Featured Stories

Hands Across Eau Claire—one of the first public art installations in the most recent trend of such installations in Eau Claire—has come to its conclusion after 10 years and more than 100 hands. The Children’s Museum of Eau Claire (CMEC) started the Hands Across Eau Claire project as a way to create awareness about the museum. The hand, which is the symbol of the museum, helped explain what the museum was going to offer to the community. “It is a hands on museum, not a museum of historical preservation,” says Suzie Slota, the Executive Director of CMEC from 2005 to …

When most people hear the word “sister,” visions of little girls sharing dolls, secrets, and clothes come to mind. They might lovingly remember late night teen-talk whispered across the bedroom. Families might recollect times the girls would fight and make up, always inseparable in the end. Agreements and disagreements are equal building blocks for most sister relationships. These experiences don’t come to my mind. Separated at ages two and four, raised in different foster homes, my sister and I didn’t do any of those things. Spending precious limited hours per year together, we grew up as comfortable strangers. In fact, …

Are you considering a geographical move that requires you to search for work? Do you think you’re ready for that internal promotion? Or, have you been thinking about “what’s out there” in terms of new opportunities in your field? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you will definitely need a new or updated résumé to move forward. Now the panic sets in. You haven’t written your résumé for over 10 years. Do you still need the same sections on your document? What do you keep, and what do you eliminate from your job history? Should there be …

As a child, Angela Meyer dreamed of horses. Poverty precluded owning any horses that weren’t palm-sized. So, Meyer played with her plastic ponies and dreamed big: of horse jumping in the Olympics, of owning horses too big to perch atop her dresser, and of becoming a veterinarian. She lost the Olympic and veterinarian dreams when she was the third car in a five-car pile-up in college. In the squeeze, her vertebrae and pelvis rotated and chronic back problems followed. That was just the beginning of having things taken from her, which is why today, Meyer has no distant dreams. I’m …

As I sit at my kitchen counter collecting my thoughts, I try to focus on positive things to distract myself from worries. But the heaviness in my chest and the hollowness in my gut overwhelm me. I want my son home—in Milwaukee with his wife and dog. This is his last deployment (at least this is what we are led to believe). I tire of self-challenges, immersing myself in new exercise routines or keeping busy to prevent myself from getting too anxious about my son’s deployments. Most days I do really well, but today is different; today I feel like …

If Shakespeare had been a woman, she would not have written, “To be or not to be, that is the question,” but rather, “To cut or not to cut, that is always the question.” It’s a question compounded by the profusion of hairstyles. Short, medium, and long hair all abound. You can wear it up or down or twisted around in a bun. Today, intentionally tousled and tightly trimmed are both considered professional. So, what’s the best ‘do for you? Before anyone puts steel to your hair, it’s best to have a revealing talk. Denise Mackey-Natz, owner of Urban Style …

For many people, dogs are family members. Whether small, large, old, or young, these dogs are like children—holding a special place in our hearts. Fortunately, many loving homes exist in our area with people willing to adopt dogs and get them to their forever homes. Three dogs hold the hearts of Brittany Bergeman and her fiancé, Matt Murphy, of Eau Claire. Diesel and Dante are Miniature Pinschers, and Dre is a Doberman. Both Dante and Dre were adopted from unpleasant situations. “I love adopting dogs in need because I feel they deserve their happily-ever-after with a loving family who will …

When the cold months blow in, Wisconsinites dig out their dormant wardrobes: large winter jackets, bulky sweaters, and layers-upon-layers in black and brown tones. Fashion can get lost with the balmy days. However, local style professionals offer fantastic advice—promoting fashion-forward looks practical enough to vanquish Jack Frost, Mother Nature, and Old Man Winter. Comfort stylist Judy Foust fell in love with Jockey Person to Person®’s clothing and concept after attending her first in-home event, The motto of “Where Comfort Meets Style” was truly evident in every item I tried on and purchased. As a Comfort Stylist, I’ve been with the …

Maintaining Hopeful Holidays for Dementia Patients and Their Caregivers The holidays are poignant because of our gatherings. Families gather and, in turn, memories are gathered. Stories are told—stories of when we were younger, braver or more cautious, impetuous or reserved. Such stories stir our emotions and tickle our funny bones; but for some families, there are beloved brothers and mothers, sisters and spouses unstirred by such stories, due to Alzheimer’s and related dementias. What are holiday gatherings like in such families? How do caregivers cope? Perhaps, most importantly, how can we best care for those afflicted and their caregivers? Lisa …

Having a safe, livable, and warm home is something that most people take for granted. When was the last time you worried about being evicted or having enough money to pay next month’s rent? Unfortunately, there are families throughout the nation and in the Chippewa Valley that worry about these things each day. However, the local Habitat for Humanity organization strives to help families achieve their dream of home ownership. Through volunteerism, hard work, and community support, the organization makes a significant impact—one home at a time. Josh Rizzo serves as Chippewa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s development coordinator, and he …