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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.24.25 Newsletter TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: John Fitzpatrick, Interim City Manager DATE: January 24, 2025 RE: Weekly Newsletter 1. MUSEUM HOSTS AUXILIARY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION WITH FREE ADMISSION: Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Oshkosh Public Museum Auxiliary on February 15th, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Oshkosh Public Museum. To celebrate their centennial, the Museum Auxiliary has sponsored a day of free admission to the Museum. The Auxiliary proudly invites the public to see displays of their history, contributions, commitment, and support of the Museum over the years. Come visit the Museum’s numerous exhibitions, including the encore presentation of Helen Farnsworth Mears – A Genius of Wisconsin on view in the newly renovated Waldwic Gallery and Nature as Muse – Tiffany treasures from the Richard H. Driehaus Collection. Join the Auxiliary members in the Galena Room, located in the Museum’s lower level, for coffee, tea, punch, cake, and other delicious treats made by Auxiliary members. Share your memories, stories, and good times at the Museum with us and other members of the community. 2. MUSEUM OPENING SPECIAL EXHIBITION: Opening February 8th, 2025 at the Oshkosh Public Museum is the unique exhibition Nature as Muse featuring collections on loan from the prestigious Richard H. Driehaus Collection. Come learn more about how nature inspired masterpieces created by Tiffany Studios in the unmatched original environment of the Historic Sawyer Home. This exhibition will be hosted in the Sawyer Grand Hallway and Den, which was heavily showcased as a gem of the Studios’ design capabilities in c. 1913 marketing publications. 3. THE OUTDOOR RINK IN MENOMINEE PARK ZOO IS READY FOR YOU! The weather conditions have allowed us to open a free outdoor skating rink on the Menominee Park Zoo’s lagoon. The rink is open, weather permitting, on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 to 4 pm. The Lakefly Café warming shelter is adjacent to the rink, where ice skaters can warm up and purchase concessions. Dr. Eric’s Skate Club provides free skate rentals and a few skate stabilizers to help beginners experience this favorite Wisconsin winter pastime. During the week, you may skate during the Zoo’s extended hours from 10 am to 2 pm, Monday through Friday. However, there will be no skate rentals or access to the warming shelter on weekdays. The Oshkosh Parks Department has teamed up with the Oshkosh Recreation Department to operate the warming shelter on weekends. There is a bonus to weekend skating: the Menominee Park Zoo is open during skating hours, and it is a great time to visit Mr. Reeves, the new black bear, the foxes, and the wolves! 4. SAVE THE DATE – IT’S JUST A HOP AROUND THE CORNER! “Breakfast with the Bunny,” followed by “Egg Hunt in the Barns,” is April 5, 2025, at Sunnyview Expo. The kids and families love this spring tradition. It starts with “Breakfast with the Bunny” from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; please remember that tickets for a hearty breakfast of pancakes and sausage will need to be purchased in advance. The highlight for kids is getting their picture taken with the Bunny! There will be many activities for the kids, including cookie decorating, crafts, and entertainment. Following breakfast, the famous “Egg Hunt in the Barns” takes place from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the grounds of Sunnyview Expo. Thousands of eggs are “hidden” and are waiting to be found. Once you collect your eggs, you can return them for prizes. And yes, there are special eggs that, if found, can be turned in for larger prizes. Both of these events require tickets that will go on sale online beginning March 10th. Sponsorship opportunities are available for these events. If you want more information about sponsoring Breakfast with the Bunny followed by Egg Hunt in the Barns or have any questions, please contact Jenny McCollian, Revenue Facilities Manager, at 920-236-5080. 5. PERSONAL TRAINING AT THE SENIORS CENTER: One of the growth areas at the Oshkosh Seniors Center is personal training sessions, which provide members with a little more assistance to reach their personal health goals. The Center has seen a 29% growth in personal training services. We are finding that members turn to us for personal training following an unforeseen health event. Common health issues include: • Hip or knee replacements • Heart conditions • Slowing the progression of chronic diseases • Medically recommended weight loss • Unexpected injuries Health issues carry the potential risk of major declines in overall health that may result in loss of independence. Often, the person's insurance for medically reimbursed rehabilitation has ended, creating a gap in the progress required to achieve the best outcomes possible. With that in mind, we aim to serve individuals at risk for health decline that may impact their daily lives. Of individuals currently participating in personal training, the average age is 71, with participants ranging from 60 to 87 years of age. Seventy-seven percent (77%) are female, and 23% are male. Examples of outcomes include an 87-year-old member who was in excellent health when he experienced a car crash that left him with limited functionality of his leg. His insurance coverage for rehabilitation ended, and he came to us for help. The impact was dramatic. When he arrived, he could only do a leg lift of 27 pounds. Now, he is doing leg lifts of 100 pounds. This member has attended 58 sessions in 2024. Our sessions cost him $754. If he sought similar services in the Oshkosh market, he would have paid $2,900 based on a rate of $50 per session. The improvement he is making with personal training is keeping him from moving to assisted living. If you have any questions, please contact Dan Braun, Seniors Center Manager, at 920-232- 5300. Seniors Center Program details and registration information can be found on our webpage. 6. NEW PODCAST – “LET’S TALK EVENTS” – HIGHLIGHTS SPECIAL EVENTS: Oshkosh Media and Communications Coordinator, Andy Radig, and Special Events Coordinator, Kathy Snell are bringing a new podcast to you in 2025. The podcast will highlight upcoming events and share information for both attendees and the community. Episodes will focus on the organizing sponsors and the event logistics, including road closures and more. The first edition of the podcast highlights the Otter Street Winter Fisheree, the Polar Plunge, and Battle on Bago, which are all coming up in February 2025 in Oshkosh’s Menominee Park. Feel free to check out “Let’s Talk Events” at any of the following links: Podbean Spotify Apple Podcasts For more information on these or other upcoming events, check out the Discover Oshkosh webpage. If you have any additional questions regarding Special Events, contact Kathy Snell, Special Events Coordinator, at 920-236-5080. 7. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND IN OUR PARKS: The Oshkosh Park Department is in full recruitment mode for Volunteers! There are various activities, programs, and park cleanup projects available, starting with the April 5th “Breakfast with the Bunny” and “Egg Hunt in the Barns” events being hosted at the Sunnyview Expo Center. Did you know that proceeds from park-sponsored events help support the overall budget for maintenance, programming, and more? If you enjoy spending time in parks, consider volunteering and attending these events. There’s something for everyone to enjoy! Opportunities may be found at the Oshkosh Parks Department volunteer website. For more information on these events or volunteer opportunities, contact Kathy Snell, Special Events Coordinator, at 920-236-5080. 8. GET INVOLVED IN A BOARD OR COMMISSION: If you are interested in serving your community, please consider becoming a member of one of the City’s citizen advisory boards, commissions, or committees. There are current openings on the following boards and commissions: BID Board Board of Review Board of Zoning Appeals Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee Landmarks Commission Long Range Finance Committee Plan Commission Sustainability Advisory Board To learn more about the boards and commissions, or to complete an application to serve, visit our boards and commissions webpage. If you have questions about current openings, please contact the City Manager’s Executive Assistant, Kami Zuercher, by email or call 920- 236-5002. 9. AGENDAS AND MINUTES FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: Upcoming board and commission meeting agendas can be found on our Meeting Notices web page. All meeting minutes are uploaded to the City’s page for boards and commissions upon approval.