Door County YMCA Exceeds Campaign Goal

• The Door County YMCA has exceeded their campaign goal of $425,000 for the 2011 Strong Kids Campaign raising $431,364.81. The Strong Kids Campaign is the annual campaign to provide funds for scholarships and affordable programs “for all” in Door County regardless of financial need. In 2010 the Door County YMCA raised $420,673.96 during the Strong Kids Campaign with a goal of $410,000.

“We are very appreciative that so many recognize that the Y is in our community to help people learn, grow and thrive. We will be able to continue to make an enduring impact right here in our own neighborhood thanks to the record number of 824 donations helping to raise a record number of dollars for the scholarship program,” according to Cindy Weber, financial development director at the Door County YMCA.

To support the Strong Kids campaign any time throughout the year, call the Door County YMCA at 920.743.4949 in Sturgeon Bay or 920.868.3660 in Fish Creek.

• Altrusa of Door County presented two $20,000 college scholarships to local students. The scholarship is funded by an anonymous benefactor and not funds raised by the organization. Rachael Hansen of Southern Door and Maren Schultz of Washington Island were the recipients this year. Members of Altrusa were at each of the girls’ awards ceremonies to present the scholarships of $20,000 paid out over four years.

• The Ellison Bay Service Club is hosting a rededication ceremony for the escarpment rock in the Community Park at noon on June 26 as part of Olde Ellison Bay Days.

With its original bronze plaque missing since the 1970s, the escarpment rock has been sitting unidentified for 40 years. The club has provided a new inscription for the rock, and a short program will be presented to share the meaning of the rock and why it was placed in Ellison Bay.

The Ellison bay Service Club designated the rock and its rededication as one of its projects for the year 2011.The public is invited to attend and participate in this event.

• The Door County Community Foundation is inviting local charities to submit applications for financial support from the Community Foundation’s Arts Fund.

“The arts describe a broad range of creative activities which can stimulate thought and inspire the soul,” said Bret Bicoy, president & CEO of the Community Foundation. “We hope to promote and celebrate the arts as an integral part of the health of our community.”

The Community Foundation’s Arts Fund supports creative charitable activities in Door County that use the arts to enrich our community and touch the lives of the people of Door County. “We certainly welcome applications from arts related charities,” said Bicoy. “But we’re also looking for ideas from other kinds of charities that want to use the arts in their more traditional programming.”

Arts Fund materials may be downloaded from the Community Foundation’s website at http://www.doorcountycommunityfoundation.org. Applications and supporting materials must be received at the Community Foundation by July 19.

For more information, contact Bret Bicoy at 920.746.1786 or email [email protected].

• Work has started on the Hanson House, the historic building being restored by the Door County Historical Society. The structure, over 150 years old, has been identified as a unique example of Norwegian building techniques dating back to the 14th century. Only two similar structures have been discovered in the U.S.

The basement will be waterproofed and several beams will be replaced that were affected by wet conditions. A portion of the basement wall will be replaced using fieldstones similar to the original. Every effort will be taken to restore the house historically correct as it stood in 1870. The site has been approved by the City of Sturgeon Bay as a Historic Site.

When completed the house will be open to the public and integrated into the society’s Historical Village at Crossroads connected by a Heritage Trail. The project is being funded by grants and private donations.

For more information or to donate to the restoration project visit http://www.doorcountyhistoricalsociety.org.

• “Sail-abration” of the Schooner Coast is the theme at the Door County Maritime Museum’s annual Ports of Call Gala on July 1 at the Door County Maritime Museum’s waterfront grounds in Sturgeon Bay.

The three-masted schooner Denis Sullivan will be the highlight of this dining and dancing extravaganza. Attendees will have the opportunity to stroll the decks of the Sullivan and enjoy delicious culinary specialties from Door Peninsula restaurants and the music of Little Vito and the Torpedoes.

The menu will feature nearly a dozen appetizers and entrees each to be followed by a selection of eight desserts from more than 30 restaurants and culinary establishments.

A live auction will also be held featuring such items at a seven-course “TugTanic Dinner” aboard the tug John Purves. The Ports of Call Committee will prepare and serve selections from the last menu served on the Titanic. Some additional auction/raffle items are a toddler boat rocker, a day sail for six by Highland Piper Cruises, and “Lake Guardians,” an original watercolor by Karsten Topelmann.

The museum is located at 120 N. Madison Avenue in Sturgeon Bay. Festivities will begin at 5:30 pm and continue until 11:30 pm. Tickets are $65 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets call 920.743.5958 or visit http://www.dcmm.org.

• Door County Habitat for Humanity raised a total of $16,450 over three days of activities at the first annual “Save The Nelsons’ Marriage.” Surpassing its original goal of $15,000, Board President Mike Stephani termed the community’s response to the three-day event as “overwhelming,” noting that the organization was initially unsure what the public reaction would be to this new, unconventional venture.

Executive Director Rick Nelson and his wife Barbara climbed the 10-foot tarp-covered scaffolding at noon June 10, remaining there until 4:30 pm on Sunday.

In accord with a pre-event pledge, Barbara shaved Rick’s head at the top of the scaffolding in exchange for the donation of at least $2,000.

The money raised will help to fund ambitious 2011 construction plans. Projects will include the completion of the affiliate’s first complete house remodel, the starting of two new homes and the painting or repairing of several existing homes throughout the county.

For more information contact Rick Nelson at 920.743.2869, email [email protected] or visit http://www.doorcountyhabitat.org.

• Photographers from Old Time Portraits of Baileys Harbor were recognized at the 2011 Antique and Amusement Photographers International Photo Contest held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tanya Vahrenkamp placed first in Best Wedding Portrait, second in Best Portrait of a Man, Best Group Portrait, and Best Portrait and Poster Mat, and working as a team with husband Bill Vahrenkamp placed first in Best Staff Portrait.

Old Time Portraits, owned by Baileys Harbor businessman Scott H. Henry, is a mobile studio operation based out of Baileys Harbor, which travels to major state fairs including the Iowa, Minnesota and Texas state fairs. Henry, a charter member of Antique and Amusement Photographers International, was also recognized at the Las Vegas event for his years of dedicated service to the association, including his term as association president from 2008 to 2011.

For more information and to see the first place winning portraits, visit the AAPI website at http://www.oldtimephotos.org.

• Lt. Col. Julie Schaffer, United States Marine Corps, daughter of Pat and Cathy Mangan of Sister Bay and 1986 graduate of Gibraltar High, relinquished command of 6th Motor Transport Battalion to Lt. Col. Ed McNulty on June 11 in a ceremony held in Red Bank, N.J.

During her two years in command, 6th Motor Transport Battalion deployed over 400 Marines to Iraq and Afghanistan in support of the war on terror. For her leadership and excellence in preparing the Marines for these missions, Lt. Col. Schaffer was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. She has been selected to attend the Army War College in Carlisle, Penn. in July. Lt. Col. Schaffer resides in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas with her husband Rob and sons, Andrew and Sean Schaffer.

• In celebration of Carla & Ellsworth Peterson’s enduring philanthropy to the Y, the Door County YMCA will be honoring the Peterson’s at their annual Heritage Club Dinner on June 30 at Stone Harbor Resort at 5:30 pm. Seating is limited and reservations were required by June 23. This event has been rescheduled due to the cancellation of the event originally planned for the fall of 2010.

Ellsworth and Carla Peterson’s support has been monumental and instrumental in creating and sustaining the Door County YMCA over the past 25 years.

“Carla & Ellsworth’s generosity and civic pride expressed through their benevolence has shaped and provided great opportunity for all in Door County for the past half of a century,” said Dan Powell, Door County YMCA, CEO. The Carla & Ellsworth Peterson Foundation has contributed millions of dollars to the Y and local organizations like the Maritime Museum, Peninsula Players, Door County Land Trust, American Folklore Theatre, Ministry Door County Medical Center, Birch Creek, and many others.

The cost of dinner is $25. For more information call the YMCA at 920.743.4949.