I volunteered to organize a fund raiser for Patty Stangel's "Wildlife Rehabilitation and Release Program" which she operates on her scenic property outside Colfax, Wisconsin. Patty is truly the female version of Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. She first became interested in this endeavor while working for the former organization near Fall Creek, Wisconsin, which was forced to close when the operator was diagnosed with cancer.
When it closed, Patty decided that she wanted to take up the mantel of leadership, and after finding her new country property, she gathered up all the animals still in need of care, and set about building cages and providing food for each and every wild bird and animal that was brought in from around the Chippewa Valley.
I met with Patty just yesterday and was shocked to find that she spends nearly $4000 just on live mice to feed the raptors in her keeping. She currently has just about brought a hawk back to total health and will be releasing it into the wild very soon.
Besides many owls, squirrels, raccoons, and rabbits, she also just nursed back to life a bobcat! The cat had been brought to her totally emaciated and its coat was mangy and matted. She released it back into the wild just a bit ago. She told me that it was the most dangerous animal she had ever worked with.
So last July I decided I would do what I could to organize the many talented musicians we are blessed with here in the Chippewa valley and after checking the Packers schedule, settled on Sunday, October 6, as the Pack will be coming off their bye week and facing the Detroit Lions in what has become nearly a "must win" game.
Here's the skinny:
Anybody and everybody is invited to join in the fun. It will be held at the Maple Lounge, 2507 South Hastings Way, Eau Claire, starting with the Packer/Lions game at noon. There will be a silent auction all afternoon with many great items to be won through donations and at the conclusion of the football game, Larry Heagle, acting as EmCee for the day, will take the stage, do a few comedy routines to warm the crowd, and then the music jam will follow.
More and more musicians have signed on for this great cause. They include: Billy Krause, Jerry Way, John Utphall, Tim Kielholtz, Dave "Barney" Barneson, Mike Richson, Mike Schlenker, Ed Trienen (harmonicas and great vocals, all the way from the Twin Cities), and many others, including any musicians that happen to show up that day. All are welcome to participate.
It is scheduled to conclude at 7 PM but something tells me that it may well run past that early hour!
I hope that if you read this blog, you will set aside Sunday, October 6, and join us for a heck of a lot of fun
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