Both Courses to open April 15th

The Voyager Village golf season is officially scheduled to begin on April 15th, 2022. Both our Champion Course and our Par 3 course will be open to carts, assuming good weather. Members can begin to book their tee times starting on April 7th, and nonmembers can begin booking on April 8th. Call the pro shop at 715-259-3991 to book your time. Our 2022 spring rates can be viewed online on our website, at www.voyagervillage.com.

If you can’t wait to break out the clubs, come on out to hit some balls on our driving range! We’ll be opening the driving range to mats only on April 1st, 2nd, and 3rd provided the weather cooperates. The ranges will be open from noon to 4pm, come swing by!

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We are excited to announce that Voyager Village has partnered with Hames-McDonough Real Estate. Hames-McDonough will be handling real estate and land sales, following the closure of Voyager Village Realty, LLC.

The Hames – McDonough group is thrilled to be working with us and their goal is to increase memberships and showcase all that this great community has to offer. Their team consists of four members, three of whom are licensed agents in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. They have over 45 years of combined experience under their belt, and the knowledge and expertise to help you navigate any real estate transaction.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to them for all your real estate needs.

Shannon McDonough 651-398-4334 Shan.Mcdonough@gmail.com

Angela Hames 651-307-9731 Angela.Hames@me.com 

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As we head into 2022, many of the standing committees at Voyager Village have spots that we need filled.

The Voyager Village Board of Directors is currently supported by nine standing committees; these committees handle an important aspect of our association and are responsible for advising the Board of Directors and membership. The eight current committees are: Architectural and Environmental Control Committee; the Airport Committee; the Election Committee; the Finance Committee; the Golf & Greens Committee, the Lakes & Beaches Committee; the Trails Committee; the Nominating Committee; and the Covenants & Bylaws Committee.

If you are interested in serving on a committee, please contact Tiffany in the POA office for an application. You can reach her at Tiffany@voyagervillage.com, or by calling 715-733-7004. The chairperson for each Committee and their email is listed on our website; if you had any questions about the committee, its duties, or what being on the committee is like, reach out to the chairperson and they will get back to you with the information you need.

Currently, we are seeking members for three committees in particular: the Nominating Committee, the Covenants and Bylaws Committee, and the Architectural and Environmental Control Committee. All of our Committees are made possible by volunteers who truly care about our organization, and we thank them for their time.

The Nominating Committee was only recently reinstated by the Board of Directors. The primary responsibility is to solicit qualified candidates to run for the Voyager Village Board of Directors.

The Covenants and Bylaws Committee is responsible for reviewing and/or assisting in writing revisions to the current Covenants and Bylaws (C&B) that govern Voyager Village. The goal of the C&B is to provide clear and unambiguous direction on what is allowed and not allowed in Voyager Village. Experience with technical writing, legal, or other detail oriented experiences will be helpful.

The Architectural and Environmental Control Committee (“AECC”) is established for the purpose of protecting and preserving the values, amenities, and qualities of Voyager Village. Architectural and environmental control shall be administered by the AECC.

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by Kelsey Linnemeyer, Marketing & Events Coordinator

Although the weather was cold and bleak, the Kilkare Lodge at the final Dinner Series Event of 2021 was warm and inviting. Guests arrived to a candlelit dining room and were greeted with a drink to kick off the evening. This past month’s collaborator, Dan Oskey, stood front and center as he prepared the other cocktail pairings for the remainder of the evening.

Dan Oskey is the Founder and Chief Operator of Tattersall Distilling Company. Founded in 2014, Tattersall is one of the most highly acclaimed and fastest growing craft distilleries in the country. With a focus on using the best ingredients available, sourced locally whenever possibly, Tattersall makes more than 30 all-natural, award-winning spirits, liqueurs, and ready-to-drink cocktails. After spending the last 6 years in NE Minneapolis, Tattersall recently opened a new distillery in River Falls, Wisconsin. The company expanded and moved into a new territory due to Minnesota’s restrictive liquor laws. MN is the only state in the country that still has 3.2% ABV beer and that limits what large craft brewers can and cannot sell. Distilleries, like Tattersall, can’t sell full-sized bottles and once the operation gets “too big”, they can’t operate a cocktail room. With all these restrictions working against Tattersall’s expanding business, they were essentially forced to move out of state. Their new location is home to a full-service restaurant and cocktail bar, an outdoor patio with fire pits and lawn games, a large amphitheater for concerts and weddings, an expansive ballroom for up to 420 people, and a retail space. There they will have no limits on their production capacity.

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During my first week at Voyager Village, I remember hearing this voice in the hallways outside the POA office, over and over, that was so distinctive and every time I looked up to see who it was, the person was gone. A sweet, higher pitch, almost loving voice that you just had to know who it belonged to.

About a month went by without hearing my mysterious stranger, and I had forgotten about it. During that time the staff here kept talking about this woman who had fallen ill and was in the hospital. They were all so worried about her, but I had no idea who she was. Then, one day, the voice was back saying “hello” in the doorway of the POA office. I lifted my head up immediately, and there stood this sweet blonde, brown eyed woman and I finally put a face with the voice. The girls in the POA office jumped up immediately to greet her and welcomed her back with big hugs. Her smile was bright, and the voice matched exactly who I was seeing.

Her name is Suzie Daley, and she is the recipient of the Above and Beyond award here at Voyager Village.

Born In South St. Paul, she was raised with two sisters, one older and one younger. She attended school in Cottage Grove. She was an avid swimmer and competed all through high school, attending state and winning. During high school she was also a manager for the boy’s swim team. Suzie said, “I was always happiest in the water than on land, I just love the water and still do to this day.”

One day, after high school, she was hanging out with a couple of her guy friends, who were going to the recruiting office for the Marines. They talked about all the different challenges that were involved and how hard the Marines were, to which Suzie replied each time:

“I can do that.”

The guys laughed and dared her to join, and she was not turning down that dare. She signed up but was only 17 so she needed her parent’s permission, and they were not happy about this at all. Finally, after much discussion they agreed, and she said it was the best decision she ever made. She was in the Marines for 6 years. While in the Marines she also volunteered for search and rescue. They needed “jumpers” so of course she volunteered.

“They created in me so much of who I am today,” Suzie said. “They tear you down and then build you back up so you can learn to face the world head on.”

Her working career brought her to many different job opportunities, but she has the best memories of working at Land O Lakes, because this is where she met the love of her life: JD. While she told me the encounter of meeting her husband her face lit up as she fondly spoke of him.

“I opened a door and hit him by accident and said “oops” and kept walking.”

He was smitten with her immediately, unbeknownst to her. A friend spoke to her about setting her up with someone that worked there, and her response was, “As long as it not that idiot I hit with the door the other day.”

So began the happiest years of her life. Together for 26 years, married for 25, they had a wonderful life together, traveling and taking on new adventures. She said that JD nailed everything he did in his life, whether it was sports or day to day operations.

In 2015, JD fell ill. Doctors kept telling them that it was just the flu. JD passed rather suddenly shortly after and Suzie demanded an autopsy. It was found that JD was suffering from Lyme carditis. She was adamant that we talk about this. Lyme carditis occurs when Lyme disease bacteria enter the tissues of the heart. This can interfere with the normal movement of electrical signals from the heart’s upper to lower chambers, a process that coordinates the beating of the heart. The result is something physicians call “heart block,” which can vary in degree and change rapidly. Lyme carditis occurs in approximately one out of every hundred Lyme disease cases reported to CDC. But she wants you to know more importantly that between 1985 and 2019, only eleven cases of fatal Lyme carditis were reported worldwide. It can be treated but it is often overlooked, and she really wants people that are feeling sick with flu symptoms to always be checked for Lyme disease because they have similar symptoms and can often be missed.

Suzie had a place at VV and after JD passed away, she moved here full time. At Voyager, she feels the closest to JD and can see him everywhere. She began working for VV in 2017 for the Golf Shop doing the Bev Cart. She began a great working relationship with Ryan and then started working in the golf shop as well. “Ryan makes you laugh and leaves you in stitches every day,” she grinned.

From there she started working for Steve Johnson in the maintenance department with the grounds crew. “I adore that man, sometimes more as a friend then a boss.” To her, the grounds crew is “like working with older brothers.”

Suzie also works with Betty and the trails committee, grooming the trails. Suzie said, “When by Tiffany Fesenmaier, Membership Coordinator Betty comes to you and says you are doing something you just do it”! She began working alongside Dave Swanson and the two of them coordinate all grooming for the trails.

The other part of Suzie that most of us might not know is her love for all animals. She has a big heart for dogs that are surrendered due to being old or have medical needs and became a foster/rescue home for these animals. To date she has taken in 186 dogs since she began this journey.

Today she is settled into her new home and is naming the deer that come visit her, loving the bunnies, reading 3 different books, enjoying a good glass of sweet red wine or craft beer, and sitting down by her firepit. She said she has found her forever home here at Voyager and loves being a part of this community. When I asked her what she would like to be remembered for, she smiled and said with her sweet voice and beautiful smile, “Just being a nice person.”

Thank you, Suzie, for all that you do to make VV a great place to live, work and making us shine. You are truly a treasure to many here and we appreciate all that you give and do to make others feel like they are welcomed here and part of our community!

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“Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a difference.”

This November, with the help of our community and member-ship, Voyager Village was able to give back and donate a large sum of food to the ICAA Food Pantry at Caring Hearts Thrift Shop operated by Josie Penberthy. Donations help families in need throughout Burnett County by supplementing the diets of low-income households by providing them with emergency food and nutrition assistance at no cost. The Food Pantry was especially important during the last year as COVID-19 forced many Wisconsinites to stay home. During the height of the pandemic, Caring Hearts Thrift Shop hosted food distribution events that helped over 700 families each month. Food Distributions continue to take place on the 1st Thursday of each month with the help of Webster Lions Club, Webb Lake Community Club, and Lakeside Church Women’s Group.

In addition to the Food Pantry, Caring Hearts Thrift Shop sells gently used items including clothing, household items, seasonal decorations, furniture, children’s toys, and much more. They also provide free items to those in need. Just last month the gave away free coats, mittens, hats, boots, and scarves to prepare Burnett County residents for the cold weather. If you are interested in learning more about Caring Hearts Thrift Shop, the Food Pantry, or how you can get involved, they can be reached at 715-349-8155. Donations can be dropped off at their location in Webster – 26356 Lakeland Ave S, Webster, WI 54893.

Thank you to everyone who helped us make a difference to families in need this holiday season. Together we donated over 400 non-perishable items and raised over $200.

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There are people in this world that are “do” people, and they “do” with passion, drive and integrity. They also “do” for others without a blink of an eye, and they “do” because they see the need and feel it in their heart. I often wish I could be that kind of person; it’s almost embarrassing to admit that we all want to be seen or recognized at some point in our life.

But not Betty Paskausky.

Betty is the queen “do” person that I have had the privilege to get to know here at Voyager Village. Born in Waukegan, IL she was raised with one brother and spent most of her summers and weekends on her grandmother’s farm. Betty had a love for outdoors at an early age and would tell you herself that she was a tomboy. She later attended college at Northern Illinois and received her Bachelor of Science, and then went on to finish her masters at Stout. Her first job out of college was a Phy. Ed. teacher at the high school level, working there for four years. She then left teaching and bought into the franchise Baskin Robbins and owned three different locations in Illinois. However, the time took a toll on her and she realized after a couple of years that working 365 days a year and all day was not what she wanted. On a weekend get-away with some friends, she went to play golf in Eau Claire, WI and ended up meeting the Superintendent of the Altoona School District. Betty worked in the Altoona School District for 32 years, serving as Special Needs Administrator and School Psychologist, and was active in girls sports and very proud to be.

So, what brought her to Voyager Village? Her friend had a cabin on Long Lake and made the offer that if she maintained it, she could use it whenever she wanted to. She eventually made her way to Birch Island and built the home that she shares with Diane and her two sweet puppies. When Betty learned about Voyager, she was sad to see it had no trails or skiing opportunities. So being the “do” person she is, she started a Ski Club. It was then that Roseanne Berg connected with her, and Betty joined the Trails committee. From there, Betty has worked with a great group of people and have worked diligently and committed to creating and rebuilding eight different trails here at Voyager.

In 2006 she met Steve Johnson, who was the Superintendent of the Golf course at the time, and he began volunteering his time to help her and the rest of the gang on the Trails/Ski Club committees. In the summer of 2011, the storm that ravaged Burnett County saw a tremendous amount of damage done to the trails, including to Betty’s favorite tree on the Golf Course hole #17. Steve tried to do what he could, but the tree’s injuries had been too great. Roots had been ripped up in the cart path, and Steve told Betty it had to come down. Knowing how much the tree meant to Betty, Steve saved some wood from the tree and built her a table for her home. He presented her the gift during the Ski Club’s annual soup kitchen fundraiser and wrote about the moment in his blog post, “Small but Mighty”. You can read it online here: https://voyagervillage.wordpress.com/2017/12/31/small-but-mighty/

Today Betty is still involved with the trails and is still just as passionate about them. If you go to the Johnson Trail, you will find homemade walking sticks that she crafted for the trail—just be sure to return them once you are done! You will see her on the golf course or flying by you in the clubhouse on a mission to get to the next project. You will see her amongst giant men, and know it’s her because she’s the tiny one in the middle they are looking down and listening too. You will see her, and when you do there is this smile that will be on her face and almost dares you not to love her. But whatever you do, don’t go on and on about anything that might make her blush—she won’t stand there long and will quickly change the subject.

At the end of each day, she is usually in her rocking chair by 5pm drinking a cold Surley, with her two puppies Murphy and Maxi, dinner, and then off to bed. When I asked her what she would like to be remembered for, she quickly changed the subject.

“No,” she said. “you have to mention these peoples’ names that have been such a big help to me here at Voyager. Without many of them I would have never been able to do all that I have done.”

So­—Betty said to Ed, her neighbor for over 20 years, you have been the constant in her life and have always been there when she needed help. To all the members that have come and gone on the trails committee: Steve Johnson, Betty and Bob, Kermit, Dave Swan, Tom, Steve McDonough, Suzie, Walt, and many more.

So I again asked Betty what she wanted to be remembered for, and I knew this was going to be hard for her to say, but she sat there for a moment and looked up at me and said,

“If people are on the trails, walking, hiking, or cross-country skiing, I hope they will remember me and that they know I had no regrets and can’t say “I wish I would have” about my life.”

And that, my friends, is why she is my favorite “do” person I have ever met!

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Leaves and excitement were in the air this October during Voyager Village’s 15th annual Fall Fest. Everyone was welcome to attend the annual tradition in the Village, which was started by Voyager’s own general manager, Steve Johnson. When Steve came to Voyager, he brought with him a passion for autumn and for growing pumpkins. In 1997, Steve helped establish a Giant Pumpkin Festival in Nekoosa, Wisconsin.

“Back then the only sponsor we could get was from Piggly Wiggly,” Steve snickered. “We thank the pig for helping get that event off the ground.”

Today, the Nakoosa Giant Pumpkin Fest is still going strong and tends to attract up to 10,000 people a year annually. Voyager’s Fall Fest doesn’t quite reach those numbers in attendance, but it has persisted as a beloved event in the community. Steve said that Fall Fest started just as a way for him to display the giant pumpkins he grows right here on the course and decorate the clubhouse, but he realized it could be something much more when he noticed that there were many kids in the village around Halloween.

“There wasn’t really much for them to do,” he said. “I wanted to give them and their family something they could go out and enjoy together. I’m very proud of what we did this year; I think the enthusiasm and participation matched the nice weather.”

New events for this year’s Fall Fest included a Scavenger Hunt and Trunk or Treat. There were new faces abound; when asked who at the Scavenger Hunt had been to Fall Fest before, only one hand was raised. The pumpkins for this year were a bit small overall due to deer interference, and Steve wanted to thank Betty Paskausky for her help keeping the patch weeded. Steve estimates the largest ever to come out of the Voyager patch was about 1,000 lbs. We’ll have to see if he can grow another giant like that for next year’s festival!

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The fundraiser is to support the 14 volunteer first responders that service the towns of Webb Lake, Jackson, Scott, Rusk, and Swiss. These groups are made up of volunteers who are the first to come to any 911 calls and emergencies. Answering about 155 calls a month, the work is often high-stress, high-stakes, and entirely unpaid.

Austin said that when he first heard about how these volunteers were unpaid and often had to cover their own insurance and training, it struck a cord within him.

“I live here now,” Austin said. “And I want to be able to live comfortably here because of them.” Austin quickly began planning what would become the fundraiser for the first responders, and eight years later it has become a permeant part of the local community. Austin said that the first year he was able to raise about $2,000, an amount that grows each year. This year, the community raised $48,660. The money raised goes towards insurance, training, but most importantly equipment for the EMTs and first responders. Austin said that medical supply bags alone can cost upwards of $12,000 per bag, and that thanks to community donations, there are now 14 volunteer members in our area that are carrying these bags.

Austin wanted to shout-out Dan Winters, owner of 7 Corners Printing and Promotional Products, and a partner who works with the fund raiser to print out sponsored signs for the event. Lee Tischler and Ron Solomonson were two other names that Austin mentioned; Tischler and Solomonson are members of the Tuesday Night Men’s Club at Voyager, and stepped up this year when Austin needed help. Austin also wanted to thank Voyager Village for hosting the event and providing second-to-none dinner and drinks.

“Ryan Christopherson goes above and beyond with hosting this event,” Austin said of Voyager’s Golf & Recreation director. “He makes us all feel like it’s important to him that we succeed in this.”

Voyager Village would like to thank Austin for all the work that he does for such a great cause. If you want to be a part of this annual event, consider joining Austin’s “Silver and Gold” donation clubs, or by lending a hand and volunteering.

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On Saturday, September 18th, Voyager Village officially celebrated 50 years since the signing of its Covenants that officially brought it into existence. Members were invited to a cookout celebrating 50 years of operation featuring 1970’s pricing on all food and beverages, live music, and a fireworks display over the Championship Golf Course. General Manager and Golf Course Superintendent Steve Johnson lent a hand on the grill for the event, and was proud of both the massive turnout and the staff working the event.

“We were expecting to sell maybe 200 burgers. I think we wound up doing much closer to double that number. Overall it was a wonderful time,” Johnson said.

Voyager began as the ambitious plan of one man—N.E. “Ike” Isaacson. On September 25th, 1969, at a special session of the Burnett County Board in Grantsburg, N.E. Isaacson and Associates, Inc. outlined to the assembled Board members ambitious plans to begin a multi-million-dollar development in early 1970. After long and hard-fought efforts to gain support for the development, on September 23rd, 1970, the Covenants were officially signed, and Voyager Village came into existence.

Although technically 51 years since the Covenants were signed, the COVID-19 pandemic postponed many of the celebration activities initially planned for last year.

“Things just weren’t feasible,” said Brandon Johnson, Marketing & Communications Coordinator. “We had many big events planned that would involve large crowds, and once COVID-19 really hit hard we had to re-evaluate everything. Resources had to be diverted.”

Staff at Voyager Village hopes to keep the organization going strong and continue what Isaacson started for another 50 years.

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