Successful recreation is much more than simply enjoying the sunset ...

Jeff Kessler, ’81, and Sara (Schoenknecht), ’82,
Onalaska, return to the La Crosse area after 21 years in
the Twin Cities. Jeff is the practice executive with
Allergy Associates of La Crosse and also president of
Allergychoices. Sara brought her communications
business with her to La Crosse with Kessler
Consulting Inc.
’82Yvonne Hauge Datta, Shorewood, received a
grant from the National Blood Foundation to pursue a
one- or two-year research project in the fields of blood
banking and transfusion medicine.
Ken Deboer, Brookfield, has started Radiologic Tech
school at St. Lukes Hospital in Milwaukee after 14
years of coaching swimming at the Menomonee Falls
Swim Club and then working for Cooper Power
Systems of Waukesha for seven years.
Margaret Van Bree, has relocated to Charlottesville,
Va., and become chief operations officer of the
University of Virginia Medical School and professor of
medical education at the school. She has just adopted a
son, Evan, from Guatemaula.
Michael McGinley, Johnston, Iowa, has been married
to his wife, Kathi, for 19 years. Michael received his
doctorate in immunobiology from Iowa State
University in 1992 and is currently vice president of
operations and technical affairs for Diamond Animal
Health Inc. in Des Moines. Michael and Kathi have
three children, Morgan (14), Nathan (12), and Sean (8).
’83Lisa Lehmann, (see
photo) Madison, created
music for the Horicon
“Marsh Melodies” radio
campaign that ran statewide
in April. Lehmann worked
with Russell Advertising in
Madison and a committee
from the DNR and
neighboring chambers of
commerce to compose music
that captures the essence of
the marsh.
Lisa Lehmann
’84Lisa Bromley, Shorewood, received the
Milwaukee Women’s Sports Leader award. She teaches
and coaches at Shorewood High School.
Beth Schefelker, Milwaukee, received the 2002
Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and
Science Teaching. As the state representative for
teaching elementary mathematics, she received a fiveday
trip to Washington, D.C., in March and a monetary
gift. Schefelker is a 5th/6th grade teacher for
Milwaukee Public Schools and is a mathematics
consultant for the Investigations Curriculum.
Richard Tremain, Des Moines, Iowa, has been
promoted to public affairs specialist at the state office
for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in
Iowa.
John Kranstover, ’84 & ’90, has moved to the island
of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands after spending 14
years as an educator in Honduras. He is the upper and
middle school director at a small private K-12 school.
’85Mary-Patricia Laub, Jefferson, is recreation
coordinator at St. Coletta of Wisconsin and leading its
recreation therapy services and Special Olympics
programs.
’86Robert Towle, Libertyville, Ill., has been
selected Senior Navy Physical Therapist of the Year for
2002.
Sorority sisters return
La Crosse Ties
Four alumnae who received teacher education degrees
in the mid-60s took a campus tour in June. The
former sorority sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi included,
from left, Darryle (Damon) Clott, ’66 & ’71, La Crosse;
Shirley (Walsvik) Merrill, ’67, Madison; Gayl
(Gutknecht) Christensen, ’66, Browntown; and Sue
Hickey, ’67, Green Bay. They have been getting
together about every five years for a reunion. But, this
was the first time they met in La Crosse with a chance
to visit campus. The four and two others — Andi
(Elstad) Sonsalla, ’67, Medford; and Sonja (Pfaff)
Haske, ’66, New Lisbon — lived in “Best House” on
Market Street. (They came up with the name for their
house in response to the Phi Sig fraternity members who live in “Worst House.”) During their visit, the
four recalled how campus was smaller in the ’60s. All were active in campus activities ranging from Pom
Pons to student government.
Some of these alumni plan to return to western Wisconsin in April to canoe the Kickapoo. It will
be the 30th year for the “Kickapoo” event, that started as an outing for the fourth floor of White
Hall in April 1975. Those attending the inaugural trip included, from right, back row Bill
Globing, Tom Brunner, John Waldron, Dave Harrington, Jim Stevens, Bart Schoeder, Brian
Pickard. Front row, from right, John Da Nure, Bill Markee, Robert Lucas, and Don Strand.
They’ve canoed for nearly 30 years
A 1975 residence hall canoe outing to the Kickapoo has turned into an annual reunion
for a group of guys who lived in White Hall. This spring, the group will celebrate its 30th
trip down the river.
Dave Harrington, ’79, says it started with a group from the hall looking for something
to do on an April weekend. “So 11 guys signed up and we went to the student union and
signed out six canoes and a trailer,” recalls Harrington. “Then we headed to Whitney
Center to show the cooks our food ID’s and get all the food, pots and pans, etc., for
preparing weekend meals.”
An unwelcome, relentless rain started the adventure, which turned into a sliver of
sunshine by afternoon, but ended with an evening downpour. After crawling through
mud and with an early spring cool settling in, the 11 were invited to one of the canoeist’s
relatives in the middle of the night. “They made us feel at home,” explains Harrington.
“Their kids waited on us hand and foot.”
They awoke to a perfect day. “It was beautiful, sunny and warm,” he recalls. “But, we
were so worn out from the memory of the previous night’s portage we didn’t paddle
except to rudder. If you got stuck, someone would bump you free. Thus ‘Kickapoo was
born.’ The scenery was a picture postcard at every turn.”
Despite the turmoil of the first day, the event caught attention. The second year 22
participated. The third year, 48. “Over the last 20 years, the average is about 25 with most
from La Crosse and fourth floor White Hall,” Harrington says. “I would guess that the
average is 22 or 24 years of participation. I've been on 29 trips. I had to miss one for a
family wedding.”
Harrington, who lives in Indianapolis, plans to make it in spring 2004. He and Robert
Kolinek, ’77, are organizing the event. Those interested in the “30th Annual Kickapoo”
should contact “Harri” at harri16@peoplepc.com or (317)637-2679, or “Hollywood” at
rkoline@attglobal.net.
UW-La Crosse Alumnus/Winter 2003-04 23