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CooperaN

COOPERATIVE

News

Wisconsin

ENERGY Cooperative

contents November 2021

News

Letter from

NEWS BRIEFS

THE EDITOR

Find ways to honor and thank our veterans.

8 15 28 30

Energy

EFFICIENCY

Savings keeps improving, even through a pandemic.

Larson elected to CFC board.

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

Vaccination is our hope to be together again.

Danger, Daring,

DECEIT

Former co-op member shares account of Operation Halyard.

Recipes Oh my gosh, it’s squash.

On the COVER

Soldiers Walk is a memorial to veterans past, present, and future.

Kids &

CRITTERS

Cute co-op kids get cozy with their critters.

MY CO-OP

Find out what’s happening at your local electric cooperative.

CLASSIFIEDS

Buy, sell, and trade with readers from across Wisconsin.

EVENTS

Find a November event year you.

November 2021

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LETTER FROM

THE EDITOR Honor and thanks

Each November, we devote space in this publication to honor our veterans and thank them for their service. Dana Kelroy, Editor On page 10, our story of “Danger, Daring, Deceit” chronicles Washington Island Electric Cooperative member Dick Sheehy’s story as one of the “Forgotten 500.” The late Sheehy was one of more than 500 Allied airmen shot down behind enemy lines in Yugoslavia and rescued in one of the boldest and most courageous rescue missions ever completed. We also honor veterans on page 24 in our Wisconsin Favorites story about Soliders Walk in Arcadia. Veteran and former Riverland Energy Cooperative General Manager Dave Oelkers said of the park, “I’ve been to Washington, D.C, enough times that I’ve lost count...Any veterans memorial is important and impressive, but I don’t think any of them come as close to what you will see in Washington, D.C., as the one in Arcadia.” Now retired from electric cooperatives, Oelkers is the Commander of American Legion Post 77 in Chippewa Falls. Dismayed at the post’s inability to raise funds for their depleted Veterans Relief Fund during the pandemic, Oelkers took fundraising into his own hands. He decided to ride his bike across the state to raise awareness for veteran issues and generate funds for local vets in need. With his wife, Jo, driving a support vehicle and taking care of the logistics, Oelkers recently biked 225 miles from La Crosse to Green Bay in 3.5 days. As of press time for this magazine, Oelkers far exceeded his goal of raising $3,000, with all proceeds staying in the Chippewa Valley to help local vets. We encourage readers to support their local American Legion, VFW, or other veterans organization this November to remember those who served our country. Donations are also still being accepted for Oelker’s effort. To contribute, go to GoFundMe.com and search “La Crosse to Lambeau” or send a check to: American Legion Post 77 PO Box 241 Chippewa Falls WI 54729 Thank you, veterans, for your sacrifice and service.

Dave Oelkers, with his wife, Jo, in front of the Vince Lombardi statue at Lambeau Field, pose triumphantly at the end of his 225-mile bike ride from La Crosse to Green Bay. Photo courtesy of Dave Oelkers On the cover: A World War II memorial at Soldiers Walk in Arcadia depicts the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima.

November 2021 Vol. 82 No. 5 The Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News (Formerly Wisconsin R.E.C. News) has been published monthly and distributed since July 1940 to members of Wisconsin’s non-profit, consumer-owned rural electric cooperatives. It is available to non-members for $13 per year or $35 for three years. Members pay $6.93 per year. Published by the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, WI 53703. Steve Freese, president & CEO. USPS number: 688-480. Postmaster: please send address changes to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, WI 53703. Periodicals postage paid at Sun Prairie, Wis. Send correspondence to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, WI 53703. Phone (608) 467-4650. Web site: www.wecnmagazine.com. Co-op Members: Please send address changes to your local electric co-op. Contact information can be found on page 18. Steve Freese Dana Kelroy Mary Erickson Julie Lund Ann Bailey Geri Miller Jennifer Taylor

WECA president & CEO editor associate editor contributing writer graphic designer advertising consultant editorial assistant

For advertising opportunities please email ads@weca.coop. The appearance of advertising or events does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. We reserve the right to refuse advertisers. Please recycle

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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10/18/21 3:38 PM

SHANE LARSON ELECTED TO CFC BOARD

Rock Energy CEO Shane Larson was elected to a three-year term on the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) Board of Directors. Larson won the seat to represent District 5

at the NRECA Regions 5 & 6 meeting recently in Minneapolis. Larson has served as CEO of Rock Energy Cooperative since August 2000. Prior to that he was general manager of LeavenworthJefferson Electric Cooperative in McLouth, Kansas.

HALLGREN ELECTED TO FEDERAL RURAL ELECTRIC INSURANCE EXCHANGE BOARD Brian Hallgren, chairman of the Taylor Electric Cooperative board of directors, has been elected to represent Region 5 on the Federal Rural Electric Insurance Exchange Board. Hallgren has served on the Taylor Electric Board since 2016. Hallgren is an entrepreneur and a licensed insurance agent. He officially takes his position on the board in June.

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION 1. PUBLICATION TITLE: Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News 2. PUBLICATION NUMBER: 688-480 3. FILING DATE: 9/28/21 4. ISSUE FREQUENCY: Monthly 5. NUMBER OF ISSUES PUBLISHED ANNUALLY: 12 6. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION PRICE: $13 7. COMPLETE MAILING ADDRESS OF KNOWN OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, Dane County, WI 53703-2719; CONTACT PERSON: Dana Kelroy; TELEPHONE: 608-467-4645 8. COMPLETE MAILING ADDRESS OF HEADQUARTERS OR GENERAL BUSINESS OFFICE OF PUBLISHER: 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, Dane County, WI 53703-2719 9. PUBLISHER: Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, WI 53703-2719 EDITOR: Dana Kelroy, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, Dane County, WI 53703-2719 10. OWNER: Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, WI 53703-2719 11. KNOWN BONDHOLDERS, MORTGAGEES, AND OTHER SECURITY HOLDERS OWNING OR HOLDING 1 PERCENT OR MORE OF TOTAL AMOUNT OF BONDS, MORTGAGES, OR OTHER SECURITIES: None 12. FOR COMPLETION BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AUTHORIZED TO MAIL AT NONPROFIT RATES The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for Federal Income Tax purposes (✓) HAVE NOT CHANGED DURING PRECEDING 12 MONTHS 13. PUBLICATION NAME: Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News 14. ISSUE DATE FOR CIRCULATION DATA BELOW: 9/21 15. EXTENT AND NATURE OF CIRCULATION Actual No. Copies Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preced- of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date ing 12 Months 154,276 a. Total no. copies (net press run) 161,645 b. Paid circulation (by mail and outside the mail) 152,710 1. Mailed outside-county paid subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541 160,241 0 2. Mailed in-county paid subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541 0 3. Paid distribution outside the mails including sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales and other paid distribution 893 outside USPS 801 0 4. Paid distribution by other classes of mail through the USPS 0 153,603 c. Total paid distribution (sum of 15b 1, 2, 3, and 4) 161,042 d. Free or nominal rate distribution (by mail and outside the mail) 378 1. Free or nominal rate outside county copies included on PS Form 3541 368 0 2. Free or nominal rate in-county copies included on PS Form 3541 0 0 3. Free or nominal rate copies mailed at other classes through USPS 0 0 4. Free or nominal rate distribution outside the mail 0 378 e. Total free or nominal rate distribution (sum of 15d 1, 2, 3, and 4) 368 153,981 f. Total distribution (sum of 15c and 15e) 161,411 295 g. Copies not distributed 234 154,276 h. Total (sum of 15f and g) 161,645 99.8% i. Percent paid (15c ÷ 15f x 100) 99.8% 16. This statement of ownership will be printed in the 11/21 issue of this publication Dana Kelroy, editor 9/28/21

MAGAZINE EARNS NATIONAL AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FEATURE

The Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News (WECN) took home an Award of Excellence in the Best Historical Feature category of the 2021 Willies Awards. The honor for excellence in co-op journalism was bestowed recently at the NRECA Statewide Editors Association annual institute in Austin, Texas. The award-winning story was WECN Associate Editor Mary Erickson’s piece, titled “Connections to the Past: Historic Bridges Cross Co-op Country,” which was featured in the September 2020 edition of the magazine.

DAIRYLAND WELCOMES THIRD PARTNER IN NEMADJI TRAIL PROJECT

Basin Electric has joined Dairyland Power Cooperative and ALLETE’s Minnesota Power as an investor and owner of the Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC). ALLETE is selling a portion of its 50 percent ownership stake to Basin under its subsidiary, Nemadji River Generation, LLC. Under the deal, Basin will pay $20 million to own 30 percent of the proposed combined-cycle, 600-megawatt natural gas power plant in Superior and ALLETE will own 20 percent. Dairyland will still own 50 percent and says its commitment to the renewable enabling project is unchanged. Minnesota Power will remain the constructor and operator of the facility.

PSC INCREASES FUNDS FOR ENERGY INNOVATION GRANTS

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) is increasing the budget for the state’s Energy Innovation Grant Program from $7 million to $10 million. The Energy Innovation Grants provide funding for energy projects that reduce energy consumption, increase clean energy and transportation technologies, bolster preparedness and resiliency in the energy system, and incorporate comprehensive energy planning.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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TOGETHER A

few of our readers have contacted me to ask why a magazine produced for your electric cooperative carried content relating to COVID-19 over the past few months. (An equal number of readers have contacted me to say thank you for sharing this vital information.) The simple fact is found in the Seven Cooperative Principles, to which all electric cooperatives adhere. Principle number 7 is Concern for Community. While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities Steve Freese through policies accepted by their members. President and CEO It has been clear to us for some time that a significant number of readers of this magazine have no access to the internet or very spotty access like I have. Plus, some of our readers get television through satellite TV, which rarely has local channels, so local information about COVID-19 is harder to come by. They have no resources to tell them about COVID-19, where to get tested, or even get a vaccine. Worst of all, a lack of high-speed internet hampers their ability to research the virus, so they are left in the dark. This publication reaches much of rural Wisconsin, and we were able to fill that void. Principle number 5 is Education, Training, and Information. Cooperatives provide education and training for their members. They inform the public, particularly young people and opinion leaders, about the nature and benefits of cooperation. We knew if we partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Health, we could at least give our readers access to information to do the research like I did to make informed decisions about what they wanted to do for themselves and their families. This is a very personal decision to make. We know that giving you access to reliable information is the first step to making that informed decision. We have seen firsthand the damage this virus has done to rural Wisconsin’s economy. We have seen our favorite supper club open for the last time because it couldn’t survive on carryout alone. This virus interrupted every aspect of our lives, our jobs, our leisure, and our church services. Easter, Thanksgiving, and even Christmas were all disrupted. Many of us had to transition to work from home, and those of

AGAIN

us with school-age children had to help them as they had to attend school from home. Unfortunately for many rural Wisconsin families, they couldn’t do that successfully because they lacked access to the internet (or like me, adequate access—when both my son and I had to work on the internet simultaneously, it would freeze up and stop working). My family, like yours, has experienced the devastation firsthand of what this virus can do. My 95-yearold mother has been in a nursing home since she broke her hip. Last year, the virus swept through her care facility. She and her roommate both contracted the virus, as did many others in the center. Fortunately, mom survived, but her roommate did not. Two of my aunts and one uncle contracted the virus, and the two who were vaccinated survived, but the one who wasn’t died. One of our neighbors and a family friend both contracted the virus, and both died. I watched and worried when my sister and her entire family contracted the virus. Fortunately, they all made it through. As a result of this life experience, I researched the virus and the pros and cons of taking the vaccine. It was an easy decision for me to take the vaccine. It was a bit harder to decide which vaccine to take. Ultimately, I took the Pfizer vaccine and both doses. I experienced no side effects except being a bit tired after the second shot. My entire family has gotten vaccinated mostly with the Pfizer vaccine, but some have done the Johnson and Johnson because they wanted to get vaccinated immediately, and it was the only one available at the time. As I share with you my very personal stories, I am hopeful that it will prompt you to do what I did and research reliable sources so that we don’t have to go through another winter without being able to get together with friends and family, go to church with our neighbors, and be able to work and go to school safely.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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ENERGY EFFICIENCY KEEPS IMPROVING

EVEN THROUGH A PANDEMIC

Use of highly efficient LED bulbs has grown from a 20% market share in 2015 to 60% in 2019—and that trend won’t be reversed since LEDs last well over 10 years. Photo Source: Scott Van Osdol

mericans keep getting more efficient in their use of energy, a trend that’s even powered its way through the pandemic.

Experts are starting to publish energy statistics gathered from 2020, a year that seemed to upend every part of our lives, and energy was no exception. Last year saw a 7% drop in energy use in the U.S., the largest annual decrease since those figures first started being collected in 1949, says the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA). EIA attributes much of that decrease to the economy’s reaction to the coronavirus.

Sleeping Later

Energy consumption didn’t just drop––it shifted as well. Commercial energy use fell dramatically as people stayed home from the office. Residential use rose because, of course, people stayed home from the office. People even slept later—some areas reported peak morning electricity use moving from around 6 a.m. when people would normally shower and make breakfast before leaving the house to go to work. Instead, energy use peaked at times later in the day as people simply walked from their kitchen to their home office. Will people decide they prefer that kind of commute in their socks even after the coronavirus concerns return to normal? Or will they be even hungrier for in-person meetings? The 2020 statistics don’t offer a lot of guidance on that kind of speculation. But the specialists pouring over those figures do draw some conclusions: new, more energyefficient uses of technology may change some of our energy use patterns, and the overall trend to energy efficiency will likely continue. Several well-established, long-term energy use trends include: • Residential energy use per household fell 16% from 2001 to 2018, says a coalition of energy efficiency groups; • Automobiles continued a 20-year trend that has increased average fuel economy more than 30%, from 19.6 miles

per gallon in 2011 to 25.7, according to preliminary 2020 figures from the Environmental Protection Agency; • Use of highly efficient LED bulbs has grown from a 20% market share in 2015 to 60% in 2019––and that trend won’t be reversed since LEDs last well over 10 years; • One measure of efficiency is “energy intensity,” which calculates how much energy is consumed per dollar of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. In 2020, that number was about half of what it was 30 years ago, and it’s projected to fall further in the next 30 years. “The U.S. economy becomes steadily less energy-intensive” through 2050, the EIA predicts.

Built-in Efficiency That forecast for the next 30 years comes from a new EIA report, Annual Energy Outlook 2021. The overall message is that energy efficiency improvements are baked in to our everyday lives. While the report projects energy use will not completely return to 2019 levels until 2025, it “does not project long-term structural changes in electricity demand resulting from the pandemic.” And if the pandemic hasn’t permanently changed the long-term structure of the energy industry, the report says it also won’t affect the march toward greater efficiency. Here’s a partial list of why the EIA says the U.S. will keep getting more energy efficient: “Currently established increases in efficiency standards, building codes and incentives lead to energy efficiency improvements, especially those attributed to energy management controls and sensors associated with space heating, … changing technology, behavior and policy that affects energy efficiency in vehicles, end-use equipment and lighting.” EIA says these factors extend beyond the uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. So, as you and the rest of the world sort out how many meetings will be forever replaced by Zoom calls, we can count on continued improvements in motor vehicle fuel economy, lighting, building codes, and other energy-saving measures that will keep going long into a post-pandemic world. Paul Wesslund writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. November 2021

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DANGER, DARING, DECEIT Co-op member’s firsthand account of Operation Halyard, the greatest rescue mission of World War II Waves of Consolidated B-24 Liberators of the 15th Air Force fly over the Concordia Vega Oil refinery, Ploești, Romania, after dropping their bomb loads in May 1944. The late Dick Sheehy, former Washington Island Electric Cooperative member, was bombardier of a B-24 crew in one of the air raids over Ploesti. ‘ Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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ichard “Dick” Sheehy was 21 years old when he took his place as a bombardier in a B-24 bomber on an airstrip in Italy, ready to embark on his third, and what would be his final, mission into enemy territory. It was May 18, 1944, and the destination was the city of Ploesti in Romania, home to oil refineries that supplied roughly half the oil for the German war machine. Most of the 800-mile journey over the Adriatic Sea and the former Yugoslavia into Romania was uneventful—Sheehy would later describe a bombing mission as 80 or 90 percent pure boredom, and 10 to 20 percent pure terror. But the distance between take-off and target left plenty of time to think, and the gravity of the situation had to have been weighing on him. For starters, pecking order meant the newest crews got the worst positions in the flying formation. That meant Sheehy’s crew, with only two missions under their collective belt, flew Tail-End Charlie that day, a position at the rear that was so vulnerable to fighter attacks it came to be known as the Purple Heart position. However, no spot was truly safe in a formation headed to Ploesti. The Germans were as determined to defend the Romanian oil fields as the Allies were to destroy them. Every fleet of bombers that left for Ploesti came back missing some planes and people. Some of these young men met their fate in a blast of anti-aircraft fire. Others met their target but had to parachute from a critically damaged plane, their lives depending on where they landed and who found them. This is the situation Sheehy and his crew found themselves in after successfully reaching their target and dropping their bombs. Their plane took some heavy flak and lost one of its four engines, the entire electrical system, and a significant amount of fuel. Unable to keep up with the fleet formation, Sheehy’s bomber dropped back and limped along solo across

the Danube River and into Germanoccupied Yugoslavia, over the city of Bor. There, six anti-aircraft guns ﬁred at once at the plane, taking out a second engine and destroying the tail assembly. About 50 miles inside Yugoslavia, Sheehy and his crew mates strapped on their parachutes and jumped from their quickly dying plane into the unknown, one by one. As he descended, Sheehy noticed white spots in the valley that gradually revealed themselves to be sheep as his parachute got closer to the ground. He knew that where there were sheep, people would likely be nearby, and whether those people were friend or foe was not something he cared to learn the hard way. He tried to ﬂip his chute off to the side to avoid the valley and got hung up in a tree instead. As he cut himself free and fell to the ground, he saw a young couple with an elderly woman. Reasoning that no one would purposefully bring

Landing on Washington Island

Thus began the most deﬁning chapter of Dick Sheehy’s life. Until his death in 2015, this Army Air Corps veteran often shared his riveting story as one of the 500-plus Allied airmen who were shot down in Nazi-occupied territory during bombing campaigns over Romania, given refuge by local Serbian peasants, and ﬁnally saved in the greatest rescue mission of World War II, known as Operation Halyard. After the war Sheehy went on to marry, raise eight children, and serve a long career with Quaker Oats before moving to Washington Island, where he and his wife, Patty, had purchased a farm. They fell in love with the Island after vacationing there in the mid1960s and made it their permanent home in 1973. Once there, Sheehy launched a successful bird seed company—Havegard Farm, Inc.— that is still operating today under the direction of two of his sons. He and

YUGOSLAVIA

Pranjane

Bor

Ploesti

This map shows approximate locations of key places in Dick Sheehy’s story. His mission took him from an air base in Italy, over the former Yugoslavia, and on to Ploesti, Romania. His plane was heavily damaged and was ultimately shot down over Bor inside German-occupied Yugoslavia on the return trip, and he was taken to Pranjane, in the region of Serbia, from where he was eventually rescued.

their elderly mother into a dangerous situation, Sheehy decided it was safe enough to approach cautiously. As he got closer to the trio, the older woman said, “Americanski?” Sheehy nodded. The woman broke into a huge smile, and Sheehy relaxed a bit. He was safe, at least for now.

Patty were very involved in Island life, serving on the town, school, and art and nature center boards, and as active members of Washington Island Electric Cooperative. Among his many Island community activities, Sheehy was always willing to talk about his war experiences when November 2021

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Dick Sheehy stands in the back row, far left, with his crew before flying overseas. Although two would be captured by Germans and spend the rest of the war in a prisoner-of-war camp, all would survive the war. Photo courtesy of the Sheehy family Dick Sheehy shares his story of being shot down over Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia and rescued through Operation Halyard in Steve Waldron’s classroom at Washington Island School. Thanks to Waldron for sharing the DVD of this presentation, which was the major source for this story.

asked, whether it was at a VFW event, a mother/daughter banquet, or in a classroom at Washington Island School. “He was as personable and as nice a guy as there ever was,” said Robert Cornell, manager of Washington Island Electric Cooperative. “Everyone on the Island knew Dick and Patty.” Cornell was one of the young Washington Island residents who got to hear Sheehy tell his story, first at a church father/ son cookout when Cornell was 6 years old, and later at Washington Island School when Cornell was a student. One such school presentation was recorded, and this account, told in Sheehy’s own words, is the source of this article.

War Within a War

For more than 50 years after the dramatic rescue of Sheehy and the other airmen who were shot down behind enemy lines on bombing raids to Romania, the only way to have heard their story was to have heard it firsthand from one of the surviving airmen, like Cornell did. The story of Operation Halyard is riddled with political intrigue that kept it a secret until the British declassified their wartime reports in 1997. Author Gregory A. Freeman’s book “The Forgotten 500,” published in 2007, finally brought the full episode to the public; movie rights were acquired in 2017. The setting of this story is the former Yugoslavia, a region with diverse ethnic and religious cultures that have been frequently at war with each other through history, including in 1944. While fighting the Nazis, Yugoslavians were also fighting each other, with the Serbian nationalist guerrilla force known as the Chetniks and led by Draza Mihailovich on one side, and the Partisan resistance movement led by the communist revolutionary Josip Tito on the other.

Once hailed by the Americans for standing up to Hitler, Mihailovich fell out of favor with the Allies under accusations of collaborating with the Nazis. This view was pushed by the British, and it was influenced by a British agent who, as declassified records proved, was a Soviet mole. Toward the end of the war and for many years after, official American support for Mihailovich disappeared, and with it, any mention of the heroics he oversaw on behalf of the stranded airmen.

Protected by the Serbians

Although Mihailovich came to be labeled a collaborator, the fliers who were shot down over Yugoslavia quickly discovered otherwise. Airmen who landed in the mountainous Serbian region were enthusiastically welcomed by the villagers, who risked their own lives to shelter the airmen and shared what little food they had until Chetnik soldiers could escort the men to Pranjane, where General Mihailovich was headquartered. The shepherd family that Sheehy first encountered sheltered him for a night and then took him 20 or 30 miles to a cabin that had been built to house stranded Allied airmen. There Sheehy met up with five other members of his crew, who also had the good fortune to have been found by Serbian villagers. Two others were not so lucky; they were captured by Germans and spent the rest of the war in a prisoner of war camp. Sheehy and his fellow airmen spent a couple of months in that little cabin and then walked 330 miles across Yugoslavia in 11 days to Pranjane. Sheehy told of several close encounters along the way. He recalled coming across a ditch alongside the road filled with water that looked to be fairly clean. It was a tempting

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sight to the airmen, who by that point were filthy, “covered with lice and fleas and every bug you could think of.” Sheehy joined a couple of others who couldn’t resist the opportunity for a quick bath. They took off their uniforms and wadded them up, set them on the side of the ditch over their weapons, and entered the water. “We weren’t in there for more than two minutes when two German motorcycle troopers came roaring down the road, and they looked at us in there, and they were just as dirty as we were, and they got the same idea,” Sheehy said. “So we wound up with two German motorcycle troopers in the ditch taking a bath with us.” The Americans had learned enough Serbian by this time to muddle through a greeting that wouldn’t have fooled a Yugoslavian, but the Germans were none the wiser. Still, the airmen made a quick exit, holding their bundled-up clothes as close as possible and running off naked to keep the Germans from recognizing their American uniforms. “These two Germans looked at us like we were absolutely insane,” Sheehy said. “They just figured we were a couple of dumb peasants who didn’t know any better.”

Saved by a Child In another scary encounter, the airmen, exhausted from days of walking, were happy for the opportunity to hitch a ride on a train. Hunkering down and out of sight in a flatbed car, they rode for about 10 miles when a little Serbian girl, maybe 6 or 8 years old, stepped onto the tracks in front of the train and stood there with her hands up, refusing to move and forcing the train to stop. Word had somehow leaked to the Germans that American airmen were on board that train, and the Germans were evidently waiting at the next station. The little girl had come five miles to catch the train and warn the Americans. “That little girl—it took a lot of nerve to, number one, walk five miles out in the country following the tracks, and number two, it took a whole lot of nerve to stand there and stop that train, and I think we owe our lives to that little girl,” Sheehy said.

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Risky Rescue

Finally Sheehy and his group arrived at Pranjane, where groups of fliers were brought from wherever they’d been shot down. Here, they learned that they hadn’t been forgotten. A rescue plan was underway, although its success seemed like a very long shot. The plan took months of preparation, once it was finally begun. Mihailovich’s reports of stranded airmen yielded nothing until finally an November 2021

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Office of Strategic Services (OSS) agent, tipped off by rumors his wife had heard while working at the Yugoslavian Embassy back in Washington, D.C., intervened and formulated a daring plan that called for the airmen to be lifted by C-47 cargo planes from Pranjane. For this feat to be pulled off, a landing strip would have to be built—on a mountainside—large enough for the huge cargo planes to land and take off. This would be a Herculean task in the best of circumstances, but the emaciated airmen had to build this airstrip without any tools, and without attracting the Germans’ notice. An OSS group had been dropped behind enemy lines at Pranjane to help set the plan in motion. They devised a code to establish radio contact with the air base in Italy—a risky move because of the chance they could tip off their location to the Germans. The Chetniks helped the airmen build a 600yard grass landing strip on a narrow plateau halfway up the mountainside using mostly their bare hands. Sheehy described how they dragged gravel and rocks from the hillsides, packed them down as tight as possible, laid sod over the top, and then probed the field with an iron rod to find and fix any soft spots. Against great odds, on the night of August 9, 1944, four C-47 planes successfully landed in the dark at the makeshift airstrip and took off with 72 airmen back to Italy. The next morning, a fleet of fighter planes from the 15th Air Force gave cover to six more C-47s, which picked up the remaining 200 airmen. Sheehy was among those who left in the morning. Over the next few months, stranded airmen continued to be led by Serbian villagers and Chetnik soldiers to the handmade airfield at Pranjane, where the airmen were lifted out on C-47s. In all, 512 airmen were rescued through Operation Halyard. No lives were lost in the effort.

Speaking Out

Despite the astounding success of Operation Halyard, it was kept quiet. Allied leaders had by this time

agreed to side with Tito’s communist faction, and any accounts that ran counter to the official stance that Mihailovich was a collaborator were forbidden. As Sheehy was convalescing in a hospital in Italy, he got a visit from a trio of men in three-piece suits, who threatened him under terms of the Logan Act, a federal law that criminalizes negotiation by unauthorized American citizens with foreign governments having a dispute with the United States. “These three fellows from the State Department read us the riot act and said if you say you were with Mihailovich you are subject to 10 years in jail and a $10,000 fine,” Sheehy said. “That was our welcome home. “We all said, in short order, ‘Drop dead. We will talk to anybody we want,’ and we did,” Sheehy added. “We didn’t pay any attention to them at all, we were so mad.” The United States would finally correct the historical record regarding Mihailovich, awarding him the Legion of Merit posthumously in 1948. However, it was kept secret for decades to avoid upsetting the delicate balance of U.S./ Yugoslavian relations. Mihailovich’s daughter Gordana was finally presented with her father’s Legion of Merit award in 2005. The Forgotten 500, however, didn’t wait for official approval to speak the truth about Mihailovich’s loyalty. Like the other Operation Halyard veterans, Sheehy would speak openly about the Chetnik soldiers and the Serbian people to whom he owed his survival, bringing his story from the mountains of Serbia all the way to a classroom on Washington Island.—Mary Erickson WECN thanks the Sheehy family for allowing us to share Dick Sheehy’s story, and for providing photos and other information. We salute all veterans—and those who protected them—for their service.

Dick Sheehy (middle row, far left) and some of his crewmates in Serbia, 1944, with some of the Chetnik guerrilla soldiers who protected them. Photo courtesy of the Sheehy family This 1944 photo of Dick Sheehy in Yugoslavia shows the result of having eaten little more than twice-daily bowls of watery soup made from dried beans or peas for months. Lack of food—for both the airmen and their Serbian protectors—was pervasive, as the Germans had taken everything. Sheehy weighed 180 pounds when he bailed out of his B-24, and three months later he weighed 113 pounds. “We were skin and bones,” he said. Photo courtesy of the Sheehy family

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OH MY

GOSH… SQUASH Browned Butter Smashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash Recipe and photo courtesy of Alsum Farms and Produce. Try two side dishes in one. Why not make this a new holiday tradition? Roughly mash potatoes with mellow butternut squash and finish with fresh sage leaves crisped in brown butter. Each serving contains a whopping 1,046 mg potassium, a nutrient that’s lacking in many American diets. Plus, this recipe is gluten-free for those with food allergies.

1 lb yellow-flesh potatoes cut into 3/4-inch chunks (approx. 3 medium potatoes) 1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 tsp salt 3 Tbsp butter, divided 8 fresh sage leaves, stacked and cut across into 1/4-inch strips 1/2 cup milk Salt Pepper

In 3-quart saucepan, cover potatoes and squash with water; add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover and cook until tender, 12–15 minutes. Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the sage to small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Tilting pan and watching closely, cook approx. 3 minutes, until butter foams and begins to brown; keep warm. Thoroughly drain potatoes and squash, return to pan, and shake 1–2 minutes over low heat to remove extra moisture. Roughly mash with hand masher leaving mixture chunky. Over low heat, gently mix in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and enough milk for consistency desired. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon into serving bowl and drizzle with brown butter and sage.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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Grilled Acorn Squash Pasta and Red Cabbage Recipe and photo courtesy of The National Pasta Association

Make the most of delicious seasonal squash by combining it with nutrient-rich red cabbage, spices, and hearty pasta. It’s so easy to throw together this acorn squash pasta dish for a quick lunch or dinner. 4 oz penne rigate 1 lb acorn squash cut into wedges, along the natural indentations, seeds removed 2 Tbsp vegetable oil divided Salt Pepper

4 cups (approx.12 oz) red cabbage, shredded 1/4 tsp cinnamon 3/4 tsp ground ginger 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar 1 tsp fresh thyme

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne according to package directions. Drain and reserve pasta in a large bowl. Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Toss the squash with half the oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Place the squash flesh side down and grill for 5 minutes. Flip and cook 5 minutes on the other flesh side. Finally turn squash on the skin side and cook 3 minutes more. Check that the squash is done. A knife should go in easily. When cool enough to handle, dice the squash into bite-sized chunks. Add to the bowl with pasta. Toss the cabbage with the remaining oil, and salt and pepper to taste. If using an indoor grill pan, place the cabbage directly on the pan. Use tongs to move it around and wilt (approx. 2 minutes). If using an outdoor grill, use a vegetable basket or just place the cabbage on a piece of foil directly on the grill and heat enough to wilt. Add to bowl with squash and pasta. While the squash is cooking, whisk together the cinnamon, ground ginger, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and thyme. Toss together with other ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning; serve. Makes 8 servings.

Baked Ziti with Turkey, Squash, and Caramelized Onions Recipe and photo courtesy of The National Pasta Association.

Fresh herbs and hearty squash make this comforting dish perfect for cold evenings. It’s great for large crowds or reheating during the week as leftovers. 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1 tsp brown sugar 12 oz extra-lean ground turkey 2 cloves garlic minced 4 tsp chopped fresh sage 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 2 cups butternut squash, diced 2 cups acorn squash, diced 1/2 cup sodium-reduced chicken broth 12 oz ziti or penne pasta 3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat olive oil in large skillet set over medium heat; cook onion and brown sugar, stirring occasionally, for 15–17 minutes or until tender and deep golden. Add turkey, garlic, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper, stirring with wooden spoon to break up turkey. Cook 3–5 minutes or until turkey is browned. Add squash and broth; bring to boil. Reduce to simmer; cover and cook for 3–5 minutes or until squash is just tender. In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for 6–8 minutes or until al dente; drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss together pasta, reserved pasta water, squash mixture, and mozzarella; transfer to 9-x13-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; bake for 10–12 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 6 servings.

Winter Salad Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms Recipe and photo courtesy of The Mushroom Council.

These winter salad stuffed mushrooms make a hearty, gourmet meal. Bonus points for presentation! Plus, it is vegan and gluten-free for those with allergies. 4 medium portabella mushrooms 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 2 cloves garlic, smashed 1 cup butternut squash, diced small 1 cup cooked farro

1 Tbsp shallot, minced 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted 1/3 cup arugula, coarsely chopped 1/4 tsp sea salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. Twist off the stem and use a spoon to gently remove the black gills without breaking the mushroom. Whisk together extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Pour into a large sealable plastic bag and add the smashed garlic cloves and mushroom caps. Seal the bag and allow the marinade to cover the mushrooms. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight, turning the bag periodically to redistribute the marinade. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the butternut squash in a small amount of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook until soft but not mushy, 15–20 minutes. Remove mushrooms from the marinade (do not discard the liquid) and place them cap side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. While the mushrooms are roasting, combine the butternut squash, farro, shallot, dried cranberries, pine nuts, arugula, salt, and pepper in a bowl with two tablespoons of the marinade. After the mushrooms have cooked for 15 minutes, remove them from the oven. Carefully pour off any liquid that has pooled in the mushrooms. Distribute the filling evenly between the mushroom caps (there might be leftover filling depending on the size of the mushrooms). Cook for another 5 minutes and then serve. November 2021

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RECIPE EXCHANGE Submit your favorite recipes to be featured on our reader recipe page. Email to jennifer@weca.coop. For bonus recipes, go to http://wecnmagazine.com/recipes/.

Venison Stew

Nancy Weber, Washington Island

2 Tbsp oil 2 lbs venison stew meat 3 large onions, coarsely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 bay leaf 1 tsp dried oregano 3 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 3 cups water 7 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered 1 lb carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

Heat oil, add meat, brown all sides. Add onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, oregano, salt, pepper, and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Add potatoes and carrots; cook for 30–45 minutes.

Venison-Quebec Woodsmen Style

Venison Breakfast Sausage

3 cups dry beans (such as Northern white beans) 1 (16 oz) bottle dry or semi-sweet apple cider 1/2 lb salt pork, cubed 2 carrots, sliced 4 large onions, minced ﬁne 1 tsp summer savory 1 cup maple syrup 1 bay leaf Salt and pepper, to taste 2 lbs venison, cubed

1 lb lean ground venison 1 small onion, grated (about 1/3 cup) 1/4 cup cold water 1-1/2 tsp leaf marjoram, crumbled 1/2 tsp ground allspice 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp salt

Romayne Lindstrom, Iola

Soak beans in cold water for 12 hours. Drain and save the water. Put beans in large pot or roaster and add the cider, 2 cups of bean-soak water, and all remaining ingredients except the venison. Mix, cover, and bake in oven at 300 degrees for 5 hours. Add water if it starts getting dry, using any remaining bean-soak water. When beans are tender, but not completely cooked, add the cubed venison. Re-cover and cook another 2 hours. If dry, add more cider.

BROWNING SAUCE (OPTIONAL)

1/4 cup ﬂour 1/4 cup cold water

In a small bowl, mix ﬂour and 1/4 cup water. Stir into stew. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Serves 8.

REQUESTS FROM

OUR READERS

An online reader previously asked about favorite Thanksgiving leftover recipes. Send to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, What’s Cooking? 222 West Washington Ave., Suite 680, Madison, WI 53703-2719 or contact us via our website, www.wecnmagazine.com. Thanks!

Crockpot Lasagna

Recipe courtesy of Dorothy Shirk, Thorp

1-1/2 lbs ground beef 1 (16 oz) box lasagna noodles 1 (26 oz) jar of spaghetti sauce 1/2 cup butter 1 lb Velveeta (or other processed) cheese 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown the ground beef. Cook the noodles for 15 minutes, drain; add butter. Layer in crock pot: meat, sauce, noodles, and cheese. Repeat layers with any remaining ingredients. Turn on LOW for 4 hours.

Mary Sternberg, Mason

Mix all ingredients together, blending well. Shape mixture into patties and pan fry in a skillet, sprayed with cooking spray, until well browned and cooked through. NOTE: This venison sausage is very tasty with a great seasoning combination. The onions keep the sausage moist.

Farmer Meat Pie

Nancy Weber, Washington Island

2 lbs venison, sliced or ground 1 tomato, chopped 1 medium yellow tomato, chopped 1 cup zucchini, sliced 1 cup summer squash, sliced 1/2 cup green pepper, sliced 1/2 cup red pepper, sliced (may substitute sliced cooked carrots) 1 Tbsp Italian dressing 1/2 tsp garlic powder Dill weed Parsley Ginger 1 cup shredded cheddar 1 cup shredded mozzarella 2 (9-inch) pastry pie crusts (top & bottom) Sauté meat until cooked through; add all vegetables, Italian dressing, spices, and herbs. Cook and stir for 10–15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Fill pastry and sprinkle cheeses on top. Cover with remaining pie crust and slit the top. Bake at 370 degrees for 35–40 minutes.

Due to potential food safety issues, we cannot accept canning recipes.

Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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10/12/21 10:16 AM

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WALK OF HONOR

Soldiers Walk a Memorial to Veterans Past, Present, and Future

he original plan was a single memorial to honor Vietnam veterans but soon morphed into a veterans’ memorial park that rivals the monuments of Washington, D.C., and spans U.S. military conflicts throughout history. What started out as farm fields surrounded by picturesque hills south of Arcadia began, through the 1990s, and through present-day, to transform into the centerpiece of this rural, western Wisconsin community. The 54-acre park has baseball fields, an aquatic center, an extensive “Kid’s Kingdom” playground, a 2000-seat amphitheater, pavilion, and more. But the main attraction of the memorial park is Soldiers Walk.

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WISCONSIN FAVORITES The walk was the vision of Ashley Furniture Industries founder Ron Wanek. Wanek was the principal benefactor and designer of the park’s monuments. He formulated the original plan—a memorial to Vietnam vets—because he respected and admired soldiers returning from Vietnam. Yet, Wanek also disliked how they were treated. Soldiers Walk is an actual chronological timeline, starting at around the time when the Arcadia area was settled and progressing throughout American history. Each meter-long concrete section of the walk signifies one year. Additionally, all the flowerbeds in the middle of the walk represent years that our country was at war. At one end of the walk, a rotunda with the American flag at the center represents American history predating the area’s settlement. A monument depicting President George Washington on horseback memorializes the Revolutionary War and anchors the walk. Continuing along the walk, there are more than 20 memorials to see, including those dedicated to the War of 1812, the Spanish-American War, Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Korean Conflict, and so on. Finally, the walk ends at the amphitheater, surrounded by General’s Overlook and stunning park views. A large piece of twisted steel from the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center is also located among the memorials. Several of the monuments are fashioned in the likeness of Arcadia-area veterans. For example, the memorial for Iwo Jima (pictured on the cover of this magazine) is 32 feet high. It is modeled after the famous image of soldiers erecting the American flag on Mt.

Suribachi. However, this statue features the faces of two local veterans—Russell Severson and Gerald Ziehme—who both fought at Iwo Jima.

Awestruck

Dave Oelkers, former Riverland Energy Cooperative general manager and a veteran himself, led tour groups through the park in its earlier years. Oelkers worked with Olin Fimreite and the Trempealeau County Tourism Council to bring busloads of visitors from the Twin Cities area to the park. “I’ve seen a lot of veterans who will walk in the park, and they are awestruck when they walk down Soldier’s Walk and see what the community, with Ron’s [Wanek] encouragement and aggressiveness, did to make sure that it happened,” said Oelkers. “In order to do it justice, you need two or three hours to walk through there and read through the information. I think that is the part that veterans are most impressed with: how much information there is there. It means a lot to veterans to see it, especially World War II veterans. They are moved when they see it.” Oelkers served for 21 years, from 1970-1991, in the National Guard Army Reserve. None of the six or so units Oelkers served with during 3 his military career were deployed

or activated. Formerly active with the American Legion Post in Arcadia, Oelkers is now the commander of post 77 in Chippewa Falls. Of his American Legion involvement, Oelkers said, “I have a lot of friends who served in Vietnam and in the War on Terror. Part of it is the fact that I served 21 years, but I was never deployed. This is my way of honoring those folks who did serve overseas.” Oelkers moved to Arcadia in 1988 when he was hired on as the assistant manager of what was then Trempealeau Electric Cooperative (now Riverland Energy Cooperative). He was introduced to the area just as the park began taking shape. “Folks really were impressed way back even then,” he said. “Now it’s even more impressive because now you’ve got a really nice setting, the trees have grown much taller, and it’s really an impressive walk.”

1. Soldiers Walk is a chronological walk through history, starting at the time the Arcadia area was settled. Each meter of sidewalk signifies one year. Monuments to all U.S. military conflicts are spaced at the corresponding years through history. 2. A monument to President Abraham Lincoln represents the Civil War. 3. George Washington on horseback greets visitors at the far end of Soldiers Walk in Memorial Park. November 2021

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1. Maps and signage explain U.S. military involvement in the monuments honoring World War II.

2. The Korean Conflict Memorial is titled “Communism’s First Defeat.” 3. A dedication to Persian Gulf War veterans includes the first recognition of a female soldier with President George Bush, Colin Powell, and General Norman Schwarzkopf.

4. The first F-16 decommissioned from the Air Force is mounted near the General’s Overlook. Local veteran Ralph Haines is depicted in the pilot’s seat. 5. General’s Overlook watches over the entire walk from behind the amphitheater.

Family Tradition Riverland Energy member and Desert Storm Veteran Ken Myers and his wife, Dottie, live just a valley over from the park. Ken served in the Army and Army Reserve from 1969-97 as a civil affairs specialist. He worked with civilians and refugees in war zones. “We could go in and help a country get back on its feet,” said Ken of his duties. Ken’s sons, Ben and Jesse, followed in his military footsteps. Jesse served in the Army Reserve in a medical unit out of Madison and Ben was in the Army for six years. He served as a helicopter crew chief on the 15S OH-58D Kiowa Warrior Helicopter. He was deployed twice and served both one-year tours in Iraq. When asked why he entered the service, Ben answered, “family history mostly.” In addition to his father and older brother, Ben’s maternal grandparents were both in the armed forces during World War II. Ken is active with the American Legion and VFW, and Dottie is involved with the American Legion Auxiliary. Both volunteered their time at Soldiers Walk, specifically watering and taking care of the flowers. “We both have friends and family members come from bigger cities like Milwaukee and the Twin Cities, we hear it all the time—it’s amazing what we have here,” the couple said. “They don’t have anything like it. It is remarkable.” “It’s a wonderful honor for our military to have that kind of park in this area. I just wish more people could see it and were aware of it,” said Ken. “It’s so important to remember all those eras of wartime,” 26

said Dottie. “It’s nice that they list and engrave all the names of local folks who have served. It’s a point of pride for families and veterans to see their names there.” Ken encourages people to “see in your own local area what has been done for veterans and what more needs to be done for veterans.”

Rich History

Newer monuments sit at the far south end of the park, honoring more than just military heroes. A few monuments are dedicated to the early settlers of the Arcadia area and to the area’s agricultural history. A bench dedicated in 1997 sits near the amphitheater. The inscription reads: “In recognition of cooperative pioneers who brought rural electrification to Trempealeau and La Crosse Counties, given by the members of Trempealeau Electric Cooperative on the occasion of our 60th anniversary.” But it’s the recognition to veterans that really shines. “I’ve been to Washington, D.C, enough times that I’ve lost count. Any veterans memorial is important and impressive, but I don’t think any of them come as close to what you will see in Washington, D.C., as the one in Arcadia,” said Oelkers. —Dana Kelroy Soldiers Walk Memorial Park is located at 551 Memorial Park Drive, Arcadia, and is open to the public daily, free of charge. To view in chronological order, start at the visitor’s center at 411 Gaveny Road. More information can be found at soldierswalkmemorialpark.com.

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Illuminating Stained Glass for me as described in this announcement. Please Respond Promptly

Mrs. Mr. Ms.

Logo Addre

❏

Job Cod

❏

Name (Please Print Clearly)

State

❏

Track Cod

Address City

Pric

Yello Snip

Zip

❏

Email (optional)

01-34217-001-E49802

*Plus a total of $20.99 shipping and service; see bradfordexchange.com. Limited-edition presentation restricted to 95 firing days. Please allow 4-8 weeks after initial payment for shipment. Sales subject to product availability and order acceptance.

Shipp Servi

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CLASSIFIEDS MISCELLANEOUS

WANTED: Paying cash for WWII German, Japanese flags, daggers, swords, guns, etc. Also, lever-action rifles. 715-340-1974. WANTED: DEER TAGS, back tags. Trapping, bear, hunting licenses. Otter, bobcat, fisher tags. Old traps. David Schober, W4234 Rock Creek Rd., Loyal, WI 54446. 715-255-9284. USED BILLBOARD VINYLS/TARPS: Possible sizes available: 14x48=$70, 10x36=$37, 10x30=$30. Expired billboard faces, hemmed. Shipping and tax not included in listed price. MUST CALL FOR AVAILABILITY PRIOR TO PICK UP 800-536-7446. Vinyls can also be picked up at Jones Sign, 1711 Scheuring Road, De Pere, WI 54115. CHAINSAWS WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE. Buying 1 or 100 McCulloch, Pioneer, Jonsereds, Echo, STIHL, Homelite, Remington, Mall. Buying all brands and sizes. Non-running, running, seized, parts. Let me know what you have—will travel. Call Chainsaw Mike at 715-828-9414. SEPTIC PROBLEMS: Do you have standing water on your drain field? Have you been told you need a new expensive septic system? I have an alternative that works, also comes with a warranty (no digging). Call toll free 855-797-6072 or email mmtagm@yahoo.com.

PLANTS & SHRUBS

ALL NATURAL SOIL ADDITIVE Improves water retention, Rich in mineral and nutrient release, increase soil aeration, odor free 100% worm castings. Visit www.CaptainJacksWorm Castings.com for locations near you. Retail/ Wholesale contact us at CaptainJacksWorm Castings@outlook.com or 608-632-1747.

REAL ESTATE

VACATION RENTAL. Cape Coral, FL Beautiful 3 bedroom home on gulf access canal. 10,000 lb boat lift. Weekly rental or more. Call Al. 608-295-7433. UPPER MICHIGAN. 1800’ of Lakeshore, 35+ acres, pristine lake. Trout streams, golf, casino, snowmobiling, skiing. Ottawa Forest. Very private. $297,000. 715-495-2081. HUNTING LAND. 32 acres, 3-bedroom log cabin. New, 4-car heated garage, barn, pole shed, and pond. Stoddard. $599,000. 608-483-2860.

ADVERTISE WITH US

WANTED: VINTAGE ALUMINUM CHRISTMAS TREES. Any size any color- buying for collection. Cash paid, will pick up. Please call 715-254-4651 or email upnboonies@yahoo.com. LA CROSSE’S HISTORIC CONCORDIA BALLROOM. Supported by community for the community. Dancing, receptions, reunions, concerts, fundraisers. Live music! Lets’s polka! www. concordiaballroom.com | 608-782-7049. FOR SALE: 14’ RIVER CANOE. Never used. $500. Call Darryl at 715-359-8116. STANDARD POODLES, PUPS. Purebred, registered. Tails docked, ﬁrst vaccine. Both parents on site. 715-297-4602 or 920-876-3127 Marilyn or Monica.

MORE THAN 152,000 MAILBOXES EACH MONTH geri@weca.coop

Classified ads reach more than 152,000 mailboxes. RATES: For non-members of Wisconsin rural electric co-ops: one insertion, $25 minimum (up to 20 words); additional words, $1.25 each. For members of Wisconsin rural electric co-ops: one insertion, $14 minimum (up to 20 words); additional words, $.70 each. Count name, address, and phone number as part of ad. Please include zip code. FOR PROOF OF MEMBERSHIP, please include your address label from your copy of the magazine. FREQUENCY DISCOUNTS: 2% discount for 3 months; 5% for 6 months; 10% for 12 months. DEADLINE: 1st of the month prior to the month in which the ad is to appear. All classified ads must be paid in advance. There is no agency discount on classifieds. Make check or money order payable to: WECA. Mail to: WECN, Attn. Jennifer, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, WI 53703. Ph: 608-467-4638. Email jennifer@weca.coop. We reserve the right to refuse ads.

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OUR 60th YEAR

BEFORE YOU DIG

CALL 811

WE'RE IN

152,000 MAILBOXES EACH MONTH. ADVERTISE WITH US. 414-975-0917

November 2021

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November 2021

WISCONSIN EVENTS 6 Arts & Crafts Show—Tomah. Three Locations: Best Western, Cranberry Country Lodge, and the Masonic Center, 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

13 Holiday Craft & Treasure Sale—Phillips. Municipal building, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Over 60 booths, lunch available. 715-820-3686.

6 Christmas Open Houses—Phillips. All Day. Holiday Specials and samples at The 5 Senses, Homespun, Top Drawer Boutique, and Cabin Creations. Shop early and get in a holiday mood!

12, 13 Northwoods Players Presents “Freaky Friday”—Phillips. High School Auditorium, 7–10 p.m., Nov. 14 at 2 p.m.

6 Snowflake Holiday Art and Craft Show— Greenwood. High school, 9 a.m.–2p.m. 6 Fall Bazaar—Eau Claire. Saving Grace Lutheran Church, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. 6 The Mane Event—Nekoosa. Senior Community Center, 5–11 p.m. Wear your favorite fancy or western outﬁt. Silent auction, buffet dinner, live auction. Social 5 p.m.; dinner 6 p.m. Tickets required. 7 Swedish Meatball Dinner—Greenwood. Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 11 a.m. until gone. Drive-thru only (lower level). All meals, $10 each. Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes & gravy, copper penny carrots, cole slaw, lefse, bun, and dessert. 12 Jolly Mixers Dance Club—Clintonville. Memories, 7–11 p.m. Polka and old-time music. Singles welcome. Admission: $10 (subject to change). 715-823-6555.

13 St. Mary’s Holiday Fair—Colby. Lion Shelter, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Carry out, chicken dumpling or chicken wild rice soup for $7/quart or chili for $8/quart. Artisan breads, stollen, scones, and other bakery treats. Cookie walk, silent auction, door prizes. Free admission. 715-223-3048. 13 Holiday Craft Fair—Elmwood. Auditorium, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. A showcase of unique and loving hand crafted items by many crafters.

19, 20 Holiday Bazaar—Medford. The Bailiwick, Nov. 19, 3–8 p.m., Nov. 20, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Credit cards accepted, complimentary refreshments, and door prizes. 20 Country Fair—Hayward. Spider Lake Church Main Street Campus, 10601 Main Street, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. For more information, 715-558-3488. 20 Hunting Widows Weekend Craft Show— Marshﬁeld. Belvedere Supper Club, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Free admission. Unique hand-crafted items. Food available for lunch on premises, including homemade soups and a salad bar. For more information, call 715-305-1117.

13 Yonder Way Christmas Market—Ellsworth, (W4262 430th Ave.) 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Scenic shopping in a cozy home atmosphere. Handcrafted, new, and previously loved decor, furniture, gifts, and more.

20 Craft Show—Tomah. United Methodist Church, 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Quilts, holiday décor, home-grown produce, homemade jewelry with gemstones, homemade breads, wreaths, soy candles, bath products, and much more. Free admission and food on site. For more information, call 608-372-5121.

14 Harvest Dinner—New Auburn. Bethel Lutheran Church, 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Pre-Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings. Takeouts available. Cost is a free-will offering, which will be donated in full to Santa’s Helpers. 715-967-4032.

26 Concert and Book Signing—Bangor. Leo & Leona’s Tavern, 5–8 p.m. Enjoy a concert by Bjorn Berg (Blue Collar Forty) and a book release of Sue Berg’s second novel, Driftless Treasure. Books will be for sale and signing by author.

Upload your event

WECNMAGAZINE.COM

Upload events directly to the wecnmagazine.com through the “Events” tab.

Upload your December events by November 12. Wisconsin Events is a public service for our readers. Due to space limits, we may need to eliminate details, so be sure to include a phone number (with area code) where callers may obtain more info. If we receive more listings than space allows us to print, we reserve the right to select those we believe will be of interest to the greatest number of readers. Please no virtual events. Events can also be mailed to: WECN, Events, 222 W. Washington Ave. Ste. 680, Madison WI 53703-2719

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Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News

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YOUNG MEMBERS

Kids and Critters November 2021 1

1. Taren and Lincoln go for a stroll on Missy. Photo submitted by Katrina Steffen, a member of Central Wisconsin Electric. 2. Genevieve feeds a baby goat for the first time. Photo submitted by Grandma Cindy Werner, a member of Central Wisconsin Electric. 3. Jamison and Hop have a talk. Photo submitted by Grandma Cindy Werner, a member of Central Wisconsin Electric. 4. Sawyer says, “Uh oh! There’s a goat in the kitchen!” Photo submitted by Grandma Pam Lierman, a member of Dunn Energy.

Upload photos directly

to the new wecnmagazine.com through the “Submit a photo” tab. Send photos of kids with animals, along with a brief description, to WECN Magazine, 222 W. Washington Ave., Suite 680, Madison, WI 53703. Please include the name of your electric co-op. Photos will be returned. If in good-resolution, electronic format, photos may also be uploaded via wecnmagazine.com through the “Submit a photo” tab. By submitting, sender implies that he/she has rights to and owns the image, and grants WECN permission to use the image. By submitting, the parent or legal guardian also authorizes us the right to publish the image.

WELCOME BACK TO OUR HIDDEN OBJECT GAME,

“SYMBOL SEARCH”

Our kitchen kit winner from last month is Richland Electric Cooperative member Richard Fruit. He found the hidden cranberry, “located on page 13, it is in the center of the earphone piece the man is wearing. My wife looks for the symbols, and enjoys reading the articles. Now we have our 10-year-old grand-daughter asking if a new magazine is here yet, when she comes to our house, so she can look for the image of the month. Thanks, Rick, Jean & Avaya.” This month, we challenge Rick, Jean, and Avaya (and all of our other readers) to find this squash inspired by this month’s recipes on page 20. Remember that the symbol can be anywhere and any size. One randomly selected winner will receive a Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News kitchen kit. One entry per household, please. Send entries by November 15.

Enter via the “Symbol Search” link on the homepage of wecnmagazine.com.

Good luck!

You can also enter by mail (don’t forget to include the name of your cooperative): Symbol Search Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association 222 W. Washington Ave., Suite 680, Madison, WI 53703

November 2021

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