The Suring Area Historical Society held its Sept. 20 meeting at the Suring Area Library meeting room. The meeting was called to order by interim president Shannon Stoner.
The Russel Brock Family presented the SAHS a check of $5,000 at the Suring Labor Day celebration in memory of his wife, Barb. The Brocks appreciate the work the society has been doing to keep history alive and would like to help us with the renovation of our museum, and $200,000 is needed. Russel stated that he is hoping his donation will start a wave of additional philanthropy in not only Suring but nearby Gillett as well.
Donations from the reunion/homecoming letter brought in $3,445, while memberships brought in $460, dinner $2,850, $1394 from the 50/50 raffle, $275 from two brat frys, and $1,797 with other donations. The July ice cream and pie social with the library brought in $645. The balance in the account is $84,265.22.
Tours at the museum went very well, too. Over 70 people came through the museum in September.
We are working on the roof repair and have contacted Makowich Repair, who will be coming to talk to the SAHS at its next board meeting on Oct. 18th. We are also looking at foundation repair-dealing with SureDry.
Also thinking of renaming the All Class Reunion to Suring Labor Day Homecoming Block Party so everyone feels like they are a part of the weekend celebration.
We were pleased to have Dora Slang as our speaker for the evening. Dora gave a very nice history of her family as her ancestors migrated from Denmark in 1851. Dora was one of 13 children, she being the last one living. She still enjoys rosemaling, which she got interested in in 1976. She won the grand championship for her rosemaling at the Gillett Fair this year.
The family still has reunions every year — hosted by different family members — with 120 in attendance. They purchased a farm on Claywood Road and later bought a 160-acre farm in Kelly Brook in the Town of Spruce. Here she attended school for eight years at Oak School and then graduated from Oconto Falls High School. The girls all went to school but her brothers did not graduate from high school. They all worked very hard on the farm but they did have play time down by Mud Lake.
Dora is grateful for the great life she has lived with a close knit family. Dora was especially grateful for her Christian upbringing and attended the Danish Lutheran Church every Sunday. Dora and Orvil Slang were married in 1944, and they had three daughters and were blessed with five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
The SAHS appreciated all the good information Dora gave us and we could relate to how families lived and survived. When you were at the table for a meal together, you did not talk — you ate.
Lunch was served and discussion continued and was enjoyed.
— Helen Heimerl
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