Your Family

SUMMER 2017

MeetUp matches hobbies, interests online SENIOR LIVING:

Everyday English

Beware the ‘sneak thief of sight’

Literacy Network helps thousands ‘do a better job’

Day Trip:

UP IN THE U.P.

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CONTENTS

May 25, 2017 YOUR FAMILY Summer 2017 is published by UNIFIED NEWSPAPER GROUP 133 Enterprise Dr. PO Box 930427 Verona WI 53593 (608) 845 9559

ON THE COVER ‘EVERYTHING EVERYDAY’

...................................

Literacy Network student Lorena Villalobos, left, talks with her tutor, Jennifer Ludtke, during a Thursday morning English class held at the Lussier Community Center. Villalobos, who has taken classes with Literacy Network for more than three years, is among nearly 1,200 people who used the Madison-based nonprofit’s classes in 2016 to advance their English skills. The organization recently began focusing on specific outcomes for its students, ranging from getting a driver’s license to passing their citizenship test.

GENERAL MANAGER Lee Borkowski SALES AND MARKETING MANAGER Kathy Neumeister EDITOR Jim Ferolie GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ellen Koeller

Photo by Jeremy Jones

PHOTO EDITOR Jeremy Jones

page

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YOUR FAMILY STAFF Diane Beaman, Samantha Christian, Scott De Laruelle, Kate Froehlich, Scott Girard, Anthony Iozzo, Donna Larson, Amber Levenhagen, Bill Livick, Kate Newton, Angie Roberts, Carolyn Schultz, Catherine Stang, Helu Wang and Dawn Zapp

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18

Family Life My Blood Type is Coffee Quilts of Valor. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Estate Planning When is it too late? . . . . . . . . . 26 Business Spotlight Whispering Woodlands . . . . 34

Family Fun 5 Things Music festivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Day Trip A journey across the U.P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Now Enrolling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Wisconsin Books “Gather Her Round”

by Mount Horeb’s Alex Bledsoe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 MeetUp groups link people with uncommon interests . . . 22 The ultimate way to enjoy Frisbee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

8

Family Food Recipes: Barbecued Shrimp, Miss Ruthie’s Old-Fashioned Peach Cobbler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Family Health Publishers of the Oregon Observer Stoughton Courier Hub Verona Press Great Dane Shopping News Fitchburg Star

7

To Your Health Rethinking nutrition labels. . . . . . . . . . . .

Senior Living Don’t let glaucoma catch you off guard. 34

27 29

SUMMER 2017 YOUR FAMILY 5

FAMILYLIFE

Lessons in life and literacy

INSIDE YOUR FAMILY

BY LEE BORKOWSKI

W

hen I read through the cover story from this issue of Your Family, tears filled my eyes.

I was moved to say a prayer for Debra Washington, something I have done many times over the past 30 years.

I no longer know anything about her life; I only know that she made an impact on mine. And I regret that I couldn’t do more to have an impact on hers.

When we met, Debra was a young mother living in the inner city of my Michigan hometown. I was a young professional intent on giving back. Our paths crossed when I volunteered as an assistant at a local tutoring center and was paired up with Debra.

We met once a week at 10 a.m. Debra worked the night shift at a local factory, as well as a part-time day job cleaning homes. After completing her night shift, she would head home to help her two young daughters get ready for school.

Then she’d head to class, where the real work began.

Early on, I asked her why she wanted to learn to read. The reasons she gave seemed simple but told an all-too-familiar story of what daily living is like when you don’t know how to read.

Some of her reasons included wanting to be able to write her husband’s whole

name – not just “Ron” but “Ronald.” She wanted to be able to read what’s written on prescriptions bottles so she could be sure she had received the right medicine from the pharmacist and was dosing her children correctly. And she also wanted to be able to know how to read street signs.

One particular session, I was instructed to drill Debra on word endings: helping her sound out the ending, and then place a consonant in front of it to form a word.

We were to go through all consonants regardless of whether or not they were an actual word. This would have been a fun exercise if our word ending had been “ing.” We could have sounded out “Bing, Ding, Fling, Ming, Ring, Sing,’’ etc, etc.”

But, sadly, our word ending was “ube” which is best exemplified by the word “lube.” And we still had to work through all of the consonants. And, so we began: “bube” – which when pronounced sounds

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like “boob.” The look on her face was priceless. “That’s how you spell boob?” she exclaimed.

I replied, “No – that’s not how you spell it, but that is how it sounds.”

Then on to the next – “cube.” In this instance it didn’t sound like a word. “Is that a word?”

“Yes, but it’s not pronounced the way we just sounded it out – it’s pronounced “cube” – like ice cube.

“Dube?” No, not a word.

“Fube?” No, not a word.

“Gube?” No, not a word.

“Kube?”, No, not a word.

“Lube?” Yes! A real word. Think of when you take your car in for service, an oil change.

Learning to read and write English is hard! Couple that with working two jobs and raising a young family and it becomes nearly impossible.

And, when you’re doing all that, it seems rather futile to sound out “bube” only to discover it isn’t even a word. And to continue slogging through the exercise to get all the way to “lube,” when what you really want is to be able to follow street signs to the Quick Lube.

Eventually the responsibilities of day-to-day life proved to be too much.

Debra felt she needed to drop the class, promising to return when life was less hectic.

I moved on, as well. But, I think of her often and pray that somewhere she and Ronald are enjoying retirement and grandbabies.

I like to think that she got the help she needed, learned to read and babysits when the little ones are too sick to go to school, now able to read the prescription bottles and be confident that she is giving them the proper medicine and dosage.. l Lee Borkowski is the general manager of Unified Newspaper Group, which publishes Your Family magazine.

FAMILYLIFE

Honoring our heroes by quilt, flight or tip of the cap MY BLOOD TYPE IS COFFEE

BY RHONDA MOSSNER

T

here are many ways people honor local veterans on Memorial Day. Some will attend a service at one of the local cemeteries, watch a parade or perhaps visit some veterans at a hospital or the vet next door. Others plan to pay for a uniformed service member’s meal at a local restaurant or a similar gesture.

If you are like me, you haven’t thought too much about it. And yet, like most everyone else, I’m grateful for the service of each and every one of those men and women who served or are currently serving in our armed forces.

We owe them each a sincere thank you for all they give for our freedom.

Some of the traditional ways of honoring veterans might seem like small gestures, but they matter. To those marching in the parades and receiving the recognition, it means their time in service mattered.

And yet it seems there’s more we can do.

I have been a quilter for many years and recently became interested in a movement known as the Quilts of Valor.

For generations, quilters have gathered in their communities and created quilts for those heading off to serve. Quilters many times would also make more artistic quilts to raffle off at public events to raise money for war efforts.

The Quilts of Valor are not raising money to fund any present war effort these days. Quilters are working to create patriotic quilts of art and presenting them to local veterans who served or are serving in our armed forces.

A local group formed in Verona in January. It meets the second Tuesday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the American Legion post and is attracting volunteers who want to create these special quilts.

This caught my attention three years

ago when my father was a guest on the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight. I was astonished by what he experienced and what local citizens and fellow veterans did for him during a 24-hour period.

During the wee hours on a summer morning in 2013, a small group of men arrived at my father’s nursing home, quietly made their way to his room, packed him up for the day and whisked him off for the ride of his life to Washington, D.C. It is worth noting that my father has not been able to leave his nursing home just outside of Dubuque for several years due to mobility issues. However, on this day there were no obstacles. The veterans brought the manpower to do the job.

They would not be leaving this man behind. For one day, he was their mission.

They lifted him into a van, packed away his wheelchair and drove in the dark to the airport in Dubuque, where he was treated like military royalty. He visited with other service members and shared stories about his time in the Air Force during the Korean Conflict. He remembered how some of the others wondered what they might eat on the flight. My dad laughed when he told me he was relieved to find that it was much better than the food they were given in the canteen back in the day.

Soon, they buckled him into a seat and assigned him a travel buddy. With his physical challenges, he was assigned a medically trained volunteer.

Little details like this were all covered long ahead of time. There was no tolerance for any glitches.

My father had not been on a plane.

For some time, I couldn’t decide what to do for him. His travel buddy just kept him talking, and it all went fine.

They spent the day touring memorials, mail call and reuniting with long lost friends. It was a day he has

not forgotten despite suffering from dementia. Although he gets his two girls mixed up and may forget exactly what day it is on the calendar, he can still talk in great detail about his trip with the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight.

He has a whole wall of pictures next to his bed that he shows to everyone who comes into his room.

While he was on the flight, the employees at his nursing home got with the spirit of the day and decorated his room red, white and blue with streamers and balloons. After about six months, they took down what hadn’t already fallen to the floor.

In two weeks, my Dad turns 81. For some time, I couldn’t decide what do for him. Then it hit me.

I made him a Quilt of Valor. He’s my American hero. What better way to honor him than by covering him with red, white and blue? l In addition to her blog, TheDanglingThread.blogspot.com, Rhonda Mossner is a professional speaker, quilter and chef. She is known as The Quilter Cook and travels throughout the area sharing her quilts, stories and recipes.

On the web

The Badger Honor Flight program here in Wisconsin: badgerhonorflight.org

Quilts of Valor program info: qovf.org

Patterns to make your own Quilts of Valor: fonsandporter.com

SUMMER 2017 YOUR FAMILY 7

FAMILYFUN

Five festivals

! c i s u m n a h t e r o m

that are

Story by Amber Levenhagen Photos submitted

A

s soon as summer draws near and the weather warms, I find myself looking for ways to spend time outside and get out of the city I was stuck in over the dark, dreary winter months.

The best way to shake off the winter blues, I’ve decided, is to grab a friend or some family and take off to a festival.

Music festivals are not only a great way to discover new music, but also to come together with friends to explore a new part of Wisconsin.

All of these Music festivals are within a few hours drive and offer more than just live music.

Photo by Janice Rickert Leela and Ellie Grace perform during the All Festival Jam at the 2012

National Women’s Music Festival July 6-9, Middleton

The National Women’s Music Festival is a four-day music and cultural event that hosts workshops, concerts, comedy and theater that are designed to incorporate all facets of women’s lives.

The festival, at the Madison Marriott West, also offers an emerging artists contest, a drum chorus and a marketplace with pottery, chocolates, instruments, clothing and artwork.

Tickets aren’t required for entry to the marketplace.

Headlining acts include Zrazy, a pop and dance duo with jazz and Celtic influences, Suzanne Westenhoefer, Violet and the Undercurrents and Carole Walker. A full list of events can be found on the festival website at wiaonline.org.

A slight change from last year – the event will not provide child or pet care due to a lack of volunteer assistance.

There are numerous ticket options – day passes for $75 or $125, with all day passes available for around $300. For an extra $30, attendees can enjoy breakfast with the artists Sunday, July 9, and discounts are available for volunteers.

8 YOUR FAMILY SUMMER 2017

Photo by Bob Sullivan and Tall Tales Music Festival

Tall Tales Music Festival Aug. 11-12, Burlington

The Tall Tales Music Festival is for those interested in a more kid-friendly environment.

In its fifth year, the festival is held in downtown Burlington, 492 N. Pine St. All events are free including music performances and art workshops for kids.

The workshops are all ages, with rhythm and music basics for toddlers, songwriting and specific instrument workshops, and even recording workshops for older kids that teach things like how to record a song in your bedroom. Pre-registration for these events is available online but not required. In the past, several hundred kids have participated.

The event partners with Music Matters, a Burlington-based nonprofit that provides funding for arts programming at local schools.

Information about hotel accommodations and parking can be found online by visiting talltalesfestival.com.

FAMILYFUN

Sugar Maples Traditional Music Festival Aug. 4-5, Madison

Photo courtesy of Sugar Maples Traditional Music Festival and Kent Sweitzer

For homebodies who don’t want to travel very far, the Sugar Maple Traditional Music Festival in Madison is worth a visit.

Presented by the Four Lakes Traditional Music Collective, the two-day festival is a celebration of traditional music and dance with numerous performances, workshops and hands-on activities.

The Four Lakes Traditional Music Collective is a nonprofit organization that supports traditional music and dance throughout the greater Madison community, according to the Sugar Maple website.

Lake Farm County Park, a short walk away from the festival site, offers camping in partnership with the festival.

For the first time this year, the site will offer a few RV spots in addition to the “rustic” camping area for tents only. The camping spots are open Friday through Sunday.

With performances by The Radio Wranglers, Parker Millsap, Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands and Dumpy Jug Bumpers, the festival has music all day with interactive events between.

The Wild Rumpus Circus Camp will also offer kids activities.

Tickets are between $22 and $35, with camping permits and two-day passes available at an extra cost. Free entry is permitted for volunteers.

Driftless Music Festival July 8, Viroqua

Photo submitted

The Driftless Music Festival at Eckert Park has been growing in popularity since 2013, as each year attendance increases by more than 1,000 people. The free, annual festival replaced the Driftless Jazz Festival in 2012.

Local businesses collaborate with festival coordinators to provide food tents and volunteer support. With the goal to make the festival food as important as the music, attendees can enjoy locally sourced strawberry shortcakes, wood-fired pizza, Jamaican jerk chicken and French crepes. The local Boy Scout troop will also offer ice cream sandwiches.

Though the food is all local, the music comes from around the country. This year’s lineup includes Lox Texmaniacs, Bailey Dee and Her Late Nite Bait, Laurels String Quartet and the headlining act, Brooklyn-based fiddlers The Brother Brothers.

Bring your folding chairs or blankets – and your dog too, as the event is pet-friendly – to enjoy this outdoor festival based on community support.

Ashley for the Arts Aug. 10-12, Arcadia

Photo submitted

Ashley for the Arts is at Memorial Park and a nonprofit festival that is one of Wisconsin’s largest charity events.

As of 2016, the event has raised more than $300,000 for more than 25 nonprofit organizations since the first event in 2009. Some of the beneficiaries include local schools and children’s charities.

More than 30,000 attend the event each year, located at Memorial Park in Arcadia.

In addition to the music, with performances this year from Gavin DeGraw, Jackson Michelson, Three Dog Night and Echosmith, the festival also hosts a Pursuit of a Cure 5k Run/ Walk event and a youth obstacle course event.

The festival also has an art and history display, a car show, a hot-air balloon launch, an interactive art station and food and beverage booths.

Tickets are $10 for all three days but are only available for purchase at the gate. l SUMMER 2017 YOUR FAMILY 9

FAMILYFUN

Lots to do U.P. there Upper Peninsula has its indoor, as well as outdoor charms Story by Scott De Laruelle

Da

. . . p i y Tr

Submitted photo.

“Valley Camp-Edmund Fitz…” was taken in the Museum Ship Valley Camp, located at the corner of Johnston and Water St. in Sault Ste. Marie. The people included in the picture are observing a lifeboat from the sunken Edmund Fitzgerald.

I

t’s a frustration many a traveler has felt, particularly with our infamous, seemingly ever-changing “Wisconsin weather.”

For weeks, you’ve had a few days’ vacation planned in the Great Outdoors, but now it’s time to hit the road, and the forecast is anything but pleasant. Or certain.

Even the sturdiest nature lover doesn’t like hiking through mud or

10 YOUR FAMILY SUMMER 2017

canoeing in a thunderstorm. So it’s always good when traveling to a scenic area to not have to rely on Mother Nature.

That’s something I learned in a recent trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The U.P., as it’s known around here, was originally part of the Wisconsin Territory; the story of why it is not today part of our state is just one in the

region’s rich history - from the Native Americans who first settled in the area hundreds of years ago and the mining boom of the 1800s to the Edmund Fitzgerald’s sinking in 1975 and “Da Yoopers” of today.

With these great stories and the area’s natural beauty, the U.P. has lots to offer. But it’s also nice to know there are plenty of fun things to see and do indoors as well.

FAMILYFUN

Submitted photo. “Soo Locks Freighter,” is taken on the Observation Deck in the Soo Locks Park, located on Portage Ave. in Sault Ste. Marie.

Western

The UP is a big place, and there is a wide variety of locations you can choose, depending how much time you have.

Starting from the left side of map and heading east, you get the the Iron County Historical Museum in Caspian. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday through Saturday, it has more than 100 exhibits and more than two dozen buildings spread over nearly 10 acres of a former mine site.

Nearby Houghton is the home of Michigan Technological University, a scenic college town with all the

expected amenities. Just north around the corner of the Keweenaw Peninsula – the tip of the UP – is Fort Wilkins Historic State Park at Copper Harbor. The park features a restored 1844 military outpost, and one of the first lighthouses on Lake Superior.

If the weather’s not too bad, Porcupine Mountains State Park on the southern banks of Lake Superior has plenty of scenery and trails. Just southeast of Houghton is Mount Arvon, the highest point in Michigan at 1,970 feet above sea level.

Continued on page 12

Why isn’t the U.P. in Wisconsin?

The ‘Toledo War’

What started with poor mapmaking ended with a near-border war and Wisconsin “losing” a valuable chunk of its future north.

The trouble was far away, at the OhioMichigan boundary that was disputed for years due to map errors giving Ohio more than 400 square miles of prime Michigan territory, including the bustling Lake Erie port of Toledo.

By 1835, the dispute was heating up, as Ohio was already a state, and Michigan was about to join it. Seeking finality on the states’ border, both sides dug in, with Michigan settlers moving in to hold elections and collect taxes.

When Ohio lawmakers extended the boundary line into the “Toledo Strip” and sent surveyors to re-mark it, they were intercepted by Michigan militia, who fired warning shots and arrested them.

Congress finally stepped in to mediate, and as part of admission into the union in 1837, Michigan relinquished all claims on the Toledo Strip in exchange for 9,000 square miles of the Wisconsin Territory, between Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.

Michiganders were initially unhappy about the deal (the Detroit Free Press dubbed it a barren wasteland of “perpetual snows”) but their bad feelings soon subsided when valuable copper and iron ore veins were discovered.

So when Wisconsin became a state a dozen years later, the rich and scenic land to the north was already spoken for.

Source - history.com

Submitted photo. “Tahquamenon Falls Fall,” this photo was taken from the river just below the Upper Falls of Tahquamenon. Tahquamenon Falls is located at 41382 West M 123, Paradise.

SUMMER 2017 YOUR FAMILY 11

LOTS TO DO

FAMILYFUN

Continued from page 11

On the web

Find out more about what to explore in the U.P. at UPtravel.com.

For a list of the U.P.’s chambers of commerce and tourism associations, visit exploringthenorth.com/ upchambers/chamb.html.

Western

cityofhoughton.com/chamber.php ironcountyhistoricalmuseum.org

Central

marquettechamber.com gincc.org skihall.com ironoreheritage.com

Eastern

saultstmarie.com Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum shipwreckmuseum.com

Jeremy Jones photo. An eight-foot statue in memory of the 500 soldiers from Houghton County who died during the Civil War stands in the Veteran’s Memorial Park, which overlooks the Houghton Portage Lake Lift Bridge.

Jeremy Jones photo. The bridge in Eagle River Michigan in the Keweenaw Penisula.

Central

Heading east, Ishpeming has a couple interesting historical spots.

The National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame, whose website calls the U.P. the “birthplace of organized skiing in the United States,” has more than 20,000 square feet devoted to trophies, equipment and a variety of memorabilia relating to the history of skiing.

It’s also home to the National Iron Industry Museum and a connection to the 48-mile Iron Age History Trail, if the weather’s to your liking.

Just a few miles further is Marquette, home of Northern Michigan University,

“

as well as a variety of local places of natural attractions, including Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Munising Falls, Wagner Falls and Beaver Basin Overlook. As you continue toward the eastern edge of the peninsula on Highway 58, which borders Lake Superior, next on the way is Grand Sable Dunes, right on the shores.

Eastern

Since you’ve come this far, why not journey toward Sault Ste Marie, where the St. Mary’s River divides the United States and Canada.

First, if Mother Nature is

In my heart I want to be at home.

”

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FAMILYFUN cooperating, Tahquamenon Falls State Park offers lots of sights and trails in its nearly 50,000 acres, including one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi, with a drop of more than 50 feet.

Whitefish Point features the Whitefish Point National Wildlife Reserve, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Whitefish Point Light Station, the oldest operating lighthouse on Lake Superior (155 years).

About an hour’s cruise along Whitefish Bay brings you to the Point Iroquois Lighthouse and finally Sault Ste. Marie, which offers cruises to the Soo locks and exhibits like the Valley Camp, a former cargo ship converted to a 20,000-square foot floating museum.

It features four 1,200-gallon aquariums stocked with native fish, as well as an exhibit on the Edmund Fitzgerald, including two lifeboats and part of a floatation device from the ill-fated freighter that’s the subject of a wellknown Gordon Lightfoot song.

Last, a bit south of Sault Ste. Marie is the Mackinac Bridge, a giant suspension bridge that spans the Straits of Mackinac and connects the UP to the lower part of Michigan. Fort Mackinac, located on Mackinac Island, is a popular destination. Colonial

Michilimackinac, on the “southern” side of the state, has reconstructions of historic settlements.

Heading home

On the way back to the Madison area, you can see some new sights by taking Highway 2 all the way from the Mackinac Bridge to Escanaba, and then south to Highway 41 in Menominee, right on the Wisconsin border.

On the way, there’s things to see like Seul Choix Point Lighthouse, Lake Superior State Forest and Escanaba River State Forest. l

Planning ahead Already have your trip calendar booked for this summer?

In 2018, Sault Ste. Marie will be celebrating its 350th birthday.

To commemorate the event, special events will be held throughout the year, including the 50th running of the I-500 (International 500), a famous snowmobile race held yearly.

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Jeremy Jones photo. Water catches the reflection of the sky and landscape at Porcupine Mountain State Park. At approximately 60,000 acres, it’s Michigan’s largest state park and the state’s only designated wilderness.

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SUMMER 2017 YOUR FAMILY 13

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FAMILYFUN

W i s c o n s i no k s Read On... ...On Wisconsin

Bo

BY MICHAEL TIDEMANN

Gather Her Round

By Alex Bledsoe

T

he latest novel in Alex Bledsoe’s Tufa novel series, “Gather Her Round,” is a wonderful blend of fantasy and Southern Gothic set in the Appalachians of East Tennessee.

Bledsoe, who grew up in West Tennessee, lives in Mount Horeb.

It’s probably best, though, if one reads all the novels in the series to fully appreciate Bledsoe’s current novel. They include “The Hum and the Shiver,” “Wisp of a Thing,” “Long Black Curl” and “Chapel of Ease.”

The previous novels give a background about the Tufa origins, music and way of life. The novels together also offer a haunting story echo in which primary characters return to enhance plot and theme.

So who are the Tufa? As pastor Craig Chess ponders in ‘‘The Hum and the Shiver’’, “the Tufa kept their secrets so close that to Craig’s knowledge, no

one even knew how they’d turned up deep in Appalachia. Yet when the first official Europeans had reached the valley three centuries earlier, the Tufa were already here, living quietly in the hills and minding their own business.”

In “Gather Her Round,” Kera Rogers goes to the woods to play her pennywhistle. When she’s savagely killed and eaten by a giant wild boar, her boyfriend, Duncan Gowan, plans to go with his best friend, Adam Procure, to hunt down the beast.

When Duncan learns Kera was having an affair with Adam, though, he is torn. As they start from opposite ends of a valley where Duncan plans to kill Adam, Duncan sees the animal approach and passes up a clear shot, letting the boar kill and devour his friend.

While Duncan did not directly kill Adam, he still must live with letting

him die. That’s a burden the Tufa can’t suffer either, and it’s left to Mandalay Harris, leader of one of the Tufa bands, to solve the mystery of Kera and Adam’s deaths and, for a moment at least, bring the competing Tufa clans together to wipe the slate clean.

Bledsoe does a great job of bringing skeptical mortals and marginalized Tufa into the series to offer an objective perspective, something that makes the Tufa magic all the more believable.

Bledsoe’s entire series is sheer magic as he creates a world with scenes so vivid you feel anything can happen – and often does.

If you like realistic characters and settings with a touch of fantasy, this series is for you. l Michael Tidemann writes from Estherville, Iowa. His author page is amazon.com/author/michaeltidemann.

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SUMMER 2017 YOUR FAMILY 17

FAMILYLIFE

‘Everything everyday’

Volunteer-driven English training changes lives in big ways and small

L

Story by Scott Girard Photos by Jeremy Jones and Scott Girard

orena Villalobos was suddenly a single mother of three in a country where she did not speak the native language.

It was 2007, and the Mexican immigrant’s husband had recently been deported. They had moved to Madison six years earlier along with their children, two of whom were born in the United States and a third who had immigrated with them.

Working two jobs to support her kids on her own and having just a sixth-grade education, Villalobos knew there was a key to improving all of their lives.

“I knew that I needed to learn English,” Villalobos recalled. “That was the only way that I would be able to have a good job.”

Less than a decade later, she passed two of the most important tests of her 18 YOUR FAMILY SUMMER 2017

life – both in English – as she became a U.S. citizen and earned her cosmetology manager license in 2016.

“I feel like I’m dreaming now,” she said.

For the three years leading up to those tests, the Literacy Network was there with her, helping her learn the language she would use to take them.

Villalobos’ story is one of many Literacy Network executive director Jeff Burkhart counts as successes over his eight-and-a-half years in the position – from entrepreneurs looking to expand their business to the refugees he’s seen get jobs through their improved English skills.

“It’s just amazing to see the changes that happen to people’s lives,” Burkhart said. “We see it happen over the course of a year or two, sometimes three

or four. We see people being able to express themselves better, being able to connect more with the community, having better work.”

The ability to express themselves better can help non-native-Englishspeakers in a range of settings, from the doctor’s office to their child’s school, where a small miscommunication could have serious consequences.

The mission Literacy Network teaches

reading, writing, communication, and computer skills to Dane County adults so they can achieve financial security, well-being and deeper engagement with their families and the community.

Tens of thousands of Dane County residents speak a language other than English at home – 11.6 percent of those 5 and older between 2009 and 2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (the Literacy Network estimates it’s even higher, at one in seven residents, or 14 percent).

And while those demographics, and those Literacy Network’s students, skew overwhelmingly Latino, a range of cultural backgrounds are represented in many classes.

In a recent Saturday morning class, for example, the students went around telling the teacher their home country, with responses including a pair from Africa, a man from Ukraine, three from Peru and three from Mexico.

The organization’s programming is set up for students of all backgrounds, as it’s English “immersion,” meaning volunteers do not need to know a student’s native language to work with them.

That helps broaden the base of potential volunteers, which numbered more than 900 last year. They helped nearly 1,200 students to more than 38,115 hours of instruction, both an increase over prior years.

That growth coincides with an increase in physical space, too, as the 43-year-old organization moved about a mile from its old home on Park Street to a building more than three times its size on Dane Street. That, combined with its 28 locations around the county where classes are held, allows the Literacy Network to offer more classes at convenient times and locations for its students and volunteers.

One of those volunteers is Jenny Ludtke, who has worked for about three-and-a-half years with Villalobos and helped her reach her goals, at the Lussier Community Center on Gammon Road, near Ludtke’s day job. Before that, her first tutoring experience had been helping a man from China who wanted to get his driver’s license.

The experience quickly reminded her of something she knew in her mind, but was not always a conscious thought.

“You know in your head not to judge (people for their English skills),” she said. “It continually is a reminder how complicated English is.”

Broad effects

Just as the language is complex, so is the list of day-to-day effects knowing it – or not – can have on a person.

Literacy Network student Juan Cortes wrote in a promotional book published by the organization that he needs it “for everything everyday.”

“When I go to the doctor I would like to speak with the doctors,” Cortes wrote. “Sometimes when I talk to people, I have a hard time understanding the whole thing or when I go to the store and I ask something, also when I go to pay my bills. If people don’t speak English, it is very hard to find a job, help kids with homework, read signs, etc.”

Some of the goals students like Cortes have might seem simple, Burkhart said, but that’s because Americans who speak English natively often don’t realize how many little things can add up to complicate life.

Continued on page 20

FAMILYLIFE

About a tutor: Jenny Ludtke Started with Literacy Network: Summer 2013

How long have you worked with Literacy Network?

There are 3 sessions/per year, and I’ve only missed one session.

How often do you tutor?

Each Thursday, 10-noon.

How did you first get involved with Literacy Network?

My job requires many evening and weekend meetings, so I do my best to balance that by taking “comp time” during the week. I have always enjoyed reading, and not only appreciate the way literature is personally enriching, but also how being a proficient reader makes the practicalities of every aspect of life so much easier. When I went online to look for a convenient opportunity to tutor, something I’d always wanted to try, I found Literacy Network had a class just a few blocks from my work, hosted at the Lussier Community Education Center (with which our parish already had a supportive relationship), and it was during the day, which actually worked better given my evening commitments.

How does it feel to work with students and see their progress with English?

Awesome. At times it feels like we are just chipping away at a mountain, yet when looking back it is easy to see how spelling has improved, vocabulary has expanded, communication in all forms (speaking, writing, emailing, etc.) has become easier, and perceptions of the world and its possibilities become clearer.

Because of progressing in English, confidence simply builds and builds.

What are some of the largest challenges you face as a tutor?

One challenge is my own limitations. My own sometimes incomplete understanding of grammar, history, government, spelling and so on draws attention to how difficult English is! So in a sense, my own literacy is improving. It is also challenging to witness how much more difficult it can be for the learners when the external context of their life is less than ideal. Working long hours or multiple jobs, being a single parent, being worried about extended family and how contemporary events may affect them, or even not being in a work or family situation where English is being used regularly…all can make it more difficult for learners to progress in English proficiency.

What are some of your proudest moments with Literacy Network?

This past year absolutely can’t be topped. Lorena’s achievements are almost beyond belief. Becoming a U.S. citizen, attaining her manager’s license, and opening her own business, all within nine months! To know that I was a small part of the support she needed to achieve these is simply beautiful.

What have you learned from your experience as a tutor?

Personal motivation is absolutely essential to get ahead – both a clear vision and the desire to get there. But personal motivation is simply not enough. It takes ongoing support and relationships to succeed, and even then it’s not a fast or easy road.

SUMMER 2017 YOUR FAMILY 19

EVERYTHING EVERYDAY

FAMILYLIFE

Continued from page 19 “For those of us who had the advantage of your parents are helping you with your school work, or really emphasizing the need to be a good student, to read, read with you, those are things that a lot of people take for granted,” he said.

“But if your parents don’t have the skills to do those sorts of things, you are gonna be behind.”

A lack of fluency can also affect people’s children by reducing the money their parents bring home. Burkhart proudly shared that 151 of Literacy Network’s students acquired new jobs last year, while 52 got promotions from their current jobs.

“Most of the students that we see just want to do a better job,” Burkhart said.

That includes students like Juana Vazquez, who said she wants to better understand her supervisor and co-workers during employee meetings at

her assembly job in Oregon and better communicate with staff at her two daughters’ school.

The diverse needs of those like Vazquez and Cortes help guide the Literacy Network’s class schedule, which includes more general instruction in “Community Literacy” along with focused classes in healthcare language, education and for the workplace. The latter includes a program that Burkhart said has grown recently, in which the organization visits workplaces with a high number of Spanish-speaking employees, such as hotels and hospitals, to offer group trainings.

“We’ll go in and do an evaluation of all the skills employees need to know and the English around those particular skills and help them develop language that will help them to communicate with the supervisors and the staff,” he said.

The Lussier Community Center on Gammon Road is among the 28 locations throughout Dane County where the Literacy Network holds classes.

Find out more Learn more about the Literacy Network online:

litnetwork.org

Personalized goals

Those visits to workplaces coincide with a shift inside Literacy Network’s own classrooms, as well.

For students like Mesele Dogiso, who moved to the United States from Ethiopia seven years ago with no English skills when he arrived, he wants to focus on working his way up at his Fitchburg job and eventually become an auto mechanic.

That information can help Literacy Network outline a personalized lesson plan for him to learn what he needs to in those specific roles, Burkhart explained, but it can apply to others with goals like passing the citizenship test, getting a driver’s license or talking to their child’s teacher at school.

One student, Burkart said as an example, wanted to build the Englishspeaking customer base at his auto repair business, so he focused on learning every part of a transmission and how to talk on the phone with potential customers. Another starting her own business focused on understanding phrases like “corporate culture’’.

“In the last few years we’ve really developed this very concrete set of goal-setting processes for our students,” Burkhart said. “Students come in, we ask them what they want to do, why they want to do it.”

He said that helps cut out the “fluff stuff” for busy adults, who are often taking time away from their families and working one or two jobs.

“Every hour that they spend (here) is dedicated toward helping them get to that place,” he added. “If we can get Continued on page 31

The value of learning English

The Literacy Network published a book of student writing for its “Reading Between the Wines” fundraiser, in which students shared why they want to learn English.

Below are a few excerpts of what students wrote:

“When my daughter’s teacher sends me messages, I want to be able to understand them and write them back. If I can read more, I can talk about school things with my daughter. Now I know more English so I feel very happy that I understand more!” - Tomasa

20 YOUR FAMILY SUMMER 2017

“I want to learn how to read and write because it will make life easier and it is good to know what is going on in the world. If I know how to read and write I would have confidence in myself, and I would have better communication with the community. If I know how to communicate I could do lots of things such as volunteering. I will help the people in my community by cooking, cleaning, and helping doing things that needs to be done.” - IM Spears

“At the age of 7, I started learning French.

I learnt Arabic at the age of 13 because my father wanted me to learn this language. … My dream is to become a nurse, so in 2016 I came to the USA and stayed with my cousin, but it was difficult for me because I could not speak English. My cousin brought me to the Literacy Network and I enrolled in community literacy program. My goal is to complete my education to get my GED and become a nurse.” - Aziz Kane

FAMILYLIFE

A class on a May Saturday morning at the Literacy Network building offered an opportunity for conversation and writing.

The new Literacy Network building includes a welcome desk where staff can help potential students or tutors get familiar with the programs.

The new building includes a children’s room.

The building’s dedicated tutor rooms allow for one-on-one lessons.

New building shows it’s ‘taking education seriously’

The Literacy Network did not have to move far last fall to find some expanded opportunities in a new building.

Formerly located at 1118 Park St., it’s now at 701 Dane St., about a mile away and in a much larger space, from about 2,800 square feet to more than 9,000.

“We were very small for a very long time,” said executive director Jeff Burkhart.

“We were quickly outgrowing that space. In the last few years it was just really ridiculous how tight it was.”

Their building now includes rooms dedicated to one-on-one tutoring, new classroom spaces, a children’s room and bookshelves for people waiting to look through. Burkhart said it’s a much more welcoming atmosphere that shows “that we’re taking (students’) education seriously” and allowing those students to feel “welcomed and valued and respected.”

“It has some added legitimacy, the fact that we’re here and we have this space that’s custom designed and is adequate for the needs for the programs we offer,” he said. “This is just worlds away from (the old space).”

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FAMILYFUN

Online to in-person MeetUp helps find others with common interests in Madison area Story by Scott Girard

I

n our digital age, many people lament the lack of personal connection that can come with the simplicity of social media and the internet.

But one website – marking its 15th year in 2017 – is using the accessibility of the internet to make personal connections easier by highlighting local groups and upcoming events.

“I’m sure there’s always been stuff on a bulletin board at the library,” Sharkey Plender told Your Family. “Everybody has access and is able to go and look online. There’s so many different MeetUp groups even in Madison.”

22 YOUR FAMILY SUMMER 2017

Photos submitted

Plender is the organizer for Madison’s “Photography Meetup Group” on MeetUp. com, a nationwide website dedicated to developing connections among people with similar interests. It began in 2002, when founder Scott Heiferman, a New Yorker, wanted to grow local communities after the 9/11 attacks.

“A lot of people were thinking that maybe 9/11 could bring people together in a lasting way,” Heiferman wrote in a blog post commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11. “We didn’t know if it would work.”

To make those connections last, the

site relies on helping people find others with common interests nearby. That can include general similarities between people – like the “20-somethings” or “Madison Young Professionals” groups near Madison – or more specific interests like tennis and board games.

Registration involves checking a few boxes of your interests, and the site generates recommended groups within a distance of where you live. Alternatively, a user can look for the most active, newest or closest groups or those with the most members.

Plender joined the photography group

about three years ago.

FAMILYFUN “I was wanting to be involved and be around other photographers,” she said. “That was something I really missed from being with photographers or being in school.”

Regina Jennings joined MeetUp in 2006, shortly after becoming single, looking to build new relationships. Though it took her three years to actually go to any MeetUp events in the Madison Area Outdoor Group (MOAG), she has since begun investing even more time as the organizer of the group.

“It’s opened up quite a few opportunities for and meeting quite a few different people,” Jennings said.

The group of 928 “outdoor enthusiasts” has gone on dozens of trips, including cross country skiing, whitewater rafting and The Madison Area Outdoor camping.

Photo by Bill Group takes ca Fenske mping trips an “Doing all kinds of different things,” Jennings said. “Learning d also holds hi gh way cleanup about things in the area that I didn’t even know happened events. here.”

She’s even taken trips to Europe with some of the people she met through the group.

Plender has also found some in the community of photographers have turned into friends through their regular MeetUps. “It’s just a really cool environment and community, that if it weren’t for the actual MeetUp website, I wouldn’t have met any of these people,” she said.

Organizers pay a “not crazy expensive” fee to run their group, Jennings said, but it’s well worth it. For her group, they charge a one-time $5 fee to those who join the group, which covers the fee and “usually we actually have money left.” With that, Jennings said, they usually donate to outdoor areas.

Members of th e Madison Ph “Not only we’re getting out there and doing things in the otography Mee tup took pictu area, but we’re also giving back,” she said. res on an outin g In Jennings’ experience, the site has reached the goal it set last year. out to achieve in 2002 “Most of the people I find coming to events, some of them are travelling for work. Or two, they’re maybe going through (a major life transition),” Jennings said. “What they (MeetUp) were looking for accomplishing, they’ve done really well.” l

Top 10 “active” Madison area MeetUp groups

● Fun (stuff) for people who don’t want to do (stuff) alone* ● Madison Outdoor Yoga ● Madison Professional 30s/40s Socializing ● Big Data Madison ● Madison Area Outdoor Group ● Wisconsin Bicycling Meetup ● Photography Meetup Group ● Madison Young Professionals ● Madison Investing Meetup ● The Madison Area Vegetarian Meetup Group * Title contains expletives but is searchable as the above.

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SUMMER 2017 YOUR FAMILY 23

FAMILYFUN

Bidding for a great season Ultimate Frisbee team offers fun fan experience Story by Anthony Iozzo Photos submitted

Y

ou know a sport is unusual when the players can overturn calls that reward them to keep the integrity of a game.

Wisconsin’s professional Ultimate Frisbee team, the Madison Radicals, is in the midst of its fifth season, and quirky rules like that and fan interaction are among the many reasons the team

24 YOUR FAMILY SUMMER 2017

could entice an audience.

Another is the packages and promotions designed for a fun, inexpensive family night out at Breese Stevens Field – with kids under 12 admitted free, on-site concessions and $7 ticket prices. Radicals owner Tim DeByl said the club is easy to learn, watch and play, which helps youth and

families get into the sport The team will high-five players in the stands. Fans can throw with the team after games and can even throw around during the game on the side.

One of the main reasons the team has sustained the success of its first four years in the American Ultimate Disc League, DeByl said, is that it has built a

FAMILYFUN strong fan base.

The sport has been in Madison and the surrounding area for several years, with over 3,500 people signing up for summer leagues. And much of the talent on the Radicals is homegrown, with members of the team being graduates of Madison West, Madison East and Madison Memorial high schools.

Tack on the growing youth participation with players starting to play at age 10, and it has allowed the team to be in the race for the league championship every year.

The Radicals came into the 2017 season not having lost a regular season home game since 2013 and being an AUDL final four team in each of its first four seasons, representing the Midwest Division.

The Midwest includes the Chicago Wildfire, Detroit Mechanix, Indianapolis AlleyCats, Minnesota Wind Chill and Pittsburgh Thunderbirds.

There are also East, West and South Divisions with teams all over the United States and Canada.

And the only other team with higher attendance numbers than the Radicals is in Montreal The team has five home games remaining out of seven – six if the Radicals qualify for the playoffs on May 27, June 3, June 24, July 1 and July 23. All games are at 6 p.m. except for the July 23 game, which is at noon. l

Ticket prices and group specials

Season tickets for the Madison Radicals start at $40.

There is also a $57 fan pack that includes season tickets, a T-shirt and a ticket for a friend for any game. And there are $107 Radical Supporter packages which include everything from the fan pack, plus a commemorative disc signed by the team.

Since there are just five home games left this season, the Radicals have a five-game package that will be available with reduced prices from their original packages.

There are also group packages that offer discounts from 10-30 percent. Whether you use a VIP tent or their VIP Pizza Bus, there are also all-you-can-eat-and-drink specials that can be added.

The Radicals also offer high school team packs. In the first season, they sold 15, and that has doubled to 30 this season.

For information, email info@radicalsultimate.com or follow the team on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

REMAINING HOME GAMES

Date Opponent Time May 27 Chicago Wildfire 6 p.m.

June 3 Dallas Roughnecks 6 p.m.

June 24 Detroit Mechanix 6 p.m.

July 1 Minnesota Wind Chill 6 p.m.

July 23 Indianapolis AlleyCats Noon (all home games are played at Breese Stevens Field)

SUMMER 2017 YOUR FAMILY 25

FAMILYLIFE

Mental incapacity can complicate estate planning ESTATE PLANNING

BY DERA L. JOHNSEN-TRACY

I

recently took a trip to central Mexico to visit my parents, who have retired there. While eating breakfast at a

restaurant in the Mérida airport upon our arrival, my husband asked my 96-year-old grandmother, who was diagnosed several

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years ago with Alzheimer’s disease and now lives with my parents: “So Mary, what do you appreciate most about living in Mexico?”

My grandmother replied, “I wouldn’t know, I’ve never been to Mexico!’’

Fortunately, everyone at the table (except, perhaps, my 4-year-old daughter) knew the best response in this situation was to smile and simply redirect our conversation. For obvious reasons, it would be too late at this point for Grandma Mary to sign any legal documents. But she had put an estate plan in place years ago to ensure my mom would never need to go through a guardianship proceeding should she become mentally incapacitated.

Under Wisconsin law, the capacity necessary to execute estate planning documents including wills, trusts and powers of attorney requires generally that the individual has the mental capacity to comprehend the nature, extent and state of affairs of his or her property; an understanding of his or her relationship to persons who are or might naturally be expected to be the objects of his or her bounty; and that the individual understands the scope and general effect of the provisions of his or her estate planning documents. While it is entirely possible for an individual who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia to maintain this capacity during moments of lucidity, it is always best to have an estate plan in place well before his or her mental capacity has been called into question.

Otherwise, once it has been determined that a person is mentally incapacitated, a court proceeding known as guardianship or “living probate” will most likely become necessary. In my experience, it is best for your family to avoid court proceedings whenever possible. l Attorney Dera L. Johnsen-Tracy is a shareholder and co-founder of Horn & Johnsen SC, a Madison law firm dedicated to estate planning, business law, and real estate.

Barbecued Shrimp

2

Miss Ruthie’s Old-Fashioned Peach Cobbler

4

SUMMER 2017 YOUR FAMILY 27

Barbecued Shrimp Serves 4 to 6

Garlic Barbecue Sauce 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 1 teaspoon chopped garlic 1 cup mild barbecue sauce 2 tablespoons Virgil’s Dry Rub (at right)

2

Virgil’s Dry Rub

Makes 5 to 5-1/2 cups

Shrimp 8 6-inch bamboo skewers 2 lbs. fresh jumbo shrimp 1/2 cup olive oil 4 tablespoons Virgil’s Dry Rub (at right) 2 lemons, cut into wedges Soak the skewers in water overnight.

In a small pot over medium-high heat, combine 1 tablespoon of butter and the garlic for the garlic sauce. Saute the garlic for 1 minute, add the mild barbecue sauce and Virgil’s Dry Rub, and heat to a boil. Remove from the heat, whisk in the remaining butter, and set aside to use as needed.

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Lay four shrimp out on a flat surface. Align them so that they are coiled with the tails on the same side, facing in the same direction.

Slide a skewer through the shrimp. Run another skewer through the shrimp, parallel to the first and about 1/2 inch apart. (This will prevent the shrimp from spinning on a skewer.) Repeat this process until all of the shrimp are skewered.

Brush one side of the shrimp on the skewers with olive oil, then dust with the dry rub. Flip the skewers over, then repeat the process.

Place the seasoned skewered shrimp in a container, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the grill to high heat.

Reduce to medium heat and position the skewers over direct heat. Grill for 2 minutes, then flip and grill for 1 to 2 minutes more.

Remove the skewers from the grill and brush each with 2 tablespoons of the garlic sauce. Serve with lemon wedges.

2-1/2 cups sweet paprika 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup Texas-style chili powder 1/2 cup minced onion 1/2 cup granulated garlic 1/4 cup dried parsley flakes 6 tablespoons kosher salt Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until completely incorporated. Transfer to a covered bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Store in a cool, dry place.

1

Send your favorite recipe(s) to aroberts@wcinet.com

Miss Ruthie’s Old-Fashioned Peach Cobbler Makes one 8-inch cobbler

4

1 unbaked double pie crust (at right) 8 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches 2 cups granulated sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 475o Lightly butter an 8-inch square glass dish. Set it aside.

Prepare the pastry for a double-crust pie. Set it aside.

Combine the peaches, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice in a 4-quart Dutch oven. Allow the mixture to sit until the dry ingredients are dissolved and a syrup forms, about 15 minutes. Bring the peach mixture to a boil over medium heat. Decrease the heat to low and cook until the peaches are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the butter.

Roll out half of the pie pastry, then cut it into an 8-inch square. Spoon half of the peach mixture into the prepared dish. Cover the mixture with the pastry square. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned. Take the dish out of the oven and spoon the remaining peach mixture over the baked pastry. Roll out the remaining pastry, then cut it into strips about an inch wide. Arrange the strips in a loose lattice pattern over the peach mixture. Bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned. Remove from the oven. Serve warm.

Send your favorite recipe(s) to aroberts@wcinet.com

28 YOUR FAMILY SUMMER 2017

Double Pie Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup vegetable shortening, chilled 1 egg, beaten 6 tablespoons cold milk In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients with a fork or by pinching the shortening into the flour mixture with your fingers. The result should be coarse crumbs and small clumps the size of peas. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time. Don’t be afraid to add more milk if necessary to achieve a dough that’s wet enough to form into a ball. Being careful not to overwork the dough, form the dough into a ball with your hands.

Wrap the ball in plastic, then chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Transfer the dough from the refrigerator to a lightly floured surface. Flatten the ball slightly and dust the top of it with flour before rolling it out with a rolling pin. Divide the dough into two portions before rolling. Begin rolling at the center of the dough and work outward. Roll the dough out into a circle about 4 inches wider than the pie pan it will be placed in.

3

FAMILYHEALTH

We should redefine the word ‘healthy’

TO YOUR HEALTH

BY KARA HOERR

Until September of last year, that was still the definition of the “healthy” food claim. The foods we now would consider “healthy,” like nuts and avocados, couldn’t be marketed as such due to their high fat content (albeit “healthy” fat). Yet, other foods were still able to use the claim that hardly seemed appropriate with the evolving evidence and new dietary guidelines in place.

With the possible change of the Nutrition Facts Label happening in a little over a year and a pushback from the popular Kind bars, which used the phrase “healthy and tasty” for one of their nut-based granola bars, the FDA is now declaring it’s time to redefine what “healthy” means.

Rather than focusing on the amount of fat, a new guidance has been released – until a permanent change in the definition can be made – that focuses on the type of fat in the product.

Manufacturers may now use “healthy” on labels if the item, among other criteria, meets either of these standards: 1) It is not low in total fat but has a fat profile made up of mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats; or 2) contains at least 10 percent of the daily value of potassium or vitamin D. Before making a definite change to the claim, the FDA has gathered public input on what “healthy” should mean and how consumers understand the “healthy” food label claim. For some, this may mean looking past the nutrients. Perhaps it means looking at what the food doesn’t contain instead, such as artificial ingredients or sugar.

Whatever is decided, it may take years until a new definition of the “healthy” claim is released.

In the meantime, it’s important not to judge a food on its label alone. What may be “healthy” for one person might not be for another person, depending on individual dietary needs.

Rather than focusing on the marketing claims or captions on the

front of the package, look at the ingredient list and Nutrition Facts Label to make an informed decision for yourself on whether that item can fit into a balanced, healthy diet that’s right for you and your family. l Kara Hoerr, MS, RD, CD, is the registered dietitian at the Fitchburg Hy-Vee. This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.

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W

hen I started my journey to become a registered dietitian, I had no idea I was getting into a field that would change and evolve as much as it does.

Sure, my biochemistry and human metabolism notes are probably still relevant, but it seems like every other recommendation and guideline has been turned upside-down.

Let’s take, for example, the low-fat craze of the 1990s. You might remember the popular 100-calorie packs of refined grains advertising their low-fat contents.

It doesn’t take long to begin listing many of the foods that started popping up on the shelves (and possibly in your home) that boasted being “low-fat,” “reduced-fat” or even “fat-free.” You name it, it was probably out there: fatfree salad dressings, cheese, frozen yogurt and candy.

But does that make these foods healthy? According to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) definition of the food claim “healthy,” it does. Or at least it did.

Twenty years ago, fat had become a villain, and consumers wanted nothing to do with it. While the dietary guidelines emphasized saturated fat as the main culprit, most consumers assumed if one fat was bad, all fats were bad and should be avoided. Fat was replaced with carbohydrates.

So instead of focusing on whole grains, fruits and vegetables – which are all good carb options – the public deemed refined grains as good replacements, too.

Pretzels were good, but nuts were considered bad. Today this almost sounds absurd, but 20 year ago it was a different story. In order to use the claim “healthy” on the front of a package, the food had to meet the FDA’s criteria of being low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium with at least 10 percent of the daily value of one or more of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, protein or fiber.

SUMMER 2017 YOUR FAMILY 29

FAMILYHEALTH

Watch out for glaucoma, the ‘sneak thief of sight’ SENIOR LIVING

BY STEPHEN RUDOLPH

W

hen my dad reached his 70s, he noticed pressure in his eyes and a change in his eyesight. After an appointment with an ophthalmologist, he was told he was in the early stages of glaucoma.

Fortunately for him, physicians were able to protect his eyes against immediate serious vision loss, but his eyesight continued to deteriorate until his death.

Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness in the world, after agerelated macular degeneration, according to the World Health Organization. It is one of the major diseases impacting elders, with as many as 6 million individuals worldwide already blind in both eyes from it, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation. And because there are rarely warning signs, glaucoma is called the “sneak thief of sight” by the American Optometric Association.

In the United States alone, it is estimated that over 4 million Americans have glaucoma, but only half of those affected know they have it.

What’s worse is that once symptoms begin to show, vision loss is permanent.

And there is no cure for the disease.

However, blindness or significant vision loss can also be prevented, if it’s

recognized in the early stages. Eye drops, pills, laser procedures, and surgical operations are used to prevent or slow further damage from occurring.

In most cases, the typical treatment includes eye drops and monitoring the intraocular pressure – or the fluid pressure within the eye. But in some of the more pronounced cases, surgery is needed to drain fluid buildup.

Glaucoma occurs when this normal fluid pressure slowly rises. Up to 40 percent of a person’s vision can be lost without them even noticing.

The only way glaucoma can be detected is by regular comprehensive eye exams, which should begin sometime within your middle-aged years.

In my dad’s case, he hadn’t seen a physician for years about his eyes, and upon his retirement, he decided he needed to see an ophthalmologist.

He actually sought out a renowned eye physician at the University of Wisconsin, who then confirmed he had glaucoma.

But my dad also had other vision irregularities, as well.

In addition to age being one of the primary risk factors for glaucoma, people with a family history of the disease and those of African, Asian or Hispanic descent are more likely to get it, as are those with eye injuries or other

Risk factors

Some people have a higher-than-normal risk of getting glaucoma. This includes people who: ■a re over age 40 ■h ave family members with glaucoma ■a re of African, Asian or Hispanic heritage ■h ave high eye pressure ■a re farsighted or nearsighted ■h ave had an eye injury 34 YOUR FAMILY SUMMER 2017

■h ave corneas that are thin in the center ■h ave thinning of the optic nerve ■h ave diabetes, migraines, poor blood circulation or other health problems affecting the whole body

Source: American Association of Ophthalmology (aao.org)

conditions.

There are three types – open-angle glaucoma, low- or normal-tension glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma.

The most common types respond to medication and take years to develop – between three and 15 years to progress from early damage to total permanent blindness.

My father had open angle glaucoma, and his doctor estimated it had started nearly two years earlier. Had he not begun treatment right away (in 1985), he would have lost half his sight within five years.

With any type of glaucoma, regular eye examinations are very important to detect the disease.

If left untreated, the increase in intraocular pressure can damage the optic nerve, which transmits images to the brain. That causes permanent loss of vision.

Glaucoma medications (usually medicated eye drops) slow the progression of glaucoma by reducing this pressure.

As the National Eye Institute notes, some people with increased eye pressures do not develop glaucoma because some people can tolerate higher eye pressure better than others. Eye doctors can help determine what level of eye pressure is normal for each person.

Everyone should find out if any of family members have glaucoma and do research to determine if other risk factors are present. And because this disease is more common in people over the age of 60, it is important that you discuss with your senior loved ones how crucial it is to have regular eye exams.

My dad could have benefited from such a discussion. l Stephen P. Rudolph is a consultant for Comfort Keepers of South Central Wisconsin, a home care agency that provides skilled nursing and personal care services for aging adults, those with disabilities and others needing assistance.

FAMILYLIFE

EVERYTHING EVERYDAY Continued from page 21 more hours, we can people to that place sooner.”

Last year, the organization showed a 14 percent increase in the number of students, but a 26 percent increase in the number of hours studied.

“That means we have students studying more,” Burkhart explained. “We know that persistence is one of the keys to helping people move forward.”

Students like Vazquez, the Oregon manufacturing employee, help drive those numbers up, as she attends three classes each week. She said the structure of the classes have helped make it worthwhile after she struggled with English as a second language classes at Madison College that required more homework time. She noted the conversational atmosphere and mix of reading, writing and speaking in the classes she attends three days a week.

“I am very happy (at Literacy Network), because in the past … it was hard for me (at other places) because it’s a lot of homework and it’s more specific,” Vazquez said. “But because I am married and I have responsibilities, I can’t do the homework and study my books. It’s more easy for me (here), because we speak and write … and here is more fun.”

Hard work paying off

Keeping the students engaged at Literacy Network is key to what Burkhart described as a “two-generational approach,” signaling the effect it can have on the next generation of a family when their parent learns English.

Villalobos’ children, for example, have seen the effects of their mother speaking English.

“Before she actually knew how to speak English, we would go to like our parent-teacher conferences and we would have a translator, even at the clinics,’ said her 16-year-old son, Edwin.

‘Just a year ago, she stopped asking for the translator.”

Each also acknowledged how inspiring it was to watch their mother work so hard to accomplish her goals, including gaining her citizenship, opening her salon and becoming more fluent in English with the help of the two-hour Literacy Network classes every Thursday at the Lussier Community Center.

“She always instilled in us that we should continue working hard no matter

what obstacles are placed in front of us,” said Juan, 22, who is studying kinesiology at UW-Madison on a pre-med track. “She doesn’t just tell us that, she shows us.”

To her youngest, 12-year-old Lesly, Lorena’s work at the Literacy Network can be an inspiration for those outside of the Villalobos family, as well.

“For the people that don’t speak English, it shows them it’s possible to learn,” she said. “It’s possible to do what you want. It’s possible to believe in your goals and to accomplish them.

“You shouldn’t stop.” l

Programs offered ● One-to-one tutoring for ESL

and basic literacy ● Small ESL classes ● Community literacy ● Family literacy and English in the schools ● Integrated English and Civics education ● Workplace literacy ● Health literacy

Skaalen

RETIREMENT SERVICES Skaalen is located in a quiet residential neighborhood.

The beautiful campus offers walking paths and comfortable outdoor spaces.

Skaalen’s continuum of care provides residents a full menu of living options from which to choose.

INDEPENDENT CONDOMINIUMS

Low-maintenance residence designed for carefree living offering a wide variety of comforts and conveniences.

ASSISTED LIVING

Providing assistance with the activities of daily living while offering the security of having licensed nursing staff available 24-hours a day.

THERAPY AND WELLNESS CENTER

In-patient and out-patient therapy services for people of all ages, following an accident, illness, or surgery.

Wellness programs tailored to meet each individual’s personal fitness goals.

SKILLED NURSING

Rehabilitative and restorative care to meet each individual’s need for long-term or short-term residency.

ASSISTED LIVING MEMORY CARE

Providing a homelike environment focusing on safety, maintaining independence and continuing to enrich life to the fullest. Licensed nursing staff available 24-hours a day.

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400 North Morris Street • Stoughton, WI 53589 • 608.873.5651 • www.skaalen.com SUMMER 2017 YOUR FAMILY 31

FAMILYFUN

SUMMER 2017 CALENDAR June 1-4 Hometown Days, Verona: Festival celebrates community’s nickname, Hometown USA, with a carnival, parade, music, food, free activities for kids, fireworks, veronahometowndays.com June 2 Cars on the Square, Monroe: Classic cars on display, prizes, food, mainstreetmonroe.org June 2-3 Artistry in Motion, Janesville: two evenings of dance performances for all ages, janesvillepac.org June 2-4 Festa Italia, McKee Farms Park, Fitchburg: Italian food and culture, live entertainment, bocce tournament, spaghetti-eating contest, iwcmadison.com Spring Art Tour, Mount Horeb, Black Earth, Blue Mounds, Cross Plains, Mazomanie and Verona: Open Art Studios exhibit variety of media, springarttour.com June 3 Guided Kayak Tour, Devil’s Lake State Park: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ Once Upon a Square kickoff, Monroe: Storybook adventure in downtown, pony rides, readings, scavenger hunt, mainstreetmonroe.org Cars on State, State Street, Madison: Classic cars on display up and down Madison’s most famous street, carsonstate.com Friends of the Grandstand Truck & Tractor Pull, Sauk County Fairgrounds, Baraboo, saukcountyfair.com Iowa County Dairy Breakfast, Go For Broke Dairy Farm, Arena: Live entertainment and kids’ activities, thedairydifference.com Yellow Brick Road 5K run/walk, Oconomowoc, oconomowoc.org June 3-4 State parks open house and “Free Fishing weekend,” statewide, dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks Green County Picker’s Flea & Antique Market, Green County Fairgrounds, Monroe: Over 140 vendors and growing, greencountryfair.net Burgers and Brew, Capital Brewery, Middleton: REAP fundraiser with local chefs, brewers, reapfoodgroup.org June 4 Rob’s Sugar River Ramble, Mount Horeb: Bike to Sugar River, paddle to Paoli, then get rides back to beer tasting and entertainment, fundraiser for Upper Sugar River Watershed Association, usrwa.org/ramble Drop in on Track, Devil’s Lake State Park: Wildlife study, dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ Zoo Crew Day, Oschner Park, Baraboo: Petting Zoo, Animal Demonstrations, games, music, face painting, food, arts and crafts fair, chamber.baraboo.com June 5, 19, July 4, 17, 31 Monroe City Band Concert, Monroe: performing since 1949, cityofmonroe.org June 8-July 23 Back to the 50’s, Fort Atkinson, firesidetheatre.com June 8-11 Summer Frolic, Mount Horeb: Craft beer tent, food, entertainment, fireworks, parade, carnival, lumberjack competition, dog show, tournaments, Norsk Run, trollway.com June 9 Concerts on the Square, Monroe: The Jimmys, mainstreetmonroe.org Owl Hike, Janesville, Rockport Park: janesvillecvb.com June 9-11 PrideFest, Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee: Largest gay/lesbian, bisexual and transgender festival, pridefest.com June 9-10 WIAA Boys team tennis state tournament, Madison, wiaawi.org June 9-11 Roger Bright Polka Festival, downtown New Glarus: Polka plus beer, bacon and cheese, swisstown.com Walleye Weekend, Fond du Lac: Live music, children’s entertainment, sports and national walleye tournament, fdlfest.com June 10 Hike Back in Time, Devil’s Lake State Park: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ Wildflower walk, Kettle Moraine State Forest, Southern Unit: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ Old time cheese making, National Historic Cheesemaking Center, Monroe, nationalhistoriccheesemakingcenter.org Taste of the Dells, downtown Wisconsin Dells: American and ethnic delicacies, beer tent featuring Wisconsin microbrews and live entertainment, tasteofthedells.com Taste of the Arts Fair, Sheehan Park, Sun Prairie: sunprairiechamber.com Dane County Breakfast on the Farm, Blue Star Dairy, Middleton: Music, kids’ activities, education, face painting, wagon rides, danecountydairy.com Sauk County Dairy Breakfast, Elsing Farms, Sauk City: Live entertainment and kids’ activities, dairydaysofsummer.com June 10-11 Marquette Waterfront Festival, Yahara Place Park, Madison: several bands, run, food, kids’ activities, marquette-neighborhood.org June 11 Circus of Chefs, Circus World, Baraboo: Sample food from various restaurants, live music, auction, circusworld.wisconsinhistory.org Beestock, Capital Brewery, Middleton: Environmental speakers, music, facebook.com/beestockfestival Circus of Chefs, Circus World, Baraboo: Sample food from various restaurants live music, auction, circusworld.wisconsinhistory.org Ironman Wisconsin, Madison and Verona: Test of endurance stops and ends downtown and features Loop Festival in Verona, ironman.com

32 YOUR FAMILY SUMMER 2017

June 12-15 Wisconsin FFA Convention, Alliant Energy Center, wisconsinffa.org June 14 Community Appreciation Day, Janesville Rotary Botanical Gardens: janesvillecvb.com June 15 Home Sweet Home Nature Storytime, Kettle Moraine, Northern Unit: dnr.wi.gov/ Calendar/Events/Parks/ Strawberry Fest at Farmers Market, Fitchburg: music, strawberry-themed offerings, fitchburgchamber.com Backyard BBQ, Gilda’s Club, Middleton: Fundraiser includes music, live auction, gildasclubmadison.org June 15-18 Baseball Festival, Jones Park, Fort Atkinson, fortgenerals.com June 16-17 Balloon and Blues Festival, Monroe: Hot-air balloons, music, car show, food, beer, monroeballoonrally.com Stoughton-McFarland-Oregon Relay for Life, Stoughton High School Collins Field: Overnight activities honoring cancer victims and survivors, relayforlife.org/stoughton-mcfarland-oregonwi Isthmus Jazz Festival, UW-Madison Memorial Union: Includes swing, orchestra, big band from students to professional bands and solo performers, uniontheater.wisc.edu June 16-18 Lakefront Festival of Arts, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee: Takes place inside and outside museum, lfoa.mam.org June 17 Pie Ride, Janesville: Family-friendly bicycle event featuring 20K, 50K and 100K rides, janesvillemorningrotary.org Archery Day, Devil’s Lake State Park: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ Duck Dash, Vilas Beach, Madison: Paddle a canoe, kayak, or paddle board across Lake Wingra, then return with 3K or 10K, wingraboats.com Juneteenth Day, Labor Temple, Madison: A celebration of freedom for African-American communities, kujimcsd.com Mad City Vegan Fest, Alliant Energy Center, Madison: Vegan food and information on animals, the environment and health, veganfest.org North Fondy Fest, Fond du Lac: Music, crafts, model train display, games, fdl.com Robert Wellnitz Memorial Air Show, Fond du Lac, fdlaa.com Mason Jar Jamboree, Fort Atkinson: live music, nature walks, demonstrations, historical entertainment, kids activities, fortchamber.com Strawberry Fest, Colonial Club, Sun Prairie, colonialclub.org All-American Soap Box Derby, Ashwaubenon, soapboxderby.org Taste of Wisconsin, Beaver Dam: Craft beer and cheese tasting of Wisconsin-made products only, tasteofwisconsin.net Waterslide-athon, Wisconsin Dells: Benefits Ronald McDonald House, wisdells.com June 17-18 Horse and Carriage Festival, Columbus: Driving show with multiple breeds and carriage types, as well as barbeque and pies, popcorn and burgers, columbuscarriagefestival.org June 18 Pop’s Knoll Father’s Day Picnic, Donald County Park, Mount Vernon: Music, entertainment, donaldpark.org Father’s Day Antique Car and Truck Show, Fond du Lac, fdl.com Horribly Hilly Hundreds, Blue Mounds: Grueling bike ride results in 10,000-foot elevation gain in Driftless Area, horriblyhilly.com June 19 Concerts at McKee, Fitchburg: Music in the park featuring The Traveling Suitcase, facebook.com/concertsatmckee June 19-20 Badger Booster Days, Monroe: Fundraising golf tournament, dinner and entertainment, monroebadgerdays.org June 20-24 USTA Tumbling and Trampoline Championships, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Madison: almost 2,500 athletes compete, usta1.org June 20-July 25 Concerts in the Garden, Olbrich Gardens, Madison: Music in an outdoor garden every Tuesday night, olbrich.org June 21 Story Time with the Animals, MacKenzie Center, Poynette, dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ June 22 Outing to Lake Mendota, Holy Wisdom Monastery, Middleton: Pontoon boat tour with UW expert on lakes, benedictinewomen.org June 22-25 Oregon Summer Fest, Oregon: Carnival, rides, live music, food and the annual parade, oregonwisummerfest.com June 23 Concerts on the Square, Monroe: Copper Box, mainstreetmonroe.org Downtown Baraboo Brew-Ha Ha, Bekah Kates, Baraboo: downtownbaraboo.com June 24 Art in the Barn Benefit for Haiti Allies, Oregon: Picnic and purchase Haitian art, site.artinthebarnwi.org Green County Dairy Day Parade, Brooklyn: Food, tractor pull, greencountyagchest.com Playing with Shakespeare program, Devil’s Lake State Park: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ Shake the Lake fireworks festival, downtown Madison: Fireworks over Lake Monona following a music festival, roller derby, bike polo, etc., shakethelake.org

June 24-25 Arts and crafts fair, Spring Green: More than 200 artists, all original, plus entertainment, springgreenartfair.com Heidi Festival, New Glarus: Festival oriented around classic play about a Swiss girl, performances, food, run/walk, swisstown.com June 28-Aug. 2 Concerts on the Square, Capitol Square, Madison: live music and food vendors every Wednesday night, wcoconcerts.org June 29-July 1 Troll Stroll III, Mount Horeb: Back-road tours, Corvette parade, dinners, backroadkruizers.com July 1 Cranes of the World Festival, International Crane Foundation, Baraboo: Guided nature walks, live animal shows, savingcranes.org Fire on the River, Prairie du Sac: Music, food, free balloon rides, fireworks, art festival, mural creation, kids’ games, saukprairie.com Drop in on Butterflies, Devil’s Lake State Park: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ An evening of John Denver music with Brett Hall, Kettle Moraine State Forest, Northern Unit: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks Flags of Freedom Parade and Field Show, Main Street, Sun Prairie, spbb.org Drop in on Butterflies, Devil’s Lake State Park: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ An evening of John Denver music with Brett Hall, Kettle Moraine State Forest, Northern Unit: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks July 2-3 Midwest Log Rolling Championships, Wingra Park, Madison: The best log rollers and boom runners in the world compete, madisonlogrolling.com July 3-4 Monona Community Festival, Monona: mononafestival.com July 4 Independence Day on the Rock, Traxler Park, Janesville: beer tent, helicopter rides, fireworks, janesvillecvb.com Pops on the Rock Festival, Beloit: concert and fireworks, visitbeloit.com Fourth of July music festival, Monticello: washingtonreformation.com DeForest Fourth of July Celebration, Firemen’s Park, DeForest, deforestarea.com Patriot Tournament, Race Track Park, Edgerton: horseshoes, edgertonchamber.com Mineral Point Celebrates the Fourth: parade, run, music, fireworks, mineralpoint.com Witwen Fourth of July Parade, Sauk City: witwenpc.com Fireworks in Brooklyn, Maple Bluff, Shorewood Hills, Monroe, Baraboo, Wisconsin Dells, Sauk City, Brodhead, Fort Atkinson, July 6 Lawn Chair Bat Watch, Devil’s Lake State Park: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ July 6-8 Beaver Dam Lake Days, Beaver Dam: community festival with music, fireworks, water ski show, refreshments and carnival rides, www.beaverdamlakedays.com July 6-9 Lodi Agricultural Fair: Music, food, demolition derby, tractor/truck pull, exhibits, horse pull, carnival rides, lodiagfair.com July 7 Concerts on the Square, Monroe: Something To Do Band, mainstreetmonroe.org July 7-9 Homecoming, Monticello: Music, fish boil, carnival, tug-of-war, fireworks, parade, greencounty.org July 8 Cambridge EMS Cannonball Run 5K and 10K, Cambridge: cambridgeems.org The Prick 5K, Watertown: First trail run in Watertown benefits diabetes research, theprick5k.com Bagpipes at the Glen, Durward’s Glen Retreat Center, Baraboo, durwardsglen.org July 8-9 Art Fair Off the Square, Madison: artcraftwis.org Farmers Appreciation Days, Dodgeville: parade, pig- and cow-calling contests, petting zoo, kids’ activities, dodgeville.com July 9 EAA Chapter 1389 fly-in, Middleton: Pancake breakfast, lots of airplanes, moreyairport.com Drums on Parade, Middleton: Wisconsin’s longest running drum corps show (62nd year) features drum and bugle corps, drumsonparade.com July 10-15 U.S. National Baton Twirling Championships, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Madison: Individual and group competitions, ustwirling.com July 10-16 Sauk County Fair, Sauk County Fairgrounds, Baraboo, saukcountyfair.com July 11 Sounds of Summer Concert, Oregon: All That Jazz performs, oregonwi.com July 12-16 Jefferson County Fair, Jefferson: jcfairpark.com July 13-16 La Fete de Marquette, Central Park, Madison: Four days of free music, dancing, food and crafts vendors, www.wil-mar.org July 14-15 Olbrich Home Garden Tour, Madison: Arbor Hills and Nakoma neighborhoods, olbrich.org July 15 Arts Festival, Lake Mills: lakemillsartsfestival.com Bike for Boys and Girls Club, McKee Farms Park, Fitchburg, bike4bgc.com Wild Women Workshop, Horicon Marsh Education Center: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks

FAMILYFUN

SUMMER 2017 CALENDAR July 15-16 Art fair, Kaffe Stue, Mount Horeb: Fire truck rides, games, food, music, traditional Norwegian foods, trollway.com and fdmh.org July 16 Ride the Drive, Madison: Major streets are closed to cars so bicyclists rule the day, with games, food and music along the route, cityofmadison.com/parks/ridethedrive Ride for Kids, Lake Geneva: Scenic motorcycle ride to benefit Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, rideforkids.org July 16-22 Flavors of Wisconsin bicycle tour, Fitchburg; Moderately challenging route takes riders through scenic vistas, sampling craft cheese and beer, bed and breakfasts, aroundwisbike.com July 17 Concerts at McKee, Fitchburg: Music in the park featuring Sonny Knight and The Lakers, facebook.com/concertsatmckee July 18 Sounds of Summer Concert, Oregon: Funky Chunky performs, oregonwi.com July 19-23 Green County Fair, Monroe: Carnival, rodeo, tractor pull, music, demolition derby, greencountyfair.net Dane County Fair, Alliant Energy Center: more than 1,200 Dane County youth participate in the fourth largest county fair in the state. Lots of carnival rides, food and entertainment, danecountyfair.com July 20 Kids Fest at the Farmers Market, Fitchburg: Food, face painting, music, fitchburgchamber.com July 20-Aug. 13 Olbrich’s Blooming Butterflies, Olbrich Gardens, Madison: Stroll through a tropical forest on a search for butterflies in the Bolz Conservatory, olbrich.org July 21-22 Hope Fest 2017, Jefferson County Fair Park, tomorrowshope.org July 22 Opera in the Park, Garner Park, Madison: free concert, madisonopera.org 5th Annual Baraboo Big Top Parade & Circus Celebration, Big Top parade and more, downtownbaraboo.com Archery Jamboree, MacKenzie Center, adult and youth competitions, food booths, archery displays, dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ July 22-23 Hickory Knoll Combined Driving Event, Fitchburg: horse driving competition, fitchburgchamber.com Midwest Fire Fest, Cambridge: Demonstrations, fire performers, music: midwestfirefest.com Relay for Life, Mount Horeb: Raising money for cancer research through overnight relay, relayforlife.org/mthorebwi American Girl annual benefit sale, Middleton: madisonchildrensmuseum.org July 24-30 EAA Air Venture Fly-in, one of the largest air shows in the world, EAA, Oshkosh, eaa.org July 25 Animal Feeding Day, Devil’s Lake State Park, dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ Sounds of Summer Concert, Oregon: Marcy and the Highlights perform, oregonwi.com July 25-30 Rock County 4H Fair, Janesville: carnival midway, live music in the grandstand, animal exhibitions and more, rockcounty4hfair.com July 26 Story Time with the Animals, MacKenzie Center, Poynette, dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ July 26-Aug. 30 Green Bay Packers training camp, Ray Nitschke Field, Green Bay, packers.com July 27 Concerts on the Square, Monroe: Back Country Roads, mainstreetmonroe.org July 27-30 WaunaFest, Waunakee: food, music, sports, family events, waunafest.org July 27 - Sept. 10 “Church Basement Ladies,” Fireside Theatre, Fort Atkinson, firesidetheatre.com July 28-29 Prairie Dog Blues Festival, Prairie du Chien, Saint Feriole Island, prairiedogblues.com July 29 Kids Triathlon at Ottawa Lake, Kettle Moraine, Southern Unit: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ Paddle and portage canoe race, James Madison Park: Starts on Lake Mendota and finishes on Lake Monona, with a post-race party in Olbrich Park, paddleandportage.com Loop the Lake Celebration, around Lake Monona: Ride your bike to celebrate clean lakes, cleanlakesalliance.com Disability Pride Festival, Tenney Park, Madison: Children’s activites, adaptive bike demonstrations, wheelchair sports, disabilitypridemadison.org July 29-30 Atwood Summerfest, Atwood Avenue, Madison: Live music, food, kid-friendly games and lots of vendors, atwoodfest.org Aug. 1 National Night Out, Middleton, Verona, McFarland, Monona, Madison, Oregon Run Against Crime 5K, Janesville: demonstrations, police car tours, food, janesvillecvb.com Aug. 1-6 Reebok Crossfit Games, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, games.crossfit.com

Aug. 4 Drum and Bugle Corps, Oregon, oregonwi.com Tree-rific Trees, Devil’s Lake State Park, dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ Aug. 4-5 Street Dance and Celebrate Weekend, Downtown Beloit: sidewalk sale, farmers’ market, concessions, visitbeloit.com Aug. 4, 11, 18, 25 Dane Dances, Monona Terrace: Free entertainment and dancing, ethnic food and cocktails for sale every Friday night, danedances.org Aug. 5 Fire Fest, New Glarus: 114th anniversary of the fire department with inflatable rides, music, raffles, firetruck rides and more, newglarusfd.com National Mustard Day, Mustard Museum, Middleton: Games, free hot dogs, mustard tasting, visiting celebrities, live music, cook-off, mustardmuseum.com Outdoor Skills Day, Horicon Marsh Education Center: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ Exploration Station - Night Sky, Devil’s Lake State Park: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ Cranes of the World Festival, International Crane Foundation, Baraboo: Guided nature walks, live animal shows, savingcranes.org Book’n It Run, Sun Prairie Rotary and Library foundation, Sheehan Park, Sun Prairie: booknitrun.com Aug. 6 Swiss Volksfest, New Glarus: Celebrating Swiss independence with yodeling, folk music, flag throwing, alphorn playing, music, swisstown.com Aug. 8 Sounds of Summer Concert, Oregon: The Byrd Brothers perform, oregonwi.com Aug. 9 An Evening with Wildlife: participate in an educational wildlife tour MacKenzie Center, Poynette, dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ Aug. 11 Concerts on the Square, Monroe: Cookie and The Real Deal, mainstreetmonroe.org Pack ‘N the Park, McKee Farms Park, Fitchburg: Carnival games, inflatables, kids’ movie, prizes, food, fitchburgchamber.com Aug. 11-13 Field Days, Black Earth: Reliving pre-harvest celebration with music, family-oriented activities, blackearth.org Aug. 12 Kids Triathlon, Jaycee Park, Oregon: Ages 5-17, oregonkidstri.com Great Taste of the Midwest, Madison: Over 100 brewpubs and microbreweries, greattaste.org Susie the Duck Day, Veterans Memorial Park, Lodi: parade, run, “Duck Derby,” kids’ adventure Aug. 12-13 Art in the Park, Lake Geneva: 34th annual event, lakegenevawi.com Aug. 15 Sounds of Summer Concert, Oregon: Red Hot Horn Dawgs perform, oregonwi.com Aug. 16-20 Venetian Festival, Lake Geneva: carnival, craft fair, water ski show, music, local cuisine and lighted boat parade followed by a fireworks display, lakegenevaJaycees.org Aug. 17 Summer Fest at the Farmers Market, Fitchburg: Pig roast, live music, fitchburgchamber.com Aug. 17-20 Warbirds and Classics Over the Midwest, Fond du Lac: Nationally recognized RC pilots flying, midwestwarbirds.com Sun Prairie Sweet Corn Festival, Angell Park, sunprairiechamber.com Aug. 18-20 Badger Steam and Gas annual show, Baraboo: Semis from all over, road trip, music, camping on site, badgersteamandgas.com Aug. 19 Spring Green car show: springgreen.com Tri4Schools kids’ triathlon, Middleton: tri4schools.com Agora Art Fair, Fitchburg: More than 100 artists showcase work, agoraartfair.com Beloit Dirty Dash, Beloit: youth run/walk and obstacle course, visitbeloit.com Madison Mini-Marathon, Memorial Union: madisonminimarathon.com Coffee Break, Stoughton: Stoughton’s claim as originator of the coffee break celebrated with car show, arts and crafts, entertainment, food, stoughtonwi.com Light up the Lake, Oconomowoc: boat parade and fireworks, oconomowoc.org Aug. 19-20 Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts, Oconomowoc: juried art fair, music, food, art activities, oconomowocarts.org Aug. 20 Taste of Fond du Lac, Lakeside Park, Fond du Lac: Food, beverages, music and entertainment, fdlfest.com Aug. 21 Concerts at McKee, Fitchburg: Music in the park featuring Golpe Tierra, facebook.com/concertsatmckee Aug. 22 Sounds of Summer Concert, Oregon: Back 40 performs, oregonwi.com Aug. 24 Concerts on the Square, Monroe: Corey Cox, mainstreetmonroe.org

Aug. 24-27 Orton Park Festival, Madison: Eclectic music and food designed to spread culture and support local neighborhood, marquette-neighborhood.org Aug. 25 Cars on the Square, Monroe: Classic cars on display, prizes, food, mainstreetmonroe.org Aug. 25-27 Good Neighbor Festival, Firemen’s Park, Middleton: Carnival, arts and crafts fair, parade, live entertainment, food, goodneighborfestival.com Aug. 26 Art in the Barn Benefit for Haiti Allies, Oregon: picnic and purchase Haitian art, site. artinthebarnwi.org Exploration Station - Night Sky, Devil’s Lake State Park: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks/ Rhythm on the River, Fort Atkinson: music, dancing, food, fortchamber.com Aug. 27 Summer Sun Celebration, Kettle Moraine, Northern Unit: dnr.wi.gov/Calendar/Events/Parks Sept. 1-2 State Cow Chip Throw, Prairie du Sac: 40th annual festival has flying cow pies, music, parade, craft fair, wiscowchip.com Sept. 1-3 Brooklyn Labor Day truck and tractor pull, Brooklyn: Three days of festivities at Legion Park, oregonwi.com Wilhelm Tell Festival New Glarus: Celebrating Swiss independence story with theater, art fair, lantern parade, camping, entertainment, swisstown.com Sept. 3 Mount Horeb Fire Department Jamboree: “Kid Zone,” pancake breakfast, local talent show, live music, food, trollway.com Sept. 8-10 Sustainability Festival, Dodgeville: Focus on environmental practices, including food preservation, classic hand tools, music and dance workshops, folklorevillage.org Sept. 9 Thirsty Troll Brew Fest, Mount Horeb: Unlimited sampling of more than 100 microbrews, live music, food: thirstytrollbrewfest.com Yahara Riverfest, DeForest: 5K Trail Tromp, Rubber Duck Race, pumpkin painting, wine and beer tasting, bonfire, yaharariverfest.com Sept. 9-10 Green County “Pickers” Flea and Antique Market, Monroe: Nearly 150 vendors at fairgrounds, greencounty.org Sept. 10 Family Fest, New Glarus: Car show, petting zoo, kids games, live music, rides, newglarusfamilyfest.com Heritage Festival, Schumacher Farm Park, Waunakee: Learn how things were done in the “old days” with domestic chores and demonstrations, wagon rides, music, kids’ activities, schumacherfarmpark.org Sept. 15-17 Minhas Oktoberfest, Monroe: Live bands, local brews, distillery tours, minhasoktoberfest.com Wo Zha Wa Days Fall Fest, Wisconsin Dells, wisdells.com Festival of the Mounds, Mounds View Park, Blue Mounds: Area festival includes food, music, games, craft show, raffle, beer tent, parade, trollway.com Sept. 16 Taste of Cross Plains and Hill Valley car show: Samples of food plus kids’ boat regatta, fly fishing, guided hike, bike tour, crossplainschamber.net Sept. 16-18 Wauktoberfest, Waunakee: Live music, inflatables, pumpkin decorating, storytellers, beer taste, frau carry, dachshund dash, limburger cheese-eating contest, free movies and games, wauktoberfest.com Sept. 21 Fall Fest at Farmers Market, Fitchburg: Carriage rides, live music, fitchburgchamber.com Sept. 21-23 Chevrolet Camaro 50th birthday bash, Mount Horeb: backroadkruizers.com Sept. 22-24 Oktoberfest, New Glarus: Music, games, rides, food, tractor-drawn wagon rides, historical displays and events, swisstown.com Sept. 23 Fall National Tractor Pull, Monroe: Tractor and truck pull, food stands, live music at fairgrounds, greencountyfallnationals.com Walk for Wishes, Fitchburg: 5K, 2-mile walk, wheelchair race, kids dash, family fun day for Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, wisconsin.wish.org Brew-B-Que, Lodi: Music, cookoffs, contests, raffles, activities, lodilakewisconsin.org Sept. 29-Oct. 1 Cornish Festival, Mineral Point: Music, dance, pub night, kids’ activities, cornishfest.com Sept. 30 Brew-B-Que, Lodi: Block party with barbecue, chili and salsa contests, music, beanbag tournament, raffles, kids activities, lodilakewisconsin.org Fall Festival, Albany: Food booths, games, vendors, arts and crafts, albany-chamber.org Smoke in the Valley, Spring Green: Ribs, chicken, appetizer contests, samples, plus beer and wine samples, music, prizes, springgreen.com

If you know of an event that should be in this calendar, e-mail yourfamily@wcinet.com

SUMMER 2017 YOUR FAMILY 33

FAMILYLIFE

B usiness S potlight

Inspired By Nature Art instructor shares woodland retreat with creative minds Story and photos by Samantha Christian Name: Whispering Woodlands Owner: Jackie Hefty Address: 1600 Speedway Road, Verona Website: whispering-woodlands.com Contact: 848-9761 or whisper@tds.net

T

wigs and stones spell out “Whispering Woodlands” on a wooden post at the end of Speedway Road in rural Verona. It’s an aptly named sign for the quiet retreat sought by many visual artists, writers and groups throughout the Midwest who are inspired by nature.

A long driveway winds through towering trees before revealing a view reminiscent of J.R.R. Tolkien’s idyllic Shire.

The murmur of traffic is replaced by birds chirping as a dome-shaped building comes into view, its triangular windows and wraparound porch overlooking the countryside.

This secluded 12-acre property has been home to Jackie Hefty for the last decade, and since 2008, it has doubled as her “labor of love.”

As a lifelong art educator, Hefty transformed the lower level of the house into a studio for her and other instructors to lead small classes, workshops and private lessons on topics such as printmaking, painting, letterpress printing, calligraphy, jewelry and mosaics. Writers and those who come to unwind also tend to find a comfortable spot in the naturally lit main floor (which is sometimes occupied by Hefty’s cats) or outside on the porch on a nice day.

While programs are only held during the daytime, Hefty

Art instructor Jackie Hefty opened Whispering Woodlands at her home in Verona in 2008. She enjoys eco-printing using leaves on watercolor paper.

encourages out-of-town visitors to check out area bed and breakfasts and motels. She also picks up food from local establishments for groups to share together at her dining room table so they can stay in “the zone.”

“People really respect that it’s my home,” she said. “(They) are ooh’d and aah’d by the design of the house, so it’s an automatic icebreaker.”

Surrounding the house are walking trails through the meadow and woods, which is where Hefty finds natural objects to eco-print on recycled paper and cloth, such as leaf impressions and walnut tie-dying.

“I still have this desire to keep learning,” she said. “I experiment a lot and play.”

Hefty does not show her artwork at galleries. For her, it’s more about teaching others and seeing them “working and creating together.”

This summer, the community is invited to draw or paint a spectacled owl and peregrine falcon in a class led by wildlife artist Jon Wilde with a presentation by Dianne Moller of Hoo’s Woods Raptor Center. Proceeds will benefit the care of education birds. More programs for 2017 are listed on Whispering Woodlands’ website. l

Q&A with Jackie Hefty

YF: Where did the idea come from for you to start Whispering Woodlands?

Jackie: It was ’07 when I really had the bug to use all this art equipment (that I gathered when I was finishing grad school in the mid-80s) and enjoy just doing what kind of work I liked to do.

With the recession and all of that, that was kind of a strange time to have started the business. But there seems to be a need for people to have an escape or a retreat or something to get away, and I was very fortunate in finding this so close to town.

YF: Why do you think people are drawn here?

34 YOUR FAMILY SUMMER 2017

Jackie: I didn’t go looking for a dome house. It just had the right feel – quirky. The focus is much more about what happens in the studio. Nature is here to inspire us. Just the change in the seasons and the wildlife, and then trying to utilize it and appreciate it.

YF: Is the studio set up for all skill levels?

Jackie: More of what I personally teach I try and have the supplies so they can try it before they invest in it. It’s process over product, and the experience of doing it. And I think there’s a lot of “aha” moments for

people (“ooh, I didn’t know I could do this!”) and to take the fear away. It’s more playful.

YF: What are some of the advantages of having a smaller studio?

Jackie: It’s a little bit more intimate and individualized. I have worked with early childhood through senior adults and people with Alzheimer’s, (and) I’ve worked with children with finemotor skill limitations and cognitive disabilities. So I really look to address where they’re coming from and kind of gear the class or program more individually.

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