PEOPLE
Senior Card Group
The Senior Citizens card group met on Oct. 3 for weekly card playing at the Athens Area Fire and Ambulance Hall. Two games of Sheepshead were played. Rick Schaetzl won first place and Tom Ellenbecker came in second in the first game. Dave Perrodin won first and Butch Boris came in second in the second game.
Low score was Sally Stubbe. Newcomers are encouraged to come play Sheepshead every Thursday from 12:30-3:30 p.m. at the Athens fire hall.
VFW Post 8527
The monthly meeting of Athens VFW Post 8527 was held Oct. 2. The Pledge of Allegiance was said by the 16 members in attendance.
The post’s annual donation to the Old Timers Band was discussed and approved by the members, the amount of $1,000.
Discussion was had regarding a donation to The Highground Veterans Memorial Park. The membership unanimously approved a $500 donation.
Rick Schaetzl reported that new parade shirts are on order from Designer Advertising. A new refrigerator was donated for use by the VFW and American Legion. It was donated by Furniture & Appliance and Jeff Hanson.
An update on the beer bar curtain was given, with a mid-October installation possible. Refreshments and lunch were served following the meeting.
Attendance door prizes were given to Bob Franz, Eugene Denk, and Randy Kuck.
The next monthly meeting will be held on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. at the fire hall back room. New members are always welcome.
Medicare presentation
Adults are invited to the Athens Branch Library on Thursday, Oct. 17, from 5:30-6:30 p.m., for a free class on maintaining Medicare coverage. Bettina Rinard, elder benefit specialist with the Aging and Disability Resource Center, will will cover the difference between Medicare Parts C and D, things to consider when choosing your best option, how and when to change plans, and how to avoid common scams.
The event is free, but registration required. For more information and to register, call 715-257-7292.
Farmers Market
The Athens Farmers Market is held every Tuesday, from 4 to 7 p.m., at Memorial Park.
EDGAR
Lions dinner for seniors
The Edgar Lions Club will be sponsoring a complimentary chicken dinner for Edgar senior citizens on Thursday, Oct. 17. All meals will be in carry-out containers and should be picked up between 5 and 6 p.m. at the Edgar Fire Station. To order your meal, call Marie 715-573-5616 or Kathy 715-721-6520 beginning Oct. 5 and before Oct. 13.
Family Story Time
Children of all ages and their parents or caregivers are invited to the Edgar Branch Library on Tuesday, Oct. 15, from 11 to 11:30 a.m. for Family Story Time. During this 30-minute program, library staff will read books, sing songs, and offer other literature-based activities.
MARATHON
Fall leaf lanterns
Adults and teens are invited to create a fall leaf lantern at the Marathon City Branch Library on Wednesday, Oct. 16. Stop in any time between 3 and 6 p.m. to create a gorgeous candle holder that can be used to decorate your own home or give as a gift. All of the supplies and instructions will be provided. Your creativity will make each one unique. The event is free, and no registration required. For more information, call 715-443-2775.
Family Story Time
Children of all ages and their parents or caregivers are invited to the Marathon City Branch Library every Thursday in October, from 10:30 to 11 a.m., for Family Story Time. For 30 to 45 minutes, library staff will read books, sing songs, and offer other literature-based activities.
Farmers Market
The Marathon City Farmers Market will be open from 2 to 6 p.m. on Thursday at 400 Main St. More than 45 vendors will be selling produce, bakery items, flowers, arts and craft. Food trucks and drinks will also be available. For more information, call 715-5061355. The last market day of the season is Thursday, Oct. 10.
STRATFORD
St. Andrew’s Feast
St. Andrew’s 32nd Annual Parish Pancake Feast, Bake Sale and Raffles will be held on Sunday, Oct. 13, from 9 a.m. to noon, at Neises Hall in Rozellville, 122726 CTH C. The all-you-can breakfast includes potato and buttermilk pancakes, sausages, applesauce, cheese, desserts, milk, juice and coffee. Preschool children eat for free, but there is a charge for older kids and adults. Matching funds are provided by the Catholic Order of Foresters.
Family Story Time
Children of all ages and their parents or caregivers are invited to the Stratford Branch Library every Wednesday in October, from 10:30 to 11 a.m., for Family Story Time. During this 30-minute program, library staff will read books, sing songs, and offer other literature- based activities.
High school play
Stratford High School will be performing Roald Dahl's “Matilda The Musical, Jr.” on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2 p.m. Tickets are sold at the door.
MARATHON COUNTY
Gardening class
Adults are invited to a free gardening class on forcing bulbs at the Marathon County Public Library’s Wausau Headquarters, 300 N. First St., Wausau, on Wednesday, Oct. 16, from 1-2 p.m. and again from 5-6 p.m. Janell Wehr, horticulture educator with Extension Marathon County, will lead this class on bulb selection, planting, cold treatment, and growing. Participants will take home a planted bulb to try this winter.
The event is free but registration is required. For more information about registering, call 715-2611241.
MAREA
The regular Marshfield Retired Educators’ Association meeting was held on Sept. 16 at The Country Aire with 16 members present. Doreen Schultz, president of MAREA, led the members in the Pledge of Allegiance. The minutes were approved and the treasurer’s report was placed on file for audit.
Committee reports began with the Community Action Committee Ruby Pinter distributed the schedule for food pantry donations for next year. Members are encouraged to bring at least one item for donations.
The Health Concerns Commit-
See PEOPLE/ page 5 People
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tee chairperson, Kathleen Hasenohrl, reported on macular degeneration. Her handout explained the two types of AMD (Age Related Macular Degeneration), wet and dry. She advised all of the members to wear sunglasses whenever they are outside and to have yearly eye examinations.
Curt Hanson reported about recent happenings in the legislature. A couple of school related items are the changes to Act 20, which covers teaching reading phonetically.
State test scores for young readers are currently very low. Title 9 changes for transgender athletes need to be made by schools to provide for these students.
Ruby Thomas collected membership dues. She and Ruby Pinter are working on sending a letter to retired teachers from the area. Schultz reminded members that if they know someone who is retired the personal contact is a good way to introduce the advantages of belonging to WREA and MAREA.
Carol Subera reported that currently the pension numbers are holding, but the election will certainly bring changes.
PR and Correspondence person, Carol Ballerstein reported that everyone loves to get a personal note and, if you know of someone who needs a little pick-me-up, let her know.
Scholarship chair, Ruby Pinter, received a thank you note from Lilly Venerkmoes from Marshfield Senior High School.
Dorothy Dietsche was acknowledged for her years of service as chair of the WREA Foundation Committee. Grace Dietel-Ensign will take over those responsibilities. The pennies for paying off the mortgage pot was passed around as well as the Foundation Collection box.
Cindee Loos reported on volunteer hours. This year the total number of volunteer hours was 2,431. This information was submitted to the State WREA.
Old/New Business: Four members are attending the WREA State Convention, Sept. 23-25.
President Schultz reminded members of the upcoming joint meeting with Tri-County Teachers Association. RSVP is required.
Election of officers for president and vice resident was held.
The Oct. 21 meeting will have as speaker John Richmond who will be talking about PFA’s.
The regular meeting concluded with the birthday song for those members whose birthdays were in September.
Kristine Johanek was introduced as the speaker. One of her bucket list items was to teach abroad. This was accomplished when she went to teach in Cairo, Egypt from 1983 to 1986. She went with 12 people through the National Presbyterian Church. She taught at the Ramses College for Girls. There she taught grade 6 Primary.
Schools in Cairo, Egypt are similar in structure to European ones. There are two levels of kindergarten then six primary grades and grades seven and eight secondary and then high school with two tracks of educational offering–one literature and one science. The tracks that students take are determined by test scores administered by the government and are gender neutral. Students must learn English or French because that is what the textbooks are written in. Students wear uniforms for school. Back then, teachers dressed professionally, which meant modesty on both the top and bottom attire.
Family is very important as well as music. Religious offerings are Coptic Orthodox, Evangelical and Islam. Kristine was able to visit the pyramids and temples in the area.
Egypt has a lot of history to explore and antiquities are found all over. A trip down the Nile River in a Felucca boat was a must.
Her other teaching adventure led her to Ethiopia in 2018. She was there for only a semester but was amazed by the political influence on the people living there. Even the smallest of countries are being eyed by all sorts of governments. Schools again were European in makeup. She again taught grade 6 Primary. She was happy to go once again to a foreign country to teach. After some questions, Johanke had several pictures and fabric items that she shared with the members.
For more information about MAREA or about attending a meeting, email Doreen Schultz at dcshultzathens@gmail.com.
