Wonders of walworth

Published by Southern Lakes Newspapers LLC

Winter 2015

Inside

• Winterfest is here • Clear out the clutter • Things to do

Wonders

of WALWORTH

COUNTY

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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY

WINTER 2015

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WINTER 2015

WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY

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Alpine Valley Resort, W2501 Highway D in Elkhorn, is open for the season. The resort celebrated its 50th anniversary in December. For more information, visit www. alpinevalleyresort.com.

Old Man Winter has his grip on Walworth County, but that only means one thing: Fun! Whether they’re an outdoor sports enthusiast or just prefer to take in the sights, sounds and beauty of a crisp winter’s day, visitors find the Lake Geneva area is the perfect place to be.

Skiing

Blanketed in snow, Walworth County’s ski hills are groomed and ready for a day or evening of downhill adventure.

Alpine Valley Resort near East Troy or Grand Geneva Resort’s Mountain Top in Lake Geneva offer challenging runs for seasoned skiers as well as lessons for beginners. For those who would like to try their skill at snowboarding, both resorts offer lessons and rent equipment so you can conquer the slopes in a whole new way.

Walworth County also offers exceptional venues for cross country skiing. Skate and classic stride skiers flock to the county for its miles of groomed trails at Big Foot Beach State Park located on the southeast shore of Geneva Lake or at the Nordic and McMiller trail systems in the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest near the town of La Grange.

Sledding

Great sledding and tobogganing can be found at sledding hills in Lake Geneva at Sage and Mill streets or in Delavan at the Rudy Lange Sledding Hill on Terrace Street. Another type of “sledding,” or what most call snowmobiling, is a favorite pastime in Walworth County,

with more than 280 miles of groomed trails in the area.

Skating

Itching to lace up a pair of ice skates? Once the temperatures plummet for good, ice rinks in area communities will open, including the Library Park Rink in Lake Geneva, Rotary Ice Rink in Walworth and the Veteran’s Memorial Park Rink in Delavan. The area’s resorts, including Lake Lawn, The Abbey, Geneva Ridge and Grand Geneva also have their own rinks and offer skate rentals for a minimal fee.

Snowshoeing and hiking

Places to snowshoe and hike are also abundant throughout the county. Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy in Williams Bay features more than four miles of trails that wind through a 230-acre haven for birds and wildlife.

In the northern part of the county, visitors can find great trails at Price Park north of Elkhorn or Natureland Park south of Whitewater.

Other activities

There are other fun, and perhaps a bit more sedate ways, to enjoy the beauty of the season. Take in the sights via a sleigh ride or carriage ride at Dan Patch Stables located at Grand Geneva Resort. Or, if looking for a little more adventure, schedule a trail ride on horseback through the resort’s property. For the most adventurous, visitors can really immerse themselves in the elements this winter by traversing zip lines, sky bridges, and spiral and floating stairways at Lake Geneva Canopy Tours.

For a full list of winter activities and events, visit www.

FILE PHOTO Wonders of Walworth County

Walworth County welcomes winter

VisitWalworthCounty.com.

The Walworth County Visitors Bureau’s Travel Information Center, 2375 E. Geneva St., Delavan, is open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For additional information, call (262) 728-6000 or visit the website.

Wond ers

The of Walworth County A publication of Southern Lakes Newspapers LLC 1102 Ann St., Delavan, WI 53115 • (262) 728-3411 EDITOR: ........................................................... Tracy Ouellette EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: ........................................Sharon Soch CREATIVE/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: .................. Sue Z. Lange ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: .............................Vicki Vanderwerff SPECIAL SECTIONS ADVERTISING: .................Karen Dubinsky

FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES: Call (262) 728-3411 On the cover: This sculpture, “Fountain of Youth,” won first place and the People’s Choice award during the 2014 Winterfest and the U.S. Nationals Snow Sculpting Competition. The team – Wisconsin 2 – was made up of David Andrews, Steve Bateman and Jason Anhorn.

(Photo by Michalene Melges)

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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY

WINTER 2015

Winter events

JANUARY

23 Elkhorn Rotary Wine, Beer and Food Expo – 5-8 p.m. at the Monte Carlo Room, 720 N. Wisconsin St., Elkhorn. Tickets are: $25 in advance or $30 at the door.

Ticket price includes admission, 10 taste samplings, silent auction and appetizers.

Additional taste samplings can be purchased for $1 each after admission.

Info: Elkhorn Chamber of Commerce, (262) 723-5788.

24 Sing-A-Long Wizard of Oz – 2-3:30 p.m. and 7-8:30 p.m., at the Young Auditorium, UW-Whitewater, 930 W. Main St. Celebrate the 75th anniversary of the film, and sing along with Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow on the yellow brick road to Oz. The classic movie will be played on the big screen with subtitles for all the songs, and there will be several opportunities to interact with and participate in the fun beyond just singing.

Info: (262) 472-2222 or www.uww.edu/ youngauditorium.

24 Barnyard Bargain Bonanza – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Walworth County Fairgrounds Activity Center, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. Indoor flea market, refreshments will be available. Free admission, free parking. Info: (262) 723-3228 or www.walworthcountyfair.com.

24 All That Glitters winter art exhibit – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Geneva Lake Art Association, 647 Main St., Lake Geneva.

The free exhibit consists entirely of member artwork and will display the work of the Featured Artist Pam Ring, board member and director of GLAA Art Education. Info: (262) 249-7988 or www.genevalakeart.org.

27 Mad Hatter’s Tea Party – 4-5 p.m., Aram Public Library, 404 E. Walworth Ave., Delavan. Kids are invited to don their quirkiest, fanciest tea party apparel and celebrate Lewis Carroll’s birthday with a Wonderland tea party extravaganza. Info: (262) 728-3111 or www.aramlibrary.org.

28-31 Winterfest and U.S. National Snow Sculpting Competition – Lake Geneva’s 19th Annual Winterfest weekend features the Snow Sculpting Competition along with music, magic, refreshments, activities, helicopter rides, shopping and dining. Info: www.lakegenveawi.com.

31 Candlelight Hike – 6-8 p.m. at Big Foot Beach State Park, 1550 S. Lake Shore Drive, Lake Geneva. Bring the family and enjoy an evening hike, snowshoe, or ski along a 0.9 mile trail lit by the flickering light of candles. There will be a bonfire and s’more kits will be available for purchase. An owl program will be held at the shelter starting at 6 p.m. Info: Matthew Daniels, (262) 2482528 or matthew.daniels@wisconsin.gov.

FEBRUARY Feb. 1-7 Winterfest and U.S. National Snow Sculpting Competition – Lake Geneva’s 19th Annual Winterfest weekend features the Snow Sculpting Competition along with music, magic, refreshments, activities, helicopter rides, shopping and dining. Info: www.lakegenveawi.com.

7 Aladdin – 2-3:30 p.m., at the Young Auditorium. UW-Whitewater, 930 W. Main St. Missoula Children’s Theatre will audition, cast, rehearse with, and perform this • see CALENDAR on page 10

Diamonds to sparkle on Valentines Day The performance season at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Young Auditorium continues in February with a special Valentine’s Day concert.

In 1957, The Diamonds released an instant million selling hit, Little Darlin’.

Fans will have a chance to get carried away again this Valentine’s Day with their music.

Tickets are less than $30 and dining is available. The concert is sponsored by Fort HealthCare.

Here’s a look at other upcoming shows.

• March 2, 2015 Million Dollar Quartet. This Tony award-winning touring Broadway musical is making a stop for one night at Young Auditorium, retelling its famous story about a famed recording session that brought together rock n’ roll icons Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash together for one night in the recording studio. Tickets less than $50 dining available. Sponsored by Commercial Bank • March 18, 2015 - The Great Gatsby. This classic literary work is now brought to the stage with this compelling production by Montana Repertory Theatre. With themes from the Roaring Twenties that resonate with current times, this show brings the beauty and poetry of the original masterpiece to life. Tickets less than

$33.

• April 11, 2015 – Church Basement Ladies-The Last (Potluck) Supper.

Don’t miss your chance to see the fifth and final installment of the hilarious Church Basement Ladies series! Tickets cost less than $37. Sponsored by Fairhaven • April 19, 2015 – Brahms Requiem Wisconsin Chamber choir with full orchestra. Artistic director, Robert Gehrenbeck, leads this 40 member Wisconsin Chamber Choir, joined by the UW-Whitewater Chamber Choir, with their a cappella choral singing and professional orchestral accompaniment comprised of members of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra. Tickets less than $21.

• April 29, 2015 – Pilobolus.

Pilobolus performances are characterized by a strong element of physical interaction between the bodies of the performers and exaggerations or contortions of the human form, requiring extreme strength, flexibility and athleticism.

Tickets for any show can be purchased online, by calling the box office at (262) 472-2222, or in person.

New this year, tickets that are purchased online can also be printed at home.

For more information about the shows, ticket options, or to review an interactive season brochure online, visit www.uww.edu/youngauditorium/season.

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WINTER 2015

WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY

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Get ready for Winterfest!

Lake Geneva celebrates the cold with annual snow sculpting competition and festival Lake Geneva’s Winterfest will be held Jan. 28 through Feb. 7. The annual festival features music, magic, refreshments, activities, helicopter rides, shopping and dining.

Scheduled events for the week of Winterfest include laser tag, beach party, s’mores, bonfire and human dog sled races.

For nearly two decades the highlight of Winterfest has been the U.S. National Snow Sculpting Competition, and this year is not an exception. The 19th annual snowsculpting competition begins at Wednesday, Jan. 28, and wraps up Friday, Jan. 30.

Visitors can watch sculpting teams from all over the United States create snow masterpieces from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday and Thursday at Riviera Park on the lakefront in downtown Lake Geneva.

Teams sculpt late into the night on Friday as well. Sculpting ends at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Crowning of the U.S. National Snow Sculpting Competition Champion’s Award, second, third place and the Peoples’ Choice take place at The Riviera.

Winners are announced at 3 p.m. in the Riviera Ballroom. The public is invited to attend the ceremony.

Ballots are on site for the Peoples’ Choice voting.

The contest Each team will receive a cylinder shaped block of snow 8 feet in diameter and 9 feet high on the grounds of The Riviera.

Each team’s snow block will be chosen by lottery. Condition of the snow cannot be guaranteed. If snow is not available and snow-making is not possible, an ice-carving competition will be held.

The teams consist of three members 18 years and older from the same state.

Amateurs and professionals are eligible.

Additional sculpting assistance is not allowed except that given by competition organizers and grounds crew. The final sculpture must fit within a 12-foot circle, height is optional.

No media other than snow, ice or water may be used. Competitors to use snow available on site only. Colorants not allowed. Armatures or molded shapes are not allowed.

Sculptors may provide their own tools at their own risk and liability. No power tools are permitted. Snow removal equipment, axes, machetes, buckets, shovels, longhandled ice scrappers and ladders will be available on site.

The individual artists are judged on the sculptures and winners will be determined based on these recommended criteria: • Creativity – originality of expression (50 percent); • Technique – utilization of materials, excellence in execution and presentation (30 percent); • Message – visual force of message (20 percent).

First-place winner receives the U.S. National Competition Champions Award and trophy invitation to compete in Association International de Sculpture sur Neige et Glace sanctioned International • see WINTERFEST on page 6

WINTERFEST SCHEDULE Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 26 and 27 All day – Building of the 9-foot snow blocks at Riviera Park. Teams arrive on Tuesday at the Bella Vista Suites

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Jan. 28-30 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Sculpting teams at work.

Friday, Teams sculpt late into the night.

Saturday, Jan. 31 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – The Riviera marketplace will provide entertainment, food, fun, gold sponsor information • see SCHEDULE on page 6

MICHALENE MELGES Wonders of Walworth County

Team Illinois 3 – Randi Tackette, George Harnisch and Michele Brown – created “Surprise!” during the 2014 U.S. Nationals Snow Sculpting Competition and Winterfest celebration.

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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY

WINTER 2015

• SCHEUDLE from page 5

• WINTERFEST from page 5

and children’s entertainment in the ballroom. There will also be helicopter rides at the Riviera Lakefront.

11 a.m. – Sculpting ends, team judging begins, not allowed to vote for their own work.

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Peoples’ Choice Award voting (Ballots and ballot box on site.)

Snow Sculpting Competition. Second-place winners receive the State of Wisconsin Award and trophy. Third-place receives the City of Lake Geneva Award and trophy.

The Gene Kempfer People’s Choice Award is determined by public vote held on the site of the competition.

The Klaus Ebeling OMM Award is given to a team or person that promoted the spirit of the event. The award is named after Klaus Ebeling from Watertown, N.Y. The award is decided by previous winners of the award.

For more information, visit www. usnationals.org.

Monday, Feb. 2 The Riviera marketplace will provide entertainment, food, fun, gold sponsor information and children’s entertainment in the ballroom.

4-8 p.m. – Laser Tag at the YMCA 4 - 8pm Laser Tag is $5 at the door and is being held at the YMCA. Tuesday, Feb. 3 4-8 p.m. – Bon Fire on the Beach.

There will be a fire ring on the beach, fire trucks, music, s’mores and hot cocoa for sale at Riviera Beach.

Wednesday, Feb. 4 4-8 p.m. – Souper Magical Evening at the Riviera Ballroom. Bring a canned good or $2 donation to get in. There will be a magic show and soup tastings from many of the local restaurants.

Thursday, Feb. 5 6-9 p.m. – Bingo at the Cove. Bingo will be held at the Cove, 111 Center St. Bingo cards are $1 each.

Friday, Feb. 6 7-10 p.m. – Human Dog Sled Prelims.

Teams are made up of six people and must register at lakegenevawi.com.

Team registration fee is $35 per team.

Saturday, Feb. 7 Noon to 3 p.m. – Human Dog Sled Competition at Riviera Beach.

Human dog sled races In the two-day human dog sled races, Feb. 6-7, teams compete against each other in a double elimination tournament to determine the winner.

Races start at 7 p.m. on Feb 6 and noon on Feb 7. Each team will consist of six people: including four sled pullers, a sled rider, and a sled pusher.

The sled track is about 135 feet long and positioned on Riviera Beach. Team members are encouraged to dress in wacky costumes, as there is a prize for the most creative attire.

Shuttle service Free shuttles are available Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. Free parking and pickup is at the northeast corner of the Home Depot parking lot, 550 North Edwards Blvd.

Downtown drop-off and pickup is in front of US Bank, 303 Center St. The shuttle, which runs continuously every 20 minutes, is sponsored by the City of Lake Geneva.

For more information, call (800) 3451020 or visit www.lakegenevawi.com.

MICHALENE MELGES Wonders of Walworth County

From the top: A team from Idaho – Lee Harris, Ramos Winter and Josh Knaggs – created this sculpture, “Home,” during the 2014 Winterfest in Lake Geneva; Team Minnesota 2 – Dusty Thune, Ryan Swan and Chelsea Olson – created this sculpture, “Poseidon on Ice;” The Colorado team of Garett Dreiling, Steve Carmer and Kim Upham created this sculpture, titled “Sochi fly.”

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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY

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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY

WINTER 2015

Lost in space

Area high school kids work with NASA to keep tools where they should be

T

here’s a group of high school students in East Troy who spend their afternoons working on a solution to one of NASA’s biggest problems – lost tools and objects on the International Space Station.

In a zero gravity environment, things tend to float away … sometimes never to be found.

The students are part of NASA’s HUNCH (High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware) Extreme program.

According to the NASA website, HUNCH is an instructional partnership between NASA and high schools and intermediate/ middle schools that gives students real-world, hands-on experience while providing NASA cost-effective hardware and inspiring the next generation of researchers and space explorers.

NASA provides materials, equipment and mentoring required to create the hardware. It also provides inspection oversight during the fabrication of the items.

This is the second year East Troy has been involved in the program, which culminated with a zero gravity flight out of Houston in April to test the experiment in an atmosphere that simulates space flight.

The experiment is also in its second year, with the goal this time around of being able to actually locate objects. The students are using RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags to mark objects, in this case mice, and antennas to determine their position.

“It’s a big advance from last year,” team leader Daniel Barr said. “We went from basically wanting to find the distance of something to actually being able to find it.”

This next step in the experiment caused a bit of a problem for the team as the HUNCH experiments have to be contained in a “shoebox.” For the kids to advance their work, they needed special permission to place three

Above: East Troy High School’s Paul D’Amico (from left), Joe Dominski, Jonathon Brehm and Daniel Barr take questions from audience members at the Oct. 28 NASA HUNCH kick-off presentation in the High School library. Left: Barr (from left), Paul D’Amico, Billy Dominski, Joe Dominski and C.J. D’Amico work on the problem of calibrating the antennas they will use aboard the zero gravity airplane during their experiment.

By

Tracy Ouellette STAFF WRITER

external antennas on the airplane so they could triangulate the position of the floating objects.

In early December, Florence Gold, the NASA HUNCH coordinator, informed the team they were going to be able to place the antennas in the seat backs of the aircraft.

“We talked to her yesterday and she said we could put the antennas in the back of the plane where the seats are so we can test out of the shoebox area,” Barr said. “We were pretty excited.”

The idea for the experiment came from a brainstorming session with last year’s team and then-teacher Matt Heer.

“Mr. Heer talked about how his daughters kept losing things,” Joe Dominski said.

“Apparently the No. 1 complaint on the ISS (International Space Station) is losing tools, so we came up with a way to track them,” Paul D’Amico added.

The experiment is called SPIDER (Spatial Proximity Device for Environmental Reading) and the students are excited that NASA seems to have a particular interest in furthering their work.

“Hopefully if everything goes well, they’ll let us send it up to the International Space Station eventually,” Barr said.

The kids also believe the technology they’re developing has real-world applications too.

“We can use it for objects on Earth, too,” Joe Dominski said. “Common, every-day objects like your cell phone or keys. You could have an antenna in your house and be able to locate anything.”

“It’s cheap, too,” Barr said. “A tag costs about 50 cents.”

“Theoretically we could track an entire house,” Paul D’Amico added.

The kids at East Troy High have already

met their first deadline, by having a working prototype ready for NASA this month. Now they will work to hone their experiment and have it flight ready for April when the team travels to Houston for a flight on the famous “Vomit Comet” – NASA’s specially outfitted airplane that makes sharp dips and climbs in 20-25 second intervals to simulate a zero gravity environment.

The plane got its nickname because of the extreme changes in altitude and position, which often causes passengers to become ill.

That doesn’t concern the three students from this year’s team who are going up, however.

“We’re excited,” Joe Dominski said with a laugh that was echoed by Barr and Paul D’Amico who are also slated to fly with the experiment.

Because Barr won’t be 18 in April like the other two, there is a bit of a snag with his flying, but they’re hoping to get permission from NASA for him to be on board.

The East Troy NASA HUNCH team, mentored by science teacher Ryan Manske, who took over for Heer when he left the school, said he couldn’t be more impressed with the group and their dedication to the project.

Team members are: Barr, C.J. D’Amico, Paul D’Amico, Joe Dominski, Billy Dominski, Rachel Hunter, Ali Kruger, Truman Kent and Jonathon Brehm.

This year’s HUNCH program in East Troy kicked off Oct. 28, when students presented their zero gravity experiment for parents, teachers, administrators, School Board

members, and the community.

The presentation gave those in attendance the chance to learn about the NASA HUNCH program from the students themselves and Gold, who flew in for the presentation and to meet with the students about the

experiment.

Gold told the audience how once a school enters the program, it is fully supported by her and NASA for as long as they want to be there.

There are dozens of schools across the country with HUNCH teams working on hardware for NASA, which is in its 11th year.

Students are building hardware, softgoods, prototypes and, as in the case of East Troy, creating experiments for NASA. HUNCH is called a “win-win innovative solution” for inspiring the next generation of scientists.

The idea of HUNCH started in the summer of 2003 when Stacy Hale from Johnson Space Center had the innovative idea that maybe high school students could build cost-effective hardware that was needed to help train the ISS astronauts, according to the NASA HUNCH website. Many were skeptical about this idea, but because of the hard work and dedication of Hale at JSC and Bob Zeek at Marshall Space Flight Center the HUNCH team quickly expanded from three schools to numerous schools, in various states; the unique idea of HUNCH was quickly producing positive results for all involved.

For more information, visit www. nasahunch.com.

A

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clean slate

SUBMITTED PHOTOS Wonders of Walworth County

Sitting down at a desk strewn with loose papers and a lack of organization – whether it be at work or home – can start off a person’s day with stress that can be avoided by following a few simple steps on de-cluttering.

Local expert offers tips on living a clutter-free life “ A

By Heather Ruenz STAFF WRITER

quick search of “de-cluttering” on Google leads to a labor-intensive flood of information.

Some of it is useful, but much of it takes what little bit of time many have.

According to Kathi Miller, who speaks on the topic, clutter can be described as “items you don’t use or love, places that are untidy or disorganized, too much stuff in too small a space, or anything unfinished.”

Clutter-free living is an essential skill for the 21st Century, said Miller – also known as “The Clutter Coach.”

“It’s a way of thinking about and interacting with your belongings,” Miller states on her website. “Clutter can weigh you down and deplete your energy.”

Miller points out that clutter, in addition to wreaking havoc on our surroundings, can also cause physical symptoms.

“Think of a clutter space… Just picture it for a moment,” Miller said. “Some report feeling a tightness in their chest, an ache in their stomach or tension in their shoulders. Wherever you feel it, realize your clutter affects you when you’re not even in the midst of it.”

And, as Miller points out, “The good news and bad news is the same: you did this to yourself. Which means only you can clean it up. Yes, you may get some de-cluttering help, but it’s your behaviors and beliefs that created the clutter,” she said.

“In order for people to live a clutterfree life,” Miller said, “they have to do two things – change their mind about their belongings and change their daily behavior with respect to those belongings.”

Life lessons learned Miller, who grew up in West Allis, said

In order for people to live a clutter-free life they have to do two things – change their mind about their belongings and change their daily behavior with respect to those belongings.”

~ Kathi Miller she was taught, “to never save anything.”

“We were taught there were people less fortunate who could use what we weren’t using,” she explained. “It wasn’t as if we had a fancy lifestyle in West Allis, but it was true, there were people less fortunate.

As we outgrew our clothes, they were given to someone in the neighborhood, someone from church, or to a local charity.”

Moving six times, three of them long distance during her first 18 years of marriage, provided her with first-hand experience about the topic she now teaches.

“We’d look at the boxes we hadn’t unpacked since the previous move and question how important that unused stuff could possibly be. We got very good at paring down,” Miller said.

“We’ve lived in the same house since 1996, but we have fewer belongings today than when we moved in because we continue to pare down,” she added. “If we’re not using something and we don’t know when or how we’ll use it, we let it go,” she said.

Making a difference Reviews of Miller’s past speaking engagements, as noted on her website, are positive in nature and offer examples of success.

Linda Marcussen of the Kenosha Public Library, said “The ideas and suggestions she (Miller) shares with the audience are sensible, practical and, most importantly, do-able.

Members of the audience leave with

plans that they can put into place the very next day.”

Matheson Memorial Library in Elkhorn has hosted Miller a number of times.

Angela Meyers, Adult Services Librarian at Matheson, said she has personally benefitted from Kathi’s talks and remembers a few key things from each presentation.

Julie Bjorklund, a registered nurse for Waukesha County, said Miller’s talk on Living Better with Less Without Feeling Deprived was “engaging, funny and informative. A simpler, clutter-free life provides peace of mind and less anxiety, which as mental health professionals, serves a profound need in everyone’s life.”

Get inspired Miller speaks on several topics related to de-cluttering at a variety of venues.

She is slated to present “De-clutter Today for a Carefree Tomorrow” at the following locations.

Though the venues have paid her fee, allowing the public to attend for free, pre-registration may be required so those interested in attending are asked to contact the host.

• Oak Creek Library, 8620 S. Howell Ave. in Oak Creek at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 5; • Brown Deer Library, 5600 W. Bradley Rd.in Brown Deer at 6:30 p.m., Monday, March 23; • Elm Grove Library, 13600 Juneau Blvd. in Elm Grove at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 25; • Aram Library, 404 E. Walworth Ave. in Delavan at 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 31.

Though her website contains a lot of information on the subject of decluttering, Miller recommends the following two articles that can be found under the Newsletter Archives section: Forgiveness and the Truth About Your Clutter.

Miller, who has been a “Clutter Coach” for more than 10 years, said she is • see CLUTTER-FREE on page 10

s p p a Time management Below is a list of 10 timetracking smartphone and computer applications found on www. fastcompany.org.

1

TOGGL With this app, you say what you’re doing, start the timer, and stop it when you’re done. You can code things as personal as you’d like, and create charts of what’s consuming your time. The basic version is free, and full features are $5 a month. Apple, Android, and Desktop.

2

RESCUETIME Running in the background on your computer or mobile device, the free version of RescueTime tracks minutes spent on various sites or applications. This is most useful if you think you have a bad email or Facebook habit, and would like to get it under control. The premium version ($9/month) lets you track time away from the computer, too, and block distracting websites after a desired amount of time. Apple, Android, and Desktop.

• see APPS on page 10

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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY

WINTER 2015

Winter events original musical featuring 50-60 local K-12 youth. Auditions for children in grades K-12 will be held Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. Call (262) 472-1432 for more information. Tickets are: $13.50, $11.50, $9.50; UW-Whitewater students, $9.50. Info: (262) 472-2222 or www.uww.edu/youngauditorium.

7 Elkhorn Grand Ballroom Dance – 8-11 p.m., in the Elkhorn Area High School Varsity Gym, 482 E. Geneva St. A night of ballroom dancing featuring the quick step, foxtrot, waltz and more. Music provided

by DJ R. Travis. Cost: $10 at the door. Info: (262) 741-5114 or www.cityofelkhorn.org.

7 No Regrets Men’s Conference – 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mt. Zion Christian Church, 2330 Highway 120, Lake Geneva. Bible lessons from nationally recognized authors, teachers and pastors. Cost: $30. Register online at www.mtzn.com. Info: (262) 2487097.

13-15 Sky Circus on Ice – Lake Lawn Resort, 2400 E. Geneva St., Delavan. extended weekend event will feature professional kite performances over Delavan Lake, plus ice carving and snow sculpting throughout the grounds of Lake Lawn and downtown Delavan. A variety of indoor and outdoor recreational activities will be planned around the kite performer’s showcase. Info: contact@lakelawnresort.com.

13-15 Nielsen Enterprises Grand Finale of the National Championship SnoCross Series – The Mountain Top at Grand Geneva Lake Geneva. Info: (262) 248-8811, (800) 5583417 or www.grandgeneva.com.

14 The Diamonds in concert at Young Auditorium. UW-Whitewater, 930 W. Main

• CLUTTER-FREE from page 9

CALENDAR continued from page 4

Put on your snowshoes Snowshoe Social Hikes, sponsored by Clear Water Outdoor, are held from 10 a.m. to noon every Saturday from Jan. 24 through March 28 at Big Foot State Park, 1452 S. Wells St., Lake Geneva.

Weather permitting.

Hikers should call Clear Water Outdoor at (262) 348-2420 to reserve a spot and arrive at the park pavilion around 9:45 a.m.

Snowshoes are available for rent by calling ahead.

St. Tickets are less than $30 and dining is available. Info: (262) 472-2222 or www. uww.edu/youngauditorium.

14 Freeze Fest – at Cravath Lake Park in Whitewater. Polar Plunge, Chili Cook-off and more. All proceeds benefit the Special Olympics.

28 Barnyard Bargain Bonanza – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Walworth County Fairgrounds Activity Center, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. Indoor flea market, refreshments will be available. Free admission, free parking. Info: (262) 723-3228 or www.walworthcountyfair.com.

Although we make every attempt to provide accurate information regarding area events, dates and times may change or events may be cancelled. We suggest you verify before you finalize your travel plans.

fascinated with the topic.

“I am constantly trying to figure out why people create clutter in their lives so I can develop new solutions to help

them live a clutter-free life,” Miller said.

For more information, or to book a speaking engagement with Miller, visit www.theclutterfreelife.com.

• APPS from page 9

ATRACKER This free app lets you track your whole life by tapping on your phone to start or stop each activity. It then produces reports on your day. Features a clean and uncluttered design. Apple only.

3

ETERNITY Structured to remind you about work-life balance, Eternity divides time broadly into work, sleep, and play categories. $9.99 in iTunes. Apple only.

4

NOW THEN This app features personal categories such as shopping, entertainment, and travel, and lets you break work into its subcategories as well (administration, meetings). $2.99 in iTunes.

5

TIME PLANNER This free app combines scheduling and time tracking features for both work and personal activities. You can schedule a bike ride at 1 p.m., then be reminded to do it, then say if you’ve actually done it – all to keep yourself on track. Apple only.

6

7

MY MINUTES This free app focuses on goal setting. You aim to work out for 30 minutes, or spend “at most” 45 minutes on email. The app gives you

a nudge when you’re out of time, or a virtual pat on the back when you hit your goals. Apple and Android.

FANURIO While primarily aimed at freelancers billing time to multiple projects (it creates invoices and expense reports – hence the price), Fanurio also lets you classify activities as non-billable, which much of our personal time turns out to be. This app nudges you to record time if you haven’t in a while. $59 for a license with free technical support for a year. Primarily for desktop (Mac OS, Windows and Linux).

8

9

TIMELY Schedule your life, then log it.

Primarily aimed at work time (you can bill time as you’re logging it), the interface is simple enough that you could create personal projects too. One user with unlimited projects is $10/month. Desktop or Apple devices.

TIMESHEET This free app lets you use voice commands, track and bill work hours, and record off-work hours too. Android only.

10

The applications listed above can be searched for and downloaded from Google PlayStore, iTunes or through a desktop or laptop computer.

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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY

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