In light of all the buzz surrounding the image of a Wisconsin-shaped mitten on TravelWisconsin.com and its social media sites, the Sheboygan County Visitor Centers and Chambers of Commerce are participating in a state-wide Travel Wisconsin Welcome Center Mitten Collection Campaign. Mittens will be collected in Elkhart Lake, Plymouth, Sheboygan, Sheboygan Falls and Random Lake. The mittens will then be donated to local charities. Elkhart Lake invites you to donate new or gently used mittens by January 15, 2012.

The tourism partners in Sheboygan County are excited to participate in this campaign.
There has been a lot of national excitement surrounding the debate over whether Wisconsin or Michigan looks more like a mitten. Our Pure Michigan friends have agreed to join Wisconsin in taking all of this attention and turning it into something positive.

For more detailed information on the collection campaign, please visit  www.travelwisconsin.

Thank you for participating and donating mittens to make this winter a bit warmer
for those in need.

May you always have love to share, health to spare, and friends who care.

At our last meeting of the Village Board, we unanimously voted to accept a gift donated by Tom and Bea Hollfelder, who live on Elkhart Lake in the Town of Rhine. The gift is a grouping of statues entitled “Pledge Allegiance,” by Glenna Goodacre. Ms. Goodacre is a nationally known artist who did the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The statue consists of seven life-size children pledging allegiance to the flag, which is 15 feet high. Ms. Goodacre created fifteen statues in
the“Pledge Allegiance” series, and we will have number six. The statue is cast in bronze. It is proposed that the statue will be erected on the south
end of the park in the planted area on the curve.

The village is thrilled to have such a beautiful and unique piece of art and we thank Bea and Tom Hollfelder for this donation.

Note:  The statue stands at the entrance to the Village Park and was dedicated on Monday, August 8 at Downtown Night.

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (Dec. 2, 2010) – Elkhart Lake MultiSports, Inc. announced today that its annual premier Olympic distance triathlon will serve as 2011 USA Triathlon Midwest Regional Championship. The event will take place on June 11, 2011.

“We are thrilled to have earned this designation from USA Triathlon,” said Jeff Grady, the race’s founder and director. “Considering how many events compete to host these championships, it is quite an honor.”

This is the second regional championship Elkhart Lake Triathlon has hosted in its 13-year history.  The event also served as regional championship in 2001 and was a Midwest Region Special Qualifier in 2007.  Regional championship and special qualifier events provide participants greater recognition and more slots to qualify for the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships, which will be held Aug. 20-21 in Burlington, Vermont.

Established in 1999, the Elkhart Lake Triathlon has become a mainstay on the Midwest triathlon circuit.  The event – which includes both a Championship Olympic distance race and a shorter Sprint triathlon – typically draws about 900 participants, a figure Grady expects to grow to over 1100 in 2011.

“We usually reach capacity before race weekend but this year we expect to reach it several weeks earlier,” said Grady.  “The course well established, the staff is very experienced and the race venue and surrounding area are very family friendly.  Given the added prestige of it being a USAT regional championship event in 2011, we’re expecting even greater interest and participation.”

The event begins Friday June 10^th with an expo and a pasta dinner at The Osthoff Resort. The two races will be held the next day, Saturday June 11, 2011, The Elkhart Lake Triathlon is sponsored by the Elkhart Lake Tourism Commission and The Osthoff Resort.

Online registration for the triathlon opens on midnight January 1, 2011.  Registration links and additional information can be found at www.ElkhartLakeMultiSports.com.

About Elkhart Lake MultiSports, Inc. – Established in 1999, Elkhart Lake MultiSports, Inc. conducts triathlon, duathlon, running and cycling events in the Southeast and Central Wisconsin area.  Through its premier event, the Elkhart Lake Triathlon, Elkhart Lake MultiSports, Inc. has established a reputation as one of the best race management companies in Wisconsin and Illinois.

About USA Triathlon – USA Triathlon (USAT) is recognized by the US Olympic Committee as the national governing body for multisport events in the United States.  USAT is the sanctioning authority for more than 3,000 diverse events, ranging from grassroots to high-profile races nationwide. The organization works to create interest and participation in a variety of programs, including camps, clinics, races and educational opportunities. USA Triathlon’s 130,000-strong membership is comprised of athletes of all ages, coaches, officials, parents and fans striving to strengthen multisport.

On the elite level, USA Triathlon is responsible for the selection and training of teams to represent the United States in international competition, including the world championships, Pan Am Games and Olympic Games. It conducts national camps and clinics and provides coaching education programs.   On the developmental level, USA Triathlon fosters grassroots expansion of the sport, which is facilitated by the sanctioning of age-group events and triathlon clubs.  National and regional championships are held for triathletes from junior to senior age divisions.

About Elkhart Lake – The Village of Elkhart Lake is a charming, relaxed destination on the shores of crystal-clear Elkhart Lake in the heart of Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine State Forest.  The legendary lake community has been a mecca of leisure and hospitality since the 1800s.  Each year, visitors seek out the unique charm of the area, which includes three B&Bs;  three distinctive lakeside resorts; the historic Road America racetrack; numerous shops and galleries; and annual events, including “Jazz on the Vine” and “Old World Christmas Market at The Osthoff Resort.”

www.nkmsnow.com

For 150 years, the final resting place of Plymouth’s first settler, Isaac Thorp, has remained a mystery. Dan Buckman, President of the Plymouth Historical Society, takes you in search of a pioneering man and his family. Along the way, you will also learn about some of Plymouth’s other early settlers that helped to shape the city we know today. Plywood Productions and the Plymouth Historical Society.