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Meet Me at the Corner
A former newspaper reporter who has lived in Franklin for nearly 40 years, Marjorie is active in several Franklin and Hales Corners organizations.
By Marjorie Pagel
Wednesday, Jun 24 2009, 10:52 AM
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“Have you seen Carl?” Jerry asked me yesterday and I started to think: no, I haven’t seen him since last Wednesday or maybe Thursday.
Carl is the name Jerry gave to the cardinal who kept appearing at our picture window in the living room and then, depending on wherever we were in the house, at other windows – maybe right behind me as I type here at my computer or in the bedroom. In the kitchen. And once when I went to the basement to do laundry, he was there peering down at me from the window above the washing machine.
Lots of people had their theories about Carl – that he saw his own reflection in the window and was there to confront himself. But Carl was definitely not in a fighting mood and he wasn’t looking at himself. He was looking through the window, sometimes just perching on the windowsill while Jerry sat in his recliner reading the paper. “Just stopping by to say hi.”
When he was in a playful mood, Carl would ping gently against the window, then fly to other windows around the house and ping against them. This recurred off and on through the day, and what might have proved annoying to some people was charming to us. Our own little bird – a red bird, no less (and I thought of Judy Bridges, founder of Redbird Studio) and before now we had almost never seen a cardinal in our yard.
Putting up the screens was one factor, I think, because Carl got sick of perching and pinging at just the one picture window. He liked to circle the house and announce himself from various vantage points.
I keep hoping Carl will come back at least once this summer. I’ve even gone to the door and called for him, reminding myself of Shirley Booth and Burt Lancaster in Come Back, Little Sheba. I know how to mimic the cardinal’s call, so I even whistle that sometimes, hoping Carl will answer. ***
The preceding story was written earlier this month and shared with a group of writers at Redbird Studio, Bay View. I've been attending the bi-monthly roundtables there so that I can have a live audience to critique my work and to perk up my creativity. The downside of this is that I have neglected my blog. I apologize for that and have made a pledge to myself that I'll post at least one entry every week. Meanwhile, here's an update on Carl -- he's back! I can't believe I'd be so happy to see that little red bird pinging against our picture window or perching in a bush just outside our bedroom window whistling his cheerful song. Some of my neighbors might think they overhear me talking to myself -- and I do that too -- but most likely I'm chatting with Carl. "Good to see you again, Carl. Good to hear you too."
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By Marjorie Pagel
Wednesday, May 20 2009, 04:36 PM
Last week I had the pleasure of accompanying a group of docents on a local bus trip. The docents, including my husband, are all volunteers at the Milwaukee Public Museum, and every year they celebrate with a “day away” bus trip, stopping at various places along the way.
The stops included the Pabst Mansion, the Domes, and the Milwaukee County Zoo, with a lunch stop at Mo’s Irish Pub and a concluding treat at Gilles frozen custard stand. Although I’ve been to all those places before, it’s fun to visit them again, especially with the benefit of knowledgeable guides.
For example, did you know that the Pabst mansion was home to five Archbishops between 1908 and 1975? It was purchased by the Milwaukee Archdiocese following the deaths of Captain Frederick Pabst and his wife. When the Archdiocese could not find a historic preservation group to buy the mansion, it looked as though the building might be destroyed in the name of “progress” and another parking lot. Fortunately, that did not occur.
The Pabst Mansion was designed by Milwaukee Architect George Bowman Ferry in 1889 and constructed over the next two years. It was one of Milwaukee’s finest residences – one of the first wired for electricity. It boasted nine full bathrooms and was installed with a state-of-the-art heating system by the company which came to be known as Johnson Controls.
For a quick photo tour of the building, check out http://www.pabstmansion.com/phototour/8.html. For 67 years the Sisters of St. Francis dusted all the woodwork throughout the building, which accounts for its beautiful condition today. This is a wonderful place to take out-of-town guests but there’s no need to wait for guests. If you haven’t visited the Pabst Mansion in awhile, put it on your list of things to do in 2009. “Be a visitor in your own hometown.”
Next stop, for you or your guests: the newly refurbished Domes, more exactly named the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory. Did you know that the Domes were built from 1959 – 1967 at a cost of $4.5 million? Our guide told us that original plans called for four domes, rather than three, but there wasn’t enough money for the fourth. The popular Show Dome has changing attractions. Through May 25th, visitors can see the English garden, with a stunning array of flowers that will leave you longing for summer in your own Wisconsin garden. If you visit on a Thursday evening, you’ll be treated to a brilliant lighting display; I plan to return for that. An excellent descriptions of this display is found in a Shepherd Express article by Aisha Motlani. There’s even a You-Tube link which gives a preview of what to expect from that show. Check it out at http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-4629-domes-of-light.html. Another link you’ll find helpful is the one to the Domes: http://www.county.milwaukee.gov/MitchellParkConserva10116.html.
June Naeser, The Milwaukee Public Museum docent who has been organizing these tours for many years, decided to include a stop at the Milwaukee County Zoo because one of the docents, Sam Amalfa, was a zookeeper there for 30 years and had agreed to lead this part of the tour. Sam was head caretaker of the primates, which meant he developed a special man-to-gorilla relationship with Milwaukee’s celebrity Samson. This world-famous gorilla, who died before Sam’s retirement, now holds a prominent place in the museum, so Sam continues to share his stories with visitors.
On the day of our tour, Sam was excited to share the latest news, pre-empting local TV and newspapers. It turns out taxidermist Wendy Christensen-Senk (formerly of Hales Corners) had just captured the top award in a world competition for taxidermists for her masterful recreation of Samson. To see an interview of Wendy with Fox News reporter Cathy Orosz just before she left for the competition in St. Charles, Missouri, check out : http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-090503-samson-taxidermy,0,1254418.story?track=rss
Or, to see the museum’s podcast on Wendy’s reconstruction of Samson, check out http://www.mpm.edu/exhibitions/special/samson/podcasts.php.
These are all just teasers, of course. With many vacation budgets cut back, Milwaukee area residents don’t need to despair. We just need to check out all that Milwaukee and surrounding communities have to offer and plan to take weekly adventures all summer long. Take up the challenge: Learn how to be a visitor in your hometown! And please. . .let me know what your favorite spots are.
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By Marjorie Pagel
Monday, Apr 13 2009, 12:01 PM
April is national Poetry Month; April 24 is national celebration of Arbor Day. Both occasions bring to mind the famous poem by Joyce Kilmer, “Trees.” Almost everybody remembers the first line (I think that I shall never see/A poem lovely as a tree) and the last (Only God can make a tree.)
Earlier this month I had the good fortune to hear Wisconsin’s Poet Laureate, Marilyn Taylor, read her poetry aloud at the Burlington Library. My husband went along, to keep me company, and was pleasantly surprised to find how much he enjoyed Marilyn’s poems. They’re carefully crafted but often in a playful way, though sometimes serious too – but never heavy-handed or pretentious, two qualities that turn people away from poetry.
And then I was reminded of a wonderful event going on right here in our backyards, “In Celebration of Trees,” at Wehr Nature Center and Boerner Botanical Gardens. On Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26, the “Celebration” will be held from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Those attending will pay just $1 per person for admission at both sites.
“In Celebration of Trees” is an event marking both Earth Day and Arbor Day; it offers a variety of fun-packed and information-packed activities for all ages. Here’s a bulleted list of events from the website:
- Pause to learn interesting facts on the "Tree Moments" tour
- Explore hiking trails with naturalist-guided tours or strike out on your own
- Join our neighboring communities for ceremonial tree plantings in the park
- Learn the latest about the detection and management of the Emerald Ash Borer
- Discover your carbon footprint
- Create artwork inspired by nature
- Adopt a tree to plant in your own yard
- Find practical advice from UW-Extension horticulture educators and industry experts
- Amaze yourself with exhibits, experiments and activities at W.E.S.T. Family Science Day on Saturday
- Tour the Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility
The last two points refer Wisconsin Elementary & Middle-level Science Teachers (WEST) which will host a Family Science Day on Saturday. Programs will be offered at both Boerner Botanical Gardens and Wehr Nature Center; in addition, WEST will provide free bus rides to and from the Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility, for tours.
For more information – and photographs -- browse through some of these websites:
http://www.boernerbotanicalgardens.org/support/e4-10.html
http://www.arbor-day.net/
http://www.arborday.org/arborday/
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By Marjorie Pagel
Wednesday, Apr 1 2009, 05:57 PM
As children, my brother and I liked to fool each other on April 1st. It was such fun to be able to trick each other into believing something that was absolutely not true and then to be able to say, “April Fool!” The older we got, the less likely we were to fool one another.
If someone tried to play an April Fool’s joke on us on another day, it was fun to say, “April Fool’s Day is past. You’re the biggest fool at last.”
I started thinking about April Fool’s Day yesterday when my friend Ruth called to warn me about a computer virus that was due to be launched today. (In fact, some people had already experienced the effects of this virus.) At the time I’m writing this I haven’t learned how successful the perpetrators of this “Conficker Virus” have been.
To me, anything that causes damage is not much of a joke. I do like reading about some of the harmless April Fool’s Day jokes that people have fallen for over the years, such as those posted on the website www.museumofhoaxes.com. Among the “Top 100 April Fool’s Day Hoaxes, I liked the one from a respected BBC news show that reported in 1957 how Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop because of the elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil. In 1996 the Taco Bell Corporation announced that it had purchased the Liberty Bell and was renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Hundreds of people who fell for the hoax hurried to their phones to express their outrage.
My mother (who knew lots of quotations) used to tell us,“You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." This quotation, often attributed to Abraham Lincoln, is probably not linked to him, reliable sources say.
While none of us like to be made fools of, April Fool's Day is a healthy reminder that many of us need to lighten up. No Foolin'!
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By Marjorie Pagel
Tuesday, Mar 10 2009, 03:43 PM
When I was in second grade, my father moved our family from Milwaukee to a farm in Marquette County. From a city classroom of about 25 seven-year-olds, I now shared a classroom at Sheldon School with just 17 other students, including my older sisters (in grades 5 and 7) and my younger brother (in first grade.)
What a challenge that must have been for all those teachers – graduates of two-year “normal” colleges – to plan lessons for all subject areas of all eight grades. Instead of physical education classes, we had recess in the morning and at lunch-time, and our school yard was big enough for soft-ball and other improvised games, such as kick the can and ante-over (where we formed teams and threw a ball over the schoolhouse roof.) In winter we took our sleds across the road to a hill that the neighboring farmer was happy to let us use.
Thanks to Wisconsin School of the Air, we had an introduction to the fine arts as well. Once a week we had “Let’s Sing” with Professor (Edgar) Gordon, and on a different day of the week we drew inspiration from “Let’s Draw” and “Let’s Write.” These three on-the-air classes gave the teacher a little break, though at the time that wasn’t one of my concerns. Like the other students, I sat at my desk, listening intently to the radio at the front of the classroom as voices from Madison inspired us to use our talents.
I remember singing old-time favorites like “Home on the Range” under the long-distance direction of Professor Gordon; I can remember the big sheets of manila paper which covered my desk when it was time to draw; and I still have the scrapbooks of my collected essays, stories and poems from “Let’s Write.”
In a book I checked out of the library, 9XM Talking: WHA Radio and the Wisconsin Idea, I learned that “the wireless” came to Wisconsin 100 years ago, in 1909. The first broadcast came from Beloit where a physics professor, Charles Culver, sent a wireless telegraph of a track meet. In Madison, Earle M. Terry, another physics professor, is generally regarded “the founding father” of wireless communication. The author of this fascinating history of public radio in Wisconsin is Randall Davidson, who has been affiliated with Wisconsin Public Radio since 1990.
According to a website for Wisconsin Public Radio, the Wisconsin School of the Air made its debut in 1931 “with 10 weekly programs for in-school use. WHA is assigned studio space in the State Capitol (which still exists today). WHA carries the first regular remote broadcasts from a University of Wisconsin classroom.” http://www.wpr.org/hd/hd_innovation.cfm
I found it interesting to learn that “Chapter a Day,” still a popular favorite of WPR listeners, began in 1927. One of the longest running programs in radio history, it began when a radio guest cancelled and the host decided to read a library book to fill the hour. It was an immediate hit and listeners requested more. Twelve years later it became a daily program.
In a June 1989 article from the Wisconsin Academy Review, Ralph Johnson wrote about the Wisconsin School of the Air: “In mid-September 1931 Harold B. McCarty announced to the WHA Radio staff, ‘We're going to have a School of the Air. It will start on the fifth of October.’ In three weeks the first week's programming was prepared,
which set the pattern for decades to come.” Over 50 years later when McCarty reminisced with WHA staff members, he said he was inspired by the success of a program in Ohio and that he knew of several Wisconsin teachers who had had some success in educational broadcasting. One of them was “Pop” Gordon, who became the Professor Gordon I remember.
Drawing, painting and other forms of art have never been my strongpoint, though I do love spending time at the Milwaukee Art Museum and I am the Number One fan of my grandson’s refrigerator artwork. But “Let’s Sing” and “Let’s Write” – almost sixty years later – my response to both is a fervent: “Yes. Let’s.”
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By Marjorie Pagel
Tuesday, Feb 10 2009, 10:32 AM
I have been mourning the death of a very special woman and a good friend – Mary Lou Stover – since learning about her death last week Thursday. She died unexpectedly at her home on Wednesday, February 4th. A long time ago, as my editor at "The Hub," she taught me we don't say someone dies "suddenly" because everyone dies suddenly. It was one of many lessons in journalism I learned from her, a woman dedicated to her profession, who earned both bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism at the University of Illinois - Urbana/Champaign.
My own background as a high school English teacher hadn't provided me with all the important tools a journalism graduate has, but I learned quickly, with each story submitted and published. In those days, back in the 70s, when the Hub and other suburban newspapers were published in Oak Creek, I typed my stories out on an IBM Model D with carbon ribbon, because we reporters who worked out of our homes were taught to always keep a back-up copy. I used my carbon to compare word by word, punctuation mark by punctuation mark, to note the difference between the edited, published version and the one I had submitted. At the beginning of my apprenticeship, the copy I submitted came back with all of Mary Lou’s editorial markings on it – including many deletions – so I would learn how to tighten my writing style and to follow the conventions of the Chicago Manual of Style.
There are at least two of those original manuscripts saved in a manila folder and filed in a standard, three-drawer filing cabinet that predated computer files and folders. One is my first article published in The Hub and I was so proud that my feature idea ("Kids in The Carol") about three local boys who had roles in The Christmas Carol had been published. With the photograph of the boys included, it took up a full page!
Another marked copy that still makes me smile when I see it is the story I submitted about Mary Belle Potter, a Hales Corners ballet teacher who served as wardrobe mistress for the Milwaukee Ballet Company. I had interviewed Mary Belle on site, and my notebook and tape recorder were both overflowing with facts and quotes I wanted to include. And then I thought I would make it more interesting by incorporating some fictional devices I had learned in short story writing. The feature article I turned in to Mary Lou was much longer than the preferred length for such articles. Because we were both trying to meet the publication deadlne, Mary Lou edited the story down to a reasonable length. The next day she returned the original with a profusion of red marks, large X’s over the deleted sections and this admonition: "Marjorie, if you ever send in another novel, I'll send it right back to you."
Editors are very busy people, and I soon learned that if I had a question for Mary Lou, it was safest to address it on a Friday or, at latest, Monday because Tuesdays and Wednesdays were crazy in the newsroom and layout room. As the Community Newspaper enterprise grew, under publisher Duane Dunham, Mary Lou assumed more responsibilities for many communities besides Hales Corners, Franklin, Muskego, Greendale, Greenfield and Oak Creek. She really didn't have time for small talk, and if she called me on the phone about something, she got right to the point and – as soon as the particular reason for her call was taken care of – the phone went "clunk." All of us reporters soon learned that Mary Lou wasn't mad when she hung up the phone without saying goodbye – that was just her way.
Over the years, those of us who worked closely with Mary Lou, found the warmth and sense of humor that lay underneath this "all business" editor. There was a group of us women from the southwest suburban area who became friends and supported each other as we strived to meet our weekly deadlines. At least every month or two we would go out for lunch, and soon became known as "The Paper Dolls." Two of the "Dolls" first hired by Duane Dunham were Vi Joy, of The Muskego Sun and Aline Cardimona, of Greendale Village Life. Jan Kowalski Ladewig, now of Arizona, played a similar role in Franklin. (Initially, the Franklin, Hales Corners and Greendale papers were all one: the Tri-Town Hub.)
There were a number of women reporters who joined us at these get-togethers from time to time, but in recent years, the Paper Dolls were Vi, Aline, Pat Dallman (the Sun) Sandy Snyder, Katy Galewski and me (all of the Hub) who (though feminists all) proudly took the name someone in the newsroom had dubbed us. Though some of us left reporting for other careers, we all proudly kept the "Paper Doll" name, and when Mary Lou retired, she became one of us too. We've been there for one another through death or divorce from spouses, to listen to one another talk about our children, grandchildren, parents, siblings. We've gotten together for lunch or dinner at restaurants or one another’s homes, we've oohed and aahed over travel photographs and even had a surprise bon voyage party for one of our members who was about to disembard on her first trip to Europe.
Mary Lou was a real lady; you'd never hear a vulgarity or mild profanity coming from her mouth. You'd never hear her gossip about another person or complain about anybody, and whatever political beliefs she had, she kept them to herself. In spite of rheumatoid arthritis, which was causing her to shrink in stature, twisting her spine and fingers into awkward shapes, she didn't complain and continued to do everything for herself whenever possible.
The last time I saw Mary Lou, other than at the funeral home in Waukesha on Sunday, was at the home of one of the Paper Dolls in January. As usual, she was elegantly dressed and was genuinely happy to see everyone again. She freely filled her plate with food at the buffet and enjoyed a glass or two of wine. We all talked about our Christmas celebrations. Mary Lou and her little dog Cody had driven to the family farm in Towanda, Illinois, to be with her three sisters and 10 nieces and nephews and their families.
There's more I could write about Mary Lou and the positive influence she has been in my life. But this is enough for now. This afternoon there will be a funeral service in Towanda and she will be buried alongside other family members there. Below I will include some links to websites where you can read more or make contributions to her "Guest Book".
I knew Mary Lou Stover first as my editor, then as my mentor, and finally – and most important – as a dear friend. She will be missed – and even though Mary Lou didn't like goodbyes, I need to say it to her here: Goodbye, Mary Lou. You will be remembered by me and so many others for a long, long time.
Note: The first link will let you see what others have said about Mary Lou in the memorial guest book. The second is from an interview by another reporter who talked about her when she was editor of the Abingdon Argus weekly newspaper in Abingdon, Illinois. (It was part of an oral history project about women in journalism.) The third is an obituary published in Illinois, and the last one is a death notice published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. http://www.legacy.com/News-Gazette/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=123814490http://wpcf.org/oralhistory/intvwees.htmlhttp://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2009/02/07/obits/135307.txthttp://www.legacy.com/jsonline/DeathNotices.asp?Page=SearchResults
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By Marjorie Pagel
Tuesday, Jan 27 2009, 09:56 AM
“Surfing the web” brings to mind images of Southern California or maybe Hawaii – and those hardy, tanned surfboarders riding the Pacific waves.
But we’re here in the middle of another Wisconsin winter, and I've been doing a different kind of surfing. Today the sun is shining and it’s almost 10 degrees. Relatively speaking, that’s warm. (I’m remembering the sub-zero temperatures earlier this month.) In my surfing expedition I came up with three websites I thought interesting enough to blog about today.
1) First, a black and white photograph of a man and boy shoveling snow from a sidewalk in 1925. It’s found on the website of Wisconsin Historical Society. See http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/highlights/archives/2009/01/winter_2009.asp It got me to thinking – sure, we all have snow shovels in 2009, but how many children remember a Wisconsin winter without snow blowers?
2) Next, a true story from 1838 told by Ebenezer Childs, who remembered camping outside in temperatures of 32 degrees below zero. He was traveling in the company of a doctor en route to a sick woman in Fort Winnebago (now Portage). “The doctor had a conveyance in which he rode completely covered with buffalo robes. About half way I stopped and asked how he was getting along but receiving no answer we stopped and built a fire and found that we were forced to carry him to the warmth of the blaze, as he was not able to talk or move. With the aid of a little brandy and much rubbing we were at last able to get him on his feet, and the journey was continued.”
Childs and the doctor made it safely to Fort Winnebago but then, upon his departure the next day, Childs came upon two Stockbridge Indians, “nearly exhausted with fatigue and cold.” Childs wrote: “I carried them to the nearest timber in my jumper, the snow being so deep that my horse could not carry them any further. Here I built a large fire and left them, and they later reached their homes safely. But for my timely arrival they surely would have perished.”
You can read the full account of this winter narrative at http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/wlhba/articleView.asp?pg=1&id=5216
3) Third – and last -- a little poetry about snow shoveling from former Poet Laureate Billy Collins. I’ve just selected a few lines from his longer poem, “Snow Shoveling with Buddha.” But here we are, working our way down the driveway,
one shovelful at a time.
We toss the light powder into the clear air.
We feel the cold mist on our faces.
And with every heave we disappear
and become lost to each other
in these sudden clouds of our own making,
these fountain-bursts of snow.
(To read the full poem, check out http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/shoveling-snow-with-buddha.)
Today, since it's sunny outside, we will not need our snow shovels – or our snow blowers. But don’t put them away yet. . .unless you’re headed south like some of the "snow-birds" I know.
Note: This blog is dedicated to my warm-hearted neighbor, Jim Piontek, who patiently walks behind his snow blower -- back and forth, back and forth, clearing out our driveway after almost every snowfall. Thanks Jim!
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By Marjorie Pagel
Monday, Jan 19 2009, 09:19 AM
On the front page of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Local section today is a photograph of Jalen Webster, 7 years old, addressing an audience from an adult-size podium on a stage, the magnified image of the Rev. Martin Luther King projected on a screen behind him. (See http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/37804889.html)
“Can I made it better? Can we all make it better? According to our president-elect, yes, we can.” The image and these words from a little African American boy wearing a vest and tie, his right hand held high, struck an emotional chord with me before I even went on to read the full article. Part of that emotion, of course, is tied to our remembrance today of Rev. King and part of it is how Jalen invokes the image of Barack Obama, who will be inaugurated tomorrow.
And, I admit, I’m thinking of my own grandson, Matthew, who will turn 7 in a few months. Like all grandmothers, I want the best for “Matty” and for Jalen and all the other children of this nation who stand to benefit if we all do our part to “make it better.” I guess the idea of Jalen offering to do his part to make this country better is humbling for me, as it should be for all of us adults. If Jalen is out there doing his part, can we do any less?
I found myself thinking today of Father James Groppi, and I remembered a former Hales Corners woman, Janice Penkalski, who wrote a one-act play about Groppi and the marches, based on her memories of growing up in a Polish family on Milwaukee’s south side. To my knowledge, the play was never produced, but there were a number of staged readings and I remember attending one of them with my neighbor, Luella Pope (now deceased) who had been Janice’s English teacher at Pulaski High School. [Until I posted this blog, I had almost forgotten Janice -- couldn't even remember her last name, but now I remembered and found an address for her in Lexington, Kentucky, where she is a writing teacher. I'll be in touch with her and post an update to this blog another time.]
When Father Groppi was leading the marches across the 6th Street viaduct, I regret to say I wasn’t part of it. He was not a popular man among many South Siders, just as Rev. King wasn’t popular among many Southerners. But both men were activists on behalf of their religious faith, and both helped advance the cause of Civil Rights.
In my search for online information about Father Groppi, I came across an interesting blog written by Waukesha NOW blogger Brien Lee. (See https://bloggers.mycommunitynow.com/takin_the_blog/archive/2007/05/22/-Lunch-with-President-is-Wild.aspx) Lee told about attending the commencement ceremony at Marquette University. He wrote:
The suite was full of important people I didn't know and one famous person I did. The Honorable Vel R. Phillips was the recipient of the Honorary Doctor of Laws and she deserved it like none other. I became acquainted with all her accomplishments a short while ago at the opening night of the Civil Rights play "March On, Milwaukee". The play was written by Peg Rozga, James Groppi's widow, who teaches at UWW. The play was staged at UWW, a short walk from my home, and many Civil Rights era dignitaries and participants were there for the opening and the feedback session afterward. I learned a lot about Vel from her introduction and from hearing her and admire her greatly.
I hadn’t been free to attend Peg Rozga’s play, but I have heard many people talk about it and about the other events in September 2007 commemorating the 40-year anniversary of Milwaukee’s Civil Rights movement. If you don’t have any other plans to commemorate Martin Luther King Day, I suggest this informative website. http://www.marchonmilwaukee.org.
It will help honor the memory of King and of Groppi, and it will help us see the historical connection between Milwaukee 1967 and my new little hero of 2009: Jalen Webster.
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By Marjorie Pagel
Wednesday, Jan 14 2009, 12:26 PM
This past Saturday I had the good fortune to attend a breakfast sponsored by one of the women's groups I'm involved with where local psychotherapist Philip Chard spoke about "Courage: Meeting the Challenges of Change."
Whether the changes we are called to face are of our own choosing (such as quitting smoking, exercising more, spending less time in front of the TV) or those imposed on us (illness, separation from or death of a loved one, loss of a job), the practical advice we received from Chard prompted me to write about his talk for some members who were unable to attend. I've decided to post it as my blog.
In his talk on “Courage: Meeting the Challenges of Change,” Philip Chard gave us sound advice for dealing with life’s challenges. He describes himself as a “realistic optimist” – not someone who would offer the Norman Vincent Peale variety of positive thinking but one who admires moral courage in the face of adversity. Chard admires Viktor Frankl, who wrote about his “Search for Meaning” in the Nazi death camps, and Ernest Shakleton, who refused to give up when his ship, the Endurance, was trapped in ice in the Antarctic. Chard had examples from the world of sports too, including the “Miracle on Ice” when the United States hockey team defeated the Soviet Union, considered invincible, at the 1980 Winter Olympics.
It’s not about winning or losing, though, in these examples which can inspire moral courage in our own lives. According to Chard, there’s no such thing as “I’ll try.” We have to give “full effort” to whatever we undertake. It’s our self-defined achievement that matters in the end – not “success,” as defined by others.
Chard sees moral courage in two parts: first, “Intention” (what it is we intend to do) and second, “present hope” -- the kind of hope that keeps an athlete like Michael Jordan focused on what he is doing in the game right now, at this moment – not preoccupied with the scoreboard or remembering past mistakes.
The way to achieve our goals, Chard said, is through “mental rehearsal”; this is not the same as visualization because it involves the full immersion of oneself into the anticipated moment. This is what famous boxer Mohammed Ali used before a match; this is the technique Coach Herb Brooks used with the U.S. Olympic hockey team when training for competition with the Soviet Union. Of course, we don’t have to be famous athletes to practice this; for any challenge we might face, a person can rehearse the anticipated moment of challenge, seeing it from the inside out -- not as a spectator looking in. Through this mental rehearsal we visualize ourselves experiencing the moment of challenge, acting “as if” we are actually immersed in that moment.
Reminding us that the brain never sleeps, Chard suggested we give our unconscious mind an assignment right before we go to sleep. It is sometimes possible to find a solution to a personal problem this way.
Chard also helped us redefine failure. Using the example of people who have tried and tried to give up smoking, he said that with each attempt to quit smoking, the person is moving closer to his/her goal to quit. “We succeed because we have failed,” he said.
The best advice any of us can carry with us through the new year is to immerse ourselves in the moment – to be here now, fully present, making full effort. Our hope too needs to be anchored to the here and now – what Chard calls “present hope.”
To learn more about Chard's viewpoints, check out his weekly syndicated column, "Out of My Mind," in Tuesday's Journal-Sentinel or log onto his website: www.philipchard.com
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By Marjorie Pagel
Tuesday, Jan 6 2009, 10:29 AM
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In the caption for this blog there’s a comma between Love and Oprah – like the signature of a letter. Whether you’re one of her fans or not, you have to admit Oprah is a woman who has made her mark: her own TV show, her own multi-layered website, her own magazine – just a stand-alone “O” is enough to establish her identity.
Yesterday she looked out at millions of viewers who tune in to her 4 p.m. show, to confess that the reason she had gained so much weight in the past year is that she did not love herself enough. Now the first reaction of some people, myself included, is to laugh. Oprah! How could she love herself any more?
But then again, who are we to judge? Just because Oprah conveys the impression she loves herself a whole lot, none of us can really know what goes on in another person’s mind. Oprah talks about “falling off the wagon” in her efforts to maintain the slim image she had captured a few years ago, and she talks about her embarrassment to face up to the “brown elephant in the room,” her chagrin at standing next to Cher (another one-name celebrity) on stage. In fact, all this week Oprah is featuring a "live your best life" series, focusing on a different topic each day. “Love yourself” was a good start.
What I find funny about my brief report of Oprah’s TV show yesterday is where I was while watching it – since I very seldom watch day-time TV. I was on one of the new treadmills at Innovative Health and Fitness, located on Loomis Road in Franklin. Each machine is equipped with an individual TV screen so exercisers can choose their favorite channel and focus on something other than their own movement. It makes the time go faster. So there I was (huff-puff) thinking some of these same Oprah thoughts: Why did I let that weight creep up on me again? (huff-puff) and Why can’t I fit in those favorite jeans any more? (huff-puff) Then I saw the connection: berating myself wasn’t really a helpful attitude for this new year. Oprah’s idea to start with a “Love Thyself” philosophy suited me just fine. Why beat a person when she’s down?
During a commercial break, there was an ad for the “50 Million Pound Challenge.” Now that particular weight-loss effort has been around since April 2007, but I’m not always up on the latest popular culture news. Staring me in the face, though (huff-puff) it got my attention. 50 million pounds? I wondered. What’s that all about? I saw a “dot-com” website address and made a mental note to check it out.
That’s what I did this morning, before writing my overdue blog. (I’ve been sick and before that, I was out of state celebrating Christmas.) I learned that the 50 Million Pound Challenge has a lot of supporters, and it’s an effort anyone can participate in without spending a dime – though if you want the free CD, you have to consult a State Farm insurance agent. Anyway, I registered. It helps me put things in perspective – the weight I want to lose in 2009 is a drop in the bucket compared to those millions.
Locally, Franklin residents can join the “Get Healthy Challenge” at Innovative Health and Fitness if they register by January 10th. The program, which lasts through June 30, 2009, is free, though participants must purchase a personal record keeper. For more information, stop at the fitness center or call Phyllis Hanson, personal trainer, 414-529-9900, ext. 717. Twelve Franklin residents who registered early for the “Get Healthy Challenge” were selected in a drawing on Jan. 2 to receive a free 6-month membership. We’ll cheer them on – and you too, if you take up the “challenge” – in coming months.
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By Marjorie Pagel
Monday, Dec 22 2008, 08:17 AM
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According to the Christmas song, Santa Claus is busy checking his list – to find out which children have been naughty and which have been nice. The list, presumably, is made by the Brownies and Elves who act as spies in the houses of children all over the world – that is, when they aren’t busy putting together all those toys in Santa’s workshop.
Meanwhile, you and I are checking our lists to see if we’ve remembered to buy a present for everyone named there and hoping that the items we put on our own wish lists will appear at the gift exchange. And then, too soon, it will be time to turn our attention to that other list – the New Year’s Resolution List that some of us continue to make year after year.
I like the way Judy Bridges, founder and director of Redbird Studio, dismissed that list last year. She checked her list from 2007and found that her goals and resolutions were exactly the same. There was some satisfaction, she said, to know that she was still focused in the right direction.
I’m a great list maker – always have been. And, like Judy, many of my good intentions for the new year are the same ones, with minor variation, that appeared last year and the year before that. My biggest hang-up is the daily To Do list. Every morning I construct the list with renewed enthusiasm, and then by noon have to face the reality that there’s not enough time in the day to do everything on the list. Admittedly, that’s often because things that aren’t on the To Do list, like the daily Sudoku puzzle, have eaten into my productive hours.
At the end of the day, the leftovers from the day’s To Do list are relinquished for another day, but the pile-up of things undone keeps growing. Every New Year, and many times throughout the year, I restate my resolution to “get organized” and I attack the paper pile-ups that have become the nemesis of my life. The lists are helpful to me, though – they make me feel organized; they make me feel like I’m “on track.”
So here I am again, approaching 2009, and my optimistic nature always looks at the possibilities – of all those things I can do, if I really set my mind to it. Like our President-Elect Barack Obama, I believe that change is possible – for me, for you, for this entire country. I still believe in the Christmas proclamation of “Peace on earth, good will toward men,” and I embrace the philosophy of that song, “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”
So there you have it. I just crossed off one item on today’s “To Do” list – write a new blog for Hales Corners and Franklin NOW.
Wishing all of you who read to the end of this blog (and all those who didn’t) a blessed, peaceful new year.
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By Marjorie Pagel
Monday, Dec 8 2008, 09:47 PM
Every morning I wake up with a song in my heart – a Christmas song, that is. Sometimes it’s “Goin’ To Bethlehem” or “Tell the Good News;” other days it’s “Getting’ In the Mood for Christmas” or “Winter Wonderland.” The words and the beat keep me company throughout the day, even when I’m trying to get them out of my mind. That’s the way it is with music, though, especially after rehearsing notes and lyrics measure by measure, week after week, in preparation for a concert.
It’s the Christmas music season for choruses all over the world, and this year I’m fortunate to be part of a very talented group, Community Chorus, led by a very talented director, Jerry Jenkins. There are 76 members in the chorus – sopranos, altos, tenors and basses. We rehearse right here in Hales Corners at the Emanuel United Church of Christ. Since the middle of September we’ve rehearsed two hours every Tuesday night, preparing for our 2008 concert, “Angels, From the Realms of Glory.”
The Community Chorus was formed in 1980 and, since that time, has given concert performances every Christmas season and again in Spring. Each season two public performances are held at Emanuel Church, 10627 W. Forest Home Ave. In addition, the chorus performs half a dozen concerts at various locations throughout the area.
Before he retired, Jerry Jenkins was a music teacher and chorus director in the Whitnall Schools District. His love of music wouldn’t let him retire completely, though. These days, in addition to directing the Community Chorus, he drives twice each week to Lake Mills where he directs the Moravian Church choir. He is not the type of director to settle for “pretty good” or “not too bad.” If the rhythm, the dynamics, the precision are not what the composer intended or Director Jenkins expects, the chorus is asked to go over those trouble spots again and again, until it’s right.
That, for me, is what brings the satisfaction when we give a public performance. All eyes are on Jerry, and he is absolutely focused. If something isn’t exactly right, we might detect a slight raising of the eyebrow or a slight twitch of the lips, and if a song has been performed well, we can read the hint of satisfaction on his face.
One of the benefits of singing with this group is getting to hear a number of very talented voices featured in solo and ensemble parts. Chris Romine and Rachael Olson draw wistful gazes from the audience whenever they sing their duet, “Believe.” Cindy Ovokaitys sings a compelling gospel-style solo in “Jesus, What a Wonderful Child.” Other solo voices include Beverly Larson, Carrie Davidson and Jeanne Hagopian.
There’s a variety of musical accompaniment, including a piano duet by Mary Jo Wolf and Pam Kothrade. A special feature in the two public performances will be the Oriana Harp Quartet, who will perform two songs directed by their teacher and harp-builder, Steve Gyuro. (To read more about Steve and the Oriana Harp Quartet, check out: http://www.orianaharp.com/harp%20quartet.html and http://www.harpkit.com/Merchant2/pdf/MMOM_Summer08.pdf)
The two public concerts will be held on Sunday, Dec. 14, at 2:30 p.m. and on Saturday, Dec. 20, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for both concerts are on sale for $7 each at the door or in advance from Annette Kordus: 414-427-9686, or any of the chorus members.
To learn more about the Community Chorus and to see some photos from the 2007 Christmas concert, see http://communitychorus.spaces.live.com
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By Marjorie Pagel
Sunday, Nov 23 2008, 08:06 PM
The 75th Anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps was celebrated locally last week at Boerner Botanical Gardens. It was a well-attended event, and though only a handful of people could share firsthand experiences of this chapter in American history, almost everyone could remember someone -- a father, an uncle, or a grandfather -- who had been part of the CCC.
Young men between 17 and 25 earned $30 a month -- $25 of which was sent directly home to “ma and pa” to make sure they had enough to eat. They worked hard for the $5 they got to keep: planting trees, building roads and bridges, and helping to develop park land. These young men working in the 1930s left a legacy which all of us continue to enjoy today.
During the celebration, members of the Milwaukee Community Service Corps quietly read the names of all 7,000 Wisconsin men who were part of the CCC. Undoubtedly, there are more names, and Chris Litzau, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Community Service Corps, hopes to hear who these other workers were and publish them on a CCC website. For more information, you may contact Litzau at 414-372-9040.
There were several special treats in store for the guests, including a taped rendition of the bugle call, “Reveille” – played four times all the way through. (County Executive Scott Walker joked that he’d like a copy of that tape for his teenage son, because it would take that many bugle calls to rouse him.) The taped bugles played again at the end – “Taps” -- just before the soup lunch was served.
The sing-a-long of the “National CCC Song” featured all six verses followed each time by this chorus:
“It’s up in the morning and work all day under a boiling sun,
Then back to camp with darn good pals when an honest day is done.
Now some are good and some are bad as fellows will always be,
But we all stick together and now I’m glad that I’m in the CCC.”
My favorite verse was the last:
“We’ve worked in many places – over forest, gully and hill.
And when Franklin D. says, “Do it, boys,” you can bet your life, we will.
And if it weren’t for men like him, I don’t know where I’d be.
Now I’ve got a home no more to roam, and thanks to Franklin D.”
Litzau used the opportunity to draw some correlations between those lean economic times of the Depression and this country’s current economic crisis. In a recent article from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, he was quoted as saying, "From the worst of times, you have the greatest human spirit arise.” He sees the Milwaukee Community Service Corps as “a grandchild of the CCC.” (www.jsonline.com/business/34563724.html)
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By Marjorie Pagel
Friday, Nov 14 2008, 08:21 AM
Those of you who read my blog last week know about Cailinn Lynch, the six-month old daughter of Brian and Kelly Lynch, of Hales Corners. Kelly writes all the latest news in an online journal sponsored by Caring Bridge. The alert I received today told me the news and I want to pass it on to you:
Welcome Home Baby Cailinn!
Our little girl came home yesterday. We can't even begin to describe how happy we are. It's amazing how much you take things for granted, such as sitting in your living room with your spouse, your baby and your dog, eating dinner together.
Brian, Cailinn, and I would like to say thank you to all of our doctors and nurses at CHW that helped us get home.
We look forward to seeing everyone that will be able to make it on Saturday. - Kelly Lynch
Reminder: The Saturday event that Kelly refers to is a fundraiser November 15, 7 to 11 p.m., to help pay some of the medical costs for Cailinn. Michael Stickney, a family friend, is organizing a fun-filled event for people of all ages -- families invited -- at Waynz World in New Berlin. The cost is $25 per person. RSVP to Michael 630-802-1380; donations to the Cailinn Lynch fund may be sent to him at 1569 S. Carriage LN, New Berlin WI 53151. Details about Waynz World, along with directions, can be found at waynzworld.com.
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By Marjorie Pagel
Sunday, Nov 2 2008, 07:21 PM
Brian and Kelly Lynch, of Hales Corners, were ecstatic to become first-time parents on May 8, 2008. Their daughter, Cailinn Maureen, was born at 9:07 p.m., weighing 5 lbs. 6 oz. and measuring 18 inches long. She had a full head of beautiful brown hair with red highlights.
Soon after her birth, a blood test determined that this darling little girl had a rare and serious chromosomal disorder. She was to spend four long weeks in intensive care before coming home. On August 6 she was readmitted to Children's Hospital because of breathing problems. Later that month, doctors surgically inserted a tracheotomy tube to help her breathe, and on August 19, Kelly wrote in an online journal, which she shares with family and friends:
"Cailinn had her trach placed yesterday. It was a rough day for all of us, but Cailinn is so strong. She slept most of the day, but is already starting to perk up today. I've never know a stronger person. We can clearly see the improvement in our beautiful daughter. It's a little hard, seeing her with all of her 'accessories', but knowing that she is breathing so much better and is more comfortable is a precious peace of mind. We know now that we made the right decision."
Then on September 25 Cailinn had heart surgery to correct congenital heart defects. The little girl came through that surgery triumphantly as well. One month later, on October 25, Kelly posted this note: "Well, we are getting closer to going home! . . . Cailinn came down with pneumonia last week and some other respiratory challenges, as well as a slight tummy bug. She had a really high fever and was very sad, but fought through it like the little trooper that she is. . . . She never fails to amaze me. She is doing very well, and smiles & talks to us all the time. She is probably the happiest baby I've ever met."
The latest posting tells about a special benefit for Cailinn that's being organized by a family friend, Michael Stickney. The benefit, to be held on Nov. 15 at Waynz World of Recreation in Waukesha, will be a family event with food and beverages served and games of volleyball, bean bag toss, and ping pong. There will also be a silent auction and raffle.
Michael writes: The cost will be $25 per person. If you can't make it please feel free to send a donation on your behalf. Please RSVP to Michael Stickney 630-802-1380 or send a donation to 1569 S. Carriage LN, New Berlin WI 53151. Also, if you can donate anything for the auction, it would be much appreciated. For directions to the event visit waynzworld.com.
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By Marjorie Pagel
Tuesday, Oct 28 2008, 10:55 AM
Here's a little diversion from the pre-election frenzy. I've listed 10 questions that most people initially think are too easy for a fifth grader. . .but then we find ourselves thinking, "Hey! What IS the answer?" (The correct answers follow.)
1. On a standard traffic light, is the green on the top or bottom?
2. In which hand is the Statue of Liberty 's torch?
3. What two numbers on the telephone dial don't have letters by them?
4. On the United States flag is the top stripe red or white?
5. What is the lowest number on the FM dial?
6. Do books have even-numbered pages on the right or left side?
7. How many sides are there on a standard pencil?
8. Sleepy, Happy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Dopey, Doc. Who's missing?
9. On which playing card is the card maker's trademark? (Joker doesn't count.)
10. How many curves are there in the standard paper clip?
ANSWERS
(1) BOTTOM; (2) RIGHT HAND; (3) 1 AND 0; (4) RED; (5) 87.5; (6) LEFT; (7) 6; (8) BASHFUL; (9) ACE OF SPADES; (10) 3
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By Marjorie Pagel
Sunday, Oct 19 2008, 09:10 PM
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The Friends of the Franklin Public Library are going all out on Saturday, October 25, to entertain guests at a wine tasting party. The doors of the library will open at 6 p.m., and for the next three hours guests will have a chance to sample wines, appetizers and desserts; place their bids on a number of silent auction items; and watch Staci Joers (“Cooking with Class”) demonstrate some of her culinary specialties – including flaming desserts. Background music will be provided by pianist Laurie Mentzer.
Tickets for the event are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. All proceeds from the event, including the silent auction and a quilt raffle, will go toward the purchase of new computers in the children’s area. Advance tickets are available at the library or from Consumer Beverage, Hales Corners.
Wine will be served at eight stations, explained Diane Oleson, Friends member and chairperson of this event. One station will feature wines from New Zealand and Australia, another from South America, another from Europe. Domestic wines from the Northwest, Napa Valley and Sonoma will be featured at other stations. A tempting array of appetizers and desserts will also be available at these stations.
Judy Roberts, President of the Friends, said that every dollar raised from this event will be used to buy new computers for the children’s area of the library. The computers currently being used are outdated – they can’t accommodate new DVD software.
The City of Franklin budget is tight this year, and the City Council wasn’t able to provide for updating the computers. Here’s a chance, though, for people of the Franklin community to help out.
Roberts outlined several ways people of the community can support this fundraising endeavor:
1) Buy tickets for the Oct. 25th party. If you don’t want to use them yourself, give them to a friend, relative or neighbor who would appreciate them.
2) Buy quilt raffle tickets. Ten beautiful quilts made by one of the library quilting groups are being donated for this fundraising event. Patrons may choose their favorite quilt and drop the raffle ticket into the jar with the corresponding number. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5 and can be purchased at the library desk.
3) Make an outright donation to the Friends, with the notation that it be earmarked for the Children’s Computer Fund.
To purchase 12 new computers would cost roughly $15,000, Library Director Barbara Roark said. These computers are well used by the children in this community, she pointed out, checking her records. In July there were 1,187 children using the library computers.
“These computers are filtered,” Roberts added. Parents need to know that there are safeguards in place.
“ The Franklin Library is an excellent venue for this kind of party,” said Oleson. This is her second year chairing the wine-tasting event. It was a big success last year and this year promises to be even better.
For more information, call Diane Oleson at 414-427-7284.
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By Marjorie Pagel
Tuesday, Oct 14 2008, 11:02 AM
Today in my blog I’d like to introduce you to a Hales Corners man, Stephen Boehrer. He’s an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, and I keep running into him and his wife Rita at various functions in Hales Corners and Franklin. Last month, for instance, we were all at the Franklin Library to hear from local author Larry Watson discuss his published novels. Rita, a retired history professor, regularly gives free public lectures at the Hales Corners Library, and I often run into the two of them there as well.
Originally, though, I got to know Steve when he and I were both part of a Writers Round Table at Redbird Studio, Bay View. Recently retired, Steve was working on his first novel – and when I say work, I mean just that. Steve wasn’t the type of writer who would dash off a draft and assume it was finished. His first novel, Unless a Grain of Wheat, went through many drafts before it was published in 1997. Steve didn’t get discouraged as many first-time novelists would, and he freely credits Judy Bridges, director of Redbird, the Round Table writers, and Rita, a perceptive reader and excellent editor, with helping him through the long process.
A former priest who loves his church, Steve drew inspiration for his first novel is from the Bible verse, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (quoted from New American Standard Bible, 1995.) This was written before the widespread publishing of sexual abuses by the clergy, along with all the lawsuits and public disgrace of many respected priests.
When Steve set out to write his first novel, he knew that it was the first of a trilogy. The other two were subsequently published: Dead Men’s Bones (2000) and Called to Freedom (2003) and were the subject of several book discussion groups at the Hales Corners and Franklin Libraries. All three books are available at the Hales Corners Library and from the publisher, Windborne Publications, P.O. box 7333, Hales Corners, WI 53130.
His next book, The Purple Culture, will be published by Oceanview Publishing and available at bookstores in May 2009. While the trilogy focuses on the same major characters, including Father Charles Mueller and Sister Maggie McDonough, The Purple Culture is a mystery that is ultimately solved in a courtroom where three bishops accused of pedophilia are on trial.
Quoting from Steve’s website: “The mystery surrounding the clerical abuse scandal is not that a priest could be a pedophile. The mystery lies with the bishops. What motivated politically adept, often outgoing and personable men who claim moral leadership to knowingly place predatory, pedophile priests among innocent children? What moved them to present deaf ears to victims and parents of victims, and then engage in stone-walling and cover-up activities?”
To learn more about Steve and his books, be sure to visit his new website, http://www.stephenboehrer.com Although I’m not a Roman Catholic, I responded to Steve’s invitation to join the dialogue on his web log, so be sure to check that out too. (Just go to the website referenced above and click on “Blog”.)
Steve has issued an open invitation for people concerned about the church to enter into this discussion. Here’s what he has to say that might encourage you to enter that dialogue:
The harm that self-absorbed and self-serving religious leaders can bring to their own people, and to others, has perhaps never been more evident.
History records how violence and terror tactics have been used, not just by small cults, but by all mainstream religions.
This blog is intended to display, discuss, and hopefully provide solutions to the threat of harm coming from Christian leadership.
I speak from my own affiliation and tradition, that of Roman Catholicism, but I believe the topic has universal application.
The attempts to cover-up the sexual abuse scandal with its protection of pedophiles, and the increasing numbers of thefts by ecclesiastics are warning signals to the laity that their judgments must enter the fray - or the scandals will continue.
In the priest/bishop pedophile scandal the conclusion is obvious that the leadership's moral compass is off-point.
Church embezzlements on today's scale bring the leadership's management abilities into question.
"The Purple Culture," speaks to components of a culture that are causal in episcopal behavior. It presents a foundation for and gives focus to action by the laity. I hope you will read it. Whether you agree with it or not, if you are interested in joining the discussion, let's begin.
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By Marjorie Pagel
Tuesday, Sep 30 2008, 12:24 PM
I recently received a newsletter from Don Dorsan, President of the Franklin Cultural Arts Center. Although the building has yet to begin, Don and other supporters of the FCAC have been working hard to get this building “off the ground.”
If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, Don wants to hear from you:
Would you like to become involved in any way, such as helping with events or working on the capital campaign?
Would you like to receive further information?
Would you like to make a tax-deductible contribution to the capital campaign?
If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, please contact Don at 414-525-0009 or send him an email at ddorsan@yahoo.com. And by all means, check out the Franklin Cultural Arts Center website: http://www.franklinculturalcenter.org/
In the meantime, let me tell you about two events in the works that Don wants you to know about:
1) October 17, at 7:30 p.m. ComedySportz will be at thePolish Community Center, 6941 South 68th Street. This event is co-sponsored by WaterStone Bank and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. Tickets, at $20 each, are on sale at Sentry store on 76th and Rawson or by calling 414-525-0009, or online at the website address above.
Quoted from the website: “ComedySportz, Milwaukee's longest running show, is a team competitive interactive comedy experience. Unlike most other forms of performance comedy, Comedysportz is great for all ages. The audience of a typical Comedysportz match contains everyone from kids to college students to parents to grandparents.”
2) November 15, “Divas and Divine Desserts” will be held at the Franklin Public Library. This event, which brings together good music, good food and good friends, is made possible by funding grant from the Harley-Davidson Foundation, with additional support from WaterStone Bank. It will be co-hosted by Friends of the Franklin Library.
There’s another event, “Jingle Bell Jazz,” in December. More details will be coming.
Questions you might have about the proposed Cultural Center in Franklin are answered on the website. The full answer to one of those questions is included here:
What community needs will the center fill?A group of parents banded together to form the FCAC to address the lack of an auditorium in the Franklin schools. Currently performances take place in a converted cafeteria. One referendum which included an auditorium has already failed. We offer a low cost alternative to this problem.The city needs a senior center and the FCAC will be well suited to fill that void. The Center will provide educational outreach programs for young and old (we envision services such as art therapy), and will be home to community theater groups as well as a wide range of service organizations.We believe that it would be wasteful for the city and the school district to construct separate community and senior centers and an auditorium. Why not unite them all under one roof?
Other questions are:
Where will the Franklin Cultural Arts Center be located?
How much will it cost?
How much have you raised so far?
How will the Franklin Cultural Arts Center be funded?
What about after it's built? Will it become a burden on the taxpayers?
Who will use the facility? Does the Franklin Cultural Arts Center only serve Franklin?
Is "Franklin Cultural Arts Center" the official name?
When do you plan on opening the facility?
If you have any personal opinions about this proposed Center in Franklin, please share your comments below. I've asked Don Dorsan to review this blog and post some of his own additional comments.
In the meantime, I'll "Meet You at the Corner."
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By Marjorie Pagel
Tuesday, Sep 16 2008, 11:58 AM
There’s much interest in the environment these days. Of course, people in the Hales Corners and Franklin area are so accustomed to living in a beautiful area that we may tend to take some things for granted.
In this blog, I want to encourage you to visit Boerner Botanical Gardens and the Wehr Nature Center, especially if you haven’t been there for awhile. And I want to tell you about some September events of interest to you and your neighbors.
On Saturday, September 27, the Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens will host the "No Child Left Inside" Walk-a-Thon. This event, co-sponsored by WE Energies, Deloitte and Milwaukee County Parks, begins with registration at 8 a.m. followed by the walk-a-thon. So. . .what’s this catchy title “No Child Left Inside” about? (Yes, I’m sure you picked up on the similarity to President Bush’s educational initiative, “No Child Left Behind.”)
It’s actually a national movement aimed to encourage children and their parents to move away from the TV and computer games, where their minds and bodies grow sluggish, and spend more time in the great outdoors. Let me capitalize that: THE GREAT OUTDOORS.
As you probably know, there is a growing number of children who are spending most of their time indoors and not getting enough fresh air and exercise. This is the leading cause of childhood obesity, a growing national problem. (And you probably already knew that too!) Of course, this is a problem for adults as well but, for today, let’s focus on the children.
Studies have show that children need to get outside and connect with nature. The “No Child Left Inside” slogan is inspired by Richard Louv’s book, “Last Child in the Woods” (2005), that draws attention to what he terms “Nature Deficit Disorder,” a condition that results in depression, anxiety, and obesity in youth. “Enjoying nature reduces kids’ stress, improves self-esteem, enhances brain development and enhances curiosity,” the NCLI literature explains.
Is this a Walk-a-Thon just for children? No, but children are welcome to participate with their families. As in other walk-a-thons, pledge money will be raised, and these funds will be used to support programs for children at the Gardens.
To learn more about the Walk-a-Thon and other events at Boerner Botanical Gardens, visit their website at http://www.boernerbotanicalgardens.org; and click on “Events”. Or call 414-525-5650. Better yet – stop by and pick up a brochure and, while you’re there, tour the beautiful gardens!
To learn more about the “No Child Left Inside Movement,” visit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation website, http://www.cbf.org.
Calling All Gardeners: Another event to benefit our environment is sponsored by the Friends of BBG on the same weekend.
“Save your pots!” the flyers proclaim. “Clean up for fall and do a good thing for the environment by bringing your pots to Boerner Botanical Gardens for recycling.”
Here’s what you need to know: September 25 – 27 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day you may bring #2, #5 and #6 pots, polystyrene cell packs and trays and black plastic edging to the southeast corner of Boerner Botanical Gardens parking lot, 9400 Boerner Drive, Hales Corners.
The pots will be ground, pelletized and made into plastic landscape materials by U.S. manufacturers. You can help the recycling efforts by first knocking out all dirt and debris from materials. Wire hangers, staples and other foreign materials should be removed. If possible, sort and stack by pot size and number. If this pilot program is successful, it will be repeated next year.
For more information, call Shirley Dommer Walczak, Gardens Director, at 414-525-5603 or Patti Peltier, UW-Extension Horticulture Center at Boerner Botanical Gardens, 414-525-5638.
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