Wonders
of WALWORTH
COUNTY Published by Southern Lakes Newspapers LLC
Summer 2017
Page 2
WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
SUMMER 2017
Tazio Stefanelli, 17, of Elkhorn, takes a victory lap in his Formula Ford after winning his first Sports Car Club of America Majors race in May at Blackhawk Farms in Rockton, Ill. It was there that he set his best personal qualifying time.
In the driver’s seat
PHOTO SUBMITTED Wonders of Walworth
Area teen has a grip on future, on the racetrack and in life
By Heather Ruenz
T
STAFF WRITER
azio Stefanelli, a recent graduate of Elkhorn Area High School, has his sights set on attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall for mechanical engineering. But for several weekends this summer,
his goal is to be the first to reach the checkered flag on the racetrack. Stefanelli, 17, who graduated from EAHS this spring in the top 10 of his class, races Formula Fords in Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan. The fastest track he’s raced at is Elkhart Lake’s Road America, where he’s reached a top speed of 136 mph.
Prior to moving up to Formula Fords last year, he had spent about six years racing gokarts. “In go-karting you learn how to drive safely in a competitive environment so it’s a good place to start,” Stefanelli said. But he’s learned most of what he knows about racing from his dad, Tony Stefanelli,
who is a former racer himself. “I did road racing and motorcycles. When Taz started go-karts, I did that, too. When he got faster than me, I told him he deserved to race cars,” Tony said. The family, including Tazio’s mom, Kathy, are at a track nearly every other week and are members of the Sports Car Club of
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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
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Tazio Stefanelli, who graduated from Elkhorn Area High School this spring, said the support and encouragement from his parents, Tony and Kathy, inspire him to do great things on the racetrack and in school. He will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall for mechanical engineering. His dad, a former racer himself, said when Tazio started beating him in go-kart racing, he knew it was time to put him in a car.
HEATHER RUENZ Wonders of Walworth
Tazio Stefanelli sits in his racecar at his home in Elkhorn where he and his dad, Tony, do maintenance and the majority of adjustments and repairs.
America and the Midwest Council of Sports Car Club, the sanctioning bodies for the races. The goal for the current racing season is for Tazio to be in the car 30 days including regular practices to up his game, Tony said. “More time in the car will help him improve overall because the car keeps data that helps him get faster and more efficient,” Tony said. Tazio and his dad are hands-on with the racecar including routine maintenance and machining parts when needed, though this year they’re spending a little less time fixing things. “Last year Taz was in an older car which had some issues. But that taught him a lot about repairing things so was a good opportunity to learn,” Tony said. Now Tazio races a 2014 Spectrum F1600.
Young and fast
Tazio has won all six of the events in his class of competition this season, all at Blackhawk Farms in Roscoe, Ill., and featured his debut in the SCCA June Sprints at Road America, June 15 to 17. After winning the opening weekend’s races, April 22 and 23, Tazio said he learned a lot about the new car and how it handles. “The battle for the lead was a blast. It was a real challenge to overtake him (the leader), he had more horsepower, but getting a good exit out of turn 7 set me up to finally get past him in turn 1,” Tazio said. In his first SCCA Majors race at Blackhawk, May 6 and 7, Tazio set a new personal best time in qualifying. “I’m really excited to be able to get down to a lap time of 1:13.22. This weekend I have beaten my previous times and I’m now running laps with the quickest guys out there. I’m learning so much about car handling and how hard I can push it in the corners,” Tazio said following that Sunday’s race. The races vary between number of laps and time and, unlike some racing divisions, they do compete in the rain. “I don’t take the same line I do when it’s dry because of oil, which makes the track slippery,” Tazio said. His dad said Taz is generally one of the youngest drivers at the track. “In one recent race weekend there were about 200 drivers total. Of those, a handful
HEATHER RUENZ Wonders of Walworth
were college kids and two – Taz and another driver – were the only ones younger than 18,” Tony said. “It’s a good group of people we race with. Some of them give him a hard time, but in a good way.” Road racecars can range in price from $5,000 to $150,000, Tony said. But the ongoing cost of racing – from a few hundred dollars a day to several thousand – is why drivers seek sponsors, as the Stefanellis are doing. “Taz is showing some talent, he really is. Whether or not he’ll make it to a higher level we won’t know for some time, but to take steps from where we are, we need sponsors,” Tony said. The Stefanellis have created several levels of sponsorship packages and say it is important to allow anyone wanting to support Tazio’s racing to be able to do so. “We have packages and tried to make some affordable enough so people can get involved and support him,” Tony said. Sponsors for Tazio are Millenium Forms, of Elkhorn, and Taylor Design, Inc., of Rockton, Ill.
Family support key
Tony and Kathy said they are looking forward to seeing where Tazio’s future takes him. “When he gets to college, he hopes to be part of a baja car program where they build a car and compete against other colleges from all over the world,” Kathy said. Tony said the lessons Tazio has, and continues to learn through racing, can be used in many situations throughout life. “Being able to adjust and react and keep enough mental capacity to make good decisions is a tremendous way to learn risk management. It’s amazing at the track, how many successful people and businessmen are there because they can use those skills in both areas of their lives and be successful,” Tony said. Tazio said since he was a young child, he’s heard stories about his dad’s racing days. “Those stories made me want to have
the same experiences he has, whether it’s having an exciting race or meeting interesting people at the track,” he said. “My parents letting me do this exciting and unique sport have given me some of the best experiences of my life, and not just on the track. My dad and me spend a few nights in the garage working on my car. He’s taught me everything I know about cars and how to work on them,” Tazio said. “Even when I’m not in the mood to work on the car, I still go down and help my dad. Every time we finish and solve one more problem it’s one of the best feelings you can have,” he added. Tazio said the support and encouragement his parents have given him helped him become the person he is today. “On the track they give me a reason to try and take a corner a bit faster or attempt to pass going into a turn. Their encouragement has given me the drive to achieve the most I can, whether it’s on the track, or in school,” he said. For more information, including updates, videos from Tazio’s helmet cam during portions of qualifying and racing, follow PerFormula LLC on Facebook.
The
SUBMITTED PHOTO Wonders of Walworth
After winning his first SCCA Majors race in early May, Tazio Stefanelli (right) stands atop the podium with his trophy.
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Lucas Dzurick, of Mukwonago, captures a butterfly in the Butterfly Barn during the 2016 Walworth County Fair. See Page 7 for information about this year’s fair. (Tom Ganser photo)
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Food pantry renovates space at St. Andrew WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
SUMMER 2017
DAUGHTER CARRIES ON VISION DAD BEGAN IN 1980 By Michael S. Hoey CORRESPONDENT
The Harold S. Johnson Food Pantry at St. Andrew of the Apostle Church in Delavan is renovating its space to better serve its clients. The pantry is temporarily located in space provided by Town Bank between the bank and Ace Hardware on East Geneva Street. Harold S. Johnson started the food pantry at St. Andrew in 1980 along with Bob Drefs. After Johnson’s passing, Drefs ran the pantry for about 15 years until May 2015 when Johnson’s daughter Terry Bailey and her husband were asked to take over. Bailey said if Drefs had not carried on after her father died, the pantry would most likely have closed. Bailey said that while the space in the basement of St. Andrew was still functional, not much had been done to it since the church was built in 1890. Bailey said the space was in serious need of a facelift. She also said the renovated space will allow the pantry to better serve its clients. The plans include a new concrete floor to replace what looked to be the original wood floor, new walls, a kitchenette, restrooms, more storage space, new shelving, and space for clients to be offered new services like blood pressure checks and job fairs. Bailey said the new space will be much cleaner and more efficient. Bailey said the work began on New Year’s Eve day and was projected to take about
four months, during which time the pantry temporarily relocated to the space provided by Town Bank. “Town Bank has been so generous to allow us to be there,” Bailey said. “They have not charged us a dime.” Bailey said the space has been great and one benefit for some clients has been that the space is not down a flight of stairs. Six months into the project, the renovation has not been completed because when the new concrete floor was put in, contractors discovered the church’s foundation needed tuckpointing. Bailey said the foundation mortar was crumbling and work to repair it was scheduled for this week. Bailey said that discovery set the project back because the church board had to discuss it, approve paying for the work, schedule the work, and then she had to reschedule the work on the pantry itself. Bailey said St. Andrew also helped pay for the new floor. The church paid $10,000, and she paid the rest. The money to pay for the renovation came from an inheritance Bailey received that was earmarked for renovating the pantry. Bailey said her “staff” is entirely made up of 15 volunteers whom she is blessed with, and St. Andrew has been very supportive. “Ever since Dad asked for space in 1980, it has been there,” Bailey said. “They are glad to have it and to support it, and we couldn’t do it without their support.” “Part of the ministry of the Catholic
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Leslie Roanhouse
SUBMITTED PHOTO Wonders of Walworth
Delavan food pantry volunteer Terry Bailey hands items to Delavan Christian School kindergartners (from left) Fletcher Mathes, Mackenzie Taylor, Chase Nieuwenhuis and Andrew Green. The students aimed to collect 100 items for the food pantry and ended up with 112 things. Students delivered the items May 23.
church is to help the poor,” St. Andrew Trustee Jim Stiles said. “We have some people in the community who need help – what better way to do it.” Stiles said the pantry has served the community well over the years because of a lot of dedicated people who have volunteered their time. “Bob Drefs and Harold Johnson put a lot of time and effort into it,” Stiles said. “There is always someone bringing something in from the churches in the community.” Bailey said the mission statement of the pantry is: “We are an ecumenical group of volunteers dedicated to meeting the nutritional needs of others. Through Christ’s love and the generosity of the community, we distribute food donations in a just, friendly, non-judgmental atmosphere without regard to race, color or creed.” Bailey said she tries to treat her clients with respect like they were coming into her home, and she is excited to have the new space so she can provide an atmosphere that can give her clients a lift and make them feel it is OK to come to the pantry. The community has always helped make that mission a reality by donating items for the pantry. “We have so many generous supporters,” Bailey said.
Bailey said several local churches, businesses and private people donate items or money or host food drives. One example is the brown bag program at Piggly Wiggly. Customers can purchase a bag of items that gets donated to the pantry. “We are so fortunate. It is unbelievable,” Bailey said of that support. Bailey said the pantry’s goal is to serve the residents of the Delavan area community, but she wouldn’t turn anyone away. If someone comes in from another community, she said she would serve them and encourage them to visit the pantry in their own community in the future. Bailey said clients are asked to provide information like household size and income to qualify to use the pantry. She also asks for identification and proof of address because, if someone is homeless, they have different needs than someone who has a home. For example, homeless clients do not have refrigerators or stoves. Despite not having a firm timeline as a result the delays, Bailey said she is excited about the project. The hours of operation have remained the same – 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday mornings. Those hours are likely to stay the same after the move back to St. Andrew, but Bailey said changes could be made to keep up with demand.
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905 East Geneva St. Delavan, WI 53115 Tel: 262-728-6319 Cell: 262-374-2514 Fax: 414-815-5505 MICHAEL S. HOEY Wonders of Walworth
287113
Food pantry volunteers Elvera Dahl (from left), Eva Godina, Jean Getka and Dela Race and pantry operator Terry Bailey stock shelves at the pantry’s temporary location at Town Bank.
SUMMER 2017
WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
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JIM FROST Wonders of Walworth
With 197 boats in the regatta there is not enough pier space, slips or buoys to hold the boats in the water between races during last year’s Inland Lake Yachting Association Championship. After each race the boats are lifted from the lake with
a crane and returned to their trailer, then the cranes drop the boats for the next race into the water. This year’s race will be Aug. 16 to 20 at the Lake Geneva Yacht Club and the Buddy Melges Sailing Center.
Yachting Association to honor families at regatta T he Inland Lake Yachting Association will celebrate the sailing achievements and contributions to the sport of 23 families at its annual championship from Aug. 16 to 20 in Fontana. The championship will be held at Lake Geneva Yacht Club and the Buddy Melges Sailing Center, and the families will be honored at a dinner at the Yacht Club on Aug. 18. The 2017 theme for the event is “Sail It On,” designed to recognize the generations of ILYA families whose excellence on the race course and dedication to the sport have inspired sailors throughout the country and helped establish the traditions upon which ILYA activities are based. The Aug. 18 celebration will feature stories, videos and speakers on each family’s accomplishments within the ILYA. Established in 1898 to encourage and promote yachting and interlake racing, the ILYA now includes 51 yacht and
sailing clubs in 10 states and the District of Columbia. Its annual championship attracts world, national, Olympic, club and intercollegiate champions. The Inland Lake Yachting Association Championship is America’s No. 1 inland lake yacht racing competition and features some of the fastest monohull sailboats in the world. This year’s Inland, which is expected to attract more than 200 boats and 500 competitors, will determine the top sailors in the A-Scow (38 feet, six to seven crew), E-Scow (28 feet, three to four crew), C-Scow (20 feet, two to three crew), and the MCScow (16 feet, one to two crew). Selected for recognition is the Melges family from Lake Geneva Yacht Club, with ILYA championship titles won by Harry C. Melges Sr. (in Class A), Olympic medalist and America’s Cup helmsman Harry C. “Buddy” Melges Jr. (Classes A, E, C), Melges 24 World Champion Harry Melges III (Classes E, C, M, X), Hans Melges (Class X), and
Harry Melges IV (Class X, Melges 17). Also, from Lake Geneva is the Porter family with ILYA championships won by John Porter (Classes A and E), Melges 24 World Champion and 2013 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Brian Porter (Class E), Vincent Porter (Classes A, E, X, Laser), Davis Porter (Class X), and R. J. Porter (Melges 17). From the Minnetonka Yacht Club in Minneapolis is the Allen family with Ken Allen, Olympic gold medalist Bill Allen (Classes A, E, C), crew Richard Allen and Bob Allen, A-Boat skipper Harry Allen, and third generation sailors Robbie Allen (Class X), Lindsay Allen (Optimist) and Amanda Allen (E Scow). Also from Lake Minnetonka is the Bowers family with Finn North American Champion and Olympic team coach Gordy Bowers (Classes A, E, C, MC), brothers Mark Bowers, Dan Bowers (Class E), Steve Bowers (Class E), Tom Bowers (Class C) and Mark’s son Erik Bowers (Class E), a 2016 and
2020 Olympic Laser contender. Additional Lake Geneva- and Delavan-area families to be honored are the Davenport; Lund, Mattison and Navin; and Goes families; and from Pewaukee Yacht Club, the Barkow and Friend; and the Gutenkunst, O’Malley, Sawyer, Meyer, Ruf, Koch, Schmidt, Spencer, Tornehl and Davis families. Other families to be recognized are Burton and Strothman and Tews from Lake Minnetonka; Driessen from Gull Lake, Minn.; Eckert from Cedar Lake; Everist from Okoboji, Iowa; Keck from Lakes LaBelle, Nagawicka and Beulah; Prange from Okauchee,; Reese and Hirn from Long Lake, Ill., and Lake Geneva; Tesar and Quiram from Clear Lake, Iowa; and Wyman from Oshkosh. The 2017 ILYA Championship’s five days of racing will be followed by award ceremonies Aug. 19 and 20. Including the 2017 event, Lake Geneva Yacht Club will have been host for the championship 18 times, most recently in 2015 and 2016.
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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
SUMMER 2017
Mount Hope Board treasurer Monty Ann Bolfert (from left), board president Tom Bolfert, Wisconsin Lutheran College anthropology professor Ned Farley and one of his students ceremoniously cut the ribbon to re-open Mount Hope Cemetery on June 25.
Mount Hope restored
Cemetery re-dedicated after 129 years forgotten
S
pring Prairie Town Photos and Board Chairman story by Tom Bolfert is the Vicky Wedig first person to buy a burial plot at STAFF WRITER Mount Hope Cemetery in at least 129 years. The cemetery – tucked away in a grove of oaks amid farm fields off Spring Prairie Road – officially re-opened June 25 after a decade-long effort to restore the site. Bolfert and his wife, Monty Ann, who were among dozens of volunteers at the helm of the project, were the first to earmark their plots in what will now be a functioning cemetery. The last known burial at the cemetery was in 1888, Bolfert said. The site had been privately owned by the Stowell family as part of its farmsite and not maintained for many years, he said. The Stowells, now in their 80s, ceded the land to the Town of Spring Prairie, which rallied volunteers in an effort to clean up the site at no cost to the township, Bolfert said. The effort involved weeding out overgrown vegetation, installing a wroughtiron fence around the site and mapping graves, he said. The town knows that 38 people are buried in the cemetery and knows the names of 28 of them, Bolfert said. But, only 10 of the graves have headstones. The earliest recorded burial in the cemetery was in 1846 – the grave of 21-month-old Mary Pool. However, researchers strongly suspect burials in the cemetery date back to 1835, Bolfert said. The last recorded burial was in 1888, he said. To help locate the rest of the graves, the town, working with the Burlington
Historical Society, called upon Wisconsin Lutheran College anthropology professor Ned Farley. Farley and some of his students used ground-penetrating sonar to detect coffins under the ground. Farley said the State of Wisconsin and the Office of the State Archaeologist took great interest in the site, from an archeological and historical perspective. “As an archaeologist, you can imagine my interested was very piqued,” he said. The earliest settler from Walworth County – Palmer Gardner – is buried at the site along with several people with historical significance to Burlington including Charles Dyer, the father of Burlington’s first doctor, Bolfert said. With no map to help locate graves or identify their occupants, Farley used sonar technology and territorial and historical society records to put together as many pieces of the puzzle that he could. The graves that were discovered seemed to be placed with little organization, Bolfert said. “It was kind of haphazard the way they buried them,” he said. Tombs that were discovered but their inhabitants not identified were marked with a flag, and a cement slab was poured and imprinted with “unknown.” Three headstones were found in the garage of the landowner that had been discovered either broken off or buried over the years, and the sites they belong on can’t be identified, Bolfert said. They were placed together at the entrance of the cemetery. Bolfert said more people might be buried there that can’t be detected with sonar because they might have been buried without caskets or in wooden ones that disintegrated over time.
Farley said the caskets were remarkably preserved for their age because of the geology of the area. The glacial-tilled land provides superior drainage, he said. In their research, he and students found 48 “anomalies” in the ground, 36 of which had the characteristics of burials, he said. Farley said the effort took nearly a decade – the Burlington Historical Society initially contacted Farley and Wisconsin Lutheran College in 2007 – but the project, which involved 1,300 man hours of clearing brush, conducting archaeological surveys and mapping, allowed the site to be re-opened as a working cemetery. Without the site’s mature trees, it could accommodate about 300 new grave sites, Bolfert said. The trees reduce that number, but Bolfert and his wife were the first to claim their spots.
Wisconsin Lutheran College anthropology professor Ned Farley talks to people who attended the cemetery’s rededication ceremony June 25 about the methods used to identify grave sites in the cemetery.
Above: Three headstones were found in the garage of the farm the cemetery was part of. Unable to locate the grave sites they belong on, town officials placed them at the entrance of the cemetery. Inset: Grave sites that were located through the use of ground-penetrating sonar but their occupants not identified were marked with a concrete slab stamped with “unknown.”
Walworth County Fair going By Ryan Spoehr STAFF WRITER
The Walworth County Fair will be back in a big way in 2017. The fair, which will be from Aug. 30 through Sept. 4, will have a theme of “Are You Ready For Big?” and organizers are emphasizing this year’s event will be big in multiple ways. “We are pretty excited. I think we’re going to have a really good fair this year,” said Larry Gaffey, the general manager of the fair. “People are going to love it. We will have the biggest turkey, the biggest boar and biggest horse. No one will believe how big these turkeys are. It will be fun to look at all that stuff.” The fair will also feature some of the biggest names in music, including with the recent announcement of Martina McBride performing. Also, Foghat and Blue Oyster Cult will hit the stage on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m.
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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
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Other events
Riders won’t be taking any bull when the fair kicks off on Wednesday, Aug. 30. At the grandstand at 7 p.m., professional bull riders will participate in competitive riding. Also a part of the event will be the Pro Elite World Challenge barrel racing competition as cowgirls ride athletic horses through a course around barrels. Professional riders will compete against sanctioned local riders. • see Then on the last day of August, Page 9 more competition will be at the
TOM GANSER Wonders of Walworth
Kids ride one of the rollercoasters in the midway at the Walworth County Fair over the weekend. This year’s fair will be Aug. 30 through Sept. 4 on the fairgrounds at 411 E. Court St. in Elkhorn. For more information, visit www.walworthcountyfair.com.
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grandstand, as the Walworth County • from Fair Truck and Tractor Pull takes Page 7 center stage at 11 a.m. and the Badger State pull will start at 7 p.m. The county pull is free, but there is a $5 admission fee for the Badger State. “There will be big motorsports, bull rides and great carnival rides,” Gaffey said. After the month of August comes to a close, so will the fates of several old automobiles, as monster trucks will roar through the grandstand. All Star Motorsports Productions hosts the fair’s monster truck rally on September 1 at 7 p.m. Returning to the fair this year are the arm wrestling tournament, which will feature tests of strengths by people of all ages with weigh-ins on Sept. 2 at noon, and the Strut
WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
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Your Stuff Recipe Challenge the same day at 11:30 a.m. The fair will also feature Woody’s Menagerie, a live wildlife education presentation with tigers, lions and even ligers, a hybrid of a male lion and female tiger. The fair will once again showcase the entertainment that it has become so well known for. Foghat and Blue Oyster Cult will hit the stage on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. in the grandstand. The mud will be flying and the rumbling will be in the air on Labor Day, as the demolition derby hits the grandstand with three heats – one at 1:30 p.m., the second at 4 p.m. and the last one at 6:30 p.m. Wristbands will be available for $10 so
TOM GANSER Wonders of Walworth
Sawyer and mom Kelsey Stocks, of Sugar Creek, visit with some chicks in the poultry barn at last year’s Walworth County Fair.
fair-goers can see all three heats.
The fair’s horse events
TOM GANSER Wonders of Walworth
Southern Lakes Ad_winter16.pdf 1 10/14/2016 1:48:20 PM champion steer at Savannah Sielger, of the Springfield 4-H, shows her grand the 2016 Walworth County Fair.
Horses will be a major portion of the fair as well, as 12 events will be on the docket between Friday and Monday. All day on Friday starting at 8:30 a.m., the Smiles Open Horse Show will be in the Horse Arena. Also on Friday, the Draft Horse Halter Class will be at 10 a.m. in the Draft Horse Arena. On Saturday at 8:30 a.m., the Boots and Saddle Open and Speed Show will take place in the Horse Arena. The Draft Horse Arena will be the site for the Cart/Hitch at 10 a.m.
The Harness Races will be at noon at the grandstand. On Sunday, the horse events continue with the Linn 4-H Youth Benefit Horse Show in the Horse Arena at 8:30. Hitch Class starts at 10 a.m. in the Draft Horse Arena. On Monday, the Horse Pulling Contest starts at 8:30 a.m. in the grandstand. The Drill Team starts at 11 a.m. in the Draft Horse Arena. “There will be more free entertainment with the pig races and dachshund races,” Gaffey said. Tickets may be printed out online at walworthcountyfair.com.
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2017 SEASON TO FEATURE TRIBUTE BANDS
By Sandra Landen Machaj CORRESPONDENT
Along Highway 67 just south of Highway 50 the marquee at the Belfry Music Theatre announced an upcoming performance in a venue that had been dark since the 1990s. New owners re-opened the theater in 2016 as a live music venue. The Belfry is a white building with a bell tower reminiscent of early day churches in the area. It was built in 1888 along Old Geneva Road west of Lake Geneva, east of Delavan and north of Williams Bay as a place of worship and meeting house for a Mormon community that had settled in the area. The group of about 50 members of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, was not well accepted in the community of mostly Lutherans and Catholics of European descent. Before 1930, the church congregation moved out of the area. “The Mormon group did not remain in the area but moved to Indiana and Illinois, then westward to Utah where they made their permanent home,” said Annie Trembly, public relations director for the Belfry Music Theatre. In 1930, the church was adapted for theatrical performances. A local theatrical
production company called the Belfry Players leased the building in 1934 and began to produce original plays. The company was able to purchase it in 1938. The first original play produced was titled “God’s Laugh,” Trembly said. Other sources list the 1934 productions as “The Youngest” and “Laff It Off.” The theater increased its production to six shows each season. The summer stock players worked hard to produce fine entertainment for area audiences. The plays were performed back to back with a new production introduced every two weeks. A tradition was begun with the first productions that when the curtain was about to rise, one member of the audience was chosen to ring the bell that hung in the tower – a tradition that is still honored today. In need of more space to accommodate the building of stage sets and storage for materials and costumes, a large shed was annexed to the back of the little church. In 1941, the box office was added where tickets are still sold today. The actors were a combination of local amateurs and stipend-receiving non-equity actors. The paid actors were required not only to learn their lines but to help design and build the sets for the production. Their
SANDRA LANDEN MACHAJ Wonders of Walworth
The Belfry Theatre as it appears today. On the left is the original church building. Attached to the right is the ticket office which was added in 1941. Performances are currently held in the portion of the building on the right, which was added in the 1960s.
SANDRA LANDEN MACHAJ Wonders of Walworth
Watching a performance at the Belfry Music Theatre is a comfortable experience. The chairs offer nicely padded seats that were donated to the theater, The audience configuration can be changed to meet the needs of specific performances.
days were spent building or painting while their evenings were spent performing. Over the years, many actors appeared at the Belfry as part of the Belfry Players but a few are well known to most theatergoers. These include Paul Newman, Gary Burghoff and Harrison Ford. Newman spent the summer of 1949 as part of the Belfry company during the time actors built sets all day and performed in the evening. They had to remember their lines for the current play and learn their lines for the next play at the same time. Newman, is quoted in the book “Paul Newman: A Biography,” written by Eric Lax as describing his time at the Belfry as “The only thing you do in such a short time to prepare, is to develop your bad mannerisms, or discover possibly successful mannerisms, but mannerisms nevertheless. Sure, what can you do in four days of rehearsal? You can hope to Christ that you can remember your lines, and that’s about as far as it goes.” In spite of this attitude, Newman spent the 1949 season involved in the Belfry Players before moving on to become a well-known Hollywood movie actor. While some held Newman’s view of the difficulty in becoming a good performer with the stress of working all day and performing in the evening, others felt the hard work was a valuable learning experience for young actors. And in spite of the difficulty, many young actors applied to be part of this summer acting troupe. The Crane family, which owned adjoining property, donated a large hall to the Belfry Theatre that served as a dormitory for members of the resident
company. The name was changed to the Belfry House. “It is now in need of renovations,” Trembly said. “A project that will be undertaken when funds for the renovation are obtained.” Burghoff joined the Belfry in 1962, a local boy who was not well known in theater. He too went on to become well known, but his fame was mostly on television where he played the character Radar on the popular weekly television show of the 1970s, “M*A*S*H,” which depicted life in a medical unit during the Korean war. Gary’s mother, Ann Burghoff, was also involved in theater, working as a writer and producer for the Belfry. In 1964, another actor came to the Belfry who went on to become a major Hollywood movie actor known specifically for his continuing roles in “Indiana Jones” and “Star Wars.” Ford, a 22-year-old Ripon College student, left school only a few months before graduation after being offered his first paid acting job, as a member of the Belfry Players. Ford went through the same hard work as Newman had undergone 15 years prior, but Ford had the advantage of being more knowledgeable about construction, having worked in the field to finance his way through college. He was able to help design sets using his prior building knowledge. Some of the plays that Ford appeared in that season included “Little Mary Sunshine,” “Night of the Iguana,” “Damn Yankees,” “Dark Side of the • see Moon” and “Sunday in New Page 12 York.”
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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
The late 1960s caused a disruption • from in the Belfry’s production Page 11 schedule. A decision was made to widen the highway, which caused the historic 1888 building to be considered for demolition. The historic little theater was saved by moving it to Highway 67 just south of Highway 50 to its present location. Although the building was saved, the company underwent severe financial difficulties and ceased production from 1969 to 1976. Barry E. Silverman, a director of the Dobama Theater Group of Cleveland, obtained proprietorship of the Belfry in 1976. He began a new operating troupe that became known as Dobama West. He remained at the Belfry producing shows until the end of the 1979 season. From 1979 until the early 1990s, the theater remained mostly dark except for occasional performances and revivals. Showman Eddie Cash presented a series of local musical tributes in the ‘90s. Then the theatre was put up for auction in 2013. Transformative Arts purchased the building and began work to restore the Belfry to a summer stock theatre. “Renovations began with the purchase of the building to again restore the Belfry into a summer stock theatre,” Trembly said. “We opened again in 2016 with a series of musical programs. We provided Dove ice cream bars and water to all the attendees at the end of the performance, because the theater was not air conditioned.” Air conditioning is being added now, she said. “We also plan to continue to offer the Dove bars to our audiences,” she said. “The early policy of choosing an audience member to ring the bell prior to the raising of the curtain will also continue.”
SUMMER 2017
range from $30 to $60. The Belfry Music Theatre is at 3601 Highway 67, Delavan. Its website is belfrymusictheatre.com, and its phone number is (262) 394-6460. The theater is also on Facebook.
2017 schedule JULY 28 and 29 Beach Boys tribute
AUGUST 4 to 6 Neil Diamond tribute 11 and 12 Sam Cooke tribute 16 and 17 Garth Brooks Tribute 18 to 20 Michael Jackson tribute 25 and 26 Frankie Valli Tribute 31 Fleetwood Mac tribute
SANDRA LANDEN MACHAJ Wonders of Walworth
The inside of the original little white church has been transformed into a seating area where visitors may gather before performances at the Belfry Music Theater.
The new ownership has future plans for the Belfry. “We are a passionate group with many plans for the future,” Trembly said. “Our first goal is to keep the doors open.” To do that, the group is working to encourage donations for the major improvements planned for the theatre. While restoring the active summer stock performances that have been a part of the history of the Belfry, the organization also has other plans for the building’s use. It is working to have the building become a center where special events will take place. Business meetings, family reunions, birthday parties and weddings are some ideas for the use of the space. “We already have a wedding scheduled for the fall,” Trembly said. The building has no running water, so
anyone hosting an event at the facility would have to provide refreshments or have them catered, she said. For the upcoming season, the group is concentrating on music venues that are tribute bands to well known musical groups. “Our season includes tributes to Simon and Garfunkel, the Eagles, ABBA, Neil Diamond, Frankie Valli and Fleetwood Mac to name a few,” Trembly said. “Our tribute bands are all professional musicians coming from such areas as Nashville, Los Angeles, New York and Las Vegas.” The theatre is a somewhat small venue with a seat configuration that can be changed to accommodate the audience. The seats, which were donated by the Lakewood Community Church, are upholstered and comfortable. Ticket prices
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SEPTEMBER
Mobile munchies
By Tracy Ouellette STAFF WRITER
When it comes to the trendy food truck craze, it’s not unusual to see some fancy rigs. But most can’t compare to the food truck from LD’s BBQ in East Troy. “Yeah, it’s a real fire engine,” restaurant owner Leon Davis said with a laugh. “I found it while looking for a meat mixer for Meatloaf Wednesdays and when I came across it on the Wisconsin Surplus Auction site I just stopped and stared. “I was like a 13-year-old kid and I had to have it. I mean, who doesn’t want their own fire truck?” Davis bought the fire engine in late 2015 and began using it full time last year. “Chris Bottoni of Hoopster Performance Graphics tricked it all out for me,” Davis said. “He said it was the most fun out of all the fire engines he’s dressed before because he got to put flames on it. “It’s a lot of fun going down the highway in a fire truck with flames on it that’s actually smoking.” While Davis considered turning the fire engine to a classic-style food truck with the smoker actually inside the truck, logistically, it wasn’t possible. “We looked at having it on the truck and having it slide out, but it would be too high to use,” he said. “So, we use it to transport everything to the site and then set up next to it to serve from the smoker.” Davis said he has the truck out “as much as possible” in the warmer months and it can often be seen at area businesses serving lunch to employees and local
events. “That’s kind of my thing,” he said. “Instead of getting caught up with food truck events, we’re doing more at local businesses. I have some I go out to weekly at their request, others once or twice a month.” Davis said he preferred the “family” feel of the smaller stops like that over the impersonal big food truck events. “I do the one in East Troy, because it’s East Troy, but I don’t go around to all the big events in the area,” he said. “I’d rather set up in the parking lot of one of the companies who have asked me to come out and feed their employees and get to spend time with the people. “I’m really excited that a lot of them are calling me back and begging me to come.” Davis said the reason he set up a food truck was to increase awareness of his East Troy restaurant. “It’s a rolling billboard, that fire truck,” he said. “Barbecue is such a communal thing and every time I roll out, I’m adding to the family. There have been so many friendships that have come from the restaurant and catering. I love to be out there with the customers. This is why I do this, to bring people together.” Davis said his dream was to build a restaurant on about 2 to 3 acres of land. “The restaurant itself wouldn’t be any bigger than what I have now for eating, but I’d have a bigger kitchen and a pavilion outside for people to all be together as they eat. I could host big events in the community everyone could come down. “I’ve been so blessed by the people
Lefty’s takes it on the road (and lake) By Heather Ruenz STAFF WRITER
Lefty’s Chicago Style Hot Dogs, a small food stand on Highway 12 in the Lauderdale Lakes area north of Elkhorn, recently expanded and now has a food truck, Lefty’s on the Go. “We decided to add Lefty’s on the Go this year. This is only our second event,” Dona Mann, who co-owns Lefty’s with her daughter, Karlee Mann, said at last weekend’s Elkhorn Community Days event. The first event for the truck was First Friday Food Truck Fest in East Troy earlier this month. Lefty’s features hot dogs, Italian sausage and beef, burgers, cheese curds, chicken wings, fries, soda, iced tea, lemonade and milkshakes, but they enjoy being creative, too. “We have BBQ pork smothered fries, tater tots and macaroni ‘n cheese bites and are making some specialty milkshakes where we add candy flavors,” Dona said. Other specials that have been offered at times include taco dogs and taco tots for Cinco De Mayo, a Philly beef hot dog, and at this weekend’s event it was the Wisconsin Dog – a beef hot dog topped with cheese curds, ranch dressing and bacon pieces.
The name Lefty’s came from the previous owner of the business, Dona said, and when Karlee bought the Highway 12 stand three years ago, she decided to keep it. Dona said they decided to add Lefty’s on the Go because it allows them to be part of community events and expand their business. “We want to go around to towns and cater parties and events, so this is perfect. We’re already booked for Balestrieri’s employee luncheon and Kunes Ford’s appreciation event,” Dona said. For events that feature food trucks, whether or not it’s worth the time and effort is an unknown because vendors have to pay a fee, she said. “But we won’t know until we try and it’s important to be out in the communities,” Dona said. Another facet to Lefty’s is the variety of services they offer on Lauderdale Lakes. “We have a pontoon that sells hot dogs and so on, a smaller menu, on the lake. And we cater to parties and events there,” she said. Dona said her favorite part of the business is the regular customers • see and their loyalty to Lefty’s. “There are a lot of people that Page 15
SUMMER 2017
WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
Page 13
In trucks, trailers and tents, Walworth County restaurants take it on the road
TRACY OUELLETTE Wonders of Walworth
The LD’s BBQ food truck is an actual fire engine that owner Leon Davis purchased from the Wisconsin Surplus Auction. Davis said his fire engine isn’t like standard food truck as he uses it for transportation and storage and serves from the smoker he sets up next to the truck.
here,” he continued. “I’ve made a lot of friends with my little barbecue joint and now I just want to be out there with them to thank them.” Davis and LD’s BBQ will be at the Walworth County Fair this year, Aug. 30 to Sept. 4. Davis also cooked and competed at
the second annual Ribfest in Elkhorn, July 14 to 16 on the Walworth County Fairgrounds. LD’s BBQ is at 1880 Highway ES in East Troy. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. For more information, call (414) 610-7675 or visit www.ldsbbq.com.
LOPEZ FOOD TRAILER STILL SERVING AFTER 35 YEARS By Ryan Spoehr STAFF WRITER
What started out as a way to promote a new set of menu items at Lopez’s Anchor In, 1325 Racine St. in Delavan more than three decades ago, the restaurant’s food trailer has become a fixture in Delavan and surrounding communities. Then owned by Jose Lopez, the restaurant was primarily a burger-and-fries joint in 1981, current owner Maria Lopez said. Then, McDonald’s added a Delavan location and things changed. Determined to set his business apart from McDonald’s, Lopez’s became primarily a Mexican restaurant. “That’s why he started the trailer. It was a way to promote the Mexican food,” Maria Lopez said. “Back then, Mexican restaurants weren’t exactly easy to find. I believe Hernandez was the only one in town,” Maria Lopez said. While the Anchor In is again a place to find burgers and other American food, the food trailer is still around and still promoting Mexican food at Lopez’s Anchor In. Now, after Jose Lopez passed away, Maria Lopez is keeping the legacy of, not only the Anchor In alive, but also of the food trailer. The trailer is at events such as the Walworth County Fair. “It’s really a good little business,” Maria Lopez said. “There are enough events around here to go around with the food trailer five days out of the week, but we just don’t have the time. We get calls all the time for the trailer but the time isn’t there because I’m running the business.” In the trailer, Mexican food including tacos, taco salad, burritos and Spanish rice are available. Customers may also find guacamole, refried beans, tortillas, tortilla soup and nachos. There are also smoothies in flavors like horchata, mango and honeydew. The trailer is at the Apple Barn Orchard and Winery in Elkhorn on weekends throughout October after the Anchor In closes for the season at the end of September.
Things to do
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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
JULY 28 Fish Fry – 4:30-7:30 p.m., Lutherdale Ministries, N7891 Highway 12, north of Elkhorn. Tickets $14, adults, $7 for children 12 and younger. Reservations suggested for groups of eight or more. (262) 742-2352. 28 East Troy Farmers Market, 2-6 p.m. on the East Troy Village Square Park. Vendors selling homegrown and local produce, specialty items, meats, baked goods, crafts, live music and activities. (262) 642-3770. 29 Aquanut Water Shows – 2015 National Show Ski Champions. Most Wednesdays and Saturdays, 6 p.m., at Lance Park, 55 Lance Drive, Twin Lakes. Family focused choreographed Water Ski Show Team performs on Lake Mary throughout the summer. Free admission and free parking, concessions are sold on-site. (262) 8772348 www.aquanutwatershows.com. 29 Walworth County farmers market – Veterans Park on the downtown square, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. (262) 723-7733. 29 Whitewater Farmers Market, 8 a.m. until sell out, (around noon), rain or shine, in the parking lot at the Winchester True Value Hardware, 1415 W. Main St. 29-30 WI Ranch Horse Association Horse Show, Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. walworthcountyfair.com (262) 723-3228. 31-Aug. 1 Burlington Kennel Dog Show, Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. walworthcountyfair.com (262) 723-3228.
AUGUST 1 National Night Out, Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. walworthcountyfair.com (262) 723-3228. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 The Whitewater City Market, 3:30-7:30 p.m. at the historic Train Depot, 301 W. Whitewater St., Whitewater. Featuring local farmers, artisans, food vendors, and musicians. www. downtownwhitewater.com. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Mukwonago Area Farmers Market, 2-6 p.m., at Field Park (corner of highways 83 and NN), Mukwonago. (262) 363-7758. 2, 5, 9, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30 Aquanut Water Shows – 2015 National Show Ski Champions. Most Wednesdays and Saturdays, 6 p.m., at Lance Park, 55 Lance Drive, Twin Lakes. Family focused choreographed Water Ski Show Team performs on Lake Mary throughout the summer. Free admission and free parking, concessions are sold on-site. (262) 877-2348 www.aquanutwatershows. com.
SUMMER 2017
4-5 Elkhorn Area Chamber of Commerce Corn and Brat Days in Veterans Park on the downtown square in Elkhorn, featuring a variety of games for kids, crafters, performances and food. 4, 11, 18, 25 East Troy Farmers Market, 2-6 p.m. on the East Troy Village Square Park. Vendors selling homegrown and local produce, specialty items, meats, baked goods, crafts, live music and activities. (262) 642-3770. 5, 12, 19, 26 Walworth County farmers market – Veterans Park on the downtown square, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. (262) 723-7733. 5, 12, 19, 26 Whitewater Farmers Market, 8 a.m. until sell out, (around noon), rain or shine, in the parking lot at the Winchester True Value Hardware, 1415 W. Main St. 5-6 Madison Classic Car Show & Swap, Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. madisonclassics.com or (608) 244-8416. 11 Fish Fry – special with preview for Lutherdale Fest Quilt Auction, 4:307:30 p.m., Lutherdale Ministries, N7891 Highway 12, north of Elkhorn. Tickets $14, adults, $7 for children 12 and younger. Reservations suggested for groups of eight or more. (262) 742-2352 12 Lutherdale Fest and Quilt Auction – from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., hand-made quilts and other items will be auctioned off to support summer camp. Lunch at 11 a.m. at Lutherdale, N7891 Highway 12. The event will also include children’s programming and a men’s lounge. (262) 742-2352. 13 Antique Flea Market, 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn, featuring vendors offering a variety of treasures. Admission, $5. (414) 525-0820 or nlpromotionsllc@ gmail.com. 14 Lakeland Animal Shelter golf scramble at Hawk View Golf Club, Lake Geneva. (262) 723-1000 or visit lakelandanimalshelter.org, events and search “scramble 1.” 17-20 NBHA State Barrel Races, Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. walworthcountyfair.com (262) 723-3228. 18-19 Midwest Pro Rodeo, Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. walworthcountyfair.com (262) 723-3228. 19 Hand Feed Monarchs, 1-4 p.m., at Price Park Conservancy, N6418 Hodunk Rd., Elkhorn. Learn about the life cycle of Monarchs at live butterfly stations and feed the butterflies from your hands. $5 a person; free for members of the Kettle Moraine Land Trust. kmlandtrust.org or info@kmlandtrust.org. 19, 20 Maxwell Street Days, at Field Park, (intersection of highways 83 and NN), Mukwonago, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. More than 650 vendors, free admission to the park, reasonable off site parking available. Pets, bicycles and skateboards are prohibited. www.maxwellstreetdays.net. 25 Fish Fry – 4:30-7:30 p.m., Lutherdale Ministries, N7891 Highway 12, north of Elkhorn. Tickets $14, adults, $7 for children 12 and younger. Reservations
TANNER FIELDS Wonders of Walworth
The Venetian Fest grounds on the shore of Geneva Lake are seen from a drone over the lake on opening night of the festival in 2016. This year’s festival, organized by the Lake Geneva Jaycees, will be Aug. 16 to 20 in Flat Iron Park and Seminary Park. suggested for groups of eight or more. (262) 742-2352.
bicycles and skateboards are prohibited. www.maxwellstreetdays.net.
30 Walworth County Fair, featuring shows, animal barns and auctions, food, games, crafts, a variety of contests and a midway. (262) 723-3228 or walworthcountyfair.com.
9-10 Southern WI Buckskin Horse Show, Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. walworthcountyfair.com (262) 723-3228.
SEPTEMBER 1-4 Walworth County Fair, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn, featuring shows, animal barns and auctions, food, games, crafts, a variety of contests and a midway. (262) 723-3228 or walworthcountyfair.com. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 East Troy Farmers Market, 2-6 p.m. on the East Troy Village Square Park. Vendors selling homegrown and local produce, specialty items, meats, baked goods, crafts, live music and activities. (262) 642-3770. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Walworth County farmers market – Veterans Park on the downtown square, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. (262) 723-7733. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Whitewater Farmers Market, 8 a.m. until sell out, (around noon), rain or shine, in the parking lot at the Winchester True Value Hardware, 1415 W. Main St. 2 Aquanut Water Shows – 2015 National Show Ski Champions. Last show of the season, 6 p.m., at Lance Park, 55 Lance Drive, Twin Lakes. Family focused choreographed Water Ski Show Team performs on Lake Mary throughout the summer. Free admission and free parking, concessions are sold on-site. (262) 877-2348 www.aquanutwatershows. com. 5, 12, 19, 26 The Whitewater City Market, 3:30-7:30 p.m. at the historic Train Depot, 301 W. Whitewater St., Whitewater. Featuring local farmers, artisans, food vendors, and musicians. www. downtownwhitewater.com. 6, 13, 20, 27 Mukwonago Area Farmers Market, 2-6 p.m., at Field Park (corner of highways 83 and NN), Mukwonago. (262) 363-7758. 9, 10 Maxwell Street Days, at Field Park, (intersection of highways 83 and NN), Mukwonago, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. More than 650 vendors, free admission to the park, reasonable off site parking available. Pets,
16-17 Jericho Productions Open Horse Show, Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. walworthcountyfair.com (262) 723-3228. 22 Keefe Kares Fundraiser, Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. walworthcountyfair.com (262) 723-3228. 23 Fall Fest in downtown Mukwonago, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Streets are closed opening the downtown for this village-wide celebration. Enjoy live music, a chili cookoff, kids pumpkin painting, scarecrow building, shopping local businesses, craft vendors, and much more. (262) 363-7758. 24 Antique Flea Market, 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn, featuring vendors offering a variety of treasures. Admission, $5. nlpromotionsllc@gmail.com. 29 Fish Fry – 4:30-7:30 p.m., Lutherdale Ministries, N7891 Highway 12, north of Elkhorn. Tickets $14, adults, $7 for children 12 and younger. (262) 742-2352. 29-Oct. 1 Wisconsin State Jayco Camping Rally, Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn. walworthcountyfair.com (262) 723-3228.
OCTOBER 3, 10, 17, 24 The Whitewater City Market, 3:30-7:30 p.m. at the historic Train Depot, 301 W. Whitewater St., www. downtownwhitewater.com. The calendar of events is compiled from a variety of sources including the Elkhorn Area Chamber of Commerce and the Walworth County Visitors Bureau and contains events available as of press time. Although we make every attempt to provide accurate information regarding area events, dates and times may change or events may be cancelled. We suggest you visit elkhornchamber.com or visitwalworthcounty.com prior to making travel plans.
SUMMER 2017
WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
Page 15
SUMMER IS BETTER HERE.
ELKHORN
ON THE SHORES OF GENEVA LAKE, JUST SEVEN MILES FROM DOWNTOWN LAKE GENEVA
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IN “FAMILY MATTERS, THE MUSICAL” This musical production, based on the beloved books, takes audiences on an adventure through song and dance.
NATIONAL RIB COMPETITI ON
HEATHER RUENZ Wonders of Walworth
Dona Mann (right), co-owner of Lefty’s Chicago Style Hot Dogs, and her sister, Tish Connolly, serve a customer at Elkhorn Community Days this past June in Babe Mann Park.
pull in and we know their order
• from before they get out of the car,” Page 13 she said.
Some of their regular customers even stopped by Elkhorn Community Days, in part to support Lefty’s. “They have great hot dogs and they’re awesome people,” Becky Martin said. “We like supporting a local business, especially one that’s family-run. Their food is good and they’re great at coming up with new ideas to try,” Heather Martin added. The business is run by Karlee, Dona and Dona’s sister, Tish Connolly, along
with a few employees that help out at Lefty’s on Highway 12, as well as the on the go truck and the pontoon boat. Lefty’s, N7033 Highway 12, Elkhorn, is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the summer, seven days a week – weather permitting. The hours vary, as does its open season; updates are posted on the Facebook page. The Highway 12 stand offers outdoor seating and customers are welcome to call in for pick-up. For more information call Lefty’s on Highway 12 at (262) 215-8266; Lefty’s on the Go at (262) 215-3638, Lefty’s boat at (262) 379-4518, or follow Lefty’s Chicago Style Hot Dogs on Facebook.
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With his gift for storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of country, jazz, folk, gospel and blues that breaks down barriers.
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WONDERS OF WALWORTH COUNTY
SUMMER 2017
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2.5 miles west of Lake Geneva on Hwy. 50
262•245•6966
Food for the Hungry Rest for the Weary Good Drinks for All
Also Other Interesting European & American Made Cars
www.redgeraniumrestaurant.com
156469
630-553-9023 • email sbcinc@aol.com
179539
179346
The Cheese Box Selling the finest Wisconsin cheeses for over 70 years ...the tradition continues
New Owners, Johnny B. & Cheri welcome you Daily Specials ~ Sandwiches ~ Gift Boxes Wisconsin’s Finest Cheeses ~ Sausage Novelty Items 269420
269434
THE CHEESE BOX 801 Wells St., Lake Geneva, WI
262-248-3440 • www.cheesebox.com
231245
225 Broad Street, Lake Geneva, WI 262-248-2827 www.ohmygauze.com Also in St. Armands Circle, Sarasota, & Naples, FL
Dancing Horses: Open Year Round! Animal Gardens & Petting Zoo: Open May-Oct.
$2.50 OFF
(262) 248-8798
Wisconsin’s #1 Must See Live Attraction!
Adult Tickets Only Regular Price
Check website for dates and times www.thedancinghorses.com
Adults $27.50 Children $15.00
5065 Highway 50, Lake Geneva, WI 53115
Code: WOW
Hwys. 12 & 120 • Exit 328 on US 12 Lake Geneva, WI • 1 1/4 miles North of Downtown 100 E. Geneva Square
262-728-8200
231250
Hours: 6 a.m.-10 p.m. 7 Days
IN THE GENEVA SQUARE SHOPPING CENTER
190763
Reservations required for family entertainment at it's Best!
CALL RYAN TO FIND THE BEST LAKE VALUES! Ryan Simons
Lakefront Specialist
(608) 852-3156 www.DelavanLakeProperty.com
250164
Comfort Coupon
Save $20 on your next service
328 Kenosha St., Walworth, WI 262-275-2171 • www.toyntonfuneralhome.com
166295
262-279-6545
service@genoacityheating.com Lennox Home Comfort $ 200 OFF Furnace or Central Air website: Conditioning System genoacityheating.com
269435
Contact us for your next HVAC project!
Aprilaire Humidifier $ 100 OFF Installation
mywalworth county.com 287344
Voted #1 Heating & Cooling Contractor 7 Years Running! Voted #1 Plumbing & Electrical Contractor 4 Years Running!
www.peckandweis.com 2506 Crest Drive Lake Geneva, WI 53147 262.248.6836 • FAX: 262.248.1490
More people get comfortable with us!
269430
287162
FREE ESTIMATES • FAST RELIABLE SERVICE