In Celebration of Nature

2008 Wild Ones Annual Meeting
and Conference

August 22 - 24, 2008
At the Wild Ones EcoCenter, Appleton, Wisconsin

The Wild Ones Annual Meeting and Conference will be held in conjunction with the first viewing of the Wild Ones EcoCenter.

More Fun Stuff

In addition to the tours, speakers, and other workshops, there will be a banquet, Wild Ones items available for purchase (including new mugs and new "Die Buckthorn Scum" t-shirts), leadership workshops, a silent auction, and of course the annual Wild Ones Photo Contest. And our favorite bookseller, EcoThink, will also be there.

Troy Landwehr, owner of Kerrigan Brothers Winery, and nationally known cheese sculptor, will be hosting the hors d'oeuvres and wine tasting prior to the banquet on Saturday night. Click here and here to learn more about his cheese scupture.

Wild Ones Banquet Along wth the very Wisconsin hors d'oeuvres, the evening banquet will feature a somewhat traditional Wisconsin cookout, with brats and burgers prepared by the Fox Valley Technical College's Hospitality & Culinary Club. The menu will include Grilled Breast of Chicken Caesar, Wisconsin Bratwurst, Vegetarian Burgers with Buns & Condiments, Hearth-Baked Mixed Beans, Baby Red Dill Potato Salad, Wheat Berry and Fresh Vegetable Salad, Anti-Pasta Platter, Vegetable Crudités, and Commemorative EcoCenter Dirt Cake.

Even More Fun and Interesting Stuff

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Museum is just 20 minutes south, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Founded in 1953, the EAA is a growing and diverse organization of aviation enthusiasts whose interests include classic and antique airplanes, warbirds, aerobatic aircraft, ultralights, helicopters, contemporary aircraft, and building their own airplanes.

The Green Bay Packers and Lambeau Field are just a half-hour up the road in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Visit the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, Lambeau Field, and other points of interest.

Barlow Planetarium A world-class facility for 3-D excitement, the Barlow Planetarium offers giant full-color special effects and crystal-clear, five-channel, 10,000 watt THX surround sound with 48-foot projection dome.

Weis Earth Science Museum The official State Mineralogical Museum of Wisconsin.

Outagamie Museum Preserves and exhibits the history of Outagamie County and lower Fox River Valley. Operates the Charles A. Grignon Mansion, the Outagamie Museum, and gathers, interprets, and disseminates information related to the life and career of Harry Houdini who claimed Appleton, Wisconsin, as his home town.

Hearthstone Historic Museum House Tour the first home in the world lit by hydroelectricity.

Trails of the Fox Cities include some of the best walking trails in the state. The city of Appleton has recently been named the best walking city in Wisconsin by Prevention magazine and the American Podiatric Medical Association. Trails will take you from Fox Valley Technical College to the Wild Ones EcoCenter (5 mile walk).

Nature Net, the Environmental Learning Network, lists a multitude of environmentally focused destinations in the Fox Cities, including many nature centers and preserves.

Horicon If you are driving, plan to stop at Horicon Marsh or the International Crane Foundation.

National Railroad Museum The museum dates to 1956, with a mission to foster an understanding of railroading and its significance to American life. What began as an effort to acquire a single steam locomotive for a city park has grown into one of the largest rail museums in the nation. It now serves over 75,000 visitors annually.

Last But Not Least The Fox River Mall, located between the FVTC and the EcoCenter, on the Fox Cities Trails system features over 180 stores like Macy's, Younkers, Scheels, Pottery Barn, Coldwater Creek, Chico's, Target, Ann Taylor, Abercrombie & Fitch, Aeropostale, and Build-a-Bear Workshop. Great choices for family dining include Northwoods Café, Fratello's Restaurant & Brewery, Atlanta Bread Company and TGI Friday's.