Lake Country This Month

Page 2A • FREEMAN & ENTERPRISE LAKE COUNTRY SEPTEMBER 2014 Circulation Dept. To reach the Circulation Department call 542-2501 or go to www.gmtoday.com/wfhelp. MANAGEMENT Bill Yorth - Editor-in-Chief.............................513-2671 byorth@conleynet.com Arthur Thomas – Managing Editor...............513-2657 athomas@conleynet.com Jim Baumgart - Freeman Group Ad Director 513-2621 jbaumgart@conleynet.com Tim Haffemann - Circulation Director....513-2640 thaffemann@conleynet.com Matt Marlett - Plant Manager......................513-2633 mmarlett@conleynet.com Patricia Scheel - Prepress Manager...........513-2690 pscheel@conleynet.com NEWS DEP ARTMENT Local News - Arthur Thomas........................513-2657 athomas@conleynet.com Sports - Dan Mike............................................513-2667 dmike@conleynet.com Death Notices - Shana Duffy.......................513-2618 obits@conleynet.com Newsroom Fax....................................(262) 542-8259 CLASSIFIEDS: 542-2211 Hours: M -F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. PHOTO REPRINTS Color reprints are $25 each. 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To subscribe to the daily Freeman or weekly Enterprise, call 542-2500 Freeman subscription rates • By in-county mail 13 weeks..............$36 26 weeks..............$66 52 weeks............$120 • Out-of-county mail 13 weeks.............$51 26 weeks............$99 52 weeks..........$192 Easy buy .....$10 a month with credit card Electronic edition ......$10 a month with credit card & ENTERPRISE Enterprise subscription rates • Oconomowoc ZIP code 6 months.....$21.00 1 year..........$35.00 2 years........$68.00 • Ashippun, Ixonia, Neosho, Rubicon, Okauchee,Watertown and Sullivan ZIP codes and other Waukesha County addresses 6 months.....$25.00 1 year..........$43.00 2 years........$84.00 • All other addresses 6 months.....$29.00 1 year..........$51.00 2 years........$99.00 2 3 6 6 4 4 0 0 3 2 3 9 4 4 8 0 0 4 CHENEQUA — This year, The Women's Center treated guests of its annual fundraiser to an evening with French flair. One hundred fifty people attended "An Evening in Paris," at Chenequa Country Club on Aug. 9. Alison Holub and Nancy Lindenberg co-chaired the event, which included hors d'oeuvres, an open bar, live music, raffles, and auc- tions. Steve "The Homer" True from ESPN Radio was the auctioneer for the evening. Funds raised from the event will help support the center's free programs and services that help women and chil- dren heal from and break the cycle of violence. 'An Evening in Paris' Photos by Tamara Conley Gogin Out & About Co-chairs Alison Holub of Wales and Nancy Lindenberg of Hartland greet guests. Jim and Mary Spyers-Duran of Hartland have their bidding number ready to go. Pauline Brown of Oconomowoc volunteers at the event with her mother, Sue Herro of Oconomowoc. Tara and Jeff Swalve of Hartland enjoy the view from the patio. Eileen Murray and James Miller talk with Magda- line Benson, all of Oconomowoc. Lynn and Mike Fitzsimmons of Genesee look at the auction items. Mark and Mary Potts of Watertown support the center. Paul and Sandy Wyscocki of Pewaukee bid on silent auction items. Alana Merkow of Hartland talks with Al Froehlich of Waukesha. Cushing From Page 1A Had they succeeded, Confederate Gen- eral Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia might have continued penetrat- ing into the North. They might even have gone far enough to force President Abra- ham Lincoln into an armistice that would have forever divided the North and South. But the Confederates met fierce resis- tance, in which Cushing played a key role. He kept directing his battery's fire, even after suffering severe wounds in the shoulder, abdomen and groin. The pain, shock and loss of blood reduced his voice to a near-whisper, but he continued issuing orders into his sergeant's ear. A Confederate bullet finally struck Cushing in the head, killing him. Shortly thereafter, Union reinforcements forced the surviving rebels to retreat. Pursuing the medal Medals of Honor weren't awarded posthumously during the Civil War. But after prompting by Delafield historians Margaret Zerwekh and Krueger, former Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Senator Russ Feingold nominated Cushing for the award in 2003. During the next seven years, the Departments of Defense and the Army reviewed and approved the applica- tions. Two requirements, however, created a final pair of speed bumps in the process. One stipulated that a recommendation for the Medal of Honor be made within two years of the action cited. According to the other, the medal must be awarded within a year of the recom- mendation. During 2012, an amendment to waive the time requirements was included in the U.S. House of Representatives' and U.S. Senate's versions of the National Defense Act. Wisconsin U.S Reps. Jim Sensenbren- ner, R-Menomonee Falls, and Ron Kind, D- LaCrosse, co-sponsored the House ver- sion. Wisconsin U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson, R- Oshkosh, and Herb Kohl, D-Madison, did the same in the Senate NDA. Although the House approved its NDA, the Senate version failed by one vote — cast by then-Sen. James Webb, D-Virginia. Webb, a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran, argued essentially that Cushing's actions took place too long ago to deter- mine accurately whether they deserved the nation's highest military honor. "While one would never wish to demean any act of courage, I believe that the retroactive deter mination in one case could open up an endless series of claims," Webb said. Renewing the effort — and some youthful persuasion Webb, however, retired soon after his "no" vote. And the amendment's House and Senate sponsors brought it back again last year — when both houses of Congress approved it. The recommendation then went to Obama's desk for his consideration. To urge him on, Krueger suggested hav- ing local students write letters to the pres- ident. DeYoe and Hawks Inn President Mary Daniel brought that idea to Cushing Elementary, the Lake Country School Dis- trict and St. John's Northwestern Military Academy. By this past June, DeYoe had around 100 student letters addressed to Obama and U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. Whether the letters influenced Obama's decision isn't clear yet, but it's a safe bet they didn't hurt. "I believe Washington itself is excited about this," Krueger said. "It's something non-partisan that everyone could gather around." What's next? Who will receive Cushing's medal? DeYoe and Krueger would love for it to be displayed in Delafield, possibly in City Hall on Genesee Street. Then again, posthumous Medals of Honor are typically given to sur- vivors or descendants of the deceased. And Cushing has ancestors in Freedonia, N.Y., where he spent much of his pre-Civil War life. "Where the medal will go is still the $1 million question," said Krueger. "We don't know yet." "There are so many restrictions and requirements," said DeYoe. "But either way, it's very meaningful for the city of Delafield." DeYoe noted the city is planning a cele- bration for Memorial Day Weekend in 2015. Cushing Park's monument will then be 100 years old, and the weekend will observe and honor that anniversary. And knowing that the park's namesake has finally received the Medal of Honor is even greater grounds for celebration, she said. "Whether it goes to the Cushing family or not is fine," said DeYoe. "The important thing is that it's finally been awarded." Email: svandien@conleynet.com Also contributing: Katherine Michalets, Special to The Freeman

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