Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

February 3, 2010, Page?

Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Porch Greeters Needed at The Highground

Everybody remembers his or her own birthday or wedding day. They also know what they were doing during days when something special, exciting or tragic happened, such as the day John F. Kennedy was shot or, if they’re old enough, Dec. 7, 1941.

This was one of those days it started normally with Ken Van Dam’s morning walk and stop at a restaurant for a coffee group meeting. After the meeting, Fred Kieser and Van Dam left to go to a meeting at The Highground.  Kirk Rodman discussed an idea he was trying to get off the ground.  A meeting was held at The Highground to further explain his idea about volunteer porch greeters.

The meeting started at approximately 10:30 a.m. and lasted approximately one hour.  Kieser and Van Dam then discussed Rodman’s idea in the parking lot. While sitting at one of the picnic tables, Rodman came over and joined in on the conversation.  During the discussion that followed, Rodman mentioned he just heard over the radio news about a plane hitting one of the Twin Towers in New York.  That part was not so threatening, but he also hard a rumor circulating a plane had hit the Pentagon.

That sent everyone home to discover on the news what actually was happening that day, the rest is history, 9-11 was born; the world as Van Dam knew it changed.

Getting back to Rodman’s idea, both Kieser and Van Dam thought the idea about volunteer porch greeters was a good one, Keiser and Van Dam became members.

Van Dam has been fortunate to have met a lot of wonderful people during this tour of duty and has come to appreciate even more what service individuals have done for the country.

A porch greeter at The Highground is someone who greets visitors to the park and offers them a free audio tour, a brochure of The Highground and a Clark County Vacation Guide. Visitors are invited into the Timberframe Gift Shop where they may purchase a wide variety of merchandise and are asked to sign the guest book.  Porch greeters volunteer between four to six hours monthly, April through October.

The Highground is looking for more greeters and would like volunteers to offer their time and talents. A luncheon at Calvary Lutheran Church will be held Tuesday, March 16, at noon to welcome back past greeters and newcomers.

Call The Highground at 715-743-4234 and sign up today. The Highground is excited to have volunteers on board. Volunteers and contributors are the heart of The Highground; it is a place for everyone.