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JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2014
Viewfinder
Friends of the Apostle Islands
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Brin: When TV Becomes Reality
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Seams Unlikely
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This & That Dominoes
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Glory Glory
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Feature Ready for 120
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Legend & Lore The Fountain: An Obituary
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Artist Feature Gerri Buteyn
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An Old-Fashioned Fisheree
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Stump the Beaver
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Historical Society Extraordinary Naturalist
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Inquire Wisconsin
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The Wandering Man
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The Social Luxury of Beer
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Parting Thoughts
35
November 22, 2013
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We now begin the third year of LocaLeben – and we like to start the New Year off with a huge splash. There are now 5,000 additional copies in the hands of community members around Beaver Dam. Our audience now stretches into the rural parts of Fox Lake, Waupun, Burnett, Horicon, Juneau, Fall River and Randolph. For those of you seeing LocaLeben for the first time, let me explain what we are all about. It will also be a great reminder for everyone to what makes LocaLeben unique as a media outlet. The title “Local Leben” is a bit of a play on words using foreign language. Leben (pronounced LAY-bun) is German for “Life” so the title means Local Life. With some artistic liberty, the “L” in the center is shared: LocaLeben. Now let me explain what we are all about. We are reinventing Local Media. We are taking a whole new approach to how people learn about what is going on in their community. Instead of journalists and reporters finding stories, we simply give you a place to share your story. LocaLeben is a community hub of information, stories, and events. Every other month we deliver a varied selection of your submissions in a beautiful print magazine – free of charge. Also available is www.LocaLeben.com - an online community hub of press releases, obituaries, bloggers and extra content for the print magazine articles. Members of the community submit all of this information. Yes – your story about the upcoming fundraiser that your service club is doing can be on LocaLeben.com. Anything that is about, takes place in, or serves the community is welcome. My personal favorite part of what we do is providing a community calendar that you fill with your events. Fill out the form and it is up for everyone to see. Now you can find everything you need in one single place. This is also free. The power of this new media is YOU. Without your participation – it is nothing. 18,371 – That is how many copies of LocaLeben are now in the hands of the community. We are very excited to be able to bring your stories to more people in the surrounding communities.
Cover: “White on White - Snowy Owl” by Terrill Knaack Used with permission
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Submit Press Releases, Events, & Story Ideas on www.localeben.com
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111 Rowell Street Beaver Dam, WI 53916 Phone Fax (920) 356-1255 (920) 356-1270
For My Children Lena’s autobiography is so captivating we couldn’t wait to share more of it with you. If we continued at the pace we were at, it would have taken us 16 years to get through the entire 369 page book. We are at page 18. Instead, check in at LocaLeben.com every Wednesday for a new chapter in her heartfelt memoir. This way it will only take us a few years to share her life story. BDHS Football The Beaver Dam High School Football program has a long history of success over the past 119 years. Steve Kuenzi and Tim White teamed up to assemble a wonderful summary. To complement it, they have provided highlight reels from past games along with several more photos. We are sure you will recognize some local faces. Log on to LocaLeben.com to get ready for season 120.
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Karla Jensen
Hannah Kazmarek
Karla Jensen has been a freelance writer for 25 years. She is a published playwright with her husband Mark, and she teaches writing at the Seippel Center. Karla’s background includes radio, television, magazine publishing, tourism and real estate, not to mention Danish Dancing.
Hannah Kazmarek recently completed her undergraduate degree in journalism at Edgewood College in Madison and moved back to Beaver Dam. A freelance writer, she is rediscovering her hometown by unearthing treasures in its heritage and excited to be sharing those stories in LocaLeben.
Steve Kuenzi
Bill Sieja
A history teacher and football coach at Beaver Dam High School, Steve is a fifth generation Beaver Dam-ite who moved “home” in 2002. He and his wife Heather own and operate a horse farm east of Beaver Dam. He is excited to contribute to LocaLeben and share BDHS football history.
Bill moved to Beaver Dam in 1989 and married Barbara Klug, a lifelong resident, in 1990. They adopted their son Brin from Korea when he was 7 months old. Bill’s dad was born and raised in Beaver Dam. Bill was a key leader in the fundraising efforts for the Waterworks Park Project.
Nancy Zieman
Matt Kenevan
A previous Wisconsin Woman Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year, Nancy serves as a regular keynoter and teacher at quilt and sewing shows across the nation. Starting at her kitchen table, she built Nancy’s Notions into a multi-million dollar business. She is the host of Sewing with Nancy.
Born and raised in Beaver Dam, the son of Louise and Dan Kenevan, Matt now resides in Minnesota with his wife and son, and his dog Porter. He has an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for beer, which he shares as Founder of The Beer Dabbler© and publisher of The Growler.
Jonah Haase
Mary Cudnohfsky
A graduate of BDHS and UW-Madison, Jonah served in Panama with the Peace Corps, in Ecuador as a missionary, and currently in Haiti and Mexico designing and implementing child sponsorship programs and orphanages while seeking a master’s degree in theology from Fuller Seminary.
Being a wife and mother of four wonderful daughters was Mary Cudnohfsky’s greatest achievement. After becoming a widow and retiring from teaching in Beaver Dam, she found her second great passion when she started working at the historical society and fell in love with local history.
The MAGAZINE
VOLUME 3 - IssUE 1
EDITOR
PUBLISHER
Erik Dittmann
Jim Dittmann
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Preston Bowman
Benjamin Dittmann
COPY EDITOR
BUSINESS MANAGER
Kathy Dittmann
Emma Dittmann
LocaLeben The Magazine is mailed bi-monthly to 15,871 homes and businesses in the 53916 zip code and select carrier routes in the surrounding communities. An additional 2,500 copies are available for FREE at all public libraries in Dodge County and any advertiser in LocaLeben.
OUT OF DISTRIBUTION SUBSCRIPTION We offer a subscription to interested readers who live outside of our distribution for $15 per year. To subscribe to LocaLeben, please send payment to the mailing address below. Call (920) 306-1189 to subscribe by phone. Send E-mail requests to subscribe@localeben.com.
ADVERTISE WITH US Our purpose is to embrace Local - When you advertise in LocaLeben you will be promoting the local living economy - enabling an environment that is sustainable - growing - and prosperous! Please contact Erik to learn more about our marketing and advertising services.
READER SERVICES LocaLeben is Local Life. We invite you to share your stories in LocaLeben. They bring meaning to our lives together. Help us restore our town back to the vibrant community it longs to be. Phone: (920) 306-1189
Email: content@localeben.com
Mailing Address: N8369 S. Sunset Pt. Rd. Beaver Dam, WI 53916 Back Issues: Internship Inquiries: To order back issues, please intern@localeben.com send $5 per issue. Designed in Beaver Dam. LocaLeben The Magazine is published in Beaver Dam, WI by LocaLeben LLC. All rights reserved. The entire contents of LocaLeben The Magazine is Copyright (c) 2014. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems with the expressed, written consent of LocaLeben LLC. LocaLeben The Magazine reserves the right to refuse to publish any advertisement deemed detrimental to the best interests of the community or that is in questionable taste. Editorial content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher of this magazine. Editorial or advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative.
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SAND ISLAND
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W
hen we started our project to capture a killer shot of the Milky Way in 2003, it became obvious that what we needed were dark skies, really dark skies! South-central Wisconsin, with farms and their ubiquitous mercury vapor yard lights, just would not cut it. A friend heard our complaining about light pollution and invited us to shoot in the backyard field of his permanent home located about 10 miles west of Mellen in the Chequamegon National Forest. Nirvana! We found ourselves the guest of famed conservationist and political insider Martin Hanson and some of the best dark skies in the upper Midwest, and the next five summers we spent chasing the perfect photograph of the Milky Way anchored by the wilderness tree lines that cry “up north.�
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This adventure was more artistic than scientific. We wanted to capture the most beautiful portion of the Milky Way – that which is visible only in summer when the region from Sagittarius to Cygnus is displayed in all its glory; brilliant colors, saturated details, the veins of billions of stars creating a blissful mosaic. But we also wanted to capture that image juxtaposed against the tree-covered horizon, anchoring the jigsaw to give the viewer a reference point. Using special equipment to counter earth’s spin, opening the camera’s shutter for four minutes, and coaxing the details to reveal themselves with some Photoshop help, we achieved our goal in 2008, after five marvelous summers of attempts. In September 2008 we presented Martin with a framed image taken in his backyard and titled it “Martin’s Milky Way,” our way of thanking Martin for putting up with two guys showing up for five summers with a van load of equipment and an insatiable appetite
RASPBERRY ISLAND
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to capture something truly unique. Unexpectedly, Martin died in October of that year. We were at a loss. Our host, friend, and counselor, was gone. As a way of saying “thank you Martin,” we hatched a plan. Martin was the founder of the Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. His history with Wisconsin’s famed national lakeshore goes back to the early 1970s as a political insider with Senator Gaylord Nelson who authored the legislation to create the park. We wondered; what if we try to capture an image of the Milky Way draped around the iconic lighthouses that are so popular within the national lakeshore. We thought if we were successful, we could sell the photograph and donate the proceeds to the Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Martin’s memory. In a series of meetings with the Friends organization and the National Park Service, we were given access in 2009 to the
DEVIL’S ISLAND
OUTER ISLAND lighthouse and tower at Outer Island. Over 136 years old, it is a magnificent lighthouse in incredibly dark pristine skies surrounded by Lake Superior. Talk about an adventure! We succeeded in producing a magnificent photograph. Sales were brisk, especially after a column by Doug Moe of the Wisconsin State Journal mentioned one of the recipients of a print was Ken Salazar, then Secretary of the Department of the Interior. To date we have also photographed the Apostle Island lighthouses imbued with the Milky Way at Sand Island, Raspberry Island and Devils Island, and next summer we intend to photograph Michigan Island. We have donated over $80,000 to support the worthwhile programs of the Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in memory of and to honor our good friend Martin, whose kindness to us seemed to know no bounds. Thanks Martin, we could not have done it without you!
MARTIN’S MILKY WAY
JOHN & MARK
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All Photos: Dancing Light Photography by Christina Schoenwetter
BILL SIEJA
I
n April 2012, ABC’s What Would You Do? had a segment on autism in which a family went to a restaurant with an autistic child who continually and loudly repeated himself. Most patrons saw that the family was doing their best to keep this child quiet and content. They recognized that this child might have a disability. The segment showed a middle-age man becoming upset over the behavior of the child. The man repeatedly asked the family to discipline their child and keep him under control. There were a couple of different scenes showing what other patrons did or said to the man who just could not get over the fact that this child might have a disability. Most patrons accepted the family and the different behavior. The man who felt the family should leave and discipline their child received several comments from patrons who felt he should mind his own business and let the family be. The patrons finally said the man should leave and not the family. This under 10-minute video can be viewed on YouTube. I now present a reality story that happened to my family while dining at a local restaurant that we frequent. One morning for breakfast, we chose to eat at the counter versus waiting for a booth. The restaurant was packed and it was louder than normal. We usually bring a DVD player and a spinning top along. For our son, these two items can shut everything else out, at least temporarily. While eating at the counter, our son started to sing, clap his hands and even hit the counter a bit. He was in his own place, having a good time. We sat and ate our breakfast. All seemed good. We had to tell him to turn his volume on his DVD player down or quiet his voice a bit, but for the most part we thought everything was fine, so it was surprising when a large group of women walked by us and one of the women said, “What a poorly behaved
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little boy!” I missed that comment, but my wife Barb heard it and explained that our son has autism and at times his behavior changes because of the noise or surrounding situations. One of the other women actually put her finger between my son and I and said, “This little boy needs to be disciplined.” I kept my calm, as had my wife, and I explained that he has autism and because of his sensory issues he will get louder at times. She asked what is autism and why does that give him the right to misbehave? I knew it was going to take more information for her and her acquaintances to understand. I shared a brief explanation and as they walked away I wondered if they had really heard or understood. This is a story of one family, my family, with a child with a disability. I am not a professional with a degree in this field. I am just a parent with a child who has autism, and as a parent, I am looking for ways to bring awareness to others so they have acceptance and increased knowledge to care for my son and others who have a loved one with autism. Briefly, let me tell you a couple of things the average person may or may not know regarding a Sensory Spectrum Disorder. This may vary a bit from child to child, but we who do not have autism or those who do not know an individual with autism, do not know what the autistic individual goes through. Our son hears every little noise, which may seem much louder than normal and at times cannot seem to be separated. He hears everything and because of this he talks louder. He hates to get his hair cut. We were told that some children feel each hair being cut and can hear it being cut. They will yell, scream and even cry and say it hurts. We too went through this. We have gotten help, and through therapy, visuals and a couple of very good hairstylists, we have gotten through this with their help and patience.
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We adopted our 10-year-old son Brin from Korea when he was 7 months old. He was diagnosed with a Sensory Spectrum Disorder at about 2 years of age. Since the day he was diagnosed, we have done everything possible for Brin to help him live a normal life. He has several videos that he watches including a series of Watch Me Learn videos for children with autism, as well as Signing Time videos that teach sign language. He has therapy approximately 32 hours per week in addition to going to school for a full day. Therapists come to our house daily to provide Brin with one-on-one therapy. We have a sand pit and a bean pit in our house, both used for a sensory relief for him. We also have a swing in our basement. All these items are used for calming him. Our son Brin loves routine and follows visuals the best; change throws him off. His day is very structured and made easy to follow so there are no surprises. You will always find something unique about children with autism, something that separates them from others. In our case, Brin has read and memorized things from a very early age. He would memorize and even act out videos or movies, and he still does. He loves gadgets. He can figure out an iPad, iPod, DVD player or computer very easily and enjoys playing with them and trying new things on these devices. I would love to see more people educated about autism, but most important is to practice acceptance of others who are different from you and to not confuse bad behavior with a disability. I am hoping that more people share their story and more importantly that they are not afraid or embarrassed to bring their child out and about. Barb and I have been to several seminars where young adults, children and even older adults talk about what it was like growing up with autism and how they were treated. The only way it will get better is if more people tell their story.
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NANCY ZIEMAN
I
never intended to write my autobiography. Over thirty years on television, sharing stories while I teach sewing methods, has given people a pretty good opportunity to know me, I thought. When Sewing With Nancy reached its 25th anniversary, many friends and colleagues indicated an interest in hearing the story of how Nancy’s Notions and the show became what they are today. They asked for an autobiography, which I dismissed. But then I typed my name into the Google search window and I saw the most-often searched terms come up on my screen. Nancy Zieman stroke. Nancy Zieman face. People were, understandably, curious about why one side of my face doesn’t operate like the other side. In truth, it is paralyzed, a complication of Bell’s palsy that struck me as an infant. Other parts of me have been shaped, in part, by the Bell’s palsy too – other physical aspects, as well as emotional and psychological. And then Ken Tacony, President of Tacony Corporation, noted that my story might somehow serve as a source of encouragement to others. I decided to run the idea by a writer-friend, Marjorie Russell, who had interviewed me for a feature in American Quilter magazine in 2009. With Marj’s enthusiastic affirmation and involvement, the project began. I should note that writing your personal story feels much like hanging your unmentionables on a clothesline. The instant rapport Marj and I had found during that 2009 interview, though, stayed true throughout our book-writing process and made it possible for me to share the news today that my autobiography Seams Unlikely will be in stores in February 2014. In the pages of Seams Unlikely are the milestones and hallmarks of a life I never could have envisioned. From the family farm in Wisconsin to a career on a TV screen is quite a leap! Had any relationship, any step along the way, been slightly different, the outcome would likely have been vastly changed. As it is, the blessings of true friendship and wisdom borne of experience mounted with each passing year. Now, having celebrated the 30th anniversary of Sewing With Nancy being on the air and taking the time to think back through what brought me to 2014, I’m pretty amazed. I can say with confidence that we live in a particular part of the world where anything – anything you can or even can’t imagine – is possible. Sometimes the possibilities are hard to see because of challenges and barriers. Or maybe we set out on a path toward a goal and we encounter some unexpected difficulties. The key to achieving, to living, is realizing that we all have unexpected twists and turns in our roads. We will all face challenges. Some of those challenges are
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Zieman Family Photo Courtesy Glass Road Media and Management
bigger than others. But what happens to us does not define who we are – unless we let it. There is a belief that successful individuals somehow skirted the hard parts of life. Here, in Wisconsin, we know that success comes from hard work. People who went to work day after day despite circumstances built our state, a state that continues to thrive because of that work ethic. Any person, at any time, can allow circumstance to dictate who they are and who they continue to be. Excuses masquerading as “reasons” abound for not pursuing the goal or passion you’ve been given. I, like you, could have allowed the challenges of my life to dictate its course. But as I hope Seams Unlikely reveals, there is a different choice to be made, the choice to respond to life, to love and work and learn anyway. No matter what comes. Nancy Zieman is host of Sewing With Nancy, produced in partnership with Wisconsin Public Television. Sewing With Nancy is the longest-running sewing show on North American television. Starting at her own kitchen table, Zieman built Nancy’s Notions into a multi-million dollar business, which was sold in 2003. She is a previous Wisconsin Woman Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year and serves as a regular keynoter and teacher at quilt and sewing shows across the nation. Her patterns and instructions have been published in 41 books that have sold over 2 million copies. She is wife to Rich and mother to two grown sons. Seams Unlikely is the first time Zieman has shared her life story. It releases from Glass Road Media in February 2014 and is available in bookstores nationwide. Learn more at www.seamsunlikely.com.
DAVE BOWMAN
T
he game of dominoes has been a mainstay of homes and households for many years. Many a winter night have been spent pondering where to put that next tile, whether to block a fellow player’s move or to “go in for the kill” and claim victory. The game itself arrived in Britain from France in the 18th century, and many different countries and cultures play different variations. Now, you can spend many hours planning game strategy or… You can just line ‘em up and knock ‘em down. The “domino effect” is a “chain reaction that occurs when a small change causes a similar change which then causes another similar change, and so on, in linear sequence.” President Dwight Eisenhower coined the phrase during the Cold War when he suggested that the fall of French Indochina to the communists would create a “domino effect” in Southeast Asia. Pretty heady stuff, but we all encounter a “domino effect” once in a great while. Although it usually does not result in the fall of a country, it can cause our own little “strategic crises,” if you will.
BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SOUTH BEAVER DAM ELEMENTARY
Just recently we needed to replace an old bathroom fan, which had been making interesting sounds from the first day we moved in. I expressed what millions of homeowners and do-ityourselfers express confidently every day, “No problem!” Doing the thorough research necessary for this monumental undertaking, we looked at all fan possibilities and options noting that the instructions on each fan state that ALL you need is a screwdriver and pliers, and the time to install will be one-half hour. Analyzing the situation, I sought the assistance of my knowledgeable future son-in-law and proceeded with the project. Out pops the old fan. The area is prepped for the new fan, and then my son-in-law’s inevitable exclamation… “Oh, this looks goofy. I have never seen this before.” (First domino down!) Closer examination revealed jury-rigged, spliced and diced wiring, and the understandable, “I think you need a junction box” and a call to the electrician. (Bang! There goes another one.) So much for the screwdriver and completion in one-half hour! After getting the wires safe and sound, it turns out that the wiring through the old fan had been powering both upstairs bathrooms, so while awaiting the electrician, there were no lights in them. Get out the trusty camping lanterns, kids, we are going to be roughing it! (Another domino hits the dust.) Suffice it to say, the electrician did a bang up job, and we now have a functional and electrically safe bathroom fan, and lights to boot. Life will sometimes be like a row of dominoes just knocking each other down, with seemingly no end in sight. But remember, those same dominoes can also be arranged in an interesting and unique pattern.
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Photos Courtesy Jonah Haase
JONAH HASSE
V
ery little had changed since the earthquake in 2010. The streets were still lined with tent cities, collapsed buildings, and faces searching for hope. I spent my time with Joseph and Samuel Metelus, senior pastors of our partner church, Church of God By Faith, with its network of 24 smaller churches planted throughout the country where 8000 people come to worship each week. The more I spoke with the father and son team, I was convinced that I was not only standing in front of two compelling people, but two disciples willing to sacrifice everything for their people. They have a dream to raise up the next generation of Haitians to be educated Jesus followers, who know they can make a difference in their country. And this dream begins with 52 orphans. In January 2010 a magnitude 7 earthquake struck the capital of Haiti, the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country. Over 220,000 were killed, 300,000 injured, and over 1.5 million were left homeless. Many of those killed were the parents of the now 750,000+ orphans left to fend for themselves. Among these orphans were 52 children who attended Church of God by Faith. Joseph and Samuel temporarily placed them in homes of other church members, but two years later, a better solution had still not been found. Half of the children were returned to the church be-
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cause the households themselves were starving and the burden of additional mouths to feed became too much. Now 26 children (average age being eight years old) share a two-room concrete shed behind a church further down south in Port Salut. About three to six kids sleep in each set of bunk beds, where roof leaks often force them to sleep inside the church on the pews, and the elevated water table causes the outhouse to overflow creating a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes and an overall very toxic situation. Five of the children have already contracted malaria. We decided to partner with Pastors Joseph and Samuel to build a self-sustainable orphanage and school on the southern peninsula in Port Salut, close to the 26 orphans and away from the capital. Over the past year we researched every possible option, and the initial cost estimate of $100,000 was far too low. Import taxes, scarcity of resources, the addition of the land we purchased, and deciding to build the structures with the highest quality, to ensure they will not collapse should there be another earthquake, have dramatically caused the prices to escalate. In February of 2013 I led a medical expedition to Port Salut in the southern region. I was able to spend time on the land we purchased and envision the layout of the orphanage. We have
decided to build a school and six homes which will hold 9+ orphans of various ages and a house parent. These homes will provide them with the family atmosphere the children have been longing for within the community. Our brothers and sisters in Haiti have appropriately named the future orphanage GLORY GLORY. We have recently been blessed by an anonymous donation to fund the construction of a medical clinic, and the Stanford School of Medicine has committed to sending medical professionals down to train several native Haitians to be community health workers. Funds generated by the clinic, the school enrollment fees, and the launch of the child sponsorship program will aid in financially sustaining the entire complex. In May 2013, we broke ground and built a 9’ concrete wall around the 3-acre perimeter, and as of August, two homes have been completed. The 26 orphans living in the concrete shack have been moved to their new home even as we are still working toward the construction of the final homes. In October we launched a child sponsorship program that is not just limited to healthcare, education and sustenance. The program focuses on giving the child an identity and purpose so that they are no longer just an orphan. They have a name, a plan for their life and people who love them. Thus, through God’s direction we can finally aid these 52 children in their hope for the future and bring about innovation and change in Haiti.
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Jake Merrill running with ball, 1955 Source: BDHS Yearbook Archive
B
eaver Dam High School played its first varsity high school football game on October 26, 1895, an 8-6 win over Fox Lake High School. Now 119 years and 491 wins later, Beaver Dam High School continues to rank in the upper echelon of Wisconsin High School football. Beaver Dam currently ranks as the eighth winningest football program in the state, chasing that elusive 500 win plateau that only six teams in state history have achieved. BDHS has played in 915 games, and currently holds a 491-378-39 record. Only two other schools have played more games than the Beavers.
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In 1925, Beaver Dam spearheaded the effort to create the Wisconsin Little Ten Conference with nine other local schools. To date, the WLT ranks as one of the oldest conferences still intact throughout the state. Unfortunately, recent discussions at the WIAA have put the future of the WLT in limbo. Seventeen different schools have played in the WLT, with the Beavers being the only team to participate in the conference during its entirety. The Beavers won their first of 19 conference championships in 1928. Under the leadership of Head Coach Henry Derleth, the Beavers won seven WLT titles between 1947-1957, including back-to-back undefeated championships in 1954 and 1955. In both years, the Beavers gave up an average of less than two points per game on defense. Under Head Coach Charlie McDonald’s tenure, the Beavers won eight WLT championships between 1971-1983, including undefeated teams in 1974 and 1979. For their efforts, Derleth and McDonald have been inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Together they won 15 of the school’s 19 conference titles and 247 of the school’s 491 victories over a combined 44 years on the sidelines. McDonald’s 28 years in coaching, 159 wins, and eight WLT titles are BDHS coaching records. In 1977, the WIAA instituted the high school playoff system, and in 1979, the Beavers qualified for the playoffs for the first time in school history. The 1979 team made the most of their opportunity, winning the WIAA Division 2 State Championship
by defeating Germantown 6-0 in the championship game. Beaver Dam has qualified for the playoffs seven times in school history advancing to the state semi-finals in 1982 and to the second round in 1996 and 2011. The success of the Beavers is a direct reflection of the outstanding coaching and the many fine players that have donned the green and gold over the years. During 119 years of Beaver Dam football, the community has had the privilege of witnessing some of the finest athletes not just to play in Beaver Dam, but in the state. Beaver Dam had a number of standouts that played football during the very early years. Players such as Fred MacMurray, who was considered one of the best fullbacks in the state, had the opportunity to extend his career to the collegiate level, but as we all know, he chose a different career path. Three other players from the 1920s advanced their careers beyond not only the high school level, but were all pioneers in the newly created National Football League. Elmer Rhenstrom played end for the Racine Legion in 1922, Barney Traynor played center for the Milwaukee Badgers in 1925, and Gilbert Sterr was a running back for the Racine Tornadoes in 1926. More recently, two other Beaver standouts advanced their playing experience beyond the college ranks as well. In 1986, the Los Angeles Raiders drafted running back Doug Lloyd in the sixth round. Lloyd was an All-State player in high school, and the
Tim White running with ball during 1979 State Championship Game Source: BDHS Yearbook Archive
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WLT player of the year as a senior in 1983. He went on to become an All-American while playing for perennial national champion North Dakota State. Lloyd played for the Raiders, Houston Oilers and Green Bay Packers over a three year run in the NFL. Billy Rentmeester enjoyed a solid career while playing for the Wisconsin Badgers, earning a free agent tryout with the San Diego Chargers and San Francisco 49ers during the 2009 season. Rentmeester was an All-State running back for BDHS and played in the WFCA All-Star football game in 2004. Playing as a true freshman, a rarity in the NCAA Division I level, Beaver Dam’s RJ Shelton contributed to Michigan State’s Big Ten Championship run and played in this year’s Rose Bowl game. Shelton had an outstanding career at Beaver Dam High School from 2009-2012, helping the team earn playoff berths during his sophomore and junior seasons. During his career, he amassed over 5000 yards rushing, something only a few players have done at the high school level in Wisconsin. Shelton holds every rushing and scoring record at BDHS. Shelton was a WLT player of the year, All-State and All-American selection. Shelton was not the only Beaver Dam High School player to have played in the Rose Bowl. Hank Derleth, coach Derleth’s son, not only played as an end in the Rose Bowl, but also was one of the team captains for the Wisconsin Badger’s 1960 Rose Bowl team. In high school, Derleth was selected to the All-State and All-American teams, and while in college, he was a two time academic All-American selection. In addition to the individual success stories that have helped build the tradition of Beaver Dam football, there have been many outstanding teams that represented the school and community in their quests for championships. One cannot discuss the history of Beaver Dam without mentioning the school’s only state championship team. In 1979, the Beavers breezed through their regular season schedule, earned a hard fought title match win over fellow heavyweight Oconomowoc, and defeated two solid programs in the playoffs (LaCrosse
Bill Rentmeester running with the ball, 2003 Source: BDHS Yearbook Archive
Central in the semi-finals and Germantown in the finals) en route to the championship. The team featured a balanced, yet explosive, offensive attack led by quarterback Jim Braemer, and running backs Tim White and Jim Campbell. White became the school’s first 1000-yard rusher in school history. The team also boasted a stout defense led by All-State players Dan Yagodinski, Paul Klavekoske and Mike Linde. Braemer and White would later team up at Ripon College, while Campbell played for Yale. As dominating as the 1979 team was, the “experienced” Beaver football fan might argue that the 1974 team or the 1954 or 1955 teams may have been better. Fortunately, it is not a contest we will ever have to prove. 1983 team members (Kurt Meinders, Doug Lloyd, Brian Freber, Gary Willinghanz, Jeff Campbell) However, one cannot wonder presenting Head Coach Charlie McDonald with game ball from his 100th win as head coach what might have been had the Source: BDHS Yearbook Archive state had a playoff system at the time. Led by All-American end Hank Derleth and All-State tackle Ken Stofflet, the 1954 team recorded shutouts in seven of its eight games, while the 1955 team gave up a total of 15 points all year. The 1974 team also finished the season undefeated and ranked number four in the final AP state poll. Among the many standouts on that team was Tom Braker, an All-State wide receiver who later played for the UW. Led by Head Coach Bill Lowe, the 1963 team deserves special mention. The team finished undefeated with one tie, winning the conference ti-
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Excellence. Delivered.
For Orthopedic and Sports Medicine,
it’s a whole new ballgame. Head Coach Henry Derleth meeting with his 1948 team Source: BDHS Yearbook Archive
tle, which was Lowe’s only title in his nine-year run as head coach. Lowe, who also ran an exotic animal farm outside of the city, left coaching to pursue a career in raising champion Arabian horses. Another dominating team that ranks as one of the finest in school history is the 1982 team. The team went undefeated during the regular season, but fell in the state semi-finals to the eventual state champion, Grafton. The team was led by a stingy defense that recorded seven shutouts in 11 games, and an explosive offensive attack led by all-conference quarterback Karl Nienhuis. The Beavers displayed a big play passing attack, as well as a power rushing attack that featured Doug Lloyd. Other offensive weapons included All Conference receivers Brad Chitko and Mark Gonnion. The stout defense was anchored by standouts Tim Scharfenberg (All-State), Jeff Schkirke, Dan Affeldt, and Andy Kohn. Nienhuis continued his career at Illinois State. More recently, both the 1996 and 2011 teams earned second place finishes in the WLT conference, advancing to the second round of the WIAA Division 2 playoffs with identical 8-3 records. The 1996 team, led by all-conference players Ryan Gibbs, Ian Douglas, and Aaron Gruenewald, gave long-time head coach Charlie McDonald a retirement gift in his last season by qualifying for the playoffs on the road against perennial state champion Wisconsin Lutheran. Needing to win the last regular season game to make the playoffs, the Beavers scored a last second touchdown pass for the win. The 2011 team mostly cruised through its regular season schedule, scoring a school record 374 points in 11 games. Led by All-State players RJ Shelton, Riley Budde, and Owen Salzwedel, they opened up their playoff run with a 49-0 win over Hortonville before falling to DeForest in the second round. In 2014, the Beavers will embark on their 120th campaign in search of the school’s 500th win. Win, lose, or draw, the Beaver players will work passionately to produce a product that its community will hopefully be proud of, while at the same time adding their individual and collective names to the proud history and tradition of the storied Beaver Dam High School football program.
MULTIMEDIA
See more @ www.localeben.com
Beaver Dam Community Hospitals, Inc. has welcomed Bert C. Callahan, MD, board-certified orthopedic surgeon to BDCH and the BDCH Medical Clinics. With the addition of Dr. Callahan, the BDCH Orthopedics and Sports Medicine program gains the experience and expertise of a highly respected Orthopedic surgeon and extends its service line to include: • Advanced treatment of Orthopedic and Sports Medicine injuries • State of the art hip, knee, and shoulder joint replacement • A skilled team of Orthopedic & Sports Medicine providers, including physician assistants, licensed athletic trainers, registered nurses and medical assistants The BDCH Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Clinic is located in Outpatient Services on the 2nd floor of Beaver Dam Community Hospital. For our patients’ convenience, Dr. Callahan’s team also sees patients at the BDCH Medical Clinics located in Columbus, Horicon and Waupun. For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Callahan, please call (920) 219-4009.
www.bdch.com www.bdchmedicalclinics.com Like us on Facebook!
BDCH received an for Patient Safety by the Leapfrog Group, one of only 19 hospitals in the state to receive this top quality honor.
YOU HAVE OUR WORD ON IT.
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HANNAH KAZMAREK
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t had been half a decade of meeting in borrowed halls when the Free Masons decided it was time to start construction on their own building. In October of 1910, the cornerstone of what was 201 Front Street was laid. An impressive three-story building on the corner of Front and Spring Street, it had a small structure built adjacent to it for the J. Philip Binzel Brewing Co., a successful local brewery. As Hamlet was to Horatio, the turreted Masonic building once described as the “cornerstone of downtown Beaver Dam” overshadowed the neighboring pub at 203 Front Street that was crowned The Fountain Inn. Small even by peer standards, it possessed its own architectural uniqueness. With a wide-arched front window the building is meticulously designed and beautifully made, having held its original character for more than a century. Amidst the high quality of craftsmanship, its bar stood out with the front’s mahogany finish, its marble base and arch above the back bar with articulate design. Snowstorms stalled construction, and the Free Masons formally dedicated the Masonic Temple in June of 1911 in a ceremony that drew a crowd of over 200 people. The Fountain Inn’s patrons, however, had been quietly dedicating the modest building tagged “the Binzel Building” daily since January, and its manager was not likely displeased with the crowd outside the door. Herman Bork was the saloonkeeper under contract with the brewery. He was the face of the tavern, and according to the Dodge County Citizen, he carried a “good line of liquors and cigars.” Every morning he likely opened around daybreak for men who needed a mixed lift on their way to work be that in an office or a mill. Dawn sifted through the broad-arched transom window designed to reflect maximum light into the narrow interior. His saloon-keeping tasks included sweeping floors, polishing spittoons, washing glasses and filling the ice box with shaved ice, all before the lunch and supper influx of patrons. Mr. Bork would likely walk the few blocks to his house on packed dirt sidewalks in the twilight of dusk as horse-drawn buggies clanked by. He would pass a few of the 30 other saloons in the city before reaching 221 Maple Street where he lived with his wife, five children and a boarder. Life was lived in the same rhythm for nine years until the culture shock of 1920, which put Binzel Brewing Co. along with its manager out of business. ‘Buffet’ was tacked after ‘Inn,” and 13 years of prohibition would see three owners. The official breweries were all shut down, and Beaver
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Dam had its share of bootleggers with gangsters from Chicago commissioning underground brewers from the region. The FBI had the national task of extracting the bootleggers. One underground brewer was found operating on what was then the property of a grade school. Another bust near a farm lead to a police chase in the middle of downtown. The sirens blared past the former tavern as the bartender served up another soft drink. In 1927 Ray Gray (known as “Roy”) had declared the business a soft drink parlor, and as he said privately to his wife’s cousin, “They never found where I hid the liquor.” Patrons could though, if they had the right connections. Disguised bottles were hid under the mahogany countertop and served with discretion. Buying and then selling the tavern during prohibition, Roy purchased it again at the end of prohibition after serving as an employee for six years and ran it until 1958. Small wooden fishing boats would commonly dot Beaver Dam Lake in the 1930s. As a young boy Cletus Willihnganz, now in his late 80s, noticed a larger boat with heavy equipment making its way to the main island in the center of the lake from time to time. One summer’s day he and his friends climbed inside the heavy docked boat. The craft’s owner was loading materials away Fountain interior, date unkown Source: Dodge County Historical Society
and gruffly told them they could play inside the boat, but not to touch any of the equipment. It was later learned that the island was being used as a brewery location, and the materials were the main ingredient, sugar. The authorities never found out. People celebrated the end of prohibition in 1933, and Roy restored the tavern’s original name, but it was affectionately known as “Gray and Zink’s” under eventual co-ownership. There was a respectable cliental. Roy wore a crisp white shirt and black tie every day to work, and men would frequently bring their families along; the kids entertained themselves in a back booth with a soda pop. He never slacked in its maintenance, and there were not many bars that would be described as “beautiful” by the people who remember it, especially not of the restrooms as well. For 22 years Roy and his wife lived in the apartment above, with its wooden cabinets and claw foot tub, while he served behind the bar below. People in progressing fashions sat at the front bar and discussed Al Capone in the 30s, the start and end of World War II in the 40s, and the legendary Bobby Fischer. In 1958 a sixth owner took charge for six years until 1964, when a Beaver Dam man named Howard (Howie) Louden took ownership, adding his last name to the tavern’s title. The longest single ownership the bar would see, 203 Front Street was the home of Louden’s Tavern for 28 years. During that time people would open up their newspapers at the bar reading headlines that included Neil Armstrong walking on the moon or drop in for a nightcap after seeing Star Wars for the first time at the movie theater across the street. Howie was four years older than the structure itself, graduating in the same 1925 class as Arthur P. Zink, a former owner of the tavern, and actor Fred MacMurray, his friend and former band mate. Howie served drinks along with interesting and pertinent conversation, opinions and memories as his time allowed behind that 24-foot bar top until he passed away in 1992. The Fountain Inn remained ownerless until Jay Hoeft reopened it as ‘Emotional Rescue.’ The end of Jay’s ownership of the historic tavern would be anything but an emotional rescue for the owner. In the spring of 2008, torrential rain flooded much of the Midwest, and Beaver Dam’s downtown was closed off for several days as the authorities prepared for the dam to break. It never did, but the flooding had done its damage. The city central that was built overhanging the river below the dam was condemned, and Beaver Dam citizens of the 21st century watched as their history was torn to the ground and carried away as heaps of rubble. Renamed The Fountain Tavern (shortly before) and inconspicuous for more than a century, this condemned building now stands between bleak spaces in an obvious silence that is anything but discreet. While the building is set to be demolished, the oak back bar was rescued in 2011 and survives, transplanted behind the doors of ‘The Fountain’ a downtown Madison bar and restaurant. A picture of the bar’s historic origin hangs on the wall, overlooking a new century.
If you’re experiencing ear aches, a fever, poor sleep, irritability, decreased appetite, or any other symptoms associated with ear infections don’t give in and wait to seek treatment. Schedule an appointment now, and those aches can be gone, often in a matter of days.
Binzel Brewery located at 502-510 Madison Street, taken 1890 Source: Dodge County Historical Society
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HIGH KEY CARDINALS
AND A TIME FOR EVERY PURPOSE UNDER HEAVEN
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NEITHER DO THEY REAP
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ew artists can say they have stood in the shoes of Michelangelo or played ball with the mega company Google, but there is a Beaver Dam area artist who has done both. Painter and muralist Gerri Buteyn, simultaneously teacher and student, is the kind of creative force smart enough to surround herself with artists whom she aspires to be like and manages daily to be the mentor by whom budding artists are inspired. She radiates her own personal style, sophistication, warmth and softness that compels us to want to move beyond the lovely packaging of herself and her art to truly understand her on a deeper level. So much like her work, this artist is tender and thoughtful, gentle, compassionate. Her art can be a place of rest, a comfy couch, an easy chair, a Sunday morning. Conversely, this remarkable architect of art has also ventured high upon ledges where others rarely ascend and has neither left the car parked in the garage of complacency nor depended upon a parachute of routine to keep her from heights too risky for others to venture. Most recognize Gerri Buteyn as the savvy art instructor for Middle and High School at Central Wisconsin Christian Schools in Waupun. She has inspired and shepherded hundreds of students to produce high quality work seen in the annual Beaver Dam Area Arts High School Art Exhibit for years. She has showcased her own high caliber acrylics and oils in featured art exhibits, murals, word art, and multiple painting and print series. Buteyn is currently the featured artist in the 2014 BDAAA Membership Exhibit at the Seippel Arts Center from now until the end of February. Her “slices of life” paint a window into Gerri’s world. Just after my arrival as the new Executive Director of the Beaver Dam Area Arts Association in 2009, I hosted an artist meet and greet. Gerri was one of the first dual artists and instructors that welcomed me. From that point forward, I recognized the same sophistication in her work as I had found in her lovely demeanor, beautiful inside and out. The unmistakable signature style she has worked so diligently in developing acts as an elixir, a scent compelling one to move closer. One cannot pass by without
a whiff. Gerri’s work entices and charms us, moving us to fill our rooms and homes with such a lovely fragrance of art. In her paintings, we are ushered through hushed frosty mornings, poised to see the breath of heaven swirling in the mist.
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EVIDENCE OF INTELLIGENT DESIGN She tempts us by vivid fall leaves, dazzling orange as a crackling fire. We stand still beside winter sparrows and admire ruby cardinals, their songs whispering to our souls. A sense of wonder penetrates her work, dwells within the canvas like a living thing, and sparks compassion and love from within. She has found inspiration, she says, in simple living, in gardening, in strolling the Horicon Marsh or the park behind her home in Brandon, Wisconsin. Each of her works sings the humble tune of honesty, thanksgiving, and provides a magic rhythm of uncomplicated beauty that blesses from one day to the next, remaining timeless. Gerri has executed numerous murals, some in churches, schools, hospitals, and in private residences, but Gerri’s most difficult, most timeless and most profound mural work exists in the
rotunda of the Renaissance Medi Spa, part of Fox Valley Plastic Surgery in Oshkosh. An interior designer friend referred Buteyn to the physician planning the spa. Dr. Jennsen “had a vision,” Gerri shared, and had intended to hire a painter from Italy to recreate “The Creation of Adam” mural, but instead hired Buteyn due to the caliber of her preliminary sketches. “The Creation of Adam” mural is a reproduction of a fresco painting by Michelangelo, forming part of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted circa 1511. Presently, besides the completed rotunda mural, her initial smaller scale renderings hang in the clinic reception area, adding magnificence and grandeur to space that entices, comforts and transports one straight back to Italy. It is a marvel to see and understand the complexity and detail that Gerri poured into that reproduction. Not every artist could have undertaken such a physically demanding project, but Gerri was able to complete the mural alongside her son Jason. “Since we knew four months in advance the project details, we had ample time to prepare everything needed, including exercising arm and neck muscles to be able to have the endurance to complete the job.” “Flyway Signs created a stencil for us to use to create the words of a 16th century quote, which was completed first. The lettering and initial ring we completed in a day and a half. We worked 10-hour days painting the image on the dome above us on a scissor lift 26 feet in the air. Working many 10-hour days, we were able to finish the entire mural in only 18 days of a 24-day window,” recalls Gerri. “The artists projected the original image onto paper per the dimensions of the rotunda,” Gerri shared. Then with the help of an electronic pen, transferred the image to the actual ceiling surface and then began the painting. “I purchased a cervical collar to support my neck before we started the project,” she added. “And I started using it after the first four days of painting,” remarking on the physical difficulty of the project. “Looking back, I would have to say that the project was the highlight of my career,” she mused. “I gained a new respect for Michelangelo as an artist in completing the project.” Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in four years. His painting reflected his knowledge of human anatomy so well since his first love was being a sculptor. As Gerri and I viewed this work
LET IT RAIN
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SMITS FAMILY PORTRAIT together, she said, “It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been back. Now it all seems like a dream.” I agreed. The work is heavenly to behold and a “must-see” side trip in Oshkosh if you are in the area. Gerri believes she was called to become an artist, honing talents that evidenced themselves early in her life that were developed through many hours and years of observing and capturing life with details others might miss. “Exceptional artwork is rarely an accident, but rather the result of much brainstorming, sketching, and hours of practice,” Gerri tells her students. “Good ideas come in many ways but more often than not, inspiration comes from the most plentiful source of ‘wow factor’ around us; nature.” She refers to nature again in her bodies of specific work, including her “Evidence of Intelligent Design” series. Gerri says nature is “the inspiration which instills in me a sense of awe more and more.”
This is further compounded in other works, where nature, God and her faith has moved her to paint, including her newest word art and pieces paired with scripture. There is something inspirational and exceptional about an artist that can show us their faith and express something so intimate as their belief in a higher power. Gerri has little hesitation in pointing to the source of her talent and motivation to share what she believes in so the world can find a similar experience. As for her personal repertoire, I believe Gerri has unknowingly painted herself into her striking works. She is that tender bird perched on the branch. She is that soft petal of the Casa Blanca Lilly so expertly defined in whites and greens, flowering so beautifully. She is the bold black Labrador with the leash, guiding who follows. I found Gerri even in the brilliant blue eyes of four young creatures in a commissioned painting of siblings that Gerri completed long ago for a family friend. The children’s eyes sparkle in the blessed wonderment of life and awesomeness of creation and what possibilities lie ahead. I see Gerri there, albeit invisible, and I expect you will too. Gerri has made a career from teaching art and works to motivate her students through her love and life experience of being an artist. Getting to know Gerri, I could not help but increase the respect I had for her craft, her faith and her character. Gerri listens to the still small voice of the creator, which motivates her to be inspired by creation and life, awake on the canvas. The lessons she gives to her students on balance, form, variety, and space mirror the creative life she lives and shares with the world.
Park Village Patty will be shopping at Park Village Shopping Center in select stores next month. The only question... where will she be? It will be up to you to find her! Find her & WIN BIG!
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TIM & TODD NEHLS
M
any of us have a favorite sport or leisure activity. For some golf, others hunting, but for a select group it is fishing. Not summer fishing in a boat while you work on your tan, but ice fishing, a longstanding tradition of busting through thick ice, sitting on a five-gallon bucket “jigging” in hopes of catching the monster bluegill, crappie or perch. Jigging consists of equipping yourself with a short rod designed specifically for ice fishing with a small lure at the end weighing less than an ounce, waiting for the pan fish to bit. Half the battle or “lure” for the target fish is lure color, jigging presentation, and what bait you use to augment your lure. Whether it is a flat head minnow, wax worm, red or white spike, or even artificial rubber/plastic, there is more to the effort than standing on the ice with a fishing line traveling down a hole in the ice. It is not uncommon for a serious ice fisherman to have an assortment of 100+ small jigs, consisting of various styles and colors, as well as an equal number of plastic colors to supplement the lure. For others it may be “tip-up” fishing, chiseling or auguring a hole of significantly larger circumference and setting your favorite tip-up in hopes of landing a large walleye or northern pike. Though there are a number of tip-up styles, the best was designed and produced in Beaver Dam, the Beaver Dam Artic tip-up. To this day it is still the most popular item in an ice fisherman’s bucket. Ice fishing is a tradition for many and it starts after first ice. Often you will see a fisherman standing just a stone’s throw from open water jigging for his favorite catch. Others wait for more solid ice and use ATV’s to traverse the ice-covered lake. As cold sets in and the ice thickens, small shacks appear, many suitable for year-round living, housing 2-8 fishermen, used as a base of operations. By the first of the year, the lake transforms into several small villages of shanties whose location is based upon where the fish are biting. This is routine to northern folk who pray for cold weather and early ice in November; however, if you ever try to explain it to someone from the far south, you get a blank stare. “Yup, we drive our cars and trucks out onto the frozen lake, drill holes thru the ice with large gasoline or electric augers and catch fish. Some fishermen even pull ice shanties out onto the
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ice, shanties equipped with all the luxuries of home, stove for heat, microwave, TV satellite dishes, and of course, bunk beds for pulling the all-nighters fishing for the infamous “marble eyes” (walleyes).” A 2-3 day ice-fishing trip is not out of the norm. It helps if there is a pizza joint on the lake that delivers to your shack. Ice fishing is not for the timid or impatient. Fishing at night and traversing the lake during hours of darkness can be a challenge. Mix in some fog and you must be well aware of your surroundings. Slow fishing days often yield nothing more than a red nose, brittle fingers and cold feet. Other days can provide a bucket of your favorite fish. Then there is the ice fisheree or jamboree where businesses or non-profit groups host fishing contests and award prizes for the longest and heaviest fish in each species or category. These contests can last an entire weekend. Warming tents are set up, winning fish are on display, and hot chili, cold beer and a polka band make the environment complete. Fishermen sat on bales of straw, which lined the warming tents, room temperature compliments of large torpedo heaters fueled by kerosene. Historically, the two fisherees everyone waited for on Fox Lake in the early 80’s were the ones sponsored by the Fox Lake Property Owners and the Watertown area Izaak Walton League. These two events drew thousands to the lake for the competition and camaraderie. Competition was fierce as raffle prizes reached $1,000.00 and a winning fish could net you $15.00. Should you be fortunate to have fished in the right spot with the right lure you could easily supplement your wallet or tackle box with your winnings. In the past these events were for the most part populated by adult men, but as the years went by, there were opportunities for all anglers to participate, young and old, male and female; all can participate in this truly unique “up north” experience! The First Annual Fish Tails Bait & Liquor Fisheree, complete with food, beer, raffles and entertainment under the “Big Top” off of Town Park, Blackhawk Trail, Fox Lake, begins Friday February 14, 2013 at 4 p.m. with fish caught on Fox Lake registered by 11 a.m. on Sunday February 16.
VIDEO See more @ www.localeben.com
THE BEAVER
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his gun’s for hire . . . Hanna from Beaver Dam asks: What was your favorite costume for 2013?
Answer: The SPAM costume sticks out. As you might recall, it was a reaction to a headline in the 27 March 2013 Daily Citizen, which read: “Man charged after attack with Spam.” Luckily, Sheriff Ninmann and her trusty deputies were able to subdue the rising tide of SPAM perpetrators, preventing the reappearance of SPAM headlines such as the following top 2013 SPAM headlines that were not: • Red John is dead; the Mentalist’s new demon is SPAM the Ripper. • Governor declares: Concealed carry law applies to SPAM in plastic grocery bags. • Solidarity Singers protest Governor’s decision by singing The Ballad of SPAM to disinterested crowds in the Rotunda. • Fleet Farm relocates SPAM inventory from “Canned Meats” aisle to “Guns and Ammo” aisle. • District Attorney prosecutes first SPAM homicide. Defendant walks, after Judge accidentally eats the murder weapon. • Crystal Creek adds SPAM-flavored milkshakes to the menu calling them “Liquid Danger.” • New NRA slogan: Guns don’t kill people; SPAM kills people. • Martial arts student takes second place at National Tournament in the Ancient Art of SPAMitzu. • Beaver Dam becomes the SPAM capitol of the world, edging out Minnesota Junction by three votes.
Save the Date
Open House January 30th
Meet the team at Landmark Senior Living Communities in a special community open house. We are excited to be involved in the Beaver Dam community and extend a warm invitation to learn more about us.
• A fundraiser to repaint the water tower as a huge can of SPAM is tabled while the potential effect on property taxes is debated. • When SPAM is outlawed, only outlaws will eat SPAM – which actually isn’t such a bad idea. Send your questions to: Beav@localeben.com.
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MARY CUDNOHFSKY
W
hen Michael Mossman, a wildlife research biologist with the Department of Natural Resources in Madison, contacted the Dodge County Historical Society for information about Will Snyder, we knew very little about him. He had a bicycle shop on Front Street around 1920, he worked at Monarch Range for many years and he was killed in an automobile accident in 1938. An Indian artifacts collection was stored in various places, some of it in the basement. We have since found out how important his collections and his detailed notes are. They have contributed to the Natural History of our state and the world. Will was the son and grandson of pioneers. His family was originally from Canada. His father Joseph T. Snyder came to Beaver Dam in 1859 at the age of 15 to join his brother David. He attended Beaver Dam public schools and was also a student at Wayland Academy. He worked for 5 years at the Lower Woolen Mill, and married Mary Shaw in 1872. They moved to a farm north of the city that was in the name of Moses Stevens, another prominent Beaver Dam pioneer. Will was born there in 1873. His maternal grandmother had married Moses Stevens after the death of her first husband. Will Snyder’s Field Journal Source: Dodge County Historical Society
Young Will Snyder Source: Dodge County Historical Society
Will spent many of his boyhood years exploring this farm. His interest in birds, mammals, insects, eggs and Indian artifacts must have started on this acreage. It was a fertile place to challenge a young collector’s interest. The unspoiled, natural habitat and the proximity to what was once an Indian encampment was full of natural wonders. The farm and the surrounding territory, as well as Skunk Island just offshore in Beaver Dam Lake, were there in a natural state. It was here in 1886 at the age of 13 that he began the first of his meticulous journals. Will’s notes tell us today what the bird population was like then. Will graduated from Beaver Dam High School in 1892, and in 1897, he answered an ad and applied to join an expedition sponsored by the Smithsonian and the University of Pennsylvania to explore Point Barrow, Alaska. Led by prominent ornithologist E.A. McIlhenny of Avery Island, heir to the Tabasco sauce fortune, the group set off in a fleet of nine sailing vessels. Will was not to set foot in Beaver Dam for another 18 months. Encountering many dangers and much hardship, they became lost and were cut off from the rest of the world. When rescued by a government relief squad that traveled overland driving reindeer, the explorers had only three days of rations left.
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an who as a gentlem w e er th ce n O reeling n for baiting, io ss a p a d a h el He loved to re hen. and catching. w or e er atter wh m o n , in m 'e family ked into the oo h s a w e h o S as well as real estate, of s es n si u b baits. ing tackle & sh fi r fo op sh a d for tale seems od is th gh ou h T y that 's a true stor it , ke sa 's d od Lake. appen in Fox could only h catch fish 're trying to Whether you home, rice for your or the best p LLC has Nehls Realty Tim Nehls of . you covered
Will Snyder’s Bicycle Shop Source: Dodge County Historical Society
Except for the Alaska trip (where it was reported that Will suffered extreme homesickness) and a few forays into the Dakota Territory, Will did the rest of his lifelong 305 W. State Street Open 7 Days collecting close to home. In 1903 he married Erma Crane. They moved to a house on Fox Lake, WI 529 W. State Street Office: 920-928-2548 Mackie Street and later to the “Lakeview Farm” with his parents. The farm was near the Fox Lake, WI www.nehlsrealty.com 920-520-0015 northern limits of the city at that time. They had one son, Wayne. Will and Erma were sold@nehlsrealty.com active in many organizations and social groups. Will often lectured, and at least once, he appeared in Eskimo garb for his lecture. Will was well known by other naturalists and had extensive knowledge of bird life. His meticulous field notes are perhaps his most noteworthy achievement. They continue to impress all these years later. Collections of birds, skins, eggs, arrowheads and flints once filled his home, and his collections are now scattered throughout the country. His beetle collection (Coleoptera) was the largest in Wisconsin and perhaps in the world with over 50,000 specimens. The Milwaukee Public Museum has a lot of the beetle collection, and in the early 1940’s WPA workers were assigned to catalogue it. At one time he collected specimens for the Field Museum in Chicago. Will owned a bicycle shop at 210 Front Street and later went to work at Mallea-• Business • Life Auto • Home ble Range Company as stock room manager. Working 10-hour days 6 days a week left little time for his passionate love of collecting; he longed to be able to spend more time in the field. He did keep up correspondence and exchanges with other collectors. By the 1930’s his interests were mostly in his vast coleopteran collection. He sold or donated many of his other specimens to various museums and other collectors. Auto • Home • Business • Life Auto • Home • Business • Life In November of 1937 Will was killed on highway 151 Blochwitz working with another Agency CallCall us for quote today. man setting a fence post. A heavily loaded truck left the road killing Will and severely us afor a quote today. 300 W State St injuring the other man. Obituaries refer to him as a well-known naturalist and a natuLake, Blochwitz Agency ral-born collector. Shortly before his death, Mr. and Mrs. Snyder Fox had shown supportWI for 53933-9540 Blochwitz Agency 300 W State St 300 W State St the founding of the historical society and Mrs. Snyder was one of the very first members. 920-928-2828 Fox Lake, WI 53933-9540 Fox Lake, WI 53933-9540 His Native American artifacts collection was one of the earliest donations. 920-928-2828 920-928-2828 Snyder’s Native American artifacts collection was the inspiration for our Dodge County Historical Society’s balcony exhibit on Natural History. Stop by to see the exhibit and learn more about this interesting man.
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The Dodge County Historical Society is located on the corner of Front and Spring Street in the old Williams Free Library. Hours are 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday.
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RUDY RODING (SPENCER HUPF)
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reetings dear readers! Rudy Roding here to bring you another inside look at the mysterious people of Wisconsin! Last time I brought you a look into the cold weather that these intrepid people must bear, and since then nothing has changed. The wind continues to howl and bring forth the most terrible chill that cuts right to the bone! As always I hope to bring you, my readers, an exclusive inside look into the lives of these colorful and unique people! To study how Wisconsin people bring in the New Year, I traveled to a local watering hole named Come Right Inn. When I arrived it seemed like any other day in a Wisconsin establishment, packed. I walked up to the bartender and inquired about New Year’s here. He explained to me that it is roughly the same as any other night only with “…pointy hats and more empty promises than usual.” Fascinated, I stuck around watching the inn fill with more and more patrons toasting to both the old and New Year and discussing what resolutions they would make. The place was filled with shiny metallic-colored pointed hats and horns, and streamers and ribbons hung from the ceiling. Everyone seemed like everyone else’s best friend and it was a very warm atmosphere…but I was here for a story and had to force myself to hold back on the merrymaking. I struck up a conversation with a woman named Brittney who seemed extra excited for the gathering. “I love New Year’s!” she yelled into my ear so I could hear her over the music and crowd. “It lets you start over and put the past behind you, you know, like to make a real change.” “What’s your resolution?” “Oh you know, the same it’s been for years, to lose weight!” To join in with this tradition of giving each year a sacrifice or theme, I decided I would make sure that this year I did my best to bring my readers the best possible stories! Later that evening, after everyone practiced counting then started kissing in celebration of basic math, Brittney told me that she was invited to a wedding around Valentine’s day and that I would be welcome to attend to “…help study us or whatever,” and that is how I found myself in attendance at a secret ritual union of a man and woman in central Wisconsin. Now dear readers, I call this wedding a “secret ritual” because everyone was wearing camouflage. It was astounding! I was in awe of how much trouble had been taken by everyone present to adorn themselves in various shades of green camouflage. Even the tablecloths and decorations had been painstakingly arranged; all with what appeared to be the hope of hiding this gathering from prying eyes. The only other color I could see was bright orange used to accent the green. I was in shock dear readers! I could not believe my luck that I would be able to be a part of such a unique event! I was very worried as the groom walked down the aisle with an old man holding a shotgun behind him, but after hearing the chuckles of those around me, I realized that it was just a part of the ritual. After the ceremony, the happy couple kept with the tradition of cutting the cake, but this particular cake was shaped like a deer and was made with red velvet giving a horrifying twist to everything I was seeing. I did stick around for the entire event, but after accepting a few drinks from an uncle of the bride, everything became a whirl of green and I was ushered into a taxi by Brittney after I tried to dance with the groom’s cousin only to discover I was trying to waltz with shrubbery! Well dear readers, I must go now and continue my study of the mysterious Wisconsin people. I hope to continue to bring you an up close look with undistorted facts and facets of these majestic people of the North. This is Rudy Roding signing off, reminding you to keep reading and to join me next time!
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Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall there ♦ are indoor and outdoor activities in Beaver Dam, including: Cabin Fever Fest: Saturday and Sun day, January 25 & 26, 2014, from 1 - 4 PM both days. Enjoy indoor and out door winter fun at Crystal Lake Park. Contact Beaver Dam Community Ac♦ tivity Dept at 887-4639 Midwest Cream Cheese Competition on Saturday February 15, 2014. This annual competition requires recipe use of Kraft Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese, which is made in Beaver Dam. Contestants must register ahead of the event and bring their recipe and a completed baked or cooked item us ing cream cheese for taste testing by a ♦ panel begins of judges. Judging at 9:00 AM at MPTC. Contact Beaver Dam or online Chamber at (920) 887-8879 at www.beaverdamchamber.com Swan Synchro Skate Competition Saturday & Sunday, February 15♦ on 16, at the Beaver Dam Family Center & Ice Arena. Open to the public. Begins at 8:00 AM both days. Contact Angie Biel (920) 356-1089 or bielfam@char ter.net Go to the BD Chamber website: www.beaverdamchamber.com for current calendar of events
TAMON MARK UTTECH
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ife is not orderly; I keep finding that out but always and only in hindsight. Spontaneity has a buildup to it, but again, hindsight tells me that. Twice before, since returning from a visit to Texas to lead an aikido seminar, I began driving over to see my best friend (he lives 30 miles away from where I live) only to turn around and drive back home or somewhere else because this “no” command would come out of nowhere. I would sigh and obey. “It’s not time,” I would tell myself. “It’s just not the time.” Yesterday must have been the time, because I thought I was going to the grocery store, but I didn’t stop and just kept right on going until I pulled into my best friend’s driveway. Hmmm. It didn’t look like anyone was home. The front door was locked. I went around to the back and stepped up on the back step, breaking it. “Way to go,” I told myself. I looked closely and saw that the step was about to break anyway. Well, that made me feel better, and no one was home. “You did good,” I told myself. “You made the effort, the journey, but now no one is home, so it is okay to just go home and wait for another time.” I got into my car and pulled out of the driveway. I wasn’t even a half-mile down the road when another car coming from the opposite direction passed me and I got a funny feeling. I pulled over and watched in my side view mirror. The other car, a mini-van, had its turn signal on. I wasn’t sure if that mini-van turned into my best friend’s driveway so I turned around and did a cruise-by because I still had that funny feeling. It turned out that mini-van had turned into my best friend’s driveway so I pulled back in and made myself known to my best friend Jim, just as he was getting out. I said my hello and immediately apologized for breaking the back step. It was November 22, the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President JFK. “We should have a bier to commemorate the date,” I told Jim, in all solemnity. He agreed and I went to the garage to get two biers. It was then I found out that I had locked myself in the garage. (Spontaneity has its own quirks built in.) I had to knock on the door a few times, and then Jim let me in. I found a table in the kitchen and set the two biers down. Then I told Jim that I had recently had a magazine interview published and had a copy of it out in the car. “Be right back.” Wrong. I went out to my car, got the magazine, and returned only to find the front door locked. Good grief. Jim had a wooden woodpecker doorknocker installed on the front door and when I tried to use it, it broke off. Dang. I’d been there less than half an hour and managed to break two things. (“It’s ok. Life is not orderly.”) “Don’t worry,” said Jim. “That woodpecker was set up to break. It already had a break trigger. You happened to be the one to pull that trigger.” I nodded but wasn’t sure if that got me off the hook as far as karma. We went back inside and sat down. “How are things?” Our friendship was as intact as ever. We raised our biers: “To JFK!” Lee Harvey Oswald never got into the conversation. Neither did Jack Ruby. On November 22, 1963, we were in the fifth grade in different schools and had not even met! Jim has his memories and I have mine. That was one of those prelude times. In 1964 the Beatles were going to invade declaring: “I want to hold your hand.” And in sixth grade the seed of our best friendship was going to sprout and grow. Here in 2013, the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination, Jim and I were able to raise our biers “To JFK!” and know an unknowable bond. What causes lives to form friendships, best friendships, where separate lives intersect again and again? What’s the funny feeling? It’s a good thing to have.
3 Beaver Dam Locations 115 Front Street (920) 885-2700
1519 N. Spring Street (920) 885-2710
120 Frances Lane (920) 356-9300
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MATT KENEVAN
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was born and raised in Beaver Dam. For 13 years of my adult life, I worked for the satirical news publication The Onion while it was still headquartered in Madison. The Onion moved me to Minneapolis back in 2004, and though I intended to move back after completing my project there, wouldn’t you know I met a girl and she lured me into staying longer. My entree into the beer scene was that I started producing beer-tasting events and festivals more than five years ago. It’s not as easy as it sounds. Through a lot of perseverance in learning the tricks of the trade, our Beer Dabbler festivals have grown from a modest start of a few hundred people in attendance in their infancy to now drawing crowds of 10,000 people. The biggest event is The Beer Dabbler Winter Carnival where I bring in 125 breweries to showcase special limited release brews of their beer. The event has more to it than just beer: food trucks, live music, Hammerschlagen, a jumbotron screen, an extreme snowboard exhibition, a hot air balloon launch, and an attempt at the Worlds largest snowball fight (previous record is held by a group of 5,800 people in Seattle, Washington). The rarity of this particular beer festival is that it is all outside in the middle of winter. Two years ago I left The Onion to go full time with my own business. I launched a new publication called The Growler magazine focusing on the craft beer movement and related lifestyle interests. We write stories on beer, food, home brewing, music, travel, biking, distilling, education and other topics of interest to the growing audience of craft beer enthusiasts. The Growler magazine is available at about 700 locations in Minneapolis, St. Paul, the surrounding Twin Cities Metro Area and Duluth, Minnesota or by mail subscription for those in any geography in the rest of the world. To round out the business, I’ve opened a retail shop called The Beer Dabbler Store offering merchandise from about 75 different breweries. For example, we have over 100
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different kinds of beer glasses from which to choose. In The Beer Dabbler Store you can find apparel and beer accessories and hundreds of other items from a variety of local, regional, national and international breweries; everything but the beer itself. You might say I like beer. You might even say I love beer. I think that is true, but at the same time I’m not obsessed with beer. A good life is one of balance. There are many other things that I love in life. Family tops the list: I have a two-year-old son; a beautiful, helpful wife; a mom whom I love dearly and a sister who has always been one of my biggest allies. I like to fix things and build stuff. I enjoy hunting and fishing. I have a black lab named Porter who goes to work with me every day. My point is that I’m not a total beer dork. I’ve learned a lot about beer over the past 10 years and saw this craft beer movement coming, and therefore, I put my best foot forward to build a business around it. Now that I’ve introduced myself, the plan is for me to be a guest columnist who will share some things about beer in upcoming issues. I don’t intend to bore you with industry vernacular and stats of IBU’s and specific gravities, but rather share topics, info, and thoughts relating to the social luxury of beer. Hopefully you will stay tuned and find it entertaining. If you have questions or requests for topics, feel free to email me at: mkenevan@thebeerdabbler.com If you would like to see my website, go to www.growlermag.com If ever passing through the Twin Cities area, stop on by in person to The Beer Dabbler Store at 1095 West 7th Street, St. Paul, MN. If you hate Minnesota but like the idea of the store you can visit it online at www.thebeerdabbler.com Until next time, be nice to each other and have a beer together.
JIM DITTMANN
Well here we are: - Volume 3 Issue 1 Wie geht es dir? Remember me saying that I felt myself getting a bit more sentimental these days - does it happen due to age or through the ages - Is that a silly question? My head fills with images: snow stuck to wool coats - wet mittens - playing “king on the hill” in the school yard - a grade school crush… Then growing up and getting a Sentinel route - up in the mornin’ at 4 a.m. - deliver those papers - some days it was so damn cold - my bike tires would be flat. I rigged special chains for that JC Higgins for when it got real slippery - but chains don’t matter if - “the tires is flat.” Next came a Journal route - some Sundays when the papers were extra big my dad would take me in his 65 Bel Air. All 75 of those 480-page “Latest Editions” would fit in the back seat. He wouldn’t admit it but I think he liked doing the route - sometimes he would deliver the riverside of Labaree Street while I’d take the hill - it was warm. My dad’s birthday is on Christmas Eve - he would’ve been 85 this year - I miss him.
While working on the Fox Lake Fisheree story, I took the opportunity to call an old friend - Bob Fisher. He and his wife Ellen have lived on Chief Kuno Trail for quite some time. I was looking for old photos of the hundreds of ice shanties that would have populated the lake “back in the day.” Bob laughed when we spoke saying - “yeah; grumpy old men!” I met the Fisher’s in 79 when I first moved to Beaver Dam - their kids were little - we would go fishin’ on Fox Lake - back of Bob’s house and always did well. Bob was the fisherman - but oh; Ellen could clean ‘em quicker than they could be caught! Ann Buchda let me photograph a tip-up that her grandfather Ed Kleindl engineered and built - it’s quite the machine - I may have even figured out how to operate it. There’s a nice image of it on www.localeben.com - take a close look, it’s pretty sweet. Ann also shared some “home movies” of the old Fisherees - and yes that’s her in the cute little pink snowsuit - thanks for sharing :-) I recall Paulsen’s resort with that big Round Oak wood stove. A burger - bowl of chili - throw in a beer of two - that’s ice fishin’… Be sure and spend some time with the ViewFinder section in this issue. We are very grateful to Mark & John for allowing us to share their magnificent images of “up north” and the Apostle Islands lighthouses. You might ask how is this local - well, it’s our backyard - we’re just one of billions of “local” specs inside the Milky Way. Enjoy… Special thanks to Terrill Knaack for making available White on White - Snowy Owl for our Anniversary cover! Cheers!
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*********ECRWSSEDDM****
Postal Customer
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Columbus, WI PERMIT NO. 73
Nothing changes the dimensions of a wind swept landscape more dramatically than the appearance, often unexpected, of a Snowy Owl. They are master hunters of coastlines, prairies, and open country in winter. With a wingspan of five and a half feet, they glide swiftly and silently, often low to the ground. Living off rodents and waterfowl and sometimes pheasants, they can be active both day and night. The record numbers seen this winter in the United States are generally thought to be a mystery. Large migrations were once thought to be dependent on lemming population cycles in the arctic. Today, nobody is quite sure. Habitat changes in the arctic, due to climate change, have decreased overall populations of both. Though popularized by Harry Potter, their “presence” when seen in the landscape first hand is much more powerful and symbolic than their depiction in those films. To see one up close in nature often leaves the observer speechless. They are truly magical. “To the eyes of the man of imagination, Nature is imagination itself.” William Blake
Terrill Knaack December 2013