The Manitowoc County Historical Society presented their 2018 History Maker Awards at the organization’s 113th Annual Meeting and Banquet on Thursday, March 7 at City Limits Bar and Banquet, Manitowoc. The evening also featured a business meeting and the election of new Directors.
David and Bridget VanGinkel were awarded a History Makers Award for their strong support of local history, especially for the city of Two Rivers. They started an attraction called “Two Rivers Historical Tours” and share photos and information on social media to promote local history.
A History Makers Award was presented to Spirit of the Rivers. Spirit of the Rivers is a monumental sculpture situated on the Lake Michigan shore between Manitowoc and Two Rivers, standing more than ten feet tall and weighing close to three tons. With a number of donations from people in both Manitowoc and Two Rivers, the “Spirit of the Rivers” organization was able to make this project possible.
The former Book World building located at 907 South 8th Street in Manitowoc was honored with a History Maker Award. Jeremiah Novak worked to restore the historic exterior of the building.
Manitowoc County Historical Society volunteers were also recognized. Those who recorded over 100 hours of service to the organization in 2018 included: George Baldwin, John Bohlin, Eugene Durben, Phil Groll, Rick Herman, Dan Juchniewich, Greg Krcma, Mark Leonhard, Emmy Rebitz, and Romelle Rusch.
As part of the evening’s awards, the Society’s Square Nail Volunteer Award was presented to Mark and Jean Stecker. Mark is active with the museum’s youth and public programs in the cheese factory and Jean assists with opening the museum in the mornings and making sure the historic structures are clean.
A business meeting for the Manitowoc County Historical Society also took place noting accomplishments in 2018 including launching an online photo collection, expanded youth and family programming, accessibility features, and ongoing restoration projects like the Kummer Smokehouse.
Candidates for election to the Society’s Board of Directors included Wendy Brandt, Jack Krause, and Jason Ring. Additional current board members include Chris Schnell (Vice President), Jamie Lambrecht (Treasurer), Jennifer Johnson (Secretary), Bill Fricke, Mitch Olson, and Ryan Zunker. Outgoing board member, Matt Neu, was also recognized.
The evening concluded with a fundraiser raffle that raised over $3,000 for the Manitowoc County Historical Society’s mission.
