Saturday, April 22, 2006

Happy Earth Day from Big Top Chautauqua Warren Nelson and the Blue Canvas Orchestra brought their traveling Big Top Chautauqua show to West Bend last night and put on a rousing performance. Warren, who wrote the theme song to my TV show, Outdoor Wisconsin, has penned dozens of tunes for his Big Top shows, performed each summer at Big Top Chautauqua in Bayfield, Wisconsin. In the off season, the troupe hits the road. I caught the West Bend show and plan to attend the Fond du Lac show tomorrow night as well. Warren dedicated the collection of songs, sketches and humor from a handful of the company's tent shows to the late Gaylord Nelson (no relation to Warren, as far as I know), former Wisconsin U.S. Senator, counselor to The Wilderness Society and founder of Earth Day back in 1971. Environmental groups and other entities across the county celebrated Earth Day this weekend with an amazing variety of events. GO ahead, Google Earth Day and you'll see what I mean. I can't think of a better way to recognize Earth Day than to enjoy Warren's original music, which celebrates Wisconsin's great land and water resources performed by his friends. Tomorrow, Shivani and I will join a handful of friends for the Fond du Lac show, and we have a special surprise for Warren. Check out that link and try to guess what we're going to present to him! Hey, and if you do figure it out, don't tell him, OK? Warren is an old friend from my days in Washburn back in the '70s and '80s. I'm excited to be working with him again, as Judy Nugent and I are using some of his music on our radio show. You can hear excerpts of tunes from his "Angling Wayne & the Trollers" CD on the radio show link, and catch more tunes on Warren's website. Hope to see you in Fondy tomorrow night! Listen for the loud birdcalls during "Mississippi Flyway" and you might spot me. Later... 9:39:41 PM    comment []

Hot hands for U.S. troops Hey, gang! Mike Capps at Howard Communications, in Elsberry, MO, sent me this story on Heatmax® handwarmers helping keep the troops warm in Iraq: Heatmax® Helps Warm U.S. Troops Soon after U.S. troops were deployed to Iraq and Afganistan, Heatmax® began receiving letters from families of soldiers stationed in those areas requesting warmers for their sons and daughters. Most people were unaware that temperatures during the cold season there can fall well below zero. When Heatmax discovered the military didn't supply such items, they stepped in and started sending HotHands® Warmers to supply entire units in the field. Some of Heatmax's customers, upon hearing of their humanitarian efforts, offered to pay the freight costs on overseas shipments to help show their support. Heatmax continues to supply HotHands to our troops to help them fight the cold and stay combat ready. Here are a couple comments from mail they have received: "Thank you so much for your donation of hand warmers! My son is in Iraq in one of the platoons that you sent them to and he and all the guys were very happy to receive them. Sometimes it seems that only the parents and wives of the soldiers realize that they are still over there, and it means a great deal to the men to know that there are others who care, too." Ken & Cindy Ambrosius "I just want to say thank you for your generous donation of hand warmers to my son's 1st Light Armored Recon Battalion currently stationed in western Iraq. It helps a mom to know there are companies who care about the welfare AND comfort of our troops." JoNell Degesualdo For more information, contact Heatmax, the makers of Hot Hands, at P.O. Box 1191, Dalton, GA 30722. Phone (800) 432-8629, or log onto www.heatmax.com. Now let's pray those kids all come home safe and sound. Later... 9:22:59 PM    comment []