With 300 miles of shoreline, Door County, has long been known as a popular place to go kayaking and spend time on the water. To help promote the destination’s water recreation possibilities, the Door County Visitor Bureau (DCVB) has enlisted an unlikely group to help spread the word – taxi cab drivers in Minnesota.

Seven taxi cabs in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area, roughly six hours west of Door County, have been outfitted with real life kayaks on the roof. The nearly 10-foot long kayaks are part of a promotional contest that gives individuals the chance to win one of the seven kayaks when the special promotion ends in early July. Affixed to the side of each taxi with a kayak, is a sign that reads, “Win this kayak at DoorCounty.com/kayak” with a realistic looking kayak paddle running across the sign.

The distinctive marketing strategy seems to be getting attention. Since the May 4 kayak launch on the taxi cabs, triple-digit entries have already been received through the DCVB’s Website.

“It seems to be getting people’s attention,” says Jack Moneypenny, President/CEO of the DCVB. “We thought it would be an interesting way to generate positive awareness for Door County and help us build interest for our great silent sports opportunities. Based on the feedback we’ve received thus far, it seems like the non-traditional approach we took for this initiative is working.”

In addition to the Minneapolis area, the DCVB did look at other Midwestern markets for this promotion, including Chicago and Milwaukee.  But Minnesota’s largest metropolitan area was the most receptive to the concept and ultimately was selected as the location for this outside-the-box promotion.

Seven lucky winners will be drawn in mid-July and will each win an Old Town Heron kayak (but that doesn’t mean locals are excluded, so click that link… hey!).

The DCVB is the official tourism marketing organization for the county whose mission is to generate incremental economic impact for the community by attracting visitors with strategies that ensure sustainable tourism.

Photo by Simon Tong

That exhibit’s curator, Jon Paul Van Harpen is back now and so are the pirates in a new exhibit that the museum promises will be even better than its predecessor. “Pirates – Ship to Shore” opens to the public on Saturday, May 19 at the Sturgeon Bay museum and while the exhibition will again provide a glimpse at these notorious scalawags, visitors will be treated to an eye-popping backdrop that will take them back some 300 years to a seafront port in the Caribbean.

Van Harpen, who assisted with the design of the exhibit and securing of artifacts in 2007, raised the bar this time. Most significant was his construction of a half-scale pirate ship Fortune where old blends with modern technology as the traditionally outfitted “vessel” provides would-be pirates the opportunity to engage in battle with passing merchant and naval ships.

The Royal Fortune Sloop

“It’s loosely based on the Royal Fortune,” says Van Harpen, further explaining that the these relatively small, fast and maneuverable sloops were perfect for the types of raids that made these buccaneers both feared and infamous. As visitors to the exhibit will also discover, the vessel is well armed with canons and swivel guns. A costume room will ensure that visitors are properly attired as they explore the village and take to their sailing stations aboard the Fortune.

“I wanted something more hands on,” says Van Harpen, who is confident the displays and interactives will provide a treat for the entire family.

In conjunction with “Pirates – Ship to Shore” will be a pirate art exhibit featuring the works of Don Maitz. While best known for creating the “captain” character associated with Captain Morgan rums, Maitz is a highly decorated artist. He is a three-time recipient of Chesley Award for outstanding achievement by the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists and also received the Silver Medal of Excellence from the Society of Illustrators. A total of 19 of Maitz’s pirate works will be on display in the fort-inspired gallery in the museum’s upper lobby.

Those interested in adding another element to the pirate experience should mark Sunday, May 27, on their calendar when the popular musical group Bounding Main will be at the museum for a pair of afternoon performances.

Bounding Main

Bounding Main is a costumed vocal group that sings richly harmonic versions of traditional maritime songs. Their shows are filled with spirit, humor and harmony; their arrangements of traditional nautical music bring the listener into the world of pirates, adventure and romance. Performances are scheduled for 2:00 and 3:30 pm.

The museum also contains three other galleries dedicated in part to shipbuilding, vintage vessels, local maritime innovators, the county’s stunning array of lighthouses and the museum’s impressive collection of models. There’s also the ever-popular nuclear submarine periscope and the unmatched tours aboard the tug John Purves.

Door County Maritime Museum is open from 10 am – 5 pm until Sunday, July 1 when they will expand hours of operation, open from 9 am – 5 pm.  Admission is $12.50 and includes both the museum and docent-led tug tour. Student (ages 5-17) admission is $9 and children under 5 are free. The museum-operated Cana Island Light Station near Baileys Harbor is also open for the season while the museum at Gills Rock will begin its weekend schedule on Saturday, May 26, opening daily starting on June 9.

The Grand Opening celebration will feature free chair massages throughout Marathon Massage Day on Saturday, May 26, from 10 am – 4:30 pm. Guests who book additional massage treatment or other services will receive a free paraffin wax hand dip.

Karen Stoehr, the creator of the 9th Street Wellness Center states, “ We provide an environment where practitioners work together for the greater good of the individual in a spot that encourages you to find your own personal path to a healthier lifestyle. We are interested in providing an open environment that focuses on your needs; whether they are physical, emotional or spiritual.. The path to wellness is a concept that embraces multiple healing arts.”

The 9th Street Wellness Center is well known in Green Bay for its yoga classes and alternative healthcare treatments including acupressure, reiki, massage and jin shin jyutsu - the ancient art of harmonizing the body, mind and spirit with gentle touch – provided by a myriad of wellness practitioners. They also provide coaching sessions, hypnotherapy and spiritual consultations.

“We live in a society filled with people who are struggling with many health issues. The western medical approach gives only one set of answers, however, many other options remain available,” explains Stoehr. “I want others to be able to learn about those approaches as well, so that they can decide which is best. The journey of health needs to be nurtured. The more resources and options provided, the better an educated decision can be made. I am interested in being a facilitator toward that goal in the Sister Bay community, to see people thrive and live happier, healthier lives.”

Appointments may be made at either center by calling 920.490.9699.

Door community members are encouraged to donate a bag of non-perishable food items (canned foods, pasta, rice, cereal, etc) that will be collected by letter carriers as they deliver mail along their postal routes on Saturday, May 12.

“Stamp Out Hunger” is a national partnership between NALC, the U.S. Postal Service, United Way, the AFL-CIO, the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, Campbell, Feeding America, Valpak, AARP and Uncle Bob’s Self Storage. The nation’s 230,000 active letter carriers will take the donations to local food banks, pantries and shelters. The food that is donated will go to the pantry in your community. If there isn’t a pantry in your community, the food will go to the next closest community pantry.

Please put your bag of non perishable food out on Saturday, May 12, 2012, prior to mail delivery.

Each year, millions of Americans join the effort to help meet the needs of nearly 50 million Americans who live in families that lack sufficient food. One in seven adults and nearly one-quarter of all children who are hungry and not receiving the basic nutrition they need. Moving into the summer months, 22 million students are at risk of going hungry when the school year ends. For many children, school meals are the only complete and nutritious meals they eat. This is true even here in Door County where food pantries are serving more families than ever, over 400 households per month. Our after school programs are reporting hungry children, even after eating lunch at school.

For more information please contact the United Way of Door County at 920.746.9645 or www.unitedwaydc.com.

Set in small town USA, Circle Mirror Transformation uses the lens of an amateur drama class to explore something deeper. By the end of the six-week class, we seem to see to the very bottom of these five souls and feel how the artificial intimacy of the acting class has shaped their lives in substantial ways.

Audiences will see Ephraim Village Hall as they never have before; the staging is completely different than any other show that Isadoora has produced there.

“It’s going to be interesting to see the Hall in this format,” says Isadoora Board Vice President Joy Manweiler. “I’m really excited to see how it plays.”

Circle Mirror Transformation runs May 17-20 and 24-27 at the Ephraim Village Hall at 9996 Water Street in Ephraim. Thursday through Saturday performances are at 7:30 pm with Sunday matinees at 2 pm. Tickets are $14 for adults and $10 for students, and may be purchased at the door or reserved in advance by calling Isadoora at 920.493.DOOR (payments must be made by cash or check only). For more information, www.isadoora.com or facebook.com/isadoora.

“The Island Refuges of Door County: Connecting Habitat, Wildlife and People” will focus on the recent additions of Plum and Pilot Islands to the National Wildlife Refuge System.  One hundred years ago, Green Bay and Gravel Island National Wildlife Refuges were preserved as breeding grounds for water birds. The Refuge islands protect critical habitat for native birds and endangered species in the Great Lakes Basin. Ms. O’Dell will discuss the biological, ecological and cultural value of the islands, current research projects and future management plans for Plum and Pilot Islands.

The National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is the nation’s premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife and plants. Since the designation of Florida’s Pelican Island as the first wildlife refuge in 1903, the System has grown to more than 150 million acres, 556 national wildlife refuges and other units of the Refuge System, plus 38 wetland management districts.

As part of the evening’s events, an award ceremony will be conducted by Carl Schwartz, Bird City Wisconsin Coordinator, to formally declare Baileys Harbor a Bird City. Baileys Harbor was awarded the designation earlier this year.

The keynote program is free to Festival of Nature participants and open to the public for a suggested donation of $5.

For additional information, contact The Ridges Sanctuary, 920-839-2802 or info@ridgessanctuary.org .

Shortly after acquiring the property in October of 2011 as the future location of its new trailhead and interpretive center, The Ridges Sanctuary held a sale to liquidate used items from the former restaurant. More recently, activity on the site has been devoted to the reuse, recycling and removal of the existing buildings. Peil Construction was hired by The Ridges to manage the process.

Siding, trusses, roof sheathing, windows, awnings, insulation, electrical wiring, decorative stone, lights, AC units, furnace, hood fans, and doors from the main building will be reused in other construction projects. Shingles will be recycled into an asphalt base material. Cardboard, paper, plastics and metals will be recycled into new goods. Electrical wiring will be reused or made into new. Clean, untreated scrap lumber will be used by The Ridges as filler during the remediation of the site, as well as in rebuilding  the ridge and swale formation on the north end of the property.

Both small outbuildings have been relocated to new sites and, on April 26, the old Fish Boil shack was moved to a location on County F where it will be repurposed as a garage.

“Eric Peil did a terrific job for us,” notes Steve Leonard, the Sanctuary’s Executive Director. “We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.”

With the site now vacant, all that remains is for several concrete pads to be crushed for gravel. Leonard anticipates sharing the results of the project as soon as the final invoices are in and the total percentages of recycles, reused and repurposed material can be calculated.

Earlier this year, Baileys Harbor was officially designated as a Bird City. Join fellow bird enthusiasts for the inaugural meeting of Baileys Birders on Saturday, May 5 at 10 am. Learn more about this new birding group and Baileys Harbor’s Bird City designation. Meet at The Ridges Sanctuary’s Marshall cabin.

May is a great time to see a variety of birds that migrate through Door County on their way to northern nesting areas. The Ridges will kick off its regular schedule of bird hikes on Saturday, May 12. On that day, two hikes will be offered. A Discovery Bird Hike will start at 6:30 am. “Not So Early” birders can join the second hike at 9 am. Both hikes will begin at the Ridges Nature Center, 8288 County Q. These hikes are designed for both beginning and experienced birders. Hikes are free to Ridges members, $5 to the general public.

The Early Birders Club will meet at the Nature Center at Peninsula State Park on Saturday, May 12 at 10 am. Park Naturalist Kathleen Harris will lead participants to the best spot to see and hear warblers. This is a great family activity. The cost is $15/family for members of The Ridges, $20/family for the general public.

Spring also means the reappearance of some of our most beautiful wildflowers. Ridges Sanctuary will offer two guided wildflower hikes at their Logan Creek Property on Friday and Saturday, May 4 and 5. Led by Ridges Naturalist Karen Newbern, the hikes will begin at 1:00 PM and last about 90 minutes. This area  features a wide array of habitats and wildflowers such as hepatica, trout lily and trillium should be in bloom. Meet at the parking lot at 5724 Loritz Road, just south of Jacksonport on Highway 57. Families are welcome. Cost is $5 for adults, no charge for children under 18. Preregistration is requested.  Please call The Ridges Sanctuary at 920.839.2802 to register for either the Friday or Saturday hike.

The whole family can enjoy finding signs of returning life along the trails of the Sanctuary on the Signs of Spring Hike, on Saturday, May 12 at 2 pm.  Meet at the Marshall Cabin. Cost is $15/family for Ridges members, $20/family for the general public.

The Ridges guided nature hikes resume in May, with hikes scheduled on May 16, 21, 23, 25 and 30. All hikes begin at 1:30 pm and last approximately 90 minutes. Hikes are $5 for member of The Ridges, $8 for the general public.

For additional information, call 920.839.2802 or visit RidgesSanctuary.org.

Day of Caring 2011 volunteers Erik and Kirsten Foss

The 15^th Annual “Day of Caring” program exists to enable Door County residents to donate their time in providing support for local non-profit organizations that need a helping hand. By volunteering your time to this meaningful cause, agencies such as the Kimberley House, Sunshine House and JAK’s Place can quickly make headway on some of their long-standing projects.

In order for the United Way of Door County to have a meaningful impact on our community, they encourage people to: “Give. Advocate. Volunteer.” The Day of Caring is one of many ways that United Way brings people together to volunteer and make a difference in our community.

This year, more than ten human service organizations will benefit from the efforts of the Day’s volunteers. Projects include such diverse tasks as painting interiors, raking playgrounds, washing buses and a variety of cleaning projects.

“We try to match the interests and skills of our volunteers with the needs of the organizations, so it’s a great way for everyone to have fun and gain a real sense of accomplishment,” says Ruthi Henrichs, Administrative Assistant for United Way of Door County. “The volunteers take away a sense of satisfaction for having benefited the community, and community organizations are able to complete important projects, so everyone benefits.”

The event starts at 8 am with breakfast donated by McDonald’s, at the Sturgeon Bay High School. At the breakfast site, participants pick-up their complimentary T-shirts, sharing a few moments with fellow volunteers before heading out to the job sites for the day. If volunteers are interested in a Northern Door breakfast, arrangements can be made. This year, there are project sites in Baileys Harbor.

Pre-registration for breakfast is strongly encouraged. By 9 am, volunteers will have moved out to their designated site for the day, with the goal of completing their projects by noon.

To volunteer for the Day of Caring or to obtain more information, contact United Way of Door County at 920.746.9645 or visit www.UnitedWayDC.com.

Currently celebrating its 75^th anniversary, this is the 10^th year that The Ridges Sanctuary has coordinated the popular, county-wide event which attracts conservation-minded participants from all over the Midwest.

The two-day event is a unique opportunity to learn more about wildflowers, geology, birds and insects through almost 50 field trips and hands-on programs. Field trip leaders will guide participants through many of the most pristine and rare natural areas in the county, some of which are not typically open to the public. Conservation organizations in Door County will share how they are working to preserve the county’s rich natural heritage for the future. Program highlights include photography workshops, early morning bird-watching trips, visits to properties using renewable energy technologies, wildflower outings, evening frog walk and bat monitoring programs and recognition of Baileys Harbor as a Bird City USA.

On Friday, May 18 at 7 pm, the Festival of Nature welcomes Sadie O’Dell, Wildlife Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Her keynote presentation, “The Island Refuges of Door County – Connecting Habitat, Wildlife and People,” will be held at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall. Green Bay and Gravel Island National Wildlife Refuges were preserved as breeding grounds for water birds 100 years ago. Island conservation continues today with the recent additions of Plum and Pilot Islands to the National Wildlife Refuge System. The Refuge islands protect critical habitat for native birds and endangered species in the Great Lakes Basin. Ms. O’Dell will discuss the biological, ecological, and cultural value of the islands, current research projects, and future management plans for Plum and Pilot Islands. The program is free to participants and open to the public for a suggested donation.

The Festival will conclude with an old-fashioned Saturday Barn Dance. All dances are taught by a teacher/caller, and the figures build on each other from one dance to the next. No previous dance experience is needed.

There are still openings for many Festival trips. Participants can register in advance online or call 920.839.2802 to request a registration brochure by mail. Participants can also register for available field trips on the weekend of the event at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall on Thursday, May 17, between 5 and 8:30 pm.; Friday, May 18, from 8 am – 1:30 pm and 5 – 9 pm and Saturday, May 19, 8 – 9 am.

The Door County Festival of Nature is sponsored by  The Ridges Sanctuary, The Nature Conservancy, The Door County Land Trust, Crossroads at Big Creek, The Clearing, and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, with support from Door Properties Owners Inc., Ecology Sports, Baylake Bank, Staudenmaier Chiropractic Wellness Center, Ministry Door County Medical Center, Door Landscape and Nursery, Village Green Lodge, Fish Creek Kite Company and Pheasant Park Resort. For more information on the Festival of Nature, please call 920.839.2802.