Have You Been Told You Need Gum Surgery? ...ﬁ Nally, There’S Good News.There Is a Laser Way to Treat Gum Disease Without Cutting Or Stitches

Have you been told you need gum surgery? ...ﬁ nally, there’s good news.There is a laser way to treat gum disease without cutting or stitches.

We can treat your gum disease and you can quickly return to your normal activity. There’s no incision (scalpel) and no stitches (suture). You heal naturally and with full retention of your gums. The FDA approved Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure or LANAP for short, is a breakthrough alternative for the treatment of periodontal disease.

Please visit our website for more information or call us to reserve your evaluation.

Dr. Jon Feist 608.788.3384 THE CARE 1.877.788.3385 831 Critter Court • Onalaska, WI 54650 YOU DESERVE! www.feistdental.com Have you been told you need gum surgery? When You Love to Shop, ...ﬁ nally, there’s good news.There is a laser way to treat gum disease without cutting or stitches. Shop the Best! Enjoy the latest styles, a great selection of stores, the freshest We can treat your gum disease and you can quickly return to your normal activity. There’s accessories and the convenience of the Valley View Mall Gift Card. no incision (scalpel) and no stitches (suture). You heal naturally and with full retention of your gums. The FDA approved Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure or LANAP for short, is Barnes & Noble & 80 stores you’ll love! a breakthrough alternative for the treatment of periodontal disease. Hollister Co. • American Eagle Outfitters • Talbots Chirstopher & Banks • GAP • Aéropostale Please visit our website for more information or call us to reserve your evaluation. Become a Valley View Mall fan on Dr. Jon Feist 608.788.3384 THE CARE 1.877.788.3385

831 Critter Court • Onalaska, WI 54650 YOU DESERVE! 3800 State Road 16 • La Crosse, WI 54601 608.781.4700 • www.myvalleyview.com A Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust Property www.feistdental.com Breast cancer survivor Heather Mattison and her sons, Charlie and Sam. First in the nation breast care When women like Heather hear the words “breast cancer,” one of their first thoughts is, “I need to beat this for me and my family.”

At Gundersen Lutheran, we understand. That’s why we work hard to provide exceptional medical care in a compassionate environment. We want to give women the absolute best chance.

This passion to give women the best, drives us to be the best. Gundersen Lutheran recently became the first in the nation to receive the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers’ Join us for highest level of distinction. It’s the latest in a long line of honors, which has made Steppin’ Out in Pink Gundersen Lutheran a model for the nation for breast cancer treatment and outcomes. September 12, 2009 Walk for local breast What does that mean for women? Exceptional care, better outcomes and more time cancer research with their family. Register online at gundluth.org/steppinout

Breast Designation Ad-SOIP-CRW.indd 1 6/16/09 9:29:00 AM CONTENTS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009

19 24 36 PROFILE CAREERS times are a-changin’ 28 Thanks for the Memories 11 Oh, how women’s lives have changed, and the Linda O’Connell captures time for her clients—on DVD. “Boomer Broads” are here to tell the stories. by Kim Seidel by Martha Keeffe HEALTHY LIVING TIMELINE 31 Saying “Yes” When You Really We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby! mEan “No, Thank You” 15 Meet women who changed the Coulee Region. Avoid overcommitment and find more personal by Heidi Overson enjoyment, time and health. by Michelle Byom PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL Breast cancer survivor Heather Mattison FOOD and her sons, Charlie and Sam. 19 Racing Time Emily Sue Steck leaves her competitors in the dust. Seasonal Sensations by Lindsay Bonnar 32 A cornucopia of produce in its prime awaits you at grocery stores and farmers’ markets. First in the nation breast care NONPROFIT by Maura Henn TRIED AND TRUE When women like Heather hear the words “breast cancer,” one of their first thoughts is, “I need to beat this 21 Two area nonprofit groups demonstrate what it RETAIL THERAPY for me and my family.” takes to stand the test of time. Quick Change by Nicole Baumgartner 36 Take your wardrobe from work to play in no time. At Gundersen Lutheran, we understand. That’s why we work hard to provide exceptional medical care in a by Melissa Hanson compassionate environment. We want to give women the absolute best chance. HOME 24 The Castle on Cass TRAVEL This passion to give women the best, drives us to be the best. Gundersen Lutheran recently The historic Holway mansion has long been one of 41 A 50th birthday quest became the first in the nation to receive the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers’ Join us for La Crosse’s grandest residences. One woman’s itinerary comprises 50 trips for 50 years. by Melissa Hanson highest level of distinction. It’s the latest in a long line of honors, which has made Steppin’ Out in Pink by Susan C. Schuyler Gundersen Lutheran a model for the nation for breast cancer treatment and outcomes. September 12, 2009 DESIGNING WOMEN HUMOR Walk for local breast 27 Time for a Change The Changes in Me What does that mean for women? Exceptional care, better outcomes and more time cancer research Area women transform homes in a midlife career change. 44 When it comes to our bodies, time is rarely kind. with their family. Register online at by Heidi Griminger Blanke by Martha Wegner gundluth.org/steppinout

ON THE COVER: IN EVERY ISSUE: Pictured are Lynn Wing, Terry Visger and Sara Slayton FROM THE EDITOR 7 | IN THE KNOW 9 | ACCOMPLISHMENTS 29 Photo taken by Bruce Defries Studio Group ADVERTISER INDEX 46 | COMMUNITY CALENDAR 46 Hair and makeup by Ultimate Salon

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 5

Breast Designation Ad-SOIP-CRW.indd 1 6/16/09 9:29:00 AM C OV E R AG E YO U C A N C O U N T O N N E W S C H A N N E L 8

Start your day with the latest news and weather forecast

Get breaking news, weather alerts, school closings, and more - anytime, anywhere with NEWSCHANNEL 8 TO GO. Sign up today at WKBT.COM FROM THE EDITOR

Issue 45, Volume 8, Number 3 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009

publishers Diane Raaum, Doug Solinger

editor Betty Christiansen

designer

Renee Chrz, Innovative Graphics, LLC contributed photo

Marketing Account Representatives The editor, age 2, at her home in Luck, Wis. As a child who cherished her Cricket magazines, Carol Schank she would have been delighted to know she’d be an editor when she grew up. Melissa Hanson Claire Ristow-Seib ime is a fickle thing. For a form of standard measurement, web master composed of precise units, it has an uncanny tendency to expand Mader Web Design LLC and contract at will. Depending on the circumstances, it races, photography crawls, slips or creeps. It’s easy to lose track of time, and very Bruce Defries Studio Group difficultT to make it up. It can fly when you’re not paying attention, but it Janet Mootz Photography can also drag mercilessly. Most often, we try to save, beat and turn back the Tiffany Brubaker Photography hands of time, yet we occasionally have too much of it on our hands. They distribution say time heals all wounds—yet it can also be cruel. Citywide Marketing Services, L.L.C. Living as I do from deadline to deadline, I often feel I’m a slave of time.

Coulee Region Women is published six times per Every day, I chase the hours as I rouse children, drive to day care and hurry year by Coulee Region Communications, L.L.C. home to fire up my computer on a relentless march toward another due 816 2nd Avenue S., Suite 600, Onalaska, WI 54650. date. But once in a while, time offers me a gift: It simply stands still. Subscriptions available for $17.95 per year (six issues). On a bright morning that I don’t have to run, my small son stands at Send check to the address above. our coffee table, absorbed in a puzzle and illumined in a pool of sunlight All unsolicited manuscripts must be accompanied that transforms household dust into a shower of gold. My baby daughter, by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. just fed, snoozes on my shoulder. She can hear my heart beat, and I can feel Coulee Region Women assumes no responsibility her breathe. Together, we are suspended in a golden minute that stretches for unsolicited materials. luxuriously despite the slow tick of a nearby clock. It’s a perfect moment of ©2009 Coulee Region Communications, L.L.C. peace—just one—but its effect lingers for days. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. This issue is all about time, and in it you’ll meet women whorace time, look back at time, change their lives at unlikely times and help Coulee Region Women magazine does not necessarily endorse the claims or contents of advertising or editorial materials. organizations stand the test of time. These women were ahead of their Printed at Midwest Litho, Rochester, MN. time, have been changed by the times, capture time and preserve time. Printed in the U.S.A. In addition, you’ll learn how to enjoy food in its time, save yourself some For advertising information time and see how to take your wardrobe from work to play in no time. call 608-783-5395 Whatever your relationship to time, we invite you to spend some with us, even if just for a golden moment that offers joy, provokes thought or www.crwmagazine.com lends inspiration. [email protected]

We want to hear from you! Send comments, suggestions, ideas or original recipes to: Coulee Region Women Coulee Region Women is now on ! Be sure to sign up Editor, 816 2nd Ave. S., Suite 600, Onalaska, WI 54650. as a fan at www.crwmagazine.com to share your thoughts on our stories and E-mail: [email protected] learn more about upcoming events.

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 7 we the women

We invite you to help us give birth to an online women’s community like no other.

womego.com

The publishers of Coulee Region Women invite you to experience a new online community around the news and information women care about.

Log on and help us create something beautiful. IN THE KNOW

Sand on the Riverfront Goes Hollywood “At the Movies” is the theme this year for the sand sculpting competition at CenturyTel’s Sand on the Riverfront, held Aug. 14 and 15 in Riverside Park. Eleven corporate teams will be carving figures from favorite movies into 13-ton piles of sand. In cooperation with Jazzfest, Al Townsend’s Wonderful World Jazz Band will kick off the entertainment Friday night. Other entertainment will include improv artists from The Heart of La Crosse, a showing of the movie Radio and a Garage Band Bash. Sand on the Riverfront is organized by Riverfront, a nonprofit that provides support and services to adults with disabilities. The event raises funds for needed services and creates public awareness of the richness and diversity individuals with disabilities bring to their community. For a complete schedule, go to www.riverfrontinc.org. For more information or to volunteer, contact Julie Nelson at 608-784-9450 or [email protected].

Steppin’ Out for Local Breast Cancer Research Breast cancer research is helping to save lives, and you can help by participating in the 4th annual Steppin’ Out in Pink fund-raising walk at the Gundersen Lutheran Norma J. Vinger Center for Breast Care, held Saturday, Sept. 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Gundersen Lutheran La Crosse campus. After the walk, enjoy music, entertainment and kids’ activities, as well as shopping for home décor, crafts, jewelry, gifts and more “Under the Pink Top.” Go to www.gundluth.org/steppinout to get registered and develop your own individual or team page. Registration before Aug. 31 is $15, $5 for ages 5-12, and free for ages 0-4. Event-day registration is $25. Last year, more than 3,700 walkers stepped out, and in just three years, more than $700,000 has been raised for local breast cancer research. For more information, visit the Web site above or call 608-775-6601.

Area Storytellers Spin Yarns at Annual Festival Mark your calendars for an entertaining weekend at the seventh annual La Crosse Storytelling Festival Sept. 11 and 12, featuring two days of stories, music and fun under tents at Myrick Park in La Crosse. This year’s featured guests are Kevin Kling, Debra Morningstar and Hans Mayer. Don’t miss “Tales of the Creepy and Scary” on Friday night, storytelling workshops and stages on Saturday, and “Cabaret Night” for adults only on Saturday evening, featuring headliner Kevin Kling. Ticket prices range from $4 to $10 for individuals and $25 for a family weekend pass. For more information, call 608-797-2807 or go to www.lacrossestoryfest.com. BPW Hosts State Conference The La Crosse Noon Business & Professional Women (BPW) will host the Wisconsin BPW fall conference on Saturday, Sept. 12. The event will open with a networking reception on Friday evening at The Waterfront, Riverside Center south building, 332 Front St. S., La Crosse. The conference will include participation in Steppin’ Out in Pink, a business meeting, a luncheon featuring speaker and breast cancer “previvor” Peggy Herlitzka, and afternoon workshops on generational differences (led by Barb Larsen) and preventing health disasters (led by Jill Fleming). For more information, contact Dawn Harris at [email protected] or call 608-782-4133.

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 9 Grow your lashes longer, thicker & darker! Recommended by Brooke Shields Featured in “O” Magazine & major TV networks

Latisse™ is the first and only prescription treatment approved by the FDA for inadequate or not having enough eyelashes. It helps them grow longer, thicker and darker.

◗ Apply Latisse™ once a day to the base of your upper eyelashes ◗ Results can be seen at 8 weeks, with full results at 12 to 16 weeks ◗ It doesn’t replace mascara, although you Above: Brooke Shields. For more Before & After photos, visit foreveryoungsc.com. may not need to wear mascara after you achieve fuller, longer, darker lashes by using Latisse™

Call 787.6855 today for a free consultation!

10 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com PROFILE

Left to right: Visger, Slayton and Wing recall the icons of their youth—from Slayton’s uncle, astronaut Deke Slayton, to Dick and Jane. TIMES ARE A-CHANGIN’ Oh, how women’s lives have changed, and the “Boomer Broads” are here to tell the stories. by Martha Keeffe PHOTO BY BRUCE DEFRIES STUDIO GROUP

ew women I know today would consider ironed clothes opened at the Pump House in March 2009 and, due to popular a necessity. Fewer still would see the point in pressing demand, returned for an encore performance in June. the pillowcases, preparing a square meal every night or Their stories recall an era when Mom stayed at home, Dad went keeping the house as neat as a pin—or have the time to do to work and children were kept as presentable as possible. It was F so. And even fewer would embrace the notion of having during this time, when the homogeneity that shaped culture in the to ask their husbands for a little extra cash to spend on themselves. 1950s was met head on by the rapid progression of the 1960s, that For the women who kept the home during the 1950s, and the they experienced an abrupt shift in the roles of women both at daughters who grew up watching them, what may seem extreme home and in the workplace. Within the span of just 15 years, “we to us now was commonplace—routines that kept order, but habits went from bobby socks and poodle skirts to braless and free love,” that were soon to become stories of the past. Slayton says. Inspired by their shared histories, local storytellers Sara Slayton, Lynn Wing and Terry Visger wrote and performed “Three Boomer A woman’s place Broads: Remembering While We Still Can,” a compilation of stories All three women had mothers who were homemakers. They reminiscent of their experiences growing up during the 1950s and kept the house, made the meals and cared for the children. They 1960s. As members of the Bluff Country Tale Spinners guild, these deferred to the men when it came to major decisions and dished women, while looking for a way to encourage each other in their up the biggest servings to Dad at mealtime. If money got tight, it craft, together created an oral history suitable for the stage. They was Mom who sacrificed, saving up from the house funds to get

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 11 CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

From left: Storytellers Lynn Wing (center), Terry Visger and Sara Slayton share tales of innocence and experience in “Three Boomer Broads,” an autobiographical retrospective of the 1950s and 1960s. things she wanted. And if you were a man asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, Harriet and cleared the track for All in the whose wife worked outside the home, you I knew my options were limited to teacher, Family. “They felt they shouldn’t rebel, but were considered a poor provider. Life, the nurse or homemaker. I really wanted to live weren’t certain about how much they needed “broads” say, was very predictable. on a ranch, but in an effort to conform, I to accept.” “I used to cry,” remembers Wing. “The said I wanted to be a rancher’s wife.” This confusion extended into the boys always got to do the fun things, and we And if you did pursue higher education, workplace, where women, while steadily were expected to be the cheerleaders. Girls explains Visger, it wasn’t considered a career gaining more professional opportunities, had to behave a certain way.” as much as a safeguard against economic weren’t necessarily considered equals. In “I remember having to wear the frilly hardship. “My mom said that I had to go stereotypical fashion, Wing, who worked as skirts,” laughs Visger. “When I sat down, I to college so that if something happened a producer in the creative end of advertising, had to make sure it fanned out behind me.” to my husband, I’d have something to fall was often assumed to be a secretary or an “And what about those nasty home back on.” assistant. And, Slayton, who graduated perms?” Slayton says with a grimace. with a degree in education, remembers “My mom and all the cousins would get The shoulders of strong women that in her job teaching young grades, she together at my grandmother’s and do Yet ironically, “our mothers were good was often looked at as merely a glorified perms. The curling solution burned our role models for independence,” adds Visger. babysitter. Likewise, Visger, who taught heads, and all we got were a few waves “As homemakers, they had to be strong at a country school, chuckled at the fact that fell out in two weeks.” both physically and mentally.” They were that the principal was treated like a father not fainting violets, but rather women figure. “You did exactly what he said,” she Change comes slowly responsible for literally everything pertaining recalls. “And during the early 1970s, all the By the late 1950s and early 1960s, to the home, including finances, the overall principals in the La Crosse area were men.” clothing and hairstyle trends began to conduct of the family and, at times, even Today, women have earned greater relax, but the traditions that defined gender lawn mowing. “They had to show people respect in the workplace and more equity roles held firm. Though more and more they were strong, that they were capable of in the home. Women have opportunities women were entering the workforce in being in charge.” available to them like never before and enjoy nontraditional roles, the options presented These mothers were dependable and the confidence to pursue them. Bed linens to young women continued to be limited. grounded, which allowed their daughters, don’t need to be ironed, silver can wait to Ask a boy what he could imagine himself who were on the cusp of highly charged be polished and girls can play like the boys. doing after graduation, and he could rattle societal changes, to challenge the conventions “We’re standing on the shoulders of a lot of off a hundred things, from becoming an of their upbringing. strong women,” says Slayton in reference attorney to owning a business or running a “You had to admire them,” comments to the changes she’s seen. And those are the farm. Boys set their sights high, dreaming Slayton. “They had no way to understand stories worth sharing. D about orbiting the earth, producing TV my wanting to live with my boyfriend, let shows or playing professional baseball. Girls, alone the pill or people having more than on the other hand, were not encouraged one partner.” to explore beyond the expectations of a “You could sense their confusion,” Martha Keeffe lives in La Crosse with her traditional society and were expected to Wing says. Exciting changes in technology, husband, Kevin, and her daughter, Barrette. naively let that system guide them. medicine, international politics and race Though she works to maintain some order in “My mom and dad encouraged me to relations as well as a loosening in attitudes her home, made beds, ironed clothes and dust- go on to college,” says Wing. “But if I was toward sex and drugs derailed Ozzie and free surfaces take backseat to having fun.

12 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com Solutions for Individuals, Families & Communities

For Marriages & Couples: Walk Away Wife Syndrome

In the early years of marriage, women are the relationship caretakers. They carefully monitor their relationships to make sure there is enough closeness and connection. If not, women will do what they can to try to fix things. If their husbands aren’t responsive, women become extremely unhappy and start complaining about everything under the sun…things that need to get done around the house, responsibilities pertaining to the children, how free time is spent, and so on. Unfortunately, when women complain, men generally retreat and the marriage deteriorates even more. After years of trying to successfully improve things, a woman eventually surrenders and convinces herself that change isn’t possible. She ends up believing there’s absolutely nothing she can do because everything she’s tried has not worked. That’s when she begins to carefully map out the logistics of what she considers to be the inevitable - getting a divorce. While she is planning her escape, she no longer tries to improve her relationship or modify her partner’s behavior in any way. She resigns herself to living in silent desperation until “D Day.” Unfortunately, her husband views his wife’s silence as an indication that “everything is fine.” After all, the “nagging” has ceased. That’s why, when she finally breaks the news of the impending divorce, her shell-shocked partner replies, “I had no idea you were unhappy.” Then, even when her husband undergoes real and lasting changes, it’s often too late. The same impenetrable wall that for years shielded her from pain now prevents her from truly recognizing his genuine willingness to change. The relationship is now in the danger zone. If you are a woman who fits this description, please don’t give up. I have seen so many men make amazing changes once they truly understand how unhappy their wives have been. Sometimes men are slow to catch on, but when they do, their determination to turn things around can be astounding. I have seen many couples strengthen their marriage successfully even though it seemed an impossible feat. Give your husband another chance. Let him prove to you that things can be different. Keep your family together. Divorce is not a simple answer. It causes unimaginable pain and suffering. It takes an enormous amount of energy to face each day. Why not take this energy and learn some new skills and make your marriage what you’ve wanted it to be for so long? If you’re a man reading this and your wife has been complaining or nagging, thank her. It means she still cares about you and your marriage. She’s working hard to make your love stronger. Spend time with her. Talk to her. Compliment her. Pay attention. Take her seriously. Show her that she is the most important thing in the world to you. Perhaps your wife is no longer open to your advances because she’s a soon to be walk-away wife. If so, don’t crowd her. Don’t push. Be patient. If you demonstrate you can change and she still has eyes…and a heart, you might just convince her to give your marriage another try. For additional support, give us a call right away at 608.785.7000 x21 for an appointment with a Licensed Professional Counselor or Marriage & Family Therapist.

©2003 Michele Weiner Davis Training Corp. Reprinted with permission of Michele Weiner-Davis. Subscribe to the FREE “Divorce Busting” newsletter at www.divorcebusting.com, the website for people who want a more loving relationship. Also visit www.effectivebehavior.com and Subscribe to the FREE “Marriage Advice” newsletter from the Coulee Region’s premiere marriage experts - Stein Counseling.

571 Braund Street, Onalaska 608.785.7000 ext. 21 • www.effectivebehavior.com

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 13 LA CROSSE AREA BUILDERS ASSOCIATION 2009 paradeof

Presenting the 2009 AWARD People’s Choice Award WINNER Winner! Attendees of this People's Choice Award year’s event voted for the People’s Choice Award by filling out their ticket and turning it in after the tour.

Brentwood W7744 Van Dunk Place

www.lifetimedesignhomes.com

Lifetime Design Homes Ed Haupt • (608) 526-6928

14 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com TIMELINE We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby! Meet women who changed the Coulee Region. by Heidi Overson CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

a Crosse and the surrounding communities are full of amazing tales— and amazing women. In this timeline, Coulee Region Women celebrates 150-plus years of women and the impact they have had on the Coulee L Region. Thanks to the accomplishments of these remarkable women, Each generation paves the way for the next. Below, our lives are richer today. We invite you to further research some of the following Coulee Region Women publisher Diane Raaum and her family women and, as you look over the timeline, insert names and dates for you and celebrate their own history and possibility among the four generations of women in their family. Clockwise from left: your mothers, grandmothers and children, and the positive impacts you have Bev Forde, Tarah McBride, Raaum and baby Julia McBride. made in the world, as well. We welcome you to share your history with us on our Coulee Region Women Facebook page.

Turn the page for a timeline of trailblazing women in the Coulee Region ...

www.crwmagazine.comwww.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBERAUGUST/SEPTEMBER 20092009 1515 1917 Eleanor S. McConnelL founded the La Crosse Girl Scout chapter, just five years after Juliette Low started the first U.S. Girl Scout organization.

1917 1855 Maud Neprud Otjen Mary E. Parker Finney of Coon Valley was elected to the office of county superintendent of schools Lottridge opened a medical office for Vernon County, the first woman in La Crosse. She was the first woman with elected to an office in Vernon County, a medical degree and license to practice in and before the passing of the Suffrage the county, and she worked for 45 years. She 1883 Amendment. endearingly called the children she delivered Five members of the Franciscan “her babies.” Sisters of Perpetual Adoration started serving as nurses at the newly opened St. Francis Hospital. They were the first nurses in 1925 western Wisconsin. Anna Bennett, or “Ma Bennett,” 1898 as she was known, became Emily M. Tiffany the proprietor of La Crosse’s played a significant European Hotel, a brothel on role in creating the 216 N. 2nd St. The madame La Crosse County with a Scandinavian accent ran Library System, which a “classy” operation, ensuring was first composed “her girls” were healthy and well of books in traveling dressed. She retired in 1946 after 1878 libraries. surviving at least 20 police raids. Therese Doerflinger started the first kindergarten in La Crosse. It opened in the old Germania Hall and could hold 30 children from 4 to 7 years old for $2.00 a month per child.

1800s 1900s

1920 Women in the Coulee Region and in the nation were granted the right to vote.

1920 JUNE KJOME, one of La Crosses's most celebrated women, was born in Decorah, 1935 Iowa. Kjome has been Olga Bennett instrumental in bettering the of Viroqua was admitted to 1856 lives of those who are victims law practice and became the Lucy Stone (Blackwell) 1890 of oppression. first woman to practice law , La Crosse’s G. Heileman Brewing the proclaimed “Morning Star of the Women’s in La Crosse, Vernon and Company was incorporated, making Rights Movement,” delivered the first women’s Monroe counties. rights address and antislavery speech ever given Johanna Heileman, by a woman in the United States in Viroqua, wife of the deceased founder, Gottlieb, Wis. While delivering her speech, her platform one of the first women presidents of a collapsed, sending her to the ground. Getting up corporation in Wisconsin—and the and not missing a beat, she cried, “So will this nation. She served as president until nation fall unless slavery is abolished!” her death in 1917, three years before Prohibition.

Heidi Overson is a writer from rural Coon Valley who thanks the La Crosse County Libraries’ Reference Librarians, the La Crosse Library’s Archives Department and Westby’s and Viroqua’s Historical Societies for their help with and photos for this timeline. Overson highly recommends reading the book For the Common Good by Margaret Larson, a chronicle of women’s accomplishments in the Coulee Region.

16 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com 1978 New Horizons of La Crosse was first established as a YWCA program. Instrumental founders were Sue Mercier, Mary 2002 Anderson, Rita Jenks, The first issue of Coulee Region Women hit Margaret Treu and the newsstands. Publishers Doug Solinger and Jorrie Hansen and Maureen Kinney. editor Kimberly Keebler Dresner were ecstatic about the public’s response. The current publishers, Solinger and Diane Raaum, and editor Betty Christiansen are pleased to bring you the 45th issue, which you are holding in your hands!

1937 1992 Hazel Brown a P R I L Leicht of West Salem U lrin g was elected La Crosse County Larson of Superintendent of Schools. La Crosse became Leicht retired in 1962 after the first woman implementing the state mandate bishop elected to consolidate all the county’s to the La Crosse rural schools into districts with Synod of the Evangelical central area high schools. Lutheran Church of America. She was the first woman in the nation and 2006 the second in the world to The La Crosse Area YWCA chose serve in that post of the Maomoua Vue as one of 1966 Lutheran church. their Outstanding Women of the Year Maddeline Schuldes and Florence award recipients. Vue came to La Crosse Campbell, licensed nurses, launched the practical from Laos, and is a registered dietician nursing program at Coleman Technical Institute with the La Crosse County Health (now Western Technical College), the first of its kind in Department. La Crosse County.

2000s CRW

1995 R a m on a Gonzales, a La Crosse lawyer and County Court Commissioner, was 1961 elected as the first M a rlene female judge for the La Crosse County Schultz, Circuit Court. 18, became the first 2002 Habitat for Humanity in the La Crosse Miss Oktoberfest. area and in Vernon County saw their first female executive director, Cori Skolaski, step up to the plate. Skolaski, her staff and hundreds of volunteers have turned many people’s dreams 2009 1942 into realities. Kristina Smaby Alice Gordon of La Crosse made from Holmen won the Miss the first considerable contribution to what is Wisconsin title and will go on now the La Crosse Community Foundation. to the Miss America pageant The foundation, now under the leadership of in January 2010. Smaby’s Sheila Garrity (below), has platform is about bridging since awarded millions of dollars in grants the gap between the elderly and scholarships. and youths. Smaby hopes to run intergenerational day care facilities, where senior citizens and children are cared for and 1995 can interact. Amy Mills became the first female La Crosse Symphony Orchestra conductor. Mills was chosen out of 100 applicants and added zest and joy to the orchestra 2004 and community for 14 years. Elaine Lund of Westby received one of the 2004 Historic Preservation Awards for her work on reviving the Country Coon Prairie Lutheran Church in Westby, Wis.

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 17 18 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL

Racing Time Emily Sue Steck leaves her competitors in the dust. by Lindsay Bonnar CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS hrill seeking is Steck is in her first year as one something many of only 12 people in the nation people try at some who is sponsored by NASCAR point in their lives. Drive for Diversity. The program SomeT might take a ride on the is specifically focused on helping world’s tallest roller coaster, women and other minority while others go for skydiving or drivers advance in racing. Steck bungee jumping. Once a week had to apply for the sponsorship, from April through September, and out of approximately 200 23-year-old Emily Sue Steck finds applicants, the top 25 were her exhilaration on the La Crosse selected. She then traveled to Fairgrounds Speedway. South Boston, Va., in October “The adrenaline rush is so 2008, where she was judged on cool,” Steck says. “You are going her driving and interviewing 115 miles per hour, two inches skills, and was then selected. away from somebody.” Although many drivers own Steck, of Holmen, Wis., says their cars, Steck drives a car owned that she was always a bit of a by Tim Jacobs of Dutch Mill daredevil as a child, spending time Trucking in Sparta, Wis. Jacobs on snowmobiles and watching the also owns two other cars, which races at the La Crosse Fairgrounds are driven by Kevin Nuttleman Speedway with her family. Eight and Dave Carlson. Together with years ago, Steck’s dad bought her Steck, they make up a team, and all a 1989 Mustang—her first car— three race in the same division and and she has been racing at the practice together a lot. Speedway ever since. “We follow each other around Steck has driven in all four of the track and pick up pointers,” the available race divisions. She Steck says. spent her first year racing her They also have “shop days,” Mustang in the Hornets Division, during which they work on their where any four-cylinder car can cars in the team shop at Dutch Mill be raced. She then moved through Trucking. Steck learned how to do Thunderstox (1970s cars), driving basic maintenance on her car, such a 1976 Cheville, and Sportsmen as changing the oil, from her dad, (1980s cars), in a 1988 Monte but the car’s upkeep (maintaining Carlo. She spent two years in the tires, springs, shocks and other each division and is now in her third year Emily Sue Steck is one of the few women race car things that influence how a race car handles) of driving a 2007 Monte Carlo in the Late drivers at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway and a can be overwhelming. So having the support Models Division. NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver. of a team is a huge perk. “[Jacobs] spoils us,” Steck says. “He supplies a lot!” Driving for diversity Steck finds that being one of very few husband is in the pits with her every week. Nerve-racking, but worth it female drivers at the Speedway, and the Her fans also motivate her. The moments in the pit before a race are only female in her division, gets her some “It makes it seem worth it when kids very restless ones for Steck. She says that she attention—both good and bad. She has come and ask for my autograph,” Steck says. tries to visualize the race, imagining how she a lot of family support. Her parents and “It is the best feeling when little girls say they wants it to go. But “it is so hard to plan,” grandparents come to every race, and her want to drive.” she says. “I am a nervous wreck. I can’t eat. I

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 19 don’t talk. I sing to myself, which my husband and crew make fun of.” While racing, Steck is strapped in with a five-point harness over her shoulders (between her legs and on either side) and settled snugly into a metal seat that is fitted to her body. She is also protected with a helmet, a Hans Device (which goes under her seatbelt and hooks to the helmet to keep her head in place) and a roll cage on the car. Despite all the protection, Steck is not immune to the dangers on the racetrack. She has been in a handful of wrecks, once going airborne in the car and landing on top of a retaining wall. A couple of mishaps have sent her to the emergency room—once with a concussion after being knocked unconscious and then with a broken thumb. Steck poses by her car, a 2007 Monte Carlo. The injuries never stop Steck, however. With her hand still in a cast on Saturday, June 13, she had her biggest night ever at motivation. Nights like [that night] make Lindsay Bonnar lives in La Crosse and finds the Speedway, capturing her first feature win everything worth it.” her thrills in life hiking with her dogs and fly after leading all 25 laps of the race. Steck will graduate from Winona fishing all around the area. “There are hard days,” Steck says. “A lot State in December 2009 with a degree in of it comes from being a girl, but I take it as physical education. D

Save the Date October 25, 2009 • La Crosse Center www.theweddingmagazine.net 608.783.5395

20 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com NONPROFIT

TRIED AND TRUE Two area nonprofit groups demonstrate what it takes to stand the test of time. by Nicole Baumgartner contributed photoS

At Chileda, a student enjoys looking at books during free time. Chileda serves children with developmental disabilities and attachment disorders.

onprofit organizations meant to serve the public for. That’s the beauty of Chileda—we buckled down and started come and go, but few local nonprofits stand out as learning more [about autism].” In addition to treating children and apparently as Chileda and the Franciscan Sisters of young adults with autism, Chileda also works with those with other Perpetual Adoration (FSPA). These two organizations developmental disabilities, such as Down syndrome, and those with haveN managed to stand the test of time in their own unique ways and low cognitive functioning. for different reasons. But what they share in common is a dedicated Thirty-six years after its founding, Chileda is thriving and group of women behind the scenes. growing as an organization. To what does Lentz attribute its success and longevity? “Some staff members have been here for thirty Caring for children years or more and have a lot of training. We don’t have as high of Chileda takes its name from the Cherokee language, and means a turnover rate as other human service agencies … people like the “onward and upward.” This name dovetails nicely with Chileda’s work that we do,” he says. Summer school programs are held to mission to meet the needs of children with mental disabilities, as prevent regression of skills learned during the school year and serve well as attachment disorders such as autism and reactive attachment a significant need for area children. They provide a predictable, disorder. Chileda was founded on June 16, 1973, in Stevens Point, constant program and structure, which is crucial to many children Wis., as an alternative to the large, state-run institutions that, because with autism and related disabilities for whom unstructured time can of lack of staff, were not able to provide much more than meals, beds lead to significant behavior episodes. and a roof over the children’s heads. There was “nothing to enrich The Women’s Board of Chileda is another key piece to its success. their lives or teach [them],” says Dr. Kirby Lentz, Ed.D., Chileda’s In existence since 1986 and made up entirely of volunteers, this president and CEO. dedicated group organizes many fund-raising activities, such as the One of Chileda’s earliest and most pivotal moments came in Shrimp Boil and the Wine Tasting and Silent Auction. The funds 1985, when, as Lentz recalls, “We admitted a young man with raised by the Women’s Board have been contributed to the Swiss autism with fairly severe behaviors [who was] inappropriately cared Resource Center (an on-campus library available to the public with

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 21 Francis of Assisi, who “considered everything in creation his brothers and sisters,” and that the FSPA are therefore committed to a life of service in order to demonstrate their values and remain connected to the community at large. “I see three lines of what developed us,” says Greteman. “One was of contemplation and prayer, which developed into the perpetual adoration. The second thread is that of community support we [sisters] give to each other. Being willing to serve is the third strand.” One of the many ways in which the early incarnation of the FSPA demonstrated the value of service was in its work with orphans, forming several orphanages in both Milwaukee and La Crosse. Sister Marlene Weisenbeck, the president of the FSPA, mentions many other service projects in which the FSPA have engaged throughout their history, such as opening St. Francis Hospital. The FSPA also opened St. Rose Normal School in order to better educate the sisters for further positions of service such as teaching and nursing, and which went on to A doration of F ranciscan courtesy S isters of P erpetual P hoto become Viterbo University. The first Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration adorers. The picture was taken in the Adoration Chapel, The FSPA have also expanded their St. Rose Convent, c. 1906. efforts globally, conducting mission work in countries as diverse as China, Zimbabwe, materials on autism and related disorders), a the FSPA, St. Rose Convent, was moved from Guam, El Salvador and Cameroon, as well “learning kitchen” in which basic domestic Milwaukee to La Crosse in 1869, where it as doing work with the Native American skills can be taught, new vehicles, audiovisual remains. Here, in the Adoration Chapel, the community on the reservation in Odanah, equipment and many other necessary items. practice that gives the sisters their name— Wis. When it comes to making decisions on “I hope Chileda remains on the cutting perpetual adoration—takes place. what to do for service projects, Weisenbeck edge,” Lentz says of Chileda’s future, “and The FSPA’s practice of perpetual says, “You listen to what people and God are that we continue the level of concern and adoration began on August 1, 1878, and asking you. Our work is about furthering care we exhibit today.” since then, at least two sisters at a time are God’s purpose in the world.” present in the chapel, praying round-the- The sisters maintain a presence not only A quiet, positive presence clock—longer than anyone in the United physically, but also in cyberspace, through the Another amazing La Crosse organization States. According to their Web site, the FSPA FSPA’s Web site, through the video Web site is the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual feel that there is a “human need to adore. YouTube and on the popular social networking Adoration (FSPA). The FSPA have been in It is one’s response when contemplating site Facebook. Weisenbeck comments that existence for 130 years, an extraordinary all the wonder that is in daily life. This “we’d miss a lot of opportunities if we did not length of time for any nonprofit to remain tradition of perpetual adoration reminds keep in touch with the world.” vital and functioning. The FSPA began as us, hour after hour, of God’s presence in For more information on these a small order in Ettenbeuren, Bavaria, on our lives and our need to be present in organizations, visit their Web sites, www May 25, 1849. Amid the political and social others’ lives.” During perpetual adoration, .chileda.org and www.fspa.org. D turmoil that was occurring in Germany at the the sisters offer praise and thanksgiving to time, two priests formed a group of 12 men God, and oftentimes pray for those who Nicole Baumgartner is a freelance writer who and women known as Third Order Secular request it, either through the Web site or understands the value of nonprofits firsthand Franciscans and led them to Milwaukee to by directly contacting a sister. through her job at Chileda, where she is on the teach the disadvantaged and preach the gospel Sister Jolyce Greteman, Heritage Curator floor staff, and through a close connection with to German immigrants, who composed much for the FSPA, expresses that the order has, from the sisters of the FSPA. of the local population. The motherhouse of its beginning, followed the teachings of Saint

22 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 23 HOME

An architectural icon of La Crosse, the Holway house is as rich in history and lore as it is in character and detail.

Vendors that have worked on our featured home will be noted with the following symbol. The Castle on Cass The historic Holway mansion has long been one of La Crosse’s grandest residences. by Melissa Hanson photos BY JANET MOOTZ PHOTOGRAPHY

imply passing by the grand home at 1419 Cass St., fittingly business practices and unwavering determination brought him success referred to as “the castle,” is sure to stir one’s imagination. as a lumber baron, harvesting timber from a vast acreage in central Likely to ensue is a longing for a glimpse inside its Wisconsin and transporting it via the Black River to his sawmill in magnificent façade and a curiosity for the history behind its North La Crosse. Smaking. To know the castle is to love it, so step inside and revel in the At a cost of $22,000, construction began on the home in story of this historic mansion. 1892. Unfortunately, Mr. Holway passed away suddenly the same year and never saw his masterpiece completed. Mrs. Holway lived A legend is born in the home for 28 years, and after all the children had moved The home was built in 1892 for the family of Nymphus and Jessie on, she sold the home to the Catholic Archdiocese of La Crosse, Holway. Mr. Holway was an enterprising man from New England which made use of the castle’s many rooms as a bishop’s residence, whose entrepreneurial spirit led him to La Crosse. Here, his honest seminary and convent.

24 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com The castle again became a private residence Finally, your eye rests on the inviting front A new age in 1976 when Dr. Eugene and Mariel parlor and its bank of windows, anchored Plumbing, electricity and central heat Carlisle purchased the home. Mrs. Carlisle with a deep window bench and crowned were conveniences not yet available to the was instrumental in the history of the home; with stained glass. The white plaster walls Holways in 1892, but the home has been as a member of the Preservation Alliance of allow the plentiful natural light to bound carefully renovated to include every modern La Crosse, she saw to its designation as an about the room without detracting from the convenience without sacrificing the charm architectural preservation site. ornate woodwork showcased throughout. and character of the home’s architecture. When the current owners, Jane Wood The elegant furnishings that enhance the None of the castle’s nine restrooms is and her husband, Grant, moved to La Crosse, home’s splendor were chosen by Mrs. Wood, original to the home, but the owners they set out to find a home with character who claims the front parlor as her favorite have managed to carve out space for them in need of their exquisite attention to detail. room in the home. “I think it is a formal without disrupting the flow and character When they passed by the castle, they fell in parlor as Mrs. Holway would have liked it of the historic mansion. love with the home’s impressive exterior, as to be,” remarks the current owner. “I love to The kitchen is the blending of several countless other passersby have done. Mr. think I could have lived back then and been smaller spaces into one grand space that Wood knew instantly this was the home they a Victorian lady.” Other rooms housed on leaves nothing to be desired. The black were looking for and the type of remodeling the castle’s first floor include a second parlor, soapstone countertops contrast nicely with project they thrive on, but it was the home’s a formal dining room, a modern kitchen and the white cabinetry and industrial stainless interior that won the couple over. “We a regal library. steel appliances. Despite its modern appeal, walked in and our jaws just dropped at the For those fortunate to discover the three the remodeled space fits seamlessly with the beautiful woodwork,” says Mrs. Wood, “and floors that compose the castle’s interior, home’s character and is a testament to the how gracious a home it is.” wonder and amazement await around each current owners’ architectural vision. corner and behind every doorway. The large The Woods have made a significant A grand tour stained glass window located halfway up contribution to the history of the castle; they The castle makes an undeniably the grand staircase in the main hall draws have lovingly restored the home’s original memorable first impression; awe is you upward and hints at the elegance that finishes, brought it into the modern age of inspired and grandeur established from the awaits those who climb its treads. The view convenience and graciously opened its doors moment you approach the home. Set high at the top does not disappoint; the front four to several charity tours. Time will tell what on its foundation, the solid stone structure bedrooms and second floor hall boast all the the future holds for the Holway mansion; stands proudly to welcome visitors. Cross opulence of the public rooms below. Mrs. Wood hopes to see it continue as a the veranda and pass through the double As one might expect from one of La private residence as was intended and is front doors to step inside the elegance that Crosse’s premier lumbermen, Holway seeking the next generation of owners to is the castle. adorned the home that became his legacy maintain the integrity of La Crosse’s grandest The first moments in the home arean with a medley of fine woods, including the residence. “A house like this you don’t really elation to the eye; your attention passes rare and distinctive bird’s-eye maple. Those own,” Mrs. Wood concedes. “You are the from a crystal chandelier dripping from the who have called the castle home have clearly caretaker because it really belongs to the city glorious wood-paneled ceiling to the natural celebrated its majestic architecture; all the of La Crosse. It is a treasure.” D light that illuminates a grand piano nestled in woodwork, stained glass windows and tiling the circular room of the large tower, then to on all eight fireplaces are intact and have a fireplace veiled in ceramic tiles and topped remained largely unchanged since the home Melissa Hanson is a freelance writer and with an intricately carved wood mantel. was built more than a century ago. photographer who lives in La Crosse.

Left: An elaborate foyer beckons visitors. Center: Owner Jane Wood enjoys the formal parlor, her favorite room in the house. Right: In the kitchen, modern convenience blends with historic charm.

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 25 26 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com Designing Women Time for a Change Area women transform homes in a midlife career change. by Heidi Griminger Blanke CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

Left: A tired living room (top) takes on a whole new look after a Take II redesign (bottom). Right: Leslie Kroker (seated) and Kathy Gholson are the design experts behind Take II Staging and Redesign.

fter raising their children and investing several years living room. In most cases, Gholson and Kroker can change the in first careers, Kathy Gholson and Leslie Kroker entire look or function of a room in less than one day. “We see a decided the time was right to take a hobby and turn it theme they don’t even know they have going,” Kroker says of many Ainto a business. Gholson, a former teacher and family of their clients. While interior design and organization may be counselor, and Kroker, a former nurse, wanted to draw on the components of redesign, they are not the main thrust. We “shop the skills and talents they applied in their homes on a near-daily basis. house,” says Kroker, and they typically make very few purchases. Gholson had advised her children to “find what you love to do, then pursue it as a career,” and it was time to take her own advice. Staging In 2008, she and Kroker created Take II Staging and Redesign. Staging involves getting a home prepared for sale, says Kroker, and the Take II team follows a prescribed set of steps, including Always a passion to-do lists for the seller, in order make a home buyer-friendly. Gholson and Kroker didn’t simply hang out a shingle and wait Preparing a home for prospective buyers is “an enormous job,” for customers. Before even mentioning the idea to their closest says Gholson, but, in a couple of hours, Gholson and Kroker can friends, they took the time to discuss how the business would work, instruct a homeowner in determining how best to present the home what kinds of training and licensing they would need and how they to potential buyers. Staging can mean less time on the market, as a would incorporate the business into their lives, ultimately choosing staged home tends to sell twice as fast as one not staged. a program with hands-on training and ongoing support. Both women became Certified Interior Redesigners (CIR) and Certified Take II to the rescue Interior Staging Specialists (CISS), learning all the details of these One satisfied client, Mary Ann Campbell, talks excitedly about professions, including how to move large pieces of furniture and how her basement family room redesign. The room, which was little to photograph rooms. more than a storage unit, became a place for her three sons to play, The two women have been reorganizing their own living spaces do homework and simply hang out. In a single day, an unused area for years. Gholson says she’s been “moving things around” since became a very usable haven. “They really did a good job,” she says. she was a young girl; Kroker grew up with redesign as a way of life, Take II also offers move-in, downsizing and shopping services. helping her mother fit old furniture into new spaces through 12 To see photos of Take II staged and redesigned rooms, visit their different moves. Web site at www.take-ii.com. D

Redesign In redesign, living spaces are made over using items the Heidi Griminger Blanke, Ph.D., is the executive director at WAFER homeowner already has. A piece intended for the trash may become and an adjunct university instructor. She credits the Take II team with a storage unit, or an item in the bedroom may make its way to the bringing her own family room back to life.

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 27 CAREERS Thanks for the Memories Linda O’Connell captures time for her clients—on DVD. by Kim Seidel Contributed photos

ig band music floats through Linda O’Connell’s home With the help of a mentor who runs a production studio, office in Onalaska. The tunes aren’t coming from streamed- O’Connell taught herself how to work as a videographer. Along in computer music, but reel-to-reel audio with preserving family memories, she records film turning on a projector. “It’s really cool weddings, creates video slide shows and does on-site Bwhen I do work like this, because I feel like I’m back video production for businesses. O’Connell edits in the ’40s,” she says. the videos and, based on a client’s request, she can As the owner of Take 5 Productions, O’Connell add titles, transitions, music and interviews to the transforms custom home movies from decades ago DVDs. to a DVD that recaptures memories forever. Many customers bring her their old family reel-to-reel Unique products for unique needs 8 mm and Super 8 films in shoeboxes that haven’t O’Connell can create slide shows and movie seen the light of day in years. packages that make perfect ideas for family reunions While putting family movies on DVD makes or gifts. Her work can be used as a memorial tribute up the bulk of her business, O’Connell also can for a loved one and a way to celebrate graduations, take VHS and cassette tapes and transfer those to birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and class reunions. DVD, which preserves them for future generations. Linda O’Connell, O’Connell strives to meet customers’ unique needs Through her work, people can enjoy viewing a piece of Take 5 Productions and budgets. their family history that may have otherwise been lost. As a member of the Holmen Area Civic and “I tell people if I haven’t made them laugh and cry, I haven’t Commerce Association, she has learned about ways she can help done my job,” she says. business owners communicate their message in a professional and engaging way. She produces videos for company Web sites, trade Capturing memories, living a dream shows, new products, sales meetings, employee training and other O’Connell began her business the way so many other business needs. entrepreneurs start out: doing what she loves to do on her own To build trust with customers, O’Connell handles business time. She started taking movie tapes from her family’s vacations, projects and special family films and photographs with care. As part transferring the pictures to a DVD and enhancing them with fun of the process, she cleans and makes repairs. Materials are returned music. She shared the trips through her DVD with family and to the owner after she completes a DVD, which takes about three friends. They were so impressed that they asked her to put their weeks. She’s been known, however, to turn around products own family adventures and holidays on DVDs. in about a week for customers whom she serves throughout the For about three years, O’Connell continued to work her full- Coulee Region. time job while creating productions part time. Then, this spring, For more information about Take 5 Productions, contact she was laid off from her job, which she considers a blessing. It gave O’Connell at 608-790-3608 or [email protected]. Visit her the opportunity to put more focus into Take 5 Productions. her Web site at www.take5productions.org. D She holds a business degree, and now she’s living her dream of running her own business. “My children are older now—ages 15 and 19—and it’s my time Kim Seidel is a writer in Onalaska who takes many photos of her two now to do something I’ve always wanted to do,” she says. daughters to capture their childhoods.

28 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Robotic Surgery comes to 12th Annual Women's Cari Burmaster and Gundersen Lutheran fund fall luncheon with Peg Herlitzka win Awards G u n d e r s e n kathryn childers Lutheran obstetrician/ The Women’s gynecologist Dana Fund of the La Crosse Benden, M.D., Community Foundation recently presented an and Gundersen Lutheran abstract, “Establishing a Medical Foundation Gynecological Robotic present the 12th Surgery Program Annual Women’s Fund in a Community Fall Luncheon with Hospital,” at the first Kathryn Childers, The Wisconsin Business and World Robotics Gynecology Congress in 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, October 20, 2009, Professional Women (BPW) awarded Cari Chicago. This conference addressed the UW-L, Valhalla Hall. Childers has had a Burmaster (left), Onalaska City Clerk, growing use of robotics technology in lifetime of success by shattering barriers the Woman of Determination award, gynecologic surgery. and achieving dreams as a U.S. Secret and Margaret Herlitzka (right), partner/ Gundersen Lutheran developed Service Agent, ABC television talk show attorney at Hale, Skemp, Hanson, Skemp a robotics surgery program in 2008. host, philanthropist and publisher. She & Sleik, the Woman of Inspiration Since then, the number of abdominal will share her personal mantra of “Do It award. Nominated by their local BPW hysterectomies has declined markedly Scared.” For information on tickets or and chosen from candidates throughout from 47 percent in the pre-robotic period sponsoring a table, call Melissa Schultz, the state, Burmaster and Herlitzka were to 29 percent in post-robotic period. This Administrative Coordinator, at 608-386-4136. recognized for their advocacy efforts and study demonstrates a clear impact on Additional support provided by an their dedication and support of women. Gundersen Lutheran’s capacity to offer anonymous friend of the Women’s Fund. They not only achieve their goals but more minimally invasive surgeries, which assist others in achieving theirs as well. means faster recovery for patients and For more information about BPW contact shorter hospital stays. Dawn Harris at 608-782-4133.

Accomplishments is a paid section featuring your business or organization. Call 608-783-5395 or e-mail [email protected] for more information.

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 29 Sometimes it’s embarrassing being a woman

“As I got older, I began to notice changes in my body. I had to go to the bathroom so often it was affecting my work, my social life, and even my sleep. I thought this was something I’d just have to live with.”

Millions of women experience incontinence, pain when urinating, frequency and urgency of urination, and sexual problems.

Franciscan Skemp Healthcare has launched a new Pelvic Floor Clinic to help women with this commonly occurring condition. The multi-disciplinary team is made up of professionals from obstetrics-gynecology, urology, physical therapy, colorectal surgery, acupuncture, behavioral health, and others as needed.

Many new treatments are available that can dramatically change the lives of women with pelvic floor disorders. To learn more, or to set up a consultation, call CARE THAT INSPIRES (608) 392-9700.

30 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com HEALTHY LIVING

Saying “Yes” When You Really Mean “No, Thank You” Avoid overcommitment and find more personal enjoyment, time and health. by Michelle Byom

t’s a familiar conversation that might begin “Could you …,” Practice saying no or “No one else is available …,” or “We could really use your Dr. Diane Radisewitz, Ph.D., CCS-G, is a behavioral health help …” We might be thinking that we just don’t know where practitioner at Franciscan Skemp. She recommends people practice we will find the extra hour or 10, but our typical answer is a saying no in a role-play with someone. “If you are able to say no, less-than-heartfeltI “yes.” you will feel more in control,” she says. While some of us thrive For some, it is difficult to say no with confidence. And while on being busy and feeling connected to many different causes, we have certain obligations or causes near and dear that require our Radisewitz also suggests that in doing so, we consider the end attendance, our spirit of volunteerism and our expertise, it might results. “If you end up feeling overly tired and dragging on an benefit us to stop and think about how saying no some of the time ongoing basis, then it is time to reconsider priorities.” could be a relief to more than our schedules. It might also be important to say no to children’s activities that “One of the wonderful strengths of women is that they are result in overcommitment for the entire family. Sara Clements of constantly on the lookout for others and what they need,” says Holmen, Wis., has three children involved in various sports and Ted Stein, M.S., Licensed Professional Counselor and Board school activities. Their family rule: one sport per child, per season. Certified Professional Christian Counselor of Stein Counseling “Although we are still busy, that does help,” Clements says. and Consulting Services. “Often, the difficulty with saying no is “Balance your needs for the child and yourself,” Radisewitz says. because of guilt, concern for what others might think, a desire to “They may benefit from quality time spent with you rather than change an activity or to try to get everything done under the sun another activity.” and not miss out.” “No, but thank you for asking” has rewards Follow the 80/20 rule Clements shares a tip she learned: “We can always say no, but Prioritizing sounds easy, but sometimes those extra activities ending it with ‘Thank you for asking’ makes no easier to say.” sneak up on us, and before we know it, our calendars are overflowing. “Managing overcommitment is really just an exercise in control, “Research has shown that people get 80 percent of their [personal] rather than giving things up,” Stein says. Stein lists the personal rewards on only 20 percent of activities,” Stein says. That also benefits of exercising this control: improvements in physical health means we spend 80 percent of our time on activities yielding just and well-being, immune functioning, time management, personal 20 percent of rewards. relationships, feelings of contentment, personal enjoyment, self- “Before saying yes,” he says, “figure out what activities are most esteem and, ultimately, more time. “Do more of what you love to rewarding and engage in 20 percent of the activities that give 80 do and feel good about it. After all, if you never say no, what is your percent of the rewards before committing to other activities.” ‘yes’ really worth?” D

Michelle Byom lives in Holmen with her family and works at Harvest Moon Advertising. She hopes to benefit from tips in this article!

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 31 FOOD Seasonal Sensations A cornucopia of produce in its prime awaits you at grocery stores and farmers’ markets. by Maura Henn Contributed photos Recipes analyzed by Gundersen Lutheran registered dietitians

Jill Peterson, proprietor of Firefly Bakery in La Crosse, is one of the many faces you'll find at the Cameron Park Farmers’ Market.

rocery stores now make it easy for consumers to vine and still warm from the sun? Out-of-season produce often purchase a variety of fruits and vegetables, no matter has traveled from another country or has spent time in warehouse the time of year. With a prolonged growing season in refrigerator units waiting to be shipped. In either case, the product warmer climates and the ability to ship produce from has been off the vine for a considerable amount of time and has Gother countries, it is easy to forget that tomatoes are not in season lost much of its flavor. during a Midwestern winter. But the art of eating in season is And finally, eating locally grown, seasonal foods provides a being reclaimed by grocery stores, farmers’ markets and consumers connection to the grower. By shopping for produce at a farmers’ alike. Consumers especially are becoming more concerned with market, for example, you can not only savor that fresh tomato but what they eat and where it comes from. Preference is being given also shake the hand of the very person who harvested it. to locally grown, seasonal food—and for good reason. Searching for seasonal food There’s nothing like food in its season An excellent place to shop for seasonal produce is your local First, cooking with seasonal food is simply better for you. farmers’ market. In the Midwest, the growing season begins Produce peaking in the later summer months and shipped locally in May and generally goes through October. If you have not has spent less time on store shelves, meaning it has retained more been attending a farmers’ market on a weekly basis, now is an of the essential vitamins and minerals that create healthy diets. excellent time to start. Some of the most common produce Produce used in its season also tastes better. Truly, what could staples—like tomatoes and herbs—are peaking during these be more exquisite than biting into a ripe tomato, barely off the later summer months.

32 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com If you are not sure where to find a watermelon in a blender or food processor. Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and farmers’ market, visit www.localharvest As each batch is ready, pour it through a fine- whisk to combine. Place the steak and marinade in .com. This comprehensive Web site can mesh strainer into another large bowl. Add the a shallow dish or resealable bag, and shake or turn help you find the market closest to you. lime juice and sugar syrup to the puree and stir the steak to coat completely. Refrigerate. Marinate These markets may also provide locally to combine. the steak for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 raised beef and poultry, honey and baked hours. Let the steak come to room temperature Pour the watermelon mixture into a large, clear before grilling. goods, so the shopping experience is often glass jar or pitcher. Add the water, lime slices and well-rounded. ice. Serve immediately. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Slice the If you are determined to eat only within eggplant and zucchini lengthwise, ½ inch thick. If the season, try using the Peak-Season 290 calories, 1g fat, 4g protein, 74g carbohydrate, the zucchini are small, simply trim the ends and Ingredient Map at www.epicurious.com 4g fiber, 15mg sodium. slice in half. Seed the peppers and cut into 6 (located in the “Seasonal Cooking” guide). pieces. Peel the onion and cut into thick rings, ¾ This neat little widget will allow you see inch thick. Drizzle all the vegetables with olive oil, Insalata Caprese and sprinkle with salt and pepper. what is in season during all 12 months (tomato and mozzarella salad) throughout the United States. Makes 4 servings. To enjoy seasonal produce other times Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. When the grill is hot, pat the steak dry and place on the grill. Flank of the year, consider canning. Canning Quite possibly the perfect summer dish. Because steak should be cooked medium-rare to medium, your own preserves, jams and jellies this salad is so simple, it’s important to use the about 4-5 minutes per side. Allow the steak to can extend the time of fresh produce. best ingredients you can find. rest for 10 minutes before slicing it into ¼-inch Also at www.epicurious.com are step- slices across the grain. by-step instructions for preserving your 1½ lb. (about 3) large, ripe tomatoes 2 balls (about 12 oz.) fresh mozzarella seasonal treasures. Canning isn’t only for Grill all the vegetables until tender and slightly 4-5 sprigs basil, rinsed and dried strawberries; almost any fruit and vegetable charred, turning occasionally with tongs. Transfer 2 T extra-virgin olive oil can be canned. Equipment is inexpensive, vegetables to a platter and cover with foil to Salt and freshly ground black pepper and with a stop at the library or bookstore, keep warm. Before serving, drizzle the vegetables you should have no problem finding with olive oil and season to taste. Arrange the Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into ¼-inch- instructions and recipes. steak slices around the vegetables and serve thick rounds. Arrange the tomato and mozzarella immediately. slices on a large plate. Drizzle extra-virgin olive A perfect summer menu oil over them, and season with salt and pepper. 380 calories, 18g fat, 30g protein, 26g carbohydrate, Take these recipes along to your next Tear basil leaves and sprinkle over the top. Serve 8g fiber, 960mg sodium. local market visit. The ingredients are sure immediately. to be in season and will taste fabulous! 220 calories, 7g fat, 30g protein, 10g carbohydrate, Apple Galette RECIPES BY JILL PETERSON 5g fiber, 580mg sodium. Try this recipe with a variety of fruits and berries. Makes 6 servings.

Watermelon Grilled Teriyaki Galette dough Agua Fresca Flank Steak 1¼ cups all-purpose flour Makes 8 servings. and Vegetables ¼ tsp. salt Makes 6 servings. ½ T sugar ¾ cup sugar 1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, 1 cup water Teriyaki marinade: cold and cut into small pieces 1 very ripe watermelon, about 12 lb. 3-4 T ice cold water ⅓ cup soy sauce Juice of 3 limes ¼ cup sake or sherry 3 cups cold water or sparkling water 2 T brown sugar 3 limes, thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 quarts ice cubes 2 T minced fresh ginger 2 T peanut oil In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, stirring 1½ lb. flank steak (or sirloin) occasionally. When the sugar has dissolved, take off 2 eggplants the heat and set aside to cool. 4 zucchini or summer squash 2 red bell peppers Cut the watermelon into thick slices. Cut off the 2 red onions rind, chop the melon into large chunks and place Olive oil in a large bowl. Don’t worry about removing Salt and pepper all the seeds. Working in batches, puree the

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 33 Stir together the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl (or place in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine). Scatter the butter pieces over the flour. Using a pastry cutter (or the pulse feature of a food processor), cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with some pieces of butter the size of small peas. Sprinkle the ice water, 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time, over the mixture, and combine with a fork until the mixture comes together when squeezed with your hand (or pulse until it forms a ball in the food processor). Form the dough into a ball, press into a flat disk and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least an hour before using. Pull dough out of the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before rolling out.

Galette filling 3 apples 1 T sugar (or more, depending on the sweetness of the fruit) 1 T brown sugar 1 tsp. cornstarch ½ tsp. cinnamon (optional) ¼ tsp. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Rinse apples. Peel and core them, then cut into ¼-inch-thick slices. Place in a large bowl. Toss with sugars and cornstarch.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Roll out one disk of dough into a 12-inch circle, about ¼ inch thick. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet, placing it in the center of the sheet. Pile the fruit in the center of the dough, leaving an edge of 2 to 3 inches. Fold the edge over the fruit, leaving the center exposed. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Let cool for 15-20 minutes, then serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

290 calories, 16g fat, 3g protein, 36g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 100mg sodium. D

Maura Henn (market manager) and Jill Peterson (proprietor of Firefly Bakery) can be visited at Cameron Park Farmers’ Market every Friday through October, 4 to 8 p.m.

34 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com Has the “TIME” come to get serious about WEIGHT LOSS? Explore a Holistic approach to body fat reduction. Learn to eat what is bio-chemically correct for you without going hungry.

Call today for your ﬁ rst FREE consultation 608.385.4848 608.782.4843

Diane Carrk, Holistic Nutritionist, BS 300 N 2nd Street, Suite 350 • La Crosse, WI 54601 naturoweight@gmail • Naturoweight.com • MC/VS Accepted

Haircuts  Styling  Color  Highlights  Massage Body Wraps  Manicures  Pedicures  Facials Waxing  Wedding Parties  Spa Services  Gift Cards

230 Main Street, Onalaska, WI 54650 608.784.2363 www.suekolves.com

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 35 RETAIL THERAPY

QUICK Change Take your wardrobe from work to play in no time. by Melissa Hanson Photos by Tiffany Brubaker Photography

Professional by day Choosing multifunctional pieces that work well together for the office but can be paired with other pieces to celebrate the evening makes the most efficient use of your budget and the time you have to spend between work and play.

Our model,Tracy Buccelli, looks professional in this outfit. A structured but whimsical crocodile print blazer sets the office-friendly tone of this ensemble, and the black panel skirt adds movement and flow. The gold peep-toe pumps accent the gold tone of her top, and the multicolored beads in the necklace and earrings top off the look with a punch of color.

Fashions by CityWear Accessories by Satori Arts Shoes by kick Hair and makeup by thairapy Special thanks to Associated Bank and Wine Guyz

36 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com Sophisticated by night The same black panel skirt, is paired with a floral wrap top for evening. The Fossil necklace and earrings demand more visual presence, as do the black cage stiletto shoes.

Even if you have only moments to transform your attire from work-friendly to evening-fantastic, make sure you look the part by using these simple tips:

Avoid a total wardrobe change. Wear a cute top that reveals a little more skin under your office-friendly blazer or simply change into a sophisticated pair of blue jeans.

A few minutes is all it takes to vamp up your daytime hairstyle. If your daytime usual is an updo, let those locks loose for evening. If you typically wear your hair down at the office, pin it up for an instant change.

Makeup for the office tends to be light and neutral; for evening, use bold shadows or a vibrant lip color.

Toss accessories with impact into your purse, and add them on your way to cocktail hour.

Take your shoes up a notch after hours with a higher heel, or let loose with shoes that reveal pretty toes.

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 37 Satori Arts Gallery A National Historic Landmark “Known for the unusual” Ancient Chinese Artifacts • Custom Wedding Rings • Mississippi River Pearls Unique Handcrafted Jewelry 3RD3T,A#ROSSE 7) Sculpture • Graphics OR 201 Pearl St., La Crosse, WI 54601 WWWMIDWESTTOYOTACOM 608.785.2779 Historic Downtown La Crosse Timeline of these downtown business advertisers: 1973 ...... People’s Food Co-op 1976 ...... Satori Arts 1991...... Stamp ‘n Hand 1997 ...... Steve Low’s Midwest Toyota 2003 ...... Grounded Specialty Coffees 2004 ...... Bruce Defries Studio Group 2006 ...... Lillians 2008 ...... The Salon 2008 ...... Gallery La Crosse

6%.:!

38 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com Gallery La Crosse Main Level Gallery & Rustic Cellar 320 Main Street 782-4278 Dozens of local Artists & Artisans present traditional Fine Arts & Fine Crafts, Jewelry, Greeting Cards, Gifts, Garden Art, & Rustics. Multitudes of lovely Gift selections under $20 Open: Wed. thru Sat. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. * First Anniversary Event * August 27 – Sept. 5th Daily Specials Receptions ~ Aug. 27th & Sept. 4th www.GalleryLaCrosse.com Historic Downtown La Crosse Upcoming events: Aug. 7-9 Irishfest Aug. 14-15 CenturyTel Sand on the Riverfront Aug. 14-16 Great River Jazz Fest Aug. 28-30 Great River Folk Festival Sept. 11-12 La Crosse Storytelling Festival Sept. 12 Steppin’ Out in Pink Sept. 18-20 Elvis Explosion Sept. 24-Oct. 3 Oktoberfest Oct. 10 Historic Downtown La Crosse Day

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 39 tiffanybp hrout obgar akpeh yr

www.tiffanybrubaker.com [email protected] 608.769.5089

weddings and on-location portrait photography

funk Transforming 1446 Rose Street La Crosse, WI 54603 Lives Through 608.779.5940 www.funkonrose.com Now hiring experienced stylists! Education Women’s apparel & accessories Located in the Funk building. Fashion + Hair = Attitude! At Globe University, education is more than the accumulation of knowledge; it is a process of personal, intellectual and professional growth.

Experience: • A “we care” philosophy • Small class sizes • Career-specific education

La Crosse Campus 608-779-2600 globeuniversity.edu

MBA | BAchelor’s Degrees AssociAte Degrees | DiploMAs

40 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com TRAVEL A 50TH BIRTHDAY QUEST One woman’s itinerary comprises 50 trips for 50 years.

by Susan C. Schuyler Contributed photos My trusty Audi TT convertible rests on the firm, white sand on the Outer Banks of North Carolina near Ocracoke.

he indignities of aging come into sharp focus as the Then it occurred to me—why not take 50 trips during my “milestone” birthdays loom ahead. 50th year? Don’t get me wrong. The early milestones are indeed This perfectly “Susan” celebration dawned on me as I watched worthy of celebration: the heady freedom of driving New Year’s Eve fireworks explode over the canals of Amsterdam Tat 16; the thrill of coming of age at 18 and 21; and the firm when 2008—my 50th year—arrived. foothold on adulthood at 30. However, the later landmarks lack luster. The hidden agenda is that the best is behind you, and A birthday quest you’re just lucky to be alive. This is especially true for women, Travel has always been at the top of my list of guilty pleasures. who face the added burden of body betrayal Even my bachelor’s degree in Spanish was known as menopause. a thinly veiled excuse to live abroad for a In her book with the oxymoronic title year. Like all children, I blame my parents The Secret Pleasures of Menopause, women’s- for my affliction. I was only 7 when my health guru Christiane Northrup, M.D., they got me my first passport and loaded reassures readers that “physical and mental me and my younger brother on a big, decline is not a natural consequence of shiny jet to visit Panama, Costa Rica and aging.” Baby boomers are here to change Guatemala. I was hooked. that perception, and there is strength in Since then, I have cultivated an insatiable our numbers. Northrup cites a U.S. Census passion for leaving home, which is fueled by Bureau statistic: One in five adults in the the luxury of the academic calendar that my United States today is a woman over 50. career affords. I don’t let being single stop me, Our “friends” often mark these later either. I often travel alone. I have discovered “Big-O” celebrations with cruel public that people reach out with brief but deeply humiliation, like surprise appearances of the intimate slices of their lives to lone travelers. grim reaper at parties, splashy billboards and Excited by my birthday quest, I “happy” ads in the local paper. (Yes, I’ve been announced my intention to anyone who a victim of all three.) would stand still long enough to listen The end of my marriage marred my 40th when I returned from Amsterdam. The I had to overcome my fear of heights year. The decade that followed was a blur of to enjoy the exhilaration of zip-lining more cynical among my friends and family pain and foolish relationships I embarked over Costa Rica’s lush jungle. attempted to diminish its significance by on to dull its effects. I wanted 50 to be asking if going to Onalaska from La Crosse different—a significant emotional turning would count as one of my 50 trips. So, I had point. Although I’m often at the epicenter of larger-than-life to come up with “rules” to guard against their taunts and guide parties, I wanted my 50th year to be something uniquely my planning efforts. private that I could celebrate for more than just one day. The best part was that since it was my quest, they were my

www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 41 Left: The Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac Hotel is perched on Quebec City’s hilltop, overlooking the breathtaking Saint Lawrence River. Right: From left, PJ Leehey, Aidan Smerud and Schuyler Leehey ham it up in New York City’s Times Square.

rules. To qualify, a trip had to be more than with a side trip to Quebec, which was • August 21-23: I planned everything two hours away by car with an overnight perfectly quaint as it prepared for its my best friend Tori loves for a Chicago trip, and had to include something I hadn’t 400th anniversary celebration. including a Chicago Symphony Orchestra done or seen before. performance with John Williams conducting That’s when the fun began. • June 30-July 1: My girlfriends soloist Yo-Yo Ma, the show Wicked and Elvis hosted an overnight party for my “real” Night at a White Sox game. The rules of the road birthday at my friend Laura’s cabin. It was Suddenly everyone I knew wanted to help the perfect slumber party, complete with a I counted down each of my adventures me reach my goal. They suggested destinations, bonfire and a birthday-morning kayak ride on a plain, white sheet of notebook paper, offered places to stay and often eagerly offered on a glass-smooth lake. which is now softened by age, dog-eared to join me. As a result, I satisfied my travel and stained. I still have it tucked behind a lust and connected with people I loved and • July 14-16: My dad drove with me in flap in my planner, and it makes me smile cared about with the backdrop of amazing the TT to his hometown, Danbury, Iowa, every time I glance at it. and memorable scenery. where he told me stories and showed me I didn’t make it to 50 trips; my tally stops landmarks to help me weave the narrative at 42. I had planned to score the last eight Here are a few of the highlights: for a book I’m writing about his mother, trips in December during a solo road trip • March 15-23: My spring break whom I never met. along the famed Route 66 to California. I seemed the perfect time for a solo drive even had the folks at AAA create a stack of in my beloved Audi TT convertible to the • July 19-27: I zip-lined through the “trip ticks” to get me there. The uncertainty Outer Banks of North Carolina, where I steamy jungles of Costa Rica with my friend and the dire consequences of the economic walked the breathtaking 13 miles of the Kathy, who also helped me appreciate the downturn made me leery about its expense. National Seashore every morning. exotic flora and fauna and floated with me However, I do not consider the year a in the warm turquoise waters to watch the failure by any means. Far from it. • June 20-25: My friends Raj and sunset each evening. The 50-trip quest gave my milestone Rose joined me for a trip to Montreal birthday a rich texture that I will treasure • August 1-18: I stayed in throughout what’s left of my life and my brother’s New York City deepened relationships that I value even apartment in Greenwich Village, more. More important, my adventures gave where my friend Ronda and, me permission to live my passion out loud later, my sons PJ and Schuyler every day on the way to discovering a new joined me for shows, music, self. I invite you to do the same—with or museums and restaurants too without a passport. D numerous to recount here. Susan C. Schuyler is a freelance writer and UW- La Crosse instructor who is already planning the 60 trips to mark her 60th birthday.

This is the first page of the “official” list of my 50 trips, which still reminds me of the joy of my milestone birthday year.

42 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 43 HUMOR

The Changes in Me When it comes to our bodies, time is rarely kind. by Martha Wegner

y daughter and I went shopping last night at one of very cool-looking pair. The arthritis in my big toe? Well, that at those big downtown department stores that still have least gives me a legitimate excuse for never wearing stiletto heels mannequins and full-size mirrors at every turn. As again. These changes I can accept somewhat gracefully. I walked toward one of these large reflective walls, I It’s the weight that’s really got me riled. And it isn’t as if this Mwondered, “What in the heck is my mom doing here? She came happened slowly. It happened overnight. One day I was slim, all the way from Florida just to help Allison and me shop?” the next, I was, well, matronly. But of course my mother is still in Florida, and I am here, Things could definitely be worse. I called my 83-year-old looking at myself. Me, wearing bifocals on my nose, sporting friend Gloria last week. She said she was feeling pretty frustrated hair that is perhaps a tad unnaturally brown and carrying what right then because her arthritic hands were preventing her from appears to be a large barrel around my middle. plugging in her lamp. With a cheery tone in her voice, she said, I turned what they call “the big 5-O” last year, and although “Oh well, I’ll just have to go back to it later, when my hands the ages of 20, 30 and even 40 were merely numbers, 50 was quite have had a little time to rest up. At least I’m still able to walk!” a shock. It was as if my body said, “Hey, wait! I am supposed to Do you suppose she is fretting about her tight waistband be showing signs of wear. I guess it’s time for me to get to work.” right now? I think not. It helps to have someone put things Suddenly, getting highlights in my hair just did not cover all the into perspective. gray, my nearsighted vision went out the window and, for the Time does indeed march on, and change is indeed inevitable. first time in my life, my thighs rubbed together when I walked. I’ve got a lot to be thankful for, and the best I can do is accept I knew these changes were bound to happen, and like death it all with equanimity. I can smile, put on my glasses, touch and taxes, they were inevitable, but one can’t help but hope that up my hair, walk an extra lap or two in my new flat shoes and Father Time will slip past you without waving his magic wand perhaps let out the button on my pants when things get just a and adding a few inches to your waist and thighs. little too tight. D I’m not overly upset with the whole hair color thing, since it does afford me the opportunity to be a blonde or a redhead with the shake of a bottle. And while I never needed glasses in my Martha Wegner lives (and ages gracefully) in St. Paul with her husband life, I actually decided to celebrate the look by splurging on a and two children.

44 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com www.crwmagazine.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 45 ADVERTISER COMMUNITY CALENDAR

INDEX ONGOING EVENTS Aug. 14-15, CenturyTel Sand on the Riverfront, Apples to Zebras...... 18 American Association of University Women La Crosse. Sand sculpting competition and family festival Bauer’s...... 20 (AAUW) 2nd Sat. of each month (Sept.–May), 9:30 a.m., with an “At the Movies” theme. 608-784-9450, www Bruce De Fries Studio Group...... 38 608-788-7439, www.aauw-wi.org. .riverfrontinc.org. Carpet One...... 30 Business Over Breakfast La Crosse Area Chamber Aug. 14-15, Barnyard Sale, Clearwater Farm, Onalaska. Chileda...... 20 of Commerce, 4th Wed. every month, 7:30-8:45 a.m. Tax deductible donations for this annual rummage sale will be accepted 5-8 p.m. Aug. 12-13 at 760 Green Coulee Coldwell Banker...... 35 Preregister 608-784-4807, www.lacrossechamber.com. Rd., Onalaska; sale days are Aug. 14, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and Coulee Carpet Center ...... 14 Children’s Museum of La Crosse weekly programming: Aug 15, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Money raised helps cover the cost Coulee Region Professional Women...... 29 Creation Station for all ages, every Sat. 10:30-11:30 a.m. of animal care, property maintenance, garden maintenance Custom Closets ...... 30 and 2:00-3:00 p.m.; every Sun. 1:00-3:00 p.m. and classes. Cheryl Gilkes, 608-780-0441. D.M. Harris Law, L.L.C...... 14 Save-On-Sundays $1.00 off admission every Sun., Aug. 14-16, Great River Jazz Fest, La Crosse. Enjoy Decker’s Floor to Ceiling ...... 23 noon to 5 p.m. Book Swap: On the first Sun. of each month, bring a traditional, mainstream and swing jazz at the La Crosse Dregne’s Scandinavian Gifts...... 35 gently used, clean, children’s book from home and swap it Center Ballroom. 608-789-7400, www.lacrossejazz.com. Drugan’s Castle Mound ...... 34 for a different book from the museum’s collection. Aug. 15, Jean Scene, noon-2 p.m., Valley View Mall. Get Elegant Stone Products...... 35 Mt. LeKid Climbing Wall open every Sat. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. the perfect fit from denim experts at participating stores. Jon W. Feist, D.D.S...... 2 and Sun. 1-4 p.m. Receipts from denim purchases of $75 or more during Flooring Interiors...... 26 A-B-C Learners’ Club for ages 1-5 with parent, every the Jean Scene can be redeemed for a $10 Mall Gift Card. Forever Young Skincare Clinic...... 10 Thurs., 10:30-11:15 a.m. www.myvalleyview.com. Franciscan Skemp Healthcare...... 30 Coulee Region Autism Society for family members, Aug. 15, WAFER Picnic, Valley View Mall. www.myvalleyview.com. FUNK...... 40 friends and professionals who care for someone on Aug. 17-19, Children’s Museum of La Crosse’s Camp Gallery La Crosse...... 39 the autism spectrum. 3rd Wed. of each month, Chileda Curiosity “Your Big Backyard,” 8:30-11:30 a.m., ages 4-7 Glass Interiors...... 23 Habilitation Institute, 1825 Victory St., La Crosse. without adult. Build a nest, create a rock buddy, “be” a tree frog, Globe University...... 40 6:30-8:30 p.m. Child care available, call 608-519-0883. meet some real critters and more. $50/member child, $60/ Grounded Specialty Coffee...... 39 [email protected] or autismfyi-lacrosse@ nonmember child. Preregistration and prepayment required. Gundersen Lutheran...... 4,29 yahoogroups.com. Aug. 21, Children’s Museum of La Crosse’s Freaky Friday Honda Motorwerks...... 48 Coulee Region Professional Women (CRPW) “Weird Science,” 8:30-11:30 a.m., ages 7-11 without adult. Jandt Funeral Homes...... 13 meets the 4th Tues. of each month, La Crosse Holiday Inn, Bang, bend and brainstorm with gravity, magnets and Janet Mootz Photography...... 18 5:30 p.m. Madalene Buelow, 608-791-5282. much more. $40/member child, $50/nonmember child. La Crosse Community Theatre...... 10 La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce monthly Preregistration and prepayment required. La Crosse Radio...... 18 breakfast meeting. 2nd Mon. of each month, 7:00 a.m., Aug. 21-23, Boy Scouts Pinewood Derby, all day, Center Court, Valley View Mall. Law Office of Heidi Eglash...... 23 Radisson. Admission is $5 and includes breakfast. ww Aug. 25, Coulee Region Professional Women New Lifetime Design Homes...... 14 w.lacrossechamber.com. Member Event, Downtown La Crosse Holiday Inn. Lillians...... 39 La Crosse Noon Business & Professional Women Refreshments, networking, appetizers, door prizes Naturo Weight LLC...... 35 meets the 2nd Thurs. of each month, The Waterfront, 5:30-6:30 p.m.; presentation by Mary Kay Wolf, YWCA Orthodontic Specialists...... 45 noon. Carol Schank, 608-783-0419, [email protected]. Executive Director, 6:30 p.m. Open to public. Call to Overhead Door of the 7 Rivers Region ...... 26 Women in Networking and Support (WINS) meets the 2nd Wed. of each month, Piggy’s, noon-1:00 p.m. reserve your space. Madalene Buelow, 608-791-5282. People’s Food Co-op ...... 39 Aug. 28-30, Great River Folk Festival, UW-L campus, Prudential- Betty Bertrang...... 26 No reservation required, no dues, everyone is welcome to attend. If you would like lunch (your cost), arrive early for La Crosse. 608-784-3033, www.greatriverfolkfest.org. Renewal Home Energy...... 23 buffet. Kay Buck, 608-791-9253, [email protected]. Sept. 3, Lyceum Series: “Placing Color,” 7:30 p.m., Riverfront ...... 20 Cameron Park Farmers’ Market, Fridays through Winona State University. Satori Arts Gallery...... 38 October, 4-8 p.m., La Crosse. Local produce vendors, Sept. 11-12, La Crosse Noon Business & Professional Schumacher Kish Funeral Homes Inc...... 18 music, artists and more. www.cameronparkmarket.org. Women will host Wis. state fall board meeting at the Steve Low's Midwest Toyota...... 38 Clearwater Farm Open Barn days, Aug. 8, 22, Sept. Waterfront banquet facility. Friday evening will be a networking St. Joseph Equipment...... 26 12, 26, 9-11 a.m., Clearwater Farm, Onalaska. www. social with seminars on Saturday. This event is open to the Stamp ‘n Hand...... 38 clearwaterfarmfoundation.org. public. Dawn Harris, 608-782-4133, [email protected]. Stein Counseling and Consulting Services...... 13 ClogJam, beginner clogging lessons starting week of Sept. 11-12, La Crosse Storytelling Festival, Myrick Park, Sue Kolve’s Salon & Day Spa...... 35 Sept. 14, Doerflinger Building, La Crosse. 608-788-9664, La Crosse, featuring local and national storytelling talent. Take 5 Productions...... 29 www.clogjam.com. www.lacrossestoryfest.com. The Big Event Company...... 18 A Season of Art, art fairs Aug. 1 and Sept. 5, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sept. 12, Steppin’ Out in Pink walk to benefit breast cancer The Salon...... 39 Brice Prairie, County Z, on Lake Onalaska. Look for the white research, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Gundersen Lutheran campus, Tiffany Brubaker...... 40 barn on the left. Call 608-857-3344 for more information. La Crosse. 608-775-6601, www.gundluth.org/steppinout. Touch of Class ...... 14 Sept. 19, Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway, 7:30 p.m., CALENDAR EVENTS Travel Leaders...... 40 Viterbo University, La Crosse. June 10-Aug. 5, Winona Municipal Band concerts, Valley View Mall ...... 3 Sept. 23, Lyceum Series: Michael Pollan, author of The Wednesdays at 8 p.m., Lake Park Bandshell. Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food, 7:30 p.m., Vernon Memorial Healthcare...... 29 wwwcityofwinonamn.com. Somsen Auditorium, Winona State University. Waterloo Heights Dental Center...... 47 July 15-Sept. 7, Valley View Mall. Register to win a $500 Sept. 25-Oct. 3, Oktoberfest, La Crosse. Includes the Wells Fargo Advisors ...... 13 shopping spree on www.myvalleyview.com. Maple Leaf Parade, carnival rides, ethnic food, music, beer Westby House...... 35 July 30-Aug. 23, Val-U, Valley View Mall. Redeem your and more. 608-784-3378, www.oktoberfestusa.com. WKBT NewsChannel 8...... 6 receipts for free school supplies packs. www.myvalleyview.com. Sept. 26-27, National Alpaca Farm Days at Hickory Wind Womego...... 8 Aug. 7-9, Irishfest, La Crosse. Music, food and celebration Farm–Alpacas & Fiber, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Bangor Wis. Meet WXOW 19...... 43 of all that’s Irish. www.irishfestlax.org. alpacas, learn about the industry and browse the Farm Aug. 8, American Red Cross Appraisal Fair, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Shoppe. No dogs please. 608-486-4868, Accomplishments Center Court, Valley View Mall. www.hickorywindfarm.com. Aug. 10-12, Children’s Museum of La Crosse’s Camp Gundersen Lutheran...... 29 Curiosity “A Is for Adventure,” 8:30-11:30 a.m., ages 4-7 If your organization would like to be included in our La Crosse Noon Business and Professional Women...... 29 without adult. Arts and crafts, obstacle course, games Community Calendar, please contact us at editor@ Women's Fund of the La Crosse Community Foundation...... 29 and more. $50/member child, $60/nonmember child. crwmagazine.com or call 608-783-5395 Preregistration and prepayment required.

46 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 www.crwmagazine.com