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Conversations with... Norma Anderson

By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
The Rosholt Free Fair is this weekend, and among the many Rosholt area residents who will virtually spend their entire weekend on the fairgrounds is Norma Anderson, the village president.

She has been the village president since 1999 and served as a village trustee from 1989 until she became the president.

She and her husband Craig are involved in a number of activities in the Rosholt area, such as the fair and Rosholt Thresheree.

She's not shy about promoting the Rosholt area and, when she calls The Gazette, she identifies herself as "Nuisance Norma."

She took time away from her work on the fair recently to sit down with The Gazette recently to discuss a few topics.

Gazette: How did you get so wrapped up in village activities since you're not a native of Rosholt?

Anderson: "The people were very nice to me as an outsider. I grew up in Prairie du Chien. I'm a 'River Rat.' I thought these people deserved something back and I thought I could do a little for the community. I just enjoy doing things for the community. I like to see the smiles on their faces when something nice happens in our town.

"I just feel our community has a lot to offer people if they only let us try. It's a beautiful community. People are very friendly. It's a nice, clean community. We try to maintain it.

"I just like doing things for our village. I wish we had more to offer workers to keep them here, but we don't."

Gazette: How long have you been involved in the fair?

Anderson: "I've been on the Fair Board for 33 years and have done the parade for 33 years. That's my main thing, the parade. I also help people in other areas of the fair.

"In 1969, some gentlemen from the Fair Board asked if I could put on a parade. I did it all myself, lined them up and started them off. After the parade was over, I cried. A lady asked me if I was OK. I said I didn't know if I was happy or sad.

"Now I have two guys, Mike Roberts and Pete Thome from Stevens Point, who have been with me for 25 years helping line up the parade. I have people asking if they can help line up and we're glad for the help.

"I only ask for two things, sunshine and a smile, from the entries. We don't have an entry fee.

Gazette: What's the most difficult thing about the parade?

Anderson: "I don't know? Everything runs so smoothly. That's because I have such a great crew. I suppose the hardest is starting right at 12 o'clock when the whistle blows."

Gazette: Will you spend the weekend at the fair?

Anderson: "I come up at 6 a.m. and work with the cleanup crew. We clean up the park and then I go back home and clean up and then come back. I help around the park, maybe man the office or help in the supply room until about closing.

"On Sunday afternoon, we call it 'Rosholt Fair Friends.' We walk around the midway and we try to pick out a family and give them little gifts from the fair. We started it about five or six years ago. People don't usually get things like it at a fair. We tell them 'on behalf of the Rosholt Fair Board you have been chosen as the fair family.' I like the P.R. (public relations)."

Gazette: What's your favorite things about the fair, besides the parade?

Anderson: "Thursday night is kind of my favorite night. It's entry night for 4-H exhibits. The looks on the children's faces are just something else. The looks on the faces wondering 'what color ribbon am I going to get, what place will it be' are priceless.

"The looks on their parents' faces are about the same.

"Then there's the workers. Everything we're in, we're family. I get a lot of help from Jerry Landowski, Phyllis Landowski and Bev Stanislawski and my son and granddaughter, Mark and Missy Doede."

Gazette: When you're not involved in activities for the village, what are you doing?

Anderson: "I've worked 31 years at the (Rosholt) school in grade K-8 and now I'm a computer lab assistant. I don't think I'll plan on quitting it either. I like working with the children. We have a good staff, teaching staff. We're a family.

"I really enjoy my grandchildren. I enjoy spending my time with them. I take an interest in what they do, a very strong interest."



	Conversations with... Norma Anderson By GENE KEMMETER of The Gazette The Rosholt Free Fair is this weekend, and among the many Rosholt area residents who will virtually spend their entire weekend on the fairgrounds is Norma Anderson, the village president. She has been the village president since 1999 and served as a village trustee from 1989 until she became the president. She and her husband Craig are involved in a number of activities in the Rosholt area, such as the fair and Rosholt Thresheree. She's not shy about promoting the Rosholt area and, when she calls The Gazette, she identifies herself as "Nuisance Norma." She took time away from her work on the fair recently to sit down with The Gazette recently to discuss a few topics. Gazette: How did you get so wrapped up in village activities since you're not a native of Rosholt? Anderson: "The people were very nice to me as an outsider. I grew up in Prairie du Chien. I'm a 'River Rat.' I thought these people deserved something back and I thought I could do a little for the community. I just enjoy doing things for the community. I like to see the smiles on their faces when something nice happens in our town. "I just feel our community has a lot to offer people if they only let us try. It's a beautiful community. People are very friendly. It's a nice, clean community. We try to maintain it. "I just like doing things for our village. I wish we had more to offer workers to keep them here, but we don't." Gazette: How long have you been involved in the fair? Anderson: "I've been on the Fair Board for 33 years and have done the parade for 33 years. That's my main thing, the parade. I also help people in other areas of the fair. "In 1969, some gentlemen from the Fair Board asked if I could put on a parade. I did it all myself, lined them up and started them off. After the parade was over, I cried. A lady asked me if I was OK. I said I didn't know if I was happy or sad. "Now I have two guys, Mike Roberts and Pete Thome from Stevens Point, who have been with me for 25 years helping line up the parade. I have people asking if they can help line up and we're glad for the help. "I only ask for two things, sunshine and a smile, from the entries. We don't have an entry fee. Gazette: What's the most difficult thing about the parade? Anderson: "I don't know? Everything runs so smoothly. That's because I have such a great crew. I suppose the hardest is starting right at 12 o'clock when the whistle blows." Gazette: Will you spend the weekend at the fair? Anderson: "I come up at 6 a.m. and work with the cleanup crew. We clean up the park and then I go back home and clean up and then come back. I help around the park, maybe man the office or help in the supply room until about closing. "On Sunday afternoon, we call it 'Rosholt Fair Friends.' We walk around the midway and we try to pick out a family and give them little gifts from the fair. We started it about five or six years ago. People don't usually get things like it at a fair. We tell them 'on behalf of the Rosholt Fair Board you have been chosen as the fair family.' I like the P.R. (public relations)." Gazette: What's your favorite things about the fair, besides the parade? Anderson: "Thursday night is kind of my favorite night. It's entry night for 4-H exhibits. The looks on the children's faces are just something else. The looks on the faces wondering 'what color ribbon am I going to get, what place will it be' are priceless. "The looks on their parents' faces are about the same. "Then there's the workers. Everything we're in, we're family. I get a lot of help from Jerry Landowski, Phyllis Landowski and Bev Stanislawski and my son and granddaughter, Mark and Missy Doede." Gazette: When you're not involved in activities for the village, what are you doing? Anderson: "I've worked 31 years at the (Rosholt) school in grade K-8 and now I'm a computer lab assistant. I don't think I'll plan on quitting it either. I like working with the children. We have a good staff, teaching staff. We're a family. "I really enjoy my grandchildren. I enjoy spending my time with them. I take an interest in what they do, a very strong interest."