Month: June 2018

Firework Season is Here

OFChamber

12 tips to stay safe this summer
Though fireworks can be exciting, festive and fun – they can also be very dangerous. HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital and Prevea Health recommend the following tips and reminders to ensure a safe experience:

  • Children should never play with fireworks. Firecrackers, rockets, and sparklers can be extremely dangerous if not used properly. If you give sparklers to kids, make sure they keep them outside and away from their faces, clothing and hair.
  • Store properly and buy legally. Only buy legal fireworks and store them in a cool, dry place.
  • Don’t DIY. Never try to make your own fireworks.
  • Be prepared. Always use fireworks outside and have a bucket of water and hose nearby.
  • Keep a distance. Steer clear of others and never throw or point fireworks at someone.
  • Take precautions. Don’t hold fireworks in your hand or have any part of your body over them while lighting. Wear some sort of eye protection, and avoid carrying fireworks in your pocket.
  • Know your surroundings. Point fireworks away from homes, and keep away from brushes, leaves and other flammable substances.
  • Quality, not quantity. Light one firework at a time and never relight a dud.
  • Fireworks stay hot. Don’t allow kids to pick up pieces of fireworks after an event as they may still be hot.
  • Make sure the fire is out. Soak all fireworks in a bucket of water before throwing them in the trash can.
  • Know the law. Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
  • Better yet, leave fireworks to the experts. This is the recommended course of action by the National Safety Council.

If an adult or child is injured by fireworks, immediately call your doctor or go to the hospital. If an eye injury occurs, don’t allow your child to touch or rub it, as this may cause more damage. If it’s a burn, remove clothing from the burned area and run cool, not cold, water over the burn and then call your doctor immediately.

firework display

Sports Physicals Proceeds to Benefit Area Schools’ Athletic Departments

OFChamber

sports physical examination at HSHS The HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital Prevea Oconto Falls Health Center, located at 853 S. Main St., is now scheduling appointments for sports physical examinations for athletes wanting to participate in a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) sport.
Sports physicals are performed by Prevea Health providers and licensed athletic trainers. “We are examining everything from heart issues to musculoskeletal issues,” said Mike LaMere, Prevea Sports Medicine Outreach Manager. “We want to make sure athletes are healthy and ready to compete.”
Sports physical examinations cost $20 and all proceeds will be donated to the athletic department of the school the athlete/patient plays for. Athletes/patients can also request their payment be donated to their sport club. Please see below for available appointment dates and times.

Sports Physicals at HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital Prevea Oconto Falls Health Center

  • Tuesday, July 10, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • Tuesday, July 31, 1 to 5 p.m.
  • Call (920) 846-8187 to make an appointment

For more information, visit: www.prevea.com/wiaa-physicals
Downloadable physical forms are available at: http://www.wiaawi.org/

Oconto Falls High School Students Receive Scholarships

OFChamber

The Oconto Falls Friends of the Arts were proud to present scholarships to four deserving students who exemplify the highest caliber of achievement in the arts.  This year’s recipients are – CHOIR – Camden Jackson, son of Jeff and Pam Jackson; BAND – Ethan Winkler, son of David and Melissa Winkler; ART – Madeline Witt, daughter of Tom and Linda Witt, and DRAMA – Madison Pecha, daughter of Lori Carlisle and Monty Pecha.

The Oconto Falls Friends of the Arts has been presenting scholarships to deserving high school students in the area schools for the past sixteen years and continues to promote the arts throughout Northeast Wisconsin.

Stephanie Peitersen, daughter of Dave and Lisa Peitersen, was recently recognized as the recipient of the 2018 Lester and Rosemary Korbel Business Scholarship at Oconto Falls High School.

Stephanie has taken numerous business courses during her four years at OFHS, including Business Concepts, Personal Finance, and Career Success.  She has also been an active Future Business Leaders of America member for the past four years, taking on leadership roles as Promotion chair in 2016-2017 and serving as President in 2017-2018. Through the volunteering opportunities offered through FBLA, Stephanie has donated over three hundred hours participating in FBLA events and has been the leader of the partnership with the local senior center for the past two years. In FBLA competitions, she has placed 1st at state two years in a row in the Partnership with a Business event and has been a two-time national qualifier. Last year, Stephanie placed an impressive 11th at Nationals.  Stephanie plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse to major in Psychology and Physician’s Assistant program.

The Lester and Rosemary Korbel Memorial Scholarship was established to recognize the tremendous dedication and commitment to excellence required in the field of Business Education.  As the former teachers of the Business Education department at Oconto Falls High School for over 30 years, Lester and Rosemary dedicated their lives to the students at Oconto Falls High School, setting an exceptional high standard for business education students.

Romandine Selected for MCT Next Step Prep Program

OFChamber

Connor Romandine selected for Missoula Children’s Theatre Next Step Prep Program
Connor Romandine
Connor Romandine, son of  Ron and Carrie Romandine, was recently selected to participate in the prestigious Missoula Children’s Theatre NEXT STEP PREP program in Missoula, Montana.  The Next Step Prep program is a very unique, practical, high quality program for students who are considering the performing arts as a major in college or as a career.  Combining a focused curriculum of classroom instruction, private voice lessons, and specialty workshops taught by professionals from the worlds of theatre, television, and dance, the Next Step Prep Program is designed to give students the skills needed to prepare themselves for post-secondary studies in the performing arts.

Connor is currently a freshman at Oconto Falls High School and actively involved in the choral music program as a member of Chorale and the Vocal Jazz Ensemble.  He recently earned firsts at the District and State Solo and Ensemble Festival and is a member of the OFHS ensemble CHORALE, which earned a WSMA Exemplary Ensemble award.  In the past nine years, Connor has participated in numerous Missoula Children’s Theatre productions sponsored by the Oconto Falls Friends of the Arts and coordinated through the Oconto Falls School District’s Summer School program.  He will attend the Next Step Prep program summer session from June 18-July 27.

Nurse’s Nook Receives $30,000 Grant from Bond Foundation

OFChamber

Money will help hospital program boost aid to local children in need

HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce the Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation, Inc., has awarded a $30,000 grant to the Nurse’s Nook program.

Nurse’s Nook provides aid to children in need in the Gillett, Suring and Oconto Falls school districts. Aid provided includes basic needs items, non-perishable food, personal hygiene products, winter clothing and boots, medical supplies/devices and vouchers for transportation to medical appointments. These items are kept stocked within each of the school districts throughout the year and given to students free-of-charge on an as-needed basis. School nurses, guidance counselors and secretaries work as a team to identify the students in need.

The Bond Foundation grant will allow the Nurse’s Nook program to expand into the Lena and Oconto school districts in the 2018-2019 school year, and will allow for the purchase of more supplies to be provided to children in need.

Nurse's NookNurse’s Nook informally began in 2014 when Nuala Nowicki, a Prevea Health school nurse for the Gillett School District, recognized that poverty in the region was negatively impacting students’ abilities to learn and succeed in school. She expanded the program to the Suring School District in 2015. In 2017, HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital joined Nuala in her efforts and assisted in expanding Nurse’s Nook to the Oconto Falls school district. Today, Nurse’s Nook operates as a collaborative effort between HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, Prevea Health, Nuala, local school districts and countless volunteers and donors who dedicate time and effort to collecting supplies, operating the program and helping children in need.

“We are immensely grateful to the Bond Foundation for this generous donation, which will greatly enhance our abilities to serve more children throughout Oconto County,” says Nuala. “It is our mission with Nurse’s Nook to provide local youth increased opportunities to learn and succeed in school, and become healthy, contributing members of the community.”

The Nurse’s Nook program relies solely on support and donations from the community to operate. Anyone who would like to learn more information or donate to Nurse’s Nook should contact Nuala Nowicki at thenursesnook@gmail.com or (920) 272-3415.