JULY, 2013 C h a l l e n g e T h e Ou t d o o r s , I n c .
A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO SERVING THE RECREATIONAL NEEDS AND DESIRES OF THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED SPORTSPERSON
President's Report - Keith Pamperin
Spring has finally arrived and the fishing season is in full swing, now is the time we can get out and enjoy the Challenge's of the Great Outdoors. We are blessed in Wisconsin to have so many outdoor opportunities, and Challenge the Outdoors continues to expand events for members to participate in. The CTO Chasin Rainbows event at Wilderness Springs, Shiocton and the Shawano Lake Fishery, at Huckleberry Harbor Park in Shawano, were well attended, and we enjoyed great support from our volunteers.
CTO has many opportunities for you to enjoy this summer please check our web site calendar of events at www.CTOforMe.org or our CTO Face Book page. Be sure to click "Like" on our Facebook Page.
Saturday July 27th is our CTO Annual Meeting and Banquet at the River Rail in Shiocton, at which the An- nual Awards are given and the election of Directors to the CTO Board of Directors is held. If you caught a good fish or harvested a turkey, or deer and want to be in the competition for an Award please submit your nomination to Cindy Mateer pheasants_shadow@hotmail.com
If you are interested in serving on the CTO Board of Directors or wish to nominate someone that is contact Nominations Committee Chair, Peter Lathrop plcaravan@yahoo.com
Remember CTO is your all volunteer organization, we need your participation and support to put on the events that provide the challenge's. If you have any questions or would like to just provide input please contact me at kjpamperin@aol.com or 920 494 3990.
Get out there and enjoy the outdoors and have a great summer!
Attention
2013 Challenge The Outdoors Inc. Special Deer Hunters
New for this year, Pat Nieuwenhuis will not be calling the Deer Hunters to sign you up for this year’s hunt. In the past if you were on the CTO hunting list from the year before you would get a call, this will not be happening this year. All hunters wanting to hunt in the 2013 Special October Deer Hunt MUST call Pat Nieuwenhuis.
The dead line for signing up for this year’s hunt in August 29th. Please call Pat between noon and 8:00pm to sign up for the 2013 Challenge The Outdoors Inc. October Deer Hunt. If I am not home please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can. THANK YOU 920/687/8707
MUSIC IN THE PARK
For the last few years Seymour’s Music in the Park has designated a night honoring Challenge the Out- doors. This year it is on June 26th with The Reason Why at the gazebo on Depot Street, Downtown Seymour. In the past years it has been quite disappointing that only about 8 to 10 of our 240 members have come out to let the people of Seymour know that we thank them. Let’s change it this year!!!
Please join us for a fun evening starting at 6:30 pm
Timber Rattlers Baseball & Picnic
Timber Rattlers vs. Beloit Snappers When: Sunday, August 4
Time: Meet outside the stadium at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Fox Cities Stadium 2400 N. Casaloma, Appleton, WI
We will be eating in the 1st base picnic pavilion again this year. The Rattlers staff will setup tables that are accessible for people in wheelchairs or scooters. Admission includes game ticket and an all-you- can-eat buffet (brats, hamburgers, potato salad, dessert, etc.) along with two beverages. The buffet will be served at 11:30 a.m. and will last until game time at 1:00 p.m. Sundays the players wear Brewer- themed jerseys and sign autographs after the game.
CTO will buy the tickets for its members, but the $5 parking fee is your responsibility. This event is open and free to all members. Guests are welcome, but will be responsible for buying their own tickets. Tickets cost $19.00 for adults/$15.00 for children 10 & under. The deadline to reserve your ticket(s) is July 20, so reserve your ticket(s) ASAP or you may miss out on a fun event! To reserve a ticket(s) contact Peter Lathrop at: (920) 982-4288 or e-mail plcaravan@yahoo.com
LAKE MICHIGAN FISHING EVENT REMINDER-
On Monday, July 1, 2013, Challenge The Outdoors fishing people will be heading out on Lake- Michigan to fish for King Salmon.
This fishing event is by reservation only and only disabled members are eligible. I have limited room on the boats, so I have arranged the fishing people on their boats and the captains have a list of the people they have on their boat. Fishing people that have reservations please meet at the Marina buildings at your harbor. The person in charge of Two Rivers is Wayne and he has the setup of what boat each person is on, and the captains will get you on the right boats. I am in charge of Algoma.
We lost 3 of our big boats in Two Rivers, and I had to adjust a few things and put some of the people on the waiting list. All our boats are now full, and we also have quite a few people on the waiting list. If any person finds that they cannot go fishing for any reason, please call me as soon as possible so other people might be able to fill your space. I will call all the people and let them know if they are fishing or on the waiting list. We are still trying to get a couple of boats, but there is no guarantee. This is unfortunate, but all I can do is to try to get a couple of boats for Two Rivers.
Note: We share the fish—before the fish are put away, we want those who caught multiple fish to share some fish with other members on the fishing event that didn’t get catch any fish. This is a un- derstanding of Challenge The Outdoors. Don’t forget to get your license for Lake Michigan and a
Salmon Fishing Stamp. You cannot go on the boat if you don’t have a license and Salmon stamp, and we don’t carry any to sell. There is no place open at that time of morning. If there is a helper, they have to get the license and stamp too even if they don’t fish. I will be calling the fishing people to make sure they have all they need to take along. Judy Paluch--920-336-1934---palj22@att.net
11th Annual Membership and Awards Banquet
When- Saturday July 27th, 2013 Where- River Rail in Shiocton
This is CTO’s yearly membership meeting , and the election of Board of Director members. It is a time to recognize and thank our volunteers and supporters.
An invite with full details of the meeting will be mailed the first week of July.
If any member has an item they would like to donate for a Bucket Raffle please call either Rita Ada- movich at 920-722-2090, or Karen Baehr at 920-766-9218. We Hope to see you there!
Renaissance Fantasy Faire Door County
We are pleased to invite CTO members to experience the Renaissance Fantasy Faire which will be held in Door County, just north of Sturgeon Bay. The event will take place the weekends of June 29 - 30 and July 6 - 7, 2013
You may visit our web-site at http://www.DoorCoWIRenaissance.com for more information about the event or find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RenaissanceFaire
Please contact Steve Harvey who is volunteering to help with this event and will be able to provide FREE admission tickets to a limited number of people. You can reach Steve at 920-494-3143.
UWGB Institute for Learning in Retirement
If you are interested in expanding your knowledge and exercising your mind, check out UWGB Insti- tute for Learning in Retirement,
A FOUNDER’S PERSPECTIVE
For 16 years, Challenge the Outdoors, Incorporated has successfully existed to “Serve the Recreational Needs and Desires of the Physically Challenged Sportsperson”. As with any organization, there have certainly been challenging times for CTO Officers, Directors and Members as we worked together to define how to best carry out the mission.
It is helpful to remember that Challenge the Outdoors is an organization that functions through the efforts of disabled and able bodied volunteers and supporters. Volunteers by nature of limited time and skills are not able to always get everything perfect every time. As members it is important to un- derstand that without our volunteers that are willing to step up and perform the work necessary, as Officers, Directors, Committee Chairs/ Members and event leaders, Challenge the Outdoors could not fulfill it' mission. As members we have a responsibility to appreciate those that do the work and to communicate in a constructive manner any opportunities to improve the achievement of our mission.
I am a firm believer that diversity and constructive disagreement among Directors and Members of any organization is healthy as long as the mission of the organization directs operations and deci- sions. Leadership styles may change, policies and programs may change. What cannot change, unless our mission is no longer valid, is putting the needs of any individual Officer, Director or Member ahead of the recreational needs and desires of our membership as a whole.
My professional and life experience has taught me the great value that PASSION and COMPASSION will bring to the ongoing success of Challenge the Outdoors Incorporated. All of us can renew and increase our PASSION by focusing on what is best for people served by CTO programs. All of us can exhibit our COMPASSION by understanding that positive disagreement encourages growth while negative disagreement encourages decline.
In summary, make 2013 the year that all of us, whether you are an Officer, Director or Member of CTO, renew our Passion and Compassion for meeting the mission of this organization. Participate in guiding the organization through serving on the Board of Directors or on Committees. Offer positive suggestions for improvement when delivering critical feedback to others in the organization. As a result, Challenge the Outdoors will continue to meet its founding mission many years to come.
Thanks for listening!
Larry Laehn
Charter Life Member, Past President, Associate Director Challenge the Outdoors Incorporated
SPRING FISHERY AT SHAWANO LAKE JUNE 1ST
BY: BILL MAYVILLE
The weather held off, fishing was good, food was excellent. One of our pontoon owners, Randy Hartlaben, told Bill that he got outfished by a blind woman (Mary Swain) and he had a great time baiting her hook and taking off her fish,
A great time was held by all.. If you have any ideas for next year contact Bill Mayville in writing.
Free Wheel Chair Wash and Safety Check
Options for Independent Living, Independent Mobility Plus and Knights of Columbus, Council 617, are providing a free Wheelchair Wash, Saturday August 17th, 9:00 am to 11:30 at Options to Independent Living, Inc. 555 Country Club Road, Green Bay.
Bring your power chair, scooter, or manual chair and have it washed by volunteer Knights and safety checked by professionals, at Independent Mobility Plus . While you wait take a tour of Options Show Case Home, and see the adaptive equipment that could make your life more independent
NIGHT AT THE RACES BY: JIM ADAMOVICH
The races will be held on August 22, 2013 at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna at Hwy 55 and KK. Tickets are available by calling Jim Adamovich at 920-722-2090. We have a limit of 30 people—5:45 are time trials and 6:45 the races begin.
Pictures! Nominations! Stories!
Your award committee wants to reward you for doing what you enjoy. So if you are planning some fishing, hunting or sporting clays. Please turn in your picture and details about the fish, animal or your score. Don’t forget to tell us about your experiences for the Deepdodo award, or inspirational story. Let’s not forget about the volunteers. Tell us what the volunteers do that help out the organization. Don’t know if they are able bodied or disabled? That’s fine; we can figure that out for you. Please email the information to Cindy Mateer at mateercc@centurytel.net.
2013 CTO Pontoon Boat Season on Shawano Lake
The CTO Pontoon Boat, the “Challenger” is back on the water at S&S Marina on the west end of the lake for the summer season. Procedures will be the same as the last three years. (See our WEB site for the Challenger Operations Manual; click on Fishing. For all our E-letter recipients click here http://ctoforme.org/p_df/Pontoon_2012_rules.pdf This year as in last the outdoor privy will not be available. Once again, Gary Thyes will manage the Challenger including reservations, boat use training and is also available to drive the boat for lake tours if you ask him nicely. Gary can be reached at either 715-584-7700 or email him at garythyes@yahoo.com Reservations will normally be made in half day increments on weekends to give more members a chance to use the Challenger. We ask you to please use caution and stay to safe areas and avoid weed patches & sandbars which can be challenging on Shawano Lake but is doable. We have had a couple instances where boat users were stuck in weed patches the last 2 years and ended up causing damage to the motor and we want to prevent that from happening again. Please get familiar with the lake by looking at and using the map for safe navigation. We are also aware that members often times want to go fishing but are unable to go because they or we are unable to get captains and 1st mates. We are trying to and have found a few people very interested to help fill this need but are looking for a few more. So…if you would like to captain or be a 1st mate please contact Gary Thyes and he will be happy to take your contact information on dates and times when you are available to help out.
We look forward to a great season of fishing & boating and we hope you get a chance to enjoy this great opportunity too!
Nominations 2013-2014 Board of Directors
The Board of Directors of Challenge the Outdoors Inc is soliciting nominations to serve on the Board of Directors. As a Director you are asked to attend monthly Board meetings, generally held at 7:00 PM the third Tuesday of each month at the Muehl Public Library in Seymour, partici- pate on various committees, developing policy and implementing outdoor events and opportunities for CTO members.
We have five Director positions to be filled each for 3 years. If you are interested in getting more involved in the leadership of your organization, and having your name placed in nomination for election to the board of Directors, please advise Peter Lathrop, Secretary and Nomination Chair at 920-494-3990 or . Nominees will be placed on the ballot for election at our Annual Membership Meeting on July 27, 2013 at the River Rail in Shiocton.
Disabled Youth Fishing & Picnic Update
It’s with some disappointment that we have to report that our annual Seymour area school dis- abled kids fishing & picnic outing was cancelled this year. The reason for this was that the kids and staff decided to do a new and different end of school year outing and we hope they all had a great time! We missed putting this outing on for them, as many of volunteers agree it’s a great event that really shows what CTO is all about. We are looking forward to hopefully putting on this event for them next year if they are still interested. We hope so!
The thought of putting on a similar event for another group of disabled kids is on our agenda and we are actively looking for interested groups in our areas. These could be school groups, scouts, youth groups at rehab centers or just putting it out to the public and setting a date and location for a fishing & picnic event similar to what we’ve done in the past. If you have any ideas on a group of disabled kids or individuals that may be interested please contact either Mark Baehr @ (920) 766-9218 or Rita Adamovich @ (920) 722-2090 Thank you! And somewhere I remember reading a simple phrase that says it all; “Anything done for a child is never a waste of time”
Black Bear Hunting Opportunity
Hello, My Name is James T. Uminski. I'm writing this correspondent, to offer someone in your organization or an affiliation of Challenge the Outdoors, Inc. we’re offering a wonderful FREE opportunity to Hunt a Wisconsin Black Bear in Zone B. The member must have a
valid Wisconsin Zone B Black Bear Kill tag.
A long story made short, I had a work related injury, after many surgeries I lost over half of my foot. I went to a Challenge the outdoors event I saw on the morning news and it made me realized I didn’t have it so bad and it made me want to pay it forward to someone else. For the past three Years my family and I have had the privilege of sponsoring this unique black bear hunt of a life-time for a Handicap and/or Terminally Ill Child. We’ve worked with Challenge the outdoors, Inc. our first year and Brigid O'Donoghue CEO and Founder of United Special Sportsman Alliance, Inc. (USSA), for our second and third year. We’ve decided to look into other organizations that work with members that have special needs to offer this hunt to. This year we want expand this opportunity to any handicap member of Challenge the Outdoors, Inc. or an affiliation that would enjoy this type of opportunity. We maintain four bait sites on private property. Only One hunter will be hunting. We’ve currently have black bears coming to active baits.
The hunt includes the following:
Cook-out meals
The use of a firearm if needed Hunting Blind or stands
Transport to local Butcher if needed
The Hunt doesn’t include the following:
Lodging (But working with a local Bar and Grill plus lodging for discounts)
Again this is being offered for FREE, to a Challenge the Outdoors, Inc. With a Zone B Black Bear Kill Tag. More details can be worked out at a later date if questions arise.
Thank you for your Time.
Sincerely,
James T. Uminski (715) 330-1545
CTO Equipment Inventory Update
If anyone has equipment belonging to Challenge The Outdoors, fishing poles, shooting igs, tents, crossbows …. I would like to up- date our inventory, so please contact Cliff Pheifer at 715 412 1707 or email deb57ncliff55@gmail.com
REMINDER
Please check for a date on the mailing label of this newsletter. This date indicates when your dues are to be paid. Just complete the form on the last page and return with your payment.
Also—if you have a change of address and/or phone number please let us know. This will as- sure that you receive your newsletter on time.
PLEASE COME!!
Our Challenge the Outdoors, Inc Board of Directors meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. We welcome your presence and input.
July 16, 2013 To Be Determined
Aug 20, 2013 To be Determined
If you wish to attend one of our meetings call (920) 525-1123 for a possible change in location.
NEW MEMBERS MAY—JUNE 2013
DAWSON JOHNS
ALEXANDER GERARDEN