Wake Up! Waukesha

A good old-fashioned family picnic in the Town of Brookfield, and you are invited! The Town will celebrate Independence Day on Tuesday, July 4th starting with the 9:00 parade commencing from the Elmbrook Church parking lot. Get your ID number from either Mike Nitka or Art Gaffney and join the floats, fire trucks, colorful wagons, local dignitaries, and costumed kids who are setting the pace to Marx Park on Barker Road for the finest Town Celebration anywhere around.

Get to the park and purchase the incredibly inexpensive food and beverage tickets from David Addington immediately. The town will dedicate it’s shiny new flagpole donated by Wauwatosa Savings followed by the National Anthem sung by Kelly Walt. And then - it’s “hats off" to the most memorable family entertainment in the land!

Brookfield Town Judge JoAnn Eiring presides over the games which she says are structured for ages 0(?) - 62. Sack races, baby crawls, egg and water balloon tosses, and more are anything but “structured”. Mike Payton and Todd Jones will be orchestrating the “Buckets ‘O Fun” giveaway again where bean bags are hurled for a wide array of prizes.

Jump over to the pavilion and sample/eat/ravage some good-eatin’ pie. Colleen Walt, Carol Knott, Ginny Creegan and their friends will be servin-up all kinds of tasty pies to everyone’s delight.

And food? …You want food?…Our well-trained cooking crew has been practicing year-round to ensure the burger centers are grilled exactly to USDA regulations. And our cooks, Paul, Jim, Tim, John, Guy (and whoever else they get to help), have personally assured me that “most if not at least part of the cooking juice will be used for the juicy brats”.

Music by the Bourbon Street Stompers for the 12th consecutive year (they are looking older…), Caitlin Walt will cordinate the awards trophies for all the contests, Fred Berry and Hockey Haven with slap shot opportunities, the world-famous “Hose-down” from our Fire Department, the well-honed, incomparable team of Sam and Jordan serving the food piping hot, and free ice cream and juice boxes for all of the kids make this the “don’t miss/can’t miss” July 4th Event!

And to those male and females who have been “foraging swine-like” in practice for the much-coveted “Golden Pig” Pie-Eating Award, I offer the following advice: Last year’s female award winner actually consumed/inhaled part of the aluminum pie plate underneath after the pie was gone! Yes, competition is tough and heated, but we can rest easy in the Town of Brookfield knowing these steel-gutted competitors live in our midst.

That’s it! The absolutest, bestest, most fantasmagorical, July 4th Celebration ever! Packed with the finest people (mostly from the Town of Brookfield), and it’s right under your nose just east of Waukesha. And I'll see you there - Look for me with the microphone! Grandparents to grandchildren proclaim this to be their favorite family fun-time of the year.



Additional information is available from the Town @ 262-796-3781

On Thursday, June 22nd, the Waukesha County Community Foundation (WCCF) hosted its Sixth Anniversary “Celebration of Giving”. And while my blog area is supposed to be limited to the Waukesha proper area, this broader gathering of Waukesha County residents demands recognition.

The WCCF was formed to provide avenues for financial support with a specific focus on the Waukesha area. A wide variety of funds exist which match donor wishes with specific areas of needs. Assuredly, the WCCF is a tremendous asset to this area. Over $600,000 in grants were awarded to nonprofit, Waukesha area organizations in the last year.

What struck me as the attendees “mingled” before and after the program was how truly generous this group is. These are not people networking or trolling for business contacts; these are not people whose egos need public stroking; and these are not people who are only there due to peer group pressure. By and large, they are people who appreciate their good fortune without losing sight of the needs of many others. This group willingly comes forward with their time and money to make this a better Community.

Now before you adopt the “Well, they should, they’re rich!” position, take a second to realize that there were many, many people of means and great potential from this Waukesha area who were not there. It’s entirely possible many have their favorite charities and support them well. It’s also possible many were home that evening without a consideration towards philanthropic areas.

This blog is intended as a show of respect for people like Robert D. and Patricia Kern from Generac. The Kerns provide financial support for dozens of programs which impact literally thousands of students and individuals every year. This is about the spirit of Tony and Andrea Bryant. The Bryants support countless Community organizations with time and money because they truly care. Please acknowledge Bryce and Anne Styza; Peter and Kay Lettenberger; Don and Judi Stephens; Don and Bev Chappie, and the many, many others who have the compassion and desire to “give back”. My hat is off to all of you! The WCCF is making a difference for all of us.

And to top off the evening, Mr. Robert Kern left us with the following which has been replayed several times;

“When a person succeeds at accomplishing what they set out to do in their life – they should realize their goals were not set high enough”.

Thank you Mr. Kern.

“Personalize it…Make it your own…write about anything…There’s an audience for (almost) everything…Remember – it goes out live!”

These were the core instructions from our recent Journal/Sentinel orientation class for Community Bloggers. Many questions from these budding bloggers were raised and then concise answers received from “Master-Blog Mark”: How long should it be? (Whatever you think). What should we write about? (Whatever interests you). Can it be controversial? (Sure, but expect feedback and threats). Will our blogs be edited? (No, check your own speling, commas,,, and grammar). Can we write about our families? (Sure, but remember these blogs can be read world-wide. They also have the shelf-life of a Twinkie-20 years. So, write nice things).
Given the preceding, crisp directive, let’s segue on to my family.

Colleen carries the torch as my wife of 23 years, and she works as an old-fashioned, caring R.N. at a local hospital. Her responsibilities to our ever-aging brood of (3) kids keeps her challenged as she slowly transitions from Discipline Mom (the early years) to Friendly Mom (kid’s college years). Colleen is an incredibly driven volunteer who desires anonymity when thanks and accolades are rolled out. Landscaping, reading, decorating, party planning, and driving (read: shopping) Bluemound Road keeps her grounded.

Our youngest has carried the moniker of “Shrimp” most of her life. While not an endearing nickname to her, “Shrimp” is the absolute opposite of her occasionally out-sized personality. A senior who really works for good grades at Waukesha North, “Shrimp” is deeply involved in Interact (Rotary volunteerism for high schoolers), school boards, marching band (flute), and has many great friends. She loves water-sports, has an enduring crush on a (much older)resort entertainer met in Mexico over Easter break, and believes she is closer to 25 then her real age of 17. Her summer job as a secretary receptionist is described as “working for a tyrant (me) in a sweatshop”.

Our son, “Vinnie” (not his real name) is 19, and a sophomore finance-accounting student at UW- LaCrosse. Failing to have thus far reached his goal of wealth without work, he “toils” at a local golf course taking reservations in air-conditioned comfort. Percs include golf and nachos. His golf game (averages in low to mid 70’s) competes for time with poker, watersports, vacations, and anything else that keeps him from being home. “Vinnie” has an absolute sweetheart of a girlfriend who is starting to detest golf, poker, watersports…

The oldest, “Princess”, will be completing her senior year at UW-LaCrosse with a degree in Marketing and Public Relations. Always trying to squeeze 26 hours out of every day, she has summer internships in Waukesha at the Boy Scouts of America and, starting next week, the United Way. Her expenses are covered by selling power tools at Sears (think “Tool Time”). Whenever possible, “Princess” indulges her love affair with water-skiing. And she devotes herself, in the remaining 26 minutes of her weekly free-time, to her very patient boyfriend from Monroe; “Hoser”.

That’s it! A wife, 3 kids, a dog (“Cujo”), and a house in the suburbs. While that appears fairly typical demographically, my life continues to be unique and special. The kids are home for summer, and the house becomes more of a home. Every day has more meaning. If nothing else, Colleen and I are exposed to very new, and very different, music samplings and styles. As parents, we are starting to see the fruits of our labors blossom. And in reflection, much is owed to our Waukesha area for providing the cultural, educational, and social opportunities for my family's development.

(I encourage comments and your Waukesha items, places, people, and events of interest)

Walking down Main Street, my attention was drawn recently to the display windows of the PIX building. The PIX is home to the Waukesha Civic Theatre, and it is a landmark representative of the exciting rebirth of Waukesha. My mind went back to some of the great productions we’ve attended there over the past few years. More importantly, I was reminded of the fun we had the whole evening doing dinner at one of the many nearby family-run restaurants followed by a play. Inevitably, we would leave the play stating “Why don’t we think to do this more often?”

This ‘05-‘06 season is now winding down with “Lost in Yonkers”, a Neil Simon play ending June 25th. As to the question of why write about the Theatre now? I advise to get it on your “radar” as next season will be somewhat of a “Greatest Hits” of fan-favorite plays from years past. Face it; we’re all looking for a break from the “Let’s see a movie and get something to eat” malaise which takes over when the weather changes.

The Civic Theatre offers this “break” with quality plays staged with primarily local talent. All 261 seats are comfortable with good views, and the atmosphere is professional yet intimate. Managing Director John Cramer has done a phenomenal job of blending an architectural jewel in the PIX with professionally-staged productions. The entry and lobby really bring you back to the nostalgia of the old movie theatre grandeur. Prices are very reasonable, and free parking couldn’t have been more convenient.

Call the theatre for info @ 262-547-4911. Again - great building, convenient, a good value, and an entertaining evening! And lastly, it feels good to spread the word, support, and have something “uniquely Waukesha” in our midst.

JUST IN !! (Added 6/23/06)

Alleycat Enterprises presents I Do! I Do!, running July 7th through the 23rd, 2006. The show is being produced as part of the Waukesha Civic Theatre’s Community Partners Productions series.

Starring real life married couple John and Kelli Cramer, together on stage for the first time in over a decade, this award winning musical by Schmidt and Jones (the creators of The Fantasticks) is an intimate story of love and marriage. The show begins with Michael and Agnes on their wedding day and traces their life together over a period of 50 years.

Performance Dates and Times:
Friday, July 7th: 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 8th: 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 9th: 2:00 p.m.
Friday, July 14th: 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 15th: 4:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 16th: 7:00 p.m.
Friday, July 21st: 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 22nd: 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 23rd: 2:00 p.m.

Tickets for I Do! I Do! are $22.00 or $20.00 for students and seniors. Individual tickets are on sale now and can be ordered by mail, phone, online, or in person. Mail orders should be sent to P.O. Box 221, Waukesha, WI 53187, by check or using MasterCard or Visa

Waukesha is an area of economic and social diversity. While the seventh largest city in Wisconsin, it often has the look and feel of a much smaller town. Home to large corporate entities, it also harbors hundreds of individually-owned businesses where people know and greet you by name. Progressive yet conservative; tight-fisted with money while generous to charities; historically Republican with a newly elected Democratic Mayor; Waukesha is a study in contrasts that neatly blends together.

My experiences as a parent, businessman, neighbor, volunteer, and consumer will be reflected in the Wake Up! Waukesha Blog. Let the purely political blogs serve their purpose for endless debate and rhetoric elsewhere. There are many other stories, personalities, events, activities, sights and doings in Waukesha which merit a public forum with commentary.

This blog will be your wake-up (get it?... Wake Up! Waukesha?) and awareness call to these “goings-on”.

Jay