Athens
COMMUNITY LIVING
Send Athens news to: RR@tpprinting.com phone: 715-223-2342 fax: 715-223-3505 P.O. Box 677 103 West Spruce Street Abbotsford, WI 54405 Old Timers Band
The Athens Old Timers Band begins its 2022 summer season with a concert at 7:30 p.m. this Friday, June 3, in the gazebo On The Square.
Dairy breakfast
The annual Athens dairy breakfast will take place this Saturday, June 4, from 7-11 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park.
It is both a drive-thru and in-person breakfast. There is a charge to eat but preschool children and under are free. There will be door prizes.
The menu includes pancakes, sausage, local cheeses, applesauce, donut holes, pure local maple syrup, cranberry juice, milk and Cedar Crest ice cream.
Bus tours of Miltrim Farms robotic milking barn will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
People should also visit the Athens Area Fire Department and Athens EMS, located across the road from Memorial Park, from 8-11 a.m. for a free blood pressure check and to see the new 2022 Freightliner 3,300-gallon tanker fire truck and the hydraulic lift cot for the ambulance.
College scholarship
RaeJean Stowe of Athens has been awarded the Robert Knowles Scholarship from the Northwood Technical College Foundation.
She is studying at Northwood Technical College to become a veterinary technician.
Northwood Technical College has campuses in Ashland, New Richmond, Rice Lake and Superior. It also has outreach centers in Balsam Lake, Hayward, Ladysmith and Shell Lake.
June Book Club
The public is welcome to stop by the Marathon County Public Library’s Athens Branch during the month of June to pick up a copy of the book titled, “The Light Through the Leaves” by author Glendy Vanderah, along with discussion questions.
People with questions on the June Book Club can call the Athens library at 715-257-7292.
Grab & Go kit
During the month of June, adults can pick up a free Grab & Go kit from any of the nine Marathon County Public Library locations.
The kit will contain supplies for making a beach-inspired mermaid barrette.
Kits are free and available while supplies last. People wanting more information can contact the MCPL main headquarters in Wausau at 715-261-7230.
Senior Citizens
The Senior Citizens card group met on May 26 for weekly card playing at the Athens Area Fire and Ambulance Hall. Two games of Sheepshead was played. Dave Perrodin won the first game and Ceil Frank took second place. Gale Verpoorten won the second game and Norbert Lake placed second. Wil Strack received low score.
Newcomers are encouraged to come play Sheepshead every Thursday from 1-3:30 p.m. at the Athens fire hall.
AATA meets
The Athens Area Trails Association (AATA) held a meeting on May 2. The secretary and treasurer reports were read.
AATA members discussed the Candlelight Walk that was held in February. There were not as many people in attendance becuase it was a very cold night.
The Athens Boy Scouts served hot food and Dave Dvorak plowed snow off the parking acres. Brian and Tami from the Athens Lions Club helped with parking vehicles. The AATA will discuss the future of this event at its fall meeting.
AATA members discussed the Last Hurrah Bike and Snowshoe race. There was a low turnout of people due to wet weather and soft trails. IronBull gave the AATA a donation for this event. IronBull would like to discuss having a separate bike and snowshoe race at Erbach Park in 2023 with earlier dates. There will be more discussion at future meetings.
The AATA hasn’t received any word yet from IronBull on the IronBull Big Poniatowski project.
Winter grooming was effective and all equipment worked. Some minor maintenance is needed on the drags this summer. The Skandic snowmobile is running great. Now that the steering issues have been addressed, its handling is much improved.
The Odyssey Trail Sign design was discussed. The AATA will present some design options to Stratford Sign about using the old Odyssey Marathon logos as a template.
Regarding the Odyssey Trail Project, Janke General Contractors of Athens was selected to build out several sections of trail this summer; it will proceed once the weather dries.
Their work will include a 190-foot-long boardwalk over a wet area. This boardwalk section was donated. Glen Luetschwager will get additional billing information on extending the project as more funds are available to spend.
The Corlad Road trail was discussed. Money donated to the AATA will help finish the trail from the intersection of No. 45 in Erbach Park to Corlad Road. More discussion to follow.
The Athens Fair will be here soon. AATA members are urged to promote and share the Athens Fair Run 5K in anyway possible. AATA will be setting up and manning the course again. Lisa and Lana continue to be the administrators and organizers.
Steve Brewster and Glen Luetschwager will meet with new village board member Christopher Guden to discuss common projects in the parks that need attention. A section of the trail near the archery range needs to be redirected because it is falling into Black Creek.
AATA planted 300 tree seedlings received the village received from the DNR on two vacant lots on George Street and in South Athens Park. Twenty-four Athens Elementary School fourth grade students helped plant the seedlings.
The AATA discussed other possible projects like extending the trail in South Athens Park from Athenian Living, creating ramps on a metal bridge over Potato Creek in South Athens Park and creating a trails mapping app with real time location services.
Elections were held. AATA members elected with terms until April of 2024 are Glen Luetschwager, vice president; Bonnie Stange, treasurer and Lana Worganese, member at large.
