series of appearances throughout Northern Door. The Wild Tomato of Fish Creek will host Oakley from 8:30 – 9:30 am. Oakley will also be appearing from 9:45 – 10:30 am in Ephraim, 11 am – 12 pm at the Sister Bay Library located on Mill Road, and 2 – 3 pm at the Washington Island Rec Center located on Main Road.

This is an opportunity for Door County citizens and voters to meet Oakley, who ran a positive, straightforward campaign in 2006 and did very well as a first time candidate. He brings thoughtful, innovative ideas to enhance law enforcement and crime prevention; experienced leadership skills to improve department moral, and a commitment to serve the entire county. This will be a chance to hear his reasons for running, ask questions, and/or make comments.

Oakley is running on the Democratic ticket, all are invited to these informal events.