Free Thanksgiving takeout meals offered in Fond du Lac, plus more news in weekly dose

FOND DU LAC — Holy Family Catholic Community will host its fourth year of free takeout Thanksgiving meals to the Fond du Lac community Nov. 22.

Parishioners donate items to the program as well as help cook the meal. Desserts come from St. Mary’s Springs Academy students, who also help package meals. Each meal will include sliced turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, a bun, applesauce and a homemade dessert.

Anyone is welcome to reserve a meal. There are no limitation requirements. Reservations can be made by calling the Holy Family parish office at 920-921-0580. Meals are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations will be accepted until 4:15 p.m. Nov. 15 or when the 400-meal limit is met.

Meal pickup will be noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 22 at Holy Family Church, 271 Fourth Street Way.

In addition to the 400 community meals, Holy Family will provide Thanksgiving meals to guests at the community’s new Warming Shelter, opening Nov. 15.

Donations for the meal are welcome. Checks can be mailed to: Holy Family Catholic Community, 271 Fourth Street Way, Fond du Lac, WI 54937 with “Thanksgiving meal” in the memo line.

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Welcome to your weekly dose. Here is more news from throughout Fond du Lac County.

Learn more about Italy trip during information session

Envision Greater Fond du Lac and Premiere World Discovery will host a travel program to Chianti Region of Italy, “A Culinary Journey Through Tuscany.” Travelers will leave May 7 from Appleton.

Learn more during an information session at 5 p.m. Nov. 7. Attend in person or virtually. Register to attend at envisiongreaterfdl.com.

The tour includes roundtrip airfare, seven nights in a first-class hotel; 16 meals, professional tour director, motorcoach transportation, admissions per itinerary, comprehensive sightseeing, baggage handling at the hotel and hotel transfers.

Some of the highlights include truffle demonstration and tasting, Florence walking tour, a pasta-making class, winery tour, cheese tasting, dinner at Tuscan farmhouse and winery, a boat excursion and more.

LWV hold annual Holiday Gala meeting Nov. 9

The League of Women Voters of the Ripon Area will host its Annual Holiday Gala Meeting Nov. 9.

The event will begin with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. at Vines and Rushes, 410 County E, Ripon. A buffet dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. with the program at 7 p.m.

The cost of the meal is $20. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

The League will offer a program about how to run for public office. The panel will consist of Lisa Frieberg, Fond du Lac County clerk; Naomi Miller, City of Ripon clerk; and elected official David Gallops of the Ripon City Council.

For more information or to RSVP for the gala, email lwvriponarea@gmail.com or call 920-960-3397.

Exhibit at Landon shows work of Fond du Lac Area Artists' Association

The Fond du Lac Area Artists’ Association will hold its annual Membership Show at the Langdon Divers Community Gallery in the Fond du Lac Public Library. It is on display now through Dec. 5.

An artist reception will be 5:30 to 7 p.m. Nov. 9 in the Langdon Divers Gallery, 32 Sheboygan St.

The association’s Artist of the Year is Lawrence Kent, who specializes in wooden vases.

The group is in its 56th year and its 13th member exhibit at the Langdon gallery. For more information, visit facebook.com/langdondivers.

History at Home program highlights Rueping family's influence

This month’s Fond du Lac Public Library History at Home program will highlight the influence the Rueping family had on the community. The program will begin at 6 p.m. Nov. 9 in the library’s McLane Room.

The Rueping family might be best known for the Rueping Leather Co., which was founded in 1854. It was one of Fond du Lac’s largest employers, with a staff of up to 1,200 people at its peak. In addition to Rueping Leather Co., the Rueping family was involved with many other companies, such as Giddings & Lewis, Corium Farms and The Harris Typewriter Company.

History at Home will pause for December. The January session will be “The Founding of Wisconsin’s Veterans Home.”

Ripon library holds book sale, lantern walk in November

November events at the Ripon Public Library include the Friends book sale, a lantern walk and D&D game time.

From Nov. 9 to 11, the Friends will host a book sale. Hours are 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 9 with a $3 entry fee. The sale continues 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 10 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 11, which will be a $3-per-bag sale.

Cash, check or credit/debit card are all accepted.

A lantern walk will be 4 to 6 p.m. Nov. 11. Participants can enjoy chili, cornbread, beverages and cookies in front of a fire. Activities include a lantern-lit story walk on the Northwest Trail and a chance to post uplifting messages on local artist Carissa Sorensen’s “The Kindness Tree” at the library’s entry.

Nov. 12, a chance to learn how to play the D&D role-playing game will be offered. The session will be 1 to 4 p.m. Beginners are welcome and registration is not required.

The library is at 120 Jefferson St. For more information, visit riponlibrary.org.

Guitarist Matt Schofield to appear at Green Lake's Thrasher

Matt Schofield will be on the stage of the Thrasher Opera House at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 10.

Renowned for his talent on the guitar, Schofield’s career spans decades in the world of blues music. He is an inductee of the British Blues Hall of Fame and signed to the Mascot Label Group, home to some of the world’s most respected guitarists.

Tickets are $26 and available at thrasheroperahouse.com or 920-294-4279. The Thrasher Opera house is at 506 Mill St., Green Lake.

Ridge Road church hosts fall soup supper Nov. 12

A Fall Soup Supper will be held Nov. 12. Chili and a variety of soups will be served 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Ridge Road Global Methodist Church, W7910 Church Road, Eldorado.

The meal also includes bread, crackers, dessert and a beverage. The cost is $8 for adults and $4 for children 4-10.

Local NFB chapter shared information, experiences at Senior Center

Fond du Lac Senior Center recently welcomed the National Federation of the Blind at-large Badger Chapter — a statewide chapter with local members.

NFB members attending included Kimberly Kiser, local president and state board member; Laurie Holzmann, state secretary and local treasurer; and Heather Rodriguez and Mary Tighe, chapter members.

Each shared personal stories of dealing with blindness. They shared information about the State of Wisconsin Vision Association and the Office of the Blind and Visually Impaired, as well as orientation and mobility skills — such as using the cane and becoming familiar with the environment.

The women also shared samples of cooking aids, knife guards, Braille games and a talking clock, among other items.

The local NFB at-large Badger Chapter meets via Zoom monthly and all are welcome. For more information or to join, visit nfbwis.org.

Ribbon-cutting marks new location, ownership at Waypoint Financial

Envision Greater Fond du Lac hosted a ribbon-cutting with Waypoint Financial Solutions to celebrate new ownership and location.

Waypoint Financial is a full-service financial advisory business. They offer a range of financial products and services for individuals and business owners.

Earlier this year, Waypoint Financial Solutions acquired Rose Bertrum LLC. This Fond du Lac location is known as The Compass Rose branch of Waypoint Financial. It is located at 879 Forest Ave.

For more about Waypoint Financial, visit mywaypoint.net. For more about Envision Greater Fond du Lac, visit envisiongreaterfdl.com.

SSM Health recognized during Marian University's business awards program

SSM Health Greater Fond du Lac was recognized with an Economic Development Award during Marian University’s 42nd annual Business and Industry Awards Oct. 25.

Established in 1981, the Business and Industry Awards honor local businesses with awards for entrepreneurship, economic development, special achievement and commitment to community.

For more than 127 years, SSM Health, in addition to offering local health care, has given back to the community through donations to non-profit organizations and planning how to address unmet health needs with partner organizations.

SSM Health is the second-largest employer in Fond du Lac County, with nearly 3,000 people. The total annual impact is $914 million. Within that figure is SSM Health Greater Fond du Lac’s tax impact is $17 million.

“Through our teams and employees and providers who live in this community, our operations spending impact is $135.8 million," Katherine Vergos, SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital president, said. "Annually, we give $1 million to support various programs that directly benefit our community. Philanthropy is core to our mission as part of a non-profit, Catholic-based ministry.”

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This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Free Thanksgiving meals in Fond du Lac offered by Holy Family Catholic