String band Pert Near Sandstone to play Thrasher, and more Fond du Lac news in brief

Mara Wegner, Fond du Lac Reporter

May 25, 2024 at 6:55 PM·6 min read

Pert Near Sandstone will play the Thrasher Opera House in Green Lake June 1.

FOND DU LAC – Pert Near Sandstone will bring its Road To Blue Ox Tour to the Thrasher Opera House in Green Lake for a 7:30 p.m. June 1 concert.

Pert Near Sandstone recorded its debut album more than 10 years ago. In 2015, the band co-founded the Blue Ox Music Festival, which draws roots music fans from across the nation each year. Some of the artists featured at the festival include Bela Fleck, Tyler Childers, Jerry Douglas, Margo Price, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, among others.

Pert Near Sandstone has appeared at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, sharing a bill with Trampled By Turtles, Del McCoury Band and Sam Bush.

Tickets are $28 and available at thrasheroperahouse.com or 920-294-4279.

Local organizations host blood drives for Red Cross

American Red Cross asks the public to give blood or platelets to help keep hospitals prepared for all transfusion needs. There is always a need for Type O and platelet donors.

A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required. Individuals 17 years old (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in general good health may be eligible to donate blood. Donors younger than 18 also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Upcoming blood drives:

May 28: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., American Legion, 500 Fond du Lac Ave., Fond du Lac;
May 31: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., North Fond du lac Community Center, 280 Garfield St.;
June 7: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., YMCA, 90 W. Second St., Fond du Lac; and
June 7: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eden Fire Department, 104 Pine St., Eden.

To make an appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 800-733-2767.

Parks: Fond du Lac parks are ideal for outdoor summer recreation, events and family traditions, readers say

'Blue Ribbons' comedy makes world premiere in Ripon

Ripon Area Community Theatre will present the world premiere of the comedy “Blue Ribbons” May 31 to June 2.

Written by Thomas Bakken, the play is about love, hate and pie. For the last 20 years, Anne Cross and Deloris Doyle have both won the coveted blue ribbon at the annual town fair and are tied at 10 apiece. Their antics in competing for the next win take a toll on their families and the community.

Show times are 7 p.m. May 31 and June 1, and 2 p.m. June 2 and will be performed at the Ripon High School auditorium, 850 Tiger Drive. Doors open 30 minutes before the performance. There will be a bake sale and 50/50 raffle during intermission to support the Ripon Area Community Theatre.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for ages 6 to 12 with youth 5 and younger admitted are free. Purchase advance tickets online at hometowntickets.com or at the door.

Planning AHEAD program aims to help plan for end-of-life

Ripon Public Library will hold a Planning AHEAD Program this summer. The program is open to residents of Green Lake, Fond du Lac and Winnebago counties.

Planning AHEAD is a course from UW-Madison Division of Extension for end-of-life planning. Participants will learn about making their wishes known, handling finances, legal requirements and documentation, personal property distribution, dealing with grief and more.

The program is geared toward people of all ages who want to prepare for their own passing or for a loved one. It is open to anyone who would like to plan for the inevitable and want to share their wishes.

Classes will be held 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays, June 5 to July 24 at the Ripon library, 120 Jefferson St. (No class July 3.) A workbook is included.

There is no fee to attend, but registration is required. Register by May 29 online at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeNGQfhyeXRxy_8voBnZ9QtaZ7ek-BGMe31vWYOpiC3HqZvhQ/viewform?usp=sf_link or call Green Lake County Extension at 920-294-4032 or Ripon Public Library 920-748-6160.

For more information, contact [email protected] or 920-294-4039, or visit aging.extension.wisc.edu/programs/planning-ahead.

Marian offers academy for potential college students

Marian University’s Upward Bound Math and Science Summer Academy will be held June 17 to July 26 this year. The class is intended to prepare potential first-generation college students and/or students from economically-challenged backgrounds to go college. A closing ceremony is scheduled for July 31.

The UBMS Summer Academy will include tours of college campuses and major businesses. Participants also will explore places like the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and the Geology Museum at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Featured classes, workshops, and seminars, held at Marian, will be taught by Marian faculty and local high school faculty. Classes include: Applied Mathematics, Environmental Science, Food Science, Latin for Math and Science, Oral Communication, and World Literature: Science Fiction.

The program is offered free of charge and space is limited. For eligibility requirements and to register, visit marianuniversity.edu/ubms.

St. Agnes Hospital recognized for organ donation efforts

SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital recently received an Excellence in Tissue Donation Award, as well as a bronze Award of Hope. Kristy Krause, right, nursing director and hospital liaison for UW-OTD, and Emily Hoepfner, nursing director, accepted the honors.

SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital was among 21 hospitals recognized by UW Organ and Tissue Donation, a a federally-designated organ procurement organization serving more than 100 hospitals in Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois. The organization presents five different awards to hospitals and staff in recognition of their efforts.

SSM Health St. Agnes received an Excellence in Tissue Donation Award, as well as a bronze Award of Hope. Kristy Krause, nursing director and hospital liaison for UW-OTD, and Emily Hoepfner, nursing director, accepted the award.

The Excellence in Tissue Donation Award is given to partner hospitals that achieve at least a 63% consent rate while the Award of Hope recognizes the work of hospitals that achieve or exceed goals that maximize the gift of life.

ThedaCare Physicians clinics honored for vaccination efforts

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has awarded its annual Wisconsin BigShot awards to providers for their efforts to keep pediatric patients up to date on routine childhood vaccinations.

According to a news release, there are four categories of BigShot awards:

Providers who have 90% or more of their patients vaccinated according to the recommended 4:3:1:3:3:1:4 schedule for 24- to 36-month-olds.
Providers who have 90% or more of their patients who have at least 1 dose of Hepatitis A vaccine by 24 months.
Providers who have 80% or more of their adolescent patients between 13 and 17 years old up to date on Tdap, Meningococcal, and have completed the HPV series.
Providers who have 95% or more of their patients who have at least 1 dose of MMR vaccine by 24 months of age.

ThedaCare Physicians in Green Lake, Ripon and Waupaca were recognized in the Hepatitis A Vaccine Category.

For more information, visit thedacare.org.

Remember when ...: Remember when the Forest Mall first opened in Fond du Lac? Features included the fountain and yearly bazaars.