Manitowoc’s Boys & Girls Club scores grant and seeks workers for school year. Here’s your weekly dose.
MANITOWOC - The Boys & Girls Club of Manitowoc County received a major grant from the AT&T Foundation last week and is also seeking to fill various openings for its school-year programming, which starts Sept. 6.
The club is in need of youth development specialists to staff the school-year program, a custodian and a unit coordinator. People can apply for positions and learn more at bgclubfoxvalley.org/careers.
The Manitowoc club can be reached at 920-470-8063 or online at bgcmanitowoccounty.org for more information or to enroll a child or family to be a member.
The $10,000 grant from the AT&T Foundation will be used to help bridge the digital divide and the homework gap. The grant will support the club’s new Project Learn program, which will offer computer and digital literacy resources and academic programs for youth. Through the program, students can access devices, high-speed internet and computer software programs to help them build new academic skills and complete homework.
Since it opened in February at a renovated space at 3651 Dewey St., the club has enrolled more than 70 kids ages 6-12 and provided more than 1,250 meals, including offering programming throughout the summer. It's now gearing up for its school-year program, which begins Sept. 6 and runs 3-6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays after school with busing from some Manitowoc elementary schools available. Evening teen programming is also being planned.
More: More than 20 years and $2 million in the making, Manitowoc's Boys & Girls Club opens its doors
The club’s executive director, Bill Bertsche, announced earlier this month he plans to step down after leading the club to its opening. The longtime local educator had come aboard in 2019 with a mission to help raise money for the new club, find a site and start developing programming.
During his time as director, Bertsche helped lead the Building Great Futures Capital Campaign, which raised $1.9 million and led to the opening of the club.
“It has been an honor and privilege to lead the mission to open a Boys & Girls Club in Manitowoc,” Bertsche said. “The club serves such a great need in our community, and I have no doubt that it will be a great difference-maker in the lives of so many youths and families in our community for years to come.
"This is a good time for me to step back into retirement and allow the next person to begin the phase two work of growing the club here in Manitowoc.”
Bertsche plans to stay on as executive director temporarily as the search for a replacement begins. Interested candidates can apply for the position at https://www.bgclubfoxvalley.org/careers/.
Welcome to your weekly dose.
Start your week here in weekly dose, a roundup of local community news. Here are some more stories to catch up on:
Hartman's Bakery fire fundraiser: Click here to donate to a GoFundMe campaign to raise $15,000 to help Hartman's Bakery and its staff recover after a July 27 fire at its Manitowoc shop. As of Aug. 19, the fund had raised $6,962 toward the goal. The bakery's locations in Manitowoc, Two Rivers and Plymouth are closed until the Manitowoc shop can reopen and begin making products again.
► Sauve’s in Two Rivers donating 2 cents per gallon to high school athletics department: When you fill your gas tank at Sauve’s Auto Service, 1421 Washington St. in Two Rivers, 2 cents per gallon will be donated to the Two Rivers High School Athletics Department.
Owner Tom Christensen and his employees aim support the efforts of the athletic program in the community and are providing an opportunity for the public to contribute through gas purchases.
Sauve’s is the only full-service station left remaining in the county.
► The Masquers hold auditions for ‘A Christmas Story’: The Masquers, Inc., community theater company has announced open auditions for the first production of its 92nd season, the classic comedy family favorite by Philip Grecian, “A Christmas Story.”
Based on the Warner Bros. 1983 motion picture, humorist Jean Shepherd’s memoir of growing up in the Midwest in the 1940s follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker in his quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun under the tree for Christmas.
The Masquers is looking for male and female actors ages 7-70 for four adult, seven children and multiple ensemble roles.
Auditions will be at The Masquers Coach House, 616 N. Eighth St., Manitowoc, at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 29.
All participants are asked to attend the auditions with a completed audition form, a headshot and a list of rehearsal scheduling conflicts. Audition forms are available online at themasquers.org.
Those auditioning are asked to arrive early, be ready to start on time and plan to stay for the entire audition session.
The rehearsal schedule will begin in September and run Monday-Thursday until production dates.
“A Christmas Story” will be performed Nov. 10-12 at the Capitol Civic Centre in Manitowoc. For more details, contact Director Ellen Peronto at info@themasquers.org.
► ‘On A Wisconsin Family Farm’ wins national award: “On A Wisconsin Family Farm, Historic Tales of Character, Community and Culture,” which focuses on Manitowoc and Calumet counties as its epicenter, has been named a finalist in the 16th annual National Indie Excellence Awards Competition.
The nationwide awards contest recognized three books in the Midwest Regional Nonfiction Category, with the book by Corey Geiger being named one of the top three entrants, a news release said.
Geiger, an international agricultural journalist, pairs his rural roots and lively storytelling talents to capture six generations of local tales in “On A Wisconsin Family Farm.”
“The book contains colorful, somewhat wild, but true stories from creating America’s Dairyland,” Geiger said in the news release. “How exactly did we become the land of the Cheeseheads?”
He added: “Readers have shared that the 31 short stories in ‘On A Wisconsin Family Farm’ have sparked conversation within their family. When a book brings stories to life for readers and their families, that is the best compliment an author can receive. For that, I am grateful.”
Released on March 29, 2021, “On A Wisconsin Family Farm” has sold to all 50 states and nearly every Wisconsin county in its first year.
Widely available throughout the Midwest, the book can be found in nearly 150 stores and online. Personally signed copies can be purchased at coreygeiger.com.
Geiger’s next book is scheduled for a summer 2023 release. Like “On A Wisconsin Family Farm,” The History Press from Charleston, S.C., will be the publisher.
► Manitowoc youth honored for his role in emergency service call: Brayden Hunnicutt was recognized Monday at the Manitowoc Common Council meeting for his role in an emergency medical service call.
A local neighbor to Brayden’s grandparents suffered a fall in their garage and was unable to get up for help. The neighbor could only yell for help and hoped someone would hear them.
Brayden was that someone. He alerted his grandmother, Reba, that he thought he heard someone yelling for help.
Brayden and his grandmother went toward the call for help and came upon the neighbor in distress.
Reba quickly called 911 because of an injury suffered in the fall. She worked as a health care professional and attended to the neighbor while Brayden awaited the arrival of Manitowoc Fire Rescue and gave them direction to the patient.
“I’m proud of our public safety family in the city of Manitowoc, but we are even stronger with the assistance of the community,” said Fire Rescue Chief Todd Blaser during the council meeting. “This incident is a wonderful example of what makes Manitowoc a special place.”
► Walk to End Alzheimer’s coming up Sept. 17: The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting Manitowoc County residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sept. 17 at the Manitowoc-Two Rivers YMCA, 205 Maritime Drive, Manitowoc.
The event opens at 8:30 a.m. with the opening ceremony at 9:40 a.m. immediately followed by the walk at 10 a.m.
On walk day, participants honor those affected by Alzheimer’s with a Promise Garden ceremony — a mission-focused experience that signifies solidarity in the fight against the disease. The colors of the Promise Garden flowers represent people’s connection to Alzheimer’s — their personal reasons to end the disease.
In Manitowoc County alone, more than 1,900 individuals ages 65 and older are living with dementia.
People can register to participate in the walk by visiting act.alz.org/Manitowoccounty.
Last week's top headlines
Your weather forecast
Monday: High 75, low 62, sunny and pleasant
Tuesday: High 76, low 62, mostly sunny and pleasant
Wednesday: High 79, low 63, partly sunny and pleasant
Thursday: High 76, low 61, a stray thunderstorm
Friday: High 73, low 61, mostly sunny with a t-storm
Saturday: High 72, low 60, humid with a t-storm in spots
Sunday: High 76, low 58, partly sunny
Courtesy of accuweather.com.
Our impact
The Herald Times Reporter — part of USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin — strives to make a difference in our community. Read our 2021 Community Impact Report.
Get your dose — stay connected
Start each week with your dose of local community news here. For updates during the week, come back to htrnews.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
News tips
Send tips to htrnews@htnrews.com. See our contact page.
Thanks for reading!
We appreciate your readership! Support our work by subscribing.
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 jobs: Boys & Girls Club has openings for youth development
