Magical Trolley Ride to the North Pole is back in Manitowoc, and more news in weekly dose
MANITOWOC - All aboard! The Magical Trolley Ride to the North Pole is back!
After a three-year hiatus, the popular fundraiser for CASA of East Central Wisconsin will return Dec. 9. People can purchase tickets and find out more at www.casaecw.org/getinvolved.
Tickets must be purchased in advance and are $30 per child for ages 1-13 and $35 per person for ages 14 and older. Each ticket includes a roundtrip trolley ride, holiday souvenirs, all North Pole activities, performances and a professional photo with Santa.
Families will board trolleys at Mikadow Theatre, 118 Washington St., where they receive a copy of a classic Christmas book and a gold ticket. Along the way, join the conductor in singing holiday carols and experience a visit from a special guest.
Upon arrival at the North Pole (Inn on Maritime Bay, 101 Maritime Drive), there will be holiday crafts, games, cookie decorating, a balloon artist and more – including a chance to meet with Santa.
“This event creates a one-of-a-kind experience for families bringing the magic of the holiday season to life,” said Julie Ribley, executive director of CASA of East Central Wisconsin, in a news release.
CASA of East Central Wisconsin is a local program that provides trained volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children who are under the jurisdiction of the juvenile justice system in Manitowoc and Sheboygan counties. In the spirit of giving, a pajama drive is conducted before and during the event.
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Welcome to your weekly dose.Here is more news from throughout Manitowoc County.
Help count migrating chimney swifts during ‘Swift Night Out’
Woodland Dunes in Two Rivers is asking people to help count chimney swifts as the birds prepare to migrate to the Amazon basin.
Chimney swifts, a unique bird species that nests and roosts in chimneys, are getting ready to migrate all the way to the Amazon. When they move into migration mode, something special happens and they become communal, gathering at night in great numbers.
“It’s not unusual to see hundreds, sometimes thousands, of swifts circling and swirling over a school chimney or a historic chimney just before dusk in the middle of August in Wisconsin,” said Nancy Nabak, chairperson of the Wisconsin Chimney Swift Working Group and communications coordinator for Woodland Dunes Nature Center. “But data indicate that it’s becoming less common than it used to be.”
According to the latest North American Breeding Bird Survey, the chimney swift population has declined by 72% in the past 50 years. To help find answers and to protect this species, Woodland Dunes is asking citizens, birders and interested parties to participate in a simple swift-counting exercise called “Swift Night Out.”
“Anyone can count chimney swifts as they enter chimneys in the early evening,” Nabak said. “It’s a simple process; you don’t need to be a bird expert to do this. All you need to do is count.”
Here’s how to count:
Starting now, look for tall, uncapped brick chimneys. Watch for swifts swooping and circling near a chimney to determine if they might roost there.
Observe the birds entering the chimney about 20 minutes before sunset until 10 minutes after the last swift enters the chimney. Stay in one location, even if you do not see swifts right away. They may come to your site later. If you have zero swifts entering your chimney, record that. This is still valuable information.
Count (or estimate) the number of swifts as they enter the chimney. It’s useful to count in groups of five or 10 when they enter quickly in large numbers. A hand-held clicker counter can also be helpful.
Places to check locally include the following:
Two Rivers: Two Rivers Community Center, 1710 W. Park St.; Two Rivers Utility, 1415 Lake St.; former Hansen Florist building, 3000 Forest Ave.; Christian Center Thrift Store, 1816 Washington St.; and the Heroes Venture Arcade, 2022 Washington St.
Manitowoc: Old Saint Francis of Xavier School, 1416 Grand Ave.; neighborhood of Ryan’s on York; old Laetrille factory, 15th and Marshall streets; and old Richter Vinegar plant, 1819 S. Ninth St., 1402 Clark St.
Manmade chimneys make up the majority of nesting and roosting sites for this species. Once dependent on old-growth forest snags, swifts now depend on chimneys, which they adapted to when many of the older forests were cleared. Because of changes in technology, chimneys are no longer being built, which signals habitat loss may be playing a role in their decline.
Swifts have slender bodies with long, curved wings and short, stubby tails (they look like a flying cigar or boomerang). They fly rapidly with nearly constant wing beats, often twisting from side to side. They also give a distinctive, high chittering call while in flight and are the only bird that will drop into chimneys to roost for the night.
Fact sheets and information cards are available for free at Woodland Dunes Nature Center, 3000 Hawthorne Ave., Two Rivers. For more information and how to help protect swifts locally, go to wiswifts.org.
Home Builders Association Parade of Homes set for Sept. 7-9
Manitowoc County Home Builders Association’s annual Parade of Homes will run Sept. 7-9. Hours will be 4-8 p.m. Sept. 7-8 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 9.
The following seven new and remodeled homes will be showcased:
4733 Schleis Road, Two Rivers, from Pekarske Builders;
1709 County V, Mishicot, from Certified Builders;
4151 Deer Lane, Whitelaw, from Mike Howe Builders;
19818 Vogel Lane, Kiel, from Sonnenburg Builders;
16105 Lakeshore Road, Cleveland, from Bartow Builders;
1305 S. 14th St., Manitowoc, from Mike Howe Builders; and
1211 Tanglewood Road, Manitowoc, from Bartow Builders.
Tickets are $10 each and allow entry to all seven homes. They will be available for purchase at all home entrances during the parade or in advance for $8 at Bank First in Manitowoc or Two Rivers; Shipbuilders Credit Union in Manitowoc or Mishicot; Braun Building Center in Manitowoc; Carpets Plus in Manitowoc; Precision Floors & Décor in Manitowoc; Drexel Building Supply in Kiel; or the Home Builders Association office.
Homes in the parade include two-story, ranches and a three-story cottage. They will showcase some of the newest home trends including custom cabinetry, geothermal heating and cooling systems, mudrooms, cathedral ceilings, radiant heating, floating staircases, glass railings, outdoor living spaces, wood flooring, glass garage doors, home theaters and custom-tiled showers.
Visitors interested in building or buying a new home, remodeling or gathering ideas for home improvement projects will have the chance to interact with area experts.
Visit MCHBAbuilds.com for information about the builders and homes as well as driving directions.
Rahr-West unveils ‘Being’ juried exhibition winners
Manitowoc’s Rahr-West Art Museum, 610 N. Eighth St., is presenting the juried exhibition “Being: A Recognition of Self and Other” through Sept. 17.
At a reception Aug. 20, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay assistant professor of art and art historian Dr. Sam Watson, the exhibit’s juror, announced the following winners:
Barbara Miner won first prize for her photograph “Laurie Drake, 25 years at Briggs and Stratton”;
Kyle Gorenschek won second prize for his oil painting “The Price of Solitude”; and
Amal Azzam won third prize for her mixed media work “All Eyes on Me.”
This is the first time in recent years the museum has organized a juried exhibition. The show’s theme offers a scope for artistic interpretation around issues of personal and social identity.
“Recognition and representation in art is crucial in understanding, belonging and storytelling,” said Sonia Vasquez, museum educator and a key player in organizing the exhibit. “The artwork and artists in ‘Being’ exemplified this in many exceptional forms.”
The museum said the juried exhibit will rotate biennially with the Members and Manitowoc County Exhibit in an effort to expand programming and reach new artists and audiences.
For more about the museum, go to rahrwestartmuseum.org or call 920-686-3090. The City of Manitowoc facility is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and closed Mondays. Admission is free, although donations are accepted.
Masquers holds open auditions for ‘The Last Lifeboat’
Manitowoc’s community theater company The Masquers has announced open auditions for the first production of its 93rd season, “The Last Lifeboat,” which tells a story of the Titanic that has never been told.
According to a news release: “J. Bruce Ismay was an upper-crust Englishman who always did what was expected of him. He went to the best schools, married the right society girl, and vowed to his father on his deathbed that he would take over the family shipping business and build the biggest, most opulent ship the world had ever seen: the RMS Titanic.
“We all know the story of how the ship sank … or do we? Ismay saved as many people as he could on that fateful night, and finally, with no women and children in sight, he stepped into the last lifeboat … and was branded a coward and a traitor forever.”
Six or more men and five or more women ages 18 and older are sought to fill multiple roles. Additionally, one to four children ages 6-12 are needed for small parts. And, a dog is needed for a role as well.
Auditions will be at The Masquers Coach House, 616 N. Eighth St., Manitowoc, at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 5. Online registration is at www.themasquers.org/auditions.html. Audition forms, character descriptions and a rehearsal schedule can also be accessed on the website.
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Anyone auditioning is asked to take a completed audition form to the auditions, along with a headshot and a list of rehearsal scheduling conflicts. Rehearsals start in September and run Mondays-Thursdays until the production dates. Those attending the auditions should arrive early, be ready to start on time and plan to stay for the entire audition session.
The show will be staged Nov. 9-11 at the Capitol Civic Centre, 913 S. Eighth St., Manitowoc. Anyone with questions should contact Director Warren Schmidt at info@themasquers.org.
Cedar Crest, Wisconsin 4-H Foundation seek entries for annual ice cream flavor creation contest
Cedar Crest Ice Cream — with manufacturing plant in Manitowoc and headquarters in Cedarburg — and Wisconsin 4-H Foundation are teaming up again for the Cedar Crest Ice Cream 4-H Flavor Creation Contest.
To compete in the contest, all Wisconsin 4-H clubs are eligible to submit ideas for a new ice cream flavor — along with a flavor description and interesting flavor name — between Sept. 1 and Nov. 15.
Five finalists will be selected by a panel of Cedar Crest Ice Cream flavor experts. One flavor will be awarded top prize and a $500 gift. Plus, the winning flavor will make its debut in parlors in the summer of 2024. All five finalists will receive an ice cream party for their 4-H club.
The contest has been an annual tradition for more than 10 years. Recent winning flavors have included Haystack, created by the Knellsville 4-H Club of Ozaukee County, and Wisconsin Campfire S’mores, created by the Springbrook 4-H Club of New Richmond. The winning flavor for 2023 was Cowlick, created by the Pilsen Skylighters 4-H Club in Kewaunee County.
Find the entry form and more details at www.cedarcresticecream.com/4H-Flavor-Contest.
Cedar Crest produces more than 80 flavors of ice cream, along with frozen custard, sherbet and sorbet, at its Manitowoc plant and distributes products in parlors and retail locations in Wisconsin and beyond. Several of the flavors now in regular production, including Wisconsin Campfire S’mores and Big Muddy, are a result of the contest.
The Cedar Crest Ice Cream Factory & Parlor is at 2000 S. 10th St., Manitowoc. It’s open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays-Sundays through Aug. 31 and then will be open 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays in September. In October, hours will be 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. The parlor is closed November through February.
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Contact Brandon Reid at 920-686-2984 or breid@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @breidHTRNews.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Manitowoc Magical Trolley Ride to the North Pole for CASA back in 2023
