Dear Neighbors -
 
This year's Harvest Fest had a great turnout, great weather, great chili and other delicious fall dishes. Congratulations to Kris Gehrke who won the coveted traveling "Harvest Spoon Trophy" for the best chili. The day was given special meaning with a visit from the Damon family. They shared some of their family history, toys and tricks; judged the coloring contest, and explained that the branches of their family tree include the Damon Restaurant chain and actor Matt Damon (who did not make it to the event!). Thank you to Karen Roy and Kris Gehrke for organizing this event.
 
Thank you to the Giampetroni's and the McCanle's for hosting TGIFs. The Giampetroni's had an intimate crowd, allowing everyone to talk and get to know one another. It was wonderful to see the work they have done in transforming their house into a beautiful home. Thank you also to Jennifer and Chris for welcoming us into their home. We will be forgoing TGIFs in December and January to accommodate busy holiday schedules and the Winter Party in January.
 
Our annual Christmas event will be happening right about the time you get this newsletter. If you get this first, please consider it a reminder to join us at the Damon House December 4th from 2-4 for Christmas carols and a visit with Santa, even if you are not getting a tree or participating in the cookie exchange. Then start watching as the trees go up along the streets, what a beautiful sight they are.
 
Looking forward, our annual Winter Party will be a little earlier this year, on January 8th at the Kneeland Walker house. The earlier date means the house will be particularly beautiful as it will still be decorated for the holidays. Please RSVP early as space is limited.
 
On a final note, the 2005 member renewal form is included. Please take a few minutes now to fill it out and turn it in. In 2004 we had 215 member households which I believe is the most ever. If your home was not one of them, please consider joining. The dues and the active member participation are what allow us have so many wonderful activities and make this a truly great neighborhood.

Happy Holidays,
Karen McNeely
 

PLAY GROUP NEWS
Our Halloween party was a great success. A BIG thank you goes to Holly Dobson for all of her hard work, especially the great black cat cake! Our next big event will be held at the Betty Brinn Children's Museum on Thursday, December 30th. This will be the final get- together for the year and, as it is held during school break, will be open to children of all ages- there's lots to do for everyone. Cost is $5.00 per person; children under one are free.
Playgroup is regularly held on alternating Thursday mornings from 9:30 am to 11:30 am with snacks provided by the host(ess). All Lowell Damon Woods families are welcome to attend. Contact Julie Janisch with questions at info@damonwoods.org.

UPCOMING LOWELL DAMON WOODS ASSOCIATION EVENTS

TGIF Parties: We are looking for neighbors to host upcoming TGIF'S. These Friday get togethers are a great opportunity to meet your neighbors and make new friends. We are looking to start filling dates beginning with February of 2005. If you are interested, please contact Kris Gehrke at info@damonwoods.org.

NEW DAMON WOODS BOARD MEMBERS
We welcome two new board members, Jeff DeCora and Mike Collins, who were elected to fill the vacancies left by Marshall Murray and Dean Teofilo.
 
Jeff DeCora - Katie and I have lived in the Damon Woods neighborhood for five years. It is a great place to raise kids with safe streets and friendly neighbors. We joined the neighborhood association right away when we moved in. We have two boys who love the Easter egg hunt and the Trick or Treat night. (Candy!) Jack is six and Mason is three (going on twenty). I am looking forward to working with the Damon Woods Neighborhood Association and all of our neighbors.
 
Mike Collins - Both UW-Stout graduates, my wife Kay and I lived in the Wauwatosa-adjacent neighborhood of Washington Heights for eight years prior to moving to the Damon Woods neighborhood last year. We always admired Damon Woods for its quaint homes and friendly residents and are happy to call it home. For a day job, I work in Engineering and Sales for the Hydro-Thermal Corporation of Waukesha. For leisure, I play guitar, study German, and travel. Kay or I can often be seen walking the streets of Damon Woods with our 6-year old Rat Terrier, Bailey. I am looking forward to working with the Damon Woods Neighborhood Association to continue to make this a great place to live
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BOOK CLUB
Date: Monday, January 17, 2004 at 7:30 pm 
Place: Tom and Jeanine Schoen's home
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who
Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel (Author of Galileo's Daughter) 184 pages.
 
During the great ages of exploration, "the longitude problem" was
the gravest of all scientific challenges. Lacking the ability to determine their longitude, sailors were literally lost at sea as soon as they lost sight of land.
In 1714, England's Parliament offered a huge reward to anyone whose method of measuring longitude could be proven successful. The scientific establishment--from Galileo to Sir Isaac Newton - had mapped the heavens in its certainty of a celestial answer. In stark contrast, one man, John Harrison, dared to imagine a mechanical solution - a clock that would keep precise time at sea, something no clock had been able to do on land. And the race was on…
But Sobel's recounting of the tale goes beyond the fascinating facts themselves. With wonderfully enticing language and presentation, she seamlessly weaves together all of the disparate strands of intellectual enterprise-the work of Galileo, Newton, Halley, Flamsteed, Harrison, and others. I especially enjoyed the connection of Harrison's chronometer to the voyages of Cook, Captain Bligh, and even Darwin's Beagle!
NY Times Best Seller.
American library Assoc. Notable Book.
Lowell Damon Woods Book Club "Book of the Next Two Months Award."

NEXT BOARD MEETING
The neighborhood association’s next board meeting is at 9:00 a.m. on January 8th at the Mad Mug Coffee Shop, on the corner of 80th and Burleigh. Please join us and share your ideas.
 

 
NEWS TO SHARE?
Has someone in the neighborhood had a birth? Do you know of new neighbors moving into the neighborhood? 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. 
  

 
CONDOLENCES
Our sympathies to the Richard Stollberg family. Richard's mother, Helen, passed away October 28th. She was 89. Helen lived at the Lutheran Home in Wauwatosa for the last several years.

WELCOME TO THE FELLS
Shane and Andrea Fell moved to North 81st Street late last year. They came to the neighborhood from Milwaukee Avenue in Wauwatosa, and have lived in Tosa since their wedding in the fall of 2001. Andrea and Shane enjoy the quiet streets and charming homes of their new location, and look forward to being a part of the community for many years to come. Shane serves as Marketing and Sales Director for Top Floor Technologies, a web development firm in New Berlin. Andrea works for UBS Financial Services in Brookfield as a Client Service Associate.
Andrea is also a professional artist with a degree in art from Mount Mary College. Among their many interests, Shane and Andrea enjoy bicycling, hiking, and theater. They serve as volunteer ushers with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. They also enjoy working on restoration projects in their home. Andrea and Shane have an interest in learning more about the history of their house, and would welcome any information from others in the neighborhood. Feel free to stop by or call them.

"OLIVER DAMON"
- A Story by Bridget Griffin, 5th Grader, St. Bernard's
 
When people visit my neighborhood called Damon Woods they may see one or two of our famous residents, white chipmunks. "How did they get here?" the visitors ask. This is what I tell them. 
Oliver Damon, a carpenter, moved here from New Hampshire in 1846, before Wauwatosa was a town. He built his house out of black walnut and oak trees that were on his land. His wife was very proud of their new home but she was not happy that he did not take the time to paint the house. Mr. Damon was a very busy man helping build new homes in the area and too busy to paint his own home.
Oliver wanted to make his wife happy so he had an idea. Back in New Hampshire he learned how to speak Munk, the language of the chipmunk. He called and called the chipmunks to come over but they would not come. Little did he know that the chipmunks were not happy that he was chopping down all the trees that the chipmunks needed for food. Finally, he got one to come over for a talk. He found out why they were so mad and skinny. So he made a deal with them. He would stop cutting down the oak and black walnut trees on his land if they would paint his house. The chipmunks who agreed to do the work would jump into the gallons of white paint and climbed all over the house. They would use their tails to do the fine trim on the windows. When the house was finished Mr. Damon kept his word to the chipmunks. That is why we have white chipmunks here. It is also why we have very old oak and black walnut trees in Damon Woods.

THEATER CAREER KEEPS ON MOVING
Emily Heitzer, daughter of Bob and Gail Heitzer of Jackson Park Blvd, played the lead role of Maria in the Milwaukee Rock Theatre's production of West Side Story. The play ran November 11-14th and
20-21st at the Historic Turner Ballroom in downtown Milwaukee.


NEW TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
Do you know of any family that has recently moved into the Lowell Damon neighborhood? The neighborhood welcoming committee would like to make sure they are presented with a welcoming packet. Please contact Kathy Kopperud, or info@damonwoods.org, so we can officially welcome the newcomer. 

DAMON WOOD INFORMATION
Keep in touch with upcoming events and news as it happens. Sign up to be a member of our neighborhood news list at Topica.com. Send an e-mail to damonwoods@topica.com with “subscribe” in the subject. Contact Jim Zinda by e-mail at info@damonwoods.org if you have any trouble.
 
Follow the online Topica instructions. The information you fill out is confidential and you will not get e-mail spam. If you find out that you don’t like it, you can unsubscribe from the service.
   

WAUWATOSA POLICE DEPARTMENT BUSINESS HOURS
As a reminder the Wauwatosa Police Department is open to the public for general business Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm. The building is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. On all holidays, the building is closed from 11:00 pm the night prior to the holiday and reopens at 8:00 am the next regular business day.
The non-emergency phone 471-8430 and the emergency 911 line will continue to be answered 24 hours a day. Overnight parking permission may be obtained by calling 1-900-388-2800.

FEATURED WAUWATOSA BUSINESS- STYLYNN BASKETS & GIFTS
In September 2002, when I lost my job due to a company closure, I saw it as an opportunity to explore a new career. One of my responsibilities had been to order gifts for employees, and I was always watching for fun, unique gifts. I took this experience, along with a desire to use my creativity and business background, and turned it into a home-based gift basket business.
After working from my home for a year, I took the next step and moved my business into a retail location, StyLynn Baskets & Gifts at 7605 Harwood Avenue. After searching for a location all over the western suburbs, I found the perfect spot in the village of Wauwatosa. I like the historic charm, the positive relationship with the other shop owners, and the strong sense of community with local residents.
StyLynn Baskets & Gifts carries a variety of gourmet food items, dinnerware for entertaining and home decor, holiday and specialty gift items. Our specialty is offering creativelydesigned gift baskets. Many gift baskets are ready to "grab and go"; you can also customize your gift based on almost any theme and price range. We carry nostalgic themes like Barbie, I Love Lucy, and Elvis; and recently added a baby/toddler toy line from Germany. Local residents will find something for everyone on their holiday gift lists!
We will participate in the village of Wauwatosa Festive Fridays, December 3rd, 10th, and 17th. Stores will remain open until 9:00 pm and have numerous activities planned for each evening. One of the highlights will be Historic Trolley Tours between the Kneeland Walker House and the village on Friday, December 3rd. We will offer a Santa's Secret Gift Shop where children can shop for Mom and Dad. In addition, the Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held on Saturday, December 4th. I look forward to meeting more of the local residents throughout this holiday season-please stop in and say hello!

- Lynn Raschka 
 

 
MORE PROGRESS AT THE DAMON HOUSE
Thanks to neighborhood volunteers and continued financial support from the Damon Woods Neighborhood Association and the Heritage Garden Club, several more improvements are visible this fall at the Lowell Damon House museum.
Brian Blocynski of Church St., Art Steadman of Wauwatosa Ave., and Dave Vogel of Pleasant St., spread six square yards of soil along the north side of the house in spring. The new grading helps with drainage away from the foundation, which contractors worked on the previous year.
Blocynski, Steadman, Vogel and Tom Krause of Church St., along with Robert Teske, executive director of the Milwaukee County Historical Society, replaced the north walkway with flagstone last fall, after also completing the flagstone walkway into the garden. The flagstone had been donated to the museum by neighbors Gary and Cathy Kebbekus of Forest St. and Paul and Sophie Prange of Jackson Park Blvd.
This fall, volunteers Blocynski, Krause, Steadman, Vogel and Jeanine Schoen of Jackson Park Blvd., Ellie Bjorkman of Stickney Ave., and Milwaukee County Historical Society volunteer Ron Kurtz added some landscaping touches, planting pacasandra groundcover and miniature hedges of boxwood shrubs and transplanting hosta and ferns from elsewhere in the gardens. Blocynski, Krause and Steadman also cut down a rotting crabapple tree. Three overgrown arbor vitae shrubs along the south property line also were removed and were replaced with white lilac bushes. Two sickly magnolia trees along the stone walkway into the garden also were removed during the past year.
The garden volunteers always encourage neighbors to join them. They will be back in spring to plant annuals, weed and continue in the struggle to regain control over the gardens, which until the 1970s had been maintained by several garden clubs. The neighborhood association adopted the gardens as one of its first volunteer efforts soon after the association was established in 1995. If you'd like to help, please contact info@damonwoods.org.
 
SOMETHING IN THE WATER AT TOSA EAST?
Lowell Damon Woods students, Hannah Heller of Underwood Ave and Brian Kebbekus of Forest Street, seniors at Tosa East, just finished the comical run of Woody Allen's "Don't Drink the Water." The production was quick-witted and fast paced. New Joisey housewife and tourist, Heller, was pursued by the searing Communist KGB, Kebbekus. Costume mistress, Carrie Bargren, and House Manager, Kate Beaudoin, along with a most talented crew of students who built a fantastic and very professional set, made this production a standout. If you missed it - too bad! Keep your eyes open for future Tosa Players events - "Chorus Line" - in the spring.

NEWSLETTER AND FLYER DISTRIBUTION
THANK YOU - to those who helped deliver the August newsletters! Ellie Bjorkman, Beth Brown, Pam Christopherson, Betsy Daniels, Diane Kaiser-Rockenbach, Kathy Mannebach, Susan Patton, Jeanine Schoen, Frank and Joanne Shansky, Agnes Radabough, Kathleen Romfoe, and Steve and Sam Nolinske.
If you would like to help deliver, contact Karen McNeely at info@damonwoods.org.