A team approach to a new facility

A consolidation of faith and family is being proposed as four nonprofit organizations in West Bend combine forces to open in one location.

Kettlebrook Church, the Washington County Senior Center and one other nonprofit have been in discussions the last 16 months with the Threshold to lease 24,500 square feet in the Lawrence and Vivian Stockhausen Center and provide a new space for the parties involved.

Paul Fischer, elder board chairman at Kettlebrook Church, said they first approached the Threshold in February 2014.

“They had a large volume of space available in the old Pick ‘n Save North facility that we thought might work for us,” he said. “Our primary interest was to determine how we might leverage this space to serve our community, while providing a home for our West Bend site as well.”

Troy Loether, site pastor for Kettlebrook’s West Bend location, said the mission of the church is not about running buildings, but rather about building followers of Jesus Christ.

“We are blessed by our current relationship with the West Bend School District in using Badger Middle School for our West Bend site,” Loether said. “At the same time, if we can serve a larger population through another model we need to consider that.”

The process for Kettlebrook has been intentionally slow. Loether said it’s so they can “check against pushing ahead for our own selfish motivations.”

Over time Kettlebrook’s discussions evolved, potential partners came into the picture and the business transaction, according to Fischer, moved to a true community-service effort that would benefit multiple constituencies.

“We reached out to the Senior Center and things started to come together,” said Fischer. “We both needed large, flexible open space for our respective activities. Both organizations operate on different time-use cycles so this big building would not sit idle and with that the co-location concept was born.”

One of the huge factors in the plan is the Threshold, which came into its new space in 2013 following a generous donation from the Stockhausen family.

“Their gift allowed the Threshold to purchase the facility and we’d love to see the vacant space occupied,” said Laura Eggert, Director of Development and Public Relations, at the Threshold.

“The Stockhausen family would be thrilled, the community would benefit in so many ways and it would be a great collaboration and sensible fit between all of the nonprofits involved.”

Deb Anderson, Executive Director with Senior Citizens Activities at the Senior Center in West Bend, also embraced the opportunity. “Having a larger space will be a big plus,” she said.  “We plan to provide privacy for our health-related programs and we will expand our activity and exercise programs with the intention of increasing appeal to our younger seniors – while continuing to meet the expectations of our ‘senior’ seniors.”

Attendance at the Senior Center has been steady over the years, averaging 750 participants each month.  However, in response to offering more diverse activities, monthly attendance has grown from 1,100 at the end of 2014 to over 1,400 in June 2015.  “The baby boomers are retiring and we need to be prepared for them,” Anderson said.

The status of the three nonprofits moving into the Threshold’s empty space is currently in flux. “We’re in the midst of our capital pledge campaign,” said Fischer.

“Our existing capital fund has nearly $400,000 to support this project, and we’re looking to raise another $650,000 from the Kettlebrook community to fund the balance of the build-out effort,” said Fischer.

Of that goal Kettlebrook Church currently has about $500,000 in pledges, with the pledge window closing Sunday, August 16.

“We’re optimistic the goal will be met by our congregation,” said Fischer. “At the same time if the funding goal isn’t met, then this wasn’t in God’s plan and this vision doesn’t move forward.  All parties understand and respect that, which we appreciate.”

At this point, according to Fischer, all parties are working under a gentleman’s agreement.

“No contracts have been signed between any of the agencies. We’re moving on faith and mutual respect for one another,” said Fischer. “We believe this is the prudent approach, in that we’re waiting until the financial support is pledged before formal commitments are requested of any party.”

Kettlebrook’s annual congregational meeting is Sunday, August 30, during which an official vote to proceed will be taken, with formal contract talks beginning once approval is granted.

Should all this move forward, Fischer said they would lease the space from the Threshold and begin renovation in October with occupancy targeted for April 2016.

Winners from Sculpture Feast

A ‘visual smorgasbord’ is how Sculpture Feast described itself. The event, held Saturday at Regner Park in West Bend, featured sculpture tours, lighting of the metal furnace, an outdoor cast iron pour and a food competition featuring three of the area’s top restaurants: Padway’s, The Norbert and Dublin’s.

Each restaurant served a gourmet picnic sampling with wine and beer paired with each restaurants culinary creation. The Norbert which featured a sampling of Argentine beef short rib, truffled red potato and chimichurri with a side of sous vide asparagus, charred bell pepper, roasted red potato and red pepper coulis.

Dublin’s served Korean BBQ pork belly sliders with kohlrabi-charred pineapple slaw and sambai aioli with a side of toasted almond and sesame cucumber salad. The main dish for Padway’s was a chicken pita and a ceviche dish.

The ballot winner among guests was The Norbert. The judges’ choice for the main course ended in a tie between The Norbert and Dublin’s. A tie breaker weighed in favor of The Norbert.  The judges’ choice for best side went to Padway’s.

Among the guests Assembly Rep. Bob Gannon and his wife Kris, Nancy and Jerry Mehring, Charlie and Gaytha Hillman, Keith and Barb Keehn, former alderman Jim German, Shawn Graff, and John and Kine Torinus.

“A lot of West Bend people had a lot of fun, it was just a smashing hit,” John Torinus said. “I hope people in West Bend realize there are a lot of dimensions to life including the artistic dimension and we’re proving that out tonight.”

Family Ties Child Care Center opens in new location

After spending 17 years on N. Main Street in the same strip mall as Brazing Pan, Family Ties Child Care Center has opened in a new location. The child care is now leasing space on E. Washington Street in the long brown building on the east end of the parking lot by Copper Penny. The location was previously home to the West Bend School District’s Phoenix Academy.

Family Ties administrator Sarah Kreuser said the building is similar size to their previous location but more economical. “I like the openness and the big rooms,” said Kreuser. “We’ll be painting a mural and it’ll be nice for the kids.”

Dr. Michael Bardenwerper is opening an optometry business in their previous location, 1116 N. Main Street.

Tribute to Lt. Robert Lloyd

The West Bend Common Council honored Lt. Robert Lloyd this evening for his 25 years of dedicated service with the West Bend Police Department.

Lloyd started with the department in July 1990. “Jim Skidmore was the Chief of Police when I started, Mike Miller was mayor and the department was located at 325 N. Eighth Avenue,” Lloyd said. “It was a very small department, we had only one desk to work at, we had one computer, black-and-white squads and our uniforms were light blue, like postmen.”

While things have changed over the years, Lloyd says so has the crime. “It used to be the weekends were busy and now we’re busy every day of the week is busy,” he said. “It’s just a lot more serious crime; the volume has changed and maybe that’s related to the growth of the city.”

Lloyd was promoted to detective in 2006 and then onto lieutenant. Lloyd has served as a Special Response Team member for 11 years and is currently an instructor in Defense-and-Arrest Tactics, Firearms, Taser, and Law Enforcement Training and Standards.

West Bend Police Chief Ken Meuler said Lloyd has built his life around being a great police officer. “He’s involved in the community and puts the profession in a good light,” he said. “He’s very dedicated to the job and West Bend.”

Lloyd was also recognized for his community service work with area non-profit organizations including the Boys & Girls Club, Shop with a Cop, American Cancer Society, Big Brothers-Big Sisters and Special Olympics. On Monday, Mayor Kraig Sadownikow read a resolution honoring Lt. Robert Lloyd.

Successful Jingle Bell Open

Sue Garman and the volunteers with the Jingle Bell Open really know how to put on a top-notch outing. This year’s event at West Bend Lakes Golf Course was a huge success. There were 28 sponsors and 34 foursomes that hit the links Monday.

The team of Badger Liquor (Alex Sennott, Zach Ransom, Michael Marx, and Joe Filip) finished with the best score as they shot a 28 on the front nine and a 30 on the back night for a total of 58.  The award for the ‘Most Fun Team’ went to Holt Electric.

The outing is the primary fundraiser for West Bend’s annual Christmas Parade. The 2015 Christmas Parade is set for 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29. The theme is “Christmas Dreams.”

New program for feral cats in WB

West Bend Police Chief Ken Meuler briefed the common council Monday on a number of amendments and issues. The first dealt with a Trap/Neuter/Release Program run by the Washington County Humane Society.

Historically feral cats have been trapped and euthanized because they are wild and adoptable. The WCHS said that really doesn’t solve the problem of feral cat colonies.

TNR means the cats are spayed and neutered, given a rabies vaccine, have their left ear ‘tipped’ and then returned to the area. The WCHS contends the TNR means feral cat numbers are maintained and slowly decrease over time. The council approved the program.

Football lights installed this week at KML

Stadium lights for Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School were installed this week. Football coach Mark Heckendorf said the team and the fans are looking forward to having the atmosphere of Friday night football. “It will be wonderful to have our student body and community come on out to cheer on the Chargers,” he said. “Playing on Friday night will help to make our fan base even stronger!”

The school needed about $150,000 to complete the project. All money for the lights came from private donations and nothing was out of the KML budget.  The Chargers open their season August 21 at 7 p.m. against West Bend West.

Town of Farmington family moving forward after animals killed in storm:

Four horses were killed on a small farm on Newark Drive in the Town of Farming on Sunday as a strong line of storms swept through the area.

Steve Meyer said his horses are outdoor horses. “They have a run-in stall that’s big enough for all five of them and they have free access,” he said.

Prior to the storm Meyer threw some hay down for the animals. “Usually they come in but the storm came up fast and they do what they normally do – they stand out there with their tail to the storm and they just stand there.”

Dark clouds started forming around 6 p.m. Sunday. The National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Washington County and the surrounding area.

Meyer was in his kitchen when he heard a huge, thunderous explosion. “I looked out the window and saw three horses down and a fourth one go down,” he said. “It was pretty immediate.”

A fifth horse had left the pack for something to eat and was by the hay Meyer dropped just before the hail and lightning came in.

The horses were in the southern part of the corral, nearer the house. “Two of those horses I had for 18 years so it’s a tough loss,” he said.

Meyer and his family have lived on the farm about a year and a half.

Regular license over a reserve

Three businesses have applied for two regular Class B Combination liquor licenses available in the city of West Bend. Those licenses became available following the closure of Ruth Anne’s Gourmet Market and Club 1006.

Tochi has applied for the license along with Krimmer’s, and Maricio’s in Barton. The license will go before the council August 17.

Pavilion

This week’s photo, courtesy the Washington County Historical Society dates to 1905. Do you remember this building and where it was located?  The building was used for years by a well-known company until it was destroyed by fire around 1910.  The answer next week.