LEAGUE PROFILE JUNEAU COUNTY TAVERN LEAGUE

in our community, and we want to do something to help honor him and his legacy,” Tovsen explains.

To keep the membership strong and assist with recruitment, area directors in the county league visit with new owners and invite them to monthly meetings. Tovsen notes that the state league has great tools available to assist with member recruitment, but one of Juneau County’s best tools is its own road trip game.

The league produces a members-only book that patrons can purchase and get stamped at member establishments when they visit. Each book runs for six months. “We average about 400 books sold and each location averages about 130 people that come through,” says Tovsen.

Withmore than 70 members powering the Juneau County Tavern League, “we are serving the county proudly and helping educate them,” says Adam Tovsen, Juneau County Tavern League president and owner of Harmarita’s in Mauston. “We are a group that is proud to help our community and other organizations that need assistance.”

One way the Juneau County Tavern League helps the community is through its scholarship program for high school students. The county has six school districts and the league provides a $300 scholarship to a student in each. (The league plans to raise the amount to $500 in the future.)

While the scholarship is geared toward students seeking to further their education in hospitality or business, “We don’t exclude students because they aren’t pursuing education in our area,” says Tovsen. “We just want to get the money we raise back into the community.”

The league also sponsors a Sharing Supper for Tavern League month in May. This year was the second year the organization put on the event, which is open to anyone. The Sharing Supper, which the league pays for and serves, is a community meal held in the county seat of Mauston.

“A lightbulb went off that this event was perfect for Tavern League,” says Tovsen. “Sharing Supper gives us a platform to educate the community about Tavern League, and to show our passion to donate and give back to the community.”

The league is also planning a fundraiser for a retired circuit court judge who had his life taken from him. “He was loved

In addition to a strong membership, the Juneau County Tavern League has a rich history of longtime and passionate members. “We were blessed to have Tuna Frisch and Jack Hall in our league. They were great ambassadors to our league and district,” according to Tovsen. “Without all the hard work our past officers have done, we wouldn’t be as influential or as successful as we are today.”

He also recognizes member Delores Wells of Babe’s Country Club in Mauston. Wells and her late husband joined the Tavern League in 1960 and, 63 years later, she continues to attend monthly meetings accompanied by her daughter. “It’s so great to have someone as dedicated as Delores among us.”

Tovsen’s parents owned a bar for 28 years and Tovsen has been a Tavern League member for more than 11 years. “I have been around the bar business and Tavern League my whole life,” he says. “Being a Tavern League member helps in many ways, like with education. It allows us to save money, keeps us informed of our industry and fights for issues affecting us. It also gives us platforms that help our league and businesses in general. I don’t think that would be possible without the strength of the Tavern League.” TLW