The Beautiful
April 3, 2024

Ed Flesch, Artistic Director at The Fireside Theatre, and Katie Horner, NYC-based actor/singer (Carole King) present interesting tidbits about The Fireside’s upcoming show: BEAUTIFUL, The Carole King Musical.

First Women Voters in Fort Atkinson
September 13, 2023

Merrilee Lee, Hoard Museum

1901 Water Tower
September 27, 2023

Harriet Scherer

Tour from your chair, without the stairs. Get the scoop on the 1901 Fort Atkinson Water Works system. 

Tour guides and docents Harriet Scherer and Greg Misfeldt will share the developmet and renovations of the iconic 1901 Fort Atkinson Historic Water Tower

National Register of Historic Places
October 11, 2023

Elizabeth Hilton

Elizabeth Hilton is the National Register Coordinator for the Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Office. She studied Historic Preservation and Community Planning, as well as Art History, at the College of Charleston in South Carolina and received a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the Art Institute of Chicago. Prior to joining the Wisconsin SHPO over a year ago, she was an architectural historian for an environmental consulting firm based in Los Angeles for 15 years. During this time, she worked on several National Register nominations, facilitated tax credit projects, conducted numerous Section 106 reviews, and prepared individual landmark nominations at the local, state, and national levels. Elizabeth has lived in Wisconsin for six years now and enjoys visiting local communities throughout the state, including ski hills, historic properties, and hiking trails.

History of Jones Dairy Farm
October 25, 2023

Cole Jones

Sample of Jones Dairy Farm Products at 6:00, talk starts at 7:00

Wisconsin’s Freshwater is Getting Salty
October 19, 2022

Hillary Dugan, PhD – UW-Madison

Hilary is an Assistant Professor in Integrative Biology at UW-Madison. Her education consists of a BS and an MS, both from Queen’s University (Ontario Canada), and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago, 2014. Her previous position at UW-Madison was as a Postdoctoral Fellow, in the Center for Limnology. “I was always fascinated by earth sciences, and how ecosystems worked. During my undergrad, I worked as a research assistant in the Canadian Arctic and fell in love with fieldwork and studying global change. At some point, my interests narrowed to water, and eventually lakes. Having grown up around lakes, this was probably a natural progression, but it took me a while to get there.”

Rock River Community Clinic
November 2, 2022

Olivia Hartwick Nichols

A 2010 Fort Atkinson graduate, Nichols returned to Wisconsin after 8 years in Alabama, where she received her Master of Science. She’s currently finishing her Doctorate in Human Development and Family Studies at Auburn University. Her research and teaching centers around identifying early contexts of support that improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities. She has presented her research at academic conferences throughout the U.S. and published numerous articles in academic journals including Sleep Medicine, Social Development, American Journal of Epidemiology, Cultural and Attachment & Human Development.

Warm Belly Farm
November 16, 2022

Francis Wisniewski

Francis grew up in Pennsylvania where he received his BS in Commerce and Engineering from Drexel University. He moved to Chicago in 1996 to work on the  CBOE. He began trading in 1997 and founded his own trading firm in 2003 with 3 other partners. He started a few other businesses including Warm Belly Bakery in Chicago. The bakery is now closed, but the name has lived on through the farm which was founded by Francis in 2017.

Beneath the Flames; A firefighter’s Stories
March 30, 2022

Gregory Renz – Author, retired Milwaukee Fire Captain

Fire Captain Gregory Lee Renz was involved in a dramatic rescue of two little boys from their burning basement bedroom. He received a series of awards for this rescue including induction into the Wisconsin Fire and Police Hall of Fame in 2006. When he was asked to share the dramatic rescue at several awards banquets, he was moved by the emotional responses he received and was struck by the power of his storytelling. Gregory has always been an avid reader and thought maybe he could craft a compelling novel if he could learn how to get these stories on the page. How hard could that be? He would soon learn.

Why didn’t we take the interstate? Stories on resilience, second impressions, faith, and the fine art of B.S.
April 30, 2022

Dr. Bill Stork – Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Author

Dr. Bill is a cradle flatlander who emigrated north across the Cheddar Curtain over twenty-five years ago and immediately became enamored with every square inch of Wisconsin…and most of her people. As a country vet he has worked shoulder-to-shoulder with folks who’s physical strength is dwarfed by their character and grit. Inspired by John Boy Walton, James Herriot, and Mike Perry he’s written three editions of the In Herriot’s Shadow series. Collections of short stories in celebration of humanity and an assault on the notion you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

No Mow May
April 27, 2022

Panel discussion: Frankie Fuller, Margaret Schroeder, Barbara Brouwer

Help to support the community’s pollinators!

Art Inspired by Lorrine Niedecker
May 11, 2022

Amy Lutzke and Ann Engelman

Public and School artwork inspired by the poetry of Lorrine Niedecker, Fort Atkinson native and nationally-recognized poet.

Ann Engelman learned about Lorine Niedecker when she went to get a library card after moving to Fort Atkinson in 2001. Ann has been a friend ever since creating opportunities for others to be captured by Lorine’s poems about her “place” on Blackhawk Island along the Rock River. Ann and Amy Lutzke created the Friends of Lorine Niedecker in 2004 hosting Poetry Festivals, visitors curious about Lorine and public art installations. The Poetry Walls in Fort Atkinson have created publicity, selfie opportunities and an invitation to absorb lines of poetry into our own lives.

Amy Lutzke is the Assistant Director at the Dwight Foster Public Library. In 2004, along with Ann Engelman, she began the Friends of Lorine Niedecker, Inc. The FOLN is an educational organization that offers access to research archives and educational materials, and publishes The Solitary Plover, a semiannual newsletter, and What Region, a monograph series. Amy has coordinated poetry/art installations in the public schools of Fort Atkinson, is general editor of The Solitary Plover newsletter and obtained grant funding to digitize the Lorine Niedecker archives at the Hoard Historical Museum and the Dwight Foster Public Library.

Kitty O’Meara
May 25, 2022

Poet and Author – ‘And The People Stayed Home’

A book that offers wisdom that can help during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Zoom:

https://www.fortatkinsonclub.org/omeara

Kitty O’Meara lives and writes near Madison, Wisconsin. Her poems and essays have appeared in several publications and are often featured in her blog, the-daily-round.com.

Her children’s book, And the People Stayed Home (Tra Publishing, 2020; Illus. by Stefano Di Cristofaro and Paul Pereda), is a bestseller, and was named by Smithsonian Magazine as one of the Top Ten Children’s Books of 2020. A second picture book, The Rare, Tiny Flower (Tra Publishing, 2022; Illus. by Quim Torres), will be published May 31, 2022, and was featured in an article by O’Meara in the March 28 edition of Publishers Weekly. Her third picture book, Oliver and the Night Giants (Illus. by Anna Pirolli) is due for publication with Tra Publishing in the spring of 2023.

Bottoms Up: A Toast to Wisconsin’s Historic Bars & Breweries
October 6, 2021

Jim Draeger – Architectural Historian and State Historic Preservation Officer at the Wisconsin Historical Society

Bottoms Up: A Toast to Wisconsin’s Historic Bars & Breweries celebrates Wisconsin’s taverns and the breweries that fueled them. Beginning with inns and saloons, the book explores the rise of taverns and breweries, the effects of temperance and Prohibition, and attitudes about gender, ethnicity, and morality. It traces the development of the megabreweries, dominance of the giants, and the emergence of microbreweries. Contemporary photographs of unusual and distinctive bars and breweries of all eras, historical photos, postcards, advertisements, and breweriana illustrate the story of how Wisconsin came to dominate brewing and the place that bars — and beer — hold in our social and cultural history.

Birdscaping in WI: Gardening to Attract Birds (Via Zoom)

October 13, 2021

Mariette Nowak, Author & Speaker, The Wild Ones

Go beyond bird feeders! Learn how to create outstanding bird habitats in your own yard with native plants that offer food, cover, and nesting sites for birds. The information on recommended plant species includes their native ranges in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin; the birds they attract; their visual characteristics; and their cultivation. Mariette Nowak also describes how gardeners featured in this book have gone beyond their own garden gates to work for the protection and restoration of bird habitat in their neighborhoods and communities. Birdscaping in the Midwest provides many sources of further information, including publications, websites, organizations, and native plant nurseries.

Vertigo Mechanisms & Treatment
October 20, 2021

Joe Haverkamp, PT, DPT, OCS, Physical Therapist, Fort Healthcare

This discussion will cover several of the most common types of dizziness, with the emphasis being on Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). We will discuss the involved anatomy, why it produces dizziness, and treatment techniques. BPPV is extremely common among the geriatric population and often can be easily fixed with 1-2 Physical Therapy treatments – if you have concerns about dizziness, this discussion is for you.

We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War
October 27, 2021

Doug Bradley, Distinguished Lecturer Emeritus
College of Letters & Science l Integrated Liberal Studies

“We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War” places popular music at the heart of the American experience in Vietnam. The presentation explores how and why U.S. troops turned to music as a way of connecting to each other and the World back home and of coping with the complexities of the war they had been sent to fight. It also demonstrates that music was important for every group of Vietnam veterans—black and white, Latino and Native American; men and women; officers and “grunts”—whose personal reflections drive the book’s narrative.

Bumblebee Conservation
March 16, 2021

Susan Carpenter, Senior Outreach Specialist
Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education | UW-Madison Arboretum

Susan Carpenter is the native plant gardener at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum. Since 2003, she has worked with students and community volunteers to maintain and monitor a 4-acre garden representing the plant communities of southern Wisconsin. She also leads a conservation project that involves students and the public in documenting and studying native bumble bees, including the endangered rusty-patched bumble bee, Bombus affinis. A graduate of Stanford University, Susan earned her MS in Botany and MS in Science Education at UW–Madison. Her professional interests include plant ecology, ecological restoration, pollinator conservation, and science education.

Milwaukee’s Integrated WPA Handicrafts Project
March 23, 2021

Matthew Prigge, WI Historical Society

Matthew is an author and librarian from Milwaukee. He is the author of four books, including 2019’s Damn the Old Tinderbox: Milwaukee’s Palace of the West and the Fire that Defined an Era. He is a two-time winner of the Milwaukee County Historical Society’s Gambrinus Prize and the former host of What Made Milwaukee Famous, a local history radio program on WMSE 91.7. 

The WPA Handicrafts Project was an innovative government project that helped thousands of local women make it through the worst of the Great Depression with a paycheck and new job skills. It was the first racially-integrated WPA project in the country.

The future of Environments and Cities, post-COVID
March 30, 2021


Paul Robbins, Director
The Nelson Institute

We live in a time of environmental upheaval. Stranger still, many of the changes we see in the world around us, from invasive species to climate change, are sometimes irreversible, although they are manageable. In a sense then, we live in a world where there is “No Going Back”. This talk discusses how to study, understand, and manage environments in change, and ends with the lessons of how COVID might have changed urban ecologies in ways from which cities may not return. Surprise? That might be a good thing.

Panel Discussion–Staying in business during COVID
April 13, 2021

Tim Humphrey, Humphrey Floral and Gifts

Tim has operated Humphrey Floral and Gift since the late 1980’s. Says a recent bride: “Tim was a pleasure to work with. I went in not knowing what type of bouquet I had wanted. He showed me a variety of flowers to incorportate with what he had in store as well as in books he has. Also flexible with last minute flower changes and additional flowers needed. Overall, very pleased with the service and would recommend for future use at any event. Prices were very reasonable as well. I had done a lot of shopping around first”.

Erin Patterson, Paddy Coughlin’s Pub and Paddy’s Paws

Most of you have probably experienced Erin’s hospitality first-hand at Paddy Coughlin’s Pub, a much-loved neighborhood establishment where proprietor she warmly welcomes locals and visitors alike. In fact, the restaurant attracts so many out-of-towners, Erin has also been nominated for the Tourism Counts Award. Says a longtime employee: “I’ve worked for Erin for almost a decade and each year I’m amazed and inspired. It’s a heartwarming feeling to see how she can bring so many people together for a good cause, especially during these trying times.
Erin started a non-profit of her own: Paddy’s Paws, a dog rescue that works with an army of volunteers to find adoptive homes for dogs in shelters, rescues and foster homes. Since its inception in 2015, Paddy’s Paws has successfully connected over 2500 dogs with loving families. Says a volunteer: “Erin is an amazing animal advocate with a heart of gold. Thanks to Erin and her dedication to helping homeless pups, many local community members have a loving pet.”

Sarah Pagenkopf, FHC: COVID-19 Vaccines
April 27, 2021

Sarah Pagenkopf, Fort Healthcare

Sarah received a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2007. Her prior leadership experience includes clinical coordinator roles at two healthcare systems, medication safety coordinator and application coordinator overseeing the electronic health record (EHR) in oncology services. She was inspired by the interconnections between pharmacy practice and the EHR and holds certification in both Epic and Cerner operating systems. Sarah also a Board Certificated Pharmacotherapy Specialist, obtaining that honor in 2016 and she holds that certificate currently. Sarah recently was promoted to clinical pharmacy manager in 2017, and in that role is the Co-Chair on the Fort HealthCare Medication Safety Committee and the Fort HealthCare Antimicrobial Stewardship Team She has been integral in the building and delivery of the PGY1 joint residency program at Fort HealthCare, which partners with UW Health.  She maintains memberships in American Society of Health-System Pharmacist, American College of Clinical Pharmacy, and the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin.

Alicia Leslie, FHC: Mental Health during COVID
May 11, 2021

Alicia Leslie, Fort Healthcare

Alicia is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in healing and recovery for children and adolescents affected by trauma as well as servicing populations impacted by adoption. Alicia has completed training and certification in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy through the Allegheny Health Network and the Rowan University CARES Institute and is a nationally registered Adoption Competent Mental Health Professional certified by the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.). She also holds advanced training in Motivational Interviewing. Alicia has experience treating depression, anxiety, mood issues, and family systems.