Can you believe it’s springtime already? It could not come soon enough for me. It sure is wonderful seeing the neighborhood come to life; kids playing and riding bikes, neighbors walking their dogs, barbequing, and even getting a jump on yard work. The crocus are blooming, the daffodils are growing taller, and even the buds on trees are starting to come out, indicating life is coming back to the neighborhood. April brings with it Easter and all the joy that it represents for so many of us. It also brings showers, helping our fertilizers do their job on our plants, trees, and grasses. It also brings about new opportunities to renew or form friendships with our neighbors. What better way to encourage people to become members of Damon Woods and participate in or host some of the TGIF parties and other events that are planned throughout the year.

Unfortunately, our membership is at an all-time low, causing the board to make cut-backs on some of the events that are offered. I want to take a moment to encourage our non-members to consider joining the neighborhood association. There are many things membership gives you, including the neighborhood directory chock-full of information, including a list of neighborhood kids offering various types of service. The board is even considering offering a small college scholarship annually to one student member. Keep in mind these benefits require time and money. I am asking everyone, all 400-plus households to help make a commitment to increase our Association membership today!

If you are a member, encourage your neighbors to join. If you have been a member in the past but are not currently a member, then join again and bring one new member along. If you are not a member, consider joining now and see what great fun can be had. Perhaps you have a talent that you may bring to the neighborhood which can benefit many. With everyone’s help, we can grow membership, allowing the association the ability to continually fund events and not reduce or eliminate any.

We are fortunate to have many good people who are willing to volunteer their time to the different events we offer. In fact, we have a new Webmaster, Pete Stoddard. He has taken over for Jim Zinda. We also have a new senior liaison on our board. Jack Albee, who many of you may know, has been a resident in our neighborhood for many years. His role will be to help us involve more neighborhood seniors and keep us abreast of things going on specifically for seniors, as well as to be a voice to the board when considering events that cater to our mature members. Additionally, two people have stepped up to become new board members and share their talents with the neighborhood: Jim Gerhke and Rhommer Varilla. Thank you and welcome to you all.

Until next time,  
 
William Duyser
President
 

Damon Woods Annual Winter Party

Damon Woods neighbors gathered on February 10^th at the historic Kneeland-Walker House for our annual Winter Party. Between 50-60 neighbors attended to share a relaxed night of good conversation, food, and beverages. It was a great time to catch up with friends and get to meet  new ones.

Unlike winter parties of past years where bitter cold made the walk from the car to the Kneeland-Walker House a challenge, this year the unusually warm weather on February 10^th aided the friendly warmth inside to help make a delightful evening  for Damon Woods neighbors celebrating the annual Winter Party. The evening started out strong and continued as more neighbors arrived, laden with an incredible selection hors d'oeuvres and desserts, as well as a wide variety of beverages. Thank you to Linda O’Brien for organizing the fun-filled evening.

WINE CLUB

On March 30^th , the Damon Woods Wine Club met at Dean and Michelle Teofilo’s new home on Jackson Park Blvd. Our hosts gave us a list of wines to choose from prior to the event. The theme was wine and cheese pairings.  The Teofilo’s supplied the cheese and each person supplied a type of wine.

Dean researched prior to the wine tasting to get the proper cheese and wine pairings. His goal was to include only Wisconsin cheeses. Dean was successful except for two varieties, a Brie and bleu cheese.

White wines match best with soft cheeses and stronger flavors. Red wines match best with hard cheeses and milder flavors. Fruity and sweet white wines (not dry) and dessert wines work best with a wider range of cheeses. The more pungent the cheese you choose, the sweeter the wine should be.

Wine and cheese pairings are below.

· Sauvignon Blanc – the cheese pairing was Widmer Brick, a soft cheese which was very mild. The two flavors worked very well together.

· Chardonnay – cheese pairing was Muenster, a little stronger flavored cheese and soft.

· Sauternes – cheese pairing was aged Provolone, smelled like a locker room but the taste was wonderful. This was an extremely expensive wine, almost $35 for half a bottle to upwards $900 a bottle.

· Riesling –cheese pairing was Gruyere. This tasted like a mild Swiss and was harder than the previous cheeses.

· Pinot Noir - cheese pairing was Brie. This was a very soft, messy cheese. Some of us just spread it on our fingers, others on crackers.

· Beaujolais – the cheese pairing was Edam. This complemented the wine very nicely.

· Port – the cheese pairing was Bleu Cheese and it was simply divine. One couple told of a chocolate cheese paired with a port and the flavor was wonderful.

· Madeira - The cheese pairing with this was sharp Cheddar. This wine smelled similar to a cooking wine, thank goodness for the cheese. Actually, we learned this wine can remain open and stay good for up to a year.

· Barbera –the cheese pairing with this was aged Parmesan.

Everyone had fun as you can see

THE 2007 LDWNA EASTER EGG HUNT!

A hippity-hoppity-SPLASHING good time!

by Amy Giampetroni

Our much-anticipated Lowell Damon Woods Annual Easter Egg Hunt took place on Saturday, March 31 and was, as always, a fun affair for all.  The turnout was exceptional, despite the less-than-exceptional weather, with 32 children – from babies to “big kids” – participating in this year’s event, while all the proud parents looked on.

The festivities began with an opportunity for the children to guess how many jelly beans were in a jar.  The answer was 276; Colin Meehan was the closest with a guess of 280 – congratulations, Colin!  We then moved on to the drawing table where the kids were able to create some fabulous crayon-on-paper masterpieces in honor of the Easter holiday. When the children’s excitement to see the Easter Bunny reached a fever pitch, the furry white fellow made his appearance, to the cheers and applause of all.  The Easter Bunny handed out Ring Pops before kicking off the Easter Egg Hunt, which began with the youngest of our attendees (0-4 years old) scurrying across the damp lawn in search of the treasured candy-filled eggs.  When all the little ones had collected 10 eggs each, the older children were able to join in the hunt until (almost) all the eggs were found, and then the Easter Bunny posed for pictures with the children.

 Sadly, just as we were gearing up to begin the three-legged race the rain began to fall – and I don’t mean a sprinkle!  We had hoped against hope that the rain would hold

Sadly, just as we were gearing up to begin the three-legged race the rain began to fall – and I don’t mean a sprinkle!  We had hoped against hope that the rain would hold off until after 11:30, but our luck ran out.  After a quick flurry of “thank yous” and “goodbyes” as the soggy families sought shelter from the rain, all that was left was the clean up.  Lucky for my co-organizer Laurie Lehman and me, the kids had left behind a few candy-filled eggs for us to enjoy while we removed the last traces of the event from the lawn of the lovely Damon House!

Our thanks to all who attended this year’s Easter Egg Hunt, to our friends at Dependable Auto for again sponsoring our event, and to Chad Konow of Wauwatosa Avenue for being the beloved “masked man.”  And here’s hoping for warm, dry and sunny weather for next year’s Easter Egg Hunt!

2007 TOSA EVENTS
  March 10 - Blarney Run/Walk
  April 3 - Spring Election
  August 4 - Firefly Art Fair
  October 28 - Citywide Trick-or-Treat, in village

PLAY GROUP NEWS

Playgroup is regularly held on alternating Thursday mornings from 9:30 am to 11:30 am, with snacks provided by the host or hostess. Playgroup is a great time for the children to interact with one another while giving parents the chance to share stories and advice over cups of coffee.  As the weather starts to warm up, we hope to have lots of play dates outside!  We also hope to see some new faces!
 
-Laurie Norman

UPCOMING TGIF PARTIES

April 20^th—Bill and Leslie Duyser of 1902 Church St.

May 18^th—Mike and Kay Collins of 8151 Woodland Ave.  

June TBD—Maria and Sean Watson of 8205 Stickney Ave

TGIFs begin at 7:00 pm. We ask that you bring an appetizer and beverage to pass. These events are open to all Damon Woods neighbors and are a very casual way to meet new neighbors or do some catching up with old friends. If you have any questions about the TGIFs or if you are interested in being a future host (we are still in need of someone to host in June and September) please contact Kris Gehrke at info@damonwoods.org.

Please look for our official "TGIF" sign posted on the front lawn of our hosts' home the week leading up to the event.
-Kris Gehrke.

NEIGHBORHOOD RECIPE

Here is a "neighborhood" recipe which was prepared by Pat Janisch for the Winter Party at the Kneeland-Walker House, February 10^th.

Stuffed Pepperdew Peppers
1 qt drained Pepperdews from Venturi's deli.
4oz package Chevre (goat cheese)
4oz room temp cream cheese
Juice of 1/2 a fresh lemon
Lemon zest

Mix last four ingredients together well and pipe into peppers. (Put mixture into plastic ziploc bag and cut off corner- squeeze through hole into peppers).
 

Recipe is credited to Pete Venturi of Venturi's Market and Catering.

BOOK CLUB
Date:     May 21, 2007, 7:30pm.
Place:    Stacey Muller’s home on Woodland
Book:  My Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
 
When Ishmael places an advertisement for pupils with ""an earnest desire to save the world,"" he does not expect a child to answer him. But twelve-year-old Julie Gerchak is undaunted by Ishmael's reluctance to teach someone so young, and convinces him to take her on as his next student. Ishmael knows he can't apply the same strategies with Julie that he used with his first pupil, Alan Lomax--nor can he hope for the same outcome. But young Julie proves that she is ready to forge her own spiritual path--and arrive at her own destination. And when the time comes to choose a pupil to carry out his greatest mission yet, Ishmael makes a daring decision--a choice that just might change the world.

Please note that while this is labeled as a sequel, you do not have to have read the first book to enjoy this one.  The story does stand on its own.

2007 ALL-NEIGHBORHOOD RUMMAGE SALE!

Once again, it’s time to clean out those attics and garages and get ready to sell it all at the annual All-Neighborhood Rummage Sale.  Mark your calendars now for Friday, June 22^nd from 9 am to 5 pm and Saturday, June 23^rd from 8 am to 3 pm.

 The sale will be advertised in the Journal/Sentinel, on flyers at local businesses and with signs around the neighborhood on the days of the sale.  Balloons will mark the homes participating, and sellers will receive a few copies of a map and a list of sellers that they can reproduce and give to shoppers.

To sign up and be included on the map of sellers (see insert to sign-up), please complete the included form and return it (along with $3.00 for non-member) to Karen McNeely Jackson Park Blvd. by Wednesday, June 6^th.  You can then pick up your balloons, maps and seller’s list from Karen on Wednesday, June 20^th. 

If you have any questions please call Karen .

2007 TOSA EVENTS
  August 4 - Firefly Art Fair
  October 28 - Citywide Trick-or-Treat, in village

NEXT BOARD MEETING
The neighborhood association’s next Board meeting is at 7:00 pm, on Thursday March 8th, at Kris Gehrke’s home on83rd . Please join us and share your ideas.
 

 
NEWS TO SHARE?
Has someone in the neighborhood had a birth? How about newsworthy items or accomplishments in your family. Pass it on to Larry Kopperud at info@damonwoods.org for inclusion in the next newsletter.
 

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT

Mark and Amy Buckbee of Church St. have a new addition to the family!  William Lyle Ewald Buckbee arrived February 28th weighing in at 8 pounds, 9 ounces. He joins his big sister, 21 month old Clare, who loves her new baby brother-most of the time!

OUR CONDOLENCES

Anne D’Aoust, mother of Jeanine Schoen of Jackson Park Blvd, passed away on March 20, 2007.

Glendene Bloczynski, mother of Brian Bloczynski of Church St. passed away Feb. 15, 2007.
 
NEWCOMERS

Lynn Rutkeiwicz is the contact for new families moving into Damon Woods. You can contact her at info@damonwoods.org to let her know of a new neighbor or to notify
her that you are a new neighbor. We would like to make sure we welcome all new neighbors to Damon Woods.

DAMON WOODS STAR

Lowell Damon Woods’ neighbor and Board Member Jennifer LaPorte-McCanles will be featured in the Boulevard Ensemble Studio Theatre’s upcoming production of “A Shot in the Dark,” a stylish 1960’s murder-mystery comedy that inspired the first Pink Panther movie and introduced the character of Inspector Clouseau. The show opens April 18^th and runs through May 6^th.

The Boulevard Ensemble Studio Theatre, located at 2252 South Kinnickinnic in Milwaukee’s exciting and revitalized Bay View neighborhood, is celebrating its twenty-first season of critically acclaimed theatre in its intimate 50-seat black box studio theatre.

The Boulevard is an affordable, culturally diverse theatre that enlarges the performance experience for audience and artist alike by presenting modern, classical, and neglected scripts. The theater’s intense physical proximity provides both emotional directness and cultural familiarity between patron and artist.

For more information, call the Boulevard at 744.5757, email at tickets@boulevardtheatre.com or go to www.boulevardtheatre.com
 
NEW BOARD MEMBER - RHOMMER VARILLA
 

I can't believe that after moving into the neighborhood as a single guy seven years ago, here I am now with a swing set in the backyard, more Nick Jr. videos than I have shoes, I know enough Disney characters to start a small country and I'm writing a bio about myself so that I can be announced as a new board member!

I live with the enchanting Mrs. Varilla (my wife, not mother) and our two children on Stickney Avenue in a classic bungalow built in 1926.  When I mean classic, I also mean the things I wrote in a June 2004 newsletter article: http://www.damonwoods.org/months/jun2004.htm  By the way, the garage shelf saga has continued.  Just so you know, we still have only parked one car in our two car garage that was built from the ground up three years ago.

I work for a technology firm that brings a lot of challenge and excitement to my days, but nothing compares to the joy I get from time spent with family in our back yard.  When I do find time to steal away by myself, you may hear me playing the piano or learning how to play the guitar.  I still think about the squirrels that I wrote about in the August 2004 newsletter: http://www.damonwoods.org/months/aug2004.htm.  I shared with some neighbors, mostly to their amusement, that I think I can solve some of my squirrel woes with the information I found by googling "Squirrel Catapult" [on the internet].  In the end, I think some sense of kindness, understanding of the possibility of reincarnation, and karma keep me from executing the ideas that I see in the google search result list.  I really love animals.  They're delicious.

Both my wife and I are very happy that one of us will be more involved with the neighborhood association because we both feel that the value of our home and the quality of our lives are, in part, directly related to the community that we keep.  Thank you all in keeping Damon Woods a place where we continue to extend our roots!

 NEW BOARD MEMBER - JIM GEHRKE

Hi everyone.  My name is Jim Gehrke and I am one of the new board members for the Damon Woods Neighborhood Association.  I have lived here for four years with my wife Kris and couldn't think of a better place to live.  I mean, I suppose we could live on a golf course or a lake maybe, but I think I would save that for a second or third home. (sing along)  "Damon Woods is the place I want to be, so we packed up the truck and moved to 83.  Tosa that is, great schools and better friends." (stop singing)  Who could ask for anything more.

When Kris and I first moved here, we didn't know anyone.  Not a soul, but at our front door there was a newsletter waiting for us to read.  Keep in mind, we came from a neighborhood area that did absolutely nothing together except maybe an occasional wave if you saw your neighbor coming in or out of their home.  Anyway, we read this newsletter from cover to cover and looked at each other in absolute amazement.  Well, we decided to go to an event.  It was the winter party at Hart Park.  We brought an appetizer of some sort and a beverage because that is what they suggested us to bring.  We looked at this crowd of strangers and said to ourselves ,"Man, there are a lot of people here."  We weren't sure of the protocol at these things, so we decided that it was kind of like testing out the water when you go swimming; do you just jump in or do you put in a toe and check it out?  We decided to jump in and haven't gotten out of the pool yet.  We love it here.

We have met the best people in the whole world. Kris and I couldn't begin to imagine what our life would be like if we didn't have the friendships we've made over the last four years.  To those of you who know me, this sentimental side is probably surprising but I believe it in my heart.  I truly do.  Just think, I gained great friendships and  thousands and thousands of laughs by going to one party four years ago.  Boy, did I come out ahead.  To me it was like buying Microsoft stock when it was a start-up or hitting the jackpot in Las Vegas or, if you’re a parent, knowing that your baby was born happy and healthy.

I encourage everyone to attend a TGIF or an association event held at the Damon house.  I challenge you to go to one of these events and not have a good time or not meet new people.  It can't be done.  It's impossible.  I believe that Kris and I can count on one hand the number of events that we've missed in the four years we have lived here. 

I just realized that this was supposed to be more like a bio than a rah-rah speech for Damon Woods.  So here goes.  I have been married to Kris for just about 16 yrs.  We have no kids.  I am an account executive with Tree of Life, a specialty food distributor based out of Florida and I also co-own Executive Greens where I sell and install synthetic putting greens in your home or yard.  Stop by sometime and check out our green in the backyard.  Better yet, bring along your putter and try it out.

I look forward to meeting more wonderful neighbors.

* Editor’s note: the Damon Woods Association Board voted to appoint Rhommer and Jim to fill open positions.

NEW SENIOR LIAISON - JACK ALBEE

Jack Albee has volunteered to be the Damon Woods Neighborhood Association Senior Liaison. Thank you, Jack!

Dona & I are youthful 70-year olds; have lived and raised our two children, Craig, an attorney in Milwaukee and Sue, an actuary in Austin, TX at 1921 Underwood Avenue, moving here in 1967. 

Our time is spent going to the mall every morning for walking and coffee; returning to work on our insurance business, all kinds--independent, which we will probably continue until we are horizontal.  We travel quite often to Texas and elsewhere.  When we are at home, you can usually find me from 2:30-4:00 playing Sheepshead at Hart Park, if we are not playing golf.

Some thoughts from Jack—

· TGIF parties are great.  If seniors wish to have their own party, (if they feel too old for these, though they definitely shouldn't), give a call. 

· Any seniors without wheels needing to go for doctors appointments should sign up with Mayfair Interfaith.

· Also for seniors, great lunches at Hart Park for a pittance with Sheepshead afterwards.

Jack can be contacted at jackdona@sbcglobal.net

 
NEW WEB SITE MANAGER - PETE STODDARD

I have lived in the Damon Woods neighborhood for 14 years.  My wife, Sally, and I moved from 63^rd St. in 1993.  Sally works in the Academic Affairs department at the Medical College of Wisconsin.  We have two daughters, Emily and Abby who graduated from Pius XI.  Emily now works for Sherwin-Williams in Las Vegas, but will be moving back to Wisconsin next month to work in the Sherwin-Williams store in West Allis.  Abby is a junior at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. She plans to go to pharmacy school after she graduates.

I have worked at AT&T for over 26 years.  I have held various positions in the IT department over this time.  I am currently a senior technical architect in the Technology, Standards and Architecture group. 

NEWSLETTER DISTRIBUTION
THANK YOU - to those who helped deliver the December newsletters! Ellie Bjorkman, Tiffany Bruett, Kris and Jim Gehrke, Bob Heitzer, Diane Kaiser-Rockenbach, Kathy Kebbekus, Kathy Mannebach, Kelly Presser and Jason Dudley, Jeanine Schoen, Frank and Joanne Shansky, Dave and Chris Vogel. If you would like to help deliver, contact Karen McNeely.