Josh Englund grew up in Prentice. If there were two things he wished he knew at age 18, it would be to have patience and work hard. "We live in a world where expectations are for things to happen fast. We have fast-food, same-day delivery, and instant everything. There has always been the saying, "Good things come to those who wait." This is true, but the other part of that is you need to work hard for the good things. This is where the saying, "Too good to be true" comes in. If it came easy, quickly, or without effort, it is probably not going to last or it is too good to be true. Work hard, earn it, and appreciate it because at any time it can be gone."
Josh started on his path to working hard by moving to Milwaukee upon graduating from high school. He attended college, receiving an associate's degree in criminal justice, and he feels he gained a wealth of life experience which helped pave the path for his future. In 2014, he decided to move back to Price County to pursue a career in law enforcement working with both the Phillips and Park Falls Police Departments. He eventually decided to make his home in Park Falls with his fiance, Rachel, and their two rescue dogs. He is a few months away from receiving his bachelor's degree in health care administration.
"Through my part-time work with the Park Falls Police Department and working in a security role at Flambeau Hospital, I was exposed to the health care field. It was at this time I applied for my current job and started a new career at Flambeau Hospital in January of 2017," Josh explained.
Along with growing professionally during that time frame, Josh was also growing in personal experiences. He recalls two of his favorite vacations. The first special vacation memory occurred in 2016 when his niece completed her K9 handler training with the Air Force in San Antonio, Texas. "I was able to fly down and attend her graduation. After her graduation, she had to drive back to her base in California. We spent the next couple of days driving across the southern part of the country visiting friends and family. Having that one-on-one time with my niece was something special," Josh shared.
His second favorite vacation happened when he took his fiance on her first surprise airplane ride! For Rachel's birthday, Josh took her and her best friend to visit California and Nevada. "I did not tell her where we were going until we arrived at the airport. She thought we were just going to Madison to visit her best friend. It wasn't until her friend grabbed her luggage and we started driving towards Minneapolis that my fiance realized there was more to the vacation," Josh shared, also stating that the fun moments they experienced and giving Rachel a surprise are the things that made it most special.
Josh seems to enjoy giving to others. "I have always had the need to want to help people. I think that is what steered me towards law enforcement. Being able to help others in their time of need has given me a sense of purpose in life. I have also worked with the Prentice Ambulance Service as an ambulance driver, worked with Catkins Animal Rescue organizing fundraisers and helping out around the shelter when needed, and volunteered my time coaching hockey with Price Ice Hockey. I enjoy helping others and seeing how happy people are when they receive the help they need. We live in an area with a high elderly population, many of who do not have the help they need. I have always been proud to help where I can."
Those facts are likely why Josh says that if he could have any super power, he would choose the power to heal. "We live in a world where there are many people who become sick, have a disease, or become injured. I would love to have the ability to change those people's lives by giving them the gift of health. Each and every one of us should not have to deal with the struggles that an illness or injury can bring along with it."
Josh knows, first hand, about dealing with injuries. In November of 2017, Josh's life took an unexpected turn when he and Rachel were involved in a terrible, head-on car accident. The accident was presumably caused by a drunk driver, though that person's court case is still pending.
Rachel sustained minor injuries. Josh is thankful she was not injured worse. As for Josh, he admits he is lucky to be alive, but he is not so lucky in that he has to deal with the physical, emotional, and financial pains and stresses, even two years later.
"To date, I have had eight surgeries and expect to have at least four more over the next two years. My injuries included a compound fracture of my left femur, a complete dislocation of my left ankle that resulted in a broken tibia and talus bone in my foot, my pelvis had hairline fractures in the front and a large fracture in the back that required surgery to repair, my ribs separated from my sternum, a torn bicep tendon in my left arm, and countless other cuts and bruises. To top things off, as a result of the ankle injury, I had skin that was damaged and turned necrotic. The necrotic tissue then got infected; the infection got into the tibia and talus bone. Since beating off the infection, I have had to have the talus bone removed and part of my tibia cut off because the infection had gotten into the bone. I then required an ankle fusion surgery, and, for the past year, I have had an external fixator device on my leg. My left leg is now two and a half inches shorter than my right. I am estimating that I will have another two years of healing and rehab before I can even walk again."
Josh is not physically able to work as a police officer at this time. He has been able to return to his job at the hospital on a 66% part-time basis. However, work is often difficult because Josh cannot walk on his own. At this time, he has to use crutches or a knee scooter to be ambulatory. He also has to rely on others to do tasks around his home that he would have been able to complete himself in the past. Facing these realities has been a challenge.
Josh spoke candidly about that challenge. "I have always tried to have a positive attitude throughout all of this, because I am just so lucky to be alive. Unfortunately, dealing with injuries, physical limitations, and finances can take its toll on a person. I have always thought to myself that I didn't need any help and I could do it on my own, which is probably why I never wanted or let anyone fundraise for me before this, or that there were others that needed the help more than me. I admit, I was wrong. I have really taken a financial hit as a result of this accident."
Infusing a bit of humor into the heaviness of his ordeal, Josh shared a line he once heard, which is a police joke. "I live with fear and danger every day, but occasionally I leave her to go and catch the bad guy," Josh joked. Fortunately for Rachel, that is just a joke, because he feels Rachel is his guiding light. "Relationships can be tough after a traumatic event such as the car crash we were involved in, but she has been there for me through all the bad days, surgeries, and emotional ups and downs. I cannot thank her enough for all that she has done and for being such an amazing human being who helps me during my long recovery. I couldn't do this without her," Josh shared with heartfelt gratitude.
He has also taken away much life insight from the accident, which he feels is the event that made the biggest impression on his life. "There was a lot of bad that came from it," Josh said, "but there was some good, too. I now have a new appreciation for the lives we are given. At any point, our life can be taken away. We are fragile creatures and sometimes we forget how precious life is. We think to ourselves that nothing bad will happen to us or our family and in a blink of an eye, everything changes. We should always remember to be grateful, live life to the fullest, and make a positive impression on those around you and in your community. We get one chance at this thing called life. You may not be remembered forever, but you will be remembered by those that you interact with for the rest of their lives." To sum up his feelings, Josh said he does live his life by The Golden Rule. "Treat people the way you would like to be treated."
"I look forward to finally recovering from my accident, returning to my jobs, and being a positive role model in my community," Josh expressed. "This accident has completely changed my life, but I won't let it define me. I will have more medical issues as I get older, but I will come back better and stronger than before to help limit those long-term issues. Thank you, and God bless!"
"Great Grandpa and Grandma Edinger came from Iowa in a covered wagon and were the first white people to live in this immediate area," Gary Edinger shared of his family's settlement in Price County. Born in 1951 to Jess and Albina (nee France), he was number six of eight children. "I went to a one room school, Meadow Creek, through the first four years, then Kennan Elementary, and graduated from Phillips High School in 1969." For the last 42 years he has been married to Leanne (nee Hill). They currently live on the North Fork of the Jump River on land that has been in the family since 1903. They raised their two children, Garrett and Aubrey, on the homestead. They now have one grandson, James.
As a child, Gary thought he would be a professional baseball player, but he says the fact he could not hit a curve ball halted that dream. Instead, Gary became a logger and has been self-employed since 1986. He made his logging career known to most of the community when he got in a terrible logging accident in 2007, which cost him part of his leg. "My leg was sheared off in a bad logging accident and I somehow managed to survive." The overwhelming kindness of everyone after he lost his leg is what stands out to Gary. "That includes family, friends, community and complete strangers. If I tried to list them all I would certainly leave someone out and that wouldn't be right. It's one of the finest things about living here. When a neighbor is in a bind, people will help you."
However, if you thought that was the most interesting thing about Gary Edinger's life, you would be mistaken. He has led a full one and has done, as he puts it, "all sorts of interesting things." "I raced sled dogs for 19 years, and after Leanne joined me, rose to the professional level and won a Worlds Championship in 1987. I was a commercial salmon fisherman with a fishwheel on the Yukon River in Alaska for 3 summers. I've been a log cabin builder, an elk hunting guide, and a mule packer out in the mountains of Montana and Idaho."
Using the logging accident as the "hook," Gary wrote a book about his life, which was published in 2010. There is a YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79sVMMesYxk&t=3s which explores Gary's life a bit more. "Despite my fake leg, I'm still logging, hunting, and packing mules out west." Nothing slows Gary down, and he feels the younger generations should heed his advice on that. "Live life, don't just breath air and take up space. Like John Steinbeck said, don't trade quality of life for quantity of years."
In ten years, Gary wants to find himself "Still above ground and not in a nursing home!" However, if he had the chance to live in another time, he knows exactly when it would have been. "I would have liked to live in early 1700's in upper New York and Pennsylvania, in the period James Fennimore Cooper wrote about in his book The Deerslayer & Last of the Mohicans."
Given this was the time period Gary was destined to live in, though, he has made his mark and contributed to the community in many ways. "I coached Little League and Girls Softball, served on the Price County Fair Board, served on the County's Smart Growth Committee, was president of Price County Waterways Association, co-founder of Friends of the Jump River, served on the Citizens Advisory Committee to the DNR for Water Quality for Logging, worked hard to save the Kennan School (but lost that one), took fifth graders to the stream every spring to teach them about stream health for 21 years, talked to the Phillips Outdoor Education classes every spring for 15 years, and taught and called square dancing, although that last one can hardly be called a contribution because it is so much fun!" Gary remarked.
The one contribution Gary would love to make, if he could choose a super power, would be the power to heal, especially the diseases he called "wicked," like cancer and Alzheimer's. "Those diseases are so unfair."
With fairness and goodness being important to Gary, his favorite holiday is Christmas. The "favorite" things he might like to find around his Christmas tree are rifles, traps, canoes, horses and mules."
Just like a true outdoorsman, he made up his own favorite quote while pulling his pack string in the Frank Church Wilderness in Idaho as he started wondering how many people were doing what he was doing and what they were thinking. His thoughts at that time were, "When you are in the back country by yourself, you are not alone, I am there with you. I know why you are there, what you are thinking, what you are feeling. When you wake in the morning, I too hear the stream just outside the tent. Just before you fall asleep at night, I too hear the last feeble pop of the fire, before it lays down. The only thing I do not know is what you dream. I hope you go to the wild places every chance you get, so I can be there too!"
Submitted photo of Ted and Becky Kempkes shortly after they opened Long Lake North
Date Published: May 22, 2019
Ted Kempkes moved to Phillips in the Summer of 1970 with his wife, Helen, and their infant son, Tim. The Kempkes family decided to make Phillips their home so that Ted could partner with his father, Robert, owning and operating the newspaper in Phillips. "After my dad returned to his career in education, Helen and I continued to own and operate THE-BEE," Ted said. They added the local shopper's guide and later purchased the Park Falls Herald. Ted is very proud of the job his staff did in providing local news of Price County and its various communities. The business was sold in 1998.
Ted and Helen raised three children, Tim, Jeff, and Sarah, who all graduated from Phillips High School. Following a two-year long illness, Helen passed on the year following Sarah's graduation from high school.
"Awhile after Helen's death, I met and married Becky, who shares my life to this day," Ted noted. This union added Becky's two children, Shawn and Jay, to the family. Together, Becky and Ted have taken on a number of activities, including owning Long Lake North, https://www.LongLakeNorth.com, a resort and residential property they built on Long Lake in Phillips.
"Phillips has been a great home for my family. When first arriving in Phillips, there was a billboard on the south side of town that read, "Welcome to Phillips, the Friendliest Little City in Wisconsin." Through the years, our friends, acquaintances, and associations proved that phrase completely true," Ted said. He added that the opportunity to travel while living in Phillips has emphasized his family's realization that Price County is, indeed, home. "There's nowhere we'd rather live," Ted stated.
Ted feels many associations in the area have made his time here gratifying. While active in civic and local government, he views serving on the board of Northcentral Technical College, and the final two years of his term serving as chairman of that board, especially rewarding.
"Over the years, I've learned that it is far more important to work for what you love than to fight what you hate. That's something I think of every day, along with how much family means to me," he said.
It is evident that family does mean a great deal to Ted. "What matters most to me, in spite of business and professional success, is being a husband and a dad. Helen and I raised three great children and, after I met Becky, the family grew to five children, their husbands and wives, and now ten grandchildren." Ted said that being a dad and grandpa is simply life-fulfilling. I could not be happier living in Phillips and enjoying our family."
If Cheryl Mallak was stranded on a deserted island, she said she'd want to have her sunglasses with her, because she couldn't count how many times she has had to turn the car around to go back for her sunglasses. This seems to be a theme in Cheryl's life, as her outlook is often a sunny one.
Cheryl is a resident of Fifield. She has been married to Bill Mallak for 40 years. The marriage has brought them two children and five granddaughters.
For 33 years, Cheryl worked at Eyecare and Eyewear Associates as an optician. It was her dream job. "I enjoyed seeing different people every day and getting to hear their stories. I loved hearing about their families, and everybody I worked with was so kind that it was like having a second family," Cheryl said.
As for her hobbies, Cheryl enjoys kayaking. "I love kayaking down the Flambeau River. I enjoy soaking up the sun and enjoying the sights." The hobby she enjoys the most, however, revolves around horses. "I love horses. I've had them most of my life. I usually ride with my sister, Jean. I love to ride in the woods and look at Mother Nature." She said she also loves to shoot pool and throw horseshoes with her friends. When she is not doing all that, she is with family. "My five granddaughters consume my life, which I love."
The motto Cheryl lives by is to be kind to others. "This world needs more love. At a time when hate seems cool, kindness is the answer." On that note, if Cheryl could have one wish to make the world a better place, she would wish for no one to go hungry ever again. "I feel like food is something everybody should have access to."
Cheryl has been living a good life, but it has handed her some lemons, one of which includes the growth of tumors that keep coming back, a condition that affects less than 2% of the population. With those lemons, though, she has tried to make lemonade. "I found out about my first tumor because I started losing movement in my left hand. My pinky and ring finger became really hard to type with or do much of anything. I went to see Dr. Tim Wakefield for what I thought was a pinched nerve, but he informed it wasn't and advised me to get an MRI." Unfortunately, the MRI showed that Cheryl had a golf ball sized tumor, a Grade 1 Meningioma, and she had to have brain surgery to remove it. Since she has found that humor has helped her get through this and has always tried to see the positive in the world, she nicknamed the tumor Francis and had Francis removed in November of 2014. A year and a half later, Cheryl learned she had another tumor and hoped radiation would help, so she tried that route in 2016. However, in January of 2018, another tumor the size of an egg, which she named Flo, was found. A second surgery was scheduled, and she had Flo removed. After the surgery, Cheryl had radiation treatments. "I had 30 radiation treatments at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and in two months I will find out the success of my treatment. Fingers crossed."
Cheryl says the most special thing that has been done for her has definitely been what she is experiencing now. "The support that I have gotten through all my tumors has been tremendous. I am amazed and so thankful at how willing people are to help." If you would like to help Cheryl, you can attend her benefit on Saturday, August 25th at Movrich Park in Fifield from noon to 10 p.m. The band, Flashback, will start at 6 p.m. Ticket raffle sales are available prior to and during the benefit. There are many large items which will be raffled at the benefit, such as fishing rods, Packers gear, a fire ring, 1/4 beef, a gun, and many gift certificates. There will also be basket raffles. Beer, wine coolers, and food will be available at the event. Cheryl also has a GoFundMe page, which can be accessed at http://www.gofundme.com/cheryl-mallak
"What a privilege it is to know someone it is so hard to say goodbye to."
Jay Reinke would have turned 48 today, July 19, 2018. He was slated to be one of our "Spotlight" stories; however, he unfortunately passed on February 20, 2018. As someone who was quite active in our community, we felt it was fitting to pay tribute to him even though he was unable to complete the "Spotlight" interview himself.
Born in Medford, Wisconsin to Walter "Bud" and Marc (Rudolph) Reinke, Jay was raised in Phillips, Wisconsin, where he enjoyed fishing, hunting, boating, and making duck calls. He graduated from Phillips High School in 1988 and completed an Associates Degree in sales and marketing with Northcentral Technical College in Wausau. In August of 1991, he married Tammi Honsa, and they had two children, Nichole & Parker. Jay and Tammi later divorced. In September of 2012, he married Amber Vander Ark.
His sales and marketing career started with insurance sales and followed up with operating a local auction service; working for Wheel Way; being a personal banker for Wells Fargo Bank, Mid-Wisconsin Bank, & Northwoods Community Credit Union; and serving as the national sales manager for Industrial Air Products (IAP).
Outside of his career, Jay served his community. He was an alderman for the City of Phillips, Scout Master of Pack 540 for the Boy Scouts of America, a member of the Board of Directors for Flambeau Hospital, and the chairman of the Chequamegon Chapter of Ducks Unlimited. Jay volunteered as an auctioneer for many local organizations, and most of the community knew they would see him running the 4th of July auction and the market animal sale at the Price County Fair.
After Jay passed on, the condolences poured in on the funeral home's website, and his funeral was attended by hundreds of people with standing room only. My Price County reached out to some of his friends and family asking if they would share memories of Jay. For some, it was too difficult to share. Others wanted to pay tribute in this way.
Jay was clearly a loyal father, wanting to be with his children as much as possible. His daughter, Nichole, who had Jay's first grandchild on July 14th, named Clay Jayson McCann, remembers her father while she was growing up at his house. "It would be so hard to pick just one memory, honestly. But I always remember him tucking me in at night when I was a little girl. It was always my dad tucking me in, and he would lay in bed with me until I would fall asleep. We would talk about everything and anything, and he taught me a little saying that we would say every night, too, which was "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Keep me safe all through the night, and wake me with the morning light." Those are the moments I think about most when I think about him."
Jay's work "family" spoke out about Jay. Jenny Marshall, an IAP representative from California worked a lot with Jay on her projects and stated, "Jay will be missed by all the people who worked with him. Jay had an easy-going style, good sense of humor and gave you a feeling that everything will be okay. We are all better people for having known Jay."
Mick Theis, co-owner of IAP and Jay's childhood friend, shared, "All of us that worked with Jay appreciated his love for family and life. Jay approached life with a positive outlook. He never seemed to have a bad day; he was always cheerful, optimistic, and upbeat. While Jay's five plus years at IAP were far too short, we are thankful for the time and memories we have. Caring, genuine, and thoughtful are just a few words that come to mind in remembering Jay and the wonderful man he was."
Another childhood friend, Davette Lynne Hrabak, also mentioned some of Jay's attributes. "The words that come to mind when I think of Jay are personality, dependability, and loyalty. Those of us that had the pleasure of growing up with Jay know that he will be remembered and live on in the hearts and minds of all the people he touched over the years. As the community knows, stories of "Jay" proliferate, whether it be of childhood activities, school time fun, family relationships and outings, work activities, auctioneering, hunting, fishing, or hanging out and relaxing. His impact will, in some ways, live on in the lives of people that he has never met as people who knew and interacted with Jay will further use the teachings, stories, or jokes that they experienced when interacting with him. Jay had a way about him; he got along with most everyone, accepted people for who they were, and took time to let others know they were important. He listened and joked with them, and he did this with people he knew since childhood or people he just met; he did this with everyone. Jay was a chameleon of sorts as he could interact with others in a large group or relax and enjoy himself during times of solitude. Basically what sums my memories up is: "I don't know of anyone that did not have a brighter day after running into Jay somewhere."
Lynne Bohn shared her Facebook post that she wrote the day of Jay's funeral. "Jay has been in my life since the day I was born. The youngest son to my Godmother, at my baptism he stood by her side and announced that he was, therefore, my "Godbrother," which became a lifelong "joke" for us. I looked up to him greatly as a child. Being younger, I'd always tag along when he and my big sister, Davette, played together. They both made me feel welcome. Jay always made sure to pay attention to me. Whether we were playing games or hanging out by his "bar" in Marc's basement, shooting some hoops on either ours or their driveway basketball "court," playing in his tiny cabin that felt huge to my little self, or walking down the steep hill (where he made steps and a guide rope and always helped me) into the valley to visit the river, Jay always made me feel included, safe, and loved. He'd play the piano for me at his Mom's house or when we all went out to eat at Kozy Town in Fifield. He loved to talk like Donald or Daffy Duck to make me laugh. As kids, we had fun times around the dinner table having our own conversations while the moms and their friends had theirs, plus I'll never forget those shopping trips the five of us took together and the silly laughter and talks us kids had in the car on the drives there and back with our moms. As an adult, Jay was still there for me. He definitely put in a good word for me on a couple websites. And he always knew how to make me laugh, one time telling me that we were married in about five foreign countries after I signed some documents at the bank, which became another joke of ours. When I sit down and think about it, there are so many good memories. He will always be in the hearts of my mom, sister, and me. He is a forever friend, and he is "family." He was a wonderful man taken too soon. Until we meet again, Jay, I will keep your memory alive in my heart and know I was lucky to have known you and had you in my life. Rest in peace, my 'Godbrother.'"
Gregg Griesel, co-owner of Wheel Way, worked with Jay and also became his friend. "I am missing my friend, Jay. The 2018 golf season is well underway. Things are just not the same without Jay Reinke. The season usually began with a phone call that I so looked forward to every year. I would answer with a resounding "Jayson!" and he would reply back with an enthusiastic "Greggor!" Later, we would see each other at the golf course, greet one another with a gorilla handshake, and, on the course we would encourage each other, as well as offer advice and critique each others' golf swings. I keep hearing those memorable words, "Nice and easy now." I would get halfway through my back swing and Jay would yell out, "Kill that son on a .....!" Who can forget about Jay's signature putting style, between the legs backwards. As we would pass each other between Holes 1 and 3, everybody would hear our boisterous exchange of "Jayson!" and "Greggor!" Then, of course, there was the big debate over my magenta colored golf head covers. Jay always insisted they were pink. Of course, I, in turn, argued that they were a manly magenta. Let's face it, the sunlight has caused them to fade over the years, and Jay was right, they are basically pink! In June, Jay and I always looked forward to the Phillips Golf Fun Day. As was a tradition, Jay would want to stop for breakfast on the way. I didn't mind. In fact, sometimes I rather insisted! In loving memory of Jay "Jayson!" Reinke, I just wanted to share a few thoughts. Thank you for allowing me to reminisce about the good times we had together on and off the golf course. From one big voice to another, I will always remember and cherish the times we shared. My love and heartfelt sympathy to the entire Reinke family. All my prayers, and may God bless you and keep you."
Rose Brown knew Jay from the community. "I enjoyed knowing Jay, who affectionately called me Rose Green instead of Brown. I will never forget the holiday dinner made at Mid-Wisconsin Bank where he taught me to properly grill potatoes. Marc taught him well. He was a great guy who made sure everything was "fair enough." He will be missed by many!"
Finally, Jay's wife, Amber, had these thoughts on this day, "Today would have been Jay's 48th birthday! To say this world lost an amazing person way too soon would be a gross understatement. Jay touched the lives of everyone he met. None of us understand why it was his turn to go! We all miss him and want him here with us. It is so true....We never know how much time we have. Jay never thought any of this would happen. He was so positive throughout his whole illness and he never doubted he wouldn't beat it, which made the rest of believe he would be okay. Tonight we will celebrate Jay's life as a family. We will reminisce, laugh, cry and raise a glass of Seven and Seven with a slice of lime in honor of him! Today will not be easy for any of us, but we will get through by leaning on each other for support. Don't take the time you have for granted with the ones that you love. Hug and kiss them and tell them you love them every chance you get. All we have in this life is this moment in time. We never know what the next moment holds."
After reading through those memories, it is safe to say of Jay, "What a privilege it is to know someone it is so hard to say goodbye to."
Harley-Davidson announced where their eight interns reside with places including South Africa, Florida, California, Mississippi, North Carolina, China, England, and Wisconsin. More specifically, Kennan, Wisconsin.
Tessa Otto, who grew up in Kennan and graduated from Phillips High School, was introduced to Harley-Davidsons because her father, Greg, drove a Harley for all of her life. Like any child who has a great relationship with her father, Tessa admitted, “Who doesn’t want to be like their dad?!” From that, her love of Harleys grew.
Fast forward to Tessa, in her senior year at UW-Oshkosh where she is studying project management in the College of Business, hearing about the Harley-Davidson “Find Your Freedom” internship via an article on Facebook, plus her mother mentioned it to her.
Her application video, which can be found at this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOVjTRpQtyA, was one of over 7,500 submitted. Although in a large pool of hopeful applicants, it caught the eyes of the people at Harley-Davidson who got to make the selection of four young women and four young men who would get the summer intern positions.
On the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, which Tessa admits is “kind of last minute for a summer internship,” she was notified she had been selected. “I was so excited to tell my dad!....This is probably the coolest thing I'll ever do in my life. I'm peaking now at 20,” Tessa decided.
Within one week of being notified of her selection, she needed to be at corporate headquarters. “I think they were looking for people who could drop everything and go with it,” Tessa suggested.
Given the eight interns got to choose the bike they will ride for the internship, Tessa went through the Riding Academy, received the best score in the class, and then started test riding multiple bikes. “I rode tons of different models but selected the Street Glide Special because it would provide long-term touring comfort, as well as look beautiful.”
Tessa will attend various events across the United States, such as the Born Free Bike Show in California, which Tessa already attended in LA this past weekend, plus Summerfest in Milwaukee, X Games in Minneapolis, Sturgis in South Dakota, and many more. Tessa explained her duties. “I create content, pictures, and videos and recruit people into the sport.”
As for her future plans, Tessa has her eyes on the prize. “It would be ideal to extend this position long term....if I could be hired on as a Project Manager for Harley that would be great!”
In the meantime, Tessa says she would like to organize a Price County Ride this summer if there is interest. To contact Tessa about this possible event, contact her via Instagram at @tessa_otto.
Photo by: Patricia Schoenborn on October 19th, after Christina’s post-operative appointment, which was the first time Christina & Shelbie had seen each other in three years.
Christina’s Gift
Date Published: November 1, 2018
Imagine reading the medical updates of the child of your first cousin via social media. Imagine seeing a baby born with multiple heart defects who needed a heart transplant at the age of three. Imagine seeing her soar over that hurdle only to later learn that while her heart was getting sick so were her kidneys. Imagine seeing that nine year old little girl, this past February, needing a kidney transplant because her only good kidney was failing. Imagine watching as your first cousin and her husband frantically search for a donor to save the life of their child while also having to provide care for their two other children, Cheyenne, 12, and Jennessa, 2.
That is the situation Christina Writz watched unfold as her first cousin, Angie Beres, and her husband, Jason, searched for a kidney donor for their daughter, Shelbie. In times like these, some people reach out with words of encouragement, prayer, and monetary donations. Far less get tested to see if they could be a donor. Christina made the decision to get tested, learn she was a match, and donate one of her kidneys to Shelbie.
Christina shared how she came to her decision to be Shelbie’s donor. “We are not as close a family as we could be, but I keep updated on what is going on with their family through Facebook. I saw that Shelbie needed a donor, and I felt a nudge in my heart to check it out. The Bible says, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none,’ Luke 3:11, so I figured that same sharing mentality applies to kidneys!”
Shelbie’s mom, Angie, added, “Shelbie waited about seven months for a transplant. Christy took it upon herself to call about being a potential donor. She let us know she was being evaluated to possibly be a donor for Shelbie, and she's the first one who told us they were a match. Christy will forever hold a special place in our hearts. She has given Shelbie the freedom to be a child once again.”
According to the Beres’, Shelbie is recovering well. She still has some pain from her incision but is tolerating it. As for Christina, her recovery is going well, too. She said she has lots of people praying for her, which has helped. “I am almost back to my old self except that I feel a little tired.”
For those interested in becoming donors, there are a couple ways to do so. Angie mentioned that a person can sign up to be an organ donor at http://www.organdonor.gov Anyone can also put a donor sticker on their driver’s license stating that, should that person pass on, he or she is willing to be an organ and tissue donor.
Being that Christina experienced what it is like to be a living donor, she better explained that process, and also said that anyone who is interested in becoming a living donor can contact Tanya Andersen, the living donor coordinator at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, as she will guide the possible donor through the entire process.
According to Christina, her process started in June with a phone interview with Froedtert. The staff talked with Christina regarding her health and informed her of the entire process so she could decide if she was still interested in completing the process. Since Christina was still interested, they tested her to make sure she and Shelbie had the same blood type. Once that was confirmed, Christina’s medical records were reviewed by Shelbie’s medical provider. “I had a 12-hour long doctor appointment at Froedtert where they tested my kidneys to make sure I could survive with only one. They tested everything else you can imagine, as well. If I recall correctly, I think they took about 30 vials of my blood for testing!,” Christina remarked. While there is only a 1 in 3 chance that Christina and Shelbie would be a cross match, which would show that Shelbie’s body would most likely accept Christina’s kidney, it was found they were beating the odds as they were a match. Surgery was then set for a date that worked in the schedules of the booked up hospital, Shelbie, and Christina, who needed to be at her sister’s wedding in late September, because she was serving as co-maid of honor. After one pre-operative appointment, and a cancellation occurring at the hospital, surgery day was October 9th. Christina added, “I stayed in the hospital two nights, came home, and now it is supposed to be 4 to 6 weeks recovery. I am in Week 3 and doing pretty great, though.”
Christina gives credit for her successful recovery to a team of her friends and family. “I could not have done this without the support of those in the community. For instance, my daycare provider, Carrie Shipley, watched my children extra nights when I had to drive to and from Milwaukee for doctor appointments. My church, Victory Christian Center, brought me meals when I was recovering. My co-workers at Slaby, Deda, Marshall, Reinhard & Writz LLP threw me a potluck and sent me get well cards. My in-laws, Paul and Nina Writz, stayed at my house and watched my kids for me when I was having the surgery. My husband, Phil, took four days off work to stay with me during the surgery, drive me home, and care for me. My parents, Tim & Patti Schoenborn, took off work to take me to and from my post-operative appointment. Everyone has been so supportive, and I could not have done this without their help. We are all rallying around Shelbie and her healthy recovery!”
Joel & Kendra Goll tell their story one year after Joel’s Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Kendra Williams, raised in Phillips, and Joel Goll, raised in Arbor Vitae, were destined to meet one night at The Little Brown Jug in Minocqua. Having seen her once before, Joel already knew he was interested, and so their romance began.
Fast forward through all the fun times of dating and getting to know one another, and Joel & Kendra became united in marriage and then welcomed two children into their family, first Brielle and then Colton. Joel was working as a welder, Kendra was in the medical field, and they made their family home in Park Falls, Wisconsin. Their daily lives were as good and ordinary as everyone else’s, and their love was near perfection to them. Nothing could have prepared them for the fated turn their lives were about to take.
Saturday, July 18, 2015 was the beautiful summer day that would take that fateful turn. The sun glistened on the water as family members assembled at the lakeside home of Joel Goll’s parents for a reunion. The couple was undecided if they should stay longer, but Joel made the decision to kick back with his family. Having grown up with water sports, Joel was eager to teach his young cousin how to water ski. With most of the family members gathered on the long pier, their approving audience cheered them on. Although it was nearing time to eat, with his cousin safely on the dock, Joel wanted to show the crowd some of his water tricks. Obliging, his dad circled the boat around the bay, and as Joel came close to the pier, he attempted his water trick with all eyes on him.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck, and life would be forever changed in mere seconds’ time. Joel didn’t realize how close he was to the pier, and while attempting his trick, it is believed he struck the pier and his head struck the motor of a new boat that was docked, his head shattering the motor, and Joel lying face down in the wake.
In a clouded moment, some family members panicked; some acted with clarity of thought in the face of adversity. Kendra remembers holding Colton, who had been crying and fussing, and then things became a bit blurry as someone took Colton from her arms and she began to realize the nightmare before her. She remembers Joel’s sister jumping in the water, trying to flip him over, and when she could not do so on her own, Joel’s mother immediately jumped in to assist, discovering Joel had shallow breathing and was badly injured.
“I thought he was dead,” Kendra admits. “I was freaking out. When I ran up to him, he didn’t look like he had a face. There were blood clots coming from everywhere. I was screaming. Finally, someone grabbed me and told me he was not dead.”
Kendra immediately jumped in her car and waited for the police and ambulance at the end of the driveway, which was a wise decision given they were about to drive by had she not flagged them down. Not remembering her thoughts or feelings while she waited, Kendra does remember getting in the ambulance and feeling irritated. There was a new person on the ambulance call learning the ropes, but when the more experienced EMTs realized how bad Joel was, the new person had to take on more than he normally would have at that time. He had to do the driving as the fully-trained EMTs needed to give all their attention to Joel. The inexperienced ambulance driver hit a tree while Joel was in the ambulance and also was traveling at such a high rate of speed that the EMTs in the back were instructing him to slow down.
They worked on Joel for 45 minutes on the side of the road, and the police wanted to separate Kendra from the situation. Begging with a police officer to let her see her husband, she pleaded, “If you didn’t know if you were ever going to see your wife again, you’d want to say ‘good-bye.’” When the helicopter pilot overheard this, he told her to scream to Joel that she was there and she loved him. As Kendra waited for a family member to pick her up, she began throwing up and walking past parked cars, holding onto them for support as passengers, unaware of her situation, looked on with wonder.
Arriving at the hospital in the early evening, still in her swimsuit from her day at the lake, Kendra checked herself in at the front desk. Realizing who was her husband, the receptionist at the hospital in Wausau said, “Let me call the chaplain.” Not yet aware of the hospital’s policy to have a chaplain take the loved ones to the proper waiting area, Kendra thought “they were going to tell me he was gone.”
After an excruciatingly long wait for Kendra and the fifty plus family members and friends that filled the waiting room, in the darkest moment of Kendra’s life, there was a glimmer of light and hope. With his surgery complete, Kendra was able to see Joel around 1:30 in the morning. He had survived surgery and was still alive.
But that was just Day 1.
The next 365 days would force Joel and Kendra to face many challenges, more than enough negativity, and nearly succumb to utter despair, but they were each still able to find the strength to keep moving forward each day, knowing that setbacks were not necessarily permanent, and hoping for the best possible outcome.
The surgeon, Dr. Waller, who had come from a Tier 1 hospital where he did many successful surgeries for children, was straight forward with Kendra and with Joel’s mom, Mary. He told them he was never 100% certain that the surgery would be a success, but he was 100% certain that if he did not do the emergency surgery, Joel would have died.
“Dr. Waller is the most amazing man. He saved my husband and has helped me through some crazy emotions. Even up to this day, we keep in contact. That man was brought into my life for a reason, because he picked me up on my worst days,” Kendra shared. “He is the doctor who saved my life, basically,” Joel admitted, thankfully. “He has been there every step of the way. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think I’d be here. He did my initial surgery that saved my life.”
Aside from Dr. Waller, Kendra stated “I have a ton” of people who helped through the last year. Being asked to select a few, she spoke of her friend, Sarah Pisca, who was instrumental in organizing Joel’s benefit last September in Phillips, plus she is always there for Kendra when she needs a friend. “She’s my angel,” Kendra said. Pam Manning, who is a caregiver for someone with TBI, provided Kendra with a lot of information and support. “She’s awesome,” Kendra said. Dr. Davis, Joel’s rehab doctor in Milwaukee, really pushed Joel to reach his therapy goals, and they give her a lot of credit for Joel’s recovery. Realizing that so many people helped them in so many ways, both Kendra and Joel added that they wanted to thank all of their friends and their families plus their communities. “Even if they did not know Joel or know me, they helped out in every possible way,” Kendra said. “Without our families taking and caring for our kids and our communities’ support, I could not have been with him every day.”
Joel added, “Stasi and Craig Precour kept the kids for about two months in Milwaukee” while Joel was undergoing physical therapy and an intensive coma recovery program. Kendra remarked that it was helpful to have a safe place to turn to in an otherwise foreign to her large city. Their help and support made a very confusing time more comfortable.
Comfort for their children was of high importance to Kendra through the entire process. While she did bring Colton to see Joel very early on in his hospitalization, given Colton was just a baby and would not remember what he saw, plus she hoped hearing Colton might help Joel wake up, she was cautious with Brielle. “Joel went through an angry stage, thrashing around, and it was like wrestling an alligator [to calm him down].” She did not want Brielle to see that nor did she want her to see all the machines connected to Joel. However, by the end of August, Kendra felt it was time. Brielle questioned, ‘Does Daddy still have blood on his face?’ as she remembered the accident. Trying to shield their daughter from as much of reality as possible, Kendra asked the nurses to cover Joel’s body so that Brielle could just see his face, and it looked like he was sleeping. Even with those precautions, “Brielle was terrified,” Kendra admitted. Soon, though, she adapted to life at the hospital, and Brielle now thinks she is her daddy’s nurse.
Aside from worrying about their kids’ abilities to adapt, Kendra’s lowest moment was not knowing if Joel was going to wake up and remember her and the kids. However, a highlight came the first time Joel saw Colton after he woke up. “I could not get Colton out of that car seat fast enough for Joel.” Joel was happily exclaiming, ‘Here, bring him here!’ repeatedly. While Joel does not remember that moment, he does remember his children visiting him at the hospital. He also remembers that Brielle kept calling the “elevator” the “alligator,” which he thought was very cute.
Transferring between hospitals (in Wausau, Milwaukee, and Marshfield) having multiple surgeries and other procedures made it difficult for Joel to remember much of the experience, especially early on. Around September 7th he had an eye fistula surgery, which greatly helped his brain to heal, and he began remembering and talking much more from that point on.
“I was determined,” Joel shared. “Determined to do whatever it took to get back to where I was.” He also said he was stubborn. “When people expect you to give up, that makes me want to fight harder. You weren’t ready to go,” Kendra told him. “He has pushed and fought so hard for me and our kids, and he has come so far. I don't know how he's done it. He's the strongest person I have ever met.”
Along with those small family moments and his determination propelling him to get better, Joel credits his family as his driving force to recover. “My wife and kids were a lot to fight for. If Kendra would not have been there with the kids every day, I probably would not have fought this hard.”
Joel now realizes it is that family that is so important to him that has to drive his future choices. While Joel feels he will one day be ready to get back on the proverbial horse again and take to the water, he knows he needs to be more cautious and think of his family’s needs, too. “Since before I could walk, I could water ski,” Joel shared the reason for his desire. “I want to, but I don’t want to risk getting hurt again, so if I ever do it again it would probably be out in middle of lake and not close to a pier or anything, but it is important to teach my kids.” Looking at Kendra he added, “Though I’m not sure that will happen.” Kendra felt it would not be happening.
“I’m more aware, more cautious,” she admitted. “My anxiety level is higher even with letting my kids ride in a car with someone else.”
“Things can happen so quick,” Joel stated, “and I know I need to think more before just doing [something spur of the moment]. “Everything that was so easy doing before is hard now. I have learned to take nothing for granted.”
Kendra agreed with that outlook. “You just never think it’s going to happen to you.” On a positive note she said she does now believe in miracles and that has brought her through these tough times. There have been some bright moments.
Some of Joel and Kendra’s brightest moments have come from the people they have met along the way. “The TBI people are now like family,” Kendra said, sharing that if she would tell a friend of hers ‘I hate my life,’ they may think she was depressed and needed immediate help, but a TBI patient or caregiver understands the true meaning of the statement and the emotions they are all going through. She mentioned that living in a community of only TBI people could be a blessing in that regard, though they would not change the communities they are from and live in for anything, as they know the help and compassion of their communities has helped in Joel’s miraculous recovery.
While it may be difficult for Kendra and Joel to see the incredible progress they have made as much as an outsider looking in, Joel is a true miracle. Not only did he need multiple blood transfusions in the first few days, but he was in a Level 3 coma, which is the worst case scenario. Kendra and Joel were told that only 5% of people survive at that coma level. Though all his facial bones were crushed, only one small spot of his brain was bruised, which was a positive that Kendra quickly clung to until one nurse told her that she has seen people with many small bruised spots that have lived, but she has also seen people with one little spot who have died. She told Kendra not to get too carried away with hope.
But sometimes all a person has is hope, and it was likely Kendra’s self-proclaimed strong-willed personality that allowed her to use that spot of hope so she could continue on, fighting for herself, for Joel, and for their family.
“I had to be there every day,” Kendra stated. “I’m his advocate. TBI people cannot tell [the doctors and nurses] what they want. You need to be their voice.” Kendra had a strong voice given her training in the medical field, which she credits for getting her through and being able to demand things that needed to be done. Being both loving and strong-willed, Kendra was able to fight for Joel and his needs. There were quite a few times she had to stand firm in her beliefs with the medical staff. One of those times occurred when the hospital had just taken Joel off his blood pressure medication, and a nurse decided to take his blood pressure right after he walked back from physical therapy, which produced a high reading. The nurse thought he needed to go back on his blood pressure medication, but Kendra insisted they take his blood pressure in the morning or when he was at rest. Luckily Kendra was there to intervene in that moment, because, as it turns out, Joel’s at rest blood pressure was in the normal range, and he did not need those drugs, which could have caused him more problems had they been administered.
“I feel like sometimes Kendra feels like she is just my caregiver and not my wife,” Joel admitted given everything Kendra has done for him. “It shows me how much I really mean to her.” With those two things being said, Joel can see where the accident has pushed them apart a bit but also greatly brought them together.
“I definitely think it brought us closer,” Kendra added, looking lovingly at Joel. “Young couples often get divorced or leave [in the face of tragedy]. “What we had before is what I feel a lot of people don’t have and that is what is keeping me here. The love we have pulled me through; our love brought me to push through and make it through. I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else. This man is my soulmate.” With that being said, Kendra does have concerns. “I do wonder, ‘Will I ever get my old Joel back?’ I’m lucky to have him but our life is not the same; it is completely different.”
Joel continued, “My wife stuck by my side through this whole thing and helped me make some of the decisions.” He also admitted that the silver lining in this might be that there were “things I would do in the past, but it’s smart I don’t do it because I could hurt myself.” He also said he never liked going to doctors but will now go in for regular exams, because he realizes his health is important. And while he misses his welding job at OEM, a company they acknowledge has been so good to them, Joel tried to find the positive that his lungs will be cleaner if he no longer welds and has to take a different type of job long-term. “I’m out of the welding field,” Joel stated, but Kendra, showing pride in her husband’s abilities, quickly interjected, “He has welded, though, and he is just as good as he was.”
Currently Joel is working with the City of Phillips, and he gave credit to his father-in-law, Jeff Williams, for helping him get the type of work that his body can currently handle as he cannot stand on a concrete floor for eight to ten hours per day anymore. “Right now I work with the City and we do little bits, doing a job and then getting in the truck to go to the next job. Sitting down in-between helps. I’m thankful for Jeff taking the time to work with me.”
Making great strides in his recovery, Joel has been triumphing since February. “A year is nothing when it comes to brain injuries,” Kendra noted. “Seven years out TBI patients can still be improving.”
Joel stated that his balance is not that great yet. “Not being able to do what I want to do; not being able to drive” are his current low points. “I don’t like to be a burden on anyone so not being able to do anything I want [is difficult]. I have to ask for a ride.” Due to some facial paralysis, it is more difficult for Joel to talk, though his speech was well understood during his interview with My Price County. “It is difficult with my social life so I tend to use my phone a lot more, because I feel people cannot hear me.”
Joel also stated feeling somewhat self-conscious about the scars on his neck, stomach, and head, though he can cover them mostly with a hat and shirt.
Kendra admitted to being more paranoid for Joel. “People staring at him or saying things under their breath” rightfully bothers her. “I have anxiety and depression. I am taking on both roles and am physically drained.”
Joel does have outpatient therapy three days per week, and they are considering starting yoga, which is supposed to be good for brain injuries and stress relief. Kendra, who started selling Nerium before Joel’s accident, wanted him to try a brain supplement offered by the company known as EHT, which seems to be helping Joel better remember and not repeat things. Trying to rehabilitate their bodies, minds, and spirits, they will soon visit an Indian healer, as well.
Knowing that one’s spirit is essential to healing, Joel credits his sense of humor for helping him get through this experience, though he says his partial facial paralysis does not make it easy for people to always know when he is joking. One day the doctors were calling Colton the spitting image of Joel, so Joel joked, “He’s not mine!” It took a moment for the hospital staff to realize he was joking since his facial expression didn’t quite match the joke. Such jokes, though, were a welcome relief to his family and the hospital. “Joel’s back!” they cheered, appreciating his progress in getting his life back.
Although life may be different right now, the Golls know things will slowly get back to normal. Kendra said, “I think eventually I will have to get back into [full-time] work, but right now it is not an option, because I would be going to work to hire someone to take him places and watch our kids.” They are hopeful that Joel can once again have a career. “I’d love to get back to OEM,” Joe remarked, “but I’m not sure what the future holds.” They are also interested in perhaps having Joel speak at functions with other TBI patients and caregivers to give them hope and strength to fight on. Right now their focus is on getting Joel better and getting their life back. “We’ll keep trucking,” Kendra said with her best advice to others overcoming a traumatic event to “take one day at a time.” “Don’t give up,” Joel added.
“We definitely have amazing days and then we have awful, awful days. Life is crazy. It’s crazy how in the blink of an eye your world is turned upside down.” Kendra reminded, “Hold your loved ones and let them know you love them. Don't take your spouse for granted. Relationships are hard work, but if you truly love someone, make time for them and love often!”
To learn more about Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), review information at the Brain Injury Association of America at http://www.biausa.org. You may also be interested in following a couple that is tracking their journey with TBI at “16 Petals of Blue Light” on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/16-Petals-of-Blu...0919635872
Photo Credits: Family photo by Lynn Seidl; recovery photos by Kendra Goll
"I do what I do because I love animals, plants, and nature, and I care about our environment," said Ron Burger, a Catawba resident, who has been providing wildlife a refuge, sanctuary, and a place to grow at his residence, known as High & Tight Acre, a Monarch Wildlife Wayside Refuge. He chose "High & Tight acre" because it reflects his desire to keep things in the Marines' way.
Ron was born in Milwaukee in 1958 and spent his childhood in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. The thing he most enjoyed was spending time with his good friend, Ron Serbian. They would go fishing, boating, water skiing, and enjoyed going to parties with some of their other friends.
His love for the environment likely stemmed from attending Trees for Tomorrow camp, a two to three week fall session, in Eagle River when he was in 10th grade. The following summer he attended Statehouse Lake YCC Camp, which was a forestry camp in Manitowish Waters.
He graduated high school in 1977 and moved to Phillips for a few years working for the forestry department, plus working in the woods logging near Winter with the owner of what was then Shane's Harbor but is now Harbor View, where he also worked nights in the kitchen and did some waiting of tables and a little bartending. Ron was put out of work when the owner died about a year later, so about a year after that he moved to Galesburg, Michigan to work on a hunter jumper horse farm for four years. He then moved to Kentucky to further his career in horses working with and breeding thoroughbred race horses.
Ron said he has already lived his dream job, which was truck driving, which he started in Kentucky, hauling race horses, mares, foals, million dollar yearlings, and stallions. Later, he went into hauling freight across the 48 states and Canada. His good friend, Bill Crummel, an over-the-road (OTR) truck driver was the person who most influenced his choice of career, even though Ron knew he wanted to be a truck driver since he was about four years old. "That was something I always said I wanted to be, and when I met my friend and his family many moons ago, he was the one that influenced me the most. I said one day I'm going to be like him, and I did. I planned on being in a truck a lot longer than I was for 24 years, but life got in the way and I had to come off the road on September 25, 2015. I was a proud truck driver with a safe driving career and recorded millions of miles."
Ron also had his own landscaping business, Jack of all Trades.
Once Ron had to retire from driving truck, he moved back to Phillips on May 17, 2009 after living in Kentucky, Georgia, and Tennessee for over twenty years. He moved in with his brother for a number of months while he looked for a job and a place to rent. He found a job at a corporate farm and the property of his dreams on Hwy. 111. "I had this vision of what I wanted to do here and create, but there was a stipulation that came with the house," Ron said with a heavy heart. "It was for sale, but the moment I walked into it I had this strange feeling like I never had with another home I've lived in." The problem was that, like many, Ron did not have good enough credit at the time to buy the house he loved so much. For eight years he watched, with a lump in his throat, as potential buyers came through the home considering buying it. Meanwhile, he tended to the property as if it was his own. "I started adding plants and doing things here that were beneficial to Monarchs and other wildlife. This site provides milkweeds, nectar sources, and shelter needed to sustain Monarch butterflies as they make their spectacular migration through North America. I have a source of shelter, water, food, and places to raise young."
With all the work he was doing, he had a goal to one day buy the property and to make it a protected area for animals. He had a focus on helping to save the Monarch butterfly, which was declining in number. "I started planting and creating certain things to promote the traffic of wildlife knowing that there was a big decline in the Monarch population due to no food for them in this area because of the heavy usage of pesticides that have killed off most of their food supply, mostly being milkweed, but there are also lots of other plants they depend on. I saw it fitting to start planting milkweed and other types of plants here to attract them and to try and bring the Monarch back to Northern Wisconsin and surrounding areas of the Midwest to how it once was when I was growing up. It has taken 8 years to get it to this stage of this project because it takes awhile for the plants to grow and to really start producing and for the many species of birds and butterflies to find them . Every year in the last few years I've been noticing more and more Monarchs coming around, as well as other creatures that I never used to see much of around here, and in my book, that tells me something...that it's working and a success."
Ron said he always treated the property like it was his even though he was just renting it, and 24/7 in the back of his mind was that one day he would own it. Luckily for Ron, none of those potential buyers panned out except for one. That one, in Ron's eyes, was a miracle that happened the day before his 60th birthday, causing a huge weight to be lifted off his shoulders. "Someone did buy my house and took a chance on me and gave me the opportunity to buy it, and now everything that I have worked so hard on here will not have been in vain because of this one special person that came into my life and gave me a brighter outlook. No one has ever done for me what that person has done and for that I owe that person everything. I don't think that person will ever know how happy they have made me." Ron said that being able to buy his house has brought him the most happiness in life.
Along with building his Monarch Wildlife Wayside Refuge, his next goal is to get funded or be able to raise enough money to buy twenty plus acres of land close to where he lives as an extension of his project. He said it would be a much bigger place to be able to better meet the needs of all wildlife and endangered animals. "I am very passionate when it comes to any wildlife but in regard to endangered plants and animals, I am the same if not more so passionate, and I'd like that place to be an educational place for the community and other wildlife lovers and enthusiasts, getting more people involved."
Ron supports the Wolves Worldwide and Science of Wolves, along with the Endangered Species Act. He does volenteer work for the Northwoods Wildlife Center in Minocqua. "I am a drop-off point and location for injued or orphaned wildlife through Northwoods Wildlife Center and a drop-off point and rescue transport driver for injured and orphaned wildlife. I don't hunt. I shoot them with a camera, not a gun. I am 99% vegetarian. The only meat source I do eat is fish."
On March 31, 2017, the High & Tight Acre became certified as an official Monarch habitat through Monarch Watch and Waystation. On April 10, 2017, it became a Certified Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation. The property is also a pesticide-free zone through Pesticide Free Zone.
Ron describes himself as "old school." "One of my favorite and most used mottos is honor, respect, loyalty, and disipline. That's how I roll." He also said that if he could pick a time period to live in, he'd choose the 1800s. "I have always had a thing for the old western days and Native Americans. I love and respect them for what they stood for and their way of life."
The Endangered Species Coalition is having an event at High & Tight Acre, A Monarch Wildlife Wayside Refuge on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at N6282 Hwy.111 in Catawba. "I am honored and privledged that they have picked Monarch Wildlife Wayside Refuge to hold this event. Wisconsin's very own field representative for the Endangered Species Coalition, Melissa Smith, will speak on behalf of the coalition and discuss milkweed garden planting and answer any questions anyone may have." You can view the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MonarchWildlifeWaysideRefuge to find out more details about Ron's goals. To learn more about the ESA Day Event, visit the Facebook Event page at http://www.facebook.com/events/2078591405690405
Dan and Kathi Hlasny have been married for fourteen years. Dan was born and raised in Price County while Kathi is from West Allis, Wisconsin and moved to this area in 1976. Dan is an operations leader, and Kathi is a freelance photographer. They have a total of four children and seven grandchildren.
Even though Dan and Kathi did not meet until later in their lives, they had some similar childhood experiences. Each of them were unique in the fact that they grew up with red hair. They also both remember going fishing with their dads, which are special memories for each of them, and they both admitted they miss their late fathers dearly.
When asked what they wished they had known at 18, Dan and Kathi said they should have known to listen to their elders more, because the advice they gave would have made their road through life more simple. "We now know they were much smarter han we gave them credit for."
If they could give advice to the younger generation now, Dan and Kathi would want them to never give up on themselves. "Times can get tough and look hopeless but that changes down the road, and if you believe in what you are doing, you will succeed!"
As adults, Dan and Kathi are both passionate about the Constitution, especially the 2nd Amendment. They are Christians who do their best to follow God's direction for them.
Some of their favorite tangible things include Kathi's camera, their fishing boat, their RV for camping, their Bible, and their motorcycle.
The thing that brings this couple the most happiness is simply spending time together. "We really enjoy being with each other so anything where we can do it together is what makes us happy," they both agreed.
Something Dan & Kathi enjoy doing together every year is attending the Surgis motorcycle rally. As an added vacation, last year they also went tot he Northern California redwoods and stated it was "breathtaking, to say the least."
Dan and Kathi both believe in the Golden Rule of "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you" and find it important to "pay it forward." One way they pay it forward is by volunteering for many things over the years, including teaching snowmobile and ATV safety courses, helping with events at the VFW Post Canteen, and the annual Putt Run, of which Dan is a co-founder and Kathi is a coordinator.
The Putt Run, in its 18th year, is a scenic Northwoods motorcycle ride, which is the favorite hobby of the Hlasnys. "We love to ride our motorcycle the most because it is great to get together with friends and offers the freedom to clear out minds of all the complications life throws at us these days," Dan shared.
As for some history of the event, Kathi explained, "This annual event started 18 years ago when JP and Dan got together with fellow bikers for a 'just for fun' motorcycle run called 'Off Your Butt and On Your Putt.' The name was naturally shortened to what is now known as the 'Putt Run' by riders as they shared the news of this ride with other bikers. One year later, by adding some prize drawings and a charity cause, it gave an avenue to directly give back to the community as well as giving purpose to this annual ride."
Dan and Kathi said they feel bikers are some of the most caring and generous people who are always willing to help. Dan said he waits for the day when people learn the true value of bikers, "most of who have a heart of gold and are willing to help out or carry on traditions that will enrich the future for deserving people in need." As bikers themselves, Dan and Kathi said their goal is to "help veterans that have given so much to this country. The very least we can do is help them with their vision to get their veterans' community building updated and in safe working order. The senior aged veterans at this VFW Post need some help to accomplish this task."
The Putt Run is Saturday, June 2, 2018, starting at 9:30 a.m. with departure time of 11:30 a.m. from the VFW Hall in Phillips. Whether you have a bike or not, you are welcome to attend this event.
