PAOLI — From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 19 in Paoli Mill Park, 6890 Paoli Road, family and friends will remember Paul Natzke and celebrate his life with a Paulpalooza event.
Paul is the son of Jim and Kathie Natzke, who have ties to Monroe. Jim manages operations at Alpine Slicing in Monroe and Maple Leaf Cheese. He has been involved in the Monroe cheese industry for more than 20 years.
One of the three charities the family has chosen to donate funds to includes the Wisconsin Skeeters Sled Hockey team. The second is the University of Wisconsin Organ Transplant Organization or Donate Life, which became important to the family after Paul died.
“We donated Paul’s heart, liver, pancreas, kidneys and eyes,” Natzke said. “We’ve met two of the recipients and knowing that his organs are helping someone else live a full life gives us some peace.”
The third is Baycliff Health Camp.
“Camp was something that benefitted Paul,” Natzke said. “He attended summer camp since he was 8 years old and each year he loved it more. It was an amazing experience for him and he looked forward to it. It helped him gain a level of independence he never could have achieved without it.”
This is a grassroots effort. All of the money donated will be used to fund Paulpalooza and the three charities.
“We’re hoping to raise bunches of money for the Skeeters, Donate Life and Bay Cliff Health Camp because they meant so much to Paul,” Natzke said.
Eight bands including Mark Croft, Sam Sardina, Drew Jacobs, Sunspot, Quick and Painless, Chloe Louise, Woodrow and Raine Stern will perform on the Pub and Park stages. There will be Hop Garden beer, raffle tickets and cornhole and local food vendors including the Monkey Shines food stand staffed by team members of the Sugar River and Verona track programs. Funds raised from this food stand will be donated back to the track programs.
Paul’s obituary read … “Paul was active in sports and was especially proud to be one of the first members of the Wisconsin youth sled hockey team, now known as the Wisconsin Skeeters. Paul did not let his lack of mobility slow him down, also participating on the Verona High School track team, swimming, skiing, bowling, and waterskiing. He was always eager and willing to try new things, and his smile, red hair, and wheelchair opened many doors for him. Paul was an active member of the Spina Bifida family network, a group of families In the Madison area. He loved holding babies and playing with younger kids.
Paul was often the only person in the room, crowd or school in a wheel chair and he was able to change what people thought about kids with disabilities. Anyone who met Paulie was his friend, and he had the ability to disarm people who were apprehensive about his disability. Somehow doors always opened and opportunities would present themselves. Paul would charge through the door and take the opportunities whenever he could.
If you have questions, want to volunteer or are interested in donating, contact Kathie Natzke at 608-558-8866 or kathienatzke123@gmail.com.
