Category: General

Rehearsing for the Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc. summer comedy, “Lustful Youth,” are, from left, Abby Frank, Sydney Surber, Bobby Buffington, Maggie Monte, Travis Rysewyk, and Will Knaapen. The show will be performed June 8-11 and 15-18 in Abrams.

Abrams, WI May 29, 2023: Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc. invites the community to experience comedy chaos in the performance of “Lustful Youth.” Tickets are on sale now at abramstheater.com or by calling 920-826-5852. The show will be presented June 8-11 and 15-18 at the Nancy Byng Community Theater, 5852 Maple St., Abrams. An Opening Night Gala exclusively for Spotlight Sponsors and 2023 season ticket holders will be held from 5-6:15 p.m. Thursday, June 8, at the theater.

“Lustful Youth” is a fast-paced farce that tells the story of Walt, a television statistician who is contractually obligated to write an evening soap opera. With the help of his muse, Dill, he wanders in and out of realities as he pieces together an out-of-control romp. This clever comedy is written and directed by Mike Eserkaln, the artistic director of Comedy City in De Pere.

“This cast had done a wonderful job bringing their characters to life,” he said. “I know people are going to love this show. It’s a wild ride of comedy.”

Written in 1994, “Lustful Youth” has been performed in Northeast Wisconsin, Canada and Australia. Eserkaln said the audience will enjoy the chaos of the show, as Walt dutifully writes a soap opera that quickly spirals out of control.

“He’s not allowed to do rewrites, so whatever crazy thing that he puts into the show he has to keep. The ideas keep piling up and – chaos,” Eserkaln said.

The cast features six experienced performers, who play various roles.

“Because of the way Walt is writing the show, they keep having to be different and new characters. They each get to play at least three distinct characters,” Eserkaln said. “Lustful Youth” is the second show of the 20th season of Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc., a community theater organization in Abrams. The theater currently is conducting a Raise the Roof campaign to raise over $30,000 for a new roof. Donors can choose from four sponsorship levels: Silver ($100), Gold ($250), Platinum ($500), or Corporate ($950 per show). ASPI is a volunteer-led 501(c)3 organization that relies on donations, ticket sales, and fundraising to operate. To become a Spotlight Sponsor or donate to Raise the Roof, visit Abramstheater.com and click “Support.”

Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) is now accepting applications for the New Graduate RN Residency Program, to be hosted in winter 2023-2024, at its four hospitals in Eastern Wisconsin: HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center in Green Bay; HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan and HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls.

The New Graduate RN Residency Program is designed to ease the transition of newly graduated nurses from the classroom setting to hospital and clinic environments. It combines classroom lectures, hands-on activities, and simulations of hospital/clinical scenarios with the support of highly skilled nurses, educators and leaders. Participants also receive professional and emotional support to help them be successful in their new careers.

“The New Graduate RN Residency Program truly prepares new graduate nurses for quality practice, as well as gives them the support and tools to compassionately serve our patients through our Franciscan ministry,” said Theresa Horne, MBS, MSN, NEA-BC, senior vice president and chief nursing executive at HSHS. “Our nurses develop excellent clinical skills along with a mission-driven passion to serve with empathy and care.”

The New Graduate RN Residency Program is ideal for nurses with less than one year of hospital experience and graduating from nursing school anytime between October 2023 and February 2024. It is also ideal for nurses returning to the bedside after more than five years in another role. Those accepted into the program are fully paid and can receive a sign-on bonus and comprehensive benefit package including student loan repayment options. To apply:

1. Visit careers.hshs.org
2. Search “Residency”
3. Click “Apply Now” on preferred HSHS hospital location

For those still in nursing school, HSHS also offers a paid, student nurse extern program allowing students the opportunity to gain hands-on working experience. For more information, please visit: careers.hshs.org

The Oconto Falls Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is pleased to announce they have appointed Elizabeth Jolly to the newly formed position of Director of the Chamber of Commerce. Jolly hails from Abrams, Wisconsin, and is very excited to advocate for the Chamber and champion local businesses in the growing community of Oconto Falls. Duties of this new position will include marketing/communications, being a contact for members and growing membership, being the liaison and face for the Board of Directors to various community groups, and general administrative duties.

Previously Jolly has worked for Heritage Hill State Historical Park in several positions including the Visitor Services Manager and most recently as the Senior Marketing Specialist. She is the daughter of two retired small business owners and also works part-time for her mother’s company Syncor Ltd, a wholesale medical goods distributor based out of Abrams, WI. Jolly’s educational background is in theatre. She is equally passionate about and involved in her community theater – Abrams Spotlight Productions, Inc. as a director and actor. Her favorite role in the community theater is youth production director.

Jolly says of her new position, “Oconto Falls and the surrounding area has always been my home. A home I am passionate about making the best it can be, and I believe that starts (and ends) with our small businesses. I am excited about getting to know the many businesses in our area, finding out how the chamber can best serve them and our community, and supporting the extremely passionate and talented board of directors.”

The Oconto Falls Area Chamber of Commerce (OFACC) is a long-standing community organization comprised of businesses and individuals from communities throughout Oconto County and Northeast Wisconsin.  Its official mission is to be a valid and dynamic link between local businesses and the community. Through this mission, the objectives of the OFACC are to advocate for business interests and to promote business development, city beautification, and tourism. While the growth of the community through business development is key, the OFACC recognizes that activities, events, and recreation are what attract people to the place they choose to live and work.  The chamber maintains annual events such as concerts at the waterfront, a summer golf outing, a fall event connected to the trails and our healthy living community, and more. Oconto Falls has so much to offer! Visit ocontofallschamber.com to learn more.

HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce Nurse’s Nook, a program that provides aid to children and families in need across Oconto County, is expanding and as a result transitioning to its own independent, nonprofit organization.

Nurse’s Nook was established in 2014 by school nurse, Nuala Nowicki, RN, to assist students and their families in the Gillett School District in need of food, clothing, basic hygiene supplies, medical supplies and more. As the need for additional assistance across the region was discovered, HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital joined Nuala in her efforts and in 2017 made the Nurse’s Nook an official program of the hospital supported by the hospital’s philanthropic, charitable arm – the HSHS St. Clare Foundation. This allowed the program to expand to additional school districts within Oconto Co. including Suring, Oconto Falls, Lena and beyond.

Today, approximately 400 students per day benefit from the Nurse’s Nook program; over 50,000 items are distributed to children and families annually; and the Weekend Food Program provides more than 200 households with weekly access to nutritious, delicious food for the whole family. In addition to food programs, Nurse’s Nook continues to provide over-the-counter medications, hygiene products, clothing, medical equipment and education, mental health services and tools, and transportation support.

“We are extremely proud of the work Nurse’s Nook staff, HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, HSHS St. Clare Foundation, and our communities have contributed to make the program the success it is today,” said Chris Brabant, President and CEO, HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital. “As the program continues to expand in new and innovative ways, the hospital, Foundation and Nurse’s Nook staff have come to the mutual decision to let Nurse’s Nook spread its wings and transition to its own, independent nonprofit organization. While Nurse’s Nook is no longer a program of HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, we remain cheerleaders of this tremendous program and encourage all in our community to continue to support them in their next chapter.”

To donate and/or to learn more information about Nurse’s Nook, contact:
The Nurse’s Nook LLC
P.O. Box 26
Oconto Falls, WI 54124
thenursesnook@gmail.com

“At HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, we are not only committed to providing high quality health care that is close to home in Oconto County, but we are also committed to serving our communities. In tandem with the HSHS St. Clare Foundation, we will continue to look for additional ways to support and enhance the health and wellbeing of our patients and communities beyond the walls of our health care facilities,” said Brabant.

In conjunction with National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital is partnering with Bellin Health, Healthy Oconto County and local law enforcement to offer drive-thru, medication drop-off locations on Saturday, April 22.

• HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, 855 S. Main St., Oconto Falls, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Bellin Health Oconto Hospital, 820 Arbutus Avenue, Oconto, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Lakewood Town Hall, 17181 Twin Pines Rd., Lakewood, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Suring Police Department, 604 E. Main St., Suring, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• City of Gillett Police Department, 150 N. McKenzie Ave., Gillett, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Guidelines

All waste pharmaceuticals must be generated by a household – no businesses are allowed.

All sites will be drive-thru only and we request persons stay in their vehicle. A volunteer will come to collect your items.

Bring: Prescription (controlled and non-controlled) and over-the-counter medications, ointments, patches, inhalers, non-aerosol sprays, creams, vials and pet medications. Vape pens or other e-cigarette devices (batteries removed).

Do not bring: Illegal drugs, needles/sharps, acids, aerosol cans, bio-hazardous materials (anything containing a bodily fluid or blood), personal care products (shampoo, soaps, lotions, sunscreens), household hazardous waste (paint, pesticides, oil, gas), mercury thermometers.

• Participants may dispose of medication(s) by removing the medication from its container and disposing of it directly into a disposal box or into a clear sealable plastic bag. Plastic pill containers should not be collected. Blister packages without the medications being removed are acceptable.
• Liquids will be accepted during this event. However, the liquids, creams and sprays must be in their original packaging and their weight evenly distributed within the boxes of collected solid prescription medications. Liquids without the original packaging will not be accepted.
• Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative and should not be placed in collection containers.

Community members are also reminded that many drug disposal boxes are open year-round.

Unused or expired medicine should never be flushed or poured down the drain as water reclamation facilities are not designed to remove all pharmaceuticals and trace amounts are showing up in rivers and lakes.

Alexa Haferkorn has joined the Packerland Websites team as a WordPress web developer and design specialist. Oconto County-based Packerland Websites specializes in website design, Search Engine Optimization, and digital marketing strategies.

A Little Chute native, Haferkorn earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Communications at Northern Michigan University in 2016. She previously worked as a Website and Brand Designer at 906 Technologies and a Graphic Designer and Marketing Assistant at Beth Millner Jewelry. Additionally, Haferkorn worked at Packerland Websites as a WordPress web developer for one year.

Bill Koehne, owner of Packerland Websites, said Haferkorn understands what businesses and nonprofits need to maintain a dynamic online presence.

“With her background in graphic design and website development, Alexa brings a combination of talents to Packerland Websites,” he said. “Aside from her technical and artistic skills, she has a knack for communicating with customers to help them create websites that meet their business goals.”

“I’m a creative web designer inspired by bold voices and great passions,” Haferkorn said. “I want to take my client’s business goals and create an environment for them to come to life and connect with the world. I love learning how people think about media and react to visual experiences, which helps me design compelling websites for specific audiences.”

In addition to her work at Packerland Websites, Haferkorn enjoys spending time in the outdoors, especially hiking, biking, and skiing. She also enjoys all things artsy and crafty, so she spends time creating artwork and visiting local art fairs and shows.

To grow your business or organization with a new or rebuilt website or SEO strategies, contact Alexa Haferkorn at Packerland Websites, 920-393-3156.