A Marathon County eNewsletter
Get to know Andy Sims, the new Assistant Director of Operations for the Wausau & Marathon County Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department. Learn about Andy’s favorite parts of the job, what he enjoys doing in his free time, and why he’s so passionate about the amenities we have here in Marathon County. (Click title to read full story….)
Come see this year’s musical acts in the grandstands, take in a rodeo and demolition derby, try out some of our new food vendors, participate in the new Riding Class as part of the Draft Horse Show, and much more!
There’s still time to get involved in the 2021 Fair, too! Bring in items to be judged against other members of the public ranging from Poultry and Rabbits to Vegetables and Photography. Enter the apple-pie baking contest or the Fairest of the Fair’s coloring contest. (Click the title for details…)
In Marathon County, we encourage you to celebrate Park and Recreation Month this July by visiting one of our City or County Parks. Then take our July social media challenge and share how parks and recreation in your community has impacted your life with the hashtag: #OurParkAndRecStory
Check out our online Spring & Summer Recreation Guide, which is jam-packed with outdoor activities and programming that your local park and recreation professionals have planned for you to enjoy in Marathon County.
Plus, get a bonus sneak peek at some August events like a Dog-Gone Pool Party, Movie in the Park & Family Pajama Party, Marathon County Park 100+1 Anniversary Event. View all this and more in the full article… (Click the title for details.)
Through a grant from Security Health, area schools in Marathon County have been able to utilize the b.e.s.t. screening tool to determine how students are adjusting to school closures in terms of their mental health. This has helped school staff to create and deliver interventions to support our local students.
In addition, the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service (WIPPS) conducted research with 160 middle and high school students from across Wisconsin (many from our rural schools) in a study entitled “The Voices of Wisconsin Student Projects: Learning, Coping, and Building Resilience During COVID-19.” Read the full article for the project’s findings regarding the impact of school closures on students’ learning and what coping skills they are employing during this difficult time. (Click the title for details.)
Mark Dorow comes to the Wausau / Marathon County Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department with over 11 years of experience providing recreation programs, with an emphasis on aquatic programming.
Learn about Mark’s background, his collaboration with Wausau Area Pickleball to offer pickleball classes and a tournament at the newly renovated Marathon Park pickleball courts, and more. (Click the title for details . . .)
The demolition of the Wausau Center Mall in May 2021 creates an opportunity for new development in an 8-city-block area to revitalize the downtown economy. See project renderings and plans for the space, which include a mix of housing and retail with an open, urban landscape featuring a beer garden, 4-season public market, a winding pathway down to the river, and more.
Read on to learn more about the economic development plans for Downtown Wausau, as well as those for Rib Mountain / Granite Peak Ski Area. (Click the title for details…)
In Marathon County, approximately 14% of students attending high school are students with disabilities.
MCSE staff assist area students with making a smooth transition to life after high school. For the 2020–21 school year, Marathon County Special Education and ODC collaborated on writing — and then received — a grant for $10,000 to teach courses on healthy relationships and work skills.
Learn more about how MCSE helps transition its high schoolers to higher education, the military, or the world of work in the full article…(Click the title for details.)
A month before her retirement, Karyn Powers strolls down memory lane and discusses her 30+ years working for the Wausau & Marathon County Parks, Recreation, & Forestry Department.
Prior to returning to Marathon County after interning in Wausau her senior year of college, she spent 5 years working for the Department of Defense for the U.S. Navy in Iceland and for the U.S. Army in South Korea.
This adventurous woman traveled far and wide, only to find her way back to a public service position with Marathon County once more, where in addition to serving as Recreation Superintendent, she is an accomplished poet, author, painter, and, of course, lover of all things outdoors. (Click the title for details.)
United Way of Marathon County’s Early Years Coalition and Partnership for Youth provide resources and activities for ages 0 to 21 years. Never has this work been more important than during a pandemic.
Learn how these coalitions keep kids learning and connected, as well as socially and emotionally well. Plus, get updates on this year’s (virtual) hiring fair, which allows teens to interview for and potentially accept a job on the spot. (Click the title for details.)
Watching Wausau RiverWolves hockey games and renting private ice time are a few of the ways the public can see and appreciate recent renovations (totaling $332,735) completed at Marathon Park’s indoor ice arenas — including updates to the flooring, dasher boards, and tempered glass, as well as the refrigeration and sound systems.
Learn the effect the pandemic is having on high school and youth hockey programs at the arenas, as well as on public figure skating, and get suggestions for other outdoor winter activities (often modified due to COVID-19 precautions) that the Wausau/Marathon County PRF Department supports in the full article. (Click the title for details.)
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