FALL 2020

STRANDED ON OJOS DEL SALADO Former Watertown resident turns tragedy into triumph.

INSIDE: Bilgrien hopes to celebrate 50th season on footballFALL 2020chain | Family gang & Friends 1 Watertown Unified School District continues meals during pandemic FALL 2020

STRANDED ON OJOS DEL SALADO Former Watertown resident turns tragedy into triumph.

INSIDE: Bilgrien hopes to celebrate 50th season on footballFALL 2020chain | Family gang & Friends 1 Watertown Unified School District continues meals during pandemic ON THE COVER: Former Watertown resident Chelsey Berg was left stranded on Ojos del Salado, the high- est point in and second in . She was eventu- ally rescued. Story on page 8 Contributed

2 Family & Friends | FALL 2020 Watertown, like our nation and the entire world, is facing challenges like nothing any of us have ever seen before. It’s a time all of us are being tested, not necessarily for the virus, but the testing of our patience, resolve, kindness to our brothers and sisters, ingenuity and our ability to adapt. A lot of the stories in this edition of Family & Friends speak to those qualities, either directly or tangentially. Reporter Ed Zagorski’s riveting tale of a young Watertown woman who lost several fingers and was lucky to get away with her life, is a story of perseverance, courage and determination. Not all of us are going to risk our lives trying to scale one of the tallest peaks in the world. But all of us are being pushed to the limits Family & Friends by this pandemic, and we can all be inspired by Chelsey Berg’s harrowing fight for Volume 12, Issue 3 survival. Even after the mountain took so much away from her, her gritty deter- mination to go after that summit again and not let it get the better of her, is a is a publication of remarkable show of ferocity. It’s one of the most engaging stories we have printed Adams Publishing Group in a long time. I hope you all take time to read it all the way through. *********************** General Manager And speaking of determination, Jim Bilgrien, is so close to making it to 50 years on the sidelines with Watertown’s chain gang. As of this printing, the entire scho- Missy Feiler lastic sports season is a colossal mess thanks to the virus, but Bilgrien has hopes [email protected] he can notch his 50th season somehow, someway in the midst of all this uncer- Editor tainty. Let’s hope he can get it done this year, but we could see him stretching it Scott Peterson out to 2021, if that is what COVID-19 demands. The officiating crew is not always appreciated during the game, but football would be all but impossible without [email protected] them. It’s nice to shed light on unsung heroes who dutifully go about their jobs Layout for the love the game and the community. Kevin Wilson’s story really brings that Liz Quezada out. Editorial And what story could be more important during the pandemic than to focus on the school staff, which throughout the pandemic has been supplying the neces- Ed Zagorski sary nutrients that families need. For some families, the meals they get at schools Nate Gilbert are vital to good nutrition and sound health. With school out of session, the food Kevin WIlson service staff at Watertown Unified School District has not been taking a hiatus. In Advertising Sales fact, as reporter Nate Gilbert’s stroy explains, they have prepared nearly 100,000 Jay Emmet meals for hungry families in our community. COVID might put a halt to in-person schools, but it is not going to prevent the community from rallying for those in Scott Trentadue need. Take that, COVID! Kelly Zastrow It seems like there is so much tension these days, but I think you will agree that the family and friends that make up the Watertown area have something to share with all of us that are positive messages and can help us get through the worst of The next edition of Family & Friends this. We could all use some hope and may these stories kindle that feeling in all of magazine will be published on you. November 12, 2020. Scott Peterson The advertising deadline will be Managing Editor October 22, 2020. Adams Publishing Group Contents Publisher of Watertown Daily Times Time$aver Watertown Football Chain Gang ... 4 Family & Friends Bilgrien hopes to celebrate 50th season on chain gang at Watertown High School. Climbing Ojos Del Salado ... 8 Former Watertown resident turns tragedy into triumph. Meals Provided During Pandemic ... 14 The Watertown Unified School District packaged and distributed 98,770 meals.

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FALL 2020 | Family & Friends 3 Bilgrien hoping to celebrate 50 years on Watertown football chain gang

By Kevin Wilson Family & Friends staff t’s unclear, as of this writing, whether Watertown football Iwill be here in the fall for Jim Bilgrien. But for 49 years, Jim Bilgrien has been here for Watertown football. Bilgrien is hoping to celebrate his 50th season working on the chain gang at Watertown High School, even if the COVID-19 pandemic will make this season vastly different than any other. “Indeed,” Bilgrien said. “Coming up on 50 years. I’ve also done the basketball scoreboard. This was my 48th year for that. I’ve been doing that stuff forever. It’s fun, plus you get in for free.” Bilgrien spent his professional career in Watertown teaching science at the junior high level, primarily to eighth graders. He started helping out at Goslings games almost immediately. “The 1971-72 school year was my first year doing the chains,” Bilgrien said. “A good friend of mine, Wally Coghlan, was going to get into coaching (and con- vinced me to help out). I gradu- ated to handling the down box after starting on the chains.” In the early years, working with the down markers was a bit

CONTRIBUTED Jim Bilgrien has served on the chain gang for Wa- tertown High School football for the past 49 sea- sons. He is hoping to celebrate his 50th season on the job this fall. 4 Family & Friends | FALL 2020 Bilgrien hoping to celebrate 50 years on Watertown football chain gang more dangerous. “He and Tony have the chains. If old days. Dave Froehling ran an “They would put the sticks there’s a long gainer, I give the implement dealership; he did it right on the out of bounds line,” down box to Jeff. The refs don’t for a while. He said it was some- Bilgrien said. “The chains had care who does it. They’re usual- thing to look forward to on a spikes on the end, so you could ly pretty funny and easy going. Friday night. We had quite a few stick them in the ground. The They usually ask, where’s a good other guys. We’d get some subs kids were right behind you, big place to get a meal? Watertown now and then, but we always kids. I never got hit real bad, but didn’t usually have a whole lot had a good crew. We got along some other guys came real close. open at 9:30 p.m., but those guys really well and knew what was Those days, we were a little bit were always looking for some- going on.” more agile. One kid bent the pole thing. It was fun in the old days. Dan Herbst was Watertown’s and put a dent on it for the down We sure didn’t do it for the mon- coach for more than half of Bil- 10-yard marker. It was a little bit ey. Years ago, we got five bucks grien’s time on the chain gang. hazardous (when collisions oc- a game. When taxes were taken He took over the program short- curred near the sideline). We tried out, it came to three bucks, but it ly before Bilgrien’s arrival, and to drop the chains and go some- was for the fun of it in the good retired from coaching football where as fast as we could. Now, we have a little more room with kids three or four yards back.” Being able to move quickly up and down the field between plays is critical, especially after a long scoring play. “If there was a long run or a pass, like say a 90-yard pass, who has to take that down box the whole way to mark it for the extra point?,” Bilgrien said. “I did that for years. I’ve been running wind sprints to get in shape. Well, not really. Maybe 20 years ago, but not now that I am 76. I get up and down the field, but it takes a little longer, but it’s good to keep moving.” Bilgrien’s sons, Jeff and Tony, have worked the chains with him for several years now. “Jeff’s been doing it for 20 years now, and Tony’s been at it for 12 to 14 years,” Bilgrien said. FALL 2020 | Family & Friends 5 after the 1998 season. He had running back Lee Swiggum in a Kamrath implemented a spread several great teams during the run-heavy offense. passing attack a decade ago, course of a Hall of Fame career, “We had a lot of good teams, which has led to high-scoring and more than one way of mov- and a big rivalry with Oconomo- games and eight consecutive ing the chains. The Goslings had woc,” Bilgrien said. “There are playoff appearances. a great passing attack with quar- tons of teams you remember, but “He’s got guys that know how terback Joe Parish and receiver did you beat Oconomowoc? That to catch the ball and guys to Jim Bender in the mid-1980s. In was the goal, one way or the throw the ball to them,” Bilgrien 1996, the last Watertown team other. Dan knew how to get the said. “He’s an impressive guy, just to win a conference champion- guys motivated. That was one of a down-to-earth guy. If he sees ship featured a huge offensive his main qualities.” you on the street, he’ll come over line, which paved the way for Current Watertown coach Benji and shake your hand. It doesn’t seem like there’s any ego at all.” Bilgrien counted one of his highlights as working a game held at Camp Randall against Hartford in 1998. For years, high school teams got the chance to play a regular season game on the field used by the Wisconsin Badgers. It was a rare opportuni- ty usually reserved only for state championship games. “They played those games in the afternoon,” Bilgrien said. “They did that for quite a few years. Just to be out there on the Badger field, that was very impressive. They would select dif- ferent teams each year. That was something to remember.” Bilgrien has always worked on the visiting team’s sideline. “We heard some language and expletives, but when we would play Wisconsin Lutheran, they were all pretty good,” Bilgrien said. “They knew God was go- ing to get them if they went too far. Hartford could get guys to play without (cussing). The main thing is getting kids to play. A lot of kids are interested, but don’t want to work hard. Today, they have hand-held computers. There are a few kids that are still pretty dedicated.” One of the most enjoyable things for Bilgrien over the years 6 Family & Friends | FALL 2020 was seeing his former middle be taken for granted. Especially school students play varsity foot- when the weather gets dicey. WDTIMES ball. “We used to have cards you PHOTO GALLERY & “The main thing was getting out flipped to second, third and there and seeing the kids you fourth down,” Bilgrien said. “We REPRINT SERVICES had in school, and the parents finally lobbied for a dial down, of the kids I had,” Bilgrien said. was is much easier. If it was “Some ref crews were a lot of rainy, the cards got stuck togeth- fun. Some were strict. Most were er, a lot of little things like that. down to earth and would joke Everybody could take off and around. It makes the game a lot go home if it started raining. We easier. It’s supposed to be fun had to stay there and hopeful- and not just by the book.” ly not get too wet. If there was The simpler pleasures have not lightning, we would go into the changed over the years. school. One time, there was an It’s as easy as A-B-C! “The highlight of the night is go- hour delay. Then they went back A. Visit our website, www.wdtimes.com ing over at halftime and getting a out there and played. By the time B. Click “Photo Gallery & Reprints” hot dog,” Bilgrien said. “You drop the other team got home, it was button that down box and take off.” a long time. Most of the time, the Just as the postal service has weather is pretty good. I always C. Browse and Select photos desired always been lauded for deliver- take more than I Watertown Daily Times ing the mail rain or shine, people need. Everybody who help make local sports pos- laughs at me, but I 218 S. First Street sible, such as Bilgrien, should not try to stay dry.” (920) 390-6040

FALL 2020 | Family & Friends 7 FormerFormer WatertownWatertown residentresident turnsturns tragedytragedy intointo triumphtriumph By Ed Zagorski Hours before she had found Berg, Antonio and Pablo were Family & Friends staff herself stranded, Berg and her in Camp Tejos, which is located in he was stuck on a moun- friends, Antonio and Pablo, set the on the Argentina-Chile tain alone. out to climb Ojos del Salado, the border at an elevation just over If tears were an option, roof of the Andes, and also the 19,000-feet. During March morn- S highest point in Chile and second ings and nights, the temperature she would’ve cried. She felt weak, desperate and in South America. is between -4 and -15 degrees. defeated. Berg said solitude is a defin- They were on the mountain for She screamed for help, but ing characteristic of Ojos del five days already, but March 6 knew no one was going to come Salado. Even though it’s 22,615 was the day the trio planned to for her. Chelsey Berg was sitting feet make it the tallest summit. on an incline atop a 20,600-foot in the world, it doesn’t receive “It was cold as expected, but in the middle of the night. the heavy foot traffic. She said with clear skies and low wind, I It was March 6, 2019. What the it is normal for a group of only was ecstatic,” Berg recalled. “All 32-year-old Watertown native a handful climbing at the same the variables seemed to be in calls her “worst day.” time, and it’s rare for the different place for a relaxed, successful What began as a team-building groups to be on the same sched- summit day.” experience became a lesson in ule. The small group left camp at the fragility of life coupled with “It was an important team 4 a.m. and planned to hit the an examination of empowerment bonding opportunity because summit by 1 p.m. and free will. we had never climbed together Berg led her friends in the dark- On Jan. 23, 2018, Berg stood before,” Berg said. “It is a rule ness for the first couple of hours. at the top of Argentina’s Acon- of thumb to progressively build She had been training intensely cagua, at 22,842 feet the highest experience on the mountain with before this climb and felt strong mountain outside of Asia and a new group. enough for the ascent. one of the world’s Seven Sum- “However, since each person Although her body began to mits, which are each the tallest had already been to Ojos del Sal- feel the effects of the altitude, mountains on every continent. ado and Pablo and Antonio had she continued with slow, steady They are also the mountains summited multiple times,” Berg steps to maintain a controlled Berg has on her list to summit. continued, “we did not consider heartbeat and keep her muscles Berg, who continues to train it too high of a risk for our first warm. and push her body to its limit to group climb.” “It is important to find that pace eventually climb Mount Manaslu, What wasn’t deemed a risk where you can keep climbing for a 26,760-foot mountain in the became a nightmare for Berg, at least an hour without stop- Himalayas, decided on the Ojos but one she doesn’t regret expe- ping,” she said. “Getting started del Salado expedition. She said it riencing. after a break is hard enough, but was a preparation climb as part “It was a very difficult period if you and your muscles get too of that more challenging excur- of my life, but so many positive cold, it can be difficult to recover sion. things have happened since,” she not only one’s temperature, but said. pace as well.”

8 Family & Friends | FALL 2020 FormerFormer WatertownWatertown residentresident turnsturns tragedytragedy intointo triumphtriumph She said about 7 a.m. the sun trek further. stops with the help of an ice axe. began to rise over the many “He was tired and ready to turn He was gone. 20,000-foot mountains and around,” Berg said. “Antonio said Berg hesitated to do the same. volcanoes scattered before the he felt comfortable heading back She gave it a great deal of group. They continued to zigzag alone.” thought, but she didn’t want to through the scree, a collection Pablo and Berg reached a crater be left alone. of broken rock fragments at the on the glacier at 22,113 feet, She was a long way from the base of mountain cliffs or vol- nearly 1,500 feet from the sum- place she called home. canoes that has accumulated mit. Berg graduated from Water- through periodic rockfall from While she waited for Pablo to town High School in 2005 and adjacent cliff faces. The group reach her, Berg admired the view Marquette University in De- walked through the broken rock and marveled at the beauty the cember 2008 with a degree in with their crampons, which are day had brought them. marketing and international traction devices attached to “With the ‘warm’ weather and business. She is employed as a footwear to improve mobility on absence of wind, I wasn’t worried marketing manager for an inter- snow and ice to a glacier. Once about time,” Berg said. “We still national talent development and there, they removed their cram- had plenty of time to cross the transition firm. pons and decided to leave them, glacier during daylight. We’d do She moved to Chile because ice axes and any other unnec- the zigzag in the dark just as we she wanted to live in another essary equipment behind where did in the morning, but that was country and learn Spanish. Berg they could retrieve it on their no big deal.” said she had studied abroad, descent. Berg sat with her face soaking backpacked and wanted to While Pablo was next to take in the sunlight. round out the experience by liv- the lead, Berg kept checking her It wasn’t long before she was ing in another place. watch and found they were be- joined by Pablo, who said rath- She was definitely in another hind schedule and should have er anxiously, “We need to go place. She was sitting on a glacier summited already. down.” wondering what she should do “I admitted we were walking Berg wasn’t sure what hap- next. slower than planned,” she said. pened and noted Pablo’s sense With her gut in a knot, and “It seemed to me that we had of urgency wasn’t what she was against her own intuition, she veered to the right, crossing the expecting. went down in self arrest. Berg volcano and taking a less steeper She said she realized Pablo said the snow and ice was ex- route than we discussed.” must have been more fatigued tremely hard; and she gained tre- It was 3:15 p.m. and the trio than she noticed. mendous speed down the glacier. took another break. Berg knew He then in a matter of seconds, “I lost control and was free the group was moving slowly picked up his ice axe and dis- sliding down the glacier,” Berg and may not summit, but would appeared in self arrest, which is recalled. be able to get down by dusk. a mountaineering technique in As she slid and passed Pablo She said Pablo didn’t mind con- which a climber slides down a on the glacier, she bumped his tinuing, but Antonio declined to snow or ice-covered slope and shoulder to help slow herself

FALL 2020 | Family & Friends 9 CONTRIBUTED Camp Tejos, far left, which is located in the Andes on the Argentian-Chile border, is at an elevation of just over 19,000-feet. During March mornings and nights, the temperature is between -4 and -15 degrees.

down after sliding about 200 feet. Although she was completely surprised and fortunate to be alive the cold snow began to burn her cheek. Pablo quickly made his way over to Berg and looked disturbed at what he’d just seen. He asked Berg her name, checking her for signs of a head injury. She asked him how her face looked and Pablo replied, “not good.” Berg admitted she was in a bit of shock and wanted to get off of the glacier, as did Pablo. He then disappeared. Again, self-arresting down the glacier. Once again, he was gone. Berg thought camp was about an hour and a half away. She thought Pablo was going to find Antonio and they would come and get her. Timed passed. She yelled their names. “Antonio!” “Pablo!” She didn’t hear a response and eventually night hit. Now she was sitting on a glacier in the middle of the night. Waiting. Waiting for someone to hear her screams. Berg felt vulnerable and fragile. All alone. The grim reali- ty began to set in. But Berg’s heart began to slow its beats and her breaths became shorter. She actually felt “one” with the mountain and began to grow calm. “I was one little dot that just blended into all the immen-

10 Family & Friends | FALL 2020 CONTRIBUTED The Ojos del Salado volcano, which stands at 22,615 feet, makes it the tallest volcano in the world. Former Watertown resident Chelsey Berg and a couple of her friends were climbing it in preparation for a larger expedition.

sity,” she said. “The fear started to fade.” Berg realized she needed to get off the ice. She believed it was better to slide by choice than plummet down head- first and unconscious. She thought it was her best chance for survival. Without further internal arguing, she stuck her feet out in front of her, put her hands on the ice to push off and let herself go. “I was going so fast and it was so unbelievably scary,” she said. “My cheek was crushed against the ice and her face became even more scraped as she slid down in the darkness. Her head bounced from side to side. “I hit the bottom,” she said. “My body crashed against the rocks, and my head struck a hard surface. I remember the huge, loud thump. Then everything went black.” Sometime after sunrise on March 7, Berg began to open her eyes. She was likely out for 12 hours. She pushed her- self to wake up. She used every remaining surge of energy inside of her to wake. What she believed to be a dream wasn’t. She knew she needed to get up. She needed to move. Berg kept telling herself over and over, “I have to get to camp. I have to get to camp.” CONTRIBUTED She eventually sat up and lifted each leg, putting one in Berg had to traverse through fields of penitentes, which are snow formations found at high altitudes. They take the form front of the other and began dragging herself down the of elongated, thin blades of hardened snow or ice, closely glacier. Although it was slow, Berg was making progress. spaced and pointing towards the general direction of the sun. FALL 2020 | Family & Friends 11 CONTRIBUTED LEFT: Former Watertown resident Chelsey Berg’s view of the Ojos del Salado summit. BOTTOM: Chelsey Berg’s hands after she was stranded atop the tallest volcano in the world. Because of frostbite, the four fingers on her right hand after the first knuckle needed amputation as did the tip of her left index finger. She also endured a skin graft on her right glute, the muscle of one’s buttocks.

While she couldn’t see clearly, for her. Berg did catch a glimpse of her Berg right hand. It was swollen and said she beat up. She kept dragging her- told them self down and began screaming she need- for help. ed to get Berg knew she needed to to camp. headed to a public hospital in get to camp. While alternating They told her that’s where they Copiapo, which was 170 miles her cries for help, she slowly were headed. The two men tried away. dragged her banged-up body walking her down the moun- “We got to the hospital and down the glacier. She thought tain, but Berg couldn’t walk so they wheeled me into urgent she could walk, but when she they took turns taking her down care,” she said. “I remember be- got up, she crumpled to the “piggyback” style. The two men ing put on the bed and wheeled ground. She pushed on. placed Berg in her sleeping bag in. They hooked me up to an IV “My cries became more des- and then in back of a truck. It and gave me medicine.” perate with each pull forward,” was there she was reunited with Antonio was talking to a doc- Berg said. “I was losing momen- Antonio, who frantically drove tor in Santiago, the capital of tum, but fighting against it. All her and Pablo to camp and into Chile, where there is better med- of a sudden, she heard a voice, a waiting ambulance. ical care. She could be flown “Amiga, we’re here!” Berg said the ambulance to Santiago, but Berg was at a The two men were mountain belonged to one of the mining public hospital, and had private guides, who Pablo and Antonio, companies in the area. The insurance. She would have to gathered from nearby camps ambulance took her to Paso wait hours before reaching the requesting help in locating Berg. San Francisco, which is between hospital in Chile. Antonio told With a group of eight mountain Chile and Argentina, and 150 Berg they could leave immedi- guides, the search began and miles later from when she was ately and be there before 9 a.m. she was found. Now, it was a placed in the first ambulance Berg signed a release and was race to find medical attention into another one. Berg was ready to leave, but caught a

12 Family & Friends | FALL 2020 look at herself in the mirror. ful in the mountain are the same into the mountain, my focus will “I was taken aback when I saw stills that helped me keep my be on adapting and relearning my bloody, dirty, puffy face,” she head up and not lose sight of my technical skills, in order to get said. “One eye was totally black objective during the recovery,” back to climbing bigger and and blue and almost swollen Berg said. “It gave me the disci- harder mountains. I have to shut. There was a big gash under pline I needed to push through learn how to use my new hand my right eyebrow. I couldn’t be- when I didn’t have anything left for those kinds of activities, and lieve it was me. I didn’t recognize in me. The thought of getting will have to adapt certain things myself.” back is what has motivated me while learning to do others with Her recovery would not be to workout daily, even though my left hand. And, not to be un- easy. I’ve been stuck in quarantine for derestimated, I’ll surely need to Months later with many mo- four-plus months and unable to regain confidence and also likely ments of reflection, she said life go outside and push through the overcome the probable fear of for her is different now. physical challenges to recover falling.” “Lucky to be alive, I’m currently my condition and functionality.” She said her overriding goal putting life back together, healing While others may quit, Berg is climbing the , a body that suffered severe frost- said she hopes to be able to climbing big mountains in the bite, processing what life could make it back to Ojos del Salado Himalayas, and doing traverses be like with shorter fingers on this upcoming season. in the Ice Fields in Chile. my right hand ... and stumbling “I want to emotionally close the Berg writes about her trav- along, but with my head up, on a cycle as well as give the moun- els on her Instagram account long road to recovery.” tain thanks for letting me make @findingthenorth and Because of frostbite, the four it,” she said. “As soon as quaran- her website www.find- fingers on her right hand after tine lets up and I can get back ingthenorth.com the first knuckle needed ampu- tation as did the tip of her left index finger. She also endured a skin graft on her right glute, the muscle on her buttocks. “It was a long and very difficult six month battle to save what I was able to save,” Berg said. But she says she’s not afraid and more determined than ever to go on the offensive. Enduring what she did, Berg doesn’t have second thoughts about mountain climbing. “No, I am more passionate than ever about the mountain and its role in my life. It is where I feel most free, most connected to the world, and most me. In the end, the mountain wasn’t the prob- lem. Accidents can happen any- where and the key is being better about evaluating, preventing, and managing risk. The skills and mentality I learned to be success- FALL 2020 | Family & Friends 13 CONTRIBUTED LEFT: The Watertown Unified School District packaged and distributed 98,770 meals from the middle of March through June 30 despite the school being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. TOP RIGHT: Rhonda Christian, left, and Shari Krueger work at a meal pick-up site for children aged 18 and under. The district averaged 1,496 meals distributed per day. BOTTOM RIGHT: Lynn Freder- ick, left, and Lori Dathan help distribute meals.

Watertown Unified School District continues meals during pandemic

By Nate Gilbert Services, knew there was a need Price explained. “You don’t al- Family & Friends staff for these meals to continue and ways know when you are put- she said she wanted to ensure ting something together how it’s he Watertown Unified they were still available on week- going to play out. You have to School District’s Nutrition days. remain flexible and adaptable. Services staff was forced T Through a few modifications, “Know that your intent and to do a bit of scrambling when such as shifting meals from the purpose is to do good. That’s my the coronavirus pandemic closed schools in March. National School and Breakfast perspective. We are out here do- In the district, between 45 and Program to the district’s usual ing a good thing and everything 46 percent of students are eli- summer plan earlier and moving we can do is for the good of our gible for free or reduced meals. a staff of 14 people, down from students and their families.” Any child under age of 18 can 40 during the school year, to Those meals equal 49,385 come during the school closure varying locations, 98,770 meals breakfasts and 49,385 lunches, and receive a bag lunch and the were served through June 30. averaging 1,496 meals per day next day’s breakfast. “I’m quite pleased with the way over a 66-day period. Sheila Price, head of Nutrition we were able to operate quickly,” “We are extremely blessed to 14 Family & Friends | FALL 2020 CONTRIBUTED LEFT: The Watertown Unified School District packaged and distributed 98,770 meals from the middle of March “With schools nationwide shut, in back windows and utilize other through June 30 despite the school being closed due to that was a huge shift of product contact-free methods. the COVID-19 pandemic. TOP RIGHT: Rhonda Christian, for manufacturers and distribu- “(That component) worked well left, and Shari Krueger work at a meal pick-up site for children aged 18 and under. The district averaged 1,496 tors,” Price said. “They had to go when we figured it out,” Price meals distributed per day. BOTTOM RIGHT: Lynn Freder- from hot meals to either heat- said. “It’s one of those things ick, left, and Lori Dathan help distribute meals. and-serve to shelf stable. We did where you have to figure out have some issues with trying to have assistance from businesses, how those distancing pieces fit.” get product in the door and had individuals and organizations,” The meals program concluded to maintain flexibility with plac- July 31 and will resume when the Price said. “Watertown FFA pro- ing orders and hoping for the vided cheese curds with meals new school year does in Septem- best. When things didn’t come ber. The time off allows for nec- and when they did, those were in, we had to figure out what to essary dialogue pertaining to the our highest days. That was a nice do in place of it. Definitely some district’s pandemic safety plan boost for us and a lot of fun. We challenge there and that affected and for the staff to rest up for the had two businesses in the com- our ability to have wide-ranging munity, Kwik Trip on Highway 19 options.” new academic year. and Area Dental on Boughton The nutrition services em- “I have a great staff here who Street, provide a safe place to ployees initially prepared all are invested in the community have families come and pick up the meals at Watertown High and want to help people and meals. School. When physical distanc- help kids,” Price said. “We had a lot of phone calls ing became a concern, some of “It’s been a rewarding time. To from residents in the community the staff started working out of not only see my staff come to- to assist with meal distribution, Riverside Middle School. gether but the commu- saying ‘I’m not working, but Meal pickup at a distance went nity also in the kudos know I’m near if you need an ex- relatively smoothly, Price said. we have received from tra set of hands.’ We didn’t need Workers were able to drop meals being able to do this.” them, but the sentiment was appreciated.” Kramer Dairy also provided the district with milk at cost, drop- ping the usual per carton up- charge, out of support during the pandemic. There was more good news for district families as it relates to the meals program. An anonymous donor saw the community’s need resulting from the pandemic and paid off the student meal debt for the entire district. “That was a thoughtful and kind thing to do,” Price said. “Know- ing how strapped (for money) some people were at this time, we have a great community here that’s been supportive of us.” The pandemic closed most schools throughout the coun- try, creating some supply chain issues and the necessity for Price and her team to be flexible. FALL 2020 | Family & Friends 15 WORKING TOGETHER TO BECOME THE HEALTHIEST COMMUNITY IN WISCONSIN You don’t need to travel far from home to make the best choice for your health care. From routine and preventive healthcare needs – annual exams, screenings, flu shots, and immunizations, to coordinated care for your joints, physical therapy, surgeries, special procedures, mental health, or other specialty care – our providers are committed to improving your health and well-being.

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16 Family & Friends | FALL 2020 FORT ATKINSON • JEFFERSON • JOHNSON CREEK • MILLS • WHITEWATER • CAMBRIDGE • SURROUNDING AREAS