Along The Ad Routes

by Mike Reilly

We received a nice note with a renewal for the Chronicle from Deb and Rich Christopherson from Madison. They said, “Dear Dodgeville Chronicle. Enclosed please find our check for renewal of our subscription. We enjoy reading the Chronicle. Keep up the great work!”

*****

Saturday was another busy day. It started with the guys’ usual breakfast. We went to Highland at “Front Porch”. It’s a place close by and one we really like to go to. I rode with Royce as he lives close by and didn’t need to go back to Dodgeville where we met at the Chronicle office at 7:30.  Bob drove Terry, Tom and Potsie and they stopped at the Highland Historical Society’s Bake and Garage Sale - we didn’t. Before they got to Front Porch Dave showed up. We waited for the others to show up before we ordered. We were pretty hungry by the time they got there though, but we survived! Kelly Shemak was our waitress. It was a first time for her, but we had her daughter Karla before. Terry and I had omelettes with mine having very fresh veggies and tomatoes in it! Bob and Royce had biscuits and gravy while Dave had pancakes and Tom and Potsie had regular Farmers’ breakfasts (eggs and bacon). It was all very good! We will go back!

*****

When I got  back to Dodgeville I went to cover the “No  Kings” rally, one of many that was held nationwide. It was held in the new green space on West Fountain Street next to the Wells Fargo Bank ATM. Someone told me there were 1200 people there, but more estimated around 800. It was a nice warm day and I was standing in the sun most of the time.

*****

After that ended at around noon, Bob and I took off on the Fall Art Tour to nearby places. It’s always interesting talking with the artists in their working studios and meeting people from all over who are on the tour. One couple we ran into made the trip from Chicago while another group came from Iowa and we met a couple of women from Kenosha.We talked with Andy Hatch at his wife’s studio near the Uplands Cheese Factory. Andy said he started making cheese there 25 years ago - boy does time fly!

*****

Dodgeville’s high school varsity football team went out on a “high note” to end their season when they beat River Valley Friday night and knocked them out of first place in the SWC. Maybe that will make for better things to come next season and the future! Playoffs begin for the 11-player teams this next week with Mineral Point, River Valley and Mount Horeb/Barneveld from our coverage area all in and ready to compete for a state berth.

*****

Highland made it into the 8-player playoffs, but with huge injuries to several key players had trouble with their first game against a very good North Crawford team. They had a great season going until the injury bug hit them!

*****

Volleyball playoffs began Tuesday with only two of our coverage area team playing. The other five begin play tonight (Thursday), all at home.

*****

Boys soccer playoffs begin Thursday for our coverage area with Dodgeville-Mineral Point and River Valley the two teams we cover.

*****

Cross country sectionals are Saturday with Dodgeville-Mineral Point and River Valley looking to advance to state in Division 2 while Iowa-Grant and Argyle/Pecatonica are looking to do the same in Division 3 - both boys and girls! Good luck to them with the state championships the next Saturday (November 1).

*****

I’m jumping one day from Thursday for my “special day” to Saturday, October 24 - Make a Difference Day! That’s a day that should be every day in our lives. We should and do “make a difference” every day! That day originated to encourage volunteerism and community action. It was established in 1992 by USA Weekend magazine and the non-profit organization Points of Light to get people to perform acts of kindness and contribute to their communities. I try to do my part by being a Dodgeville Lions Club charter member, Dodegeville Area Scholarship Foundation (DASFI) board member, a Southwest Tech SSP board member and on several Dodgeville Chamber of Commerce Committees. But I could do more!