Ceremony held in honor of ‘Making Fort Special’ award recipients 

By Chris Spangler

Two women and an organization have been recognized for making Fort Atkinson a wonderful place in which to live, work and play.

On Thursday, the Fort Atkinson Community Foundation presented its annual Making Fort Special awards to Erin Patterson, Mabel Schumacher and the Fort Atkinson Generals baseball team. The ceremony fittingly took place at home plate on the Jones Park diamond.

Each honoree was presented a framed print of the late Hoard’s Dairyman artist Jim Baird’s “Camelot,” a creative image of Fort Atkinson landmarks, with an engraved nameplate. The custom prints were specially made by Baird’s son, Perry, and framed by Heather Danielson at Gallery on the Main.   

In addition, the foundation will be making grants of $500 in the honorees’ names to a nonprofit s of their choice.

Welcoming guests, foundation board Chairperson Sue Johnson said that the Making Fort Special awards were first presented in 2017 to draw attention to people in the community who have championed a project or conducted activities that have helped make Fort Atkinson a special place to live.   

“Recipients of these awards are — to paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt — the people in the arena, the doers, the ones willing to take a risk, to take on new projects, to get involved, to see how they could make things better for our community and then step forward to make them happen,” Johnson said.

She noted that in the past two years, the foundation received more than $2 million in donations.

“Donors gave to the foundation to create or add to scholarship funds, to shore up our general fund, to help fund a variety of short-term projects, or to provide long-term support for our library, museum, BASE afters-school club and other nonprofit organizations who are the beneficiaries of our designated funds,” Johnson said. “These donors make everything we do possible.”

However, she added, the community also needs people on the other side of the equation. 

“These are the project champions, the doers who come up with ideas to improve our community and carry them out with our support,” the board president said. “The community foundation is simply a framework that facilitates philanthropy. Without donors putting money in and doers giving us reasons to send money out, nothing would happen.”

Erin Patterson

Observing that all three award winners continue to work tirelessly to fulfill the community foundation’s vision of “A Better Fort Atkinson,” Johnson introduced the first honored doer, Erin Patterson, owner and operator of Paddy Coughlin’s Irish Pub in downtown Fort Atkinson.

“What you might not know is that what makes this neighborhood pub so special isn’t the food and drink — though both are good; don’t get me wrong. What makes the pub special is that by thoughtfully aligning her business practices with her values, Erin has created a pub with a heart of gold.” Johnson said.

She noted that Paddy’s Tuesday Trivia Nights have raised thousands of dollars for dozens of local charities.

“In addition, she is always quick to say ‘yes’ to nonprofit organizations and schools that need help with fundraising or donations,” Johnson said. “Her generosity also extends to other local businesses, and she is constantly promoting local offerings, often incorporating their products into her menu at the pub. She is everything a community could hope for in a business owner.”

She added that Patterson’s community outreach even extends to the “messy arena of social media, where she is willing to venture into community threads to lower the temperature and calmly point out where people can get actual information, always asking for kindness from keyboard warriors.”

Johnson recalled that in 2015, Patterson founded Paddy’s Paws, a local dog rescue that works with an army of volunteers to fulfill its mission of finding “good homes for good dogs with good people.” Since then, Paddy’s Paws has placed thousands of dogs with local families, giving those families the love and comfort that only a dog can. 

She shared remarks by Kari Johnson, a longtime Paddy’s Paws volunteer, who said, “Erin has brought great awareness in our community to dog adoption and responsible pet ownership through her rescue, Paddy’s Paws. Many families in the Fort Atkinson area have loving dogs in their homes because of Erin’s tireless dedication to volunteering her time to help connect rescue dogs with their forever families. Erin is an advocate for those who need a voice, and she is a great model of how to spread kindness throughout the community.”

Friend and former employee Megan Hartwick stressed what a genuine person Patterson is.

“What you see is what you get,” she was quoted as saying. “And what Fort Atkinson gets is a person whose generosity knows no bounds; a person who never stops asking ‘what else can I do?’ or ‘how can I help?’; a person whose desire to strengthen and support Fort Atkinson is at the core of most decisions she makes.”

Johnson noted that when the Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce named Patterson its Small Businessperson of the Year in 2020, much praise came her way. She noted that at the time, Kelly Westphal, who had worked with Patterson both as a pub employee and as the chamber’s projects manager, had said, “Erin is as interested in building community as she is in building her own business.”

Patterson has chosen to direct her $500 foundation grant to the Dwight Foster Public Library.

Mabel Schumacher

Introducing Mabel Schumacher was Bonnie Geyer, a member of the community foundation’s board of directors.

She noted that perhaps she actually should call the honoree Dr. Mabel Schumacher.

“She’s not really one for titles, but in case you don’t know this, Mabel earned her Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in special education administration, with emphasis in curriculum and instruction, and served for many years as the director of instruction at the School District of Fort Atkinson.”

Geyer said that during the past 15 years or so, Schumacher has worked tirelessly to make Fort Atkinson a more pet-friendly and welcoming community. Her work to place dog statues and pet drinking fountains along the urban Glacial River Trail in 2011 was just the start of her efforts.

“In 2016, she took on the large project of creating a War Dog Memorial in McCoy Park. Her goal was to honor all K-9 veterans who have served our nation and, in particular, the K-9 veteran Seato, who was killed in action along with his handler, Fort Atkinson resident Terry Beck, while serving in Vietnam,” Geyer said.

She noted that Schumacher had the vision for the memorial, found the artist, raised more than $60,000 “through sheer tenacity and hard work,” worked out all the details with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and the Friends of McCoy Park, and completed the project.

“The end result — a stunning, one-of-a-kind bronze sculpture and monument gracing McCoy Park — was unveiled during a fabulous dedication ceremony which Mabel had orchestrated down to every detail.,” Geyer said.

She continued: “While all this was going on, Mabel also spearheaded the push to get Wisconsin to hold an annual observance honoring military, police and other service dogs. Thanks to Mabel’s perseverance, March 13^th is now K-9 Veteran’s Day in the State of Wisconsin.”

In addition, Geyer pointed out that Schumacher also is responsible for the bronze “Puppy Serenade” statue and drinking fountain in Rock River Park that honors the three founders of the Fort Atkinson Kennel Club.    

Among them was Jan Holewinski, who told Geyer that she has witnessed Schumacher making a difference for decades and that Schumacher has been the heart and soul of the Kennel Club of Fort Atkinson for many years.

“During all these projects, Mabel remained well aware of the contributions others were making and was always quick to express her thanks and gratitude to all involved,” Geyer said. “As many of her projects involved city property, every year she hosts what the city calls ‘MabelFest,’ during which she expresses her gratitude to city employees who have been involved with her projects by treating them to lunch.”

Geyer also shared a remark from Fort Atkinson Parks and Recreation Department Director Brooke Franseen, who said that Schumacher’s “generosity and community spirit make her an asset to our community, while her dedication and passion for her work sets an example for others in our community to follow.”

In addition to all the ways that Schumacher has added to the community’s physical landscape, she also personally has provided significant financial support to the Fort Atkinson Police Department’s K-9 Unit, as well as established the endowed Terry Beck Protective Services Scholarship Fund at the community foundation to honor the memory of Beck and Seato, Geyer said.

Schumacher is directing her $500 grant to the Fort Atkinson Kennel Club so it can use it to further support the police department’s K-9 Unit.     

Fort Atkinson Generals

Sue Hartwick, executive director of the Fort Atkinson Community Foundation, recognized the Fort Atkinson Generals, the community’s Home Talent League baseball team.

“Throughout the summer, on Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons, we gather at Jones Park to watch our boys play baseball,” she said. “Local young men — and some not-so-young men — get the chance to continue to play the game they love, and our community gets to come out and enjoy free entertainment as we cheer them on.

“Whether you bring a lawnchair or sit in the seats, whether you bring your own refreshments or take advantage of the great offerings at the concession stand, the Generals bring family and friends together simply to enjoy a ballgame. It is quintessential small-town America,” Hartwick added.

While the public might not see it, it takes a lot of work, she pointed out.

“Every year, the dozen or so volunteers who serve on the Generals board have to arrange the schedule; supervise and equip the team; hire umpires; work with the city; stock, maintain and staff the concession stand; and help maintain the field. But more noteworthy than all of this is the way they have gone above and beyond in their effort to support our community, for the Fort Atkinson Generals have become so much more than a baseball team. They are a vital civic organization,” Hartwick said.

She said that retired Fort Atkinson Parks and Recreation Director Scott Lastusky shared how that came about: “Twenty years ago, the Generals didn’t want to lose the carnival rides and the fun at Jones Park when the community’s largest festival (Fort Fest) collapsed. Little did the Generals baseball board realize its decision transitioned them into becoming an exceptional civic organization. Beyond donating well over $100,000 to improvements to all areas of Jones Park, the Generals also now support police and fire efforts, a high school scholarship program, various youth sports groups and autism awareness. They also provide awards and tally countless volunteer hours to improve the lives of Southern Wisconsin’s Special Olympic athletes.” 

Lastusky also noted that the Generals’ commitment to $1 beers led to Fort Atkinson being featured in Sports Illustrated magazine, “while their heavily buttered popcorn and tens of thousands of brats and burgers on the grill have put smiles on countless ballpark connoisseurs. … all thanks to the real stars of the organization: the Generals’ board members.”

Hartwick also related remarks by Jude Hartwick, president of the Fort Atkinson Beautification Council, who described how the Generals gladly give other nonprofit organizations the chance to piggyback onto their success by allowing them to work the concession stand, advertise their work and take home all the tips, which always includes an extra-large tip from the Generals themselves.

“The Generals are awesome,” he said. “They have gone out of their way to help lots of nonprofits, including the Homeless Coalition of Fort Atkinson, Rock River Community Clinic and our Beautification Council. It’s always a pleasure to work their concession stand and help raise money for a good cause.”

Hartwick noted that on Thursday, in gratitude for all that the Generals have done for them, the concession stand was being staffed by members of organizations that have benefitted from their generosity, including the Fort Atkinson Kiwanis Club, FFA, Rock River Community Clinic, BASE after-school program, Fort Atkinson Beautification Council, Jones Dairy Farm and Fort Community Credit Union.

In addition, all concessions on Thursday cost only $1, half of all tips were to go to the Police Department K-9 Fund at the foundation in honor of Schumacher and the other half, to Paddy’s Paws in honor of Patterson.

“To thank the Generals for all they do to make Fort Atkinson special, we have assisted the city in replacing the damaged Tenth Inning Patio paver just west of the concession stand and we have added to it a recognition of their 2023 Making Fort Special award,” Hartwick said.

The Fort Atkinson Generals board has asked that the $500 grant go to the local Special Olympics organization.

Cake was served following the program.

Pictures from the event follow.