Quick Notes: May 15 – 29, 2009

• Thanks to Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Habitat for Humanity in Door County is planning to turn the house keys over to another partner family on June 30. Thrivent Financial has agreed to provide Habitat with more than 75 percent of the costs to build a home, which comes in at just over $70,000 in support!

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a faith-based financial services organization, is also putting the call out to fellow Lutherans and Thrivent Financial members to help with the remaining construction of the home, which is located on North 7th Avenue in Sturgeon Bay. Currently the walls are up and wrapped, the interior walls are framed and the roof trusses have just been set. But, there is still plenty to do. No matter your level of skill – whether you have never used a hammer or you are a builder by trade – please help Habitat and Thrivent Financial finish this house on time.

For more information, please call Katy at Habitat for Humanity of Door County at 920.743.2869, or visit http://www.doorhabitat.com.

• Current and former employees of the landmark Door County, Wisconsin restaurant are organizing an Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant and Butik Employee Reunion Party in Honor of the Restaurant’s 60th Anniversary. The reunion party will be Saturday, Aug. 22, from 4 – 8 pm, in the Helm’s Area of Waterfront Park in Sister Bay (behind the Post Office). The rain location will be Sister Bay Village Hall (right across from the restaurant).

For more details about the party and other tentatively planned weekend activities, visit http://www.aljohnsonsreunion.com. The Web site allows you to RSVP for the party and see who else will be there. Anyone planning to attend should visit the Web site to RSVP so organizers can plan appropriately. Note that we want everyone, those employees attending and those who cannot, to put in writing a description of your best and worst work experiences/stories at Al’s – event organizers are putting together a book of stories and photos to give to Al and Ingert Johnson that weekend. The Web site provides directions for submitting stories.

• The second annual May Fun(d)raiser for the Democratic Party of Door County will take place on May 28, 6 pm, at the Board Room at Liberty Square in Egg Harbor. The $25 per person admission includes a light supper, the evening’s entertainment, and the white donkey sale.

The theme of the evening is a retrospective of the first 100 days of the Obama administration in the words of President Obama himself. To start the retrospective, Patti Podgers and Jim Johnson will present an account of the inauguration, which they viewed first-hand. Mike Tate, candidate for the Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, will also speak.

Party members are asked to start gathering donations for the “White Donkey” sale. New and gently used items are needed. To donate, please contact Barbara Perloff (920.839.9282, [email protected]).

• The Door County YMCA and the Parish Nurses Network of Door County will be holding their annual Healthy Living Fair on May 20 from 9 am – noon at the Door County YMCA, Northern Door Program Center, in Fish Creek.

The Healthy Living Fair is free and open to the public with information for all ages to learn more about health needs and tips for taking care of current health concerns. Dozens of local businesses will be on hand to share health-related information and offer interactive free screenings throughout the day, including foot massages, oxygen level testing, breast cancer risk assessment, vision screening, hearing tests, skin cancer screening, sleep apnea testing, and blood pressure screening. Cholesterol and blood glucose screenings are also available for $15 by contacting the Door County YMCA at 920.743.4949 to schedule an appointment.

New to the Healthy Living Fair this year, there will be a cooking demonstration held at 9:30 am and free classes to participate. Door prizes, free refreshments and childcare will be available.

For more information on the Healthy Living Fair contact the Door County YMCA in Fish Creek at 920.868.3660.

Sister Bay and the Door County YMCA announced a collaboration to offer activities on village grounds. (Left to right) Dave Leinau, Peter Trenchard, Mary Heimann, Matt Luders, Bob Kufrin and Sharon Doersching. Photo by Dan Eggert.

• The Door County YMCA and the Village of Sister Bay have entered into an agreement to bring YMCA programs to the newly renovated complex located in Sister Bay in addition to any peripheral buildings and space located on Sister Bay Public property.

All programs will be YMCA programs led by certified staff of the YMCA. There will be programming for all ages including Zumba, Beachfront Yoga & Pilates, Controlled Impact Aerobics and Sunset Tai Chi for adults and Sports of All Sorts Camp and Tennis Tuesdays for youth. Programming will run in July and August and people can register for these classes at the Door County YMCA in June or drop-into any class.

YMCA members will receive programs for free. If not a member of the YMCA, Sister Bay residents and tourists will receive 50 percent off the community member fee. All programs would be offered at a daily price to accommodate residents and tourists staying and living in other areas of Door County.

For more information on the programs being offered between the Door County YMCA and the Village of Sister Bay, contact the Door County YMCA in Fish Creek at 920.868.3660.

• The 2009 Strong Kids Campaign wraps up on May 31 and the Door County YMCA is just over $100,000 away from reaching their goal of $375,000. With the strong support seen during this campaign the YMCA is optimistic that they will reach the goal, but the organization needs the entire community’s support as the month nears its end to make this possible.

It is especially crucial that the YMCA raise these funds this year, with a 249 percent increase of those receiving scholarship assistance to participate at the YMCA in March 2009 over March 2008.

The Strong Kids Campaign is the annual campaign to provide funds for scholarships and affordable programs “for all” in Door County regardless of age or financial need.

Donations may be made online at doorcountyymca.org, mailed the Door County YMCA, 1900 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 or dropped off at either the Sturgeon Bay or Northern Door Program Center.

• The Door County YMCA recently received three new grants to serve the community, including a Tylenol Keep Moving Grant, a PepsiCo Healthy Living Grant and Kopseker grant from the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation.

The Tylenol Keep Moving Grant will fund a “Keep Moving” event and support programming for active older adults, as well as provide financial assistance to cover membership and program fees for older adult members. With money received through this grant, two free fitness classes will be offered at the Health Fair on May 20.

The PepsiCo Healthy Living Grant will be used to ensure that children in third and fourth grade in Door County are able to swim, be safe and enjoy being active in and around the water. The goal of the program is to not only expose local youth to one of the best overall body conditioning exercises, but also decrease the number of accidents in the water in Door County.

The Kopseker grant from the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation will be used to certify seniors in Northern Door County in CPR/AED. The money received through this grant will provide senior citizens with the opportunity to become certified to help keep fellow Door County citizens stay alive until more advanced medical services arrive to take over.

For more information call 920.743.4949.

• The Liberty Grove Historical Society and the Ellison Bay Service Club are jointly sponsoring their 1st annual Trunk Show on Saturday, May 23 from 8 am – 1 pm.

The event, featuring a number of vendors with their auto trunks filled to the brim with treasures from attics, garages, flea markets and more, will be take place at the historic barn site at the top of the hill in Ellison Bay.

In addition to all the wares for sale from the trunks, food will be available for purchase. There is no admission charge for the event.

Individuals wishing to have a space (sized 20’x15’) for selling will need a reservation and should call Jan Jenkins at 920.854.2621. The charge is $15 per stall.

• The Northern Door Children’s Center’s second Pancake and Porkie Breakfast will be held Saturday, May 16 at the Carroll House Restaurant.

Garey and Jeanne Bies, owners of the Carroll House Restaurant, are supplying all of the food and products to be used and all proceeds will be donated to assist with general operating costs of the Northern Door Children’s Center.

The breakfast will be held from 8 am – noon. The cost is $8 for adults, $5 for children two to 12, and children one and under are free. The Carroll House Restaurant is located on Highway 42 across the street from Baylake Bank.

• A Safe Schools Grant from the National Education Association and Wisconsin Education Association Council, along with the support of local individual contributors and PFLAG of Door County, will fund a summer “diversity training” for local educators and community members.

In “Fine Tuning Your School to Be Emotionally Safe for All” participants will examine their assumptions about diversity and school safety. Diversity encompasses more than race. In today’s classrooms there are different kinds of family structures, diverse learning styles, varied socio-economic means, students with disabilities, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues. Understanding and differentiating learning to address these diversities will maximize student potential and create inclusive and safe school and classroom environments.

Kathleen Leadley, Trainer for National Education Association Safe Schools Program, will conduct the two-day training. “Fine Tuning Your School” will be held June 16 and 17, 8 am – 3:30 pm in the Sturgeon Bay Middle School Commons. An on-site lunch will be provided.

There is a registration fee of $25 fee; however, participants will receive well over that in resources. An optional graduate credit is available for an additional fee. To receive a registration form or more information call 920.743.1691.

• A local individual has donated two scholarships that will pay full tuition for this summer’s Sail Training Foundation sailing classes in Sturgeon Bay. When asked why the donation, the donor stated, “Sailing has been very good to me, and we have a great place to start sailing, here in Sturgeon Bay.”

The scholarships will be available to first-time beginning sailors ages 9 to 13. Candidates for the scholarships must write a brief (100 or fewer words) essay titled “Why I would like to learn to sail.” All entries will be judged by the donor, and all contestants will be notified, win or lose. Sibling teams are encouraged.

The deadline for entries is June 15, and essays should be mailed to:  Essay Contest, Sail Training Foundation, c/o Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club, 600 Nautical Drive, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235.

For more information about the Sail Training Foundation and the sailing classes, visit http://www.sturgeonbayyachtclub.com.

• The American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation to support its transportation services in northern Door County.

The American Red Cross Lakeland Chapter’s transportation services are provided to those age 60 and over and to individuals with disabilities. The funding will specifically support transportation services and special program outreach efforts targeted to northern Door County residents age 60 and over, with hopes to raise awareness for senior citizens of the available program.

The Transportation Services Mission is to provide a low cost means of transportation for the elderly citizens of our community and those with disabilities, allowing them to lead a more fulfilling self-sufficient lifestyle.

For more information visit http://www.arclakeland.org.

• On April 22, 2009 United Way of Door County presented the 2008 Volunteer of the Year Award to WDOR Radio Stations for more than four decades of unwavering dedication in support of United Way of Door County. Sue Todey, president, had the honor of presenting Eddy Allen, Roger Levendusky and Danny Allen with this award.

Todey stated, “The crew at WDOR is a perfect example of how each of us can go above and beyond what we give to our community through our jobs. Each time they seek an interview with United Way or attend our events, they are setting an example for the rest of us on how to continue making Door County a wonderful place to live. They are our best cheerleader.”

For more information call 920.746.9645.

• Beth Krohn, Door County WI WINS Coordinator, announced recently that her office would again be conducting WI WINS tobacco compliance checks throughout Door County in the near future.

WI WINS tobacco compliance inspections are performed twice annually in the county and most recently were completed in Door County in December 2008. Krohn reported a 98 percent success rate with only three cigarette sales to minors occurring in all of 2008. A cross-section of retailers were inspected including convenience stores, taverns, bowling alleys and grocery stores.

Early tobacco use is the key predictor of many serious youth problems that communities face. Some people think tobacco use is no big deal in terms of youth problem behaviors, but a study of over 10,000 youth nationally shows the link between headline community problems and youth tobacco use.

For more information call 920.743.8947.

• Door County UW-Extension Family Living Educator Pam Peterson received a prestigious award recently at the annual Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP) Conference held in Madison. Peterson developed an awareness campaign about the harmful effects of parental verbal abuse on children. The campaign, called “Sticks and Stones and Other Hurtful Words,” also included a workshop and fact sheet. For her efforts, as well as her dedication to her profession and the families that she serves, Peterson was recognized with the Wisconsin Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Communication Award for Written Press.

• Imelda Delchambre, a University of Wisconsin-Extension nutrition educator working in Door and Kewaunee counties, has been recognized as one of 17 “Outstanding Women of Color in Education” in the UW System.

Delchambre was recently honored for her work as a nutrition educator in Cooperative Extension and for her contributions to the Hispanic communities of Door and Kewaunee counties. She received her award at a luncheon ceremony featuring guest speaker Danae Davis of the UW System Board of Regents.

The “Outstanding Women of Color in Education” award, sponsored by the UW System Women’s Studies Consortium and the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, highlights the work of women who have consistently served as catalysts for positive change at the institutional level; for example, by designing educational programs that demonstrate an understanding of the interplay of family, community and culture in the lives of women of color.

• The Clearing Folk School is pleased to announce a fundraising event sure to be fun and worthwhile. The Play “Fore!” The Clearing 9-hole Golf Scramble is scheduled for Monday, June 29 at Maxwelton Braes Golf Resort (1 mile south of Baileys Harbor) with a shotgun start at 10 am. Registration is $75 per person or $300 per foursome and is limited to 72 golfers. Register by calling 920.854.4088. Deadline to register is Friday, June 19.

The schedule of events and registration fees include a chili supper and informational meeting on Sunday, June 28 prior to the festivities on Monday, June 29. A picnic lunch on the patio at Maxwelton Braes will follow the golf event for prize giveaways and to announce winners. Raffle prizes, hole events and other prize events are being organized.  

Be a part of this special event by sponsoring a hole or tee. Embroidered hole flag sponsorships are available for $150 and include The Clearing’s event logo and your name or the name of a special person you would like to honor. Tee sponsorship is available for $75 and includes a sturdy, sign with your name, a business name or in honor of someone special. Both sponsorships will be seen by golfers during the round.

Accommodations on campus are also available with special golf weekend package rates. Call for details.

For more information about The Clearing, visit http://www.theclearing.org or call 920.854.4088.

• Sister Bay offers something for everyone and a day of second-hand browsing on Saturday, May 16 at its 5th annual Community-wide Rummage Sale. Featuring 30 sites throughout the village, the sale runs from 8 am – 4 pm rain or shine.

All sale sites will be marked by brightly colored signs; however, maps of the sites and descriptions of sales are listed online at sisterbay.com and will be available at the Sister Bay Information Center, the Administration Office, Library, and at various Sister Bay businesses in advance. Each sale sites will also have maps and directions to all the other sites on the day of the event.

Two consignment retail shops – Julie’s Upscale Resale and Village Resale – will also offer special sales.

Joining in the sale activities are seven restaurants who will all be giving special eating deals that day. Coupons and ads for these places are also printed on the map. They include the DC Deli, Sister Bay Bowl, Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant, Sister Bay Cafe, Northern Grill, Patio Drive-In, and Sub Express (located in the Mobil Station). 

• Over 130 Door County elementary school children have a new reason to smile thanks to some students from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.

As part of the Door County Dental Initiative, the kids recently received fluoride varnish treatments and learned how nutrition and dental hygiene can impact their oral and overall health. At the same time, 15 first-year students from the NWTC Nursing-Associate Degree and Practical Nursing programs gained practical experience and developed their sense of civic responsibility through this service-learning project.

The NWTC students visited two Sturgeon Bay sites last month. On April 17, eight Nursing-Associate Degree students visited Sunset Elementary School under the supervision of Marsha Sternard, NWTC Nursing faculty. On April 20, seven Practical Nursing students served children at Lakeside Dental Clinic under the supervision of NWTC Nursing faculty Marcia Osborne.

With the success of the recent fluoride varnish clinics, it’s no wonder that Osborne and the Dental Initiative committee are already planning to build on new partnerships, which now include Head Start, Healthy Families and the Sunset School staff.

For more information about this program, contact Mary Ann Zjala at 920.746.1071 or NWTC at http://www.nwtc.edu or call 920.746.4904.