Hope, Imagination & Open Hospitality

THIS IS THE FOURTH in the year-long series featuring WBCS Showhouse for a Cure homes. Our ninth annual showhouse held in 2007 was located in Mequon and had a spectacular view of Lake Michigan. It was our first and only newly built home. Most of our showhouses, before and after, were built the early 1900’s.

THE DELIGHTFUL HOMEOWNERS, the RoslerNossig Family: Henry, Yvette and their children, Sabrina, Julia and Adam, named their new home, “The House of Dreams”. Their dream was for it to be a symbol of hope, imagination and open hospitality. They felt honored to donate their home as a catalyst to raise money for breast cancer and prostate cancer research at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Despite being challenged by delays during the construction phase of the house, Yvette was inspired by the spirit of goodwill among designers, tradespeople, gardeners and WBCS volunteers, all of whom worked long hours to meet the opening deadline.

Yvette was pleasantly surprised by the number of first-time tour goers. Henry mentioned he was taken by seeing a constant stream of cars pass by their home after the run of the showhouse. One person actually stopped to express his desire to secure the same architect and build an exact replica of “The House of Dreams” for his family.

Among Yvette’s favorite rooms were It’s A Wrap, a gift wrapping room designed by Claudia Gavery on behalf of the WBCS Board of Directors and the V.I.P. Guest Suite and Bath, designed by Margaret Weis of Calico Corners and Betsy Peckenpaugh of Uncommon Walls. Another favorite was the Master Bedroom Suite and Master Bath by Thomasville Home Furnishings, designed by Janet Rowe and Cathy Anthony along with KRK Interiors. Yvette was proud to share the fact that the Master Bath was used in a commercial for a Manhattan, New York firm.

Yvette and Henry kept most of the rooms much the same as when the home was a showhouse. Among themselves and when they have visitors, the family still refers to the rooms using the names that were given them by WBCS designers.

Yvette and Henry could not recall any specific challenges during the showhouse. They did share that their most rewarding moment was when they saw the amount of the check presented to the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Yvette continues to support WBCS events. Yvette and Henry agreed they would absolutely do it all over again and encourage other homeowners to consider offering their home. It is a win-win situation, as well as an honor and a privilege to partner with WBCS volunteers and Medical College of Wisconsin researchers to advance the science needed to defeat breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Volunteer

What is a volunteer? At WBCS, we define a volunteer as someone who steps in to help with the many tasks needed to put on the WBCS events each year, who does them well, without pay and does them cheerfully.

WBCS is an all-volunteer philanthropic organization and the only way things get done is through the efforts of many volunteers working together to achieve that common goal of investing in breast cancer and prostate cancer research. Whether it is pulling together to create the Showhouse, arranging a wonderful day of fun and relaxation at our Tee-Up for a Cure© golf event or celebrating breast cancer and prostate cancer survivors at the Pinktacular Luncheon and Fashion Show©, they are there to help. Kay Brogelman is such a volunteer.

When asked how she became involved with WBCS, she shared that her neighbor, Lynn Dewing who is another long time WBCS volunteer, asked her to be a docent in the 2004 Showhouse. It was WBCS’s good fortune that Kay said yes. Kay shares that she loves docenting, answering questions from the always friendly visitors, working with the other docents, assisting the showhouse designers during the run of the Showhouse and meeting the homeowners. As so often happens, one thing led to another. That first year, there was an unusual bath tub that visitors kept asking questions about. Was it original to the house? Why would it have been made that way? What was that tub all about? Kay started to wonder, too, and that led her to write the first Showhouse history for the 2006 Showhouse program.

A history has been featured in each Showhouse program since then. Kay’s research is gleaned from Milwaukee Historical Society files, interviews with current home owners, past newspaper articles and the architectural archives for the city of Milwaukee. This is a solitary endeavor that she starts in the winter and delivers to the program team in spring. Kay says she loves working alone just as much as she loves working with other docents and wouldn’t give up either. whispered about, as was cancer in general, and as Kay says, “being a self-absorbed teenager”, she didn’t really understand how serious it was. Although she knew her mother had had a mastectomy, no one said the words breast cancer. Her mother seemed in the clear for about four years but then it was discovered the cancer had metastasized. Kay says she remembers her mother never asked for help and Kay does not remember helping her mother–that her mother was “all alone in this battle”. At the time, a breast cancer diagnosis stigmatized a woman; there was very little research being conducted.

Apparently, Kay won’t give up other WBCS volunteer opportunities either. She always works at the Tee-Up for a Cure©, the Pinktacular Luncheon and Fashion© show, and the Holiday Wine Pull. For many years, Kay helped wrap holiday gifts at Barnes and Noble with Susie and Bob Fono, who created that event.

Volunteering for WBCS is Kay’s way “to give to her mother”–something she wasn’t able to do when her mother was suffering alone.

Every year following her annual mammogram, Kay would think “Well, that is another year down, another year without breast cancer”. Then, two years ago, she was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer and memories of her mother’s fight came flooding back. Kay had an ultrasound, a biopsy then treatment. Fortunately for Kay, it wasn’t her mother’s journey all over again. The development of technology to help with early diagnosis and the research that has led to a greater understanding of cancer and to major improvements in breast cancer treatment have yielded a totally different result from that of her mother’s. Kay is now cancer free. She urges everyone to go for an annual mammography, just as she continues to do. It can be lifesaving.

In summing up her feelings about her role as a volunteer, Kay shares that “it is an enormous privilege to be a part of WBCS and to work with so many others for this common cause of supporting research to improve treatment and ultimately find cures.” n

Kay’s motivation to volunteer with WBCS stems from the early death of her mother, when Kay was just 19. When her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, Kay was in high school. At that time, breast cancer was

If you like to volunteer, please send an email through our website www.breastcancershowhouse.org. Showhouses are the result of the commitment and dedication of the designers, homeowners and volunteers. We hope you enjoyed this look back and are inspired.

WWW.BREASTCANCERSHOWHOUSE.ORG

If you are interested in offering your home as a future WBCS Showhouse, please send an email to WBCS@breastcancershowhouse.org.