Story originally printed in the Coulee News or online at www.couleenews.com
Published - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
News in brief
Here are a selection of brief news items from this week’s paper edition, and possibly a few news briefs that didn’t make it in the paper.
The Crazy Horse Saloon and the SFB Motorcycle Club will host a fundraising event, Rosie’s Second Chance, to help Rosie Zakem with medical expenses related to her long-term battle with cancer.
A native of La Crosse and well known among pool players as one of the best female players around, Zakem has gone several rounds with cancer, starting with a hysterectomy to battle uterine cancer when she was 39.
In 2000, the cancer returned and Zakem had to have her left kidney removed. A year later, a tumor was discovered on her pancreas, and she had her spleen and part of her pancreas removed.
Last March, a tumor was found on the adrenal gland on her right kidney, and she had to have surgery again. She is now undergoing chemotherapy in her continuing battle against cancer.
The benefit planned for Zakem starts at 1 p.m. at the Crazy Horse Saloon on Leonard Street in downtown West Salem. Zakem has worked at the Crazy Horse since July 2005, when her health allows.
The smoke-free evening will feature food and beer, cash drawings, a silent auction, a wing-span raffle and karaoke by Ryan “Farmboy” Fuchsel form 9 p.m. until closing time.
 PET OF THE WEEK: Little Foot is a 5-year-old neutered shorthair buff tiger cat. Little Foot's story with us begins on Aug. 13, 2009, when he was surrendered to our organization because his previous owners could no longer afford to provide care for him, a story that has become far too common with people needing to make difficult decisions as a result of the economy. Little Foot is an incredibly nice cat and so very easy to handle. He enjoys being brushed, which is not all that common with cats. He is social, getting along with all those he has had a chance to meet. He is cuddly, taking the chance to do so when anyone even remotely indicates they might want to do so with him. Little Foot will probably transition well into almost any home — one with resident cats or without, one with dogs or without, one with children or without. For more information on any of the animals at the Coulee Region Humane Society, call 781-4014 or stop by 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday or 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. |
The West Salem American Legion will host a chickencue starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Legion’s clubrooms in downtown West Salem. Cost is $7.50 for a half-chicken dinner, which can be eaten at the Legion or carried out.
A book sale is planned for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, to help preserve the former Bangor Baptist church on 17th Avenue North, one of the first English-speaking churches in the area. Funds raised from the book sale will be used to purchase a much-needed furnace for the church.
A chili supper to raise money for the Veterans’ Memorial Court of Honor will be held in the clubrooms of the West Salem American Legion Monday, Oct. 26, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Proceeds will help replace crumbling pillars and caps at the veterans memorial.
The West Salem Library Book Club has changed its meeting time to the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Hazel Brown Leicht Memorial Library. The next meeting will be Oct. 19, at which members will discuss “Sail” by James Patterson. New members are welcome.
Several Red Cross blood drives are planned in the area during October.
A collection event also is planned for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, at the Onalaska OmniCenter, and donations will be taken from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at Luther High School in Onalaska.
All donors must weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health. Donors can be as young as 16, but they will require signed permission from their parents. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments can be made by calling 1-800-GIVE-LIFE.
Luther High School’s auxiliary gym will be transformed into Agrabah, where Princess Jasmine is preparing to choose a husband, with Aladdin and the Genie pitted against sinister Jafar and his sidekick Iago.
Luther High School actors will stage a shortened adaption of the original Disney production, “Aladdin,” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. The musical will feature original songs including “Arabian Nights,” “A Whole New World” and “A Friend Like Me.”
Tickets will be sold at the door for general admission seating. Call 783-5435 for more information.
The La Crosse Area Genealogical Society will meet Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. in the Main Library Auditorium, Eighth and Main streets, La Crosse.
Megan Isely, archives assistant at the library, will speak on “Ancestry vs. Heritage Quest." This program will cover how to make the best use of Heritage Quest and Ancestry to help find information and pointers to solving genealogical mysteries, including searching tips.
A business meeting will follow the speaker. Visitors are welcome. Call 782-6277 for more information.
Tickets are now on sale for the La Crosse Community Theatre’s production of “Escanaba in Da Moonlight," a comedy by Jeff Daniels.
The play follows the Soady clan as they reunite for the opening day of deer season at their camp in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Thirty-five-year-old Reuben brings with him the infamous reputation of being the oldest Soady in history to have failed to bag a buck.
The cast, under the direction of Greg Parmeter, includes Dan Radtke as Albert Soady, Tom Wright as Reuben Soady, Scott L. Vehrenkamp as Remnar Soady, Ken E. Brown as Jimmer Nagamanee, Tom Desjarlais as Ranger Tom T. Treado and Stacy Bruemmer as Wolf Moon Dance Soady.
“Escanaba in Da Moonlight" will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23-24, Oct. 29-31 and Nov. 5-7 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 and 8.
Tickets are $22. Student tickets are available on Thursdays and Sundays for $10. For tickets or more information, call the La Crosse Community Theatre box office at 784-9292 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
A variety of local talent will perform at UW-La Crosse starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, in the Cellar in Cartwright Center.
Performances will include open mic, comedy, bands and solo performances. Admission is free.
An online survey is under way to help gauge opinions on a new license plate design to benefit Wisconsin’s endangered resources.
The selected design will be available in addition to the grey wolf, featured on the Endangered Resources plate since 1995. Online voting ends at midnight Monday, Oct. 19.
Wisconsin’s new endangered resources license plate will feature one of four new designs in high photographic quality. The four plate options were designed by Nan Rudd of Rudd Designs at no cost to the DNR or the state. They include:
The final design will be available to Wisconsin motorists for a $25 contribution, all of which will be used to support the Endangered Resources conservation fund.
To vote, visit the DNR Web site dnr.wi.gov home page and click on the button for “new license plate designs."
An American reporter working to raise awareness about international issues that don’t make the headlines of the mainstream media will speak at UW-La Crosse.
Lisa Ling, best known for her time as co-host of ABC’s “The View," will speak at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, in the Recreational Eagle Center. (The lecture had originally been scheduled for Oct. 23.)
Ling also hosts “National Geographic Explorer" and a special correspondent for “The Oprah Winfrey Show" and CNN. She uses her experiences to provide a unique perspective to raise global awareness. “I believe that global awareness makes a person smarter and ultimately more human," Ling explains.
Admission is $4 for UW-L students; $10 for UW-L employees; and $12 for others. Her presentation is part of the Campus Activities Board’s Distinguished Lecture Series.
For tickets or more information, contact the Cartwright Center Information Counter at 785-8898 or log onto www.uwlax.edu/cab.
The Children’s Museum of La Crosse has parents’ night out events planned over the upcoming months on Friday nights.
The nights are meant for children ages 3-11, and will includes supervised museum exploration and play, light snack and games/activities.
Parents can drop off children starting at 5:30 p.m. and pick them up by 8 p.m. on these dates: Nov. 13, Jan. 8, Feb. 12, March 19 and April 9.
Cost is $10 per child for museum members, $15 for nonmembers. Registration and payment in advance is required.
One of the first five female U.S. Secret Service agents, hired in 1970, will share her story at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20.
Kathryn Childers will reveal some secrets of the service and share historical anecdotes from a TV career, philanthropy and writing. Childers will share her 60-plus years of wisdom asking students to evaluate “What’s in Your Backpack?"
Childers’ presentation, geared for students or others entering the workforce, coaches students to “sell their sizzle" by weaving nuggets of advice garnered during her four careers. She outlines how to leverage one’s “backpack of experience," capitalizing on individual interests and strengths, nail an interview, and be interested versus interesting with on-stage interviews.
Childers also gives tactics to get job-seekers’resumes off the shelf and noticed. She will discuss the importance of developing a short elevator speech, which includes offering three things no one would believe about themselves.
“Young people need to know that their interests and passions can lead to amazing life skills," she said. “They should not discount being captain of their soccer team or participating in the Debate Club as just activities. I encourage them to look deep into their backpack and use those skill sets to help guide them."
Childers encourages people to use their past. “Not until much later in life did I realize that my father teaching me to shoot cans off a post at 100 yards in the Colorado back country would lead to a life-altering changes and career options that opened hundreds of doors … literally!" she said.
Childers also reflects on being a “mouse in the pocket of history" during a very tumultuous time in the U.S. She lends a firsthand insight into women’s progress and leadership roles over the last 40 years.
Her presentation, free and open to all, is sponsored by the UW-L Career Services Office, in cooperation with the UW-L Political Science/Public Administration Department.
A University of Wisconsin-La Crosse alumnus will return to exhibit sound sculptures in the University Art Gallery as part of the university’s centennial celebration.
Dan Senn will be featured in “Drumming with Thoreau: Kinetic Sound Art of Dan Senn," an exhibit that opens with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, in the University Art Gallery, located on the first floor of the UW-L Center for the Arts. The exhibit runs through Nov. 14. The reception and exhibit are free.
A native of Watertown, Senn received a bachelor of science degree from UW-L in 1974. He earned a D.M.A. in music composition and M.M. with a ceramic sculpture minor from the University of Illinois at Urbana in 1985. He currently lives and works in Portland, Ore.
Senn is a composer of experimental classical electronic and acoustic music. He’s a sculptor of kinetic instruments for exhibit and performance, an experimental video artist for installation and plays, and a documentary film maker. Senn plans to attend the UW-L New Music Festival Nov. 3-5. Find out more about his work at www.newsense-intermedium.com.
The adjacent Study Gallery will feature “The Videos of Dan Senn."
Regular gallery hours are noon to 8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, noon to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and during Toland Theatre events.
The gallery also opens for appointments by calling the UW-L art department 785-8230.
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chamber Choir and Women’s Chorus will present a fall concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, in Annett Recital Hall in the Center for the Arts.
The Chamber Choir will present the Wisconsin premiere of “Songs of Innocence" by Chamber Choir director Terence Kelly. The songs are set to familiar poems of William Blake. In addition the Chamber Choir will continue its tradition of celebrating Oktoberfest with catches, drinking songs and amorous madrigals.
The 12-member madrigal ensemble of mainly vocal or choral majors performs 14th-17th century literature.
The Women’s Chorus, directed by Paul Rusterholz, will sing “Let All the World in Every Corner Sing" by Sven Lekberg, “Sicut Rosa" by Orlandus Lassus, a Japanese folk song, an African processional and a new arrangement of the Beatles’ hit “When I’m Sixty-Four."
Admission is free.
Western Technical College will host a college-wide open house on Thursday, Oct. 22, at all campus and regional learning center locations.
The La Crosse campus will kick-off the open house with a ribbon cutting/grand opening event for the newly completed corporate and community training center, the Lunda Center, 319 Seventh St. N. Facility tours, technology demonstrations, and refreshments will be available.
In addition, the La Crosse campus will have general tours, hands-on activities, program highlights, and door prize drawings from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Transportation will be provided to Western’s Automotive/Diesel Technology Center and the Health Science Center for tours of those facilities as well.
The Regional Learning Centers will also offer refreshments, tours, and door prizes.
The public is invited to attend anytime during the events, which are free. For details on activities, visit westerntc.edu/openhouse.
Franciscan Skemp Cancer Center will present “Restorative Yoga for Persons Living with Cancer," on Thursday, Oct. 22, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Restorative Yoga focuses on relaxing the body and mind with awareness and breath. Participants will learn simple poses that will gently stretch your body while calming your mind and rejuvenating your spirit.
Presenter Emily Walburn is a Yoga II instructor teaching gentle Hatha Yoga at the Franciscan Skemp Onalaska Clinic’s Center for Health and Healing.
People dealing with cancer and their families and friends are invited to attend this program, which is part of the Cancer Center’s Pathway to Wellness Program. The free event will be at the Franciscan Skemp Cancer Center in the lower level of the Center for Advanced Medicine and Surgery, 700 West Ave., La Crosse.
Refreshments will be offered. Participants are asked to register by Oct. 19 by contacting Marti Runyon at 392-7647.
Myrick Hixon Ecopark will once again host the annual Enchanted Forest to be held Oct. 17-18 and 24-25 from noon to 2:45 p.m.
The Enchanted Forest is a family-oriented fundraiser, an annual trick or treat hike along short trails near the EcoCenter featuring not only classic characters such as Cinderella, Snow White, Dorothy and the Cat in The Hat, but also new children’s favorites like Shrek, Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, Spiderman and Capt. Jack Sparrow — all of whom will be hiding in the forest bearing a treat or two.
After the hike, parents and children can enjoy a special sing-a-long concert with nationally recognized entertainer Hans Mayer.
Cost, which includes the Mayer concert and a snack, is $6 for each child and $2 for each adult.
The Enchanted Forest will be held at the new location in Myrick Park. The route will take participants through the La Crosse River Marsh.
To make a reservation, or for more information, log onto www.mhecopark.org, call 784-0303 or e-mail info@mhecopark.org.
Teachers and childcare providers are invited to a “Got Dirt?" training session on Thursday, Oct. 22, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the La Crosse Administrative Center, 400 Fourth St. N., in La Crosse.
The “Got Dirt?" garden initiative trains participants to start and maintain gardens at their facilities. Incorporating gardening into the curriculum increases students’ knowledge of and exposure to vegetables, which encourages them to try unfamiliar vegetables.
Joyce Cielecki, UW-Extension horticulture educator, will present the background of the program and describe various gardening techniques, such as cold frame gardening, raised bed gardening, container gardening and microfarms, which can easily be planted at educational facilities. Information will also be provided about funding opportunities.
Space is limited for this event. People interested in participating in the session may register with Kristen Buettner at (920) 391-4655 or Buettner_KM@co.brown.wi.us.
Viterbo University’s NexStar season will open with Altar Boyz at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, in the Fine Arts Center Main Theatre.
“Altar Boyz" is an award-winning musical comedy about a heavenly guy-group full of sharp parody, spectacular dancing and humor. Named the winner of the 2005 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical and the 2006 and 2007 Broadway.com Audience Favorite Award, “Altar Boyz" features an extraordinary mix of side-splitting songs, laughter, and light-hearted fun suitable for all ages telling the inspiring story of five small-town boys — Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham — trying to save the world one screaming fan at a time.
Tickets are $35 for main floor, $33 for lower balcony, and $28 for upper balcony seating. For more information, contact the Viterbo box office at 796-3100 or log onto www.viterbo.edu/fac.
One of the world’s finest fiddle and violin ensembles, Bowfire, will perform at Viterbo University at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25 in the Fine Arts Center Main Theatre.
Bowfire is both an exceptional quality musical performance and a fast-paced theatrical stage show featuring jazz, classical, bluegrass, Celtic, rock, gypsy, world, Texas swing, Ottawa Valley, and Cape Breton styles, mixing in step and tap dancing and an outstanding singer.
The group is under the direction of Lenny Soloman and acclaimed Broadway stage director Stafford Arima.
Tickets are $28 for upper balcony seats. For more information, contact the Viterbo box office at 796-3100 or log onto www.viterbo.edu/fac.
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse College of Business Administration Distinguished Lecture Series will feature a talk by UW-L alumni (1973) Ralph Heath at 7 p.m. Tuesday Oct. 20, at the Cleary Alumni and Friends Center in the Strzelczyk Great Hall at 615 East Ave. N. The event is free and open to the public.
Heath’s presentation, “The Leadership Manifesto," is an emotional tour de force of the successes and failures of 30 plus years running a successful ad agency. Heath draws upon his personal experiences with his company, raising a family and competing as an elite age-group athlete, with an often times counter intuitive, never surrender, leadership style that redefines the meaning of servant leader.
Heath’s former company, Ovation Marketing, represented some of America’s most iconic brands, including Budweiser, Hershey, Betty Crocker, State Farm and others. The company was twice named to Inc. magazine’s 500 fastest-growing companies and was recognized frequently for their employee health care innovations.
Heath is currently a managing partner with Synergy Leadership Group, a firm he started in 2009 with two former associates, that specializes in creating best-of-class strategic plans, sales presentations, branding and creative campaigns.
Heath is an author, consultant, and keynote business speaker. His first book, published in August 2009 by Career Press, is called “Celebrating Failure: The Power of Taking Risks, Making Mistakes and Thinking Big." The book has debuted to favorable reviews in major publications including an upcoming scheduled review in Time magazine.
Heath is supporting the book with a cross-country radio tour. Heath also writes a weekly blog called Thoughtful Leadership and Marketing.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reminds boaters that beginning Oct. 15, three voluntary waterfowl avoidance areas will be in effect again this fall on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge within Navigation Pools 7 and 8.
The purpose of the voluntary restraint program is to reduce disturbance to resting and feeding waterfowl using refuge closed areas during fall migration. Waterfowl are sensitive to human activity occurring near their resting and feeding areas. Even relatively distant boating activity may be enough to cause the birds to flush and burn-up valuable energy reserves.
Boaters, who voluntarily throttle down and avoid concentrations of waterfowl, wherever they occur, will help these birds accumulate fat reserves required for the remainder of their long migration.
The location and details of each area follow:
All boaters using Lake Onalaska for fishing, hunting, sailing, or other activities are asked to detour around the area marked with buoys to prevent unnecessary disturbance to waterfowl.
Buoys will be placed at commonly used access points to alert boaters.
Maps showing the location of the voluntary avoidance areas are available at many area sporting goods stores, motels, and the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge office at 555 Lester Ave. in Onalaska. A card describing the Lake Onalaska Voluntary Waterfowl Avoidance Area is also available at many of the same locations.
Maps and other information are also available online at www.fws.gov/midwest/UpperMississippiRiver.
As new auto insurance laws begin to take effect in our state in the next year, the Wisconsin Association for Justice has released two brochures containing helpful information for Wisconsin auto insurance policyholders.
The first, “Understanding Auto Insurance," describes the basics about auto insurance and what is required of drivers in Wisconsin under the law as recently changed. The second, titled “What To Do If You Are In a Traffic Accident," informs them of proper steps to take to protect themselves by gathering necessary information at the time of the accident.
The brochures will be distributed to state legislators, news outlets and WAJ members across Wisconsin. The brochures are also available by contacting the Wisconsin Association for Justice office or view them online at www.wisjustice.org/consumerresources.
The Onalaska Professional Police Association will hold its first annual “Run from the Cops” 5K Run/Walk on Oct. 24 at the YMCA Miracle League Field in Onalaska. Prizes will be awarded for top male and female overall finishers, to the top male and female runners who come in first, second or third in their age brackets, including 12 and younger.
Registration forms are available at the YMCA, the Onalaska Police Department and online at www.onalaskapolice.com or www.957therock.com
Registration is $20 through Oct. 16, $25 after that.
For more information, contact officer Lisa Gerbig at 781-9550 or lgerbig@cityofonalaska.com
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Miracle Field.
The Friends of the Onalaska Library will host a La Crosse County Library System book sale at the Onalaska Public Library on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24.
Sale hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
The Friends also will be holding a silent auction fundraiser running from Nov. 2-20.
Items will be displayed in meeting room B of the Onalaska Public Library during normal library hours.
Anybody who would like to donate a item for this fundraiser can contact Jim Morgan at 783-1736 or the library circulation desk.
The Friends of the Onalaska Library is launching a classic film series called “Friends Film Festival … The Classics.” These are old movies that are considered classic that patrons and library staff have requested. The screenings, all on Wednesdays except for the last in the series, are free and open to all.
The schedule will be as follows, with all movies starting at 6:30 p.m.:
Registration is open for the fall session of classes put on by the Tri-State Toe Picks figure skating club, which start Nov. 2 at the Onalaska OmniCenter. More information is available by calling 790-5793 or log onto www.thetoepicks.org.
Luther High School in Onalaska is inviting area military veterans to be special guests of honor at the school’s Veterans Day observance on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
This special worship and observance will begin shortly after 9:45 a.m. and will conclude shortly after 11 a.m.
Mike Reese, an educator in Wautoma, Wis., for more than 25 years, will present a program on butterflies of Wisconsin at the monthly meeting of the Coulee Region Audubon Society on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the Myrick Hixon EcoPark building just off La Crosse Street in La Crosse. The meeting is free and open to all.
Reese spends much of his spare time taking nature photographs throughout Wisconsin and maintains a Web site on the butterflies of Wisconsin (www.wisconsinbutterflies.org).
He is often distracted from butterflies to take other insect photos, especially damselflies, dragonflies, tiger beetles and robber flies.
He provided most of the photos for the book “Damselflies of the Northwoods,” has maintained the North American Butterfly Association sightings page since 2001, writes a quarterly article for the American Butterflies magazine summarizing the sightings and has been the editor for the Wisconsin NABA butterfly counts since 2002.
In addition, he is the state coordinator for the Butterflies and Moths of North America Web site.
Gundersen Lutheran’s seventh annual Women’s Expo is set for Saturday, Oct. 24, and this year it’s at a new location — the Onalaska OmniCenter.
Participants in the free event can look forward to a day filled with fun, pampering and entertainment while they learn about good health, fashion, family and emotional wellness.
New this year, Gundersen Lutheran will offer mammograms, skin cancer, bone density, body-fat analysis and blood pressure screenings at no cost. Screenings will be held throughout the event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. To participate in the mammogram screening, women are encouraged to schedule an appointment by calling (608) 775-PINK.
Area businesses will provide exhibits offering information on products and services especially for women. Many vendors will have products available for purchase as well.
Another highlight is keynote speaker Mary Pierce of Eau Claire, Wis. Pierce has worked as a stockbroker, teacher, corporate trainer and radio co-host. Her talk, “When Did I Stop Being Barbie and Become Mrs. Potato Head?,” runs from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
For more details, log onto www.gundluth.org/womensexpo.
Podiatrist Michael Quinn will present a program on foot care as part of Franciscan Skemp Healthcare’s Successful Aging series at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Quinn will give a general lecture on age-related foot problems, discussing general topics for conditions and treatments.
The program will be in Marycrest Auditorium on the second floor of the La Crosse Campus St. Francis Building, 700 West Ave. S. Free refreshments will be served from 2 to 2:30 p.m. “Foot Care” will begin at 2:30 p.m. and last until 3:30 p.m., with 30 minutes to follow for questions.
The program is free and open to all.
One of five meetings scheduled around the state to address concerns about the Wisconsin Retirement System pensions and health care will be held in La Crosse from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19.
Retired educators from surrounding counties have chosen the La Crosse Best Western Midway Hotel as their WREA Fall District Meeting site.
Sari King of the Department of Employee Trust Funds will discuss pension funds, and Karen VanDenBusch from Informed Choice will do a session on Medicare and what might be around the corner.
All interested individuals are invited to attend.
To register or for more information, contact Mary Ann Ekern at (507) 895-4331.
To contact the WREA office directly call (608) 831-5115 or e-mail wrea@wrea.net
It’s time to submit nominations for the UW-La Crosse Alumni Association Awards Program. Awards honor alumni for outstanding accomplishments.
The Maurice O. Graff Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes alumni who attended at least 20 years ago and have achieved honor and distinction with recognition that extends well beyond the immediate environments in which they live and work.
The Rada Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes alumni who have graduated within the past 20 years from UW-La Crosse and have met one or more of the criteria. Professor emeritus Ron Rada and his wife, Jane, created this award to honor recent to mid-career alumni who were making exceptional contributions to their professionals and/or communities.
The Multicultural Alumni Award recognizes living multicultural alumni who have graduated from UW-La Crosse. James Parker initiated this award in 1997.
Log onto www.uwlalumni.org/awards.htm for more information about the award criteria, or to nominate an alum. Nominations should include a resume, three letters of reference and any additional documentation they wish to provide. To be considered for the 2010 award, nominations must be received by Nov. 1.
For more information, contact Janie Spencer at 785-8495 or spencer.jane@uwlax.edu.
WINONA, Minn. n A swan watch bus tour is planned from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, for close-up views of migrating tundra swans and other waterfowl on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.
The bus will depart from Winona for the six hour tour which will include a stop at Brownsville, Minn., where participants will be able to observe nearly 20,000 swans. Interpreters will be on-board to answer questions; binoculars, spotting scopes and brochures will be supplied.
There is limited seating and reservations are required. Cost is $20 per person which includes a hot lunch.
For more information or to make a reservation, contact Lisa Pember prior to Nov. 6 at (507) 452-4232.
The Onalaska Tourism Commission is sponsoring a photo contest to recruit a variety of Onalaska, Holmen and West Salem photos to use in upcoming promotional materials.
The photo contest will have two categories: scenic and people and activities.
Every participant will receive a free sundae coupon from Dairy Queen and prizes will be awarded to the top three entries in both categories.
First prize is a one-night stay at either Hampton Inn or Holiday Inn Express, both in Onalaska.
Second prize is a gift basket from Sue Kolve’s day spa or a gift basket from Kathy Edwards — Hands That Care.
Third prize is a wing party from Buffalo Wild Wings or a gift certificate from Maggie’s Restaurant.
Prints up to 8x10 inches will be accepted. A disc with JPEG versions of the pictures at 300 DPI or higher should be submitted with prints.
Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. Oct. 30.
For details, call 781-9570 or log onto www.discoveronalaska.com.
Entries are sought for the 12th annual photography contest sponsored by the Friends of the Upper Mississippi River Refuges.
Photos will be accepted from amateur and professional photographers until Oct. 31 at the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge office at 51 E. Fourth St., Room 203, Winona, Minn.
Contest categories include scenic views of the refuge, birds, wildlife, plants and connecting people with nature. All photos must be taken on the Upper Mississippi River, Driftless Area or Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuges.
Photos will be judged on the three criteria: capturing the spirit of the refuge, technical quality and intrinsic beauty.
Winning photos will become part of a year-long traveling exhibit beginning Jan.1, 2010. Best of show winner will be determined by public vote during these exhibits.
For rules and other information, call park ranger Ed Lagace at (507) 494-6236 or log onto www.friendsofuppermiss.org/index.html.
The La Crosse Skating Sirens, the area’s newest roller derby team, are seeking adult women to join the team or serve as referees.
No experience is required and all skating levels are welcome.
The Sirens are looking to expand their roster and are having open practices on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 to 10 p.m. in the old rubber mill building on St. Andrew Street.
The Sirens, a nonprofit organization, are an all-woman, skater-owned, flat-track roller derby league founded in April 2009 by Melissa Larivee and Leslie Malekovic. The Sirens follow the guidelines and standards set forth by Women’s Flat Track Derby Association.
For more information, log onto www.SkatingSirens.com.
Get Sustainable of Trempealeau County has released the 2009 edition of its local food brochure for Trempealeau County and outlying regions.
Get Sustainable, which was founded in 2007, is a diverse group of concerned western Wisconsin citizens who meet to discuss what to do in their communities to highlight the need for sustainable living. This food guide is one project which came out of this collaboration.
Eating local means seeking out food grown and raised as close as possible to where one lives. Buying local food also means eating foods that are seasonally available and unique to the region.
The Get Sustainable booklet contains tips on eating wisely, Web sites to explore, and includes Wisconsin and Minnesota community-supported agriculture sites, area farms, orchards and farmers’ markets.
For more information about the food guide or Get Sustainable, contact Mary Graziano at (608) 582-2975 or getsustainablewi @gmail.com.
MADISON — The Wisconsin Department of Justice is urging people to be on guard against a phishing scam that has recently appeared in Wisconsin.
The department has received reports of people calling homes and cell phones in an attempt to gain personal information. Wisconsin residents have been contacted by a man identifying himself as “Officer Smith with the United Law Enforcement and Investigation Department.” The caller provided a phone number (814) 273-1518 and attempted to gain the persons’ Social Security number and other information.
“The Wisconsin Department of Justice wants to take this opportunity to remind folks that identity theft is a serious problem,” said Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen. “Never give your personal identifying information out without fully confirming the source of the call and circumstances.”
Legitimate businesses will not ask for personal information on the phone or through an unsecured e-mail. “If you should receive a call trying to solicit this information or any type of personal identifying data, do not give it out,” Van Hollen said.
Phishing scams are attempts made by individuals to fraudulently gain access to protected or personal information that could compromise a person’s identity. Typically these attempts are made over the Internet or through e-mails and will have the appearance of an “official” correspondence seeking a reply.
MADISON n After 25 years, the Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program has launched a new name and look, branding itself as Leadership Wisconsin.
The change is designed to more effectively communicate the program’s goals by reflecting participants who have both urban and rural backgrounds. As the only statewide leadership program, Leadership Wisconsin remains committed to its key mission: developing leaders to strengthen communities.
“The goal of our new look is to increase the understanding, benefits and outreach of our work with all of Wisconsin,” said Sarah Halstead, board president. “Our mission remains the same. Our new brand reveals immediately what we have been and what we remain committed to: strengthening communities through the development of vibrant leaders.”
Halstead noted that as Wisconsin and the nation pass through a period of social and economic transition, quality leadership is even more critical.
“Leadership Wisconsin is a proven method of leadership development that continues to produce top-notch leaders for cities, towns, villages, rural regions, in public, business, and nonprofit endeavors. Our work has been nationally recognized as one of the exemplary leadership development programs in the nation and we are proud to build on that recognition,” said JoAnn Stormer, executive director.
Applications are being accepted for the next group of Leadership Wisconsin fellows. People interested in applying may contact Stormer at (608) 263-0817 or visit www.LeadershipWisconsin.org. Sign up for more information by clicking on the “Request Information” tab or download an application packet at the “How to Apply” tab.
To submit your information for a public service announcement, e-mail it to wsm.news@lee.net
All stories copyright 2006 Coulee News and other attributed sources.