Lois and Bill Nischke are volunteers. Lois helps with the Cecil Community Closet; Bill helps with the heavy lifting there and helps build houses with Habitat for Humanity.
Bill grew up in Bonduel and graduated from Bonduel High School. He was drafted into the Marine Corps and served in Vietnam. When he returned home, he worked for the Soo Line Railroad for over two years and then worked at Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton for 41 years, retiring in 2014 as maintenance manager.
Lois grew up in Leeman and graduated from Bonduel High School. She worked in the Shawano area all her life, retiring in 2007. Bill and Lois have been married 47 years.
“It all began when I asked her to be on the homecoming court when we were freshmen,” Bill said.
Bill likes to golf, and they both like to read. They live in the town of Waukechon, where Bill has been chairman of the zoning board for 10 years.
Lois said they rarely eat out because, “We’re both very good cooks.”
Q How long have you helped with Habitat?
A Bill: “I started last September. I retired June 2014. A good friend, Steve Fellman, always told me how much fun it was. I started in the store and then helped with building. I helped get the Zion parsonage ready to move. I mostly work at the Big Sky lot off Legend Lake.”
Q How do you know how to build?
A Bill: “I got the basics of it. Mark Flunker is a very good teacher. Between him and Ted Foster, they give us direction. The fun part about it has been the learning. We will accept help from any level of experience, whether you can carry wood or whatever we need, so people who have the skill can stay working. We need more volunteers.”
Q Why do you volunteer?
A Bill: “When I returned home safely from Vietnam and was blessed with good health, wonderful family and friends, and a very good job, I knew I wanted to pay it forward when I retired. Habitat for Humanity is the perfect fit for me. Everyone should volunteer somewhere because you get so much back.”
Q What do you do for the Cecil Community Closet?
A Lois: “I’ve been volunteering at the closet for about five years. We have a faithful core group of volunteers: Mona Aschenbrener, Nancy Carpenter, Karen Ebel, Ruby Grutza, MaryLou Olson and Char Scheel. We get an amazing amount of donations sorted, sized, folded and ready for distribution each month. We enjoy each other’ s fellowship and have fun working together. It’s like playing store when you were a kid. I’ve begged Pastor Moira Finley for years to locate a manikin for us so we can have a featured outfit of the month. She’s pretty good at procuring things, but so far no luck.”
Q Why do you volunteer?
A Lois: “When I stopped working, I enjoyed reading, gardening, cooking and puttering, but I realized I really missed the people. At the closet I’ve met so many wonderful families, and you really get to know and care about them. My specialty has always been my rapport with kids, so I really enjoy visiting with these amazing little people while their moms and grandmas shop.”
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