Sue Hansen has been helping families for 20 years at the Wisconsin Women, Infant, and Children’s program in Shawano County. WIC is a federally funded program through the United States Department of Agriculture that helps low-income families with food and nutrition education. “People don’t realize the amount of people who use the WIC program,” said Hansen, who is the clinic outreach specialist.

Blaine Koch volunteers with the Wittenberg Lions Club. He was born and raised in Iowa, graduating from Davenport West High School. Koch earned a degree in meteorology from Northern Illinois University. Beginning in 1976, after various jobs, he worked as a counselor at Homme Home for Boys in Wittenberg for four years. Then Koch was a stay-at-home dad to his two children for four years.

Recently, we attended a relative’s wedding reception. It was so heartwarming to relax and visit, catching up with people we hadn’t seen in quite some time. Earlier that same day, our daughter had a basketball game in a nearby town. A few days before the busy weekend, my husband suggested we get a milker for the evening. The words were barely out of his mouth, and I got busy calling our milker guy. He had plans and could not accommodate us.

To the editor: I have sent in my fair share of thank you letters to the editor. I have been thankful for others’ kindness, goodness and helpfulness. This is not a thank you but a “How dare you!” I had hoped that I would not have to send this letter again in 2013, but once again people are stealing Christmas trees from us and perhaps other growers and sellers. My family grows and wholesales Christmas trees for a living.

To the editor: If you hunted in or around the Township of Seneca this last year, you certainly were aware of the gross overestimation of our deer herd by the experts in the Shawano office of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. I have also heard other townships had the same result. Hope you enjoy tag soup because all the does you killed this year will assure we have far less next year to hunt.

To the editor: Gov. Scott Walker is all about image. Why else would he have someone take his picture in his blaze orange with gun in hand the first morning of deer season and have it posted on Twitter? His book, “Unintimidated,” is about building his image as a tough guy. Unfortunately, many people are “intimidated” because of his policies. His first push for power was to coerce Republican legislators to vote for Act 10.

“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” — Mother Teresa The Christmas season is upon us. Thank you to our city crews for putting up the Christmas decorations. The lit trees along Main Street add to the beauty of the season, as do the lights at the Spirit of Shawano Park.

A different player steps up every game for the Shawano Community High School boys basketball team. Sajen Knueppel took his turn Friday in a 50-38 win over Bay Conference foe New London. Knueppel, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, came off the bench to score six points in the second quarter and spark the Hawks after a quiet first quarter. With about seven minutes left in the half, Knueppel drove the lane to the basket and tied the game at 9-9.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department Dec.