Tag Archives: celebrate

Fun Facts about Wisconsin Cheese

18 Thursday Jan 2018

Posted by in Holidays, Special Events

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When you first think about January, what are the first words that come to mind? 02J16331If you’re like many of us, most of those topics are related to the New Year – terms like resolutions, exercise and healthy diet. You may be surprised to know, however, that there are several other holidays taking place.

In addition to our official holidays like New Year’s Day and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, there are dozens of unofficial holidays on the calendar – Houseplant Appreciation Day, National Nothing Day and the upcoming National Cheese Lover’s Day. Cheese Lover’s Day takes place on Saturday, January 20, and we can’t think of a better holiday for our very own dairy state to celebrate.

Of course, you already know that Wisconsin produces a lot of cheese (it just comes with the territory, right?), but do you have any idea about just much “a lot” exactly is? We thought it’d be fun to celebrate the unofficial holiday with compelling facts about Wisconsin cheese.

  • Pioneering farm wives began making “kitchen” cheese from that of their herds in the 1830s, but the first official Wisconsin cheese wasn’t made until 1841 by Anne Pickett of Lake Mills when she added milk from her neighbor’s cow to that of her own small herd.
  • If Wisconsin were a country, it would come in 4th place in world cheese production, following the rest of the United States, France and Germany.
  • Wisconsin leads the rest of the country in the development of the following types of cheese: Limburger, Feta, Romano, Provolone, Parmesan, Muenster and Cheddar.
  • Wisconsin makes over 600 varieties, types and styles of cheeses (including more than 65 originals.)

Who knew cheese came in so many varieties and had such a rich history? It should come as no surprise for us to learn that there is a day dedicated to sharing their passion with others.

Don’t think one day is enough? You’re not alone! Cheese lovers will be happy to learn that there are 18 other cheese-related holidays that happen throughout the year, (but we’re not sure that they all count.)

Will you make plans to celebrate the day of cheese? Let us know in the comments below. Happy National Cheese Day from Lions Pride!

 

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The Father of Wisconsin Lions Camp

15 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by in Holidays, Lions Camp, Special Events

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Roll out the barbecue – it’s time to celebrate Dad!

Lion Ray Hempel

Sunday marks the day to honor the men in our lives with a day dedicated just to him. With Father’s Day right around the corner, we thought it would be the perfect excuse to honor an exceptional man in the Wisconsin Lions community – Ray Hempel, the father and originator of Wisconsin Lions Camp.

You may have already heard this story a time or two, but it’s one that we think can always be retold. The year was 1952; Lion Ray Hempel was visiting with two 12-year old boys at an area hospital. He asked them if they had ever attended a camp. One boy replied, “Blind kids can’t go to outdoor camp and stuff like that.”

Others may have just acknowledged the response, apologized and changed the subject, but Lion Ray was not that man. Instead, he took those words to heart and began visualizing a camp that would provide an outdoor experience for those two boys and others like them.

His background in Lions and Boy Scouts, as well as his love of camping told him exactly what he needed to do. He needed to persuade the Wisconsin Lions to start a camp for blind children.

A few years later, Lion Ray and the Poy Sippi Lions petitioned the District Governors for a permanent camp location at the 1955 Wisconsin State Convention. At the 1956 convention, a 240-acre property was purchased in Rosholt, and the Wisconsin Lions Camp was born. Lion Ray served as the first camp director and was proud to be an integral part of its development

Today, the camp has expanded to serve even more children with special needs, including vision and hearing impairments, mild cognitive disabilities and Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, all at no cost to their families.

With the first week of summer camp starting on Monday, we think there’s no better time to reflect on the man who started it all. Who knew a chance comment would lead to such big change. Since its inception Lions Camp has offered the week of a lifetime to nearly 70,000 campers. There’s no question in our minds that Ray Hempel was the epitome of a Wisconsin Lion.

Happy Father’s Day from Lions Pride!

How to Say “Thank You” This Memorial Day

26 Thursday May 2016

Posted by in Holidays, News, Special Events

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Never Forgotten Flight CWA

Photo Credit to Stevens Point Journal

We don’t have to tell you that this Monday is Memorial Day. We’ve all been counting the days to a three-day weekend, probably since we flipped the calendar month. Your Memorial Day will likely include a day filled with barbecues, family and fun. We’re also excited for the holiday, but is it just us, or does the reason behind Memorial Day seem to get overshadowed with furniture sales, outdoor activities and other thoughts of summer?

Memorial Day, first known as Decoration Day, was created as a day to remember the men and women who died serving the United States of America. While there are no possible ways to repay them for their sacrifice, there are ways to say “thank you” to all past and current veterans. We’ve compiled a few ways to get started:

  1. Write a Thank You Letter

    Express your gratitude to the current veterans in your life, or one you’ve never met with a handwritten note. A Million Thanks is an organization that makes it easy to send a letter.

    “Feeling gratitude, but not expressing it is like a wrapping a present, but not giving it.” –William Arthur Ward

  2. Nominate a Veteran to Participate in an Honor Flight

    Honor Flight is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing veterans with honor and closure. They transport our heroes to Washington D.C. to visit memorials in their honor. There are currently 130 Honor Flight Hubs in 44 states. On May 16, 98 Korea and Vietnam War veterans boarded the Never Forgotten Honor Flight at Central Wisconsin Airport in Central Wisconsin (shown above).

  3. Visit a Veteran’s Cemetery

    One of the more traditional ways to celebrate Memorial Day is to plan a trip to visit a veteran’s cemetery to reflect. At present, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs maintains 134 national cemeteries in 40 states, and 33 soldier’s lots and memorial sites. In Wisconsin, there are three cemeteries and five soldier’s lots.

  4. Participate in the National Moment of Remembrance

    In December 2000, the “National Moment of Remembrance” was passed asking all Americans to “voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of Remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to ‘Taps’” at 3 pm local time.

These are only four of many possible ways to celebrate Veterans this holiday. How do you plan to say “thank you”?

Happy Memorial Day from Lions Pride!