Meet Me at the Corner

Every now and then throughout the summer I get an e-mail from MySpace.com telling me that Todd has posted another message. Todd Galewski, originally of Franklin and a graduate of Martin Luther High School, now lives in Portland, Oregon, where he has been working as a computer specialist. Between jobs just now, Todd decided this summer would be the perfect time to pursue a longtime dream: travel the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. I learned about Todd’s adventure from his parents, Gerry and Katy Galewski, longtime residents of Franklin, and they put me in touch with his blog.

On the trail, Todd doesn’t frequently find a computer where he can stop and post his journal entries, so I’m always interested to see how far he’s traveled and what adventures he’s encountered along the way. Today I will include excerpts from some descriptive entries he made the first 10 days of July.

First, though, here’s a bit of information about the Pacific Crest Trail:
The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) zigzags 2,665 miles north from Mexico to Canada, going through three states in the U.S. – California, Oregon, and Washington. According to the website www.pcta.org the PCT “boasts the greatest elevation changes of any of America's National Scenic Trails, allowing it to pass through six out of seven of North America's ecozones including high and low desert, old-growth forest and arctic-alpine country. . . . From scorching desert valleys in Southern California to rain forests in the Pacific Northwest, the PCT offers hikers and equestrians a unique, varied experience.”

While some people, like Todd, set out to traverse the entire distance, others explore different segments of the trail for a week or two at a time – or even a weekend. Quoting from the website, the PCT “offers the best of the West - the Mojave Desert, the Sierra Nevada and Mt. Whitney, Yosemite National Park, Marble Mountain and the Russian Wilderness in Northern California, the volcanoes of the Cascades including Mt. Shasta and Mt. Hood, Crater Lake, Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Rainier, and the remote Northern Cascades.”

Todd Galewski’s blogs, July 2 - July 10, 2007:
July 2: Pinchot Pass, 4K elevation gain in 11 miles, now camped at beautiful Marjorie Lake, crystal clear water, 13 K cliffs on opposite side of lake.
- A grouse hen escorted me a quarter mile down the trail this morning.
- Met Kent (from Mammoth) and Matt (from Bishop), hiked for the morning with them.

July 3 - Ya know what they oughta make? A sleeping bag with a removable integrated silk liner.
- I Love! Wheat Free Oatmeal Snackimals.
- I Love! Backpacking through the high Sierra, instead of thru-hiking.
- I Love! 12,000 foot passes (Mather, Pinchot...)

July 4 - Muir Pass, cowboy camping at 11K+ next to scoured raw Wanda Lake. Can see Muir Hut to the east , best solo campsite yet!
- Muir Pass 10 miles with 4K elevation gain to 12K. Most beautiful, rewarding and breathtaking pass yet. -Sculpted 14K cliffs, massive waterfalls, lonely lake basins, hidden little meadows, breath taking.

- I love hearing the Globe Trekker song pop in my head, every time I go over a 12K pass.
- I love the sight of glaciers reflected off still Lake Wanda, before moonrise, from the glow the Milky Way, seen from my sleeping bag.
- Wildlife seen at Lake Wanda, frogs jumping from my path, lots of birds, marmots and chipmunks.

July 5 - Skinny dipping under a waterfall during lunch. Beautiful.
- Writing by campfire, at my campsite along a mt. stream.
- Met Banjo and Lisa from Columbus, OH.
- 20 mile hike today with 4K downhill from Muir Pass. Came down from Alpine lakes and glaciers to forested/meadowed gorge/canyon floor. Sooo many waterfalls and slot canyons, beautiful.

July 6 - Muir Ranch to 11K "pocket" Seldon Canyon to mt. top campfire overlooking two canyons on a 3K cliff with nearby fresh spring. Great campsite.

- Seldon Canyon is just so cute! Its a total "pocket" canyon with narrows, cute little lakes, clinging glaciers... It has everything the other 11K canyons had, but just shrunk down to a cute little pocket size.

July 7 - I can't explain it, but I love not having showered this week. My one t-shirt and one pair of zip off pants are a sight to see -- filthy.

- 19 mile day with 11K Silver Pass and 3K elevation gain to the pass. Camped at meadowy Virginia Lake, nice Lake, saw a seagull , big open area with mts. and glaciers, no real campsite, but put up the tarp-tent on a sandy spot. Elizabeth and Mike are also here, they had stories of a feast last night at VVR. I’m soo hungry, packing up the bear canister was almost comical, in it is: brown gravy mix, dry pesto mix, 1 snickers, a 50 cent tube of peanuts and the inedible angel hair pasta. Had couscous for dinner, but not enough, I'm getting skinny, but strong.

- Tomorrow, 16 miles in Mammoth Lakes and FOOD!

And then, on July 10

Summer ends for me next week when I’m back in the classroom. I’ll be teaching writing and literature to college freshmen on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon. Although I’ll be busy with preparation and student papers, in addition to numerous other involvements, I do plan to “keep on bloggin’” for CNI. However, I would like to see some other Hales Corners people join me on the Community Voices section of CNI NOW. (In Franklin, we have quite a few “voices” competing with each other for space and readership.)

One highlight of my summer was a trip to Coon Rapids, Minnesota, to visit a niece, nephew and their families. On the way home my husband and I drove along the Mississippi to Winona, enjoying once again the spectacular views. This was a week before the bridge collapsed. Many of the areas now flooding were then suffering from drought.

This past weekend I immersed myself in a women’s retreat at Pine Lake Camp near Waupaca. We had two days of rain, but it was a beautiful location for my transition from “lady of summer leisure” to teacher – clubwoman who never finds enough time in a day to do all those things on my “To Do” list. Today’s list includes: “Write a new blog” – and so here I am!

When the summer began, I had three major goals. One was to write my weekly blogs, and I’ve done pretty well there. Another was to improve my golf game because I had reached the stage where I was ready to put my golf clubs away permanently. However, I knew I’d miss getting together with my women golf friends at Whitnall Park and Brookfield Hills every week, and I’d miss those outdoor walks through beautiful, meditative settings. My game is still not very good, but I’m enjoying it more – thanks in large part to a wonderful woman pro, Mary Ruth Nagle, who focuses on the golf swing. (One of the first things she does is remove the word hit from her students’ vocabulary.)

The third goal, though, was “Get Organized.” People who know me well just laugh every time I talk about getting organized. Now, let’s set the record straight: I have made some progress this summer, but these piles of papers which collect around me are a constant challenge. With a new semester looming, there will be more papers to manage – my own and my students’. For now I won’t start listing all the other kinds of paper that are part of my daily challenge; and I want to salute my cousin Joanne Sisson, who has been helping me bring order to my various paper piles and files.

I'd also like to credit two other “De-Clutter” wizards who send me free helpful e-mails from time to time. First, there’s Kathi Miller, a local “Clutter Coach” who gives talks and presents workshops – and who will even come into your home to work with you side by side, bringing order to your otherwise chaotic life. (You can contact her at cluttercoach@sbcglobal.net. Kathi will be happy to add you to her newsletter list.)

Second, there’s Yvette, a delightful woman from Australia, who reaches halfway around the globe to cheer me on in my quest for orderliness. Here’s a sample from a recent posting:


DEVELOPING TIDY HABITS

Look at this mess! I only just tidied up. How did it get like this so fast?

Easy, it’s because you (and/or those you share your home with) have not developed the habit of being tidy.

Errrrgh. That sounds really boring. Well being annoyed and frustrated by constant and ever re-appearing mess is more boring than developing a simple habit, and it’s easier than you think to develop this habit. Perhaps you have it already in some areas but not in others.

Being tidy is really just about consistently putting things in their designated place when you’ve finished with them. This is a constant and ongoing thing to be done all day, every day, but that doesn’t mean it’s difficult.

How long does it take you to hang up your coat and put your shoes away? No more than about a minute probably, and a lot less time than looking for things lost in the jumble at the end of the day, or in the morning as you’re getting ready to go out.

Next time you look around and see that you need to have a tidy up, think of the items to be put away in categories, and make a mental assessment of what the main categories of stuff tend to be in your home. (To read more, check out the June 2007 entry at Yvette’s website, http://www.getmyselforganized.com)

Yvette has a delightful sense of humor; I e-mailed her once, telling her that some of her tips remind me of my mother, looking over my shoulder. She responded right away – even asking permission to quote me in one of her newsletters. And now I’m quoting her!

In the months ahead, as I keep working on my To Do lists, “Blogging” will be close to the top. Thanks for reading!

Here’s a multiple choice question:

Libraries are places to go to:
A) Check out books,
B) Enter a contest,
C) View an art exhibit,
D) Buy raffle tickets for a chance to win a handmade quilt,
E) Donate a handmade pillowcase to a soldier in Iraq,
F) Send an e-mail (or type and print a letter) to your Cousin Sally,
G) Hang out with a giraffe.

The answer: All of the above – if the library in question is the Franklin Public Library. Of course, that’s not all you can do at the Franklin library, but let’s start with this list and, in particular, the two opportunities which will end this month. I’m referring to choices “B” (Enter a contest) and “C” (View an art exhibit.)

Enter a Contest: This contest, sponsored by the Friends of the Franklin Public Library, could win you a $50 gift certificate just for reading a book. Most summer reading programs are for children – (and our local library has those as well – but this summer contest, which was launched the end of May, motivates the older crowd to read. For details, and a chance to enter the drawing, you’ll have to visit the library, and you’ll have to fill out a form for each book you’ve read this summer. Check at the reference desk. [Note: If you’re in the middle of a book right now, here’s motivation to finish it this week and start a new one. Each additional book you read increases your chance of winning!]

View an Art Exhibit: In the entrance area and in various other locations throughout the library, look for original art work by Milwaukee area artists. I found one Franklin artist, Rev. Jerome Hudziak, whose oil painting, “Sitka, Alaska,” depicts a quiet waterfront scene of small boats. In the card which accompanies the painting, I learned that this local pastor was inspired while at an Elderhostel at Sitka. He has been painting for many years, but this is his first time as part of the juried art exhibit, “Exposure,” sponsored by Interfaith Older Adult Programs. “Creating art balances the tangible and intangible realities of life,” is a printed quote from Hudziak.

This traveling art exhibit will be at the Franklin library through August 31st. Artists are 55 years and older and work in a variety of mediums (watercolor, oil, acrylics, line drawings, etc.) The subject area varies, including still life, portraits, landscapes and nature scenes. Some of the artwork is for sale; others are on loan from the artist. Hudziak’s oil painting is one of those offered for sale.

Entry forms for the 2008 Exposure Exhibit are available from Anne Dow at (414) 220-8860.

***
Now let’s take a brief look at the other items listed in the “Multiple Choice” test above.

A) Check out books. I’m sure everyone had that choice correct because, after all, that’s been the major function of libraries since time began. (Well, I take that back – not since time began, but soon after so many books were published that an individual couldn’t hope to own them all.) These days we can check out magazines, audio books on tape or CD, musical CDs, videotapes and DVDs. And if you don’t like waiting in line, you can check out most of these items yourself on the Self-Checkout station.

One of the perks of this electronic age is searching for books online. Any time, day or night, if you have access to the internet, you can go to www.mcfls.org, click on “CountyCat” (the online catalog, which replaces the old-fashioned card catalog) and start browsing. If you need help learning how to do this, check with the reference librarian – it’s very easy. What I like is finding books or audio-visual materials available in other county libraries which, with a mouse-click or two, can be sent to the Franklin library for me to pick up. At the same time, other library patrons are tracking down materials available from the Franklin location to have them sent to a site close to them. It’s a win-win situation for readers.

D) Buy raffle tickets for a chance to win a handmade quilt. Although libraries, as government entities, cannot run raffles, the Friends group holds a state-authorized raffle license to conduct fundraising events that benefit the library. Among the numerous activities sponsored by the Friends are two quilt groups which convene in one of the meeting rooms to practice their craft, learning from one another while enjoying some friendly conversation. Twice a year one of these groups donates quilts for a raffle. What I like best about this event is the colorful display the quilts make hung on overhead walls near the checkout counter. For $5 I get six tickets to deposit in one of the numbered jars corresponding with the quilts I most hope to win. Every time this quilt raffle is held, I buy six tickets or more and, though I’ve never won yet, I’m happy to see my dollars go to support Friends’ events.

E) Donate a handmade pillowcase to soldiers in Iraq. Karen Gro

Anyone driving in Hales Corners the past few weeks couldn’t have missed the bright yellow signs posted throughout the village: “Hales Corners Pool Party, August 4, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sponsored by Hales Corners Lions Club.”

I mentally filed that information, so that I’d remember to stop by and support the efforts to keep the local pool afloat. Since July 23 when the pool reopened, it’s been wonderful to see the pool filled with water and lots of swimmers splashing around. Before that, when there was some question whether the Friends of the Hales Corners Pool would generate enough support to open it – and keep it open – the empty pool conveyed that same kind of despair as boarded up, vacated buildings and untended vacant lots with weeds growing up between the cracks in the cement. There are such places in Hales Corners; I hated to see the pool added to those ghost-town images.

In this blog I want to celebrate all those civic-minded individuals who refuse to give up on causes they care about – in this case, the Hales Corners Pool. In particular, I’m thinking of Don Schwartz, who has led a small dedicated group of “save the pool” advocates like himself to keep the Hales Corners pool open each summer since 2003. And I’m thinking of the Hales Corners Lions Club, another fairly small group (28 members) who showed us all how to turn $3,000 into $11,000.

Here’s how: In response to an appeal by Schwartz, the club readily agreed to donate $3,000 to help cover pool expenses for the season. Considering that it costs about $60,000 to keep the pool open for the entire season, the $3,000 would have been merely a drop in the proverbial bucket. Why not have a village-wide party? some of the Lions members suggested. Some day there might be a full-scale party that encompasses the entire Hales Corners Park; for this August 4 effort, however, the Lions Club took over the picnic area closest to the pool.

Then they got the word – and the signs – out. Everyone could swim free for the day. (The usual fee these days is $3 for children, $5 for adults.) There would be music from an on-site DJ, compliments of one of the Lions members, and there would be hot dogs, sweet corn, popcorn, soda and water available for a modest $1 each.

Originally, the Lions Club expected to underwrite the cost of all this food--part of that original $3,000 donation--but then the community spirit got revved up. Maney’s (of local sweet corn fame and operators of the fresh produce stand in K-Mart Plaza) donated all the sweet corn. The Whitnall Boosters donated the use of their popcorn machine together with all the popcorn and supplies. Pick n’ Save of Hales Corners donated the hot dogs, buns, soda and bottled water. And then the Chamber of Commerce jumped in (not in the pool – but in the fundraising efforts): they organized a silent auction to benefit the pool.

People turned out for the event. The non-swimmers bought refreshments, bid on silent auction items and helped fill the big glass jars with cash and checks. (The Friends were prepared to take credit card donations as well.) The biggest single donation of $2,500 came from the Holz Foundation and presented by Doug Nalbert. Lions member Roger Brinkmeier got a photograph of one man inside the pool area making his contribution through the chain-link fence. Even County Supervisor Paul Cesarz got into the act, grilling hot dogs, and County Executive Scott Walker made an appearance.

Blog readers need to remember there are no tax dollars being spent on the pool this year – nothing from the County, nothing from the Village of Hales Corners. Both governments have supported the Friends’ effort, however. The County agreed to lease the pool to the Village for one dollar. (Yes, you read it correctly – just one dollar.) The Village Board in turn agreed to subcontract the operations and management of the pool to the Southwest YMCA. Though for now those costs, such as pool maintenance and lifeguard salaries, are coming from the Southwest YMCA, it’s with the understanding that expenses will be reimbursed from the Friends of the Pool group. Quite an undertaking for a group of 10 individuals!

Of course, Friends like these manage to keep their heads above water with the help of more friends – individuals, businesses and civic organizations who step forward with contributions. There are even volunteers, including a local Girl Scout troop and Schwartz himself, who help clean the building to save expenses there. Other donations have been happily received: inflatable pool toys and a pool table for the indoor recreation area. Schwartz foresees the day when the pool building can function as a community center.

In 2008 the Hales Corners Pool will celebrate 40 years in the Village – the same age as Village Hall. So don’t be surprised if there’s an even larger Pool Party next year.

In the meantime, we all need to know that more funds are needed to keep the pool open th