July 6, 2008

Working in the community has proven not only to be challenging but rewarding too! I directed traffic at the intersection of West  Main and South Harding during the Fourth of July parade. I got to watch the parade as it turned East onto Main street. As the parade went on I thought of all the folks that work hard annually to make our local 4th of July celebration happen. I am going to attempt to list them here. If I fail to give credit where it is due please let me know. Gillett Civic Club and it's members, Barb, Allan, Chris Engebretsen and Julie Yonkers. The Finnigan Lake Walleye Club, The Americal Legion, The Gillett High School Band, Special thanks to Bill Cole. Every club and organization which works hard every year to get a float or presentation into the parade. Special thanks to Cakes Anderson, John Hicks and Bob Schumacher for helping Chris Engebretsen with the FIreworks. Also Rick Beyer for helping clean up the fireworks mess on Sunday. Additioanl thanks to the Gillett Street Department TIm Christensen and Shane Rank for running around barricading streets for the parade. I hope I have not missed anyone. It take a communiyt effort to make this happen. I am going to say a very special thank you to Barb Engebretsen for all her years of service. I am told she is contemplating retiring from her responsibilites. She will be very hard to replace.       

June 28, 2008

I had to work for the Police Department today. I had a call wherer a large limb fell accross what was reported to be power lines on N McKenzie Ave (state Hwy 22) Luckily they lines were phone and cable not power, although the road was still blocked. Appreciataion is what I need to express. Tim Christensen lives directly accross the street from the downed tree. Tim is Gillett's new street department supervisor. Tim stepped up and got the city loader tractor and using it in conjunction with the fire departments equipment got the limb moved and the traffic flowwing again. Tim has been trying hard to do a job that was old hat for his predecesessor. I comend him for all his efforts.Another person whom I must say thank you to is Jennifer Keisling. Jennifer watched me direct traffic and thought I could use a drink. She went out of her way to bring me a couple of cans of soda. It was greatly appreciated Jen.  

ahh, the joys of small town life.. people really do care!

June 25, 2008

Again I am thankful for members of hte ATV club who step up to try to make a differenc. President Jeff THomson, Perry Gilbertson and David Stage and outgoing Trail Boss Jordan Rank met with Treasurer Rick Beyer tonight to try to hash out our trail funding issues. These guys are going above and beyond normal volunteers to make things happen in Gillett.  

June 22, 2008

Vision

Today I rode the ATV to the store in Gillett from our home in Breed, As I traveled down the Nicolet Trail I thought of all the work, volunteer hours and people who make daily sacrifices to make our trails happen. Our trails are managed by the Local atv clubs. They are granted the priviledge to manage the trials by Oconto County. Many people work hard in all the clubs to keep the trails well groomed, clean and pristine for all of us to enjoy. I am a member of a club. I feel it is important to support the clubs efforts. I have a list of people who I feel should be congratulated for their efforts. One of the people on the top of the list is Dan Hoppe. Dan and the other members of the Dusty Trails ATV Club had the forsight to see that Oconto County had a resource it was not using. The county forest would be a perfect place to build and maintain ATV trails. Dan and his group organized, got the permissions and grants to make it happen and they succeeded in building one of the best trail systems in the State of Wisconsin. Another person on the top of the list is Bob Skiletsky, the Oconto County Forester. Bob helps maintain the grants and directs the clubs in their efforts to keep the trail system usable. He is tireless and always has a warm smile even in difficult times. The other person who is on the list is Gary Hansen of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Gary Manages the state funding of the trails in Northeast Wisconsin. Gary has visited our city and club meetings and is always there with the answers we need. We may not always like the answers but that is his job. Thank you to these three men who work to make our free time more enjoyable.

June 21, 2008

Great Ride

I got the chance to ride the trails with Don and Arleta from Fond Du Lac. This husband and wife are amazing. They travel all over the state and ATV. They run a 2006 Suzuki Quad King and as of today they had 12733 miles on that machine. They gear up with helmets and headphones, GPS and Compass and ride. They called me on Sunday and invited me to go with them. I rode 78 Miles with them. They rode more as they  dropped in Gillett and I met them at the Trail Head on Robinhorst Road. We explored some of Dusty Trails Trails that I had never been on. I told Don, as a kid I played in the county forest in Breed where my Parents vacationed and finally relocated to in 1976. I still am amazed at the expanse of the forested areas both county and federal in Oconto County.  Thanks for a great day Don and Arleta!

June 20,2008

Knee-Buckl'in Burger

I worked Sunday at the Bar, I did the cooking as I usually do on Sunday. It was a slow day and we had a few new customers in. Mostly passing through town. We had a husband and wife on motorcycles stop. They were on their way home to Milwaukee. They had been dodging thunderstorms all morning as they stayed in the U.P. overnight for their anniversary. I never got their names but they ordered a 1/4 lb cheeseburger and a Grilled Chicken Sandwich. When I checked on them the husband stated," I bit in to this burger and my knees buckled!" I don't know what you did but it is the best hamburger I have ever, ever tasted." I didn't do anything different than I do with any burger when I cook it. I just thought that Knee Buckl'in was quite a compliment. Especially when three years ago I couldn't boil water.