yourfamily fall2015

8/20/2019 YourFamily Fall2015

1/36

FALL2015

5 orchardsto pick yourown apples

Growing Hindu

populationmaking a home

in Dane County

Abouta BoyFinding acceptance with a new gender identity

Day TripOverload on nature at Horicon Mars

SENIOR LIVING:CARING FOR CAREGIVERS


2/36

Baby Liam’s rst birthday was a little extra special this year. Born 12 weeks early and in respiratory

distress, Liam was rushed from southwestern Wisconsin to American Family Children’s Hospital in

Madison. There, he spent 66 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit until he was healthy enough to

feed and grow at home.

“It was an emotional roller coaster,” says Liam’s mom, Samantha. “But everyone took such great care

not only of our baby, but of my husband and me too. It made such a big difference.”

Today, Liam is a fun-loving baby who is developmentally on track with babies his age. “We’re sograteful for the opportunity to have this healthy boy in our lives,” says Samantha. “He is such a gift.”

Learn more about American Family Children’s Hospital by visiting uwhealthkids.org

Liam is Loving Life!

Liam at two weeks Liam at age one


3/36

FALL 2015 YOUR FAMILY

210 S. Main St. • Verona, WI • (608) 845-6478Mon - Sat 6:30am - 9pm, Sun 6:30am - 7pm

For the Classroom:❏ Pencils

❏ Pens

❏ Erasers

❏ Markers

❏ Notebooks

❏ Paper

❏ Folders

For Lunches:

❏ Fresh Baked Bread

❏ Deli Meats & Cheeses

❏ Fresh Fruits & Vegetables❏ Dairy Items

❏ Snack Bags & Chips

❏ Water Bottles

Find what you need in one place.

a d n o = 4 2 0 0 1 8 - 0 1


4/36

4 YOUR FAMILY FALL 2015

FAMILYLIFE

Open-mindednesshas a long way to go

When I was a randy teenager with

nothing better to do, a friend

of mine showed me a magazine

feature that really blew my mind.

It was about a model, accompanied

by a revealing photo spread, who was

what we called back then a transsexual.

And she was shockingly att ractive.

Morality aside, it was the sort

of transformative experience that

challenged my ideals and concepts of

gender identity for a long time. It made

me question many things about not

jus t my stereotypes but eventually my

instincts.

And still , I’ ll admit that like many people , over the years I’ve found plenty

of humor in the classic Kinks song

“Lola,” in Tone Loc’s 80s rap “Funky

Cold Medina” and many other cultural

references to men discovering that their

dates did not have the physical tools

they expected.

Three recent events have really put

that brain back to work, to challenge

its concept of open-mindedness: the

worldwide coming-out of Caitlyn Jenner,

the premiere of the TLC show, “I Am

Jazz” and our coverage in this issue ofYour Family (and this month’s Fitchburg

Star) of a transgender student named

Orion who was brave enough to put his

face on our covers.

It’s been fascinating to follow

reactions to the former and put together

the latter, which included genuinely

positive reactions from not just Orion’sfamily and schoolmates, but also his

church. While many people rightfully

don’t see enough tolerance and

acceptance in our society, anyone my

age can see we have come a long way

since I was Orion’s age, when Jenner

was still known as a track star who’d

been on the cover of Wheaties and

“Tula” Cossey was a Bond girl.

This is a new frontier for an old

issue, one that’s been around as

long as literature and history. While

society is slowly becoming more andmore permissive and understanding,

there’s no telling how long it will take

before there’s a complete acceptance,

par ticularly given how many problems

we continue to have with something as

basic and indefensible as racism.

But this has also exposed, at least

in my perspective, another bothersome

issue that might take longer to

eradicate than those other two issues

put together: our pre judice of physical

beauty.

The unfortunate part of Jenner’s

story that remains is even for most of uwho applauded when we saw the Vanit

Fair cover, part of what we applauded

that she looked good.

Lucky for her, she was an Olympic

athlete who maintained a strong, health

body image for decades.

Ditto for Cossey, who had been a

model for years before anyone knew

she had been born a man. Her Playboy

pictor ial made me and likely many othe

people stand up and take notice that

transgender women did not necessarily

look like square-jawed, muscularmen with breast augmentation, as the

conventional wisdom was at the time.

Orion and Jazz aren’t supermodels o

Olympians, and they’re growing up wit

their gender identities already known t

the world. Perhaps Jenner and Cossey

have helped gather those two and

countless others on less public paths

some respect and understanding that

will allow them to simply be themselve

We can only hope. l

Jim Ferolie is the editor of Your

Family magazine.

N A T U R E

M

A T H

R I T

I N G

R T

G A R D E N

I N G

S

P A N

I S

H

3 2 7 6 S . H i g h P o i n t R o a d , M a d i s o n , W I 5 3 7 1 9

6 0 8 . 8 4 5 . 3 2 4 5 | K i d s E x p r E s s . c o m

a d n o = 4 2 0 0 1 6 - 0 1

INSIDE YOUR FAMILY BY JIM FEROLIE


5/36


CONTENTSYOUR FAMILY Fall 2015

ON THE COVERABOUT A BOYOrion once thought he was alone, but he wasn’t

He’s one of several teens at his Madison high

school who consider themselves transgender, an

he’s found acceptance and encouragement not

only from his family and friends, but also from

his Fitchburg church. But discrimination persist

in many other places as he begins his journey to

being accepted by people around him as a male

despite having been born female.

Photo by Samantha Christia

page18

is published by

UNIFIED

NEWSPAPER GROUP

133 Enterprise Dr. PO Box 930427

Verona WI 53593(608) 845 9559

...................................GENERAL MANAGER

David Enstad

[email protected]

EDITOR

Jim Ferolie

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Ellen Koeller

PHOTO EDITORJeremy Jones

...................................YOUR FAMILY STAFF

Jacob Bielanski, Samantha Christian,

Scott De Laruelle, Scott Girard,

Mark Ignatowski, Nancy Garcia,

Anthony Iozzo, Donna Larson,

Bill Livick, Sandy Opsal,

Angie Roberts, Carolyn Schultz,

Catherine Stang and Laura Young

...................................CONTACT US

Send all questions or submissions to

[email protected]

...................................YOUR FAMILY

is printed four times a year by

Woodward Printing Services

If you would like to have a copy of Your Family

delivered to your home, the cost is $8.00 for 1 year.

Please call (608) 845-9559 for more information.

Publishers of the

Oregon Observer

Stoughton Courier Hub

Verona Press

Great Dane Shopping News

Fitchburg Star

Family Fun

5 orchards to pick your own apples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Day Trip Horicon Marsh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Union gets its due . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Madison Science Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Calendar of events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Family Food

My Blood Type is Coffee

The real life of an empty-nester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Recipes Whole-wheat spinach ricotta calzones,

Jamaica lime pie, blueberry ice cream . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Family Health

To Your Health: Should you go gluten-free? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Senior Living What if caregivers need help? . . . . . 22

Family Life

Advancing the art of poetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Hindus finding a new home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Planning for college

Promote success by instilling love of reading . . . . . . . . 27


6/36


FAMILYFUN

A s trees turn increasingly colorful

throughout fall, some will also

offer fresh, tasty treats.

Whether you want them to make

cider or pie or simply want produce as

fresh as it can be, apple picking can be a

great way to get outside and enjoy a dayin the fall.

And the Dane County area offers

plenty of opportunities. Some include

hay rides, corn mazes and other picking

opportunities and plenty of ways to

entertain children for a whole day. Here

are five of the numerous options within

driving distance.

P i c k

t he da y a w a y

by Scott GirardPhotos by Samantha Christian


7/36


FAMILYFUN

Photo submitted

Door Creek Orchard3252 Vilas Road, Cottage Grove

(608) 838-4762

doorcreekorchard.comThe Door Creek Orchard, just 10

minutes outside of Madison, has a feel

of getting far away from bustling city

life and offers plenty of picking options.

The family-owned and run orchard has

been around since 1984 and began usingorganic growing practices soon after it

opened.

“Back in the mid-80s, growers/owners

Tom and Gretchen realized that the less

they sprayed their fruit … the less they

had to spray,” the orchard’s website

reads.

The chance to pick from among 86

variet ies of apples begins Aug. 29 thi s

year.

If apples aren’t your favorite, the

orchard also grows grapes and pears,

plus has sheep for wool and meat,

honey and beeswax from bees on siteand onsite apple cider making.

Sutter’s Ridge2074 Sutter Drive, Mt. Horeb

(608) 832-6445

suttersridge.comIf you’ve got kids to entertain,

Sutter’s Ridge has plenty beyond apple

picking to keep them going for a day.

The orchard, located in Mount Horeb,

includes 20 varieties of apples and a

raspberry picking section.

But once you’ve gotten your fill of

fruit to eat and cook with, you can tryout the corn maze, get a wagon ride or

let your kids play in the activity area,

which includes a tricycle track, giant

hay pile, animals to feed and more.

The orchard, which accepts cash

or check only, also includes a small

shop with hot apple cider, pumpkin

bars, caramel apples and more to enjoy

while looking out over a beautiful rural

Wisconsin scene.

The orchard is open Thursday

through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

beginning Labor Day weekend through

the month of October.

Eplegaarden2227 Fitchburg Road, Fitchburg

(608) 845-5966

eplegaarden.comIf you’ve got Norwegian in your

blood, Eplegaarden is the place to go

for a bit of home nostalgia.

It also will offer some exciting

mystery, as what is available to pick and

where to pick it can change every day

throughout the season.

Depending on when you visit, you’ll

find apples, raspberries, squash, grapes,

popcorn, Indian Corn, pumpkins and

gourds to pick from.

Eplegaarden is open Tuesday,

Thursday and Saturday from 9 a.m.

to noon throughout August; Tuesday

through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and

Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout

September and October.

This orchard also hosts special

events most weekends throughout

September and October. For a full list,

see the website.

Appleberry Farm8079 Maurer Road, Cross Plains

(608) 798-2780

theappleberryfarm.comThe Appleberry Farm in Cross

Plains offers the chance to learn about

agricultural practices while getting you

fresh fruit.

The farm, which has apples and

pumpkins throughout the fal l season,offers educational hayrides, as well

as farm tours for larger groups that

schedule in advance.

If you’re there on a weekend for

lunch, the farm offers a “Cider Brat”

from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and

Sundays. The twist on the Wisconsin

classic includes sweet apple cider adde

to a bratwurst, which is soaked in hot

cider after grilling. Top it with apple an

onion relish and a dab of mustard to

complete the treat.

The family also makes fresh pressed

apple cider each week, with a blendof different apple varieties to balance

taste.

For information on hours and what

else to do at the Appleberry Farm, visi

the website.

Eugster’s Farm3865 Highway 138, Stoughton

(608) 873-3822

eugsters.comLocated between Oregon and

Stoughton, Eugster’s Farm offers

“u-pick” apples as maturity and harvestallows.

Their farm market also sells

prepicked apple variet ies if picking

isn’t your goal. Call ahead to find out

availability for picking.

Even if it’s a day without picking,

the farm includes a market and a large

pet ting farm where you can learn abou

traditional farm animals and farming

while enjoying different fun activities.

There is a charge for admission and

limited hours for the petting farm, thoug

so check out the farm’s website. l


8/36

8

YOUR FAMILY FALL 2015

MY BLOOD TYPE IS COFFEEBY RHONDA MOSSNER

The reality of being an empty-nester

FAMILYFOOD

We’re moving to a condo. You all

know what that means.

We’re downsizing. Again.

I believe this is the fourth, no the

fifth-time in the last 10 years. Did we

really start way back in 2005? Yep. I

have the boxes to prove it. I even have

one with stickers dating back to Pierre,

S.D.

I hate to admit it, but our son, who

just celebrated his 28th bir thday, was

born there. Yeah, it’s that bad.I needed to downsize even before

downsizing was cool.

Let’s be honest: I have a craft room

with some fabric and a few quilting

supplies. Maybe it’s a lot. Do you think

it’s too much if I have so many large

plastic tubs ful l that I have simply

slapped on the new moving destination

sticker each time we have relocated? It

seemed like the easiest way to deal with

the issue of clutter.

I thought if I ignored the problem it

would suddenly disappear. It didn’t.

My husband, in the interest of a

peaceful intervent ion, suggested we

try to take some pointers from the TV

show “Tiny House Nation.” If you are

unfamiliar, this is a show where they

build basically a small RV on wheelsinto a “tiny house” usually between 200-

400 square feet.

It all looks so easy. They just take

some trailer hitch and start putting up

walls and then the next thing you know,

it’s a “themed” little house.

Supposedly, if you have to live in

this “tiny house” it will cure all of your

clutter woes. I doubt it.

While the builders do their thing,

the new owners have to downsize

everything they own into a space as big

as a twin-sized bed. I’m not kidding.

Everything they own, right there on the

bed.

Oh, in case you are wondering, they

can’t take the bed. It’s too big.

What I’d like to see are the arguments

that go on with the couples behind-the-

scenes. The producers must get paid

overtime to keep quiet.

With this “tiny house” downsize

model in mind, I decided to first

conquer my craft room. I probably

should mention that I am an equal-

opportunity crafter. I pulled out tubs full

of quilting, scrapbooking, crocheting,beading and watercolor painting out of

my closet and spread it out all over the

floor.

For motivational purposes, I emptied

the last box after my husband was in

the room, and he was trapped. The room

was so full, the floor was no longer

vis ible.

Both of us stood in amazement, or

maybe it was the shock of reality. It

wasn’t long before we decided we were

too old for this kind of decision-making.

It was time to take care of the problem

once and for all.

It was also time for supper. We had

take action or starve, which left us onl

one solution.

We lined up the boxes and tubs and

very carefully along one wal l and start

packing. Just like before , everything fi

neatly back inside those tubs and boxe

Congratulations to our sons! They

will someday inherit old crochet hooks

and yards and yards of lovely fabric!

Won’t they be thrilled to take thesetreasures home to their wives?

Now, all we need are new destinatio

stickers and we’re all set to move to

that new condo. l

In addition to her blog,

TheDanglingThread.blogspot.com,

Rhonda Mossner is a professional

speaker, quilter and chef. She is

known as The Quilter Cook and travel

throughout the area sharing her quilts

stories and recipes.

MONSTERCOOKIES

Here’s a favorite recipe as old as

that box from South Dakota!

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 stick butter, softened1½ cups brown sugar

1½ cups peanut butter

1 cup white sugar

4½ cups oatmeal

¾ teaspoon vanilla2 ⁄ 3 cup chocolate chips

1 teaspoon light corn syrup2 ⁄ 3 cup candy coated chocolate pieces2 teaspoon baking soda

Mix in order. Drop by

teaspoonsful onto ungreased cookie

sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake at 350

degrees for 10 minutes.

KidsNeed

GoodHomes

Foster Parents Needed!

608-233-9204 or 800-660-9204

Desire to make a difference in a child’s life?

Family Works Programs, Inc. is looking for people interested inbecoming treatment foster parents.

We provide: • Training

• Weekly Social Worker Contact• Respite• Monthly Support Groups

• 24-Hour Crisis Intervention

• Compensation Based on theNeeds of the Child

Make a difference, call today!

Foster Parents Needed!

www.family-works.com a

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9/36

A s a retail dietitian, I get asked

all kinds of questions related

to food and nutrition. I love the

variety of questions I receive, but one

topic that is consistently at the top is

gluten.

Among other things, people wonder

if gluten or wheat is bad for them, if

they can stop weight gain by not eating

it and if they’ll be healthier if they go

gluten-free. These questions and more

are common concerns of customers Ihear thanks to the barrage of – often

misleading – information coming at us

every day from the media.

It’s no wonder that sales for gluten-

free food and beverages were up

to $10.5 billion in 2013 and that 36

percent of people who eat gluten-f ree

do so for reasons other than sensitivity

and 65 percent do so because they

think it’s healthier.

But that’s not necessarily the case,

particularly if it comes at the expense

of a well-balanced diet.

Before you even think of goinggluten-free, it’s important to know

what gluten is. Gluten is a protein

found in wheat products, including

wheat, rye and barley. The purpose

of gluten is to help provide structure

in baked goods, and it gives bread its

elasticity. This should make sense,

since most gluten-free products are

usually flat and crispy or very dense.

There’s really nothing bad about

proteins found in wheat. Only

individuals who have Celiac disease –

an autoimmune disease where the body

reacts to the gluten – or who have a

gluten intolerance would benefit from

staying away from gluten.

While a gluten intolerance isn’t life-

threatening, the discomfort of having

gluten can be enough to cause people

to stay away from it.

While you may not have a gluten

intolerance, the question remains

whether it’s a healthy switch from your

wheat-based foods. That all depends on

what you’re currently eating right now.

On one hand, going gluten-free may

help you steer clear of the processed

foods and packaged desserts that

have gluten hidden away in them. A

diet filled with refined grains, such

as white bread and pasta, can lead

to inflammation, obesity and chronic

diseases. If a gluten-free diet helps you

eliminate these, then sure, maybe a

gluten-free diet is what you need to be

healthier.

Choosing naturally gluten-free

whole foods will help you start feeling

noticeably better – whether you’vemade the decision to be strictly gluten-

free or not.

However, because so many

individuals are going gluten-free,

companies are providing more

products for you to choose from now,

from cookies and pastries to refined

grained pastas and breads. If you

switch from gluten-containing cookies

to gluten-free cookies, both of which

are full of added sugar and refined

grains, you’re not eating healthier or

benefiting yourself. Not to mention,

gluten-free products often have moreingredients added in to reach the same

consistency we are used to.

The same concept applies if a

vegetarian was to eat almost only

grains and carbohydrate sources,

leaving out the fruits and vegetables –

which hardly counts as a “vegetarian.”

While the concept of following a

vegetarian diet can be a good one (if

followed the way it’s intended), in

reality, it can do little more than leave

you with an unbalanced li festyle.

My suggestion is this: If you don’t

have to eat gluten-free for dietary

reasons, rather than restricting

yourse lf to a limited number of gluten

free grains and feeling deprived in

order to “be healthier,” opt for a well-

balanced diet that includes whole

grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean

sources of protein most of the time. And your dessert – wel l, that can b

a cookie with or without gluten. Your

call. l

Kara Hoerr, MS, RD, CD, is the

registered dieti tian at the Fitchburg

Hy-Vee. This information is not

intended as medical advice. Please

consult a medical professional for

individual advice.


FAMILYHEALTH

The facts and fiction ofgluten-free diets

TO YOUR HEALTHBY KARA HOERR

www.siennacrest.com

Memory Care

989 Park St.835-0000

981 Park St. Oregon

(608) 835-7781

Your Community Resourceto Older Adult Care!


10/36

Story and photos by Samantha Christian

D a y

T r i p...

Fall is fleeting and ever-changing, especially in

Wisconsin. One day, the sun shimmers through rustling

treetops of auburn and gold … and the next, rain clouds

pel t the leaves to the gro und in damp, drab layers .

If you want to take advantage of the sights and sounds

of autumn before the cold hush of winter arrives, one great

way is to lace up your hiking boots, bring along a pair of

binoculars and pack a snack for a trip to Horicon.

This small city in north-central Dodge County is only

an hour’s drive from Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh or

Whitewater, which leaves the whole day open for exploration.

Banners affixed to its downtown light poles highlight the

centennial legacy of the John Deere Horicon Works factory(where many of its 3,600 residents are employed), but it is

the nearby natural wonders that draw tens of thousands of

vis itors to the area each year.

Best known is the Horicon Marsh, a state and national

wildlife refuge for more than 300 species of birds and other

critters. The “City on the Marsh” is at the southern tip of the

country’s largest freshwater cattail marsh, which spans over

33,000 acres to the north, into Fond du Lac County.

To catch an elevated glimpse of this massive sanctuary

and surrounding woods popping with color, take a short

drive east to Ledge Park. But watch your step while walking

along the rocky cliff, which is part of the Niagara Escarpment

geological formation that arches through the Great Lakes

region.

Both of these sights were familiar to me through class fiel

trips and family outings, since I grew up in a rural farming

community just south of Horicon. My mom, Carol Christian,

and I decided to revisit them last October, which ultimately

got us on a nature kick.

Despite being amateurs, we even signed up for a birding

festival along Lake Superior this past spring, but it proved to

be much easier to spot and identify migrating birds at their

resting stop at Horicon Marsh.

Go out on a ledge As we dro ve on country roads past dairy and wind farms,

my mom pointed to a cluster of trees on a hill in the distance

“That’s it,” I said.

But the phrase, rather than an exclamation, trailed off into

a question. Clearly, Ledge Park was a distant memory for me

My skepticism was reversed once we made it to the top of

the hill, where we were met by towering maples cloaked in

yel low and signs for campsites and hiking trails. I was eager

to get out of the vehicle and start our adventure.

What surprised me most was how quiet walking through

the woods was, with the exception of the occasional

chattering squirrel or chipmunk. The birds must have been

busy visiting the marsh, which is visible from a scenic

overlook. The view is impressive year-round but especially

Natural

wonders

FAMILYFUN

Fall foliage, migratory birds ourish in

Dodge County gem, Horicon

The Eggerts from Caledonia and Sweets from Milwaukee explore Ledge Park in October 201



11/36

FAMILYFUNLedge ParkPark Road, HoriconOpen 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.for day use(920) 386-3700www.co.dodge.wi.us/index.aspx?page=422

Centers and FriendsHoricon Marsh has state, federand nonprot centers as well as

two Friends groups to help withprojects and plans.

Horicon Marsh Educationand Visitor Center N7725 Hwy. 28, Horicon(920) 387-7860Explorium open 9 a.m. to5 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to

5 p.m. weekends, exceptmajor holidays Admission: $6 adult, $4 studen(5-17), free children 4 and undednr.wi.gov/topic/lands/wildlifeareas/horicon

Horicon National Wildlife

Refuge Visitor Center W4279 Headquarters Road,Mayville(920) 387-2658

fws.gov/refuge/Horicon

Marsh Haven Nature CenteW10145 Hwy. 49, WaupunOpen April through mid-November: Noon to 4 p.m.weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.weekends Admission: $2 adult, $1 child(920) 324-5818marshhaven.com

Friends of the HoriconNational Wildlife Refuge(920) 387-2658 ext. 117horiconnwrfriends.org

Friends of Horicon MarshEducation and VisitorCenter (920) 387-7890horiconmarsh.org

FALL 2015 YOUR FAMILY A great blue heron stalks its prey in the shallow marsh.

A chipmunk pauses on a log while carryingold leaves in its mouth at Ledge Park.

A gartersnake slithers through fallenleaves at Horicon Marsh.

Maddy and Miguel Osuna traveled with their family from Chicago to see the Horicon Marsh.They are pictured outside of the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in October 2014.

when the leaves are changing in fall.

As we walked down natura l limestone steps and tried to squeeze through

crevices and peer into caves, I imagined how exhilarating it must have felt for

someone to stumble upon this place long ago. Light penetrated an opening in the

rocks where a single tree stood, cascading shelves of fungi clinging to its aged

bark.

Although trails total just over two miles in the 83-acre park, the going is slow on

the rocky terrain and outcroppings, especially because the moss-covered rocks and

carpet of leaves can be slick. One of the trails took over a half-hour to complete,

though we were also making frequent stops for photos.

Park officials warn that extra caution is needed for children who walk near the

cliffs due to steep drop-offs, some between 30 and 50 feet. However, some of the

trails on the lower part of the park are much more accessible.

Benches surround the Contemplation Tree at the base of the park for those whowant to take a break or reflect. Continued on page 12


12/36

FAMILYFUNNATURAL WONDERSContinued from page 11

Maze through the marshKnowing how much there is to see at Horicon Marsh, we

decided to leave Ledge Park early and just snack on granola

bars rather than breaking the momentum with a full lunch.

It is possible to walk, drive, bike, paddle and even hunt in

different areas of the marsh, but it can become a confusing

maze through the prairie, marsh and forest unless you are

equipped with a detailed map. If snow comes early, there arealso opportunities for cross country skiing and snowshoeing.

Be sure to check out resources and trail maps online or at

the various visitor centers before you decide how you want to

experience the marsh.

My mom and I made the mistake of just winging it. We

still had a great time driving through some parts and walking

others, including a floating boardwalk on the northern end

that is also handicapped-accessible, but we could have

covered more area instead of backtracking if we had chosen a

specific route to follow.

Still, there is no required start or finish line, since you

can pick up the trail at various points along the loop. And no

matter where you are or what time of year you come, you will

see birds. Lots of them.

Four-season fun A sign near one of the parking lots refers to the changing

seasons as acts in a play and asks the reader which act

the refuge is performing that day. Act 1: Winter – A Subtle

Scene of owls, hawks, deer and foxes; Act 2: Spring – An

Awakening of coots, herons, egrets and warblers; Act 3:

Summer – New Life Emerges with baby muskrats and fluffy

ducklings; and Act 4: Fall – The Big Finale of geese, ducksand cranes flocking to the marsh to rest and feed before the

long migration south.

We were certainly witnessing the final act. The shallow

water was full of honking Canada geese and a variety of

ducks. From a distance they all looked like mallards, but ou

binoculars revealed several different species that we had

never seen before.

In some areas we were driving with water on both sides o

us, so I poked my head through the sunroof for a 360-degree

view while my mom steered, which came in handy to captur

shots of an egret flying overheard. We pulled over to watch

great blue heron deliberately dip its stilts into the water wit

barely a ripple to search for its next meal.

While you can cover more area in a vehicle, you’ll needto step outside to really get immersed in its melodies. The

overlapping cackle of sandhill cranes may drown out the

sound of water gurgling, frogs ribbiting or tall reeds shaking

in the wind, but each note signals the vitality and season of

the marsh.

People of all ages can learn more about the history of the

marsh and the types of birds and animals that stop there

through informational signs on the trails and interactive

exhibits at the nature centers, including the Explorium,

which opened in August 2015.

Food with local flair

For those looking to fill up their bellies before embarkingon this active trip, consider stopping in at Horicon’s local

establishments for a bite to eat.

Enjoy a sandwich or burger with a view at The Rock Rive

Tap, 110 W. Lake St. This bar and gri ll has expanded over

the years to add a dining room and deck for outdoor seating

overlooking the Rock River.

If kids’ palates can be hard to please, drive across the

bridge to try the expansive menu at Mother’s Day Family

Restaurant, 417 E. Lake St., open daily, for an affordable

meal. The dated decor, scalloped booths and floral chairs on

wheels only add to the charm of this homey diner.

Then, for dessert, walk up a block to the Ice Cream

Station, 518 E. Lake St., and choose from over 25 flavors of

Cedar Crest ice cream at the corner of, wait for it ... CedarStreet. Fall hours may vary.

Since there are multiple access points to the marsh, you

could visit Ledge Park first and break for lunch in Mayville,

just northeast of Horicon, before winding through the water

and prairies. Within just a few blocks downtown you’ll have

the options of American, Chinese, Mexican, Italian and

Creole cuisine.

But nothing says fall like a caramel apple, and Tom Doole

Orchards, W5759 Hwy. 49, Waupun, at the northern tip of th

marsh, does not disappoint. Opening late August through

November, the bakery will offer all things apple, including

breads, scones, pies and new cider apple cream puffs, all

made from scratch and prepared fresh daily. l12


To

Hustisford

MapProducedBy:US Fish & Wildlife Service Dodge County Land Resources & Parks

May, 2012

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Wet Periods: May not be passible duringhigh water / rainy periods.

Gravel Road: May not be suitable for thin bike tires / difficult travel.

Traffic: High speed and/or heavy vehicle traffic adjacent to bike route. Use extra caution or alternative route.

Community Access Route

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Map sponsored in part by the Friends of Dodge County Parks, Inc. in memory of Frank Dummann (1924-2007); teacher and entrepreneur.Frank owned The Bike Shop in Mayville and was a long time supporter of the Wild Goose Trail and biking in the Horicon Marsh area.

Map sponsored in part by Horicon Bank – The Natural Choice – www.horiconbank.com

Federal Refuge Office/ Visitor Center

Bud Cook

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Marsh Haven

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i EllsworthSt.

Dodge Co. Ledge Park

BIKE ROUTE / AUTO TOUR AND HIKING TRAILS

Suggested Bicycle Route

(Entire Loop: 36 Miles)

Auto Use

(Entire Loop: 36 Miles)


13/36

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesis unveiling the new Explorium in the Horicon MarshEducation and Visitor Center in August 2015.

I got a sneak peak of the $3.7 million project, which

features wildlife displays, historical artifacts and interactiveexhibits, on a tour led by wildlife conservation educator LizHerzmann two weeks before opening day.

When she opened the door in the lower level of thebuilding and flipped on the lights, I almost let out a shriek.I was startled by a realistic mannequin (which, I found outmoments later, was modeled after Herzmann) crouching in

front of a partially 3-D marsh scene just in front of me.“The Explorium’s goal is to tell the story of the marsh,”

she said. “So basically, to tell people about how the marshwas created, the human history on the marsh, the wildlife

on the marsh and then the ways that we take care of andmanage the marsh today.’’

The journey through the Explorium will take people backthrough time to understand Horicon Marsh’s history while

having fun along the way. It starts with a walk through theglaciers in the Ice Age and a face-to-face view of a woollymammoth to illustrate the marsh as hunting grounds 10,000 years ago. People wil l learn how humans have affected the

marsh over time, including building a dam in 1845 to createa lake and draining it in 1910 to convert it to farmland, aswell as introducing commercial hunting.

Look for a clovis spearpoint on displays to be your guide

through different periods of time. Quotes from naturalists,

such as Wisconsin’s Aldo Leopold and John Muir, are scribed

on walls to transition between rooms.

Since many school-aged children are expected to visit

the Explorium, there are a few hands-on activities, such as

a predator-and-prey matching game. Kids can also crawl

through a muskrat hole and look up to see live turtles

through a glass bottomed display.

You may feel as though you’ve been shrunk upon entering

the oversized, underwater world of the marsh and its

creatures, and you can also get a photograph souvenir after

riding an airboat simulator.

Herzmann said that conversations about this projectstarted in 2009, but the design process didn’t take off until

2013. She has been part of the project’s core team and

has seen it progress from beginning to end. Before the

Explorium opened, she estimated that 50,000 people would

come through the visitor center each year.

“It’s our goal in the next three years to triple that,” she

said.

The center is planning a few free programs for the public

at the end of August to mark the Explorium’s grand opening.

They include Archery Day at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Aug. 27,

Wild Edibles of the Marsh at 10 a.m. and Night Sounds Hike

at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 28, and Edible Berries at 10 a.m. Aug. 29.

Explorium opens at marsh


Kids can learn about predator and prey relationships by playing a matching game with oversized photo blocks at Horicon Marsh’s new Explorium.

FAMILYFUN


14/36


O ver the next year-and-a-half,

Kimberly Blaeser hopes to

make poetry more accessible to

Wisconsinites and to take the art form

to “unexpected places.”

As someone who grew up around

poetry and had a love for language, she

wants to see poetry appear in places

outside its normal classroom setting –

on the radio, at recreational events and

at botanical gardens.

That’s how she’s approaching her

two-year duty as Wisconsin PoetLaureate, which she was appointed to

in January. A University of Wisconsin-

Milwaukee professor of English, Blaeser

has published three collections of

her poetry and has written and edited

several other books. At the university,

she teaches creative writing, Native

American literature and American

nature writing.

Blaeser is the state’s first Native

American to serve as poet laureate. Her

Anishinaabe ancestry and upbringing

on the White Earth Reservation in

northwest Minnesota play a significantrole in her work and interest in

literature, she said.

She has been active in Milwaukee’s

social and academic community,

having founded the Milwaukee Native

American Literary Cooperative in 2012.

The organization helped to bring 75

Native American writers to Milwaukee

for the 20th Anniversary Returning

the Gift Festival of Native Writers and

Storytellers.

And since being appointed, she ’s also

been active in trying to promote her

vis ion of bringing poetry to the masses.

The sound of language

In an interview with Your Family,Blaeser said her family instilled the

importance of “the sound of language”

in her at a young age.

“As a child I began writing poetry, but

beyond that, both my parents enjoyed

poetry,” Blaeser recal led . “My dad used

to recite it. We would take long road

trips back to Montana, because he

worked construction out there, and at

the least provocation he could just go

into a poem. He was of an era when

people did memorize poems.”

In fact, her entire family memorized

poems, including hersel f and her

brother, and she could name her

parents’ favorites.

“I don’t think everyone could say th

about their parents,” she observed.

Blaeser’s childhood experiences gav

her “a sense of this oral reality – that

the sound of language is important –

since I was small. And it was not just

poetry. It was also storytel ling and

music.”

As an adult, she ’s wri tten and

published fiction, creative nonfiction,and worked for a couple of years as

a journalist. So while not exclusively

a poet, Blaeser said the art form has

remained important to her, and she’s

“always kept some kind of writing

going.”

“I’ve been a steady journal writer fo

most of my life,” she said.

Blaeser thinks part of the reason

she’s been drawn to the written word

is that she was “such a shy little child.

Writing allowed her to express though

and feelings that she may have been to

reticent to convey verbally. As Poet Laureate, she hopes to tak e

that interest and love of language to a

larger community.

Spreading the wordBlaeser’s charge as Poet Laureate is

to foster and encourage the growth of

poetry in Wisconsin. She wasted no tim

in meeting that challenge after being

appointed in January.

She began by being a guest on the

Milwaukee School of Engineering publ

radio station, WMSE, 91.7, where she

Photo by John FisherKimberly Blaeser was appointed Wisconsin Poet

Laureate in January and hopes to make the artform “more accessible” and less formal and

“staid” for the state’s residents.

FAMILYLIFE

About Wisconsin PoetLaureate

In May of 2011, the Wisconsin Academy announced its stewardshipof the Wisconsin Poet Laureateprogram to ensure its survival andsupport the Wisconsin Poet LaureateCommission after Gov. Scott Walkereliminated state support for theposition.

Created by Gov. Tommy Thompsonin July 2000, and continued byGov. Jim Doyle, the Wisconsin PoetLaureate Commission’s purposeis to conduct the Wisconsin PoetLaureate selection process, assignresponsibilities to the elected poetlaureate and assist that individual inperforming ofcial duties.

Advancing the art of

Poet Laureate hopes to spread it to‘unexpected places’

by Bill Livick


15/36

FAMILYLIFE

talked about her background and plans

for the coming two years.

She plans to make a monthly

appearance on the station as a guest

host, where she’ll put together a show

on poetry featuring Wisconsin poets or

events that are happening in the state.

Blaeser has also been featured on

Wisconsin Public Radio, where she talked

about art and her role as Poet Laureate.Other public appearances early in her

two-year tenure have taken place at the

Madison Museum of Contemporary Art,

and at various commencements around

the state. Each time, she writes a poem

specifically for the occasion and recites

it.

Blaeser said she hopes to “revitalize

the recitation element of poetry”

throughout the state. One way is

simply by asking poets and others what

poems they know by heart as she vis its

classrooms and other venues.

She’s also working on a plan toorganize “a big recitation event” next

Apr il – poetry month in Wisconsin.

“I’ve already gotten people excited

about this,” she said. “When I go to do a

reading or a talk, I often ask, ‘Who in this

room knows a poem by heart?’

“I often get my students to do this as a

part of our class as wel l,” Blaeser added.

“I think it’s important to memorize poems

and recite them.”

Another idea is to take poetry to

“unexpected places.” For example,

close to her home in Lyons Township,

near Burlington, there’s a place called

Northwind Perennial Farm, which she

described as being like a botanical

garden, petting zoo and a plant nurseryall in one.

“I thought it would be great to have

some poetry events among the flowers

– have a performance but also have

people come and be encouraged through

a process of writing, and then share their

work,” she said.

Blaeser said she’s working with the

owners to find a date for the event.

She has other places in mind, all with

the intention of taking poetry outside

the classroom, where it’s often viewed as

something for academics and “is sort of

stiff and formal and staid.”“So I want it to have other homes and

come alive for people in a way that you

don’t have to be an academic or a ‘poet’

to enjoy,” Blaeser said.

“I hope to bring poetry to unexpected

places and have it be a less fearful

activity for people.” l

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Blaser’s

poetry

collectionBlaeser is the author of three

acclaimed poetry collections:“Apprenticed to Justice”(2007), “Absentee Indiansand Other Poems” (2002),and “Trailing You” (1994).Her books have earned

national as well asinternational recognition.Her poems have beentranslated into severallanguages, including Spanish,Norwegian, Indonesian and Anishinaabemowin.

Blaeser has performed her

poetry at over 200 differentvenues in a dozen countries,including performancesat the Borobudur Templein Indonesia and in a FireCeremony at the BorderlandsMuseum Grounds in arcticNorway.



16/36

16


Story and photos by Scott De Laruelle

FAMILYLIFE

A s the Hindu population in the

Dane County area continues to

grow – along with local interest

in the culture – work continues to

fund a new facility under construction

designed to serve the entire community.

In the past decade, the number

of Hindu families in the county has

exploded, with people arriving fromIndia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal,

said American Hindu Association (AHA)

chair Mahesh Sharma, who has lived in

the area for more than two decades.

“When I moved here, there were only

20-25 families,” he said. “Now there are

3,000-plus families, just from Madison,

not Dane County suburbs or Rock

County. That is why we wanted to buy

a bigger (area of) land, so there will be

enough place.”

The AHA is a non-profit Hindu

cultural and heritage organization

founded in 1997 to serve the greater

Madison. The group is building a new

7,000-square-foot temple and community

center at their 7-acre property at 2138

S. Fish Hatchery Road to replace the

existing facility, a converted old house

that holds only around 50 people.

The outside of the structure has been

completed, but the group is still raisingfunds to finish the inside. Sharma said

the AHA has “big plans” for the facility,

and continued improvements to the

area.

“We can make it a very nice grounds

and park,” he said. “And it’s not just for

the Indian community, it’s for anybody

else. If anybody wants to come, they are

most welcome.”

Stretching outPeople from the area have been

coming to the temple in larger and

larger numbers for a variety of reasons

Sharma said – from July’s Rathyatra

Festival to practicing yoga, another

famous export of India.

A yoga session in June drew 200

people , mostly from outside the Ind ian

community. That’s a connection Sharm

hopes to build on.

“My motto is to give everybody a fre yoga class and that wil l drive them to

come inside and know about you more

Find out moreAmerican Hindu Association

Community Center

2138 S. Fish Hatchery Road

aha-svtemple.org

[email protected]

234-8634

The American Hindu Association’s fourth annual India Festivaldrew more than 800 people on July 18.

Spreading cultureLocal Hindu leaders hope to increase awareness of area’s growing community


17/36

‘It’s a different kind of

culture, different kind of food

– colorful, unique.’

— Mahesh Sharma,

American Hindu Association chair

he said with a laugh. “Yes, (yoga) is from far; from the

Indian people. But we want to provide, and we can

provide, a lot of facil ities and guidance and free things

here.

“It’s a different kind of culture, different kind of

food – colorful, unique – once you start knowing it,

you get sort of curious and want to know what it is. ”

Sharma hopes yoga’s recent rise in popularity in

the United States bodes well for people of traditional

western upbringings wanting to learn more about

Hinduism. Yoga and meditation – key Hindu practices– are good for everyone, he said, no matter what their

religious background.

“It’s a scientific fact – if you do a lot of meditation,

you wil l have a lot of rel ief ; a lot of disease wil l go

away if you practice that,” he said. “Meditation is just

the religion that we do.”

AHA member Bik ash Pattanik said vis itors are

welcome to drop by anytime, as there is a priest who

lives on-site.

“We can answer any questions,” he said. “Our priest

speaks English and five other Indian languages.

“Hindus are most liberal – if you don’t want to pray,

you can come here and join some functions, or join a yoga class, or if you just want to come and see what it

is and ask questions.”

Rathyatra FestivalOn July 18, nearly 1,000 people came out for

the AHA’s Fourth Annual India Festival, held in

conjunction with Rathyatra, one of the most popular

Hindu celebrations of the year – in part because it’s

held outside.

That works locally as well, Pattanik said, given the

group’s “crowded” space situation.

The one-day event, which features lots of Indian

food, dancing and music, as well as the traditional

Hindu chariot procession, provides a snapshot of the

growing Hindu population and its thriving culture in

the Dane County area. Pattanik said the 5,000-year-old

ceremony attracts millions of people around the world.

He said the chariot ceremony incorporates some of the

most important traits of the Hindu religion.

“It’s a pretty big event,” Pattanik said. “I saw one

in Paris; if you go to Detroit, there are four chariot

festivals. We bring in the chariots, and they are like

living gods.”

Sharma would love to someday see a chariot

being pulled down Madison’s State Street in front of

enthusiastic crowds.

“That would be something,” he said with a big smile.

“That is our goal.” l

American Hindu Association member Bikash Pattanik and AHA chairMahesh Sharma stand in front of the new temple and cultural center undeconstruction at the Fish Hatchery Road location. The outside is complete,

but the association is raising funds to finish the inside.

FAMILYLIFE

Festival women line up from inside the temple to the chariot to carry GoddessSubhadra (Sister of Krishna or Jagannath) on their head as a procession duringthe Rathyatra Festival on July 18.



18/36


Becoming

himself

FAMILYLIFE

A Fitchburg teen’s transgender journey

begins with family, school and church

O

rion is not your typical teenager.The 15-year-old student at

Madison West studies Latin andis interested in the field of acousticallevitation – the science of using soundwaves to suspend and move objects.

He claims to be a “huge” Dr. Who fan,though he admits he hasn’t seen manyepisodes prior to the 2005 reboot.

And Orion – whose las t name Your

Family magazine is withholding at thefamily’s request – was born with thename “Molly.”

In April of this year, he revealed his

new identity to his church congregationat Memorial United Church of Christ in

Fitchburg, following his announcementthat the church would be holding a

workshop on the matter. When “Molly”told those gathered that the event wasimportant to him because he wanted tobe called Orion and henceforth referred

to as “he,” the announcement was metwith wide applause, according to pastorPhil Haslanger.

“That startled me, I hadn’t expected

that response – I thought people would just nod and say ‘OK, cool, ’” Haslangersaid, “So it was really a very affirmingmoment, I think, for Orion to have

that experience.”Orion’s mother said his true gender

identity has expressed itself since middleschool, which, she jokes, made clothesshopping that much easier.

“He would just go up to (his older

brother’s) old clothes, which I wassaving for (his younger brother), and juststeal them all,” Orion’s mother said.

But his father counters that special

occasions were made that much moredifficult.

“It was also surprisingly difficultwhenever we said, ‘You need a dress for

eighth-grade graduation’ or, ‘You need adress for homecoming,’” Orion’s father

said. At this, mom broke into laughter,

“That was quite funny seeing (Orion)walk out in a green, lacy dress, walkinglike a football player.”

Though Orion remembers feeling at

odds with his birth gender as early asmiddle school, it was his arrival at highschool, and the discovery of other transteens, that helped him understand those

feelings.“The more I got to know about being

transgender, the more I realized – that’swho I was,” Orion said.

Photo submitted

Photo by Samantha ChristiOrion smiles while listening to his brother during an Aug. 5 interview with Your FamiBelow, Orion poses near his home in Fitchburg just prior to receiving a haircut in Ap

by Jacob Bielanski


19/36


FAMILYLIFE

Journey to acceptanceEven as transgender issues take

center stage, the path to genderaffirmation and acceptance is not as easyas finding new clothes.

Darla Lannert, a volunteer with theOutReach LGBT Community Center anda transgender woman, explained thatfamily acceptance is the most important

component to a healthy transition.“Parents really have to get in the

groove and really saturate themselveswith what’s happening in the transgender

community,” Lannert said.It’s a fact that’s not lost on Orion’s

family. His oldest brother, who will go tocollege this fall to study material science,

said that though Orion’s revelation wasnot a surprise, he still sometimes hastrouble with the pronoun. He admittedto slipping up only a few days prior to

talking with Your Family magazine.“I can’t say I was surprised because he

had never been feminine at all, “ Orion’sbrother said. “It was just tough to get

used to at first.”Though small, Orion said that simple

act of acceptance – saying he versus she,

him versus her – has a noticeable impacton his mood and quality-of-life.

“I feel a lot happier beingacknowledged as male,” Orion started,before clarifying further. “When peopleacknowledge me as male, I feel a lot

happier.”The journey to this acceptance,

however, went through more than merely

the sensibilities of those closest to Orion.

Attending Madison West High School ,he said, was his first exposure totransgender identity. Up to that point, hehad only ever heard the term transsexual

and, even then, “only in passing and witha negative connotation.”

The distinction is not a minor one tothose like Lannert, who does not like the

term.“Well, I think that when we say

transsexual … what (that) connotatesfor me is ‘something sexual,’” Lannert

said. “Transgender is nothing sexual – it’sabout becoming who we are.”

Orion credits his ability to comeforward as male, in part, to the open

presen ce of other transgender teens atthe school. Lannert added that manytransgender people seem to continue

hiding their identity, in part, with the

belief that they are alone.Orion said he first started

experimenting with his gender identity

at school by signing his assignments“Orion” and placing his birth name,

Molly, in parenthesis. Educators at Westcaught on, and simply began referring thim as Orion.

The acceptance grew with the steps

he took.“I went to school one day and told on

of my gender-fluid friends … ‘Hey, could you please cal l me Orion, use he and his

instead of she and hers for pronouns

from now on?’” Orion said. “They justlooked at me and said ‘Hey, high five! Awesome!’”

Price of discriminationIn Madison and beyond, coming to

grips with transgender feelings has rare

been about high-fives and awkwardclothing moments.

For decades, people who haveidentified as transgendered have faceddiscrimination that has significantlyaffected their ability to live healthy

adult lives. Lannert said even schoolsthat profess LGBTQA friendliness, suchas West, often stop short of mitigating

the effects of non-acceptance by fellowteachers and students.

“Accepting (trans teens) and actingon that are two different things – what

happens to trans people is the bullying

that takes place while they’re intransition,” Lannert said. “I think that’sthe thing that drives young trans people

to take their lives – it’s a huge issue inthe trans community.”

‘Transgender is nothing sexual – it’s about

becoming who we are.’ — Darla Lannert, OutReach LGBT volunteer

Continued on page 2

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Photo submittedMolly, as Orion was then known, poses with her

homecoming date.


20/36


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BECOMING HIMSELFContinued from page 19

Madison doesn’t have to dig deep to

find examples of this impact. In early

2014, the community was rocked by the

suicide of Madison West senior Mindy

Fabian.

Born Nathan Fabian, the teen also

dealt with issues of anxiety and anger

throughout her life, the Wisconsin State

Journal reported. Fabian ult imately

jumped to her death f rom a downtown

apartment building.

“In hindsight, I’m sure everything

was tied together,” Fabian’s father

told the State Journal at the time. “I

can’t imagine getting up every morning

and not wanting to be in the body youhave.”

Luckily, Orion doesn’t profess to

having dealt with similar emotions.

He attributes the issue to teens who

are forced to hide who they are, often

living at odds with the body they were

born with, and the person they feel they

are. As such, Orion said he hasn’t dealt

with any major psychological issues

surrounding his gender identity.

For someone like Fabian, who was

out, Orion posits that it can also come

from being out, but “facing a lot of

negative pressure from family and

friends,” – the last word spoken with a

sarcastic gesturing of air quotes.

Lannert acknowledges her struggles

a decade ago might not be the same

ones faced by trans teens today.

Lannert was 54 when she finally

came out about her gender to her wife

in 2004. Up until that time – from stints

serving combat tours in Vietnam toworking what she called a “macho”

job in transportation – Lannert had

never considered the possibility that

her feelings were part of a genuine

expression of identity.

“I just assumed I was a cross

dresser,” Lannert said.

Cultural awakeningBoth Lannert and Orion’s family

see hope in the recent high-profilecoming-out of Caitlyn Jenner, who firstgained fame four decades ago as a male

Olympian decathlete. Orion’s father notethat Jenner’s outing helps to show thatidentifying as transgender is not “weird.

“Again, maybe Caitlyn isn’t a goodexample of that,” Orion’s father joked.“She did marry a Kardashian.”

Though Jenner’s launch into thespotlight has been controversial,

Orion’s family, their pastor and Lannertagree that it’s forcing people to have aconversation that traditionally has beenignored.

Having that conversation, withoutfear of reprisal, is the first step toward abetter life for teens like Orion.

“I think the transgender issues are so

out, so visible, that we are at least gettin

to speak without maybe sometimesgetting a hostile environment,” Lannertsaid.

The changes can be seen at the policylevel.

In addition to the recent affirmation bthe U.S. Supreme Court of gay couples’

right to marry – which is importantto trans couples since gender identitydoes not necessarily include a changein sexual orientation or even surgical

modification – California has recentlyled the way with legislation banning

the “gay-’’ or “trans panic” defense incourts. Though rarely invoked, the legal

defense has granted leniency in casesof serious assault and murder when thedefendants claim to have been “shocked

by discovery of the assigned gender orsexual orientation of the victim.

Though few cases of it have been

successfully invoked, the defense was

most famously used in the case of Gwen

Araujo. Araujo was born a man and

identified as female when she was beaten

and strangled to death by four different

men. Using the “trans panic” defense

resulted in a hung jury in the first trial,which sought first degree murder charge

The defendants ultimately received

convictions on lesser charges of second-

degree murder and manslaughter.

“We’re protected here in Dane County

Lannert said, referring to discrimination

protections that extend to those who

identify as transgender, “But once

we leave Dane County, we’re not so

protected.”

Orion said he’s not overly concerned

with the world he’ll approach when he

becomes an adult, but recognizes that

‘When people acknowledge me as male,

I feel a lot happier.’Orion, transgender teen

Continued on page


21/36

When Darla Lannert first began running meetings of the

Madison Area Transgender Association at the OutReach LGBTCommunity Center in 2013, the crowds, she said, drew perhaps

“eight or nine” attendees.

Now the semi-weekly meetings draw anywhere from 20 to 50

people .

“It blows my mind,” Lannert said.

The OutReach LGBT Community Center traces its roots

to back to 1969 and the incorporation of the Madison Gay

Center. Since its inception, the group has provided support and

educational services in defense of gay and lesbian groups.

Over the years, the group has expanded its mission, and

it now includes advocacy and support for the transgender

population. Par t of its mission is to “create a community where

the presence and contributions of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,

Transgender people are welcomed and celebrated,” according toits website.

Lannert said that estimates at the national level identifies

roughly 1,000 transgender people in the area – three to five

percent of approximately 25,000 who identi fy as LGBT.

“I don’t know a thousand trans people – I know hundreds,”

Lannert said. “But some people just never come out – we stay

hidden, we’re afraid.”

Getting the word out that there are other trans people is

often the first step to helping people come out.Technology,

Lannert said, has expanded the reach of trans issue awareness,

helping those confused about their gender identity to know that

there’s tens of thousands of others who share their experience.

“What’s comforting for young people is that if they know

that there’s other people like them, this gives them such

hope,” Lannert said. “You might think you’re the only person inMadison … that identifies other than their birth gender.”

Lannert’s own journey to accept herself began in 2004,

in Montana. The Vietnam veteran had simply felt she was a

“cross-dresser,” but found comfort in the “authentic” life she

experienced as a female. Lannert moved back to Wisconsin in

2007, and today drives a cab and is a regular volunteer with the

OutReach center. Lannert, who saw 20 months of combat durin

her enlistment, also runs an LGBTQ veterans support group.

“I will tell you this – 90 percent of the people who attend th

meeting are transgender,” Lannert said.

During an interview with Lannert in mid-August, center

director Steve Starkey emerged from his office and apologized

for the unusually barren walls. Banners and flags had been

removed, he explained, for the recent Pride Parade down StateStreet. Throughout the office were posters for the parade, with

prescient theme for the year printed at the bottom of a rainbow

design: “the ‘T’ is not silent.

“When we have a meeting and there’s 35 people and 8 or 10

who have never been to a trans meeting before, it just amazes

me,” Lannert said. “It gives me just so much hope that things a

changing in Madison – and Wisconsin and the world.”

Transgender association meetings are held the second and

fouth Fridays and the first and third Saturdays of each month

at the OutReach LGBT Community Center, 600 Williamson St.,

Madison.

For information about the OutReach LGBT Community

Center, visit lgbtoutreach.org.

The ‘T’ is no longer silent


FAMILYLIFE

Photo by Jamie PeacoDarla Lannert stands in front of the OutReach LGBT Community Center in Madison. Lannert, a trans woman who has been out since 200

has volunteered with the center for the last two years, running the regular meetings of the Madison Area Transgender Associatio


22/36

FAMILYHEALTH

Family caregivers need your support

M y wife has been the primarycaregiver for both her momand dad for many years.

Because she is the oldest of seven

and a registered nurse and lived

closest to her parents, she had,

over time, taken on the mantle of

responsibility.

Truly, she wanted to wanted to be

there for her mom and dad, and infact, we built a duplex so she could be

in close proximity to her folks in their

declining years. If it weren’t for my

wife – who often missed work or was

late attending to their needs – her dad

would have probably died much earlier

than he did.

But it’s been a long time. And now,

she continues to remain “on duty” for

her mother who is now 88 and a brittle

diabetic.

Fortunately, she is retired and able

to spend the time with her motherto care for her in her home as she

continues to age in place. But even

with four sisters in the area, she’s

often on her own.

Hers is not an uncommon situation.

Recent surveys show about one in

five adults is a caregiver of some sort.

Family caregivers are a wonderful

commodity, but they are also prone to

problems.

Over time, family caregivers can getburned out, develop depression and

suffer illnesses and health problems.

Most elders or those with disabilities

have families that are providing some

level of care and support, and this

“informal care” can be substantial in

scope, intensity, and duration.

Caregivers are sometimes referred

to as “secondary patients,” and as tha

designation suggests, they need and

deserve protection and guidance.

Most notably, research shows

caregiving demands place them at hig

risk for injury and adverse events – a

many as 13 percent die before theircare recipients do. But beyond that,

family caregivers are unpaid provider

who often need help to learn how to

become competent, safe volunteer

workers who can better protect

their family members (i.e., the care

recipients) from harm.

Caregivers spend a substantial

amount of time interacting with their

care recipients, and the job can last

for a short period of post acute care

(especially after a hospitalization) to

more than 40 years of ongoing care.On average, informal caregivers devo

4.3 years to this work, with about 20

percent spending a decade or more.

More than half provide eight hours a

week, and 20 percent provide more

SENIOR LIVINGBY STEPHEN RUDOLPH


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23/36


FAMILYHEALTHthan 40 hours a week.

And that doesn’t begin to capturethe complexity and stressfulness ofcaregiving. It’s not just giving a bathbut bathing someone who resists it.

It’s not just helping with medications,it’s medication administration, withsome patients receiving multiplemedications several times a day,

including injections, inhalers, eye

drops and crushed tablets.The need to make decisions on

behalf of family members who are

unable to do so is stressful, as is beingresponsible for medical and nursing

procedures like managing urinary

catheters, skin care around a centralline, gastrostomy tube feedings and

venti lators, the sorts of things that can provoke anxiety provoking in novice

nursing students.Trying to balance caregiving with

other aspects of life can make it

difficult to focus on the positiveaspects of caregiving, particularlywhen those involved are employedand subject to missed days orinterruptions. On the other hand,

employment can be a respite fromongoing care activities and can serveas a buffer to their feelings of burden.

The result of long-term caregiving

can be feelings of loneliness andisolation, fearfulness and beingeasily bothered, as the demands ofcaregiving limit their personal time,

not to mention altered sleep patterns

that can bring on depression andexacerbate symptoms of chronicillnesses. And most are rarely asked

how they’re holding up by people whoactually want to hear the answer.

So family caregivers, who are the primary mainstay of those who are

elder or disabled, deserve all thekudos, credit and support we can

provide them.There are many resources available,

in the interest of their overall health –and that of the person being caring for– so caregivers should not approach

caregiving responsibilities as if theyare alone.

Caregivers are often counseledto make sur

yourfamily fall2015

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