Welcome to Menomonie News Net Vol 2, Issue 26. You can read and search for archived issues and articles HERE.

Grateful to Menomonie Moose Lodge for their ongoing support of local nonprofits and in particular for their support of MNN this Saturday, May 16. through proceeds from their monthly charcoal chicken dinner! Please join us if you can!

Menomonie is hopping this time of year…it’s hard to cover all the good things going on. Read on to find out more about your unique community.

Inviting you to stay informed, connected, engaged…

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

Donate online HERE  OR by mail - check to MNN, PO Box 63, Menomonie. Your donations bring us closer to our goals of part-time staff and sustainability.

Website: www.menomonienewsnet.org

Submit story ideas to: [email protected]

In this Issue...

• Spring at the Dunn County Jail Garden

• Menomonie’s 8th Annual City-Wide Thrift Sales Thur …

• Moose Lodge Chicken Dinner this Saturday to Benefi …

• Stepping Stones Launches South Broadway ‘Family Sh …

• Prochnow Elected Chair as New Dunn County Board Ta …

• UW-Stout Spring Commencement May 16 for More than …

• 4-H Youth Complete Cross-Generational Project

• MHS Grads: Liam Schwartz

• The Sounds of Spring

• Public Meetings May 13-20

• Menomonie Events at a Glance May 13-20

• MHS Extracurricular Activities

• 26 Wins

• UW-Stout Sports & Fitness Center Work Gets Underwa …

Spring at the Dunn County Jail Garden

Volunteers invited to assist with community project

By Sue Foxwell, MNN Contributor

Planting is on the minds of the volunteers at the Dunn County Jail Garden. Along with jail residents, community volunteers will be putting seeds and seedlings in the ground very soon.

The Jail Garden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and is supervised by the Sheriff’s Department Jail Program Director, Heather Pyka. The goal of the garden is to provide the community with fresh produce while teaching jail residents the fundamentals of gardening. Working alongside Heather is volunteer coordinator and overall ‘garden wrangler’ Kathie Metzger, who by day works at West Wisconsin Telcom.

Started in 2010, the garden has produced fresh vegetables and flowers for the food pantry at Stepping Stones, being delivered fresh the day it is picked. Bouquets are also made from flowers grown in the garden.

During 2025, 31 Huber residents at the jail spent 429 hours working in the garden. Eight volunteers were there for 165 hours with 2700 pounds of food being donated.

Volunteers are welcome and needed for planting and weeding, working along side the jail residents. Volunteers supply seeds and plant starts including onions, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and more. There are apple trees and chickens as well.

The amount of time as well as the days one can volunteer are flexible. It is fun and rewarding on many fronts, including building community and growing food that helps our area residents.

For more information or to volunteer contact Heather Pyka at the Dunn County Sheriff's office 715-231-2942 or [email protected].

Sue Foxwell is a Jail Garden volunteer.

Menomonie’s 8th Annual City-Wide Thrift Sales Thur-Sat

The 8th Annual city-wide spring thrift sales are happening this week.

• Thurs May 14: 8am-6pm

• Fri May 15: 6am - 6pm (early birds welcome)

• Sat May 16: 6am - 5pm

Click for an interactive map or listing.

For more information visit menomoniesales.com

Moose Lodge Chicken Dinner this Saturday to Benefit Menomonie News Net

By MNN Staff

We are grateful to Menomonie Moose Lodge for their ongoing support of area nonprofit organizations through monthly charcoal chicken dinners.

Mark your calendars and come for a meal on Saturday, May 16, 5-7pm at the Menomonie Moose Lodge, 720 19th Ave. Event proceeds will support us, Menomonie News Net, in providing hyperlocal news to our community, at no cost for all to receive.

For more information email us at [email protected]

Stepping Stones Launches South Broadway ‘Family Shelter’ Restoration following Christmas Day Fire

Seeking donations for structural repairs, smoke mitigation efforts

MENOMONIE – Following an accidental fire that damaged three apartment units at Stepping Stones of Dunn County family shelter on S Broadway St, the organization is moving forward with recovery efforts.

Stepping Stones Shelter program serves over 200 individuals each year, including adults
and children, and provided over ten thousand nights of shelter in 2025. The loss of these units has put pressure on a system that has already faced a full wait list.

Repairs are underway; Cedar Falls Building Systems is working on finalizing restoration plans that include structural repair and smoke mitigation.

While the fire occurred on Christmas Day and disrupted housing services, Stepping Stones remains committed to its mission of providing food, shelter, and support to community members in Dunn County.

“Monetary gifts are currently the most effective way to support our mission, as they allow us to cover the rising costs of the restoration, interior furnishings and safety upgrades,” says Executive Director Corrisa Villeneuve.

“You can help Stepping Stones rebuild by making a financial contribution on the website at steppingstonesdc.org via the 'How Can You Help' page or by sending to the address below.”

If you prefer to give your time, Stepping Stones invites you to join their volunteer team to keep essential services running. There are immediate needs for assistance in the food pantry, drivers delivering meals, cooking meals at the Cairn House and support for other projects.

To volunteer, please contact Julie Bendel at [email protected].

Your generosity, whether through a gift or time, helps Stepping Stones become a stronger and more resilient organization for the community.

For more information or with questions about how you can help, contact Corrisa Villeneuve at [email protected] or by phone at 715-235-2920. Shelter located at 1602 Stout Rd, Menomonie.

Source: News release

Prochnow Elected Chair as New Dunn County Board Takes Office After April Election 

MENOMONIE - The newly elected Dunn County Board of Supervisors has selected a new chairman. At the organizational meeting following the April election, Randy Prochnow (District 24) was elected to lead the board.

Prochnow replaces Kelly McCullough as chair after McCullough decided not to seek another term while remaining on the board. Gary Stene was elected vice chair.

The 29-member board began its term on April 21. Prochnow will preside over regular monthly meetings held at 7 p.m. in the County Board Room at the Government Center, 3001 Highway 12 East, Room 054, Menomonie. 

The 2026-2028 Dunn County Board of Supervisors are:

• District 1: Tim Lauffer

• District 2: John Wurtzler (new)

• District 3: Albert Kelly (new)

• District 4: Ronald P. Score

• District 5: Gary Stene

• District 6: Dustin Shackleton

• District 7: Gary Bjork

• District 8: Luke Wilsey

• District 9: Samuel Thompson (new)

• District 10: Donald Gjestson

• District 11: Michelle Bachand

• District 12: Mike Kneer

• District 13: Monica Berrier

• District 14: Agnes Welsch

• District 15: Barbara Lyon

• District 16: Tom Wagner (new)

• District 17: Kelly McCullough

• District 18: Sheila Stori

• District 19: Cody Gentz

• District 20: Spencer Berndt

• District 21: Diane L. Morehouse

• District 22: Andrew Hagen

• District 23: Mark Thomas

• District 24: Randy L. Prochnow (Chair)

• District 25: Tom Gilbert

• District 26: Larry R. Bjork

• District 27: Robert Bauer

• District 28: Tim Lienau (returning)

• District 29: David Styer (new)

Retirements include District 2: Patrick Breslin; District 3: Vaughn Hedlund; District 9: Thomas Quinn; District 16: Ann Vogl; District 28: Gordon Wolf; and District 29: Jerry Joe Hartung. 

For more information contact Dan Dunbar, Dunn County Manager, (715) 232-2429 [email protected]

Source: news release

UW-Stout Spring Commencement May 16 for More than 1,000 Graduates

By Abbey Goers, UW-Stout

Spring commencement will be held for 1,067 graduates on Saturday, May 16, at UW-Stout. A total of 849 undergraduate and 218 graduate students will receive degrees during three ceremonies at Johnson Fieldhouse:

• 9:30 a.m.: College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Management

• 1:30 p.m.: College of Arts & Human Sciences

• 5 p.m.: Graduate Studies

The ceremonies can also be seen via livestream on the UW-Stout commencement website and at the Memorial Student Center.

Provost Glendalí Rodríguez will host the ceremonies. Chancellor Katherine Frank will provide remarks to the graduates and confer degrees. 

Outstanding and retired educator Bryan Albrecht, a three-time UW-Stout alum, will serve as guest alum speaker at each ceremony. Albrecht is a recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the Wisconsin Association for Career and Technical Education, as well as UW-Stout’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

Three graduating students will also address the Class of 2026:

• Noah Rosenberger, of Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, B.S. hotel, restaurant and tourism management, CSTEMM speaker.

• Sumnima Devkota, of Kathmandu, Nepal, B.S. psychology, CAHS speaker.

• Cory Bloomer, of Stevens Point, M.S. risk control and safety management, Graduate Studies speaker.

The ceremonies will include music by an octet of UW-Stout choir members directed by Jean Enyeart.

Abbey Goers works in Marketing Communications, [email protected]

4-H Youth Complete Cross-Generational Project

By Zachary Rozmiarek, 4-H Youth Educator

Last month, Dunn County 4-H offered a cross-generational program called Generation Celebration, where youth met and interviewed residents at the Neighbors of Dunn County. This turned out to be a meaningful program for both the youth and the residents, according to Zachary Rozmiarek, Dunn County 4-H Educator.

As the youth listened to the amazing stories told about the residents’ lives and childhood, they learned about history, but more importantly, that they shared things in common. Some even discovered they had special connections.

For example, when Gene Knutson was being interviewed by 4-H member Milo Beyrer, it was discovered that Gene had known Milo’s great-grandfather and bought a Belgian stallion from him.

Another result of the program was how the residents thrived when talking with the young people. Because they were asked specific questions, the residents started remembering more details from their childhood to share than if just asked to talk about themselves. One story led to another. These wonderful outcomes were not entirely accidental.

To help make stronger connections during the interviews, Rozmiarek asked the youth to write down their hobbies and interests were when they registered for the program. Later, volunteer Kathy Asper instructed them to choose interview questions that were interesting to themselves; plus Alyssa Stelter, Neighbors Life Enhancement Mentor/Volunteer Coordinator, chose residents with similar interests to be paired up together with the youth.

On April 28 a Generation Celebration Day was held where families of the participants gathered and the youth introduced their new friends using information they had learned during their interviews.

Looking forward to fair season, watch for Dunn County 4-H at the Colfax Free Fair in June and at the Dunn County Fair July 23 – 26.

Contact: Zachary Rozmiarek, [email protected], 715-232-1636

MHS Grads: Liam Schwartz

Liam Schwartz - Class of 2019

By Judy Foust

Today’s MHS grad, Liam Schwartz, self-referred for this article, making my work so much easier. 

Liam began by sharing: “After graduating from MHS in 2019, I served with AmeriCorps doing conservation fieldwork in Utah and South Carolina, supported Hawaii’s statewide sustainability initiative through AmeriCorps VISTA program and worked in environmental advocacy.”

It was obvious that Liam has a love for the environment. So, now let’s go back to his high school years to find out when that passion started.

Some of his clearest high school memories center on specific teachers rather than the hallway or gym. There were three teachers, in particular, that left a lasting impression on him—Corey Davis (AP U.S. History), Tim Miller (Sociology) and Jay Stanley (Physics).

About his favorite teacher Corey Davis - “For the better part of my junior year, I ate lunch with him in his classroom every day. I don’t remember every conversation, but I remember what it felt like—unhurried, genuine, the kind of talk you don’t always expect to find in high school.”

Jay Stanley deserves mention as well because he had the rare gift of making physics concepts “land” for someone who typically runs the other direction from the natural sciences. “I wouldn’t say he converted me, but he made me a lot less afraid of it.”

But the class that stuck with Liam most was Sociology, taught by Tim Miller. “Something about the way it framed human behavior and social systems just clicked with me. It ultimately led me to major in Sociology at Hamline University.”

Upon reflection, Liam noted that throughout high school, he gravitated toward social studies. He took every elective that the department offered and had exhausted the list by the time he graduated! “Looking back, it was a pretty clear signal about where I was headed in life.”

After high school, Liam attended Hamline University in St. Paul earning a BA degree in Sociology with a minor in Environmental Studies. His undergraduate thesis examined how different emotional appeals influence climate-related behavior. It was another sign of where his interests were leading him.

Liam is currently back in school pursuing a master’s degree in environmental science and policy at Northeastern University in Boston. He expects to graduate in 2027. He described his coursework in climate science, economic analysis and public policy as a toolkit for understanding why environmental problems persist and how policy can fix them. “My goal,” says Liam, “is to work at the intersection of land conservation and public policy, ideally helping state and local governments develop solutions for natural resource protection, land stewardship, and climate resilience.”

Throughout his life, Liam has immersed himself in a wide variety of activities and adventures. Since the list is far too long for me to mention everything, I asked Liam to select 3-4 of his most unusual adventures.

“After graduating high school, I took a gap year and became a student at the High Mountain Institute, an outdoor leadership school based in Leadville, CO. While in that program, I went backpacking in Colorado, Utah, and Chilean Patagonia, while completing coursework and living in community.

“For three summers during undergrad, I played on Union des Bateaux FC, which is the premier amateur soccer club in western Wisconsin based in Eau Claire. The first season I was on the team, we won the league for the third time.”

“After college, I moved to Honolulu, HI where I served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Hawaiʻi Green Growth, supporting the state's sustainability initiative called the Aloha+ Challenge. It was some of the most meaningful work I've done—community-driven, place-based, and genuinely hopeful. While living in Hawaiʻi, in addition to exploring all the islands have to offer, I began playing competitive Ultimate Frisbee. I have continued playing in graduate school and just finished the collegiate season playing for Northeastern. I am currently trying out for a few club teams to play at a high level this summer/fall.”

Liam currently lives in Boston and is interning with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, working in the Policy, Planning and Analysis Division doing “exactly the kind of work I came to grad school for.”

When asked how he felt about growing up in Menomonie, he noted the quality of life in small-town America—a slowness and familiarity that you don’t appreciate until you’re living somewhere else that doesn’t have this quality. He remembers biking around town late at night without a second thought. That sense of safety and ease isn’t something that all kids have today.

At the same time UW-Stout gave an energy to the city that most small cities don’t have. It brought a liveliness to the community through its assorted people, ideas, and events. This made for a nice balance for those living in Menomonie.

Liam ended our interview by saying, “Soccer was a big part of my childhood and adolescence there, and the sport has stayed with me. But the thing I treasure most is the friendships. Some of the people I met in high school and youth soccer are still among my closest friends. That’s true despite years of all of us scattering in different directions after graduation. That kind of friendship is harder to come by than many people realize. I think there’s something about growing up in a tight-knit community that makes it more likely.”

I think Liam hit the nail on the head with his closing paragraph, don’t you?”

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]

The Sounds of Spring

By John Wilkerson, MNN Contributor

I don’t have an article this month.

I tried. Honestly, I did. Spring stole my attention. Grass needed cutting. Flowers pushed through the dirt. Even my little red tractor demanded affection.

So instead of telling you how to journal, I’m going to suggest something else.

Go for a walk.

Take a slip of paper and pencil. Your phone is acceptable only if you promise to leave it in your pocket. Walk fifty paces. Maybe a hundred. Then stop.

Listen. Not casually. Really listen.

I walk a lot. There aren’t many bad ideas that survive a long walk.

This time of year awakens something inside many of us. We throw open windows. We stand outside longer than necessary. We remember we own lawn chairs. Spring doesn’t politely arrive. It barges through the door demanding attention.

Most of us experience life through noise before anything else.

Traffic rolling down Main Street. A dishwasher humming in the kitchen. The soft drone of a ball game through an open garage. Church bells. Barking dogs. Friends talking over one another at a backyard grill.

Recently, I sat inside a coffee shop while meditation chimes played through hidden speakers. The music was slightly off-key. Not enough to annoy me, but enough to keep pulling at my attention.

Oddly enough, I liked it. The unevenness felt human.

It reminded me that we spend too much time trying to eliminate the rough edges from life. Silence every distraction. Filter every inconvenience. Organize every thought into productivity.

Maybe that’s why journaling matters.

Not because writing itself is magical, but because journaling forces us to notice things we normally step over.

As a child, I loved visiting a waterfall tucked into the woods. I still remember the cold spray hanging in the air and the deep chatter of the water rolling over the cliff face. The sound filled the entire valley.

Years later, I returned as an adult.

A metal staircase had been bolted along the rock wall so tourists could climb beside the falls. Every footstep rang against the steel. Clang. Clang. Clang.

The waterfall was still there, but the soundscape had changed.

Funny how life works that way.

The older I get, the more I realize journaling is less about recording events and more about recording awareness. The sound of spring rain against a window. The rhythm of your own footsteps. Wind pushing through fresh leaves. Coffee shop bells and imperfect chimes.

Those moments disappear quickly if we don’t stop long enough to notice them.

So maybe this month’s journaling assignment is simple.

Go outside. Walk. Listen.

Then write what the world sounds like.

That is enough.

John Wilkerson writes a monthly column for MNN to share his love of journaling. According to John he “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 stretch in marketing and advertising.” He may be contacted at [email protected]

Public Meetings May 13-20

City of Menomonie

Wed May 13 Airport Commission Meeting, 6pm, AGENDA

Mon May 18 City Council Meeting, 7pm, Council Chambers

Tues May 19 Joint Town/City Planning Meeting, 4pm, Conf Rm 58, City Hall AGENDA

Wed May 20 Urban Forestry Meeting, 1 pm; Menomonie Public Library Board, 6pm, Library

Click HERE for full calendar.

School District of Menomonie

No scheduled Meetings

Click HERE for full calendar additional details

Dunn County

Wed May 13 Executive Committee, 3pm

Fri May 15 Neighbors of Dunn County Committee, 9am

Mon May 18 Board of Adjustment, 10:30am; ADRC Advisory, 1pm; Judiciary & Law Committee, 4:30pm

Wed May 20 County Board, 7pm

Click HERE for calendar, documents, recordings & public commenting

Menomonie Events at a Glance May 13-20

Thur May 14 Our Savior’s Lutheran Thrift Sale, 8am-6pm, 910 9th St; City-Wide Thrift Sales, 8am-6pm, (see article); St. Joseph Church Thrift Sale, 9am-6pm; 921 Wilson Ave

Fri May 15 Our Savior’s Lutheran Thrift Sale, 8am-Noon, 910 9th St; City-Wide Thrift Sales, 6am-6pm; St. Joseph Church Thrift Sale, 9am-5pm, 921 Wilson Ave

Sat May 16 City Wide Thift Sales, 6am-5pm (early birds welcome); Opening Day Outdoor Farmers Market, 8am - 1pm, Wilson Park; Pet Microchipping Event, 9am-1pm, Marquart Motors; UW-Stout Commencement, 9:30am, 1:30pm, 5pm, Johnson Fieldhouse; YMCA Parents Night Out, 4-7pm, Menomonie Alliance Church; Moose Lodge Dinner to Benefit Menomonie News Net, 5-7pm, Moose Lodge; MHS Jazz Spring Swing, 6pm, MHS

Sun May 17 Red Cedar Classic Auto Club Show & Swap Meet, 8am-1:30pm, Dunn Co Rec Park; Isaiah May Graduation Concert & Fundraiser, 5:30 pm, Family Learning Center, 523 Cedar Ave

Mon May 18 Red Cross Blood Drive, 10am-4pm, Alliance Church, 502 21st St N

MHS Extracurricular Activities

Compiled from MHS Daily Announcements

Wednesday, May 6  

Another windy day on the golf course but the Mustang Golf Team was able to finish in a tie for 3rd place in the Eau Claire Memorial BRC meet at Wild Ridge Golf on Tuesday May 5. Team scores: Hudson 142; River Falls 148; Menomonie 150; New Richmond 150; Rice Lake 154; EC Memorial 158; Chippewa Falls 161; EC North 163. Leading the way were Tyler Reckin shooting a 1 under 35 good for 4th overall, followed by Wes Miller 36, 5th overall; Quin Rabeneck 38, 11th overall & Trent Wold 41.

The Boys Tennis Team captured a 6-1 BRC win over Eau Claire North last night. The Mustangs swept the singles lineup with dominant performances from Caleb Gunderson, Bruce Behrend, and Wren Swaenepoel and an impressive three set comeback win from Harrison Davis at the #1 singles position. Convincing wins came in the doubles lineup from the team of Jake Rue and Davin Ellis at the top doubles spot as well as Elliot Risler and Bricin Leisses who remain unbeaten at #3 doubles this season!

JV2 Baseball fell to Eau Claire North 13-6. Dillon Kopaczewski led the team in hitting, collecting three hits including a double. JV Baseball defeated Eau Claire North 8-5 in extra innings. Tyler Sutherland had a go ahead Double, and Zach Bird threw 6 innings allowing 2 earned runs, while Maxel Keyes collected the win on the mound. Varsity Baseball lost to Eau Claire North 4-1. Bailey Casey threw 6 innings allowing 3 earned runs. Kellen Turner had a hit and scored the Mustangs lone run on an RBI by Easton Anderson. Taylor Mars also collected 2 hits.

Friday, May 8  

The Mustangs Golf Team and they recorded their lowest team score in recent years shooting a 149 and tying for 2nd place in the Chippewa Falls BRC meet at Lake Wissota. Top 4 team scores: Rice Lake 144; Menomonie 149; Hudson 149; New Richmond 152. Leading the way was 1st place medalist Tyler Reckin carding a 5 under 31, tying the Conference 9 hole record, and breaking the school record. Also scoring were Wes Miller and Quin Rabeneck both shooting 38 and Ryder Anderson with a 40.

Congrats also go out to the JV Golf Team winning Rice Lake BRC meet at Turtleback Thursday. Top team scores: Menomonie 152; Hudson 153; Rice Lake 162; EC Memorial 165; River Falls 165. Leading the JV team were Ben Dahms, Ryan Xu and Jack Andraschko all shooting 37 followed by Isaac Anderson with a 41.

Varsity Girls Soccer was on the road last night at EC North and battled to a hard-fought 0-0 draw. Zoe Skoug was outstanding in net, recording 11 saves and helping secure the shutout for the Mustangs.

Monday, May 11

The Boys Tennis Team completed regular season play over the weekend finishing the season with 26 wins and 2 losses. This is a new school record for most wins in a season, exceeding the previous mark of 24 wins set in 2024. Congratulations to the Mustangs on their historic achievement! (See article below: 26 Wins)

The Golf Team ended a busy week at the 2-day, 36 hole, 21 team Hayward Invite on May 8 & 9 at Hayward Golf and Big Fish. The Mustangs finished in 8th place. Team scores: Rice Lake 630; Amery 637; Bloomer 638; Kohler 645; Superior 649; Hayward 652; Chippewa 652; Menomonie 656. Leading the Mustangs were Tyler Reckin with a two day score of 156, Wes Miller 159; Quin Rabeneck 172 and Trent Wold 174.

26 Wins

MHS Boys Tennis Sets School Record for Wins in a Season

By Layne Pitt, MNN Contributor

WAUSAU – The Menomonie High School boys tennis team set a school record for most wins in a season after a flurry of wins over the weekend.

The Mustangs pushed their overall record to a state-best 26-2-0 after winning six matches last week. Menomonie opened the week with a 6-1 win over Eau Claire North in their final Big Rivers Conference dual match of the season May 5, then added five wins over May 8-9 in a Wausau tournament. The 2024 team had posted 24 wins.

Over the course of the six matches, the Mustang single players won in straight sets in 23 of 24 possible matches.

Menomonie closed out the BRC dual season with a 6-1 win over North to run their conference record to 5-1, then carried the momentum into the weekend, downing DC Everest 7-0, Green Bay Preble 7-0 and New Richmond 7-0 on Friday. Following a brief rain delay Saturday morning, Menomonie kept up the dominance with a 7-0 win over Baldwin-Woodville and blanked Eau Claire North, 7-0.

The Miustangs will host an alumni scrimmage, Wednesday, May 13. The JV squad will compete in their BRC tournament, Friday, May 15. The varsity will compete in the BRC Championship, Tuesday, May 19 at Eau Claire North.

The story “26 Wins” by Layne Pitt is licensed under a CC BY SA 4.0 International license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Menomonie Mustangs Athletics and Activities | UW-Stout Blue Devil Athletics

UW-Stout Sports & Fitness Center Work Gets Underway

By Layne Pitt, MNN Contributor

MENOMONIE - University of Wisconsin-Stout officials, students and community members gathered to break ground April 30 on a $31.7 million renovation of the campus Sports and Fitness Center, a project aimed at enhancing student health and wellness.

The renovation will add nearly 12,000 square feet of new space and update about 28,000 square feet in the existing facility, which opened in 1963. The project is expected to be completed by early 2028.

Chancellor Katherine Frank said the effort reflects UW-Stout’s focus on student success and was made possible through student support and private donations. Students approved funding through fees in 2019 and 2022, while alumni Dallas and Edye Pankowski contributed $5 million, the largest gift in university history.

Plans include converting a decommissioned pool into a multipurpose gym, relocating the weight room, expanding locker rooms and adding second-floor courts. A new entrance and atrium, named for the Pankowskis, will serve as a central gathering space.

Senior Facilities Officer Justin Utpadel said the renovation addresses outdated infrastructure and increased demand, while state Rep. Clint Moses, a UW-Stout graduate, said the upgraded facility will help UW-Stout remain competitive within the Universities of Wisconsin system.

The project will benefit not only UW-Stout students and athletes, but the thousands of community members who come through the facility’s doors annually for sporting events and youth programs.

Students also emphasized the impact. Junior Maraya Wiltrout, a member of both the UW-Stout women’s basketball team and the Stout Student Association, said the project will improve athletic training and team cohesion, while fellow junior Ian Bryant, an orientation and first-year specialist as well as a campus tour guide, noted that campus construction reflects continued investment in students.

“This project has involved a long journey, and it is incredibly rewarding to finally gather here for the official groundbreaking,” said Director of Athletics and Recreation Erin Sullivan . “This renovation will transform this space into something truly special for our campus community.”

Miron Construction will serve as general contractor.

Find additional information about the project at: UW-Stout Sports and Fitness Center Construction

The story “Stout SFC Work Gets Underway” by Layne Pitt is licensed under a CC BY SA 4.0 International license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Menomonie Mustangs Athletics and Activities | UW-Stout Blue Devil Athletics 

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

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