Hello all, welcome to WFHR's Rapids Report for this June 5th, 2025.
Have your host, James here and we're joined right now by Margie Strachas.
She is from the Vespa Recreation Department.
Margie, it's good to have you with us.
It's good to be back.
Thank you.
It has been a while.
And you know, I was thinking as I was talking to Pam earlier and you and I were just talking,
we have to find reasons to bring you back more often.
We just got to have you in more, at least twice a year.
I love having you in to talk about Vespa and the area and all the great work that you guys
are doing as a group to bring a lot of fun and life into Vespa and everything we love
the area.
I think it'd be a good idea, maybe like in a couple months from now or something, bring
you back and talk about how the event went and some other great things going on over
there.
So just to warn you, you're probably going to be back a lot sooner this time.
Sounds like a plan.
As we are going to get into Vespa, celebrate Vespa in the great event that you guys have
going on, if you don't mind Margie, I would like to kind of rewind a little bit and get
into where the purpose of this group came from and what your guys' mission is, what your
goal is with the Vespa Recreation Department.
So we were, there was probably six of us sitting around one night having a few beverages
and we got to talking about the old Fireman's picnic and how much fun that was and we missed
it and we just decided to hey, let's see if we can do it and we were supposed to plan
things for 2021 and we ended up starting in 2020 with our Easter egg hunt.
So we jumped in both feet with that, we went off as a, you know, no problem, well we had
some problems of growing pain problems, but so we did that, we jumped right into Vespa
days and then we jumped into Halloween and Santa and Mrs. Claus and we just keep going
and this is our fifth year now, so.
I appreciate the history lesson right there not only as a lover of history, but as
somebody as long as I've lived in this area, I went to pretty much every Vespa Fireman's
picnic.
It was something we always look forward to.
It was something, I don't remember exactly if it was, if I'm misremembering this or
not because I'm getting older or older, but I, I seen a remember of being around the
July and the month somewhere around there, Saturday and July, right.
So you've even been able to keep that same, that same time area, that's what we wanted.
And I, I think that especially for a long time, you know, not just Vespa residents, but
the area residents of Central Wisconsin, that is really helpful and you guys have worked
a hard to kind of keep a lot of the fun traditions around.
Well, also just bringing in some new stuff and making it a real celebration of Vespa.
We're trying.
We're, we're racking our brains all the time trying to come up with something new.
So this year, we always have a law in the afternoon, so we're trying to figure out between
three and six how to get people to stay or get new people to come.
So this year we had a GL Wesley, Gary Wesley, Elvis and Personator.
So I am very excited to hopefully I'll get some time, down time to actually watch and,
and listen to him.
Um, usually I'm running around putting out fires.
So yeah, I hope you, I hope, I hope, hope, hope that you were able to take it.
So Vespa act to, did you get to see any of his work online?
I was doing a little homework.
I did.
I did.
He is.
He's very good.
I'll be honest with everybody.
I've seen a lot of Elvis impersonators and seen a lot of them marketed and everything
and the, the, in the industry that I work in outside of radio and stuff.
And I, I, I kind of took it lightly at first like, oh, an Elvis impersonator.
That's a cool idea.
Uh, and then I look at him and I'm like, oh, this guy's good.
Yeah.
Like he's got this down and he's a local.
And I was pretty, I was getting pretty bummed because I had called every Elvis impersonator
that I knew in this area and asked everybody and everybody was either not doing it anymore
or they were booked.
So I called this one and I thought, well, what do I got to lose?
And they just had a cancellation.
So he's coming from Port Washington the night before and then he's heading, I think, to
Green Bay or somewhere off the after and it's like, this works perfect.
Uh, Gary, uh, can that occur as you're enough to look at the Gary's career too?
He's been doing this for a while.
He's really, not only really good at it, um, but, uh, he's a, I, I, he's a natural performer.
And there's something about watching them.
Uh, I would say that even if you, you're not as familiar with Elvis's catalog or any of
those things, you are going to really enjoy it.
You're really going to take in his work, let alone if you're a fan of the king or any
of that.
Right.
Right.
That's a really nice addition to the show.
That's, that's really fun.
It is.
And next year we booked, um, um, Dakota press, um, punk rats.
He's another Elvis impersonator.
Yes.
I've seen him many times around the area.
He was booked this year.
So we have him booked for next year.
Yeah.
So I got my hands in both years.
Well, and, and boy, any planning ahead, it feels so nice to be able to check Mark something
off or something.
That feels really good.
Yeah.
I'm happy for you.
Um, so let's go ahead and dive right into the event, celebrate Vesper July 19th, uh, be
prepared to be impressed.
Uh, there are going to be some really cool stuff going on with this one.
Let's start right in the beginning, uh, the beginning, beginning of the event on Saturday,
July 19th.
Things kick off from at 9 a.m.
Well, usually we have people who I'm up at the park at 630.
We have craft vendors coming, started around 637 o'clock to set up there, they are from,
I believe it's 9 a.m.
To 3 and then the crowd food truck are coming, they will be there from 9, about 10 o'clock
till 9 o'clock.
Um, then we have, uh, yeah, from, uh, yeah, because I wanted to go out to my head.
But you were doing great, by the way.
You were doing all of this.
I had a cheat sheet.
Yeah.
You were doing great.
Oh, I just don't want to miss anything.
So our beer tentals open up at 11 and it goes all night long, even until the band is
done.
Our parade is at noon.
We're changing the route of our parade this year because we have something big coming
next year.
Cool.
Um, so we're changing the route of the parade this year to kind of get people ready for
next year.
Smart.
And a nice little tease.
That's cool.
Yeah.
So, so I'm working on the specifics of that yet.
Then we have the kids inflatables again from 1 to 7.
The Hayes Brothers Poke Band last year we had, um, not very many people were dancing because
it was hotter than blazes out.
And they didn't want to dance on the black top with no shade.
So this year we're moving the Poke Band inside to the community center, um, in the big
half.
And then the bingo is going to move to the smaller half.
Sure.
So we're going to share it.
We'll just shut the doors and, um, I haven't talked to them, but I, I know that they
appreciate it.
I've got the bed that they like that.
That's, that's a really smart idea too.
So that we figured that will save that because in the afternoon sun, the bands just bake.
So this way it's a win, win for everybody.
So we had our kids penny scramble last year, um, and I think I told you about the adult
scramble.
Yes, yes.
So after the kids penny scramble at 130, we're going to have the adult scramble again.
Last year we had 18 bars that participated.
We are now up to 42 bars and restaurants.
Oh, wow.
So between drink tickets, gift certificates, t-shirts, cancuzzies, we have a lot for our
adults this year.
Uh, I don't want to mess with your flow, you're, you're rolling right now.
But, uh, I hope people are paying attention to it.
There's so many different things that are going on here and, uh, all of them really
stemming from loving the essence and the meaning behind this day.
Hey, you know, uh, those bars are, uh, a bar in Wisconsin only advertises when it really
wants to.
It doesn't necessarily need to, uh, and I think that's noteworthy.
That's a compliment and a, and a credit to those businesses being a, wanting to be a
part of this.
It's a huge jumping number.
That's really impressive.
It is.
Last year it was, it was kind of hard to get people to wrap their minds around it because
they're like an adult scramble like, yeah, yeah.
So I had to explain it to them and then we bought six tickets and then they donated six.
Well, after they found out how much fun everybody was having and stuff, they don't even,
when we buy them, they're just donating, which is awesome.
So, um, then we have Bingo again in the small part of the community center from two to
four.
You know, Wesley will take the small stage.
We're adding this year from two to six, um, kids' petal pole.
We moved up because it was a little late last year to from 330 until whenever it's done.
They've got five on my poster, but I mean, usually when the kids are done, I have pictures
that are hilarious of the adults.
Yes, yes.
I've seen some of them.
So, the adults have just as much fun as the children do.
Absolutely.
So, I'm glad by popular demand, we're having our cake walk again and then we're all excited
that Derek Jones and the 50 South will be pulling up 7 to 11, so very, very excited.
Derek has performed quite a bit in this area and he's joined us.
We've talked to him.
I'm not only a big fan of him as an artist and in his music and, you know, if people are
noticing, he's only getting stronger and better at what he's doing.
The more reps, the more times he's out there doing that.
But this is a guy who continues to try to come back and do things in the area, support
the area, support events like this in the area.
I really admire that with, at a point in his career where there are certainly, just to
be blunt with people, there are times where there might be a paid gig or something really,
really big for him that he is turning down to do something here because he believes in
this area so much and supporting this area.
I admire, he's a guy who's putting his money where his mouth is or his guitar, where his
mouth is or so many.
He's doing it though.
He's doing it though.
He's actually going to be a hoofbeats this year.
So cool.
I'm going to be a hoofbeats.
So I'm looking forward to going up.
I've talked to him on the phone.
So I'm actually looking up and excited to go up and talk to him and meet him in person.
One thing I, if you don't mind, I wanted to go back and just touch on real quick.
As far as the, the beginning of the day and stuff with the craft vendors, there's going
to be a unique expressions by Theresa, Needleworks, CW going to be down there, County, County
Chicks, Soapery, Coco's creations, five feathers, crafts and a variety of other crafters will
be down there.
Yes.
The food trucks, a lot of your mainstays are local favorites.
You got Rocky Raccoco, Rainbow Snow, Christie's Smokehouse BBQ, Masonic Lodge, am I saying
that right?
Yep.
128 going to be there.
And of course, the Vesper Cafe will be down there, shout out to all of them for being
a part of this.
Yeah.
I'm excited because most of them have been there with us all five years.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I'm very excited about the parade, not this year, but next year and see where
that develops and everything.
You've heard in this interview here a handful of times that Margie has mentioned something
for next year.
It shows the care and the detail put into this event every year.
Just gives us one more chance to hopefully have some empathy for you and the team and
what you guys do to put this event together, but also some really some respect on this
and not only bringing this event back, but successfully, you know, I mean, it's one thing
to bring it back and it does okay, maybe the first year and then there's no, this is
only going to get, this is only going to get stronger as you're going along with this.
That's really cool to see.
For me, selfishly, it's a fun position to be and I get to see this stuff develop and
grow.
I think of a bluegrass at the lake a little bit when they first joined us and how we're
just trying to, you know, get people to know about this fun little fest that we were
trying to kick off with, they were trying to kick off and every, I say, we, I can help
myself.
I'm such a homer.
But, and to see where it is now and, you know, so many in this area have great memories
of that fireman's picnic, bringing that back, that is a wonderful thing for our community.
So I think you guys have done quite a bit.
I wanted to get to before we wrap up ways, certainly, you know, people can get tickets
or anything like that, but always look for volunteers.
If we can help somehow take a little bit off of your guys' plate.
That would be awesome.
So, you got anything on that?
If we, if anybody would like to volunteer, I will definitely take it.
You can give me a call at 715-305-5040 or you can outreach us on the village of Vesper
Recreation Group Facebook page or the village of Vesper Facebook page, either one.
I encourage you to do that, everybody.
Not only putting back into your community, but getting to be a part of this event.
There is no, there are no small roles with that event like this.
Appreciate everybody that can, you know, be a part of this one and join us for this event.
And before I completely destroy her voice and she's not able to keep continuing on here,
I'm joking.
I know Margie, we had something else we wanted to touch on before we let you go.
So this weekend, I wanted everybody to know is our village-wide, Vesper Village White
Grudge Sales.
We had 10 Grudge Sales registered, but I've noticed as I've driven around the neighborhood,
we have more people.
So come on out to Vesper for that.
I wanted to thank everybody that helped us with our Easter egg hunt.
We were able to stuff over 6,000 eggs this year.
We gave away the bikes again.
We had other prizes for the kids.
Always looking for other ideas for that to keep it fun for the kids.
A shout out to the Vesper Volunteer Fire Department and I'm sorry, Wisconsin Rapids,
canine unit or officers that calm every year.
So thank you.
So many great people coming together to make this event happen and have some fun with
this event.
Celebrate our area, celebrate Vesper and appreciate all of them as well.
I'd like to second everything that Margie was saying there.
And certainly, again, we want you to be a part of this event, make plans for it.
You can get you can find out more and get tickets.
There's plenty of opportunities for just coming on down and being a part of the event.
So again, the best way for people to do that, Margie, you mentioned the phone number,
the Facebook page, both of them, the Vesper Recreation Group and the, the, celebrate Vesper
days, both have Facebook pages.
And everything is free except for the kids inflatables.
Yeah, yeah, which, and now beverages, but yeah, yeah, which, you know, only go back, only
go to help them do this again next year and some of the other events that Margie was
telling us about.
Once again, you've been too good at this.
You have to come back soon, Margie.
We appreciate the time.
I will do that.
One more time, if you don't mind, if people do want to reach you, you want to give that
number once more.
Yep.
It's 715 305 5040.
Thanks again, Margie.
Please do us a favor.
Say hi to the whole team and thank them for us a little know how much we appreciate
them.
Absolutely.
Thank you.
We'll talk again real soon.
Thank you, everybody, out there for joining us.
Be sure to spread the word about the show, not just our individual episodes, but certainly
the show as a whole.
We appreciate the support from all of our community.
We'll have more rapid support coming up for you right here exclusively at WFHR.com.
All right.
Thank you.
Thank you.
