What’s happening in #WalCo this week? Clean Boats, Clean Waters Training; entries needed for classic car show; and National Skilled Nursing Week.
Clean Boats, Clean Waters Training
Walworth County’s Land Use and Resource Management (LURM) department, in partnership with Geneva Lake Environmental Agency and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, will host a Clean Boats, Clean Waters training event on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Walworth County Government Center, room 214, located at 100 W. Walworth Street in Elkhorn.
The Clean Boats, Clean Waters watercraft inspection program is aimed at addressing the growing concern over the spread of aquatic invasive species in Wisconsin’s inland lakes. Through the statewide program, inspectors are trained to educate boaters and anglers on how and where invasive species are most likely to enter waterways, perform boat and trailer checks for invasive species, and collect and report the presence of any new invasive species. Volunteer inspectors will be at the County’s public boat landings throughout the summer.
The Clean Boats, Clean Waters training is completely free and open to the public. No registration is required. Questions can be directed to LURM at (262) 741-4972. Learn more about the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program.
Lug Nuts & Donuts: Entrants Sign Up Today!
Do you own a cool, classic ride? Lakeland Health Care Center (LHCC) is looking for local gearheads to show their classic rides and sports cars, motorcycles, trucks, or any motorized vehicle at its 2nd Annual Lug Nuts and Donuts Car Show on Wednesday, June 7, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., in the LHCC front parking lot.
It’s a fun time for all and makes a difference in the lives of LHCC residents. Entry is free and owners can arrive as early as 9:30 a.m. to claim their spots. Donuts are provided. There will be a first-place prize chosen by the residents. The rain date is Wednesday, June 14.
Sign up with Cyndi Borgen, recreational leader, at (262) 741-3677 or cborgen@co.walworth.wi.us.
Cultivating Kindness: National Skilled Nursing Care Week
Lakeland Health Care Center is celebrating National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNCW) the week of May 14 to 20, 2023. Did you know? Walworth County is one of 31 counties in Wisconsin to operate a skilled nursing home facility.
The NSNCW 2023 theme, “Cultivating Kindness,” celebrates skilled nursing centers, and their residents and staff. Established as an annual, week-long observance by the American Health Care Association in 1967, NSNCW honors the essential role of skilled nursing care centers in caring for America’s elders and individuals with disabilities.
Throughout the week, LHCC has recognized staff and residents with fun activities and themed days. On Tuesday, staff dug through their closets for Decades Day, donning groovy generational gear from the 1950s on up. On Wednesday, LHCC employees hit the bar—the baked potato bar, that is—for a starchy snack. On Thursday, staff said yee-haw to western wear and jeans for Cowboy Kindness Day. The week culminated with a family picnic for staff, residents, and their families. Other activities held throughout the week included a tea tasting, a “dig it to win it” contest, and a gardening activity with UW-Extension Master Gardeners.
For more information on the annual observance, please visit NSNCW.org or the NSNCW Facebook page. To learn more about LHCC, visit www.co.walworth.wi.us/260/Lakeland-Health-Care-Center.
Elkhorn Area High School FFA Students Recognized for Envirothon Participation
Pictured (left to right): Board Supervisor and LCC Chair Brian Holt, Elkhorn High School seniors Macie Kruse and Mason Markham, and teacher Dave Kruse.
This week, Walworth County’s Land Conservation Committee (LCC) recognized students and staff from the Elkhorn Area High School FFA program for their participation and placement at the Wisconsin Land and Water’s 2023 Wisconsin Envirothon, which was held during Earth Week on April 21, 2023. Elkhorn placed first in the soils and land use category and was the first place FFA School.
Envirothon is billed as the state’s ultimate middle and high school environmental science challenge where teams of four or five students participate in four hands-on, mostly outdoor field challenges designed by natural resources professionals and educators. The challenges were based on four categories: aquatic ecology, forestry, soils/land use, and wildlife.
Seniors Macie Kruse and Mason Markham, alongside agriculture teacher Dave Kruse, spoke before Land Conservation Committee members about the experience, the importance of agriculture curriculum, and how trust and being open to each other’s ideas helped them succeed. Two other students—Mariana Axtman and Ashlyn Cianci—also competed at Envirothon but were unable to attend the LCC meeting.
Congratulations to the students on their successful participation in Wisconsin’s Envirothon!
76th Annual Alice in Dairyland Finals
Congratulations to Ashley Hagenow, who was announced as the 76th Alice in Dairyland at the Banquet & Finale on Saturday, May, 13, 2023, at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva. County Administrator Mark Luberda delivered the opening remarks (pictured, above). Walworth County was a proud sponsor of this year's Alice in Dairyland competition; this is the first time that Walworth County is hosting an in-person event to select the newest Alice in Dairyland.
Spongy Moths: Managing Unwanted Guests in Your Yard
Spongy moth (formerly known as gypsy moth) populations increased dramatically in 2022 causing many home and property owners concern about their trees. You may have noticed the spongy moth caterpillars crawling over everything last year, especially in May and June. Now that the weather is getting warmer, we can expect to start seeing these caterpillars again as they hatch from their egg masses and start to feed and grow. These caterpillars have distinctive red and blue dots on their backs, long hairs, and are voracious eaters, eating the leaves of many trees. Because they are feeding machines, the spongy moth caterpillars may cause damage to trees and are the biggest nuisance to people.
Property owners have many different options for managing spongy moths at different stages in their life cycle. Join Julie Hill, Horticulture Outreach Specialist for UW-Madison Division of Extension Walworth County, at Barrett Memorial Library on May 25 at 12 p.m. for this free program: Spongy Moths: Managing Unwanted Guests in Your Yard. You will learn more about spongy moths, including how to identify them, their life cycle, and management options for your yard, with an emphasis on non-toxic methods. Please remember that chemical management options are the last resort and consideration needs to be given to their impact on non-target organisms and the surrounding environment. The label on any chemical pesticide gives you safety and application information you are required by law to follow. Barrett Memorial Library is located at 65 W. Geneva Street, Williams Bay.
4th Annual Lakeland School Golf Outing
The Hunter’s Auto Service 4th Annual Golf Outing benefiting Lakeland School will take place on Saturday, June 24, at Delbrook Golf Course in Delavan. Registration and breakfast are from 9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., with a shotgun start at 11 a.m. The cost is $100 per golfer, which includes 18 holes of golf, two drink tickets, breakfast, dinner, and entertainment. Dinner guests cost $30 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under. Payment and registration are due by June 15. Register at https://df4cg.org/events.
Walworth County Receives Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting
Walworth County Finance Director Jessica Conley is pleased to announce that Walworth County is the recipient of the prestigious Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the year ending December 31, 2021. This is the 20th consecutive year the County has received the award. To be considered, municipalities must be reevaluated each year. View the full press release.
Job of the Week: Crisis Case Manager
The Crisis Case Manager is responsible for providing crisis case management services, developing emergency crisis plans, counseling and community resources development for adults and children who have a mental health and/or substance use disorder. This position is also responsible for providing support and education to consumers, families and/or their significant others. This position provides mobile and office-based Crisis Intervention services to Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services. Learn more and apply online: https://bit.ly/WalCoJobs.
Follow us! Walworth County is on Facebook
Walworth County has launched an official Facebook page. Here’s what you can expect to see on the page: News alerts, information about upcoming County Board meetings and public hearings, details about programs and services, park events and highlights, construction updates, community updates, career and volunteer opportunities, answers to FAQs, behind-the-scenes snapshots, and more. We hope you’ll give us a follow and share this page with your friends, family, and neighbors. Also, check out these County departments on Facebook:
