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Verona Press The

Stories to watch in 2020

The high school opens Changes at schools throughout the city likely to dominate again in 2020

Stories of 2020 1. New Verona Area High School 2. Other schools move, align 3. Northern expansion at Whispering Coves 4. Sugar Creek Commons 5. New fire chief 6. Crossing guard changes 7. Historical society seeks a home

We don’t need to be fortune tellers to say with confidence the opening of the new Verona Area High School will easily be one of Verona’s biggest stories of 2020.

In fact, several of our projected top stories of the year are a result, at least partially, of the new school campus.

The opening of the new

Turn to 2020/Page 10 Brothers Noah (left) and Caspian (right) Davis sort beads for their pipe cleaner snowflake.

Photos by Neal Patten

Passing the torch

Families chill during library snow crafts Unified Newspaper Group

While it can be difficult to keep children engaged and entertained during the winter break from school, the library provided parents some assistance by hosting snow-themed arts and crafts the day after Christmas on Thursday, Dec. 26.

Four activity stations were set up for families

Retiring food pantry coordinator Berry improved partnerships, efficiency, guest experience

On the Web To view more photos, visit:

ConnectVerona.com and kids, including snowman name tags, mosaic snowflakes, pipe cleaner and bead snowflakes and snowman wreaths.

Neal Patten, Verona Community Reporter, can be contacted at neal.patten@ wcinet.com.

RENEE HICKMAN Unified Newspaper Group

Two weeks after the Madison Fire Department announced it would switch to PFAS-free firefighting foam, Verona fire chief Dan Machotka said his department did not plan to make similar changes.

PFAS stands for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a family of man-made chemicals that can have adverse health effects in humans, including cancer and thyroid hormone interruption, according to the EPA. The chemicals can be found in many consumer products and in the

Badger Prairie Needs Network is currently looking for additional leadership team members to begin roles in 2020.

“People don’t realize how much of leadership can be done from home, you can do some of it at home in your jammies,” retiring food pantry coordinator Pat Berry said.

“When I did food ordering for the pantry, I would do it from home.”

NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

Brandy Wasvick helps her daughters Charlotte (left) and Norah (right) craft a snowman wreath.

Verona Fire Department won’t make the switch to PFAS-free foam yet Department says it is monitoring recommendations

How to help

foam used by fire departments to fight fires by suppressing combustion.

“The current foam that we use has levels below current EPA regulations,” Machotka told the Press.

Testing in 2019 by the Wisconsin State Department of Natural Resources found PFAS chemicals in several bodies of water, including Lake Monona. One major source of the PFAS contamination was thought to be firefighting foam used in training exercises near the Dane County Regional Airport, according to reporting by the Wisconsin State Journal.

Effective Dec. 13, the Madison Fire Department switched to National Foam brand’s Knockdown Class A Foam Concentrate, according to a press release from the department.

The release said the product was

chosen by the department from among foams being marketed as PFAS free for its low levels of tested toxicity and ability to perform effectively in a wide range of temperatures, which the department said is “especially important during Wisconsin’s frigid winter months.”

Machotka said the Verona Fire Department uses firefighting foam “a few times a year.”

“We are also closely watching the PFAS technical Advisory Group for recommendations moving forward,” he said, referring to to the working group within the DNR formed to discuss and share technical data on the impact of PFAS chemicals in Wisconsin.

Renee Hickman can be contacted at renee.hickman@wcinet.com.

When Badger Prairie Needs Network executive director Marcia Kasieta was rear-ended in July 2017 on her way to purchase food for a community meal, the first person she thought to call was not her husband, but rather, Pat Berry.

As Kasieta began to lose Berry consciousness from a significant head injury, she thought about how the six-month-old community meal program she runs could fall apart permanently if it went on a temporary hiatus.

But Berry, who is retiring from BPNN after three and a half years, kept the meal afloat by spending the weekend preparing the meal with help from a visiting friend, and she also kept the organization running

until Kasieta returned five months later.

“Pat did a lot to just keep everything running, which for me, I will never forget and can never thank her enough,” Kasieta said.

Berry, a former nonprofit vice president and CEO, had been the food pantry coordinator for a little more than a year at the time of Kasieta’s accident, and implemented multiple initiatives that streamlined the pantry’s processes.

Berry leaves behind a legacy

Turn to Berry/Page 12

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2

January 2, 2020

The Verona Press

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Verona Area School District

Lunch and a show

Photos submitted

Makona Wilson practicing her Chinese character writing during Verona Area International School’s story time on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Verona Public Library.

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

Kindergartener Shamal Hettiarachchi laughs at a fifth grader’s jokes about Christmastime during the Lunch Theater event on Friday, Dec. 20, at Country View Elementary School.

On Friday, Dec. 20, students demonstrated their talents and interests to their peers during a Lunch Theater event. Students played the piano, told jokes, performed dance routines and showed fellow students how to dribble a basketball.

-Kimberly Wethal

Fifth grader Myles Lazarte sings “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

VAIS students, staff hold dual-language story time On Saturday, Dec. 7, the Verona Area International School hosted a Chinese Story and Craft time at the Verona Public Library.

The bilingual story time, led by the K/1 teacher, Lumei Huang, featured the reading of Eric Carle’s classic story “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” in

Third grader Myles Manning plays the piano for his classmates.

Third grader Samuel Shubak demonstrates his basketball skills during Lunch Theater.

On the Web To view more photos visit:

ConnectVerona.com Chinese, a variety of songs in Chinese and several crafts.

More than 100 were in attendance.

— Submitted by Teresa Mueller

From left, Addy Roltgen reads “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” in Chinese with K/1 teacher Lumei Huang.

Ria Miyamoto works on a caterpillar necklace.

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January 2, 2020

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Verona library working on becoming more inclusive NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

Over the next few years, the state is asking its member libraries to take steps to better listen to underrepresented voices in their communities.

Those voices will likely include people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, the elderly, low income individuals and people from all walks of life, Tessa Michaealson Schmidt, youth and inclusive library consultant at the state Department of Public Instruction said. The voices at each library will differ based on the community.

In her role, Michaelson Schmidt serves the roughly 400 libraries across the state’s 16 regional public library systems. For the past eight years, she has focused her work on supporting inclusive libraries, and that has resulted in an inclusivity statement in May 2017 and an assessment guide for libraries in July 2019.

In Verona, that assessment has led to a list of 10

areas the Verona Public Library will focus its energy working on in the coming year, including adaptive technology and better signage for people who speak different languages.

Assistant library director Julie Harrison said the Library Board has also read the statement and agreed with changes to make the Verona library as inclusive as possible.

Michaelson Schmidt said the statement and resulting assessment guide are partially intended to provide how DPI interprets state statute 43.24(2)(k), the law that sets requirements for libraries to remain eligible for state aid.

The trends that shaped the statement – which was drafted by people actively working in Wisconsin libraries – came from local library input, as stakeholders found it helpful to have a set definition of the law, Michaelson Schmidt said.

To get there, she said, she did a lot of listening to the different libraries to learn what would provide more inclusive services.

“Things like income, race, identity – what that actually looks like and concerns or hesitations or complexities will look different in every community. There’s not one prescription that will work for everyone.”

Consultant Tessa Michaealson Schmidt “Things like income, race, identity – what that actually looks like and concerns or hesitations or complexities will look different in every community,” Michaelson Schmidt said. “There’s not one prescription that will work for everyone.”

She held a retreat that led to the drafting of the statement, then brought library staff together from over the state to look at race, social justice and bias – using examples of experiences guests have had – for the Inclusive Services Institute.

Among the topic areas the resulting assessment guide addresses are collections, services, practices, policies, procedures, perceived friendliness, programming,

location, hours, restrooms, computers and technology, library card registration, online access (website and internet card catalog), marketing, community engagement, funding, self care for library workers, and inclusive culture at the library.

The assessment includes a checklist of questions and prompts representing these topics which were made to align with Wisconsin Public Library standards.

After Verona’s team completed the assessment, it identified several priorities.

These include providing more adaptive or assistive technology in the computer lab, such as high contrast screens, ergonomic keyboards and alternative mice and touch pads; translating

more library documents such as policies and promotional materials; increasing the size of bookshelf labels; improving basic signage in the library by adding pictograms for people who speak different languages; and identifying where new signage is needed to help people get around the building easier.

Verona’s library also wants to ensure it is being inclusive in its hiring process and leadership including Harrison and director Stacey Burkart plan to talk to the city’s human resources coordinator to meet this goal.

Michaelson Schmidt said the assessment provides overall goals that all the regional libraries can be striving for, but adapt to the needs of their local community.

“In many ways, it’s exciting words like equity, social justice and inclusion are more understood now than even one to five years ago,” Michaelson Schmidt said.

“I am pleased to hear libraries are taking these documents to heart and not just

having these conversations because this is a nice thing to do or trendy or on the radar for now. This is what libraries have always stood for, to be a place for everyone regardless of literacy or income, it’s one of the true democratic institutions in our country.”

She said she is now working on additional resources tying together the statement and assessment document.

This includes new checklist prompts based upon the feedback she’s been hearing of more areas where libraries are not inclusive. She is also creating video modules which could be used at board meetings or staff inservices to help buffer difficult conversations on topics like race or class and diffuse potential tensions.

“Libraries can be a great location for having conversations that can be hard to wrap your head around, a place of safety and trust,” Michaelson Schmidt said.

Neal Patten, Verona Community Reporter, can be contacted at neal.patten@ wcinet.com.

Epic buildings and ATM up for recommendation at Plan Commission

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in Verona since 2018, when it the Common Council, which Renee Hickman can be confailed to finalize construction could approve it as soon as tacted at renee.hickman@ at a location at 407 West Vero- Monday, Jan. 13. wcinet.com. na Ave. Get Started at ClearyBuilding.com!

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Alders have been largely supportive of Epic’s presence in Verona and were quick to heap praises on the company when the Campus 5 expansion was first presented at the Common Council meeting in November IN BRIEF Drive-up ATM at West End The Plan Commission will hold a public hearing to allow Summit Credit Union to put an ATM at the Market No. 5 development on the west side of the city.

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Epic will present plans for four separate buildings – Phase II of Campus 5, a workshop building and a substation – to the Plan Commission on Monday, Jan. 6.

The company will present a site plan for the two Campus 5 buildings approved by the commission, and is seeking a conditional use permit to allow multiple buildings on a single parcel of land. The permit is the subject of a public hearing and requires Common Council

approval but is generally a formality.

The site plan and permit are for the construction of the “Mystery” and “Castaway” office buildings based on literary themes. One of the buildings will be atop the existing underground garage, next to the Jules Verne building still being constructed.

The workshop building is an initial review, meaning plans will be formally submitted for a future approval.

Located south of the company’s annex building, it would be used for paint and woodwork.

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RENEE HICKMAN

4

January 2, 2020

The Verona Press

Opinion

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Letters to the editor

F-35s have no business being at Truax It would be unwise for those outside of the Madison city limits to ignore the proposed presence of an F-35 Fighter Wing at Truax Field.

The planes in question pose many health and safety concerns. Believing that the consequences of those hazards would be contained to Madison’s city limit would be a dangerous assumption. Since the jets have been in production they have produced a checkered history of damage and failed expectations.

F-35 jets would foul the air and add to the area’s sizeable carbon footprint.

The EPA and the DNR have not done analyses of the unique toxic pollutants spewed by the jets. In addition, the military has proved to be a poor steward of our water.

Discharged PFAS, a fire retardant chemical, has contaminated groundwater and navigable waterways; cleanup costs are estimated at $140 million.

The F-35s would not carry nuclear weapons initially. However, the jets have that capability. Eventually the jets would be able to carry two warheads, each with four times the destructive force that leveled Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

That information, coupled with the F-35’s dismal safety record (five crashes in five years), should concern all in the region. The military is not required to disclose nuclear armament,

so ambiguity would be the normal operating procedure with regard to F-35s. One mistake with a nuclear weapon would ruin everybody’s day!

The obvious and most noticeable danger to those in the flight path would be noise. The jets are four times noisier than the thunderous F16 already stationed at Truax. Tragically, as is generally the case with hazardous projects, low-income families occupy the area most affected. F-35s would cause over 1,300 homes to be designated as incompatible with residential use. With volumes of between 65 and 75 decibels, the jets present clear dangers to inhabitants, especially children.

These concerns should cause pause for all. In addition, the F-35 is incredibly costly and ineffective. Sen. John McCain proclaimed that the F-35s have “been both a scandal and a tragedy with respect to cost, schedule and performance.”

For Madison and the surrounding area, the economic benefit of bringing F-35s to Truax pales in comparison to the windfall that could be provided by investments in eco-friendly projects such as renewable energy. Join me in contacting our U.S. Representatives and demanding that our area be off limits to F-35s.

Tim White Town of Springdale

School taxes have risen dramatically

Community Voices

With the New Year comes big changes for IRAs I

t’s not often the federal government passes legislation Tax bills are out and no one $1,727(56%). Same house! that has a significant impact should be confused about why they Good schools are important but on how individuals plan their are up so much. the VASD needs to evaluate their personal lives, but the recent pasWhen I bought my house in 2002 spending. sage of the SECURE Act of 2019 the current VASD school tax on my qualifies as one of those times. bill was $3,086, my new tax for the John Senseman The SECURE Act stands for VASD is $4,813 — an increase of Town of Verona “Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement” and it is one of the most sweeping pieces of bipartisan legislation I have seen in a quite a while. The U.S. House and SenThursday, January 2, 2020 • Vol. 55, No. 33 ate produced similar bills they ultimately merged together and USPS No. 658-320 Periodical Postage Paid, Verona, WI and additional offices. passed and got signed into law Published weekly on Thursday by the Unified Newspaper Group, on Dec. 20.

A Division of Woodward Communications, Inc. The focus of the legislation POSTMASTER: Send Address Corrections to was to update the rules related The Verona Press, PO Box 930427, Verona, WI 53593. to retirement plans, with the Office Location: 133 Enterprise Drive, Verona, WI 53593 primary goal of encouraging Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday Americans to better prepare for Phone: 608-845-9559 • FAX: 608-845-9550 retirement. There are 29 provie-mail: veronapress@wcinet.com sions in the bill, most related to Circulation customer service: (800) 355-1892 retirement plans and accounts, ConnectVerona.com but also including changes such This newspaper is printed on recycled paper. as updates to college savings accounts.

Circulation General Manager The legislation is too long to ungcirculation@wcinet.com summarize in one column, so Lee Borkowski News today I want to just focus on a lborkowski@wcinet.com Jim Ferolie couple of changes to IRA rules Sales Manager that might affect people right ungeditor@wcinet.com Kathy Neumeister away this year.

Sports Most people who have retirekathy.neumeister@wcinet.com Adam Feiner ment accounts, either through Advertising ungsportseditor@wcinet.com an employer (such as a 401k, Donna Larson Community/Business 403b or Simple IRA) or their veronasales@wcinet.com Emilie Heidemann own traditional IRA, know they ungbusiness@wcinet.com will eventually be subject to Classifieds Required Minimum Distribution ungclassified@wcinet.com Reporters Inside Sales Suzy Schleeper insidesales@wcinet.com

Kimberly Wethal, Mark Nesbitt, Mackenzie Krumme, Neal Patten, Scott De Laruelle, Renee Hickman

In memory UNG Reporter Amber Levenhagen (1994-2019)

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(RMD) rules.

These rules require that the account owner take a distribution from the account of at least a minimum amount (calculated Arndt based upon their age and using a government table) each year once they reach a certain age.

For some people, this is quite a burden, as the distribution is treated as ordinary income and can significantly add to their federal and state income taxes each year. This is especially true if they are not yet retired and/or have sufficient cash flow from other sources.

Under the SECURE Act of 2019, the minimum age when Required Minimum Distributions must begin has increased from 70 ½ to 72. That means if you turn 70 ½ in 2020, you are no longer required to begin taking distributions from your retirement account(s) but can instead wait until the year in which you turn 72.

If you had planned ahead for having to start taking an RMD in 2020, it is important that you contact your financial or tax adviser prior to the distribution occurring to see how you are affected and make changes

accordingly.

With a similar thought that many Americans are working into their 70s, the legislation also removed the age limit for contributing to traditional IRAs. In the past, individuals were no longer able to make tax deductible contributions to traditional IRAs once they had reached age 70 1/2, even if they were still working and otherwise eligible. Congress recognized that many Americans are working longer and trying to catch up on their savings goals later in life, so they removed the age limit, effectively allowing people to continue making tax deductible traditional IRA contributions as long as they are working and eligible to do so.

Like most legislation, there are provisions of the SECURE Act of 2019 I think people will view as detrimental to investors, but many of the provisions, such as the two I described today, are certainly intended to help Americans better prepare for and navigate retirement.

I’ll explore some of the other provisions in future columns.

Trisha Arndt, CFP, is president of Wealth Strategies of Wisconsin Ltd, 951 Kimball Lane, Suite 110, Verona, WI 53593, 8482400. Securities and Advisory Services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser.

ConnectVerona.com

January 2, 2020

The Verona Press

5

Conservation conversation Kindergarten info night is Jan. 9 to be held Tuesday, Jan. 14 School tour If You Go Verona Area School District

Country View: 9:1510:05 a.m. Jan. 24; 1-2 p.m. Jan. 27 Glacier Edge: 8:309:30 a.m. Jan. 16; 1:302:30 p.m. Jan. 22 Stoner Prairie: 12:301:30 p.m. Jan. 16; 8:309:30 a.m. Jan. 21 Sugar Creek: 9-9:45 a.m., 1:15-2 p.m.

Jan. 16

NEAL PATTEN Unified Newspaper Group

International School and Core Knowledge Charter School.

The Informational Night will also give families a chance to ask questions about the district’s Two-Way Immersion the TWI program.

For more information, visit program, which is housed at Sugar Creek and Glacier Edge. verona.k12.wi.us.

Email reporter Kimberly Families have until Feb. 14 Wethal at kimberly.wethal@ to decide where they would like wcinet.com and follow her on their kindergartener to attend a charter school or be a part of Twitter @kimberly_wethal.​

Free screenings to be held Jan. 8 NEAL PATTEN

Unified Newspaper Group

Fitch-Rona EMS and Capitol Physical Therapy are joining forces to offer health screenings at the library from 10-11 a.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 8, to reduce your risk of hospitalization.

Fitch-Rona EMS will be

checking blood pressure and blood sugar, and Capitol Physical Therapy will offer fall-prevention screenings and risk assessments, at the library, 500 Silent St. Both services will be offered at no charge and are drop-in only, with no prior appointment. Both entities offer the service on a regular basis at the library.

If You Go What: Blood pressure, blood sugar and fall-prevention screenings When: 10-11 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 8 Where: Verona Public Library Info: Call 845-7180

Live recording of Soggy Prairie at Hop Haus Jan. 3 The local band Soggy Prairie band will record a live album at Hop Haus Brewing Company.

The five band members, four of which are originally from Sun Prairie, have been performing in South Central Wisconsin since 2002.

The live recording will take place from 7-10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3 at 231 S. Main St.

The music is described as a “high energy attitude, to new, traditional and original bluegrass tunes,” according to the band’s Facebook page.

The event descriptions states that patrons may be asked to be in a video that corresponds with the live recording.

For information, visit soggyprairie.com.

-Mackenzie Krumme

The Upper Sugar River Watershed Association will host its first Conversations About Conservation event of 2020 on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at the Wisconsin Brewing Company, 1079 American Way. The annual series offers informal conversations about important conservation issues relating specifically to the Upper Sugar River Watershed.

During USRWA’s January meeting, Department of Natural Resources fish biologist Dan Oele and ecologist Jim Amrhein will discuss the delicate balance between maintaining woody habitats and preserving river navigability.

Oele and Amrhein will discuss topics regarding the balance of two of nature’s habitats: Clearing trees and limbs from rivers to improve navigability offers kayak, canoe and other paddling enthusiasts an improved way to experience the outdoors, but clearing rivers of woody

debris also impacts water habitats and native fish populations.

The event is free to attend.

For people who cannot attend the event at WBC, the presentation will be filmed, and streamed on Facebook Live where people will be able to ask questions. To watch live, search “Upper Sugar River Watershed Association” on Facebook.

For more information, visit uppersugar.org.

If You Go What: Conversations about Conservation When: 6:30-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 14 Where: Wisconsin Brewing Company, 1079 American Way Info: Visit uppersugar. org

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What: Kindergarten Informational Night When: 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9 (Jan. 16 backup night) Where: Badger Ridge Middle School, 740 N. Main St. Info: verona.k12.wi.us

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Families within the Verona Area School District with a soon-to-be kindergartener have a significant choice to make before mid-February: Where will they send their child for school?

The district is hoping to make that decision easier with an Informational Night on Thursday, Jan. 9.

The event will run from 6-7 p.m. at Badger Ridge Middle School, 740 N. Main St., which will become Sugar Creek Elementary School starting in the fall.

The back-up night in the event of inclement weather is Thursday, Jan. 16.

Staff from the four “neighborhood schools” of Sugar Creek, Country View, Glacier Edge and Stoner Prairie will be at the Informational Night, as will staff from the district’s three charter schools, New Century School, Verona Area

6

January 2, 2020

The Verona Press

ConnectVerona.com

Coming up noon Monday, Jan. 6.

1-1:45 p.m. and 3-3:45 p.m.

Nail polish party Help pack up the December decorations Registration required, call 845-7180.

Pamper yourself by applying Color Street nails while enjoying a fun drink from while enjoying provided refreshments.

‘Snowshoe Scurry’ For information, call 845-7471.

2-3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3 at the senior center.

A snowshoeing 5K (or a trail run if Color Street nails are easy to apply, Kindermusik class there’s no snow) will raise money for the require no dry time, do not damage real The Musical Pathways Foundation pres- Wisconsin Second Harvest Foodbank from nails and last up to 10 days. There will be a ents a demo music and movement class for 5-8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10 at Badger Prairie variety of colors to pick from. children 5 and under from 10-10:30 a.m. County Park, 4654 Maple Grove Drive.

RSVP for this event by calling 845- Tuesday, Jan. 7 Snowshoe Scurry is an organization that 7471.

Registration required, call 845-7180. offers opportunities to get outside and compete in the snow and have wintertime fun.

Cheese raffle fundraiser Pork chop dinner To participate in the race requires a $22 A cheese auction 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. The American Legion Post 385 will 5 will help Savanna Oaks Middle School hold its annual pork chop dinner fundrais- donation. Bring your own snowshoes or seventh grader Andrew Cassiday partici- er 4:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 207 rent them for an additional $10.

For information, email support@snowpate in high school track and field in spring Legion St. 2020.

The cost is $10 per adult, $5 for children shoewi.com.

Cassiday has spina bifida and uses a between the ages of 6 to 12 and free for Pet portraits for a cause wheelchair. Paul’s Party, a nonprofit that children 5 and under.

Affinity Studios photography will raises funds for kids with physical disabilDine-in or take-out available. be taking portraits of pets for $25 from ities, is hosting the event at the Wisconsin For information, call 845-6538.

1-4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12 at Wisconsin Brewing Company, 1079 American Way. American Girl tea party Brewing Company, 1079 American Way. For information, visit paulsparty.org.

Half of the proceeds from the event will Celebrate American Girl with a tea party Holiday un-decorating party at the library geared towards children ages support Key To Happiness Pet Rescue, a nonprofit volunteer based dog rescue.

The senior center is requesting help to 5 and up and their caregivers.

Reservation required, call 472-1562. get ready for the new year from 9 a.m. to There will be two seatings, from

Community calendar Thursday, Jan. 2

• 4-5:30 p.m., Anime and manga club, library, 845-7180 • 6:30-8:30 p.m., Bingo, Fisher King Winery, 1105 Laser St., 497-1056

Friday, Jan. 3

• 9:15-9:45 a.m., Sensory friendly story time for ages 3-5, library, 845-7180 • 2-3 p.m., Fingernail polish and pamper event, senior center, 845-7471 • 7-9 p.m., Live music: Josh Cohen, Fisher King Winery, 1105 Laser St., 497-1056 • 7-10 p.m., Live music: Soggy Prairie bluegrass band, Hop Haus Brewing Company, 231 S. Main St., 497-3165

Saturday, Jan. 4

• 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Free community meal, Badger Prairie Needs Network, 848-2499 • 6:30-8:30 p.m., Live music: Mackenzie Moore, Fisher King Winery, 1105 Laser St., 497-1056 • 8-11 p.m., Live music: The Blues Party, Riley Tavern, 8205 Klevenville Riley Road, 845-9150

Sunday, Jan. 5

• 1-4 p.m., Cheese raffle fundraiser for Andrew Cassiday, Wisconsin Brewing Company, 1079 American Way, paulsparty.org

Monday, Jan. 6

• 9-10 a.m., Coffee with the director,

senior center, 845-7471 • 9 a.m. to noon, Holiday un-decorating party, senior center, 845-7471 • 6:30-8 p.m., Plan Commission, City Hall, 111 Lincoln St., 845-6495

Tuesday, Jan. 7

• 10-10:30 a.m., Kindermusik music and movement class for children up to age 5, library, 845-7180 • 4-5 p.m., Kids’ read aloud book group for ages 5-8, library, 845-7180

Wednesday, Jan. 8

• 9:30-10 a.m., Child development story time: ‘under the sea’, library, 845-7180 • 10-11 a.m., Blood pressure, blood sugar, and fall-prevention screenings, library, 845-7180 • 12:30-1 p.m., Senior center book group: “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio, senior center, 845-7471 • 4-5:30 p.m., Tween Dungeons & Dragons, library, 845-7180 • 4:30-7 p.m., Pork chop dinner ($10), American Legion Post 385, 207 Legion St., 845-6538

Thursday, Jan. 9

• 4-5:30 p.m., Teen Dungeons & Dragons, library, 845-7180 • 6:30-7 p.m., Snow-themed family story and craft time, library, 845-7180 • 7-9:30 p.m., Trivia, Fisher King Winery, 1105 Laser St., 497-1056

Friday, Jan. 10

• 10-11:30 a.m., Young and restless open indoor play time for children up to age 5, library, 845-7180 • 12:30-2:30 p.m., Movie screening: “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” senior center, 845-7471 • 5-8 p.m., ‘Snowshoe Scurry’ trail run 5K ($22), Badger Prairie County Park, 4654 Maple Grove Drive, support@snowshoewi.com • 6-8 p.m., Movie screening: “The Secret Life of Pets 2,” Country View Elementary PTO, 710 Lone Pine Way, 845-4800 • 7-9 p.m., Live music: Taylor Schereck, Fisher King Winery, 1105 Laser St., 497-1056

Saturday, Jan. 11

• 10-11 a.m., ‘It’s Code Outside!’

STEAM-based story time for ages 4-6, library, 845-7180 • 1-1:45 p.m. and 3-3:45 p.m., American Girl tea party, library, 845-7180

Sunday, Jan. 12

• 1 p.m., Poses and paws pet portrait photos ($25), Wisconsin Brewing Company, 1079 American Way, 472-1562

Churches All Saints Lutheran Church 2951 Chapel Valley Rd., Fitchburg (608) 276-7729 allsaints-madison.org Pastor Kristin Woelk Sunday: 8:30 & 10:45 a.m.

The Church in Fitchburg 2833 Raritan Rd., Fitchburg (608) 271-2811 livelifetogether.com Sunday: 8 & 10:45 a.m.

Memorial UCC 5705 Lacy Rd., Fitchburg (608) 273-1008 memorialucc.org Interim Pastor Laura Crow Sunday: 9:30 a.m.

Good Shephard Lutheran Church ELCA (608) 271-6633 Madison: Raymond Road & Whitney Way, Madison Sunday: 8:30 & 10 a.m..

Verona: Corner of Hwy. PD & Nine Mound Road, Verona Sunday: 9 & 10:30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Damascus Road Church – West The Verona Senior Center 108 Paoli St., Verona (608) 819-6451 info@damascusroadchurch.com, damascusroadonline.org Pastor Justin Burge Sunday: 10 a.m.

Memorial Baptist Church 201 S. Main St., Verona (608) 845-7125 MBCverona.org Lead Pastor Jeremy Scott Sunday: 10:15 a.m.

Redeemer Bible Fellowship 130 N. Franklin St., Verona (608) 845-1615 redeemerbiblefellowship.org Pastor Dwight R. Wise Sunday: 10 a.m. family worship Resurrection Lutheran Church – WELS 6705 Wesner Rd., Verona (608) 848-4965 rlcverona.org Pastors Nathan Strutz and Andrew Ewings, and Assistant Pastor Seth Krueger Thursday: 6:30 p.m.

Sunday: 9 a.m.

St. Christopher Catholic Parish St. Andrew Church 301 N. Main St., Verona St. William Church 1371 Hwy. PB, Paoli (608) 845-6613 stchristopherverona.com Fr. John Sasse, pastor Saturday: 5 p.m., St. Andrew, Verona Sunday: 7:30 a.m., St. William,

Paoli Sunday: 9 & 11 a.m., St. Andrew, Verona Daily Mass, Tuesday-Saturday: 8 a.m., St. Andrew, Verona

St. James Lutheran Church ELCA 427 S. Main St., Verona (608) 845-6922 stjamesverona.org Pastors Kurt M. Billings and Peter Narum Office Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 8 a.m.-noon Wednesday Saturday Worship: 5 p.m.

Sunday Worship: 8:30 and 10:45 a.m.

Salem United Church of Christ 502 Mark Dr., Verona (608) 845-7315 salemchurchverona.org Rev. Dr. Mark E. Yurs, Pastor Sunday school for all ages: 9 a.m.

Worship: 10:15 a.m.

Fellowship: 11:30 a.m.

Springdale Lutheran Church ELCA 2752 Town Hall Rd. (off Hwy ID), Mount Horeb (608) 437-3493 springdalelutheran.org Revs. Loren and Linda Schumacher Sunday: 8:45 a.m. with communion Sugar River United Methodist Church 415 W. Verona Ave., Verona (608) 845-5855 sugar.river@sugarriverumc.org, sugarriverumc.org Pastor Gary Holmes 9 & 10:30 a.m. contemporary worship.

Sunday School available during worship. Refreshments and fellowship are between services.

West Madison Bible Church 2920 Hwy. M, Verona (608) 845-9518 www.wmbiblechurch.org Pastor Dan Kukasky Jr. Sunday Worship: 9:15 a.m.

Sunday School: 10:45 a.m.

Zwingli United Church of Christ Hwy. 92 & G, Mount Vernon (608) 832-6677 Pastor Brad Brookins Sunday: 10:15 a.m.

Zwingli United Church of Christ Hwy. 69 & PB, Paoli (608) 255-1278 paoliucc.com Pastor Rich Pleva Sunday: 9:30 a.m. family worship

What’s on VHAT-98 Thursday, Jan. 2 7 a.m. — Ron, Rosie & Rodger at Senior Center 8 a.m.- Zumba Gold 9 a.m. — Daily Exercise 10 a.m. — Eleanor Maher at Senior Center 2 p.m. — Zumba Gold 3 p.m. — Daily Exercise 4 p.m. — Diversity at Senior Center 5 p.m. — Shoulder Pain at Senior Center 6 p.m. — Salem Church Service 7 p.m. — Knee Pain at Senior Center 8 p.m. — Daily Exercise 9 p.m. — Bird Brothers at Senior Center 10 p.m. — Badger Prairie Cemetery at the Historical Society Friday, Jan. 3 7 a.m. — Diversity at Senior Center 1 p.m. — Bird Brothers at Senior Center 3 p.m. — Vintage Verona Sports 4 p.m. — Shoulder Pain at Senior Center 5 p.m. — 2018 Wildcats Football 9 p.m. — Vintage Verona Sports 10 p.m. — Ron, Rosie & Rodger at Senior Center 11 p.m. — Eleanor Maher at Senior Center

Saturday, Jan. 4 8 a.m. — Common Council from 12-16-19 11 a.m. — Vintage Verona Sports 1 p.m. — 2018 Wildcats Football 4:30 p.m. — Badger Prairie Cemetery at the Historical Society 6 p.m. — Common Council from 12-16-19 9 p.m. — Vintage Verona Sports 10 p.m. — Badger Prairie Cemetery at the Historical Society 11 p.m. — Eleanor Maher at Senior Center Sunday, Jan. 5 7 a.m. — Hindu Cultural Hour 9 a.m. — Resurrection Church 10 a.m. — Salem Church Service Noon — Common Council from 12-16-19 3 p.m. — Vintage Verona Sports 4:30 p.m. — Badger Prairie Cemetery at the Historical Society 6 p.m. — Common Council from 12-16-19 9 p.m. — Vintage Verona Sports 10 p.m. — Badger Prairie Cemetery at the Historical Society 11 p.m. — Eleanor Maher at Senior Center

Monday, Jan. 6 7 a.m. — Diversity at Senior Center 1 p.m. — Bird Brothers at Senior Center 3 p.m. — Vintage Verona Sports 4 p.m. — Shoulder Pain at Senior Center 5 p.m. — 2018 Wildcats Football 6:30 p.m.

— Plan Commission Live 9 p.m. — Hindu Cultural Hour 10 p.m. — Ron, Rosie & Rodger at Senior Center 11 p.m. — Eleanor Maher at Senior Center Tuesday, Jan. 7 7 a.m. — Ron, Rosie & Rodger at Senior Center 10 a.m.- Zumba Gold 9 a.m. — Daily Exercise 10 a.m. — Eleanor Maher at Senior Center 2 p.m.- Zumba Gold 3 p.m. — Daily Exercise 4 p.m. — Diversity at Senior Center 5 p.m. — Shoulder Pain at Senior Center 6 p.m. — Resurrection Church 8 p.m. — Knee Pain at Senior Center 9 p.m. — Bird Brothers at Senior Center 10 p.m. — Badger Prairie Cemetery at the Historical

Society Wednesday, Jan. 8 7 a.m. — Diversity at Senior Center 1 p.m. — Bird Brothers at Senior Center 3 p.m. — Vintage Verona Sports 5 p.m. — Plan Commission from 01-06-20 7 p.m. — Capital City Band 8 p.m. — Vintage Verona Sports 10 p.m. — Ron, Rosie & Rodger at Senior Center 11 p.m. — Eleanor Maher at Senior Center Thursday, Jan. 9 7 a.m. — Ron, Rosie & Rodger at Senior Center 8 a.m.- Zumba Gold 9 a.m. — Daily Exercise 10 a.m. — Eleanor Maher at Senior Center 2 p.m. — Zumba Gold 3 p.m. — Daily Exercise 4 p.m. — Diversity at Senior Center 5 p.m. — Shoulder Pain at Senior Center 6 p.m. — Salem Church Service 7 p.m. — Knee Pain at Senior Center 8 p.m. — Daily Exercise 9 p.m. — Bird Brothers at Senior Center 10 p.m. — Badger Prairie Cemetery at the Historical Society

A Vale of Tears The world has often been described as a vale of tears, a place of profound and often pointless suffering. Many of the psalms are drenched in those tears, and even the usually hopeful Saint Paul describes creation as “groaning as in the pains of childbirth.”(Romans 8:22 NIV)The Buddha concurred,saying that life is essentially suffering, and philosophers throughout the ages have tended to agree, some even going so far as to suggest that it would be better to have never been born.

The philosopher who composed Ecclesiastes says “And I declared that the dead,who had already died, are happier than the living,who are still alive. But better than both is the one who has never been born,who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.”(Ecclesiastes 4:2-3 NIV) It would be foolish to deny that the world is rife with suffering, and yet perhaps all this pessimism says more about the philosophers and psalmists than it does about the world. Life is surely also a source of great pleasure and indescribable beauty, and many of us find meaning in life precisely to the extent that we help to relieve the suffering of ourselves and others.

We shouldn’t deny the pain and suffering inherent in the world, but we shouldn’t fall prey to the delusion that it is all there is to the world.

– Christopher Simon

ConnectVerona.com

January 2, 2020

The Verona Press

7

Photos of 2019 Journalists at the Press are as much photographers as they are watchdogs and writers. We’ve selected some of our favorite photos from 2019 snapped by a variety of our reporters.

Often, our favorite p h o t o s r evo l ve a r o u n d community events, with H o m e t ow n D a y s b e i n g a highlight for us every year, as well as the annual Beach Bash and Ironman Wi s c o n s i n , w h i c h r u n s through the downtown as well as the the Town of Verona. Sports photos are also always some of our favorite photos, win or lose.

And not to forget, photographing the everyday in the Verona Area School District’s schools contributes a lot to our collection of favorite photos, too.

That’s what you’ll find in this slideshow — these photos show a flurry of activity in the Verona area throughout 2019.

On the Web To view all Photos of the Year visit:

ConnectVerona.com

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

From left, Ava Hammersley, Matthew Hammersley, Nathan Hammersley and Elizabeth Paul get whipped around the Tilt-A-Whirl at the annual Hometown Days festival on Friday, May 31.

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

Male speedskating competitors lean down on their hands to skate around the turn during the National Short Track Championships on Friday, March 22, at the Verona Ice Arena.

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

A volunteer with the Dane County Parks department keeps the fire from burning out of control during a burning along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail next to Redden Soccer Park on Tuesday, March 26.

Photo by Brian Marse

Verona’s Cael Wozniak (right) works to pin Middleton’s Hernan Carranza during their 145-pound match Friday, Dec. 13, in Middleton. Wozniak pinned Carranza in 2:20.

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

Carly Hass, 9, of Verona, builds a sand castle during the annual Beach Bash event on Wednesday, July 31, at Fireman’s Park.

Photo by Mark Nesbitt

Verona junior Selma Rudolph finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.33 seconds at the WIAA Division 1 Middleton regional on Monday. She also won the regional championship in the 300 hurdles and qualified for the sectional in the long jump and 200-meter dash.

Pat Kroth, a Town of Verona resident and fiber artist, works on her upcoming Anderson Art Center exhibit. Her exhibit, consisting of 52 pairs of jeans stuffed with clothing that will be donated to The Beacon day resource center for the homeless, will open in the Kenosha venue on Sunday, Jan. 27.

Foto por Kimberly Wethal

Core Knowledge Charter School second grader Emmanuel Kamden Kay jumps to avoid getting more color on him during the Core Knowledge Charter School on Thursday, Oct. 17.

Photo by Kimberly Wethal

Megan Bloesch paints while stationed at Yahara Bay Distillery during the Fitch-Rona Art Crawl on Saturday, March 23.

8

Thursday, January 2, 2020

The

Verona Press For more sports coverage, visit: ConnectVerona.com

Sports

Adam Feiner, sports editor

845-9559 x226 • ungsportseditor@wcinet.com

Mark Nesbitt, assistant sports editor 845-9559 x237 • sportsreporter@wcinet.com Fax: 845-9550

Girls hockey

Metro Lynx capture Culver’s Cup crown MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

Senior forward Sydney Raaths scored four goals to help the Madison Metro Lynx win the Culver’s Cup on Sunday, Dec. 29, at Madison Ice Arena.

The Metro Lynx (8-2) beat Wisconsin Valley Union 3-1 on Sunday in the championship game. The Lynx beat St. Croix Valley by the same score a day previous at Hartmeyer Ice Arena in Madison. The Lynx beat the Sioux Falls (SD) Flyers 4-2 on Friday, Dec. 27.

Metro Lynx 3, Wisconsin Valley Union 1

Raaths scored a goal and dished out an assist to propel the Lynx past WVU. Raaths took a pass from Jenna Culp, cut across the slot and slid a backhand shot past WVU goaltender Pistol Cowden for the first goal of the game just 3:57 into the second period. WVU tied it up with a minute left in the second, as Lauryn Broecker shoved in a rebound.

Verona senior Rachel Mirwald scored the go-ahead goal just 3:41 into the third period off assists from Raaths and Lauren Johnson. Grace Bonnell blasted a shot past Cowden less than three minutes later off assists from Johnson and Mia Goetzke.

The Lynx outshot WVU 47-12.

Cam McKersie made 11 saves.

Metro Lynx 3, St. Croix Valley 1

Raaths broke a scoreless tie just 2:51 into the second period, and Ava Jambor scored off a pass from Claire Wischoff 16 seconds later to give the Lynx a lead they would not give up.

Bonnell scored an insurance goal 3:49 into the third period.

The Fusion finished 1-for-7 on the power play and were outshot 49-37. Lynx freshman Addy Armstrong made 36 saves.

Photos by Evan Halpop

The Metro Lynx’s Rachel Mirwald (right) races up the ice ahead of the Wisconsin Valley Union defense Sunday, Dec. 29, at Madison Ice Arena. The host Lynx won the Culver’s Cup with a 3-1 victory over WVU.

Metro Lynx 4, Sioux Falls (SD) 2

Raaths scored two goals to lead the Metro Lynx to a firstround win over the visiting Flyers.

Raaths scored at the 6:42 mark of the the first period and again at the 8:43 mark of the second to give the Lynx a 2-1 lead.

Hannah Kolpien scored with 40 seconds left in the second off assists from Bonnell and Kaya

The Metro Lynx’s Lauren Johnson (31) controls the puck against Wisconsin Valley Union on Sunday, Dec. 29, at Madison Ice Arena.

Byce to extend the lead to 3-1.

The Lynx outshot Sioux Falls Byce capped the scoring at the 32-21, as McKersie made 19 5:23 mark of the third. saves.

Metro Lynx senior forward Sydney Raaths (2) scores her second goal of the game during the second period to put the Metro Lynx up 2-1 against the Sioux Falls (SD) Flyers on Friday, Dec. 27, at Madison Ice Arena. The Lynx won 4-2.

Boys swimming

Verona Area/Mount Horeb wins second straight invitational MARK NESBITT Assistant sports editor

T h e Ve r o n a A r e a / M o u n t Horeb boys swimming team won six events and rolled to the team title at the Sauk Prairie Co-op Invitational on Saturday, Dec. 28, in Prairie du Sac. The Wildcats racked up 566

points, 200 more than runner-up Neenah in the six-team invite.

Sophomore Luke Bennin won the 200-yard individual medley (2:07.92) and 100 breaststroke (1:02.68). He teamed with classmates Nathan Rozeboom, Oscar Best and Max McCartney to win the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:41.70.

Best won the 100 IM (55.52) and 100 butterfly (52.84). The Wildcats’ 400 freestyle relay team of seniors Owen Rothamer, Gabe Piscitelli and Kyle Hoppe and sophomore Conner Arenson won with a time of 3:05.98.

Arneson finished second in the 200 free (1:51.94) and 500 free (5:05.78). Rozeboom took

second in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.86) and fourth in the 500 free (5:13.88). McCartney finished third in the 50 free with a season-best time of 23.42 and third in the 100 free with a season-best time of 50.91.

The Wildcats’ 100 free relay team of Hoppe, Arenson, Bennin and senior Parker Jones finished third (45.28). Hoppe took

third in the 100 fly (55.83) and fourth in the 100 IM (58.28).

Junior Christopher Lofts placed fourth in the 200 free with a season-best time of 1:55.77, and junior Ethan Risley finished sixth in the 200 IM with a season-best time of 2:23.20. Piscitelli took sixth in the 100 back (1:01.17).

ConnectVerona.com

January 2, 2020

The Verona Press

9

Girls basketball

Wildcats shoot to third in Waunakee “We got a lot of points from our younger players and that bodes well not only for this The Verona girls basketball year,” Angie Murphy said, “but team split two games to place down the road.” third in the Ab Nicholas Holiday Classic at Waunakee High Verona 74, Lakeland 32 Megan Murphy scored a School.

Verona (4-6) rolled past game-high 20 points in the Lakeland Union 74-32 on Wildcats’ rout of the ThunderSaturday, Dec. 28, in the third- birds.

Murphy made 6 of 9 3-pointplace game. The Wildcats were coming off a 53-50 overtime ers.

Verona led by 12 at halftime, loss to Edgewood a day previbut outscored Lakeland 42-12 ous.

Edgewood is tied atop the in the second half.

Paige Lambe scored 13 Badger South Conference with Oregon, Monona Grove and points and junior Katie PederWatertown. Lakeland is tied son added nine points. Strematop the Great Northern Con- low and junior Morgan Grignon chipped in eight points ference with Rhinelander.

“We are getting better as apiece.

Lakeland’s Julianna Quima team defensively,” Verona coach Angie Murphy said. “We ette entered the game averaging are figuring out each players’ 23 points per game, but was strengths and trying to play into held to two. those.”

Freshmen Megan Murphy Edgewood 53, and Paige Lambe and soph- Verona 50, OT Junior forward Ella Foti omore Lexi Stremlow each had career-high scoring games scored six of her team-high 15 against Lakeland. points in overtime to propel MARK NESBITT

Assistant sports editor

have a very small margin of error.”

The Wildcats appeared like they would win the game in regulation after going on a 16-2 second-half run. Parman hit back-to-back 3s to give the Wildcats a 33-30 lead with 9:24 left. Megan Murphy then knocked down a 3 to extend the Wildcats’ lead to 36-32, and she made a pair of layups to make it 42-32 with 5:52 remaining in regulation.

The Crusaders forced overtime thanks to a 13-3 run.

Junior Sydney Olson made a layup and Foti hit two free throws with 13.3 seconds left to tie the game at 45.

Verona used its 2-3 zone to slow down the much-taller Crusaders. The Wildcats had one possession that lasted 5:21 and forced Edgewood into six turnovers, as they led 21-15 at halftime.

Megan Muphy finished with 13 points, and Briggs had 12. Verona shot 55% (11-for20) from the free-throw line.

Rachel Parman, who scored a team-high 14 points. “I think we just got a little flustered right at the end. We were a little robotic. We did the play we were originally going to do instead of looking for the reads on defense. I’m not mad at all about this loss.”

Foti scored down low to start the extra session to give the Crusaders a 47-45 lead, but Parman knocked down a jumper to tie it. Fellow senior guard Rayna Briggs split a pair of free throws with 1:21 left to give Verona a 50-49 lead, but Foti hit two free throws to help the Crusaders regain the lead.

The Wildcats had two chances in the final 44 seconds to retake the lead. Megan Murphy had a 3 clang off the Photo by Mark Nesbitt backboard just before the buzzer.

Verona senior Rachel Parman shoots a 3-pointer against “We missed some key Edgewood in the first round of the Ab Nicholas Holiday Classic on Friday, Dec. 27, in Waunakee. She scored a team- layups down the stretch,” Angie Murphy said. “I don’t high 14 points in the Wildcats’ 53-50 loss. fault our effort at all. I’m the Crusaders past the Wild“I think we executed well,” proud of them and I think our said Verona senior guard girls outplayed them. We just cats.

Boys hockey

Boys basketball

Wrestling

Wildcats win marquee Verona edged by out- Hanson pins way to of-state foe, blown out semis at Bi-State Classic tournament title The Wildcats played Verona came into this season looking to make a third straight appearance at the Division 1 state tournament.

The Wildcats stated loud and clear that they are a contender to be reckoned with by winning the Showdown in Titletown last week at Cornerstone Ice Arena in Ashwaubenon.

Verona entered the tournament ranked fourth in Division 1 in the Wisconsin Prep Hockey Coaches Poll. The Wildcats edged Eau Claire Memorial 3-2 the day after Christmas, then knocked off second-ranked Wausau West 4-1 in the semifinals Friday, Dec. 27, and toppled top-ranked Notre Dame de la Baie a day later.

Verona killed off 14 penalties in the three games. The Wildcats return to Big Eight Conference play Friday night at home against rival Madison West.

Verona 3, Notre Dame 1

The Wildcats improved to 11-1 on the season with a statement win against the tournament hosts.

Verona’s Nathan Jurrens scored just 2:52 into the game off a pass from Walker Haessig, and Reece Cordray scored with 5:16 left in the second period off a pass from Conrad Moline.

The Trions got on the board with 11:44 left in the third off a goal from Charlie Wied, but Haessig added the insurance goal the Wildcats were looking for a little more than five minutes later off assists from Cale Rufenacht and Calvin Moioffer.

Verona finished with a 30-25 edge in shots, as Kaden Grant made 24 saves. The Wildcats were 0-for-4 on the power play, but killed off six penalties.

Notre Dame’s Bo Buckley made 27 saves.

The Wildcats scored four unanswered goals in a win over the Warriors.

Rufenacht tied the game with 3:12 left in the first period off assists from Haessig and Leo Renlund. Jurrens gave Verona the lead with a power-play goal with 8:04 left in the second off assists from Renlund and Haessig.

Renlund scored with seven seconds left in the second off assists from Moline and Jurrens. Parker Ploc capped the scoring with 1:08 left in the game.

Wausau West’s Marc Sippel scored just 2:35 into the game off a pass from Jake Bailey.

Kyler Bosley made 30 saves for the Warriors.

Verona finished with a 34-23 advantage in shots, as Grant made 22 saves. The Wildcats were 2-for-5 on the power play and killed off four penalties.

Verona 3, Eau Claire Memorial 2

Rufenacht scored with 7:11 left in the third period off assists from Haessig and Josh Osting to lift the Wildcats past the Old Abes in the tournament opener.

Verona jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first period.

Moline scored on the power play with 9:26 left in the first off assists from Ploc and Keegan Lindell, and Rufenacht scored less than four minutes later off assists from Renlund and Haessig.

Memorial’s Carter Olson scored a short-handed goal with 6:31 left in the second period, and Max Savaloja tied it with an even-strength goal just 1:23 into the third. The Old Abes finished with a 28-27 edge in shots, as Joe Berg made 24 saves.

Verona was 1-for-5 on the power play, but killed off four penalties. Grant made 26 saves.

ADAM FEINER Sports editor

Verona is looking to snap a three-game losing streak after a pair of losses at the JustAgame Holiday Classic on Friday, Dec. 27 and Saturday, Dec. 28, at JustAgame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells.

Kettle Moraine routed the Wildcats 67-21 on Friday, and Verona let a halftime lead slip away Saturday in a 68-66 loss to Owatonna High School from Minnesota.

The Wildcats played both games without leading scorer and senior captain Haakon Anderson. Verona will begin the new year back in Big Eight Conference play Saturday at Sun Prairie.

Owatonna (MN) 68, Verona 66

The Wildcats (2-5) led 32-28 at halftime, but couldn’t hold on against the Huskies.

Jacob Kisting recorded team highs in points (18), rebounds (6) and steals (3) for Verona. Malik Odetunde stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, four rebounds and two assists.

Cam McCorkle added

both games without leading scorer and senior captain Haakon Anderson.

Verona will begin the new year back in Big Eight Conference play Saturday at Sun Prairie. eight points and a team-high six assists. Bennett Sherry chipped in six points and five rebounds, while Kolson Roddick also scored six points.

Owatonna’s Evan Dushek poured in a game-high 28 points.

Kettle Moraine 67, Verona 21

The Wildcats couldn’t recover from a 34-8 halftime deficit against the Lasers.

James Rae paced Verona with six points. Kisting and Roddick added five apiece.

Kettle Moraine’s Sean Murray scored a game-high 18 points, and Logan Kowalski chipped in 14 points.

ADAM FEINER Sports editor

Sophomore heavyweight Jay Hanson paced Verona with a fifth-place finish at the Bi-State Classic on Saturday, Dec. 28, at the La Crosse Center.

Hanson pinned Athens’ Mitchell Gore in 28 seconds, Nekoosa/Assumption/Port Edwards’ James Schaefbauer in 1:24, Stratford’s Beau Gross in 4:32 on Friday, Dec. 27, to reach the semifinals.

He was pinned by Cuba City/ Benton/Southwestern’s Troy Leibfried and Monroe’s Bodie Minder, but bounced back to win a 3-2 decision over Riverdale’s Dawson Wilmot in the fifth-place match.

The Wildcats finished 19th out of 26 Division 1 teams with 51 points.

Ben Grandau (126 pounds) and Adam Murphy (195) each went 2-2.

Grandau pinned La Crosse

Logan/Central’s Donavin Wylie in 2:47 and Spencer/ Columbus Catholic’s Leonardo Rodriguez in 3:04, but was pinned by Marshfield’s Hoyt Blaskowski in 15 seconds and lost 9-6 to IowaGrant/Highland’s Treyton Starkey in the consolation bracket.

Murphy pinned Belmont/ Platteville’s Will Schaefer in 29 seconds and De Soto’s Daniel Atkins in 2:27 after a 3-2 loss to Portage’s Shane Steines. He was pinned in the first period of his final match against Medford’s Dalton Krug.

Caden Page (170) pinned Lodi’s Kyle Pickarts in 2:49 in the consolation bracket, but lost his two other matches via pin.

Blake Herburger (106), Sean Parry (132), Logan Neuroth (138), Spencer Lokken (160), Achilles Mendes (182) lost both of their matches.

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The Verona Press

ConnectVerona.com

2020: Whispering Coves and Sugar Creek Commons advance

6. Crossing guard changes

A traffic accident outside of normal crossing guard hours has led to a wholesale change in how the city is keeping school crossings safe.

Starting with the Jan. 2 return to school from winter break, crossing guards are now all employed by an independent contractor from California. That’s a solution the police department came up with to end a chronic shortage of crossing guards throughout the city.

At a cost of up to $124,250, 7. Historical All City Management Sersociety seeks vices has promised to ensure permanent home all 10 crossings are staffed.

After starting last fall to That puts an end to police

Photo by Scott Girard

Starting with the Jan. 2 return to school off winter break, crossing guards are now all employed by an independent contractor from California, All City Management Services.

At a cost of up to $124,250. officers picking up the slack for days when crossing guards were unavailable. It also could mean a change in some of the familiar faces that have watched school crossings each year, as some longtime crossing guards have already decided not to switch employers and have instead retired.

The change, which started with the budget process in the fall, was the result of a closer look the city took at school crossings, particularly in front of Badger Ridge Middle School, after a 12 year old boy was hit by a car and briefly hospitalized while heading to an after-school program there.

The city also installed a rectangular rapid flashing beacon, increased police patrols temporarily and worked with the school district to change the traffic flow at the school when it converts to an elementary school in the fall.

– Jim Ferolie

5. New fire chief

While Joe Giver’s retirement isn’t official until Jan. 2, he’s been effectively retired since Sept. 27.

So far, the city has yet to identify a successor.

Two candidates for the position interviewed with the city’s Police and Fire Commission and then made public presentations, but the PFC decided against hiring either one. PFC restarted its search

and plans to meet again in January to pare down the new candidates for another set of interviews.

In the meantime, assistant chief Dan Machotka was elevated to officer in charge and then made acting chief in December, after it became clear the search would start again.

The new chief will inherit a department that went through significant turmoil over the past year and a half, leading to the union’s call for Giver to resign and the exit of an assistant chief while under a police investigation. Before retiring, Giver made it through a sixmonth performance improvement plan that required him to hold various trainings, update policies and improve communication and professionalism throughout the department.

– Jim Ferolie

4. Sugar Creek Commons

For more than three years, an ambitious plan to replace a half-dozen buildings on 10 acres along West Verona Avenue with apartments, a hotel and retail shops has been in the works, but money has kept it from advancing.

City leaders have expressed interest in helping it along, even creating a tax-increment financing district in 2017 that could provide as much as $5 million to prep the site. And many alders over the years had complained about the

aging truck stop on the site, which has since been torn down.

The plans include 284 apartments, 26,000 square feet of retail and a 120-room hotel, and an early version of the plans got city approval on a split vote in 2017, followed by updates in September 2018 and May 2019. But the Common Council met several times in closed session to discuss the project in the summer and fall without an agreement.

Pa r t o f t h e p r o b l e m appeared to be major changes in the Common Council, a new mayor and a new administrator since the original plans were developed.

Forward Development Group razed the buildings in late May, with the aim of starting construction as soon as June, but missing information slowed the city’s financial analysis and differences over the amount of taxpayer assistance necessary have continued to push back the timeline.

It remains to be seen whether the developer and the city will come up with a suitable agreement in time for

this year’s construction season.

– Jim Ferolie

3. Northern expansion at Whispering Coves

After a couple decades of growing in every other direction, the city is poised to expand to the north in the next few years.

With the reconstruction of County Hwy. M complete after several years of planning, design and construction, the southwest corner of the intersection of M and County Hwy. PD is ready to grow.

The Whispering Coves subdivision could mean big changes in that area, land that is still largely untouched by the new building projects that have sprouted up around Verona in recent years. The 200-acre plan consists of more than 200 single-family homes, plus areas for condominium-style housing units, apartments, commercial space and a school.

The housing development is unconventional, featuring winding roads and a network of trails leading to a central

Turn to 2020/Page 11

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Legals MEETING OF TOWN OF VERONA PLAN COMMISSION THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2020 6:30 P.M. TOWN OF VERONA HALL, 7669 COUNTY HIGHWAY PD VERONA, WI 53593 1. Call to Order/Approval of Meeting Agenda 2. Public Comment — This section of the meeting provides the opportunity for comment from persons in attendance on items not listed below over which this governing body has jurisdiction.

Comments on matters not listed on this agenda could be placed on a future Plan Commission meeting agenda.

3. Approval of minutes from 12/5/19 4. Discussion and action on a Vice Chair and Secretary 5. Reports: Chair: Committee Reports: (Public Works, Finance, Natural and Recreational Areas) Commissioners: Planner/Administrator: 6. Land use application 2019-11 – Submitted by Cameron and Jamie Lindau on behalf of Swan You See LCC for a rezoning from RM8 (Rural Residential) to HC (Heavy Commercial) and a site plan review for a self-storage facility proposed for Parcel Number 0608-132-87900 on Maple Grove Road.

• Presentation of new information • Discussion and Action 7. Land Use Application 2019-4 – The final plat and associated agreements for a residential subdivision at Spring Rose Road and Highway G (parcel numbers 0608-302-8507-2, 608-193-900-2 and 608193-8500-9). Twenty-seven residential lots and two out lots are proposed. A rezoning, concept plan, and preliminary plat were previously approved.

• Presentation of new information • Discussion and action on the plat and associated documents 8. Discussion of Draft Development and Subdivision Ordinance 9. Review of schedule for future meetings 10. Other

11. Adjourn Plan Commission agendas will be posted at Millers Grocery and Town Hall and on the Town’s website. Go to www. town.verona.wi.us and sign up for the Town List Serve to receive notices via email. Public hearings will be published in the Verona Press. If anyone having a qualifying disability as defined by the American With Disabilities Act, needs an interpreter, materials in alternate formats or other accommodations to access these meetings, please contact the Town of Verona Clerk’s office @ 608-845 -7187 or j wright@town.verona.w.us Please do so at least 48 hours prior to the meeting so that proper arrangements can be made. Notice is also given that a possible quorum could occur at this meeting for the purposes of information gathering only, of the Town Board, Natural and Recreational Areas Committee, and/or Public Works Committee.

Douglas Maxwell, Chair, Town of Verona Plan Commission Posted: January 3, 2020 Published: January 2, 2020 WNAXLP TOWN OF VERONA REGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2020 6:30 PM TOWN HALL/COMMUNITY CENTER 7669 COUNTY HIGHWAY PD VERONA, WI 53593-1035 1. Call to Order/Approval of the Agenda 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment 4. Approval of Minutes from Dec 3, 2019 Regular Meeting and Dec 17,2019 Special Meeting 5. Discussion and Possible Action to Repeal and Replace Town of Verona Comprehensive Building Code by Ordinance 2019-05 to Incorporate Changes Required by the State of Wisconsin 6. Discussion and Possible Action re: Operator’s License 2019-27 (applica-

tion submitted on 12/2/2019) Renewal for Year Ending June 30, 2020 for Blackhawk Bowhunter’s Club 7. Discussion and Action re: Request for Partial Refund of 2019 Pay 2020 Taxes Due to Correction of Assessment Error by Assessor for Parcel 0608-3229550-0 and Parcel 0608-323-9500-9 8. Discussion and Possible Action to Approve a Letter of Engagement with Johnson Block for the 2019 Audit 9. Reports and Recommendations Plan Commission: i. Discussion and Action — Land use application 2019-3 – Submitted by Tim and Linda Sweeney and Dave DiMaggio for review of a Preliminary Plat and associated documents for Prairie Circle (parcel numbers 0608-074-8533-0 and 0608-074-8093-0). Fourteen residential lots and one outlot are proposed.

Action on waiver of open space dedication Action on Preliminary Plat Public Works: i. Discussion and Possible Action – Plow Truck Acquisition Financial Sustainability Committee Natural and Recreational Areas Committee EMS Commission Town Staff: i. Clerk/Treasurer report ii. Public Works Project Manager report Discussion and Possible Action – options related to wood burning on Town property near the public works building iii. Planner/Administrator report Update on search for new Administrator Summary of Town Hall rentals for 2019 Town Chair Supervisors 10. Approval of the Payment of Bills 11. Adjourn Regular board agendas are published in the Town’s official newspaper, The Verona Press. Per Resolution 20162 agendas are posted at the Town Hall

and online at www.town.verona.wi.us.

Use the ‘subscribe’ feature on the Town’s website to receive agendas and other announcements via email.

Notice is also given that a possible quorum of the Plan Commission and/or Public Works, Ordinance, Natural and Recreational Areas, and Financial Sustainability Committees and could occur at this meeting for the purposes of information gathering only.

If anyone having a qualifying disability as defined by the American with Disabilities Act needs an interpreter, materials in alternate formats, or other accommodations to access these meetings, please contact the Town of Verona Clerk @ 608-845-7187 or jwright@town. verona.wi.us. Please do so at least 48 hours prior to the meeting so that proper arrangements can be made.

Mark Geller, Town Chair, Town of Verona Posted: January 3, 2020 Published: January 2, 2020 WNAXLP

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building on the city’s west side in September 2020 will create more than fancy new buildings for students. It will consolidate all of the district’s first-line athletic facilities and opens hand-me-down new spaces for other schools, with the old high school transforming into Badger Ridge Middle School and a charter school campus and the old Badger Ridge and Core Knowledge Charter School campus becoming an expanded Sugar Creek Elementary School.

And with the 60-year-old Sugar Creek building no longer in use, it will be destroyed and replaced by something – we just don’t know what yet.

That decision is expected to be made in the next several months by the city’s Community Development Authority, which will control the land and is soliciting developers to come up with a community-oriented project as soon as this month.

Just across Legion Street from that property is the now empty Sugar Creek Commons site, which has been held up for months. Certainly, the new campus will make West Verona Avenue a much busier street, and it’s possible the extra traffic has an effect on whether that project – which is asking for millions of dollars in city assistance – is built this year.

Another project on West Verona Avenue, Market No. 5, is already being built just north of the apartments adjacent to the school.

And related, though not directly resulting from the hand-me-down effect of the new school and the building changes is a city contract with a private company to provide crossing guard services, something that was always in short supply in recent years.

Just one of our top six stories of 2020 has nothing to do with the school – that’s the hiring of a new fire chief with Joe Giver’s retirement.

explore the possibilities for a permanent history center, the Verona Area Historical Society is poised to possibly find a home this year.

In September, VAHS members began seriously investigating and planning what it would take to renovate a small historic downtown Verona home on 103 E. Park Lane into a history center/house museum. The home started off as a livery stable was later retrofitted to be a home and veterinarian’s office for Doc and Viola Lillesand.

VAHS president Jesse Charles said in November the Lillesand property satisfies all the criteria members are looking for: centrally located downtown and walkable; zoned to allow a museum; provides links to Verona history; and smaller, maintainable size.

The group has enlisted the help of an architect and other local experts for advice, and it has some financial backing, too, with an anonymous donor offering $150,000 for the purchase of the building and naming rights, “once we raise everything else it will take to renovate and open it up,” Charles told the Press.

Charles said the group hopes to have blueprints and cost estimates in the next few months, and if the site passes the investigation phase, the next step is a “massive effort” to raise funds to purchase and renovate the building.

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ConnectVerona.com

January 2, 2020

park, small-lot “villas” and a large kettle pond that’s designed to be both a stormwater pond and an amenity.

The Common Council approved the most recent version of its general development plan, submitted by the Forward Development Group, in November after seven attempts.

Plans for the development had drawn criticism in the past for inadequate mechanisms for dealing with flooding and insufficient parkland dedication.

– Renee Hickman

2. Other schools move, align

The opening of the new high school will have implications at all grade levels in the district.

As several schools move into new buildings, the attendance boundaries for them will change, the amenities will change and some schedules will change, too, though possibly not immediately.

There will be plenty of good-byes being said to old buildings.

While high school students are likely to revel in the state-of-the-art facilities at the new school and Badger Ridge students will get many new amenities with the move into the existing high school, two current buildings will no longer be used.

Sugar Creek Elementary School and New Century School, located just south of West Verona Avenue near the city’s downtown, will sit empty and silent when the first school bells ring in fall 2020. Students from both schools will be moving to the north, with Sugar Creek students going into the much larger Badger Ridge Middle School building and New Century Students moving into the K-Wing building at the high school, where they’ll get central air conditioning for the first time.

The Sugar Creek building has been in operation since 1956, and less than two years ago, in 2018, New Century’s building became a centenarian, having originally housed the Gordon School.

Other district students will be saying goodbye to their schools through boundary changes.

While fifth graders will get the option to remain, many other students will go to their reassigned school.

One move that won’t happen in time for the start of the 2020 school year is the schedule alignment of BRMS and its Fitchburg peer Savanna Oaks Middle School. The district is going to take more time to find solutions to completely aligning the two middle schools, both of which have operated as separate entities for decades.

While alignment will be a significant topic this year, it’s possible a complete resolution will be implemented until 2021 at the earliest.

– Kimberly Wethal

1. New Verona Area High School

In September, the $182 million Verona Area High School project that was at the time the largest school district referendum in the state history, will open for staff to prepare for the start of the 2020 school year.

District voters approved the referendum to build the high school in April 2017, and construction started in 2018, with the facade of

the 2,200-student structure nearly complete as 2020 begins.

The new campus, on 161 acres on the west side of the City of Verona, contains an entirely new set of auxiliary facilities, a 37-acre forest known as Stewart’s Woods the district purchased in 2017 and access to the Military Ridge State Trail.

Among the new facilities are football and soccer fields with artificial turf, two pools (one for practice and community use and the other for competition), on-site baseball and softball fields for the first time, a greenhouse, a 2,500seat fieldhouse and a performing arts center that pushes the building height to 65 feet, which is taller than anything in Verona other than some cosmetic features of Epic’s Wizard’s Academy campus.

The 343,000 square foot building features geothermal heating and cooling and is designed to accommodate solar panels and electric car charging stations. It’s also been designed to accommodate a future expansion of up to 300 more students.

Students throughout the district will get out of school two weeks earlier than usual to provide time for the physical move from the existing high school and renovations to that building and others being revamped to accommodate new grade levels.

When high school students settle into the new building, they’ll have new rules about leaving campus.

Freshman and sophomore students will get used to spending the entirety of their days at the school, as campus will be closed for them. Juniors and seniors with good behavior records will have the ability to leave campus for lunch, but with the new high school being on the far west side of the city, it’ll take longer to get to nearby lunch options than it did at the previous building.

Just to the north of the school, a new retail center called Market No. 5 is under construction, with some businesses there expected to be open by the time school starts.

The new campus is a culmination of a sixyear process that began in 2014, when district committee of administrators and school board members were asked to decide in what order the district should build new schools.

A 2015 referendum allowed the district to purchase the land for both a high school and an elementary school, and in 2016, that same committee decided that a new high school took precedence.

Along the way, the plans have gone through significant changes, including the addition of a second pool and the turf fields in 2017 and adjustments to the interior of the building after a mass shooting at a Florida high school in February 2018 prompted the district to rethink the floor-to-ceiling glass walls throughout the school.

Throughout 2019, the school campus transformed from a beige concrete frame in the middle of acres of empty, muddy land, to an enclosed building surrounded by athletic fields starting to take shape. As 2019 came to a close, the top floor of the three-story high school was virtually finished, with much of the remaining work left to be done on the first and second floors and the larger areas of the school like the fieldhouse, the performing arts center and the pool area.

– Jim Ferolie and Kimberly Wethal

Honorable Mentions Market No. 5 gets under way

Four years after Steve Brown Apartments first got approval to put retail shops north of its apartment complex off West Verona Avenue, Market No. 5 is under way.

A total of 29,000 square feet of retail, including a drive-thru ATM, a convenience store and likely a coffee shop are planned on the site, which once was part of a sweeping, big box-anchored shopping center and residential area called the West End but now is dominated by the new Verona Area High School.

Town changes, budget squeeze

Not long into the New Year, the town

will see a new person in the administrator/ planner role, as Amanda Arnold plans to leave at the end of January for a job in the private sector. She’s staying long enough to get the town through the tax season, she told the Press in December after she announced her departure. Those bills are due Jan. 31.

The town’s efforts to balance its budget while maintaining zero debt will continue to be difficult.

Town residents approved exceeding the levy limit by 2.5% this fall, but much of the increased costs include services that the town doesn’t have control over, such as EMS and fire, and senior center services.

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2020: Fire chief position open and crossing guards employed by independent contractor

Help Wanted

The Verona Press

12

January 2, 2020

The Verona Press

ConnectVerona.com

Berry: Leaving behind a strong legacy of connection and a greater focus on health She developed a diabetes wellness program that includes blood sugar checks and food boxes that encourage healthier eating.

Berry said she took a holistic look at health, including dentistry and personal essentials, such as toothpaste and toilet paper, which donors had often neglected to think of when contributing.

“If you can’t afford food, you can’t afford dental care, and bad dental care leads to health problems like heart disease,” Berry said.

She also made smaller changes, such as providing recipes for healthier options like encouraging visitors to use brown rice rather than white.

She hopes to see that continue with Gleeson, who will oversee further changes in what BPNN offers and how food is presented, including flipping the layout of the pantry around to move produce closer to the front.

Guest accessibility

Berry improved the pantry’s design to make it more inviting and less “embarrassing” to use.

She purchased shelving from World of Variety when it was going out of business to replace the warehouse-style shelving.

“It’s something that had a real wow effect,” Berry said. “The pantry got more light, it gave it a better atmosphere.”

Berry also added items for the hallway outside the pantry, which is accessible outside regular hours. A donated cooler from Madison’s Blackhawk Church allowed BPNN to stock milk, salads and fresh-cut fruits, in addition to the beyond breads and baked goods that had been there before.

Berry made other

modifications to their offerings.

She did some research and found out what people from different cultures wanted for holidays like Thanksgiving, and customized it to be more inclusive.

Berry and Kasieta worked together to get grocery storestyle artwork on the walls and

improved the labeling on the shelves, in both English in Spanish, as 35% of BPNN’s guests speak Spanish as their first language.

Before, guests were given a list explaining how much of each item they could take. Now, the rations are listed on the shelves,

which helps people with memory issues or language barriers.

“Now people don’t have to ask and feel embarrassed,” Berry said.

Neal Patten, Verona Community Reporter, can be contacted at neal.patten@wcinet.com.

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“I still have energy, just not as much,” she said. “I am stepping of changes for the better. She away from leadership hoping I encouraged better collaborative can still be instrumental in other practices in an otherwise com- initiatives.” petitive pantry market, started Stronger connections a diabetes wellness program, Of all the changes Berry expanded donations beyond made, perhaps her most importfood products, improved tech- ant legacy is one of cooperation, nology to track volunteers and Kasieta said. keep its offerings current with When Berry started at BPNN, needs and updated shelving for there was a competitive culture among the regional pantries. a better guest experience.

Another legacy she’ll be One day, a long-time donor told leaving is a bigger pool of help. her it was their last delivery to BPNN now has a board of BPNN, as smaller pantries were directors and a leadership team, in greater need.

It was the impetus BPNN so a sudden crisis will no longer result in one person needing to staff needed to increase cooperation. take on so much responsibility.

It doesn’t matter if my peoIn her second retirement, Berry will spend more time with ple are hungry, or your people,” her grandchildren. She current- Berry said. “We all are trying to ly mentors new volunteer Meg feed people.”

Through the Second Harvest Gleeson as her successor, and will continue to volunteer – Foodbank of Southern Wisconadmittedly, in a limited capacity. sin Advisory Council, she began Gleeson started Sept. 1. This to contact all the pantries in the month, Berry will finish hand- area, asking what BPNN could ing her full-time duties over to do to share and then showing them how to implement new other volunteers.

And Gleeson, who has two processes BPNN had pioneered.

That included her use of techchildren and is working on a degree in health and wellness, nology, such as creating a volwill have a “safety net” in Berry. unteer kiosk to record volunteer That’s a big relief for Kasieta, hours and track the amount of who had nobody else she could time duties took. BPNN developed its own software for the turn to in 2017.

“At that time, we didn’t have volunteer kiosk, then shared it a team to step in,” she said. for free to over 30 local pantries.

“We really were the teaching “Now after a few years, I have pantry,” Kasieta said. “Both Seclike 10 people I could call.”

While Berry had volunteered ond Harvest and Community intermittently at BPNN for sev- Action (Coalition) would say to en years by summer 2016, being other pantries, ‘Go out to BPNN the food pantry manager was if you need help with how to set up computer registration.’” like a full-time job.

Berry said she still cares Focus on health deeply about the pantry and is Berry also put a major emphafortunate to have shared her time sis on improving overall health, with the nonprofit. rather than just providing food.

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