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Thursday, January 27, 2011 www.htrnews.com ● 50 cents

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ã Pictures from Obama’s visit / A-2ã Tower Tech workers thrilled / A-3ã People stake out spots / A-3ã Orion employees buoyed / A-4

ã Obama visits Skana / A-5ã Pictures from Obama’s visit / A-5ã Residents brave the cold / A-6ã President’s visit is historic / B-4

President Obama’s visit showcases Manitowoc companies

President Barack Obama beholds an Orion Energy Systems’ high-intensity modular flourescent light held by Marisol DeBaushe of Orion during Obama’s visit toManitowoc on Wednesday. Obama also visited Skana Aluminum Co. and Tower Tech Systems. Doug Sundin/HTR

Historic day as president praises Manitowoc: ‘You’ve reinvented yourself’BY CHARLIE MATHEWSHerald Times Reporter

MANITOWOC — President Barack Obama wasonly in Manitowoc for two hours on Wednesday, buthe created memories that will last a lifetime forthousands of people.

Citizens lined thoroughfares hoping for a glimpseof the U.S. president, who traveled via motorcade tothe Lakeshore area after Air Force One landed atAustin Straubel Airport inAshwaubenon.

John F. Kennedy andJimmy Carter campaignedas presidential candidatesin Manitowoc decades ago,but didn’t return after theywere elected.

Obama is believed to bethe first sitting U.S. presi-dent to visit Manitowoc.

Obama did more thantalk with a few workers andcompany executives atManitowoc-based Orion Energy Systems, SkanaAluminum Co. and Tower Tech Systems.

In a speech to hundreds of Orion employees, civicand business leaders, the president was effusive inhis praise of its founder, Neal Verfuerth, but also thecity whose Native American name means “home ofthe great spirit.”

“We’ve got to lead the world in innovation,”Obama said, echoing a theme he shared Tuesday

ã See VISIT, A-4President Barack Obama addresses the assembled crowd at Orion Energy Systems in Manitowoc on Wednesday afterreceiving a tour of the facility from Orion founder Neal Verfuerth. Benjamin Wideman/HTR

On the NetFor more coverage of

President Barack Obama’svisit to Manitowoc, log on

to www.htrnews.com.You’ll find more than100 pictures in our

photo gallery, as well asa replay of Wednesday’slive chat and an archived

Livestream video.

SebastianHoenisch, 11,of Manitowocholds a signnear TowerTech Systemsin Manitowocon Wednesdaywhile waitingfor PresidentBarackObama’smotorcadeto drive past.SarahKloepping/HTR

People holdsigns across

from theWisconsinMaritime

Museum inManitowoc

while waitingfor President

BarackObama’s

motorcade todrive past onWednesday.

DougSundin/HTR

Air Force One departs. Doug Sundin/HTR

A-2&Thursday, January 27, 2011 www.htrnews.com HERALD TIMES REPORTER

President Barack Obama’s visit to Manitowoc

With an American flag as his backdrop, President Barack Obama addresses the audience at Orion EnergySystems during his visit to Manitowoc on Wednesday. Benjamin Wideman/HTR

LEFT: President BarackObama’s motorcade makesits way south on MaritimeDrive along Manitowoc’s LakeMichigan shoreline during hisvisit to the city on Wednesday.Benjamin Wideman/HTR

ABOVE: President Barack Obama smiles at the assembled crowd at Orion EnergySystems during his visit to Manitowoc on Wednesday. Doug Sundin/HTRBELOW: President Barack Obama meets Orion Energy Systems employees and guestsfollowing his speech Wednesday. Doug Sundin/HTR

ABOVE: President Barack Obama tours Tower Tech Systems in Manitowoc on Wednesday. Doug Sundin/HTRLEFT: Caleb, 5, holds a “Welcome President Obama” sign while standing on a downtown Manitowoc sidewalkon Wednesday in anticipation of the presidential motorcade driving past. Sarah Kloepping/HTR

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President Barack Obama’s visit to Manitowoc

Tower Tech workers getthe thrill of a lifetimeBY SARAH KLOEPPINGHerald Times Reporter

MANITOWOC — Notmany people can say theyhave spoken to the presi-dent, and even fewer cansay they’ve hugged him.

Tower Tech Systems/Broadwind Towers employ-ee Melissa Peters is nowa member of that smallgroup who can claim both.

“I got to hug him. I can’tbelieve he let me do that,”said Peters, who was weld-ing when Obama came tospeak to her on Wednesdayduring his two-hour tourof Manitowoc.

“He asked how long Iworked here and said Imust really like it if I’vebeen here for almost fouryears. … It went so fast. It’sdefinitely a chance in alifetime experience.”

Obama visited threemanufacturing companiesduring his visit to Mani-towoc. Tower Tech was hisfinal stop before departingto Austin Straubel Airportin Ashwaubenon.

During his approxima-tely 20-minute tour of TowerTech, Obama saw how awind turbine tower is man-ufactured — from raw-plate steel through theprocess of forming, weld-ing, painting and movinga completed tower section,which can weigh up to200 tons.

“Him being here, just hispresence, kind of supportsthe industry we work in,”Tower Tech Systems pres-ident Paul Smith said. “Hecomplimented the work-manship that he saw. Hewas really impressed withwhat we do.”

Smith, along with Broad-wind Energy presidentand CEO Peter Duprey,and plant manager ChrisWallander, led Obamathrough the facility wherehe stopped several times totalk with employees.

“We were honored tohost President Obama anddemonstrate clean energyjobs and innovation inaction,” Duprey said.“Broadwind Energy looksat the energy industrywith a unique perspective,bringing a variety of solu-tions to our customers tohelp them make the mostof their energy investments.

“President Obama isessentially asking the sameof our country — bringtogether all of our besttalents and solutions andhelp our country and othercountries maximize their

energy potential — sus-tainably, cleanly and prof-itably.”

Smith said Obama spokewith about a dozen employ-ees and shook the hands ofmany more during hisshort stop.

“He made a point of try-ing to make contact withas many people as he pos-sibly could,” Smith said.“He kind of hit me as thepersonality that he wouldhave spent all afternoonout there if he could have.

“These employees workhard and do a terrific job,not just for this company,but for this industry. Himactually making that state-ment by coming out hereto thank them was a bigdeal.”

Peters said she was sur-prised at how down-to-earth the president was.

“He’s really laid-back,”she said. “He’s really per-sonable for a president …not as scary as I thoughthe’d be. After he left I waslike, ‘No, I want to talk tohim more.’”Sarah Kloepping: (920) 686-2105 orskloepping@htrnews.com

People stake out spots forpossible view of presidentBY SARAH KLOEPPINGHerald Times Reporter

MANITOWOC — Presi-dent Barack Obama madehis way through down-town Manitowoc on Wed-nesday, and everyonewho came to see him hasa short story to share.

❖ ❖ ❖

Megean Lauson, 27, wasstanding on the corner ofEighth and Franklinstreets hoping to catch aglimpse of the president.

Standing out in the coldwas worth it to her.

“It’s the president ofthe United States comingto Manitowoc,” she said.“It’s an honor just to havesomething like this hap-pen to us. It’s amazing.”

Lawson was holdingan Obama sign, and shecame prepared.

“I’m hoping to get hissignature,” she said whileholding up a pen.

❖ ❖ ❖

Donnie Polifka of TwoRivers was waiting out-side on Franklin Streetwhile police officers mon-itored the area. Polifkawanted not only to see thepresident, but talk to himas well.

“I’d like to get a glimpseof him, if I could I’dshake his hand,” he said.“I’d like to say ‘Hello, howare you?’ and wish himthe best of luck in hispresidency.”

Talk of the townThe regulars at War-

rens Restaurant on Wash-ington Street were dis-cussing Obama’s impend-ing visit over breakfastWednesday morning.

“Mostly everybody who’sbeen in here this morninghas talked about how ex-citing it is, even just himbeing in the city in general,”said waitress Diane Lutz.“It’s a very positive vibe.This is just a little restau-rant, but we have a lot ofregulars who talk politics.”

If the president stoppedin for lunch, Lutz said shehad her recommendationready.

“Chicken dumpling soupand a burger. It would bejust a down-home thing,”she said. “We would bethrilled if the presidentcould come here or evendrive by our window.”

❖ ❖ ❖

Marion Olson of Chiltondrove to Manitowoc todayin hopes of seeing Obama.She saw former presidentRonald Reagan and hiswife once in Milwaukee.

“I like doing thesethings,” she said. “Theseare the super-duper thingsto remember, once in alifetime.”

Olson staked out a win-dow seat at Warrens, hop-ing he would drive past.

“Everybody tells me Iwon’t see him, and that’sprobably true. I might seethe car,” she said.Sarah Kloepping: (920) 686-2105or skloepping@htrnews.com

President Barack Obama talks with welder Melissa Peters during his visit to Tower Tech Systemson Wednesday. She also took advantage of the opportunity to hug Obama. Doug Sundin/HTR

‘I got to hug him. I can’t believe he let me do that’

ABOVE: Marion Olson ofChilton gets a window seat atWarrens Restaurant in down-town Manitowoc in hopes ofseeing President BarackObama on Wednesday.LEFT: Megean Lausonholds a “Welcome PresidentObama” sign while waiting indowntown Manitowoc for hismotorcade to drive past.Photos by SarahKloepping/HTR

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A-4&Thursday, January 27, 2011 www.htrnews.com HERALD TIMES REPORTER

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VISITã From A-1night during his State of theUnion speech.

“That’s how we’re going tobuild the industries of thefuture, because we make smarterproducts using better technolo-gy than anybody else,” Obamasaid to loud applause fromemployees of the energy tech-nology company.

“So, I came here to Manitowocto glimpse that future … this isa place that’s been doing whatAmerica has always donethroughout its history … you’vereinvented yourself.”

In talking about Orion’sfounder, Obama said, “Americaneeds to get behind entrepre-neurs like Neal. We need to getbehind clean energy companieslike Orion.”

Obama said the jobs at Orion“are good for all of us becausethey make everybody’s energybills cheaper. They make theplanet safer.

“What you do is sharpeningAmerica’s competitive edge allaround the world.”

Obama said Verfuerth likes tosay that Orion plays to win.

“That’s what sets Neal apart,”the president said. “That’s whatsets Orion apart. That’s whatalso sets America apart. Here inAmerica, we play to win.”

After watching employeeMarisol DeBaushe perform finaltesting on a high-intensity mod-ular light fixture and turn it on,Obama told the media Orion’ssignature product “creates 50 to75 percent more light at half thepower … that’s how we’re goingto win the future.”

‘Exceeded expectations’Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nick-

els, along with Green Bay MayorJim Schmitt and Gov. ScottWalker, chatted with Obamabefore he went to the plant floor.

Nickels presented Obamawith a Packers jersey with“OBAMA 12” on the back.

A well-known Chicago Bearsfan, Obama later commented tothe employees and assembledmedia, “I’m not here because Ilost a bet” and then wished thePackers good luck in their supershowdown against the PittsburghSteelers.

Obama’s remarks impressedNickels.

“It was neat that he pickedManitowoc to start his cam-paign focusing on renewableenergy,” Nickels said. “The pres-ident had a good message that heshared with the world … wecouldn’t ask for better press. Hisvisit exceeded my expectations.”

Obama also focused attention

during his televised address onTower Tech, which he said was“one of the largest wind towermanufacturers in North Ameri-ca — a company that’s grown byseveral hundred workers inrecent years.”

He also saluted Skana Alu-minum, which resumed alu-minum hot mill production afterthe plant was shuttered for morethan a year after the previousownership filed for bankruptcy.

Obama toured the facility,accompanied by Tom Testwuide,Skana’s CEO and board chair-man, along with Jerry Keehan,vice president-manufacturing.

After watching giant, alu-minum ingot slabs melting in a1,300-degree furnace, Obamatold the media that Skana “is theresult of a terrific business per-son like Tom working with thegovernment to re-open plants.”

A focus of Obama’s “WhiteHouse to Main Street” tours is totout legislation he has signedincluding incentives to support

reinvestments in renewable energy,tax cuts to encourage business-es to make new investments, andefforts to help small businessesget access to the credit they needto expand and hire.

Through city to Tower TechFollowing his tour of Skana,

the presidential motorcade trav-eled on Mirro, Memorial andMaritime drives, as well asthrough downtown on Eighth,Franklin and 16th streets to thepeninsula and Tower Tech.

People with American flagsand signs lined the three-mileroute including Madison Ele-mentary School students on thehill overlooking Maritime Driveand Lake Michigan.

At Tower Tech, Obama wasgreeted by Paul Smith, Broad-wind Towers president; ChrisWallander, plant manager; andPeter Duprey, president andCEO of the wind tower manufac-turer’s parent company, Broad-

wind Energy.In the same plant where the

Manitowoc Company built 28World War II submarines, Obamatalked with welders MelissaPeters and Robin King, who wereassembling wind tower sections.

The two young women arepart of the business that openedin 2003 and has grown to morethan 300 employees.

With severe winter weatherconditions, including icy run-ways at Andrews Air ForceBase, the decision was made toend the president’s Manitowocvisit at 1:30 p.m., and Obama re-turned to Austin Straubel.

Forty minutes later, the presi-dent was at the top of the gang-way waving good-bye to Wiscon-sin before ducking into AirForce One and jetting eastward,leaving behind a city that couldfeel proud to have hosted thenation’s chief executive.Charlie Mathews: (920) 686-2969or cmathews@htrnews.com

Orion employees buoyed by Obama’s visit‘I’ve never seenanything like it’BY SUZANNE WEISSHerald Times Reporter

MANITOWOC — PresidentBarack Obama’s whirlwind visitto Orion Energy Systems onWednesday left excited employ-ees in its wake.

“It’s amazing, I’ve never seenanything like it,” Ken Wetenkamp,director of product developmentat Orion Energy Systems, said ofall the hoopla surrounding thevisit.

Wetenkamp was one of about300 employees and visitors whofilled the metal chairs set up inthe heart of the factory, whereObama spoke. Another 150 or sopress members, with their jum-bles of cables and cords, weresectioned off at the back of theroom.

Obama, who was expected tospeak at noon, began his talk 30minutes early. The presidentpraised Orion, which makesenergy-saving lighting systems,and its founder and CEO, NealVerfuerth, for building an indus-try for the future.

“I can’t imagine a higher vali-dation that one can get thanfrom the president,” Verfuerthsaid. “It’s beyond description.

To hear the president of theUnited States say those kinds ofthings is incredible.”

New lifeThe company has given new

life to the former Mirro Plant atwhich Obama spoke.

Its energy-saving products have

saved its customers more than abillion dollars, Verfuerth said.

“I’ve been in the company overeight years now and watched itgrow,” Wetenkamp said. “What(Obama) said was true. We’vealways been on the cutting edgeof the energy industry.”

When Kathy Hirvela heard the

president was coming to herplace of work, she couldn’tbelieve it.

“My first thought was, ‘You’repulling my leg.’ After that, itwas nervous preparation,” saidHirvela, the operations manag-er for Orion’s asset managementdivision.

Employees impressedSome employees searched for

the right words to explain whatthe visit meant to them.

“The best way to explain it is‘I’m over the moon.’ I’m seatedwithin 50 feet of PresidentBarack Obama,” said executiveassistant Tina Prigge. “For every-one here, this is a very specialday, something we will be tellingour children and grandchildrenabout. It’s a great week forWisconsin. First the Super Bowland now the president.”

Dennis Krueger, leader of themaintenance team, helped setup chairs and worked withWhite House staff to make surethe building was secure.

“It’s amazing,” Krueger said.“Words can hardly describe it.It’s quite an honor to be visitedby the president.”

“This is awesome,” said BryanMahute, who works in the man-ufacturing of fully enclosedfixtures. “What makes it impres-sive is that I believe in whatwe’re doing here. I believe in theproducts. To have the presidentrecognize what we do … it’sincredible. It’s a very proud dayfor myself and I know all of myco-workers. It’s a proud day forOrion.”Suzanne Weiss: (920) 686-2140 orsweiss@htrnews.com

President Barack Obama’s visit to Manitowoc

President Barack Obama reaches across a group of Orion Energy Systems employees to shake a young girl’s handfollowing his speech at the Manitowoc business on Wednesday. Doug Sundin/HTR

LEFT: President Barack Obama tours Tower Tech Systems in Manitowoc onWednesday. ABOVE: Obama tours Orion Energy Systems with the company’sfounder and CEO, Neal Verfuerth. Photos by Doug Sundin/HTR

HERALD TIMES REPORTER www.htrnews.com Thursday, January 27, 2011&A-5

President Barack Obama’s visit to Manitowoc

Obama visits Skana employees hard at workBY SUZANNE WEISSHerald Times Reporter

MANITOWOC — SkanaAluminum Co. employeeswere hard at work onWednesday when PresidentBarack Obama and hisentourage stopped for a15-minute visit.

Saw operator GlennZimmer was loading slabsof aluminum on the re-heatfurnace when Obamapaused to say hello in theearly afternoon.

“He congratulated us onbeing called back to workand thanked us for ourwork. He shook my hand,”Zimmer said. “Anytimeyou meet the president,you’ve got to feel prettygood. I’m pretty impressedhe stopped in Manitowoc,especially when the Bearslost.”

Cold mill operator TimJandrin was running themill when Obama stoppedat his workstation andshook his hand.

“The president is tallerthan I thought he was,”Jandrin said. “I was proudthat he made us a stop ofseveral today, right afterthe State of the Unionaddress.”

Smelter Robert Mrotekopened the huge door of

the 1,300-degree furnaceand showed the presidentthe 50,000 pounds of alu-minum inside.

“I just said, ‘Welcome toManitowoc’ and shook hishand,” Mrotek said, notquite believing that a guyfrom a small town likeCleveland had just met thepresident

“I was able to take hispicture and I shook hishand,” said productionclerk Bonnie Strauss,showing a reporter theimage she captured on herdigital camera. “He was

very accommodating andthanked us for doing agreat job. I was honored tomeet him. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’ssomething no one can evertake away from me.”

Robert Gamba, presidentand COO, thought thatObama chose to visitSkana because it is “one ofthe poster companies forthe post-recessional UnitedStates,” he said.

The company took assetsthat were in bankruptcy,that were in danger ofbeing broken up and sent

abroad, and kept themhere and put them to workalong with 75 employees,Gamba said.

“The president hastalked to a number of ouremployees who had ex-plained they had been outof work between 12 and 14months prior to beingrehired. And they all hada smile on their faces. Heunderstands how this wasturnaround,” said TomTestwuide, chairman andCEO of Skana. “I was veryproud for our companyand for Manitowoc, that

our president would chooseto highlight what we aredoing.”

The company restartedproduction in July.

This was possible thanksto Testwuide’s strong lead-ership and the area’s strongworkforce, Gamba said.

Besides private money,the company also tookadvantage of governmentloans to help them getstarted, Testwuide said.

“Companies often havedifficulties obtaining long-term loans. That’s whythese programs that have

been around for 30 yearsare important programs.Historically, they’ve notonly made money forthe U.S. government, butthey’ve helped a lot ofsmall businesses increasetheir capacity and in thiscase, restart the opera-tion,” he said.

“We’ve gone from zeroemployees last year to 75,and we’ll be adding about15 additional employeesin the next four to six toweeks.”Suzanne Weiss: (920) 686-2140 orsweiss@htrnews.com

ABOVE: President Barack Obama talks with Skana AluminumCo. chairman and CEO Tom Testwuide, left, and vice presidentof manufacturing Jerry Keehan during his visit to the Manitowoccompany Wednesday. RIGHT: Obama, far right, pauses whiletouring Skana Aluminum Co. Photos by Doug Sundin/HTR

Stripes from the Americanflag are seen behindPresident Barack Obamaas he gives a speech atOrion Energy Systems inManitowoc on Wednesday.Benjamin Wideman/HTR

President Barack Obama, a Chicago Bears fan, receives an autographed Green Bay Packersjersey from Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt, left, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker upon his arrivalat Austin Straubel International Airport in Ashwaubenon on Wednesday. From there, Obamatraveled to Manitowoc, where he visited three companies. The Charles Woodson jersey wasautographed by Woodson, whose Packers will be playing in the Super Bowl. The message on thejersey reads, “See you at the White House. Go Packers.” Doug Sundin/HTR

President Barack Obama waves while boarding Air Force One at Austin Straubel InternationalAirport in Ashwaubenon before flying back to Washington D.C. on Wednesday. Doug Sundin/HTR

ABOVE: President Barack Obama, fourth from the left, tours Tower Tech Systems during his visitto Manitowoc on Wednesday. Doug Sundin/HTRLEFT: President Barack Obama looks back while shaking hands with Orion Energy Systems guestsand employees following his speech at the Manitowc business Wednesday. Doug Sundin/HTR

On the NetFor more photos of President Barack Obama’s historic visit to Manitowoc, log on to www.htrnews.com

A-6&Thursday, January 27, 2011 www.htrnews.com HERALD TIMES REPORTERWI-5001255477

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President Barack Obama’s visit to Manitowoc

Residents brave cold to see President ObamaBY CINDY HODGSONHerald Times Reporter

MANITOWOC — SteveRiske of Manitowoc wasstanding in the cold out-side Manitowoc Coffee onWednesday morning hop-ing for a glimpse of Presi-dent Barack Obama.

“I took vacation fromwork, he better show up,”Riske said.

Riske’s wife, Tonya, wasconfident the motorcadewould come down EighthStreet where they werewaiting.

“He’ll come by here,”she said.

Tonya said they werewaiting because they’reObama supporters andthey were excited Mani-towoc was selected “of allthe places on the map.”

Steve called it a “once ina lifetime” opportunityand said they weren’tgoing to give up and gohome “until the crowddisperses” — or until 3:30p.m. when Obama was setto fly out of Green Bay.

“We took our son, Lu-cian, out of school,” saidTina Kugler of Manitowocwho was waiting onEighth Street with herhusband, Carson. “It’s sucha big deal. It’s history.”

“I just wanted to see himdrive by,” said Lucian, 8,who had watched part ofthe State of the Unionaddress Tuesday night.

‘Part of history’Craig and Lona Kowal-

ski of Two Rivers werewaiting with their daugh-ter, Jennifer Hinz, of Man-itowoc and her 1- and 3-year-old children as wellas Lona’s sister-in-law,Sandy Bast, of Manitowoc.

They brought a largeAmerican flag, which Craig

said he thought would callattention to his 3-year-oldgrandson, Samuel. It alsowas to show that thecommunity is patriotic,Hinz said.

Kowalski said he hasbeen to Washington, D.C.,a couple of times anddidn’t see a president, andnow he might have achance to see one righthere.

“We’re skipping a nap-time for this,” Hinz said.“It’s a big deal.”

“This is part of historyto be here,” Lona said.

“I want to show the pres-ident support,” Bast said.“I thought his speech lastnight was outstanding.”

Those waiting in thecold had no guarantee thepresident even woulddrive down Eighth Street.

“That’s a chance wehave to take,” Lona said.“There’s an excitementabout the whole thing evenif we don’t see him.”

Cold wait pays offMany of those hoping to

see the president waitedin the cold for at least acouple of hours.

Finally, at about 12:30p.m., a police car blockedtraffic at the intersectionof Eighth and Franklinstreets, on the south sideof Franklin.

Officials walked up anddown the street tellingpeople to stay on the side-walks, and helicoptershovered over the area.

Several minutes later,the motorcade camethrough, heading south onEighth Street and turningright onto Franklin on itsway from Skana Alumi-num to Tower Tech.

“I saw him! He was inthe back. He looked rightat us,” Craig Kowalskisaid to his family mem-bers after Obama’s vehiclesped past.

The president was in thebackseat on the passen-ger’s side in one of thefirst vehicles in the multi-vehicle motorcade.

“He was smiling andwaving. Oh, cool!” Lona

said excitedly.“It was worth the wait,”

Hinz said. “We’d havewaited all day.”

“He had a wonderful

smile,” Bast said.Lona agreed and said

the president looked “gen-uine.”

“He waved right at us,”she said. “Good thing hewas on our side (of thestreet).”

‘Shot in the arm’Renee Thompson of

Manitowoc and her rela-tives also picked the cor-rect side of the street.

Thompson said she hadseen two other sittingpresidents, Ronald Reaganand George W. Bush,as a result of her work inthe aerospace industry,but she nonetheless cameout for a glimpse ofObama.

“I think there are a lotof firsts about BarackObama,” Thompson said,adding she thinks it’s“fabulous” that Mani-towoc was his first stopafter Tuesday night’s Stateof the Union address.

Her nephew, Bret Brun-ner, said he had seenObama before but he still

came up from Milwaukeefor the opportunity.

“We waited almost threehours,” he said, adding hewas “thrilled to be here.”

Thompson was wearinga cheesehead Mayor JustinNickels had signed as heinteracted with folks wait-ing downtown for Obama.

“I’m thrilled for MayorNickels,” she said abouthis opportunity to host thepresident in Manitowoc.

Thompson said the pres-idential visit was a way tobring back unity and in-still pride in the community.

“We need a shot in thearm like this,” she said.

‘Definitely worth it’Mike and Cait Bosch of

Manitowoc had been wait-ing since 10:30 a.m. By1 p.m., shortly after thepresidential motorcadepassed, Cait said she couldnot feel her legs, feet orhands anymore, and Mikewas visibly shivering.

The cold wait was “defi-nitely worth it,” said Caitwho took photos with hercell phone. Mike got somevideo just before his bat-tery went dead.

Cait said she hadn’t seena president before.

“Not even close,” shesaid, meaning she hadn’tseen anyone in a high-levelpolitical position.

Cait and Mike didn’tvote in the last election butboth said they’ll vote now.Having a president cometo town “just makes itmore real,” Cait said.

Seeing a president was“really cool,” Mike said.“Who would’ve thought apresident would come to atown like this?”

Cindy Hodgson: (920) 686-2966 orchodgson@htrnews.com

With the Manitowoc lighthouse in the background, schoolchildren hold signs along Maritime Drive as they wait for PresidentBarack Obama’s motorcade to drive past on Wednesday. Benjamin Wideman/HTR

Evy Hoenisch, 4, and her mom,Amity, hold a sign near TowerTech Systems in Manitowoc asthey wait for President BarackObama’s motorcade to drivepast. Sarah Kloepping/HTR