Diving for Lost Gold in Wood Lake
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*****************ECRWSS**** The Local KohlerKohler Postal Customer VillagerVillager219 Church St., Kohler, WI 53044 FREE Published Twice Monthly In Kohler, WI 53044 November 15, 2013 Volume 9, Number 8 Diving for lost gold School budget in Wood Lake approved–includes chilly water wearing a wet suit. He reduction in tax levy and Ralph weren’t there for Pad- dleboard Yoga lessons. The Rip- Submitted by Kohler Schools $1,000 of property value to $10.52, ples are owners of Divers Delight At its Annual Meeting on Octo- a reduction of 1.2%. Charter, which offers scuba diving ber 28, 2013, the Kohler School The 2013/2014 budget is not lessons and charter service for Board approved a final 2013/2014 only balanced but includes signifi- divers. They also offer free lost- school budget and tax levy. The cant investments in teacher and and-found diving services, which levy for the year will decrease student technology, professional is what brought them to Kohler on 0.6%. The corresponding levy rate development for staff, and long- November 1 to meet up with the will drop an estimated 1.2%, due term capital improvements. The Pinskers. They were there to to an increase in property values of long-term capital improvements search for Dave’s wedding band, 0.7%. The budget approved by the fund will be built up over time to which had slipped off his finger as Board projects a surplus for a third provide for major repairs and im- he was flailing around on his pad- dleboard trying to move his body consecutive year. The surplus is es- provements in the future. into greater alignment with the timated at $4,250. The Treasurer’s report at the An- “This budget reflects the School nual Meeting included an explana- From left: Dave Pinsker, Mike Ripple, Tami Pinsker, Ralph Ripple universe. Tami, bubbling with excite- Board's priorities of providing a tion of the factors comprising the By Mary Struck headed out on Wood Lake to learn ment, said she “probably drank great education for our students $31,000 decrease in the tax levy. Frequent Kohler visitors Dave how to “combine yoga postures half of Wood Lake” during her while maintaining our fiscal re- Factors increasing the levy were 1) and Tami Pinsker from northern with the added fun of floating on a yoga lesson. “That’s one reason sponsibilities to the community at an increase in per pupil revenue of Illinois celebrated their 15th An- stand up paddleboard in flat why we love coming to Kohler so large. The Kohler School District 0.7%, allowed by the State of Wis- niversary a year ago with a week- water.” much, it’s always an adventure.” is very fortunate to have an ex- consin Department of Public In- end stay at The American Club. Dave held up his smartphone, Dave agreed. “As soon as we ar- tended network of engaged indi- struction, totaling $39,000; and 2) “We love Kohler. Our blood pres- pointing it toward the lake. It dis- rive in Kohler, our blood pressures viduals and organizations. a decrease in state aid of $26,000. sure drops as soon as we arrive,” played a summer photo of the lake drop,” he repeated. Through this support, we are able Factors decreasing the levy were said Dave, 46. Tami, 45, agreed, taken shortly after their Paddle- Unfortunately, Dave’s ring to consistently provide a 1st class 1) a decrease of $75,000 for Com- “We just love Kohler! It’s always board Yoga lesson from the same dropped six feet to the bottom of educational experience for our munity Service costs (Fund 80); 2) an adventure when we come spot where he now stood. “That Wood Lake faster than his blood children,” stated Board President a decrease of $20,000 due to a de- here!” looks like the area right there,” pressure has ever dropped. “I saw Marlene Yang. cline in student membership based The Pinskers were back in Dave said as he pointed out toward the ring as it sank, and my heart The total school tax levy for the on a three year average; and 3) Kohler recently on November 1, the lake. “I’m sure of it. I feel re- sank with it,” he said. revisiting the scene of one of their ally good about this.” 2012/2013 school year was $1,000 of other items. Some sympathetic girls nearby, $5,616,000. The total levy for the The Board is pleased to have a more memorable anniversary ac- Mike Ripple trudged into the Continued on page 2 tivities. They were joined by a cou- 2013/2014 school year is balanced budget while using all ple of newly acquired friends from $5,585,000, a decrease of $31,000 available resources to support a West Bend named Ralph and Mike or 0.6%. The estimated tax levy high quality education in Kohler Ripple. rate will fall from $10.65 per Schools. As the four gathered on the tiny shore of Wood Lake, Tami ex- Gingerbread Festival kicks off plained that she and Dave had been eager to make their anniversary November 29 weekend in Kohler a year ago ad- The 17th Annual Gingerbread seniors. The group rehearses at the venturous. They perused the re- Festival at the Waelderhaus begins Sheboygan Senior Citizen Center sort’s list of suggested activities the day after Thanksgiving and before performing at events and decided to try the Paddle continues through the holidays throughout the year, such as at with weekend musical acts and lo- Board Yoga lessons offered by Brewers games. They will bring a Yoga on the Lake. Tami said Dave cally-made works of gingerbread art. mix of Christmas and other holiday was less eager to try something favorites to the Waelderhaus. “new and adventurous,” but, for Kicking off the season on Satur- day, November 29 are the Golden Visit kohlerfoundation.org for the sake of a memorable anniver- Chordaliers, a chorus of 20-30 area more information. sary, he grabbed a paddleboard and Diver Mike Ripple prepares for lost-and-foud dive into Wood Lake 2 JANUARY 15, 2013 = KOHLER VILLAGER KOHLERVILLAGER.COM Diving for gold, continued from page 1 including Brooke Warren, daugh- make money from doing some- like to know the story behind that try to steal your stuff, the best way ter of the Paddleboard Yoga in- thing we love,” Ralph said. one!” He also talked about a diver to get it back is by adding a Ripple structor Jessica Warren, put on Ralph Ripple, 74, is one of finding an old Coke bottle that to the water." swim goggles and joined the those easy going, happy-go-lucky ended up being worth $500. The Unfortunately, adding Ripples search, but the ring was never guys that almost anyone would bottle had vertical script wording to the waters of Wood Lake on No- found that weekend. The Pinskers want to spend hours talking to on it, which was produced only in vember 1 was unsuccessful in returned home from their anniver- about his adventures. He began Milwaukee from about 1905-1910. yielding Dave’s ring. Mike re- sary celebration weighed down diving for the military service in Divers Delight made headlines ported a lot of rocks and fishing with a little sadness. 1957 and has seen it all. He said Mike Ripple surfaces through a rippling in 2011 when their boat, carrying Wood Lake in Kohler lures on the bottom of the lake, but “The ring wasn’t very fancy,” that while most people associate a three-person crew and ten scuba no ring. the floor of Wood Lake with his said Dave. He wanted something scuba diving with the Caribbean or divers in Lake Michigan, capsized The Pinskers said having divers waterproof metal detector, Dave, simple, not showy – just a basic Great Coral Reef, it doesn’t get two miles east of Whitefish Bay search the lake brought some band of gold. But the sentimental much better than the Great Lakes, Tami, and I each took turns trying and had to be rescued by the U.S. to convince Ralph to tell us about peace in knowing they have now value made the couple determined where his favorite excursions are Coast Guard. The group had gone tried everything they could to re- to come back and find it. They searching for shipwrecks. The his most interesting find. Captain out to do a couple of 100-foot Ralph just grinned and looked off cover the ring. They haven’t given spent the following year trying to sunken vessels and their artifacts dives to a shipwreck when they into the distance, and we knew up quite yet, as Ralph and Mike of- pin down a date when another are usually in plain view with little were surprised by an unexpected there was no sense probing a mili- fered to come back in the spring. diver who worked for law enforce- degradation, unlike in the ocean barrage of four to six foot waves tary man who had been diving But Tami said even if the next at- ment could meet them in Kohler, where depth and coral hinder that hit the vessel sideways. The longer than any of us had been tempt is unsuccessful, they will but that diver was too busy re- divers, and artifacts may be cor- Ripples later learned they had been alive. A feature story by a Port look forward to their regular sponding to assignments all over roded by salt water or wood-bor- in a “perfect storm” situation Washington newspaper did reveal Kohler visits knowing they now the globe.