Sheboygan County’s Kohler Center for Marsh Education dedicated after more than a decade in the works. Plus, more news in weekly dose.
SHEBOYGAN - A new building at Sheboygan Broughton Marsh Park & Campground that had been in the works for more than a decade was recently dedicated.
Friends of the Sheboygan Marsh on Sept. 7 welcomed local dignitaries and large donors to an open-house reception at the new Kohler Center for Marsh Education at the park, 7039W County Road SR, Elkhart Lake.
Real tree trunks were used in the construction and support the roof of the log and fieldstone structure, according to Marjean Pountain, secretary for the Friends group.
Expansive windows throughout the structure provide natural light and enable those inside to see the marsh, surrounding park and campgrounds, she said.
The building is LEED-certified, meaning it is designed to reduce stress on the environment and be more energy and resource efficient than average structures.
The primary wing of the building contains the multi-purpose room, which is used as a classroom but also can be rented by people in Sheboygan County for private events such as family reunions, anniversaries or other gatherings of fewer than 100 people.
The other wing contains restroom and shower facilities for campers.
The two wings are connected by a soaring atrium full of natural light. A large ash tree that was harvested about 1,000 feet from where the structure stands in the marsh park is the centerpiece and supports the ceiling of the atrium.
The Friends of the Marsh worked hard for many years to raise the funds needed from a multitude of businesses, sportsman and conservation groups, and individuals, whose donations provided the structure that will benefit future generations. Sheboygan County funded portions of the infrastructure and will be maintaining the structure.
The 3,500-square-foot facility with a serving kitchen is available. For information about how to reserve the space for a private event, contact the Sheboygan County Planning Department at 920-459-3060.
Pountain said the children for whom the Kohler Center is designed to benefit most have already been using the structure for the outdoor skills and education programs sponsored by YMCA Camp Y-Koda and offered to all area school children.
One of the attendees at grand opening on Sept. 7 was one of the founders of the Skill Center, Roy Kalmerton, who told the history of Sheboygan County’s wildlife/conservation educational program.
In the 1970s, Kalmerton and a group that included Walter Vollrath III, Konrad Testwuide and Ward Torke wanted to educate children. They formed a committee that met with the county board. The Skill Center started with a booth at the fairgrounds. Although their preferred location was the Marsh Park, Sheboygan County approved placement of a building at the fairgrounds.
The Sheboygan County Conservation Association was already strong in youth development, and with their involvement, Sterling Strathe was hired and the log structure was built to house one of the first educational centers in the state.
A rock from every township in the county was donated and used in the fieldstone fireplace inside that building, which housed the conservation, education and firearms safety programs for years.
Those programs eventually evolved into the Outdoor Skills Program at Camp Y-Koda. That building is now used for offices and security management at the fairgrounds.
Eventually, the need for a home base for the Skills Center at the Marsh Park grew, and Sargento donated a semi-truck trailer where equipment was housed and children gathered to study the wonders of the marsh.
Camp Y-Koda’s success at program development outgrew the trailer long ago and, as Kalmerton put it, the new educational center is “a dream come true.”
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► Green Bicycle Co. to host ‘Women & Politics’ event Oct. 23: Green Bicycle Co. will host an event that showcases a project about Sheboygan County women who have run for political office.
Titled “Women & Politics,” the event will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Green Bicycle Co., 1117 N. Eighth St., Sheboygan.
To date, Green Bicycle Co. has collected 15 oral histories from women who have run for political office, a news release said. This is part of a larger partnership with the Sheboygan County Historical Society & Museum for the Telling the Full History Fund, an effort aimed at developing a better understanding of the role underrepresented communities played in the history and evolution of Sheboygan County.
People who attend the event can learn about the project and how to get involved. The Live Forever Project will share poetry they created from these stories. And the League of Women Voters of Sheboygan will have information about voting in the upcoming election.
This is a nonpartisan event and is open to the public. For more information, call 920-287-3661, email hello@greenbicycleco.com or visit greenbicycleco.com.
► Ground broken on expansion of Howards Grove church and school: Ground was recently broken on a preschool addition at St. Paul's Lutheran Church and School in Howards Grove.
The 25,000-square-foot addition is being done by Sheboygan-based Quasius Construction, Inc., and will include four classrooms for 3K, 4K and kindergarten students, an indoor play area, a gathering space, and a covered drive-up canopy entrance.
St. Paul's Lutheran School is a kindergarten through eighth-grade school. It started in 1974 with one teacher and 22 students. The school will exceed 100 students for the first time next year as the new addition will allow them to meet student demand.
The addition is expected to be completed by August 2023.
► Lakeshore Chorale’s 40th season will mark return of prior directors: Lakeshore Chorale, an auditioned choral organization in Sheboygan, will celebrate its 40th season in 2022-2023.
Founded by Dr. Paul Almjeld in 1983 while he was teaching at Lakeland University, the chorale is one of the oldest independent choral organizations in the state.
Today, the chorale is directed by Neil Bubke and accompanied by Joseph Hauer. It consists of nearly 45 auditioned members from Sheboygan and surrounding counties and has an extensive and varied repertoire, including Palestrina, Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Brahms, Gilbert and Sullivan, spirituals, folk music, and PDQ Bach.
For its 40th anniversary, the chorale will feature the return of previous directors. Here’s the schedule:
Oct. 23 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sheboygan, the chorale will be led by its second director, Dr. Linda Jacobs. The concert will include selections from Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living accompanied by a chamber orchestra.
Dec. 4 at St. Peter Claver Parish in Sheboygan, a holiday concert will be led by Wayne Wildman, who stepped in as director after Dr. Jacobs retired.
Feb. 11 at Plymouth Arts Center, Dr. Paul Thompson, who directed the chorale after Wildman retired, will participate in the annual Valentine gala.
May 6 at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Sheboygan, Dr. Paul Almjeld will participate in the season’s final concert.
Tickets are available as a season package for all five concerts or at the door for individual concerts. More information is at lakeshorechorale.org.
For nearly 30 years, the Lakeshore Chorale has also included auditioned youth choirs — two for elementary and middle school students and a chamber choir for high school students. The youth choirs join the adults for the October and December concerts. They will present their own concert on April 16 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sheboygan.
► Sheboygan Falls church plans rummage sale for Oct. 22: St. Paul Lutheran Church, 730 County Road PPP, Sheboygan Falls, will host its 34th annual Trash ’N Treasure Rummage Sale from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Oct. 22.
The sale will include more than 800 families donating thousands of items that include household goods, antiques, furniture, toys, jewelry, books, glassware, sports, tools and holiday items.
A brat fry and bake sale will also be included.
► Mr. Chair to perform for Arts at the Waelderhaus: Arts at the Waelderhaus will welcome Mr. Chair, a contemporary fusion ensemble from Madison, for a 2 p.m. performance Oct. 2.
According to a news release, “Mr. Chair looks like a jazz ensemble, enchants like a string quartet and electrifies like a rock band, all while delighting listeners with their fresh and original sound.”
Admission to is free and reservations are strongly encouraged by calling 920-453-2851 or emailing Jen.Balge@kohler.com.
The Waelderhaus is managed by Kohler Foundation and offers unique cultural events throughout the year. It’s located at 1100 W. Riverside Drive, Kohler, and is open daily (except holidays) to the public for guided tours free of charge at 2, 3 and 4 p.m.
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This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Sheboygan Kohler Center for Marsh Education opens; church expands
