Fifteen Minutes with Fuzz

On this episode, I sit down with Lisa Kitzke, the director of Roots and Branches, to talk about the organization’s dedication to making West Bend a more beautiful place to live. We dive into the mission of Roots and Branches—not just about planting flowers and keeping things looking nice, but also about environmental stewardship and building a stronger sense of community. Lisa shares the history of the organization, which started b...

Steve Kenitz, the quality manager at Milwaukee Tool, joins me to discuss the company's commitment to community engagement and its expansion into West Bend. With a rich history dating back to 1924, Milwaukee Tool has evolved from a power tool manufacturer to a solutions-oriented company focused on meeting the needs of professional tradespeople. Steve shares insights about the company's culture, emphasizing the importance of collabor...

Carissa Barnes, Communications Director for the City of West Bend, joins me to discuss the upcoming 2nd annual Bockfest, set to take place on March 1, 2025, at Regner Park in West Bend. This event celebrates the transition from winter to spring with traditional German festivities, focusing on bock beer and unique experiences like fire-poking the beer to enhance its flavor. Carissa shares insights on last year's successful Bockfest,...

We’re off to the races! This week, I’m joined by Anna Cain and Bekki Scheel of Kewaskum Friends of Parks to talk about their exciting inaugural event, A Night at the Races. Taking place on Friday, January 31, 2025, at Foundry 45 in Kewaskum, this Derby-themed fundraiser will support the group’s mission to enhance the village’s parks system.

Anna and Bekki share details about the event, including what to expect (spoiler: there’s vide...

Noelle Brown joins Fuzz Martin to discuss the exciting and festive events happening in Downtown West Bend, particularly during the holiday season. As the executive director of the Downtown West Bend Association, Noelle highlights the importance of supporting local businesses through various events, including the Downtown Polar Express, which offers winter-themed cocktails while benefiting the Full Shelf Food Pantry. She also shares...

Leona Knobloch and Shaun Tanner from The Bend Theater in downtown West Bend, Wisconsin, join me to discuss their exciting holiday programming. The episode highlights the theater's diverse lineup of holiday events, including classic movie screenings, live performances, and special activities for families. Listeners will learn about the nostalgic holiday movie lineup featuring favorites like "Elf," "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacat...

Laura Roenitz, the new CEO of Elevate, Inc., joins me to discuss the organization's vital mission to support individuals and families facing substance use and mental health challenges in Washington County and surrounding areas. Elevate provides a range of services, including prevention, education, counseling, and crisis stabilization, all aimed at fostering healthier communities. Laura shares her passion for creating supportive env...

Each year since 1999, the Washington County Humane Society celebrates the holidays with their annual Festival of Trees celebration. In the program's 25 years, it has raised nearly $1 million to help support the Humane Society and the medical needs of its pets. The beautiful trees and wreaths featured at the event are decorated by local community members and area businesses, and then raffled off through the weekend to help support t...

The holidays are here. This week, Limor Hendricks and Christina McGinn of the Youth & Family Project join me to talk about their annual Gingerbread House program. The program has been serving Washington County Families for more than 20 years and provides essential holiday gifts to help make every recipient's holiday feel special.

Last year, the program assisted more than 550 families in Washington County.

Learn more:

• https:...

This week's episode features an exciting partnership between the United Way of Washington County and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Program, aimed at promoting early childhood literacy. Join Fuzz Martin as he talks with Kristen Brandner, Bridget David, and Joe Pickler about how this initiative will provide free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five in Washington County. The program not only fosters a love for r...

This week, I'm joined by Cassandra Erato, the CEO of Spaulding Clinical. Cassie joins to talk about the vital role clinical research plays in advancing medicine. Spaulding Clinical specializes in phase one testing of new drug products before they move on to later stages of testing. Cassie talks about the impact of their research, including a significant study related to the opioid epidemic. We also touch on Spaulding Clinical's com...

The West Bend School District is holding a crucial referendum on November 5, 2024, seeking approval for $106.25 million in funding to address urgent facility needs across the district. Superintendent Jennifer Wimmer joins me to discuss the details of this referendum, including significant upgrades to school safety, infrastructure improvements, and the closure of several aging schools. The proposed plan aims to enhance security meas...

Emily Green, Executive Director of the Youth and Family Project, joins Fuzz Martin to discuss the upcoming Nightmares Around Elm Street fundraiser, a spooky walking tour that combines local history with haunted tales. Set to take place on Friday, October 25, this event aims to raise funds to support the organization's mission of providing essential services to youth and families in need. Emily shares insights about the various acti...

The West Bend Power hockey team is the focus of an engaging discussion featuring Kris Marion, the team's Business Operations Manager, and three of its players: Jake Sherry, Oliver Schroeder, and Monte Gould. Kris shares insights into the team's transition from being the Milwaukee Power to the West Bend Power, highlighting the positive impact of local ownership and community support. This episode dives into the structure of junior h...

Childcare is a big need in our area right now. This week, Rob Johnson of the Kettle Moraine YMCA and the West Bend Community Foundation, and Heidi Luft of the Supporting Families Together Association, join me to discuss some concerted efforts within our community to increase the number of childcare providers and help reduce the barriers to families seeking childcare in Washington County. One of the biggest drivers of this initiativ...

For 10 years, Alex Kain of A1 Health and Fitness (previously A1 CrossFit) has been helping people in Washington County get fit and stay health. This week, he and his sister Liz Dreher join me to talk about his background in fitness, how the gym got started, the journey over the past 10 years, and how you can have a great time at their 10 year celebration on Sunday, September 15th.

• A1 Health & Fitness's 10th anniversary cele...

Exciting things are happening at Casa Guadalupe in West Bend. Not only are they expanding and opening a satellite location in Hartford, Wis. They are also expanding their Fiesta Latina celebration to be two days instead of one! This week, Maria Gutierrez Gurrola & Jessie Plahmer join me to talk about their newly expanded celebration, which takes place on Friday, September 20th, and Saturday, September 21st, 2024 at Regner Park ...

The West Bend Music Academy is deeply ingrained in our community. This week, the academy's co-owner, Jay Tamez, joins me to talk about how they got started, the challenges they encountered as they grew, and their education programs such as the Summer Rock Band Program and the innovative Technology Enhanced Music Program (TEMPO), as well the importance of music education for both children and adults.

• https://westbendmusicacadem...