Fall 2025 Newsletter

In this issue:

• Harvest Fest and Makers Market - Sept. 20

• Trick or Treat on Oct. 31 and

• the Halloween decorating contest

• Summer 2025 highlights

• Concerts on the Green - 20th year / New leadership

• Ideas brewing for 2026

• Triangle Park monument

It's almost Harvest Time!

The Enderis Park Neighborhood Association is celebrating the magic of the change from Summer to Autumn with its annual Harvest Festival on Sept. 20 (9 am to noon).

This year, in addition to the tradition sale of specialty mums pumpkins and gourds, we're

having a Makers Market. There also will be a build-your-own-scarecrow station (you bring the clothes, we provide

the straw!).

Because of the generosity and support of the Milwaukee Neighborhood Improvement Development Corp. and Minors Garden Center 7777 N 76th St., we are able to provide these items at prices well below typical retail rates.

Here are this year's prices:

PRODUCT EPNA Member Non Member

Mums (2 gal Pot) $10.00 $12.00

Mums (1 gal Pot) $5.00 $6.00

Mums (4.5 inch pot) $3.00 $4.00

Autumn planter (2 gal pot) $18.00 $22.00

Mums hanging basket $18.00 $22.00

Large pumpkins $5.00 $6.00

Novelty gourds $5.00 $6.00

Fountain Grass $10.00 $12.00

So far, the Makers Market has these 14 must-see vendors:

* Cherax Forge

Cherax Forge will be offering forging demonstrations as well as selling their hand-forged

items.

* PuzzleSleuths

A "mobile escape room" with puzzles that require teamwork and communication to

complete a mission before time runs out. There will be a cost of $3-4 per person to

participate.

* Sandy Szymkowski - O My Gourds!

Decorative gourds and original photos

* Pete Prodoehl - 2XL Networks

Relief art prints on handmade paper and prints of digital illustrations

* Fran Janczak - Bay View Author

Beautifully illustrated children's books

* Curley Harris - Harris Custom Woodwork

Charcuterie boards/cutting boards, framed prints and posters and incense holders

* Whitney LaGesse - Witty's Itty Bitties

Hand-made mini magnets and rock cairns

* Big Yellow Farmhouse Bakes

* Wheatless Wonders Bakes

* Scrapbooks by Inspiration

Pre-made scrapbooks and inserts ready for your photos Scrapbooksbyinspira.etsy.com

* Vintage Nicolina

Vintage-inspired, hand-crafted jewelry

* Royal Reynolds

Stained glass pieces, resin products and sublimation products

royalreynolds.com

* Fern & Feather Craft Co.

Nature-inspired moss wall hangings, using preserved moss, flowers, mushrooms, bark and

other natural elements; and cyanotypes of natural materials.

* The Dragon's Tailor

Handmade clothing (dresses, skirts, tops, hoodies) and accessories (scarves, purses,

scrunchies, hats, etc.); also novels written and self-published by a Sun Prairie-based

author and WWII memoirs written by a Milwaukee author.

Trick or Treat - and some Tasty Eye Candy!!

2025 Trick-or-treating is scheduled for Friday, October 31, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Some guidelines:

• Participants must be in costumes and young children should be accompanied by a

parent or guardian.

• All candy and treats must be individually wrapped.

• Households that wish to participate should have on their porch and other lights.

• Be extra careful when crossing streets.

• Cross only at corners and crosswalks.

• Carry a flashlight.

• Masks should allow for good vision for the wearer.

• Pet-safe treats only for our furry ghosts and goblins

• Non-Enderis Park guests are welcome and are asked to observe parking restrictions.

Parking Information

There will be no special parking restrictions posted during the hours of trick or treat.

But with so many children enjoying this favorite fall activity, safety is our greatest

concern. Narrow streets make it difficult for emergency vehicles to pass through if

needed.

We ask that neighbors voluntarily observe parking for themselves and their guests as

follows:

• Park cars off the streets (in garages, parking spaces and driveways) wherever

possible.

• Park only on the even side of the street during the hours of Trick-or-Treat.

• Encourage all guests to arrive and park before the festivities begin and to observe

these voluntary parking requests.

• Drive with extra care through the neighborhood during the hours of Trick-or-Treat.

Halloween Decorating Contest!

Once again this year, EPNA invites you to enter the Halloween Decorating Contest

Judging will take place between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31st

• Most Decorative (2 winners): - fall leaves and flowers, wreathes, friendly ghosts and witches, artistic scarecrows, pumpkins, orange lights, etc.

• Scariest (2 winners):- Vampires, tombstones, scary witches and ghosts, bats, howling dogs, etc.

• 4 other winners

Contest winners will get a lawn sign and will be featured on the EPNA website and Facebook page.

What a Summer!

Our park was full of activity and fun this summer. In addition of our pickle ball and bocce players and Fourth of July Activities. We had concerts, farmers markets and - this year - a movie!

Our fourth of July winners were:

Boy’s Bike: Collin Jenkins and Franklin Thull

Girl’s Bike: Matilda Stolzman and Grace Harris

Scooter/Wagon: Joanna Skredland

The Concerts on the Green are celebrating 20 years!

And with the milestone comes new leadership. Concert Committee member Danial Pope will lead the committee, filling the big shoes of Dave Hoose, who has led the effort since the beginning. Daniel and his wife, Lisa — and their little dog, Kurt — moved to Enderis Park in 2017. Lisa is a nurse and he was a chef.

"When house-hunting we looked at only one house, the house on Carlton Place that we live in now. We fell in love with the house and the neighborhood immediately. Back then, because I was a chef, I worked on nights, weekends and most holidays, so I could not attend many of the neighborhood events," Pope said.

In 2020, he was transitioning out of kitchen work and was not working on July 4th, so he volunteered to sell brats at the Enderis Park July 4th event. On that day, he met J.D. Thorne; who mentioned he was on the Concerts on the Green committee and that they always needed volunteers to help break down the stage.

"So, I just started showing up at the end of concerts to help Steve with the stage. Then, the next year I joined the concert committee full time. And then, to no longer rely on non-committee volunteers to do so, I started selling root beer floats at all the concerts."

Fast forward to this year when Dave told the committee that this season would be his last. Dan enjoyed being a part of the concerts so much, he proposed to the other members of the committee, that he might step in. They enthusiastically agreed. "I am hoping that I can emulate Dave and keep enough members in the committee motivated so that we keep having these great concerts, great food, and great sponsors coming back every summer. "

As Dave steps down, he remembers some highlights of the last 20 years. "Having some great bands perform, of course, like Pat McCurdy, and The Britins, and The Wiskeybelles and Nora Jones (who went on the good things in Nashville) and Semi Twang and King Solomon and Trapper Schoepp and Steve Coehn/Jim Liban and Christopher’s Project and Donna Woodall and The Best Westerns and The Extra Crispy Brass Band and, my favorite, Paul Cebar were definitely highlights," he said "But we’ve had many great bands and I can’t remember all of them. Also, I’ve been amazed that so many good people have been members of the committee over the years and that those folks have been willing to give lots of their time, energy, and creativity to make the shows successful." As chair, he also enjoyed working with the many members over the years and enjoyed acting as interface with the EPNA Board for the committee.

"I’ve met lots of great neighbors and musicians and food vendors," Dave said. He will stay on as a regular committee member and hopes the committee continues to put together great shows and continues to draw large numbers of our Enderis Park neighbors to the shows.

"I’ll do what I can to help," he said. "The committee, now, is a group of nine people who must do much work to stage the concerts. It would be great if more volunteers would step forward to help with that work."

Ideas Brewing

The EPNA board is talking about hosting a flea market and organizing a kids' day. Watch for an emailed survey to gather thoughts on these ideas and to get your ideas for Enderis Park.

Have you seen the monument in Triangle Park?

The design of the structure reflects one of the architectural motifs of the neighborhood, including the lannon stone used in many of neighborhood structures, homes and the existing neighborhood monuments at 68th and Center St. and Squirrel Park — as well as in various structures in the park.

The total cost of the monument was around $8,500, including $4,000 from the City. The stone structure was built by Colton’s Construction. The lamp on top of the monument is solar powered; the metal plaque on the structure is made of rust-proof aluminum.

The park was initially renovated in 2010. The Triangle is used by the surrounding neighbors as an extension of their back yards — to play with their children, run their dogs and as a gathering place to meet with neighbors, have picnics etc.

About 15 years ago, nearby neighbors approached the city about renovating the Triangle. The City responded that their budget resources were limited but encouraged interested neighbors to develop an improvement plan. These neighbors enlisted a landscape architect, Brian J. Boeding, residing in the neighborhood who volunteered to help. After surveying neighbor preferences, a design plan and budget were completed.

This Triangle Renovation Plan included the construction of four raised beds featuring permanent lannon stone outcroppings and landscaped plantings within the beds, new trees and other features. We discussed erecting a monument at that time but it just didn't happen, so we are pleased that 15 years later with funding from EPNA, we are able to install the monument.

Neighbors worked closely with the City Department of Public Works and Alderman Murphy to gather support for the renovation plan — which was to be implemented in phases depending on funding. With the help of neighbor contributions, the first phase (northwest shrub bed) was completed in 2010. Then, with grants from the City of Milwaukee ($6,000), PNC Bank ($10,000) and additional neighborhood contributions ($4,000+), the remainder of the renovation project was completed in 2011.

Halquist Stone and David J. Frank &Co. also provided discounts for its lannon stone and installation services. The City provided free plantings and trees. Neighbors also paid for subsequent trees and other plantings. The City also removed four large, overgrown shrub beds, paid for and installed a drip irrigation system, and replaced sidewalk slabs. Working with the Enderis Park Neighborhood Association, the Triangle neighbors raised the required funds and managed the Triangle Renovation Project to its successful completion.

Since then, Triangle neighbors begin every year with Spring clean-up in May. They rake leaves, weed, cut back the old growth, and edge along the grass-shrub bed borders. In June, they spread mulch provided by the Enderis Park Neighborhood Association The final clean up is in late fall.

The neighborhood has fulfilled its commitment to the project sponsors to maintain the beds and perform general park clean-up.

Our thanks go to:

• Neighbors who are constantly thinking about ways to improve the park, including

Mike and Shirley Daun and Meg Rognsvoog

• City officials including Randy Krause and Scot Baren from the Forestry Division

• Angela Mitchel from NIDC, who helped us acquire a $4,000 matching grant

• Tess Wynn from City Development, who helped us secure approval to build the

structure on City property

• Neighbor Steve Prueher, who installed the monument’s solar light and sign plaque

• EPNA members whose annual dues helped fund the project