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ADVOCATE Cumberland www.cumberland-advocate.com CUMBERLAND, WISCONSIN 54829 $1 PUBLISHED IN WISCONSIN’S ISLAND CITY [email protected] WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2017 136th YEAR • NO. 16 Ruppel Family Receives Honor Northwoods Newcomer: Recognizing the Ruppels for their gift to Cumberland by Larry Werner The Blue Hills Band Work Underway! Ron and Mark Ruppel and their families were recognized for their donation of the Art Center building to ETC and Cumberland Community Theatre. ETC has named the theatre in their honor. The presentation was made last Satur- day night at the final performance of Charlotte’s Web. Pictured above are ETC board members Tom Toftness, Roger Thorpe, Lori Bock, Dave Evenson, Board President Mike Clay, and Jeremy Westin. Welcome Home! Work has begun on the new Kwik Trip store located next to Burger King on Elm St. in Cumberland. The store is scheduled to open on October 23rd. The Cumberland Beavers Baseball Team received a warm welcome home after participating in the WIAA State Base- ball Tournament on June 14th. A fire truck and long procession of cars made their way up and down Main St. Con- gratulations on a great year boys! Baseball story on page 6. When I moved to Cum- berland three years ago this month, I began to notice that this town of 2,000 has many amenities places of this size don’t. One of those ameni- ties is the former Catholic church that has served as our fine arts center for almost 20 years. Many larger communi- ties don’t have arts centers with state-of-the art seating, sound, lighting and a turn- table stage. We have this fa- cility because Ron and Mark Ruppel, local businessmen, bought the old church in 1999 and gave it to ETC, Cumberland’s umbrella arts organization. Last Saturday, before the final performance of Char- lotte’s Web, the ETC board announced the arts center’s performance space will be named “The Ruppel Family Theater,” and a sign was un- veiled that will hang above the door. “We are so grateful for peo- ple like the Ruppels who grew up here and still devote their time and resources to make this a wonderful place with a great theater, a beautiful li- brary, and special schools and churches,” said ETC presi- dent Lori Bock, retired direc- tor of the library. “It’s part of that unexplainable something we treasure in Cumberland -- something that reaches out and embraces you, makes you feel like you are at home sur- rounded by family and never want to leave.” Mike Clay, a retired Eng- lish teacher and longtime ETC board member, said a lot of people worked to turn the old St. Mary’s Catho- lic Church into a beautiful theater. But it was the Rup- pels who stepped up and bought the place. Before the arts center, Cumberland Community Theater, which formed in 1989, did plays in the Isle Theater, between movies. “The Ruppel family, under the impetus of Ron and Mark Ruppel, decided to purchase the building for use as a fine arts center for Cumberland,” Clay said. “Ron and Mark had been active in local theater and music for years. They knew the town would be immensely benefited by an arts center. Our organiza- tion is forever thankful for their vision, their talent, and their generosity.” Dave Evenson, like Clay, has spent hundreds of hours at the arts center as a board member, actor, director and volunteer carpenter. The retired DNR officer got involved with ETC when Mark Ruppel recruited him for Guys and Dolls, ETC’s first musical. “Next musical, I believe, was Li’l Abner, with Mark in the title part, and Ron also in play,” Evenson said. “We all remember Mark as Elvis/ Pharoah in Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Ron as Frank Sinatra in vari- ous Rat Pack performances and cabarets. Cumberland is blessed to have the Ruppel family as a backbone of the community.” To recognize the fam- ily’s contribution, the ETC board decided it was fitting to name our theater after the folks who gave Cum- berland a home for the arts. Next time you attend a play or concert, you can tell your friends you’re going to “The Ruppel.” Larry Werner’s email is [email protected]. On Thursday, June 15, 2017, at 6:11 a.m., the Polk County Sheriff’s Office re- ceived notification of a fully engulfed residential house fire at 760 150th Avenue, Apple River Township. Upon arrival of the Ap- ple River Fire Department, a request was made to have the Amery Fire Department assist with handling the fire. The Apple River Fire Department and the Amery Fire Department were able Deadly House Fire in Polk County claims one life to extinguish the blaze; however the home was completely destroyed. After the fire was extin- guished, it was learned there may have been person(s) that may have been home at the time of the fire. Polk County Investigators, along with the assistance of the State Department of Crimi- nal Investigation Arson In- vestigation Unit responded to the scene. During the course of the search, they did locate one person who perished in the fire. After personnel were able to move the person from the residence he/she was transported to the Mid- west Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy. At this time, the identify of the victim is still undetermined and once identification is confirmed an update will be given. Members of the Apple River Fire Department, Amery Fire Department, Amery Municipal Ambu- lance Service, Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the State of Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation Arson Inves- tigation Unit, assisted the Polk County Sheriff’s De- partment with this investi- gation. The cause of the fire re- mains under investigation by the Polk County Sher- iff’s Office. Blue Hills Band in Island City on June 27 The Blue Hills Band, an eclectic group of musicians from Birchwood, will be playing Tuesday, June 27, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. as part of the Island City Music se- ries. The band, led by gui- tarist Levon Soaper, played last summer on the Library Lake stage and performs frequently around north- west Wisconsin. The series of 10 concerts on the stage used for Ruta- baga Festival is sponsored by the Cumberland Area Business Alliance (CABA) and individual local busi- nesses and organizations, including The Advocate. Cumberland Connect, also known as Placemak- ers, is title sponsor of the concert by Soaper’s band. Cumberland Connect is a group of local residents who are working to create places and events where people can socialize. Blue Hills describes its musical genre as R&B, reg- gae, folk and rock. Levon and his twin brother, Tra- vis, say their music features “earth rythms, beautiful melodies on guitar with vo- cal harmonies and soulful ad-libs.” There is no charge for at- tending the Island City Mu- sic concerts. But you should bring your own lawn chairs. In the event of rain, the con- certs will be held in Nezzy’s event center. Parents and staff of Island City Academy charter school will be on hand each Tues- day with the school district’s kayaks that can be taken out from the city dock on the south shore of the lake. Susan Bridger, community educa- tion director, asks that you call or email her to reserve kayaks by Monday. Her number is 715-822-5121, ext. 403, and her email is sbrid@ csdmail.com. Free-will offerings will be accepted for the use of kayaks, with the donations going to the Island City Academy. Questions? Call Larry Werner at 612-743-5117.
