Menomonie News Net

Aug 13, 2025, Issue 39

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Local News Group
August 13, 2025

Welcome to Issue 39 of Menomonie News Net. If you missed previous Issues, you can catch up HERE.

In today’s issue we say farewell to the Menomonie Optimists Club; read how this organization has greatly benefited our area over the past 48 years. Members…please know your efforts have made a difference! Bravo!!

Quote heard from a reader who stopped by our MNN table on National Night Out: “When I read the News Net, I learn things I didn’t know.” We appreciate our members/subscribers!

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Editors: Layne Pitt, Becky Kneer, Marsha Biggs; MNN Contributors; Advisory Committee Volunteers; Tech Support: Tracy Glenz

In this Issue…

Bridging Veterans and Business: A New Era for the Chippewa Valley

By Georgia Lee Arts

When you think of “veterans,” what comes to mind?

For many, it’s the uniform, the discipline, the service. But what happens when that chapter ends and a veteran hangs up their uniform? The transition to civilian life isn’t just about finding a job, it’s about connection, support, purpose, and community.

This is why the Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce (WVCC) has officially launched in Northwest Wisconsin, and it’s already making waves. With statewide reach with local impact the WVCC offers a statewide platform while staying rooted in local initiatives, giving members in the Chippewa Valley direct access to partnerships, visibility, and collaborative events that expand their business footprint.

Led by local ambassadors Georgia Lee Arts of Menomonie and Joe Maier of Eau Claire, the Chamber’s expansion is designed to connect veteran-owned businesses and veteran-friendly businesses with the wider community, building bridges that benefit everyone.

A Launch Rooted in Collaboration

At the inaugural event, veterans, business owners, and civic leaders gathered not just to celebrate but to envision something bigger: a thriving ecosystem where veterans can leverage their skills, leadership, and resilience in the private sector while helping local businesses grow.

“Veterans bring discipline, innovation, and teamwork into every workplace,” says Georgia Lee Arts. “But many face hurdles when transitioning out of service. This Chamber exists to level the playing field, by fostering mentorship, networking, and economic opportunity.”

Why This Matters for the Chippewa Valley

Northwest Wisconsin has long been home to a vibrant veteran community. Yet, until now, there hasn’t been a dedicated organization focused on connecting veteran-owned businesses and veteran-friendly businesses with regional development initiatives.

The WVCC offers a unique win-win:

  • Veterans gain mentorship, support, and a business network that understands their transition journey.

  • Access to premier programming and resources: members gain exclusive access to expert-led webinars, workforce development workshops, and veteran entrepreneurship training, tools built to help veteran-owned and veteran-friendly businesses thrive in competitive markets.

  • Civilian businesses access a pipeline of highly skilled leaders and team members with unmatched resilience.

  • The community thrives as collaboration drives economic growth, job creation, and stronger local ties.

  •  Built-in networking power: with over 60 chamber partnerships and a collective reach of more than 42,000 businesses, WVCC membership opens the door to high-quality B2B networking, mentorship, and joint marketing across sectors and regions.

  • Amplified visibility through signature events: members get opportunities to showcase their business at signature events like the Annual Business Conference at Lambeau Field, regional expos, and multi-chamber mixers, all designed to connect you to clients, partners, and talent pipelines.

  •  Advocacy that Works for You: WVCC doesn’t just network, it advocates at the local, state, and federal levels on issues that matter to veterans and small businesses, ensuring your voice is heard and your needs are represented in economic and workforce policy.

Veterans in Business: More Than Service

Joe Maier, an ambassador and veteran business advocate, sees this as a transformational moment: “Veterans don’t just want handshakes on Veterans Day, they want a seat at the table. This Chamber ensures they get it while supporting businesses that value their contributions.”

From startups launched in home offices to established veteran-owned firms seeking federal contracts, the Chamber is set to provide resources, education, and advocacy.

What’s Next

Following its successful launch, the Chamber will host ongoing networking events, training sessions, and collaborative programs. The mission is clear: empower veterans, strengthen businesses, and fuel economic growth in the Chippewa Valley.

If you’re a veteran, veteran-owned business, or veteran-friendly employer, or simply someone who believes in supporting those who served, this is your invitation to get involved.

Want to connect or learn more?
Visit www.wiveteranschamber.org or reach out to ambassadors Georgia Lee Arts and Joe Maier to join the movement.

“When veterans succeed, our whole community rises. We are STRONGER TOGETHER.”

Georgia Lee Arts is a Menomonie resident, an entrepreneur and an ambassador for WI Veterans Chamber of Commerce. She may be contacted at [email protected]

Gravel Driveway Zen

By John Wilkerson

Editor’s Note: This is the 2nd installment in our new series “The Journal Speaks Back” where Menomonie resident John Wilkerson invites you to join him in his love for journaling.

I like tractors, old ones that have character. My little Masser Ferguson is temperamental and lovable; like when you sit a neighbor’s baby for a few hours. This bundle of diesel, crankcase oil, and dry-rotted tires came up from Mississippi with me. In the hot climate she spent her time cutting grass and clearing deadfall. We did drive around the old roads for fun, but I don’t consider that work just happiness.

The tractor had a moment of rebellion this past winter. I’d tried to preemptively excite her by finding an original 1950’s back blade that was of the same manufacturer before we discussed the expectations of moving snow.  She was not swayed by my attempt to buy her affection.

By January, I’d had her wrapped in a reflective blanket with a space heater and a heat gun to get the engine started. That sounds awful if you think about standing in the barn during a Wisconsin winter with no gloves.

Surprisingly, a quiet Zen arrives with work like this. It’s the same Zen I get when we grade the long, gravel driveway that rises the hill to my residence. The little-red tractor and I discuss life as we routinely move and smooth the roadbed. It’s a never-ending cycle of rain and road wear that moves the gravel down and the little tractor moves it back home.

In looking at the simplicity of the chore, consider how your journaling becomes less of an attempt in creating something and more of an opportunity to let the Zen of your thoughts form as words and take root in your journal.

The journal as a storytelling medium is one of the most powerful ways we capture our memories. Case in point is a collection of letters my great grandfather penned and sent home to his parents in the early twentieth century. There is nothing remarkable about the letters besides the fact that they tell the story of a young man writing home about his new life as an adult. What seemed so trivial at the time of his writings are now priceless family keepsakes.

Your memories and stories are sparks of insight into who you are. You don’t have to share them with anyone unless you wish to but if you do write them, at a future date, you will go back and reread them. The stories may be simple as a conversation with the dry cleaner as you wait for a rainy morning to clear. I’ve chosen a dry cleaner as an example with intent. Our town’s dry cleaner closed business a few months ago. This is the loss of a part of our community. Yes, the service is gone but so are all the connections that the people had that frequented the business.

The stories, the morning coffee, the last-minute scramble to get the prom dress pressed before the perfect dance. Our journals record these instances.

Today’s prompt is this… tell a story.

All it takes are three sentences: one to open the story, one to build the action, and one to close the story. If you can get those three parts established, you’ll be surprised how many more words appear on your page or screen.

For the advanced thinkers and subsequent bar conversations, this is a game I used to play with my nieces and nephews, tell a story in ten words or less. It’s a great mental exercise for slicing to the core of any tale.

Starry nights evoke the magic of forgotten love.

That was eight words. Not too bad for being out of practice.

John Wilkerson works most days writing and fiddling with his computer. His new, old, home in Menomonie is constantly subjected to DIY mayhem. His background includes ghost writing, newspaper reporting, and a long stretch in marketing and advertising.

John may be contacted at: [email protected]

McKinley Morrow Benefit Sat Aug 16

The McKinley Morrow Benefit is being held at the Pioneer Grill & Saloon (E5699 Cty Road D) on Saturday, August 16 from 2-7 p.m.

The event is organized by the Morrow family and others to support McKinley whose parents were tragically killed in a plane crash in April 2025.

Admission is $10, and there will be live music, raffles, silent & live auctions, a chicken dinner. A destination vacation for two is being donated by the Pioneer.

The event is open to the public.

Donations may also be made by mail to Westconsin Credit Union; FBO McKinley Morrow (in Memo Line); 444 South Broadway; PO Box 160, Menomonie.

Visit the Facebook page for more details.

End of an Era for Menomonie Optimists Club

Civic organization dissolves following 48 years of local involvement

By David K. Williams

After 48 years of serving Dunn County Youth, the Menomonie Optimist Club has dissolved. The Club officially closed on August 9th, after staging the Menomin Meander family bicycle ride, which was canceled because of rain.

Club membership had dwindled in recent years, and with it the funds necessary to continue signature programs. One of those, the Youth of the Month program, will continue through the Menomonie Sunrise Rotary Club, which has agreed to take over this program to honor outstanding young people from all four of Dunn County’s high schools. Each year four students from Boyceville, Colfax and Elk Mound High schools, as well as six students from Menomonie High School receive this honor.

The Menomonie Optimist Club provided a number of community service projects over its five-decade span. The Club adopted Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area early in its tenure.  Among the improvements there, the Optimists built the observation tower in the 1980s, as well as a picnic shelter honoring a deceased member.  In more recent years, Optimists spearheaded the restoration of an oak savanna area through planting of 800 oak trees over eight years, followed by regular maintenance work in conjunction with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and area school students each year.

For many years Optimists also provided a dictionary to every third-grade student in Dunn County, at both public and private schools. Optimists sponsored a Breakfast with the Easter Bunny in tandem with the Menomonie Lions Club annual Easter egg hunt in Wakanda Park. Support for a variety of youth-oriented organizations was also a hallmark of the Optimist Club’s effort.

The Optimist Club has transferred its various banners, files, bell and signs to the Dunn County Historical Society for inclusion in its collection. Optimists want to thank all the corporate and other friends of the club who helped make Dunn County a special place for the youth of the community.

David Williams is a Menomonie resident and retired UW-Stout administrator.

MHS Grads: Where are They Now?

Unfortunately this week’s MHS Grad had an especially busy work week so was unable to finalize his story.

But I promise you that—like all the other profiles—this will be worth the wait.

See you next week!

Judy Foust is a retired longtime 7th Grade Reading Specialist at Menomonie Middle School. To submit info to her or to request an interview she may be contacted at [email protected]

Calling All Collectors

Share your collection at Rassbach Museum’s 4th annual collector’s day

Photo: Facebook Event

By Sofi Doane

Are you crazy about toy cars? Do you have dozens of dolls? Are you passionate about pens?

The Rassbach Museum is planning our fourth annual Collector’s Day — a celebration of collectors and their collections! The event is an opportunity for you to share your collection (and your knowledge and enthusiasm) with the community and perhaps inspire others to join in collecting.

Museums are organized around collections — ours includes items that help tell the story of Dunn County and its role in the state of Wisconsin. What do you collect, and what does the activity mean to you? All ages are invited to participate. Previous collectors have ranged in age from 4-94.

Collections take years to grow-even if you are just starting to collect we would be delighted to have you share your collection. Collections do not need to be large or a highly collectable item, we welcome starting collectors and their collections.

Collectors Day will be held September 27 from 1 to 4 p.m at the Rassbach Museum. To register as an exhibitor, please complete the form available at the museum, or on our website at www.dunnhistory.org/collectors-day 

Applications are due September 6. Drop off the completed form at 1820 John Russell Road in Menomonie’s Wakanda Park (11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and 2 - 8 p.m. Thursday) or mail to DCHS, PO Box 437, Menomonie, WI 54751, ATTN Sofi.

Call Sofi Doane at 715-232-8685 with any questions. We hope to hear from you soon!

Sofi Doane is Collections Manager at the Rassbach Museum.

How the SDMA Will Use ParentSquare to Enhance Communication

Administrator’s School Crossings Column for August

By Joe Zydowsky

Clear, timely, and accessible communication is essential to building strong school communities. That’s why the School District of the Menomonie Area (SDMA) is excited to announce the official rollout of ParentSquare—a unified communication platform designed to keep students, families, and community members informed and engaged.

What is ParentSquare?

ParentSquare is a secure, all-in-one communication tool that allows the district, schools, and teachers to send updates directly to families via email, text, app notifications, or phone. Whether it’s a school closure, a classroom update, or an invitation to a community event, ParentSquare ensures important information reaches everyone—when and how they need it.

A Central Hub for Communication

One of the biggest advantages of ParentSquare is its ability to streamline communication across the district. Rather than juggling multiple apps, websites, or paper flyers, families can receive everything in one place:

  • District Announcements: From calendar changes to emergency alerts, ParentSquare will be the district’s go-to channel for reaching all families quickly and efficiently.

  • School News: Each school will use ParentSquare to share newsletters, reminders, and school-specific updates, helping parents stay involved in their child’s day-to-day experience.

  • Classroom Communication: Teachers can use the platform to send direct messages to parents, share assignments, or schedule conferences, creating a stronger partnership between home and school.

  • Two-Way Communication: ParentSquare isn’t just about broadcasting information—it also allows families to reply, ask questions, or RSVP to events, fostering more meaningful engagement.

Supporting Our Community

Beyond just parents and students, ParentSquare can also serve as a valuable tool for community engagement. Local partners, volunteers, and interested residents will be able to opt-in to receive relevant updates, event invitations, and opportunities to support our schools. More information about signing up for community communication groups will be shared this fall, but for the time being, community communication opportunities on the district website include:

Easy to Use, Accessible for All

ParentSquare is designed with equity in mind. Messages are automatically translated into over 100 languages, ensuring all families—regardless of their preferred language—stay informed. The platform is accessible via mobile app, web browser, text message, or phone call, meeting families where they are.

What’s Next?

Families will soon receive an invitation to activate their ParentSquare account. We encourage everyone to download the app and customize their notification settings to ensure they receive information in the way that works best for them. As the SDMA moves forward with ParentSquare, our goal remains simple: to strengthen the connection between school and home. We’re excited to take this step together and look forward to more open, timely, and transparent communication with all members of our school community.

For more information and resources about how to use ParentSquare, please visit the SDMA website or contact your school’s front office. If school families or community members have any questions or concerns about the school district, please do not hesitate to email ([email protected]), call (715-232-1642 ext. 11111), or visit with me at the Administrative Service Center on Pine Avenue. 

Joe Zydowsky is the SDMA Administrator.

Public Meetings: Week of Aug 13 - 20

MNN Staff Photo

City of Menomonie

Thur Aug 14 - Tourism Commission Meeting - 10 a.m.

Mon Aug 18 - City Council - 7 p.m.

Wed Aug 20 - Urban Forestry Board - 1 p.m.

Click HERE to view entire August 4 City Council Meeting including 2 hour hearing (Provided by Eye on Dunn)

Click HERE for full calendar

School District of Menomonie

None Scheduled

Aug 11 School Board Meeting may be viewed HERE. (Provided by Eye on Dunn)

Click HERE for full calendar, additional details

Dunn County

Mon Aug 18 - Board of Adjustment - 10:30 a.m.; Judiciary & Law - 4:30 p.m.

Tues Aug 19 - Community Resources & Tourism - 4:30 p.m.

Wed Aug 20 - Planning, Resources & Development - 8:30 a.m.

Click HERE for calendar, documents, recordings & public commenting

Menomonie Events at a Glance Aug 13-20

Photo: Debra Bell

Wed Aug 13 - Farmer’s Market - 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.- Wilson Park

Thur Aug 14 - Music Over Menomin - 7 p.m. - Wilson Park (Balterdash)

Fri Aug 15 - Red Cross Blood Drive - 12:30 - 5 p.m.- Menomonie East YMCA (3019 Schneider Ave SE);

Sat Aug 16 - Farmer’s Market - 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.; McKinley Morrow Benefit - 2 to 7 p.m. - Pioneer Bar & Grill

Mon Aug 18 - Red Cross Blood Drive - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Cedarbrook Church (3502 Wilson St)

Wed Aug 20 - Farmer’s Market - 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. - Wilson Park

MHS Football History Book Available for Purchase

Chad Zutter Pens History Book, Also Updating Big Rivers Conference Website

Two men standing in front of a window overlooking a football field

Menomonie High School football broadcasters Chad Zutter (left) and Joe Zydowsky.

By Layne Pitt, MNN Contributor

MENOMONIE - Chad Zutter has been working for well over two years to put together a comprehensive history of Menomonie High School football and the 40-plus page book, Menomonie High School Football History & Record Book,” has just been released.

Zutter tapped into former coaches, local sports writers and just about anyone who has knowledge of Menomonie's 130-year history of football. Poring over MHS yearbooks and spending countless hours going through online newspaper files, Zutter has put together a list of all of the known games, then converted that into lists against opponents. He has also compiled a complete list of MHS football head coaches.

"I was so grateful for all the help and assistance on the project from former coaches, media members and other local community members," Zutter said. "Anyone I asked was more than happy to help with old newspaper clippings or historical artifacts related to Menomonie football. Former Leader Telegram sports editor Ron Buckli had a treasure trove of Menomonie football history.

"I hope I've helped build a strong foundation of history for Menomonie football. And maybe even be able to add individual player stats in the future."

The book is now available through Amazon for $14.95. Zutter said the book will also be available at Menomonie home football games for $20, sold at the MHS Booster Club table, with $5 of each sale going to the Booster Club.  The book can be ordered on Amazon at: 130 Years of Menomonie Football, 1895-2024.

Zutter has been very busy this summer. In addition to finishing up the history book before the beginning of the football season, he is in the midst of a stint at the Big Rivers Conference (BRC) statistician, is the Menomonie High School Livestream coordinator for Mustang TV and serves as a broadcaster during the football and basketball seasons.

Zutter's duties with the BRC including rebuilding, then updating the conference's website where the goal is to update the website weekly for some sports with conference-only statistics. Zutter will work with other sports to have conference meet results and final standings available.

The Mustang TV fall schedule was just released, which will include all football games, and all home events for boys soccer and girls volleyball. The Menomonie schedule can be accessed at: Mustang TV.

MHS Football History Book is Available for Purchase by Layne Pitt is licensed under a CC BY SA 4.0 International license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Hastings Following a Legacy of Excellence

Father/Daughter Duo Head Coaches for MHS Athletic Programs

Daughter and father, Lexi Hastings and Jeff Hastings, are both head coaches at Menomonie High School. Lexi, left, is sporting a black sweatshirt the reads Menomonie Tennis in the color maroon, while Jeff wears a white polo shirt with the Mustangs logo and GOLF appearing.

Lexi Hastings is the head girls tennis coach for Menomonie High School and her father, Jeff Hastings, is the head coach for the girls and boys golf teams at MHS. Photo: Layne Pitt

By Layne Pitt, MNN Contributor

MENOMONIE - Coaching is a family tradition for the Hastings and this fall that tradition continues with a father-daughter duo leading two of Menomonie High School’s athletic programs.

Jeff Hastings is entering his second season as head coach of the Mustangs girls golf team and will begin his third season as boys golf coach next spring. His daughter, Lexi Hastings, is starting her third year as head coach of the girls tennis team — a position held for 38 years by her late mother, Wendy Hastings.

Wendy, who passed away in May 2022, was a fixture in the Menomonie tennis community and in the school district, where she also taught health. Her coaching style — positive, patient and inclusive — left a mark on generations of players.

“I watched how Wendy interacted with the players,” Jeff said. “She was always low-key, always positive. She had a no-cut team. If you came out, she’d find a place for you to play.”

Coaching the next generation

Both Jeff and Lexi are Menomonie graduates — Jeff in 1978 and Lexi in 2019.

Jeff retired in July 2022 after a career as a service representative with BakeMark, covering much of Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Over the years, he coached youth baseball, Legion baseball, girls youth basketball and served as an assistant on Pat Helixon’s girls basketball staff in the 1980s.

When the MHS boys golf job opened, friends encouraged him to apply. “Some friends said, ‘You should do that,’ and I loved it,” Jeff said. “When the girls job opened, I thought, ‘Let’s see how the boys season goes.’ It went well, so I took the girls program.”

Lexi played four years of varsity tennis at Menomonie for her mother, then four years at Luther College, graduating in 2023. That fall, she stepped into her mother’s old role as head coach.

“The wins and losses are great,” Jeff said, “but helping make them better people and getting them better on the course — that’s the real reward.”

For Lexi, coaching at her alma mater is deeply personal. “I absolutely loved the program I went through,” she said. “I learned so much from both of my parents coaching me. Now, being on the same coaching staff with my dad, we can learn from each other.”

Lessons from Mom and Dad

When Lexi encounters challenges, she often turns to her dad. “Any bump in the road, I ask his opinion,” she said. “How would he handle it? He helps me lead through it.”

Jeff, in turn, leans on Lexi’s experience coaching girls. “About being able to relate to the girls, I ask her,” he said. “Some of it even comes down to fashion — I can pick out the guys’ uniforms, but I let the girls choose theirs.”

From Wendy, Lexi learned “everything” about coaching. “In the school district, she talked about resiliency,” Lexi said. “Don’t get too fired up. Be the better person.”

Growing up with coaches as parents came with expectations. “They were tough on me,” Lexi said. “If I was frustrated, they wouldn’t step in. They’d say, ‘Go talk to the coach.’ I respected that, and I respected how they treated all my coaches.”

Carrying on the tradition

Lexi’s coaching extends beyond Menomonie. She works at the Fred Wells Tennis and Education Center in St. Paul, Minn., coaching players of all ages, and spends summers working at the Gustavus Adolphus College Tennis and Life Camp — a camp she attended as a child.

For the past four summers, the Hastings family has provided scholarships for Menomonie players to attend the Gustavus camp. This summer, eight local girls took part.

Jeff, meanwhile, organized Menomonie’s first-ever summer golf camp in June, hosting 32 boys and girls ages 5-14 at Tanglewood Golf Course, the Mustangs’ home venue. “We taught the basics, and the older kids got to play in a tournament,” he said. “A top goal is to get a middle school program going.”

This year’s teams

Lexi’s tennis team is coming off two straight top-three finishes in the Big Rivers Conference. The Mustangs graduated two-time state qualifier Amy Lui but return senior captain Isabel Sorenson, last year’s No. 2 singles player. The No. 1 doubles team of junior Eme Gamez and senior Dylan Watkins is back, as is senior captain Teyha Johnson, last year’s No. 3 singles player.

Lexi expects about 35 players this fall with 10 returning letterwinners, aided by a strong middle school program and a youth camp the team runs as both a fundraiser and a recruiting tool.

Jeff’s girls golf team returns two senior captains, Maggie Winsend and Cierra House, from a five-player squad last season. His boys program has flourished, with 31 players in his first year and 27 in his second.

“In golf, it’s plain and simple to determine a lineup — just look at the scores,” Jeff said.

Looking ahead

The Hastings coaching year starts quickly. Girls golf opens Aug. 14 with a home meet, and girls tennis kicks off Aug. 16 at a tournament in La Crosse.

Lexi commutes daily from the Twin Cities to coach, despite opportunities closer to home. “There are people in the Cities who tell me there are so many open positions,” she said. “But I love coaching at Menomonie.”

Jeff shares that pride. “It’s a privilege and a joy to coach at Menomonie,” he said. “Menomonie produces good student-athletes, and I’m glad someone talked me into this.”

For both, it’s about more than just continuing a family legacy. It’s about shaping the next generation — the same way Wendy did for nearly four decades.

Chat GPT provided assistance in the production of this story.

Layne Pitt is the retired UW-Stout Sports Information director and also worked more than a decade at the Dunn County News.

Hastings Following a Legacy of Excellence by Layne Pitt is licensed under a CC BY SA 4.0 International license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

For a Calendar of Events in the Menomonie Area, visit Kathy Weber’s Menomonie Minute.

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