Submitted by Liz Dietsche, Pierce County Fair Manager

PIERCE COUNTY, WI – The Pierce County Fair is again excited to offer applications for the Century or Sesquicentennial Farm/Home Award!  If you have a farm or home having whole or partial continuous ownership for 100-150 years, you are eligible to be recognized at the Pierce County Fair and, possibly, the Wisconsin State Fair.

Here’s how it works:

1. The farm/home (in whole or part) must have continuous family ownership.
2. Title of the century or sesquicentennial property must currently reside with a blood relative of the original owner, or legally adopted child of a descendant.
3. Continuous residence on the property or in the state is not required, but the title must be continuous.
4. An abstract of title is the best proof of continuous family ownership (we do not need this document).
5. Application deadline is February 22, 2024.

The Pierce County Fair will recognize the honorees on Sunday, August 11, 2024.   Applications for this award may be obtained by contacting Liz Dietsche, Fair Manager, at 715.273.6874 / liz.dietsche@co.pierce.wi.us

For information on upcoming events follow us on Facebook (Pierce County Fair and Fairgrounds (WI)) and Instagram (piercecountyfairwi).  We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the Pierce County Fair August 8 thru August 11, 2024!

Submitted by Ryma Lindquist, WWH Communications Director

BALDWIN, WI – Western Wisconsin Health (WWH), Chief Executive Officer, Eilidh Pederson is pleased to announce that the WWH’s Board of Directors have selected and unanimously approved the addition of a new member to their governing body. Christine Rasmussen has been selected to join and serve Western Wisconsin Health in this way.

Christine co-founded and is an attorney at Valley Crossing Law located in Baldwin, Wisconsin. The firm focuses on serving the needs of individuals, businesses, and farms, focusing primarily on their clients’ non-court legal needs.  Christine attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she earned her bachelor’s degree and graduated cum laude, in 2002, she continued her schooling at the University of Wisconsin Law School where she earned her Juris Doctor in 2006.  She has been practicing law in the St. Croix Valley for the last 17 years.

Christine grew up north of Baldwin on a small farm in Milltown, Wisconsin.  She knows how important it is to support the local economy and is passionate about advocating for the people and businesses in our rural area.  She has been a board member for the St. Croix Valley Bar Association from 2008-2012, the Baldwin-Woodville Chamber of Commerce from 2018-2023, and the State Bar of Wisconsin-Solo Small Firm & General Practice Division from 2018-2021.  When asked why she wanted to join the WWH Board of Directors Christine stated, “I joined the hospital board with a belief in the power of our collective effort to build a healthier tomorrow together.  Drawing upon my legal experience, I aspire to contribute to a system that promotes accessibility and equity in our community.  Through effective leadership, we can chart a course towards a healthier, more resilient future for all those we serve.”

In addition to her work as an attorney and board member, Chistine is a busy mother of three active young boys, Braiden, Beckett, and Branton.  Christine and her husband, Brad, have been married for 22 years and enjoy hiking, skiing and almost any competitive sport.  The family enjoys traveling both domestically and internationally.  The family of five travelled to Japan last summer, taking in the sights and sounds of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto.

Christine will join current Board Chair, John Buelow, Vice Chair, Christine Penfield, Secretary/Treasurer, Deanne Koll, and Directors Ron Siler, Shane Bauer, Dane Rasmussen, Eric Russell, Brandon Graber, and Dr. Christopher Babbitt.  WWH Board Chair, John Buelow commented that, “We are delighted to add someone with Christine’s legal and business expertise to the Western Wisconsin Health board.  Her experience working with a variety of non-profit organizations is an added bonus as well.  She will be a terrific addition to our board.”

Western Wisconsin Health is honored to welcome Christine to the team as we continue to Build a Healthier Tomorrow-Together.

Submitted by Julian Emerson, UWRF

RIVER FALLS, WI – A former University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UWRF) student athlete who found his life’s direction after enrolling at the university nearly three decades ago as a nontraditional student has been hired to raise money for his alma mater’s Athletic Department.

Scott Sekelsky recently began working in a newly created position in the UW-River Falls Advancement Office. Sekelsky will focus on fundraising and creating partnerships to benefit the university’s athletic programs. His hiring marks the first time UWRF has had a dedicated fundraiser for athletics.

“There is a lot to learn, but I am very excited about this new role,” Sekelsky said. “My biggest motivation is I care about this place, and I want to see it succeed.”

Sekelsky enrolled at UW-River Falls in 1996. He hadn’t even heard of the university until a classmate at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities told him about the smaller campus just across the Mississippi River.

“I thought UW-River Falls might be a good fit for me,” Sekelsky recalled. “It turns out it was.”

At the time, Sekelsky was looking to get more physically fit. He hadn’t previously been a distance runner but decided to join the UW-River Falls cross country team. He finished near the back of the pack in his first race, but he was hooked.

“That race lit a fire in me,” Sekelsky said. “I discovered that cross country was something I really liked.”

Sekelsky found his academic footing at UW-River Falls as well. He didn’t know what he wanted to major in or do for a profession. But he discovered that he enjoyed exercise science and graduated with a degree in that discipline in 1998.

Following graduation, Sekelsky took a job at Western Wisconsin Health in Baldwin as that medical facility’s fitness director, a job he held for a quarter century until his being hired at UW-River Falls.

Sekelsky later reconnected with his alma mater. He was hired in 2005 to coach the UW-River Falls women’s cross-country program, a job he held until 2014. During his tenure, Sekelsky coached six national qualifiers – including one national champion in the outdoor 5,000 meters in 2008 – and seven Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference individual champions. He was inducted into the UWRF Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021 as part of the coaching staff of the Falcons’ 2008 national championship women’s outdoor track and field team.

When Western Wisconsin Health built a new hospital in 2016, Sekelsky learned about raising money firsthand. As part of that effort, the fitness center portion of the facility where Sekelsky worked needed to raise $2 million. Sekelsky was tapped to be part of the fundraising team.

“I always wanted to do fundraising, but I never knew I was passionate enough about something to really do that,” he said. “Then that opportunity came along, and I realized that project was something I really cared about.”

Sekelsky helped raise money for the fitness center, experience he said will serve him well in his new role at UW-River Falls. Since his hiring, Sekelsky has spent time assessing athletic facility and program needs. The university will reintroduce baseball and men’s soccer in the 2024-25 academic year, and Sekelsky plans facilities upgrades for those sports.

Rick Foy, assistant chancellor for university advancement, said Sekelsky’s community connections, fundraising experience and ties to UW-River Falls make him the perfect fit for the new position.

“We’re delighted to welcome Scott to the UWRF advancement team,” Foy said. “His deep connection with Falcon athletics, combined with his proven and effective leadership, communication and fundraising skills provide a strong foundation for Scott’s future success.”

Sekelsky said he is focusing on building on his many existing relationships in the region, an effort intended to grow the UW-River Falls fundraising base. Among his goals is increasing the amount of money raised for athletics during the university’s annual Giving Day fundraiser. He said he is eager to increase resources for the university where he found his place so many years ago.

“I’m passionate about this university. I’m excited to do everything I can do to help its athletic programs grow and succeed,” he said.

Submitted by Ryma Lindquist, Western Wisconsin Health

BALDWIN, WI – Western Wisconsin Health (WWH) is excited to announce that Rosa Magnus has been named the 2023 Western Wisconsin Health Employee of the Year.  WWH, Chief Executive Officer, Eilidh Pederson made the surprise announcement and presented Rosa with the award at the annual WWH Holiday Party held at Kilkarney Hills Event Center in River Falls on Thursday, January 25.

Rosa was humbled to have received the award and graciously said, “WWH means so much to me and it’s because of all of you that I get to do what I do, and I appreciate you all so much.  This is an incredible team to work with and I am so privileged to be part of it and to be able to give back to my community and so many patients.  This is my home and I really appreciate you all so much.  I couldn’t do the work that I do without all of you.”

Rosa is the second recipient of the award that was created to give employees the opportunity to nominate fellow co-workers for the outstanding work they do for the organization and for our community.  Along with earning the most nominations, many co-workers submitted reasons why Rosa is so deserving of this award.

One anonymous nomination read “Wow!  She is one talented, hardworking coworker that I have been blessed to be able to work with!  She is truly proficient and professional in everything that she is involved in.  Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to WWH!”

Another anonymous nomination was “She has done so much for our facility with fund raisers and supporting the cancer center among other depts and the whole community. Always has a smile on her face and is so kind and welcoming. A true humanitarian.”

Rosa Magnus will be celebrating her 7th anniversary with Western Wisconsin Health in 2024.  She serves as both the Development Manager and Volunteer Services Manager.  Please join us in congratulating Rosa Magnus on being recognized for her outstanding work, exemplifying the WWH Mission, Building a Healthier Tomorrow-Together.

That same evening WWH also presented the inaugural Reid Berger Medical Staff Award.  This award was created to honor the memory of Reid Berger who was an outstanding physician assistant that served not only Western Wisconsin Health but also the entire community.  Nominations for the Medical Staff award went to providers that best honored Reid’s legacy in the way in which they practice, deliver care, and serve the community in and outside our hospital.  WWH Chief of Staff Faisal Anwar, MD along with WWH Chief Executive Officer Eilidh Pederson presented the award to Russell Roloff, MD.

When receiving the award Dr. Roloff stated, “This is an amazing honor, I feel blessed to have worked with Reid for many years. It’s a privilege to have this honor to keep up Reid’s memory.  I hope to keep his way of practice in the for many years to come.”

Many co-workers submitted their nominations anonymously for Dr. Roloff.  One staff member wrote “He is a dedicated provider at WWH. He takes the time with his patients, works so well beside his co-workers, always willing to step in and help when needed even when he has a full schedule. He is such a deserving provider.

Another nomination read, “Dr. Russell Roloff is my nomination for the first annual Reid Berger Memorial award.  Dr. Roloff truly takes care of his patients because he cares about their overall well-being.  He knows that providing excellent care takes time, and he is willing to spend the time with his patients to ask the crucial questions and listen to patient concerns to best partner with them for improved health.  Dr. Roloff is also involved in our community and always supports WWH events with his attendance and participation. Lastly, his leadership/mentorship has been important to WWH as we have welcomed other providers to our organization.  Dr. Roloff truly cares about his patients, our organization, and our community, just like Reid Berger did.”

Another employee wrote “Dr. Roloff – he embodies everything that Dr. Berger stood for. He is wonderful with his patients, peers, and support staff.  Dr. Rolff serves as Chief of the Clinic.  On top of his role as a physician at WWH, he is a member of the community and seems to put his family first much like Reid.

In 2024 Dr. Roloff will celebrate 12 years with Western Wisconsin Health.  He serves as both a Family Practice Provider and Chief of the Clinic.  Please join us in congratulating Dr. Russell Roloff for his continuous commitment to Western Wisconsin Health patients, fellow staff members and the Baldwin community.