Wonders
WALWORTH COUNTY of
Published by Southern Lakes Newspapers LLC
Winter 2020
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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
WINTER 2020
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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
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The heart of a
SUBMITTED PHOTOS Wonders of Walworth County
Clockwise from left: Tracy Beck, Elkhorn, with her dog, Amber, and cat, “Cha Cha.” Beck rescued Amber a few years back and the two of them have made a mark on the dog agility circuit; Tracy Beck and Amber share a quiet moment; Amber shows off her 2019 Master Agility Champion title award from the American Kennel Club.
AREA WOMAN AND RESCUE DOG SHOW AMAZING AGILITY
By Tracy Ouellette
EDITOR
hen Tracy Beck was looking to adopt a rescue dog a few years back, she had a vision of what she wanted. “I had lost another rescue dog and was looking to replace it,” she recalled. “We saw Amber at a rescue in Huntley, Illinois, but I was looking for a bigger dog for the farm. But my husband really liked the look of her, so we went to check her out.” The couple drove down to Illinois from their Elkhorn farm to meet Amber. “I wasn’t sure,” Beck said. “She was way too small and I wanted a big farm dog. But he was adamant on her and said a dog didn’t need to be big to bark if something was wrong on the farm, which was what we wanted.” So, they brought Amber home. “And, boy, did she have a lot of energy,” Beck said. “I mean a lot. She was rearranging
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the furniture all over the house!” Beck said she knew they were going to have to find a way to harness that energy, and a friend told her the dog needed a job. “She needed something to drain her mind and her body,” Beck said. “You could run her all day, but she needed mental stimulation as well.” Beck’s friend suggested agility training and she figured it was worth a try and signed up for a class. “She just loved it and caught on really fast,” she said. “I started to like it, too.”
Competing begins After Beck and Amber graduated from the basic agility class, they began to look at what it might take to enter the competition ring. “A friend showed me the ins and outs to get involved in the competitions and we started training on a more serious level,” Beck said. “Amber was just a natural. She’s
very fast and very competitive. It’s the perfect combination.” Amber is an Australian Cattle Dog mixed breed, which doesn’t impede her ability to compete. “They have categories for mixed breeds at all the competitions, so that’s not a problem. A lot of people don’t realize that you don’t have to spend thousands on pure-bred dogs to do this. Rescue dogs have so much to offer,” Beck said. Amber, who is about 6 years old now, and Beck have been competing for about 4 years and winning multiple awards along the way. “She has her MACH, the Master Agility Championship title, from the American Kennel Club, which she won this year,” Beck said. “Her first big title was the CATCH; it’s the CPE Agility Trial Champion title. She’s won hundreds of ribbons, too.” Beck said Amber loves the spotlight and competition setting. “She’s a spitfire,” she said with a laugh.
“She’s just a very playful, happy go-getter. She likes to play all the time and loves all kinds of toys. Everything is a game to her and she loves games.” Amber also has a soft side, Beck said. “She’s just a love bug and thinks she’s a lapdog, even though she’s 38 pounds,” Beck said. “She’s got the cutest little wiggle butt. It’s probably the reason we got her, it was so cute.”
Rescuing more Beck said rescuing animals is something that’s very close to her heart. “We just rescued another dog three months ago,” she said. “His name is Titus and he’s about a year and a half old. He’s a great addition to our family.” Beck said if there was one thing she wanted people to know, it was that rescue
See RESCUE DOG, Page 4
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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
WINTER 2020
Keefe Kares raises record amount of donations Keefe Kares, the charitable branch of Keefe Real Estate, had its fifth annual Celebration at Hawk’s View in Lake Geneva Nov. 1. This was Keefe’s first year the event was at Hawk’s View, after three years at the Walworth County Fairgrounds. It offered a fish fry and chicken dinner buffet, over fifty silent auction items, nine live auction items, eighteen raffle items, live music by Glenn Davis, in addition to entertainment by local magician, Tristan Crist. This year, Keefe chose SMILES as the spotlight organization. SMILES offers individuals with special needs the joy of participating in an equine assisted program. Kim Good, Executive Director of SMILES, along with Troy and Kyler Moldenhauer, were on hand to accept recognition at the event. Rodney, a horse that “works” at SMILES also joined in as the delightful greeter to start the evening. Approximately 275 guests attended the event this year and helped raise funds for the 33 local non-profit organizations in southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois that Keefe Kares supports. All told, the celebration set a new record for funds raised with more than $44,000 in donations. “It was extremely exciting to see the level of support from the community as we changed the format of the Celebration in its fifth year,” said Tom Keefe, Keefe’s President & CEO. “As the area’s largest locally owned real estate broker, we feel it is our responsibility to give back to our community in a meaningful way, and we are so honored that so many joined us in this mission,” he added. Keefe Kares would like to thank the
numerous sponsors, attendees, volunteers, and Keefe agents and staff who donated both funds, items, and time for the Celebration. This year’s Celebration was generously sponsored by the following community partners: Sottrel Hotel Group, Diamond Residential Mortgage, Ulla & Bertil Brunk Foundation, Wells Fargo Private Bank, Creekside Landscape Development, First Business Bank, Southeastern Title, LLC, INmortgage, Draper and Kraemer, Omega Homes, The Design Coach, First Midwest Bank, First National Bank and Trust, Egert Law, S.C., Meridian Direct, Trinity Retirement Solutions LLC, B&J Tree & Landscape, Aurora Health Care, Blackhawk Bank, Associated Bank, Johnson Financial Group, Lakes Area Home Inspections, Mercyhealth, Advia Credit Union, Town Bank, Market Street, Stebnitz Builders, Flitcroft Septic Service, Whiteglove Home Inspection, First Citizens State Bank, Castle Maintenance, LLC, Home State Bank, Hummel Construction, Stinebrink’s Piggly Wiggly, CliftonLarsenAllen LLP, and Gage Marine. In 2019, rolling-grant gifts were made by the Keefe Kares board to the following 501c3 organizations of service excellence: Alzheimer’s Association of SE WI, Aquanut Adaptive Aquatics, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Big Foot Emergency Food Pantry, Delavan Food Pantry, Elkhorn Food Pantry, Family, Health Partnership Clinic, Gavers Community Cancer Foundation, Geneva Lake Conservancy, Geneva Lakes YMCA, Kisses from Keegan & Friends, Lake Geneva Food Pantry, Love, Inc., New Beginnings APFV, Open Arms Free Clinic, Sharing Center Inc., Side by Side, Inc.,
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SUBMITTED PHOTO Wonders of Walworth County
This year’s Keefe Kares celebration was moved to Hawk’s View in Lake Geneva. SMILES, which offers individuals with special needs the joy of participating in an equine assisted program, was chosen as the spotlight organization. As a special treat, Rodney, a horse that “works” at SMILES, greeted guests at Keefe Kares event.
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dogs can do everything pure-bred dogs can do. “You don’t have to go out and spend a lot of money on a dog like that when there are so many looking for homes,” she said. “And these dogs have just as much potential to succeed in dog sports, if that’s what you’re interested in.” She added that the experience for the dog owner in agility training is just as beneficial as it is to the dog. “It’s great exercise and it’s just such a great way to spend time with your dog,” she said. “It’s also great for kids and dogs to bond and spend time together. They can just take a class and see how much fun it is.”
The
Walworth County Food Pantry, Walworth County Literacy Council and Water Safety Patrol. For more information about the celebration or the Keefe Kares foundation contact Katrina Lubinski at 262-348-3215 or katrinal@keeferealestate.com.
Beck recommended anyone interested in taking up the sport of dog agility training should start with a beginners class. “There’s a few local places to do that,” she said. “There’s Think Positive in Waukesha, and For Pet’s Sake in Mukwonago, and Wag Agility in Spring Grove, Illinois, for people a little farther south. They are all great places to start.” As for Beck and Amber, they’re headed into a new competition season. “We qualified for the national AKC competitions in Georgia and Amber was ranked 13th in the national dog agility mixed breed, or All American, category at the AKC,” Beck said. “We’ll be busy.”
Wonders of Walworth County
A publication of Southern Lakes Newspapers LLC and The Beacon 1102 Ann St., Delavan, WI 53115 • (262) 728-3411 GENERAL MANAGER: .....................................Sue Z. Lange EDITOR: .....................................................Tracy Ouellette CREATIVE/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: ................Heidi Schulz PAGE DESIGNER: ...........................................Jen DeGroot ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: ......................Vicki Vanderwerff
FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES: Call (262) 725-7701, ext. 134
On the cover Kids enjoy Winterfest activities in 2019. Winterfest returns Jan. 26 and runs until Feb. 2 in downtown Lake Geneva. Photo courtesy of Discover Wisconsin.
WINTER 2020
Changing the conversation
Inspired Coffee to promote workforce development for people with disabilities
I
nspiration Ministries President Erik Barber calls it “changing the conversation.” After working with the long-term care provider for those with developmental and physical disabilities for the last three years, Barber said the current project Inspiration Ministries is undertaking will help bring those with disabilities into local communities, and indeed, change how people think. The project? Starting a new coffee shop in Lake Geneva, with the idea that those with disabilities can go through a 12-month, jobtraining program with the idea of integrating them into their communities – and providing potential long-term employment. The coffee shop, called Inspired Coffee, is scheduled to open in April of 2020 at the former Caribou Coffee site in Lake Geneva at 833 E. Main St. “There’s really a challenge of getting people with disabilities jobs,” explained Barber, adding that pre-vocational training, soft skills and on-job coaching are issues for many local businesses that don’t have the time or resources to commit to employees who have additional needs. Barber pointed out that state agencies help, “but there are long waiting lists, and services are not as effective as they could be.” Inspiration Ministries, which operates housing, services and long-term care facilities at its location in Walworth, always has been about providing opportunities for those with disabilities. Founded by Charlie Pedersen in 1949 as Christian League for the Handicapped, the idea was to provide housing, work and community for those the group helped. As times have changed, though, so have the needs. With an overall focus of integrating workforces – working to eliminate sheltered workshops from communities and mainstream the workers – Barber said a committee formed to try to find out what would best serve not only Inspiration Ministries, but other special needs members of the workforce. “How could we provide an environment where people could engage in the community … and get the skills where they could be successful in their lives?” Barber said was the question they were trying to answer. After discussing the idea of a popcorn shop or a restaurant, the planning committee of Barber, Joe DeCiccio, Merik Fell, Rita Geilfuss, Bill Landwher, John Neighbors, Paul Meckler and Roger Wolff decided on a coffee shop. And, as it turned out, there was a perfect location. The former Caribou Coffee shop in
Lake Geneva had closed several years ago, and two members of the committee – Neighbors and Meckler – advocated for that particular shop. According to Barber, there were times during the height of the tourist season in Lake Geneva where the former Caribou Coffee was serving between 750 and 1,000 cups of coffee a day. With a location and a decision on a coffee shop, it was “full steam ahead,” Barber said. “We wanted to have a place where there would be a lot of foot traffic, and there would be people coming in from the outside,” Barber said. “We wanted to leverage both the local population but also those who are traveling to this area. This really provides the ideal spot for us.” As the idea developed, so did the way the shop would serve the community. “If we could change the conversation about the value and worth and the place that people with disabilities should have in our community, we wanted to do that,” Barber said. The plan is to have a general manager for the coffee shop, someone with business experience who has an entrepreneurial mind. From there, Barber wants to hire a pair of talent coaches – two people who will not only serve as shift managers but have special education training to help train, coach and work employees toward their goals. Barber said Inspiration Ministries has discovered about 200 people in the area graduate from area high schools each year with everything from learning disabilities to cerebral palsy to autism, and those numbers would support an employment model for the restaurant. In addition, he hopes to have a volunteer on-site each shift to help with busy times or difficult moments. “The way we’ve explained this to people is that the coffee shop is just the means,” Barber said. “The training and the coaching and the work experience is really the purpose. “We’ve created a program that is really 12 months … helping a person gain the skills that they need,” he added, pointing to the eventual goal of having program graduates taking jobs elsewhere. Even better news for Inspired Coffee is the state of its fundraising drive. Originally, the organization started out hoping to raise $300,000 by Dec. 31 of this year. As of last week, the group already had $325,000 committed. The new goal is to have $400,000 by Dec. 31 to allow for a reserve fund and potential seed money to expand into more than one coffee shop sometime in the future. “We’re really excited about where we are,” Barber said. “We’ve seen donors gift ridiculously generously, people who’ve never given to us before.” With a planned opening in the coming spring, Barber said the new shop hopefully will provide more than just coffee and expand not only the opportunities for those with disabilities, but discussions about them. “It’s also intended to further a message that’s gaining traction in our culture,” Barber said. “We want to be able to further the message and the story for the people we’ll be serving.”
WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
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By Jennifer Eisenbart CORRESPONDENT
What is
Inspiration Ministries? Inspiration Ministries is in rural Walworth County in Walworth on a 60-acre campus. Christian League for the Handicapped, doing business as Inspiration Ministries, was incorporated in 1949. With a mission of helping people with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities thrive in a Christcentered community, it seeks to address physical, mental and spiritual needs using a three-prong approach: accessible, residential community and programs; retreat and camping outreach programs; on- and off-campus volunteer and employment opportunities, and other community engagement, according to the website. For more information, visit www.inspirationministries.org.
What is Inspired Coffee?
A division of Inspiration Ministries, Inspired Coffee is a premium coffee shop, a neighborhood place, in downtown Lake Geneva, employing 20 to 30 individuals with mild to moderate developmental disabilities in a setting where they will be celebrated, job trained, coached and, over time, placed into a fully integrated work setting. Inspired Coffee will offer: • A highly cause-focused customer experience where diversity is celebrated; • Signage, storytelling visuals, high quality décor created by people with disabilities, and other environmental details will reinforce the “cause,” the mission and social impact of our work; • Open concept design; • A spacious place suitable for professionals to work and meet and the community to gather socially; • Cozy chairs and seating arrangements; and • Glass-enclosed meeting space. Inspired Coffee will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, visit inspiredcoffee.org. Adam Wolff brings his mom, Chace Wolff, a cup of coffee. Inspiration Ministries in Walworth is fundraising to open Inspired Coffee in Lake Geneva to give people with disabilities a place for job training. SUBMITTED PHOTO Wonders of Walworth County
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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
WINTER 2020
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Coffee shop expands community connections By Heather Ruenz STAFF WRITER
A local coffee shop owner has found a way to help a high school student earn a credit while also connecting with families with young children. Karen Mrozinski, of Stillwater Coffee Company, Elkhorn, reached out to Elkhorn Area High School and got in contact with Theresa Schreiber, who teaches child development classes. “I had an idea to hold a reading class here. It started with three kids but is growing. It’s great to work with high school students and we have a great space for it here,” Mrozinski said. That student is Tessa Voisin, a senior at EAHS who plans to be a kindergarten teacher. She said when Mrs. Scheiber mentioned Mrozinski was looking for a student to help she jumped at the opportunity. The Storytime events were open to kids 2 to 5 years old and no registration is needed. It began in late September and ran until the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Voisin said the child development classes she took helped prepare her for the partnership with Stillwater.
LITTLE ELKS PROGRAM
The high school also runs a preschool program, Little Elks for 3, 4 and 5 year olds, which high school students do during the school year to gain exposure to that type of field. While the childhood development classes are about parenting styles, areas of development, theorists, parenting readiness, the cost of parenting, pregnancy, labor and delivery, neonatal development, SIDS, shaken baby syndrome, FAS, brain development, the importance of play, what makes a good teacher, early childhood education, nutrition, multicultural perspectives, working with special needs, what makes a safe toy, what makes a good book, careers in early childhood education, and different child care programs, the Little Elks offers real-life experience. “It’s a great bridge to connect with our community,”
HEATHER RUENZ Wonders of Walworth County
Elkhorn Area High School student Tessa Voisin, who led the story time program in fall, and wants to be a kindergarten teacher, reads to the some of the kids.
Schreiber said. “We can learn a lot in class, from a textbook, and from online resources, but our high school students learn the most from real life interaction with kids.” Little Elks features planned activities, which high school students take turns leading. The preschool takes place in the library, also referred to as “The Hub” at the school and there is an adjoining room parents can sit in if they choose to stay
on site, though they are not required to do so. All children attending must be potty-trained and 3 to 5 years old. “We will provide a nurturing, engaging, and stimulating environment for your child. We aim to excite him or her about school and learning,” a letter about the program states. For more information, call 262-723-4920, ext. 1631.
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Local teen receives highest Boy Scout rank at 15 By Tracy Ouellette EDITOR
For many Boy Scouts, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout is the crowning achievement to their scouting career. Because of the rigorous requirements, the majority of scouts who reach the rank of Eagle do so when they are around 17 to 18 years old. There are, of course, many exceptions to this, and one of them lives in East Troy and is a member of Boy Scout Troop 92. Connor LaFreniere, a sophomore at East Troy High School, is 15 years old and was awarded the Eagle Scout rank with the Boy Scouts of America Aug. 25. LaFreniere was honored an Eagle Scout Court of Honor Ceremony Nov. 3 at Edwards YMCA Camp and Retreat Center in East Troy. Local and state officials attended the ceremony, including state Sen. Steve Nass, Town of East Troy Police Chief Don Jensen and Town Chairman Joseph Klarkowski. Nass presented LaFreniere with a Senate Citation and Jensen and Klarkowski presented the scout with and Award of Accomplishment. “I can’t begin to tell you how proud his father and I am of him,” mom Katherine LaFreniere said. “Connor has worked extremely hard during his scouting career to achieve this rank by completing his project at 14 years of age. “During his time in Boy Scouts, he has earned 36 merit badges, Order of the Arrow, Brotherhood, and bronze, gold, and silver palms. I can’t begin to tell you about all the
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Fly like an eagle
campouts, hours of community service, and the mentoring of younger scouts in which he has participated.” During the same time, his mother said Connor maintained a 3.92 GPA, was on the homecoming court as a freshman and was a member of the FIRST Robotics Competition Team 930, which took second place at the world competition in April. For Connor, all those accomplishments are just part of what makes a good scout, which began when he joined the Tiger Scouts at the age of 6. “As a scout you learn many things, not just the typical outdoor stuff like Merit Badges and awards,” he said. “In scouts we’re always working in the community, we help out at events, our troop has an Adopt A Highway and we’re just always lending a hand where we can.” Being a scout also helped Connor develop his personal interests. “Through scouts I was able to get into science and robotics more and earn awards through science-based activities, which really interested me,” he said. Eagle Scout project When it came time to organize and execute his Eagle Scout project, Connor said he spent a few months considering where he could do the most good. “When I was looking for a project to do, one of the first places I visited was Mt. Olive Church (Mukwonago),” he said. “My family has gone there for many years and they showed me around their barn and talked about what they wanted to do and that’s when I decided that’s what I wanted to do.” The project for the church consisted of building a concrete ramp as an approach to the entrance of the barn for large machinery,
SUBMITTED PHOTOS Wonders of Walworth County
Above: Connor LaFreniere (from left) receives an Award of Accomplishment from Town of East Troy Police Chief Don Jensen Sr. and Town Chairman Joseph Klarkowski at the Nov. 3 Eagle Scout Court of Honor Ceremony at Edwards YMCA Camp and Retreat Center in East Troy. At top: East Troy Boy Scout Connor LaFreniere works on part of his Eagle Scout project at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Mukwonago. LaFreniere is a member of Boy Scout Troop 92 in East Troy and earned the rank of Eagle at the age of 15.
Connor said. “I also installed some workbenches to help with storage of the tools they had,” Connor said. “As a parent you’re always proud when they do something like this,” Katherine said. “He researched a few ideas, trying to be thorough and picked a project he thought would be most meaningful thing to him.”
As with all Eagle Scout projects, a lot of time is spent planning and documenting what the scout is doing. Connor starting planning his project in the fall/winter of 2018 and built the ramp and workbenches this summer. As Connor looks toward the future, he sees himself in the science/engineering field, but said he has some time to figure out just what he wants to do.
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Things to do JANUARY 25 – Barnyard Bargain Bonanza Indoor Flea Market, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. Info: 262-723-3228. 25 – Lake Geneva Winter Bridal Expo, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Riviera, 812 Wrigley Drive, Lake Geneva. 26 – Elkhorn Lions Club Annual All You Can Eat Roast Beef and Chicken Dinner, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monte Carlo Room, 720 N. Wisconsin St., Elkhorn. Cost: $12 for adults, $6 for kids age 6 to 10, $9 for seniors 62 and older. 25 – UW-Whitewater Flute Day, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., UW-W Flute Studio. Guest artist: Valerie Coleman. Info: www. uww.edu. 25 – Lakeland Animal Shelter Dog Bowl, 5 to 9 p.m., Delavan Lanes, 509 S. Seventh St., Delavan. Bowling and fundraising for shelter. Info: 262-7289477. 26 to Feb. 2 – Winterfest and U.S. National Snow Sculpting Competition, Riviera Park, downtown Lake Geneva. Snow sculpting competition with music, magic, refreshments, activities, helicopter rides, shopping and dining. Info: 262-248-1020. 26 – Bridal Extravaganza, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Hawk’s View Golf Club, 7377 Krueger Road, Lake Geneva. Door prizes, butler passed appetizers, a fashion show, and more. Info: www. hawksviewgolfclub.com. 26 – Cinderella by the Florentine Opera, 3 to 5 p.m., UW-Whitewater’s Young Auditorium, 930 W. Main St. Tickets: $5 for adults, $3 for kids age 2 to 12 at www.youngauditorium.com. 29 – Russian National Ballet presents Romeo and Juliet & Carmen, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., Young Auditorium, 930 W. Main St., Whitewater. Tickets and info: www.youngauditorium. com. 30 to Feb. 29 – Stolen Sisters Exhibition opening reception 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 30, Crossman Gallery, 950 W. Main St., Whitewater. Info: www.uww.edu. 31 – Lake Geneva Cocoa Crawl, 4 to 6:30 p.m., downtown Lake Geneva. Free family friendly event to compliment Winterfest. Info: www. streetsoflakegeneva.com.
FEBRUARY 1 – Winterfest Chili Cook-Off, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Hawk’s View Golf Club, 7377 Krueger Road, Lake Geneva. Info: www.hawksviewgolfclub.com. 1 – Lake Geneva Symphony Orchestra Gala: Dance, Dance, Evolution, 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., Grand Geneva Resort and Spa, 7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva. Ticket and info: www.lakegenevaorchestra.org. 1 – Winter Carnival, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Grand Geneva Resort and Spa, 7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva. Skiing, snowboarding, kids activities, winter fun and more. Info: www. grandgeneva.com. 1 – Day in the Bay Night Hike, 6 to 8 p.m., Kishwauketoe Nature
A frozen adventure
SUBMITTED PHOTO Wonders of Walworth County
Ice Castles at Geneva National Resort will be open when weather allows. For information on tickets and tour times, visit icecastles.com. Geneva National Resort is at 1221 Geneva National Ave. S, Lake Geneva. For more information about the resort, visit www.gnresort.com.
Conservancy, 251 Elkhorn Road, Williams Bay. 1 – Rock the Barns: Titans of Tribute – Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne and Poison, 6 to 10 p.m., Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. Info: www.walworthcountyfair. com. 2 – 132nd Army Band of the Wisconsin National Guard performance, 2 to 4 p.m., DelavanDarien High School, 150 Cummings St. Info: www.ddschools.org. 7 – Daddy Daughter Dance, 6 to 9 p.m., The Abbey Resort, 269 Fontana Blvd., Fontana. Dinner, photos, refreshments, dessert and dancing. Cost: $30 for Delavan residents, $40 for non-residents. Register at www. delavanparkrec.com. 8 – Freeze Fest and Chili CookOff, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Cravath Lakefront Park, 341 S. Fremont St., Whitewater. Polar Plunge from noon to 3 p.m. Info: www.wwparks.org. 8 and 9 – Scrapbook Retreat, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Delavan Lake Resort, 1505 S. Shore Drive, Delavan. Info: 800430-8164. 9 – Snowblast Downhill Bicycle Race, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Alpine Valley Resort, W2501 Highway D, East Troy. Downhill mountain bike racing. Info: www. alpinevlleyresort.com. 13 – Yao Yao: Family Valentine Event, 6 to 8 p.m., Young Auditorium, 930 W. Main St., Whitewater. Cost: $12.75 for adults, $8.75 for youth (12 and younger. Info: www.youngauditorium.com.
14-16 – Delavan’s Sky Circus on Ice, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Lake Lawn Resort and downtown Delavan. Snow sculptures, ice carvings and classes, kite making, candy drop, kids activities and more. Info: www.lakelawnresort.com/ events/sky-circus-ice. 15 – Fabric Frenzy, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Lutherdale, N7891 Highway 12, Elkhorn. Bargains on fabric, notions and patters for all sewing/quilting needs. Info: www. lutherdale.org. 16 – Lakes Area Bridal Fair, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Evergreen Country Club, N6246 Highway 12/67, Elkhorn. Info: www.evergreengolf.com. 21, 22, 23, 29, 29 and March 1 – “Barefoot in the Park” by the Lakeland Players. Info: www.lakeland-players.org. 21 – Military Appreciation Day, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Grand Geneva Resort and Spa, 7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva. Skiing, snowboarding and special events all day. Free lift ticket and rentals for active military; half-price lift tickets for military family members; $10 lift tickets and $10 rentals for vets. Info: www.grandgeneva.com. 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and March 1 – Barefoot in the Park, Sprague Theater, 15 W. Walworth St., Elkhorn. Tickets, show times and info: www. lakeland-players.org. 22 – Barnyard Bargain Bonanza Indoor Flea Market, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. Info: 262-723-3228. 22 and 23 – LBA Home Improvement Expo, 10 a.m. to 4
p.m., Evergreen County Club, N6246 Highway 12, Elkhorn. Info: www. evergreengolf.com. 22 – Family Fun Day, 2 to 4:30 p.m., Young Auditorium, 930 W. Main St., Whitewater. Free event, tickets required for Kohl’s Wild Theatre performance (2 p.m.). Tickets and info: www. youngauditorium.com. 23 – Whitewater FFA Alumni Farm Toy Show, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Whitewater High School, 534 S. Elizabeth St. Info: 262-472-8100. 25 to 29 – The Addams Family Musical, 7:30 p.m., Greenhill Center of the Arts Barnett Theatre, 950 W. Main St., Whitewater. Tickets and show times: www,.uww.edu.cac. 29 – Pinocchio by Missoula Children’s Theatre, 2 p.m., Young Auditorium, 930 W. Main St., Whitewater. Tickets: $18.50 for adults, $13.50 kids age 2 to 12. Info: www.youngauditorium. com. 29 – Leap Into Spring Gardening, 9 a.m. to noon, UW-Whitewater Continuing Education, 800 W. Main St., Whitewater. Info: www.uww.edu. The calendar of events is compiled from a variety of sources including area chamber’s of commerce and the Walworth County Visitors Bureau, and contains events available as of press time. Events, dates and times may change or events may be canceled. We suggest you visit verify event times, dates and locations prior to making travel plans.
WINTER 2020
WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
WINTER 2020
7TH ANNUAL SKY CIRCUS ON ICE
SKY CIRCUS ON ICE
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Heat Up Your Saturday Night! TropROCK Party, featuring Johnny Russler and the Beach Bum Band! Saturday, February 15, 2020, 8:00pm $15 Admission - Buy Tickets at LakeLawnResort.com 364889