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Have you noticed the mural being painted on the side of the Badger Heating & Air Conditioning building on Main Street in town? The Boulder Junction Chamber is sponsoring the mural, a colorful showcase of the four seasons of activities and wildlife in Boulder Junction, designed and being painted by local artist, Joan Christgau. The project is funded in part by a grant from the Foundation’s Community Endowment. However, more fundraising is being done for the nearly $6,000 project. Donations may be sent to the Foundation for the mural. See the Contact Us information on this page. Donations received in excess of project costs will remain in the Community Enhancement Fund for future projects.
At their January 18th meeting, the Board of the Boulder Junction Community Foundation celebrated $39,448.56 in donations and special event proceeds sent to the Boulder Junction Community Endowment Fund (managed by the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin, Wausau) for 2015.
From left to right in the
photo are Dennis Aukstik, Immediate Past President; Leslie Gauberti,
Treasurer; Barb Boston, President; Gene Klisnick, Irene Gravelle,
Parker Sterner, Mary Van Grinsven, Secretary, Grant Herman and Dave
Osborn.
Irene Gravelle recently updated the Boulder Junction Town Board on Foundation activities at their December 1 board meeting. Irene announced that the Between the Holidays Community Celebration will be sponsored by the Foundation on Tuesday, December 29, at Winter Park from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. Weather permitting, this family centered community activity will include skating, sledding, Snowmobile Club wagon rides, and the possible demonstrations of dog sledding, hockey and an area fur exhibit. Other local organizations are joining the Foundation to support the dayʼs activities. The Foundation thanks the Town of Boulder Junction for providing the fireworks at 6:00, the ice skating rink and sledding hill. Residents, visiting guests and winter enthusiasts are invited to attend this special Boulder Junction observation and join in the winter fun. The Foundation is looking forward to a great turn-out on the 29th. Read the report.
This was the first summer for the Foundation’s DREAMBOARD. The Foundation had a write-on easel set up at the flea markets, Music on Main events, and on Musky Day. The board was meant to engage people in conversations about what they loved about Boulder Junction, what they could dream would enhance Boulder Junction and/or what they wanted to preserve in town. Throughout the summer, people wrote more than 100 responses. As you can imagine, we received a wide variety of ideas and comments!
Work has already begun and funds have already been donated to make some of these dreams come true. Janny Thomas & Lynn Mehrholz, owners of BJ Trading Company, were presented with the inaugural Dream Catcher Award at the Colorama Dinner, for making some of their dreams for Boulder Junction come true. They provided the resources and made arrangements for the work to get done – over $20,000 in improvements at the town sport and recreation area by the ballfield. The foundation applauds their vision and action!
The Dream Board responses did tend to fall into some dominant recurring themes/categories. We found outdoor activities reigned supreme, with ideas for the bike trails and downtown live entertainment topping the list. Many of these ideas are worthy of further research and a few will make you chuckle. While not all of the ideas are feasible in a town our size, they are all worthy of consideration and give us an insight into what people are looking for whether they are choosing us for their vacation spot or to live here. View the Dream Board list.
If any of the ideas on the list move you to want to donate to make them a reality, please contact us- we want to help you.
A highlight of the 56th Annual Colorama Dinner, which was held on Saturday, September 19, at Camp Manito-wish YMCA, was the awarding of the raffle prizes from the Foundation’s 2015 seasonal raffle. The grand prize of the hand-crafted fifteen foot cedar strip with ash trim canoe, Prospector model, hand crafted by Boulder Junction resident Parker Sterner, went to Gary L. John, Madison, WI. Cynthia Wills of Boulder Junction was awarded the Specialized Disc Elite bicycle from Coontail Sports. Hod Bailey of Metamora, IL, was the pleased recipient of the classic Boulder Junction pole banner. Congratulations to the winners!
The Boulder Junction Community Foundation would like to thank the 8th Grade Class of North Lakeland School for their continued service at the Colorama Dinner. They did a wonderful job serving food, clearing tables, and looking after their customers. In return for their service the kids earn money toward their annual spring class trip. This year was a banner year for them. Between the stipend given to them by the Foundation for their service, the generous tips they received during the dinner, and ticket purchases for their raffle, they were able to raise almost $2,300 for their trip. NLS 8th graders along with their parents and advisors have been a part of the dinner for many years. We look forward to continuing that tradition.
In anticipation of the rapidly approaching 56th annual Colorama Dinner, Jim Konopacki and Dennis Aukstik installed the Colorama Dinner Signs at the entrance to Camp Manito-wish YMCA on Highway K.
Doors open at 4:45 p.m. for a new event that starts at 5:00 p.m.– a Jewelry Silent Auction hosted by Peeplelures. There will also be shrimp and other appetizers to enjoy provided by one of the in-kind sponsors, Dairymenʼs Country Club. The baked chicken and wild game stew dinner with all the fixings is served, family style, promptly at 6:00 p.m. As always there will be plenty of fun, including door prizes and the drawing for the Foundation’s canoe, bike, and BJ Banner raffle prizes. Tickets are still available at the BJ Chamber (715-385-2400). Adults – $16, Children 12 and under – $8. Join us for a fun community evening!
The beautiful summer weather provided a wonderful backdrop to the busy Lions Flea Market today. Many treasure hunters visited the Foundation’s booth to admire this summer’s raffle prizes and purchase raffle tickets. While the grand prize cedar strip canoe drew many admirers, one visitor paused at the raffle’s 1st prize Crosstrail bicycle long enough for us to capture his affection for bicycles. Thank you everyone for your support of the Boulder Junction community through the Foundation!
Foundation Board members presented Pete Rondello, General Manager of WXPR public radio (91.7 FM), with a certificate of appreciation at Boulder Junction’s Music on Main Street concert July 15. WXPR was thanked for their continued support, through publicity and coverage of charity fundraising events, including the Foundation’s annual Colorama Dinner to be held Saturday, September 19, at Camp Manito-wish this year.
Foundation Board members, family, and friends gathered Saturday morning to participate in Boulder Junction’s July 4th parade. Against a backdrop of perfect summer weather and the North Lakeland marching band, there was plenty of laughter and smiles as this year’s raffle canoe was escorted down Main Street as part of the parade. A big thank you to everyone who joined us!