Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Photo Credit:  Shalan Kolbasuk

Join this fun, 6-week walking program designed for adults of all fitness levels, featuring progressive group walks and simple, practical physical activity and nutrition lessons each week.

Join us to build strength, boost energy, and create healthier habits—one step at a time.

Contact: Sarah Schindel

920-834-6898

Sarah.schindel@wisc.edu

**Please note if  you are unable to pick up your materials you will need to pay  $10 to cover the cost of shipping and handling. 

We will use email to communicate with you prior to, during, and as a follow up to the course.  Please provide us with the best email to contact you at.

WeCOPE is an interactive program that helps adults cope with life stress.  WeCOPE has been shown to reduce stress and depression, increase positive affect, and improve health behaviors. Managing life’s challenges in healthy ways allows participants to take better care of themselves and others. 

This 6-week program meets via Zoom, once a week  for 1 hour, from: 11:30am-12:30pm  These sessions encourage practicing skills such as mindfulness, savoring, positive reappraisal, gratitude, and goal setting among others.  Participants gain the most benefit when they are able to commit some time outside of class each week practicing the skills we review in class.

🌿 Garden Plots Available

-Individual and family plots open to all experience levels

-Grow your own fruits, vegetables, and flowers

-Learn alongside a supportive community of gardeners

♿ Accessible & Inclusive

-Accessible pathways and raised beds

-Welcoming to all ages, abilities, and skill levels

 The Oconto Falls Community Garden is a welcoming, volunteer-powered space where individuals and families grow fresh food, learn new skills, and support the community.

🤝 Volunteer Opportunities

No experience needed!

-Help weed, water, and harvest- all proceeds go to Kingdom Come Food Pantry

Volunteers are the heart of the garden, helping provide fresh food to local families in need throughout the season.

Garden plot applications: 

Stop at the Ambulance Garage and grab a copy of the gardener application from the front entrance

OR 

Click on link below, print, fill out and and mail to:

Oconto Falls Community Garden 831 S. Main St, Oconto Falls WI 54154

Looking to Volunteer?  Contact us!

OcontoFallsCommunityGarden@gmail.com

📍 Location

Conveniently located in Oconto Falls behind the Oconto Falls Area Ambulance Garage and St. Clare Memorial Hospital at 831 S. Main St, Oconto Falls (circled in red on map).  Open throughout the growing season.

👉 Contact: OcontoFallsCommunityGarden@gmail.com

💚 Grow your own food. Give back. Be part of something meaningful.

UW-Madison Division of Extension Oconto County is proud to announce it has received charitable funding from Stephenson National Bank and Trust’s My Bank for Good Program to support Extension’s Money as You Grow program, a financial literacy initiative designed to help children and families build healthy money habits early in life.

The funding will be used to support financial literacy education, including a Money as You Grow book read and hands‑on activities that introduce age‑appropriate money concepts such as earning, saving, spending, and sharing. These interactive learning experiences help connect reading with real‑life financial skills, making learning fun and meaningful for youth and families.

Money as You Grow is a research‑based program that emphasizes learning through everyday activities, storytelling, and conversation. By combining a book reading with guided activities, Extension staff help young participants strengthen both literacy and financial decision‑making skills in a supportive, engaging environment.

“We are grateful to SNBT and its My Bank for Good Program for recognizing the importance of early financial education,” said Katie Daul, Human Development and Relationship Educator with Extension. “This support allows us to reach families with tools and experiences that build confidence and strong money habits that can last a lifetime.”

SNBT’s My Bank for Good Program supports nonprofit organizations and community initiatives that improve economic well‑being and strengthen local communities. This affiliation reflects a shared commitment to empowering individuals through education and practical life skills.

Extension continues to offer evidence‑based education that helps individuals and families thrive. The support from SNBT will enhance Extension’s ability to deliver high‑quality financial literacy programming and expand access to engaging learning opportunities for local youth.

For more information about Extension’s Money as You Grow program or upcoming financial literacy activities, please contact Katie Daul at 920-834-6848 or Katie.Daul@wisc.edu.

Scott Nelson, SNBT Banking Office Manager - Oconto, awards Katie Daul, UW Extension Human Development and Relationship Educator.

A May 5th report from realtor.com explores the current state of multigenerational housing in America. Multigenerational housing represents at least 4.5% of owner-occupied housing based on housing descriptions that include terms like "in law suite," "guest house," and "granny flat." Other types of homes, such as 2 family homes, were not considered as multigenerational housing  which suggests the 4.5% estimate could be low.

Furthermore, web traffic data suggests that Americans are becoming more interested in this type of housing as multigenerational listings received an average of 13.5% more views than standard homes in the report's timeframe.

2026 Topics Include:

• Tax-Filing Basics

• Budgeting & Spending Plans

• Credit Reports

• Getting Out of Debt

• Saving Basics

• Fraud & Scam Prevention

• Money Habits & Holiday Spending

…and more!

Join us for Caregivers’ Compass, a supportive and skill-building series designed for those caring for others. Each one-hour session offers a welcoming space to connect and share experiences with fellow caregivers, followed by practical learning to strengthen yourself and your caregiver skills. Topics vary each session—attend one or join the whole series! This month’s topic is Savoring - Finding Joy in Everyday Moments. The session includes takeaway materials to support your journey. Let’s learn, chat, and grow—together. 

Registration (not required):
https://go.wisc.edu/5xmf5h

Brush up on your listen skills to support friends, family, and neighbors with COMET(TM) . Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET(TM)) is a short, two-hour program and a gentle introduction to supporting friends and neighbors in a “vulnerable space”. The intent is to help them shift their mental health trajectory back to a place of wellness and away from the path of a mental health crisis.

Our next session is being held:

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Virtual via Zoom

Registration: https://go.wisc.edu/y7x670

Rent Smart is designed for people with little or no rental experience or those that have had difficulty obtaining rental housing.
What you will learn:
- Planning for and meeting monthly expenses
- Tips for finding and maintaining affordable housing
- How to complete an application and why landlords screen applicants
- Strategies for building positive relationships with landlords and neighbors
- Responsibilities and rights of landlords and tenants

This event will be conducted in English. You may request an interpreter, materials in an alternative language and/or format, and/or other services to make this event more accessible. Contact us at todd.wenzel@wisc.edu or you may include your request here (on the registration form). Make your request at least 25 days before the event.

Rent Smart is brought to you by UW-Madison, Division of Extension.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming in compliance with state and federal law. 

Get ready to build strength and confidence with StrongBodies, a low-impact strength training program coming to the Oconto County Youth Fair!

Join us for a free sneak peek session on Thursday, August 27 from 10:00–11:30 AM at the Zippel Park Bingo Tent (next to the Expo Building in Gillett). This evidence-based program is designed for all fitness levels and focuses on improving strength, muscle mass, bone density, and everyday function.

No registration is required—just stop by and give it a try!

For more information, contact Katie Daul :

katie.daul@wisc.edu 

920-834-6848.

4th Grader, Walker Blaser, from Oconto County 4-H Willing Worker's 4-H Club WINS "TOP OVERALL PHOTO" with his photo "Ice Storm Sunrise" in the 2026 Wisconsin State 4-H Photography Contest.

Walker wins a cash prize, plus an invitation to the Art Show during Summer Academy on June 17th in Nancy Nicholas Hall, to see his photo displayed where an awards ceremony will commence.

Congrats, Walker!

Check out the new Senior Dining Program every Tuesday at River City Diner & Smokehouse in Oconto! The program is for those 60 and up, but if you are under age 60, you can still tag along with your older friends & family and order off the regular menu! (Serving Tuesdays only from 11:00am-12:30pm. No pre-registration necessary) 

Hey Dudes!

Join us on Tuesday, May 19th from 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm at Paradise North Distillery for some free food and to hear the story of Kevin Hines and his survival of the Golden Gate Bridge. We hope to see you there!

RSVP by May 18th to Ryan Good at rgood@wearefoundations.org. Responses are appreciated when ordering food but never required!

Join the Extension Horticulture Program throughout 2026 for an opportunity to connect with plant health experts from the UW-Madison Division of Extension. Each session, held monthly on Wednesdays, offers a chance to ask questions about trees and shrubs, homegrown fruits and vegetables, indoor plants, ornamental landscapes, lawns, and more.

Whether it’s about plant problems, diseases, pesky insects, or the selection and general care of plants in and around your home, our panel of seasoned experts will provide you with insightful answers.

The goal of these sessions is to connect how sustainable gardening practices positively impact landscapes and ecosystems, cultivate your knowledge of horticulture practices that improve biodiversity in landscapes, increase your understanding of climate change in horticulture, and promote adaptive strategies and the adoption of resilient gardening practices.

These online sessions are free but registration is required for each session that you would like to attend. Upon registration you will receive an email confirmation with the link for joining the session.

A Fun and Rewarding Summer Awaits

Badger Precollege is now enrolling grades 4–12! Our 1-3 week programs range from music to medicine, previewing the college experience.  Click the link below to explore opportunities! 

https://precollege.wisc.edu/?utm_source=inside_uw&utm_medium=featured_editorial&utm_campaign=precollege26&utm_content=inside_uw_january