“When you think positive, good things happen.” — Matt Kemp
There are so many good things happening in Shawano lately, I hardly know where to begin. I will start by sharing this story of “friends helping friends.”
One of our city employees, Dohn Dallmann, is fighting cancer and receiving treatment. There are many expenses insurance doesn’t cover. His co-workers at the Shawano Public Works Department decided to pitch in. Last week they held a brat fry benefit.
Public Works Director Eddie Sheppard commented, “The event was a huge success! We have a nice check to help Dohn and his family with expenses.”
He continued, “Being in Shawano for nearly two years, I must say I am so impressed by the way the Shawano community comes together to support their own. Shawano is really special that way, and I’m proud to be part of this caring community. Thank you to the staff and all who came out to support Dohn.”
If you know Dohn, or even if you don’t but you want to help, please bring your donation to City Hall or the Public Works Department.
Thanks to the Shawano Park and Recreation Department activity coordinator, Dana Dillenburg, for adding geocaches to our city parks. Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity that attracts participants of all ages and abilities. Participants use a global positioning system receiver or other devices such as a smart phone. There’s an application that gives directions that will take you to within 20 feet of a hidden cache. From there you will follow clues and start looking for a container that contains a log book for the geocacher to sign, along with small trinkets for the finder.
Dillenburg commented, “We have beautiful parks in our city, and I thought this would be a great way to encourage families to have some added fun while they discover and explore our parks.”
These caches are hidden in three city parks. Sturgeon Park’s cache is named “How Stella Got Her Groove Back.” Judd Park’s cache is entitled “Failure to Launch.” Kuckuk Park’s cache is “Enjoy Your Time On The Loop.”
The program is already successful; the caches hidden on June 1 were reported to be found just hours after being officially launched. There have been several reported finds since then. One person left this on their log” “We are happy Stella got her groove back! We are just passing through Shawano and wanted to find this one because we love this park. Nice hide with great container. We are feeling groovy and ready to hunt a few more caches in the area before heading home.”
Dillenburg commented, “I’m so glad people are having a good time with this. We will hide more caches throughout the summer.”
Ballplayers and fans no doubt noticed an addition to Memorial Park. A new sponsorship program was approved by the Shawano Park and Recreation Commission. This year, 30 banners/signs advertising local businesses have been put up along fence lines on the ball diamonds. One coach commented, “I am really glad the city is allowing the fence banners. It makes us all feel like we are playing on a bigger stage. Kids have a lot of fun with the banners; they say which one they are going to hit a ball over.”
Bob Hannes is the contact person if you are interested in a banner for next year. Hannes commented, “This is a great partnership. All the funds raised with the banner sales are held in a separate account for the Memorial Park Baseball Fields Improvement Fund. These funds are not used for general maintenance, but rather for projects agreed upon by both the Park and Recreation Department and the Shawano Youth League.”
Hannes added, “The cost of the banners is $250 for the first year, $200 for the second year using the previous year’s banner or $400 for a 2-year commitment.”
Park and rec director Matt Hendricks commented, “It is partnerships and shared visions like this that bring out the best in our city’s park system and what we are able to offer.”
The answer to last week’s question — Whose 2001 business ad said “Our family serving your family since 1925? — is Wallrich Agency.
This week’s question is: Can you name the 12 attorneys practicing in Shawano in 1959?
