Abrams Theater to Present ‘Oliver!’

Oliver! Cast
Actors of all ages will perform in the musical “Oliver!” on March 15-17 and March 22-24 at the Byng Community Theater in Abrams. Rehearsing for the show are, front row from left, Sadie Smith, Maria Ronk, Nick Blaser, Gavin Runnerstrom, and Sawyer Norman; and back row, Jorgie Runnerstrom, Jaycie Norman, Alyssa Peterson, and Alaina Blaser.

Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc. will present “0liver!” the musical version of Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist,” on March 15-17 and 22-24. The story tells of Oliver, a poor orphan and his associates scrambling to survive in Old London Towne.

“This show gives the audience a quick history lesson in the styles and social etiquette of Victorian London, along with the plight of the poor and especially the orphaned or toss-away children,” said ASPI Director Pam Loberger.

The music of the show helps to tell the story, she said.

“The music is dynamic, and at times joyful, at times serenely beautiful, at times seething with danger,” she said.

Oliver Twist, portrayed by Sadie Smith, is the iconic tyke who’s not afraid to ask for more. He remains eternally optimistic that he’ll get his more, whether it be food or love.

The cast is comprised of first-time and veteran performers, including Mike Eserkane, Justin Norman, Suzie Wons, Josh Perkins, Kimberly Norman, Sydney Surber, Kael Pierquet, Tyler Otto, Lisa Weldy and Eleanor Finger.

“Our Workhouse Kids, Fagin’s Kids and chorus bring it all together,” Loberger said. “We are especially proud of our acting families who bring family time to the theater.”

For the first time, ASPI will use the theater’s fly set, a system of ropes and related devices, to change scenes quickly. Also new for the set is the artwork of Meghan Pierquet.

ASPI will celebrate opening night on Friday, March 15, with a gala after the show. The audience is invited to enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres and drinks with the cast and crew.

Performances continue at 7 p.m. Friday, March 22; at 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 16 and 23; and 1 p.m. March 17 and 24. All shows will be performed at the Byng Community Theater, 5852 Maple St., Abrams.

Tickets can be purchased at AbramsTheatre.com or by calling the box office at 920-826-5852.

“Oliver!” is presented through special arrangement with Music Theater International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI, 423 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019 Tel: (212) 541-4684 Fax: (212)397-4684 www.MTIshows.com. Music, Lyrics and Book by Lionel Bart. Produced for the Broadway stage by David Merrick and Donald Albery. Based on the book by Charles Dickens.

The cast of “Oliver!” rehearses a scene at the Byng Community Theater in Abrams. Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc. will present “Oliver!” on the weekends of March 15-17 and March 22-24. From left are Lisa Weldy, Sadie Smith, Alaina Blaser, Eleanor Finger, Sydney Surber, and Breanna Duncan.

OFHS Students Perform in St. Norbert Honors Choir Festival

OFHS Students Perform in St. Norbert Honors Choir Festival
Row 1 – (L to R) Keith Van Dornick, Aidan Spillane, Alex Waschbisch, Hunter Schaden, Colter McCormick, and Connor Romandine
Row 2 – Cedar Olson, Haley Schwantes, Mackenzie Staidl, Charis Wirtley, Autumn Canavera, Isabella Rennie, and Andrea Waschbisch

13 Oconto Falls High School Choir students recently were selected to participate in the St. Norbert College High School Honors Choir Festival held on Friday, February 15 in De Pere.

The festival choir featured outstanding singers from throughout the area, including Oconto Falls High School, BayPort High School, Gillett High School, Notre Dame Academy, Seymour High School, and Sevastopol High School. The student musicians participated in rehearsals at St. Norbert College before presenting a concert in the Walter Theatre at Abbot Pennings Hall of Fine Arts.

The concert featured several of the St. Norbert Choirs, along with their director and festival clinician Dr. Sarah Parks, showcasing their talents. The High School Honors Festival Choir performed Cloths of Heaven by Z. Randall Stroope, then were joined by the St. Norbert College Women and St. Norbert College men on Famine Song arranged by Matthew Culloton and O Captain! My Captain! by John Leavitt. The final selection featured the Honors Festival Choir with all of the St. Norbert Choirs combined to sing Hallelujah from Mount of Olives by Ludwig van Beethoven.

“We are very proud to be part of such an exceptional opportunity for our choir students to expand their musical knowledge while being able to share their love of music!” commented Amy Thiel, OFHS Choir Director.

“Choose Local” with HSHS Pharmacy and Prescription Services

Recent pharmacy closure announcements in Eastern Wisconsin may have some community members in search of a new way to access prescription medications. HSHS Pharmacy and Prescription Services locations provide high-quality, friendly service, and are locally-owned and operated by HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls.

HSHS Pharmacies, located in Oconto Falls and Gillett, provide prescription and over-the-counter medications; friendly, knowledgeable pharmacists and staff; a 24-hour, automated phone line to fill and refill prescriptions; and free mail delivery and email notifications to alert patients when prescriptions are ready. They also provide flu and other vaccinations.

HSHS Pharmacy – Oconto Falls

  • Inside HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, 855 S. Main St.
  • Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • (920) 846-8059

HSHS Pharmacy – Gillett

  • Inside Pat’s Market, 117 N. McKenzie St.
  • Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday: Closed
  • (920) 848-6323

HSHS Prescription Services, located in Lena, Pulaski, Mountain and Oostburg, provide most of the same amenities as a pharmacy with the exception of an on-staff, in-person pharmacist. At HSHS Prescription Services locations, a pharmacist based at an HSHS Pharmacy location in Oconto Falls or Gillett will consult with patients via real-time, video technology. Pharmacy technicians are on staff in-person to assist patients, coordinate video consultation with the pharmacist and provide medications.

HSHS Prescription Services – Lena

  • Inside Prevea Lena Health Center, 200 S. Rosera St.
  • Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday: Closed
  • (920) 829-6400

HSHS Prescription Services – Pulaski

  • Inside Prevea Pulaski Health Center, 940 S. St. Augustine St.
  • Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday: Closed
  • (920) 272-3330

HSHS Prescription Services – Mountain

  • Inside Prevea Mountain Health Center, 14353 Hwy 32-64
  • Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday: Closed
  • (715) 276-1600

HSHS Prescription Services – Oostburg

  • Inside Prevea Oostburg Health Center, 11 S. 10th St.
  • Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday: Closed
  • (920) 564-5177

Most insurance plans are accepted at HSHS Pharmacy and HSHS Prescription Services locations. For more
information, visit: www.stclarememorial.org/pharmacy

Local High School Choir Students Perform in Treble Honors Choir

OFHS Choral Students
OFHS Choral Students: Seated – Laken Wall; Row 1 – Christina Bauer, Hope Hujet, Jesalynn Wilkerson, Madeline Dorn, Andrea Waschbisch, Mackenzie Staidl, Paige Stapleton; Row 2 – Charis Wirtley, Carina Wirtley, Autumn Canavera, Emma Bliskey, Lydia Romback, Isabella Rennie, Catelyn Kramer, and Grace Williams

16 Oconto Falls High School Choir students recently participated in the M & O Music Conference and Near North Music Conference Treble Honors Choir. The festival, held at Gillett High School, included three schools from the M & O Conference – Gillett High School, Suring High School and Coleman High School, and three schools from the Near North Music Conference – Oconto Falls High School, Marinette High School and St. Thomas Aquinas Academy. Participating choral directors included Abbygaile Jadin (Gillett HS), Kaci Halverson-Boehmer (Suring HS), Kathleen Bader (Coleman HS), Amy Thiel (Oconto Falls HS), Cyndee Giebler (Marinette HS), and Susan Thornton (St. Thomas Aquinas Academy).

The area choir students worked together for the day-long festival and presented a Treble Honors Choir concert in the Meunier-Pelow Auditorium at Gillett High School. Performance selections included Omina Sol (Let your Heart Be Staid) by Z. Randall Stroope, Bashana Haba’ah arranged by V. Pasternak, No Time arranged by Susan Burmfield, Faithfully by Jonathan Cain, and Changes by Audrey Snyder.

Dr. Sarah Parks, Professor of Music at St. Norbert College in DePere served as the clinican and conductor for the Treble Honors Choir. She joined the music faculty of St. Norbert College in 2009 as head of choirs and choral music education. Her college choirs have toured regionally and internationally, most recently to Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa. The St. Norbert College Chamber Singers have been selected as a featured performance ensemble for WMEA and WCDA state conferences and the choirs have been invited to perform on stage with distinguished musical artists, ranging from John Rutter to Kenny Rogers.

Student participants from Oconto Falls High School included: Christina Bauer, Emma Bliskey, Autumn Canavera, Madeline Dorn, Hope Hujet, Catelyn Kramer, Isabella Rennie, Lydia Romback, Mackenzie Staidl, Paige Stapleton, Laken Wall, Andrea Waschbisch, Jesalynn Wilkerson, Grace Williams, Carina Wirtley, and Charis Wirtley.

Other area student participants included: Camilla Doherty and Grace Fischer (Suring High School); Livia Benson, Halle Beranek and Karah Nelson (St. Thomas Aquinas Academy); Jerika Heroux and Myriah Marohl (Gillett High School); Mckenzie Champagne, Gabrielle Meyer, and Coral Ermis (Coleman High School); and Kayden McClurg, Kandyce Mitchell, Skylar Norman, and Lily Teske (Marinette High School).

Annual Salad Luncheon and Love Basket Silent Auction

The Oconto Falls-area community is invited to the Annual Salad Luncheon and Love Basket Silent Auction, hosted by the colleagues and Partners of HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, 855 S. Main St., in Oconto Falls.

The luncheon will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the hospital’s dining room and will feature an all-you-care-to-eat buffet for $9. The buffet will include the hospital’s signature hot chicken salad, ham and cheese sandwiches, a variety of salads, dinner rolls, coffee, milk and desserts. For more information on the Salad Luncheon or to make group reservations, contact Sue Allshouse at (920) 373-7685.

In support of the Partner’s Salad Luncheon on Feb. 12, colleagues of HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital will host the Love Basket Silent Auction in the HSHS St. Clare Assisi Room from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. the same day.

Themes for baskets vary from year to year. Popular baskets from previous years have included I Love the Packers, I Love Wine, I Love Gardening and I Love Birds. In addition to the silent auction for the baskets, raffle tickets are sold for love-themed bucket raffles. Bidding on the Love Baskets and raffle ticket sales begin at 9 a.m. For more information about the Love Basket Silent Auction or to donate a basket, call Dawn Coppens at (920) 846-3444.

All proceeds from the Salad Luncheon and Love Basket Silent Auction will help the Partners support programs and enhance patient care at HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital.

Abrams Theater to hold auditions for ‘Oliver’

Oliver! Auditions

Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc. will hold auditions for “Oliver,” the community theater’s first show of the 2019 season. “Oliver” is a wildly entertaining musical that brings Charles Dickens’ timeless characters to life.

The story tells of a poor orphan and his associates scrambling to survive in Old London Towne.

Performers will have two opportunities to audition, from 6-8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14, or 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, at the Byng Community Theater, 5852 Maple Street, Abrams.

Individuals who audition should come prepared to read from the script and sing a 1-minute selection of a song. Songs from the show are preferred, but any song is acceptable. Songs may be sung a capella or with a karaoke track. An accompanist will be available to play sheet music and music from the show. Individuals are encouraged to wear appropriate footwear for a short choreography audition.

The show will be performed March 15-17 and March 24- 26 at the Byng Community Theater.

Triple C Riders Toy Donation to HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital

On Friday, Dec. 21, members of the Triple C Riders motorcycle group dropped off seven boxes of new toys to be distributed to young patients and visitors at HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls.

Triple C Riders dropping off their Toy donation

Featured in the photo, from left to right:
David Kuam of Triple C Riders
David Lally, Director of Business Development at HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital
Walter Woodward of Triple C Riders
Don Derouin of Triple C Riders
Bettie Woodward of Triple C Riders

This is the 10th anniversary of the Triple C Riders’ Christmas toy drive in which they donate new toys to area hospitals.  The Triple C Riders are made up of members from Menominee, Marinette and Oconto Counties, all of whom help to generously collect these toys throughout the year.

HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital is very grateful to the Triple C Riders for their generosity and thoughtfulness.  We will distribute these toys to young patients and visitors, as needed, throughout the year and for as long as the supply of toys lasts.   We know they will bring much joy and comfort to those who receive them!

Oconto Falls Earns Bronze Wisconsin Healthy Communities Designation

Wisconsin Designation (Healthy Communities)

Only 31 communities in Wisconsin receive designations

Oconto Falls has been recognized for its work to improve local health by receiving a Wisconsin Healthy Communities Designation. Oconto Falls received bronze designation from the initiative through the UW Population Health Institute. Oconto Falls is one of only thirteen communities throughout the state to receive the bronze level designation.

The Wisconsin Healthy Communities Designation, funded by the Wisconsin Partnership Program, is designed to celebrate and encourage achievements in health improvement in Wisconsin, and to serve as a guide for communities to expand and enhance their health improvement efforts.

Through the collaborative efforts of the Oconto Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, Oconto Falls School District and Oconto County Public Health – programs such as the Oconto Falls Area Trail System, the annual Health and Safety Fair, the Donate a Healthy Plate Toolkit, and Stepping On improve the health and well-being of all.

Kathy Henne, RN, and Community Benefits Facilitator at HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, referenced the recently completed Oconto County Community Health Needs Assessment. “Two areas identified in the assessment include the need to increase physical activity and to educate and promote healthy food choices,” said Kathy. “The development of the Oconto Falls Area Trail System and the Donate a Healthy Plate Toolkit addresses these identified needs.”

The Oconto Falls Area Trail System Organization has created and maintains fitness trails throughout the city. Additional sections of the trail will be completed through fundraising efforts and community support, as well as the proceeds from the 5K, 10K and Half Marathon Run for the Trails event.

The Donate a Healthy Plate Toolkit educates the community on healthy food pantry donations and conducting healthy food drives. More information on the toolkit can be found on the Oconto County website at:  www.co.oconto.wi.us.

The annual Health and Safety Fair is a fun-filled day of hands-on learning for young and old alike. Each year the event is held at the Oconto Falls Elementary School. More than 30 vendors come together to educate on a variety of health and safety topics.

Stepping On is a nationally recognized fall prevention program for the elderly population. Carol Luebeck, RN, with Quality Living by Choice, offers this program in various locations throughout the county including HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital.

“So much great work is happening throughout Oconto Falls,” said Oconto Falls Area Chamber of Commerce President, Gail Yatso. “This is not happening because of one business, organization, or person – it’s a community working together to create a healthier environment through education, awareness, and action!”

OFHS Vocal Jazz Ensemble Celebrates the Season!

OFHS Vocal Jazz Ensemble

The Oconto Falls High School Vocal Jazz Ensemble spread the spirit of the holiday season on Tuesday, December 11 with children and adults of all ages!

The singers performed a 50-minute program filled with holiday favorites in Green Bay at Autumn’s Promise Assisted Living for residents, BayPark Square as part of their Salvation Army Red Kettle promotions, and even performed a few selections for the wonderful guests and staff at Perkins Restaurant!

The Vocal Jazz Ensemble community outreach continued in Oconto Falls as they sang traditional holiday carols for various residents and businesses, including HSHS St. Clare Hospital and City Hall.  The performances were an amazing way for these talented singers to share the gift of music with others!

Pictured are:
Row 1: Alex Waschbisch, Connor Romandine, Aidan Spillane
Row 2: Keith Van Dornick, Cedar Olson, Santa Claus, Mackenzie Staidl, Hunter Schaden
Row 3: Lyndsey Luebke, Autumn Canavera, Isabella Rennie, Andrea Waschbisch

Partners of HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital Invites Community to Hospital Events

The Partners of HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital invite the community to participate in their annual Holiday Raffle and Bake Sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 18 at HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls.

The Holiday Raffle and Bake Sale will feature a variety of baked goods and raffle items, perfect for the holiday shopping season. This special event is open to the community, with proceeds benefitting various health care improvements at HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital which is part of a not-for-profit, Catholic-based health care system.

Holiday Raffle and Bake Sale
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 18
HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, 855 S. Main St., Oconto Falls
Assisi Rooms

If anyone would like to donate bakery or raffle items to this event, please contact Vicki Dobratz at (920) 846-3536. Donations can be dropped off at the HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital Assisi Rooms on Monday, Dec. 17 after 4:30 p.m. or by 7:30 a.m. the day of the sale.

The Partners also invite the community to participate in Love Lights, an annual Christmas fundraiser.

Love Lights offers people the opportunity to purchase a light in memory of a loved one. It is then placed on a Christmas tree located in the main lobby area of HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital. The names the lights shine for are also displayed next to the tree throughout the holiday season.

Blessing of the Love Lights and Tree
1 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 18
HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, 855 S. Main St. in Oconto Falls
Social to follow

Proceeds from Love Lights will benefit various health care improvements at HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital. Lights can be purchased on behalf of an individual ($5); families up to six people ($25); or, sponsored by a business or organization ($50).

Order forms can be found in the HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital Welcome Center. Forms must be completed and returned by Thursday, Dec. 20. They can be returned in-person, or mailed to HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital Amber Just, Volunteer Services, 855 S. Main St., Oconto Falls, WI 54154

HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital Christmas Tree