Nine Students Complete Leadership Door County Class

• The 21st class of Leadership Door County has successfully completed their year, and celebrated with a Commencement Ceremony on June 14 at the Lodge at Leathem Smith in Sturgeon Bay.

Class members graduating in the 21st class of Leadership Door County include Don Albert, Steve Beaudot, Ross Dippel, Chris Hecht, Kelly Jorgensen, Shannon LeFevre, Jack Moneypenny, Brandy Phipps, and Janel Veeser.

During the year, the nine class members attended daylong sessions on human services, history of Door County, local government, health care, education, economy and environment, and the arts. They also participated in teambuilding retreats.

Each Leadership Door County class selects a project to work on as a class that benefits the community. This year’s class chose the 2-1-1 PLUS project. The 2-1-1 Program is a central contact point (similar to a “Call Center”) that enables individuals and families to locate, through a phone or computer, essential human services in their community to meet specific needs. The class teamed with the Brown County 2-1-1 program and worked through United Way of Door County to promote the project locally and secure sites for hosting the 2-1-1.

Applications for the 22nd Leadership Door County class are still being accepted. For more information or to download an application visit http://www.leadershipdoorcounty.com.

Door County native, Jessica Adams, and a group of Jamaican school children with supplies donated from Door County individuals and businesses in 2005.

• For the past five years, Door County native Jess Adams has served on the board of directors of a small nonprofit organization based in five rural villages in Jamaica called the Blue Mountain Project. The impoverished rural mountain community, known to most because of its famous Blue Mountain Coffee, sits up in the hills of Jamaica just outside of the country’s capital of Kingston.

In rural areas such as Hagley Gap, one of the five villages the Blue Mountain Project (BMP) works to provide clean water, and improve health, literacy, and economic development.

When August comes along, parents in Hagley Gap start worrying about how they are going to afford the school uniforms, shoes, and supplies their kids need to attend school. Priorities are backpacks, notebooks, and black shoes (boys and girls closed-toe with no heels). Students will also need rulers (6 and 12-inch), pencil sharpeners, crayons, watercolor paints, poster paints, geometry set (protractor, compass, triangle, 6” ruler), toothbrushes and toothpaste.

To make a tax-deductible donation, contact Jess Adams via email at [email protected]. For more information visit http://www.bluemountainproject.org.

Sweetie Pies worker Maggie Mae Nase shows off some of the home-made pies at the Door County pie shop, located near Fish Creek.

• Ten Door County cherry pies were sent to a food pantry in Kenosha where the Governor of Illinois served them on July 18.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn volunteered at the food pantry to fulfill his lost wager with the Governor of Wisconsin as a result of the Packers NFC Championship victory over the Chicago Bears earlier this year. Prior to the big game in January, the two governors made a friendly wager that would have the loser volunteer at a food pantry in the winning team’s state.

In addition to handing out delicious Door County cherry pie, Governor Quinn distributed cranberry products, brats, custard, honey and other Wisconsin items. And he donned a Packers t-shirt the whole time as well, another part of the friendly football game wager between the two governors.

Jon Jarosh, director of Communications & PR for the Door County Visitor Bureau (DCVB), said he was glad the Door County cherry pies were going to a food pantry in Wisconsin. “I’m pleased that we can share some of our locally made Door County cherry pies with our fellow state residents in Kenosha,” he said. “And even though tart Door County cherries were used to make the 10 pies, they’ll taste extra sweet because the Lombardi Trophy is back home in Wisconsin where it belongs.”

Sweetie Pies, located near Fish Creek, made the Door County cherry pies and arranged to have them delivered.

• The “Cowboy Church of Northern Door” opened for worship this spring, appropriately in a horse barn at 12376 Timberline Road just a mile north of Uncle Tom’s confection and gift cabin. Cowboy Churches are “non-denominational” Bible-based and western music oriented. The public is welcome to join in on Sunday mornings when the barn is empty of horses and full of gospel music and worship, beginning at 10 am.

The Cowboy Church Gospel Band can often be found practicing at Brew in Ellison Bay on Monday morning – or anytime the spirit moves pastor Lloyd Michalsen and his pick-up buddies to jam.

For more information call 920.421.1327.

• Golden Living Center-Dorchester, a 120-bed skilled nursing, physical rehabilitation and Alzheimer’s/dementia care provider in Sturgeon Bay, has released the following tips for staying cool during the hot summer months.

The tips are especially important to people 65 and older, who are more likely to have chronic medical conditions that affect the way the body responds to heat. They may also take prescription medications that impair the way the body regulates the temperature.

Their tips are as follows:

– Drink plenty of water and avoid caffeinated, sugary drinks.

– Don’t wait until thirsty to drink more fluids.

– Avoid extremely cold liquids as they can cause cramps

– Wear sunscreen while outdoors.

– Wear light-colored and lightweight fabrics.

– Consider a hat to shield the sun.

– Wear sunglasses, coded for UV and UVB sunlight, to protect eyes.

– Take breaks from outdoor work, and try to do activities in shady areas.

– Avoid being outdoors during the hottest times of the day.

– Use an air conditioner, or try opening windows on opposite ends of the home to enhance airflow. Or use a fan.

– Limit the amount of time spent outdoors.

– Check on neighbors, especially senior citizens who live nearby.

– Make sure pets have plenty of water and access to shady or well-ventilated areas.

For more information about Golden LivingCenter-Dorchester visit goldenlivingcenters.com.

• The Greater Green Bay Community Foundation has awarded Ministry Door County Medical Center Foundation a grant in the amount of $5,000 to support the hospital’s Ministry Fund in 2011-2012. The grant will be used for special outreach efforts serving northern Door County residents age 60 and over with their medical, hospital, nursing and home care needs, transportation and other necessities of life so they can maintain their independent living.

This is the fifth year in a row that the funds from the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation will be used in northern Door County communities. In 2010, the majority of the funds were allocated to individuals needing assistance with dental care and medications, preventing these individuals from having to seek emergency care due to not having their medications. Funds were also used to pay some of the costs of utilities, food, gas and lodging for individuals who were unemployed and/or uninsured. Dental care for the uninsured or those on Badger Care also continues to be a major concern for anyone over the age of 18.

The Ministry Fund continues to collaborate with and educate recipients regarding other outside agencies including WPS, Door County Social Services, Women’s Employment Center, area food pantries, food share programs, Door Tran, Financial Information Service Center (FISC), local dentists, and assistance with energy costs.

• Neighbor-to-Neighbor Volunteer Caregivers of Door County, Inc. has been awarded a grant of $1,000 from the Bay View Lutheran Church Anderson Endowment Fund for the purpose of updating volunteer training manuals and educational materials. The Anderson Endowment Fund was established when Kenneth Anderson, a former Sturgeon Bay resident, left a bequest to Bay View Lutheran Church, specifying that the money be used for educational purposes.

Neighbor-to-Neighbor provides services to the Door County Community through four programs: peer companions, respite care for primary caregivers, medical equipment loans for people of all ages who experience a temporary or long-term disability, and The Lemonade Club, a cancer survivor support group. All services are provided free of charge. In 2010, 927 individuals utilized these programs.

For more information call Neighbor-to-Neighbor at 920.743.7800.

• On July 24 at 4 pm, The Health & Wellness Cabinet of the Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church will present the third in its series on “Stroke.” This presentation will deal with the various therapies that are given after a stroke. Entitled, “Coming Back from a Stroke,” the presentation will be led by Deb Whitelaw-Gorski, chief physical therapist at Door Memorial Hospital. She will likely have several other therapists with her to answer attendees’ questions.

The free presentation will be held at St. Rosalia’s Catholic church in Sister Bay.