BRODHEAD - Jaine Winters might be able to tell stories about some fabulous experiences throughout her life. She's swam with sharks in Australia, spent Christmases with her family writing letters to Santa in the dunes, but the Brodhead native returned and is now focusing her efforts on giving back.
She spends her free time getting involved, helping with the community and other groups with which she feels a strong connection.
Growing up with full access to the Sugar River was enjoyable for Winters, who recalls spending little time watching television. Instead, she could be found alongside her three siblings swimming in the summer and skating in the winter.
At Brodhead High School, she was an involved student who took part in the National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America and American Field Service, an international exchange program. She also enjoyed being a part of the jazz band and said she was on the fast track to college. Her high school years bring back memories of participating in homecoming activities, attending sporting events and being part of a strong circle of friends and classmates she still holds dear.
While in high school, Winters said a school guidance counselor, who doubled as a family friend, encouraged her to participate in AFS. The exchange program was flourishing in Brodhead at the time.
"I always knew I would be an AFS student at some point," Winters said.
She was assigned to Turkey for the summer between her junior and senior year. She stayed with a family who suggested she pack summer attire. However, her halter tops and shorts didn't fare well in the Muslim-majority country.
"That's not what people wear in a Muslim country," Winters laughed. "I had two pair of jeans, and I wore them a lot."
The family she stayed with lived on the ninth floor of an apartment complex, and Winters fit in with their customs and values. By helping her youngest "sister" learn English, she picked up on the Turkish language quickly and eventually felt comfortable answering the telephone.
Winters didn't hesitate to take part in the culture and even fasted with the family for days at a time.
"I learned more about their culture by taking part in it," Winters said. "They accepted me. I knew I could go to a Muslim country any time after that and live there."
The experience changed her perception of both herself and of the world.
"It makes you more self-reliant that you can do something on your own in a place where you have no experience," she said.
That experience also helped mold her career path. She initially hoped to become a doctor but decided a career better suited for family would be a better fit. It was a mentor at AFS who helped her make that decision and even helped her find classes to go toward a different career.
Winters was part of the largest graduating class at Brodhead High School in 1978 with 107 students.
It was an easy decision to follow in her parents' footsteps: Winters attended their alma mater at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where she majored in accounting. She graduated in three years but was still involved, taking part in the marching band there.
Winters landed her first job with her accounting degree as a CPA at a law firm in Monroe. She held the position for a few years, married her husband, John, and had their first son. The couple then decided to look into going overseas, and John got a teaching job in Saudi Arabia. Winters struggled to find work there as a woman but eventually landed a job running a business office and joined him a month before their second son was born.
Life overseas brought adventure and excitement for the couple. She has fond memories of spending Christmases camping in the desert and writing notes in the sand so Santa Claus would find them. The experiences are far-reaching, including seeking King Solomon's fabled gold mine and watching the sand dunes. They swam with sharks in Australia, and her two boys saw their first snowfall in Germany. They would travel often, meeting family members in places like Kenya, Switzerland and Egypt.
The family stayed nearly nine years, enjoying the experiences life brought their way, and came home to visit family in Brodhead whenever they were able.
Just before her two sons were ready to enter second and third grades, they were back in Wisconsin fishing with their grandfather on Decatur Lake when her oldest son suggested coral to bait the hook.
"The boys grew up with the Red Sea in their backyard," Winters said. "Some things you just have to experience."
She felt it was time to bring them home, to understand the Midwest as well as the world. Although it was sad to leave Saudi Arabia during a pinnacle time of friendship and involvement there, the family returned to a warm welcome. Their home soon became a revolving door of friends visiting from all over the world to experience Wisconsin.
Winters went back into accounting, landing a job in Monroe, but started over in many ways from the work she was doing. She spent eight years working her way up to management. By the time the boys were in high school, Winters was the controller for a Brodhead company, Woodbridge Corporation, and spent a decade there until 2010, when the business closed.
She decided then to take a break - and went on a three-week trip to Russia. When she came back, she worked as the chief financial officer for a manufacturing company in Beloit for five years.
When an opportunity arose to accompany John on a Bike Across America trip, she took it. She rode 1,000 miles with him from San Francisco to North Carolina in 21/2 months. She found several places along the way to meet up with family and made a list of new places to which she hoped to return.
After that, Winters officially retired and enjoyed Tucson, Arizona, in the winter months.
With her free time, Winters has decided to give back to her community with some influence from many of the places she enjoyed while growing up. She recently wrote the grant that was awarded to Decatur Lake to improve its conditions. In the fall of 2015, she became the president of the historical society, which eventually snowballed into building onto the museum.
"It's been so fun to work with a variety of people who are so committed to improving Brodhead," she said.
She also served on the Decatur Township Planning Commission and was part of March of Dimes in Madison. She said she isn't interested in detailing all of her past involvement and feels she's simply helping out wherever she can.
"I've helped a lot, but I've also received a lot of help," she said.
Volunteering, for Winters, is simply a result of wanting things to happen and knowing she needs to be involved to help make them happen. She feels her financial background has been beneficial because often, money is needed to grow any idea.
Her parents were always volunteering and giving back to the community. They started the historical society, she said, and she recalls countless hours of them working on the displays.
"Somehow, all the things you've stretched yourself in order to help other people - it comes back to help you at some point," she said. "I just always do my best and be helpful for somebody. I think that's a nice legacy."
She also hasn't let go of her AFS background, and six years ago, Winters became a liaison for a Turkish girl from Istanbul staying in Brodhead. She was able to reassure and help her enjoy her experiences the way Winters did. She's proud the girl now works with AFS students.
"It made that much of a difference to me," Winters said.
Her sons, John and Kenneth, are both captains in the service. Spending time with them is one of her favorite things to do. She also enjoys time with her 5-year-old granddaughter as much as she can. Winters stays active and enjoys kayaking, biking and making stained-glass projects in a workshop she's had for several years.
One of the things Winters still cherishes is her close-knit class from Brodhead High School. Although some have moved away and life has brought big changes for each of them, she said they still get together often and class reunions are a special time to catch up.
Her adventures aren't quite over, and Winters said she hopes to get back into backpacking to relive some of the epic vacations she experienced through the years. She loves the outdoors and still keeps up with the families she met in Saudi Arabia.
Parting thought: "When everybody does a little bit, a lot happens."
She spends her free time getting involved, helping with the community and other groups with which she feels a strong connection.
Growing up with full access to the Sugar River was enjoyable for Winters, who recalls spending little time watching television. Instead, she could be found alongside her three siblings swimming in the summer and skating in the winter.
At Brodhead High School, she was an involved student who took part in the National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America and American Field Service, an international exchange program. She also enjoyed being a part of the jazz band and said she was on the fast track to college. Her high school years bring back memories of participating in homecoming activities, attending sporting events and being part of a strong circle of friends and classmates she still holds dear.
While in high school, Winters said a school guidance counselor, who doubled as a family friend, encouraged her to participate in AFS. The exchange program was flourishing in Brodhead at the time.
"I always knew I would be an AFS student at some point," Winters said.
She was assigned to Turkey for the summer between her junior and senior year. She stayed with a family who suggested she pack summer attire. However, her halter tops and shorts didn't fare well in the Muslim-majority country.
"That's not what people wear in a Muslim country," Winters laughed. "I had two pair of jeans, and I wore them a lot."
The family she stayed with lived on the ninth floor of an apartment complex, and Winters fit in with their customs and values. By helping her youngest "sister" learn English, she picked up on the Turkish language quickly and eventually felt comfortable answering the telephone.
Winters didn't hesitate to take part in the culture and even fasted with the family for days at a time.
"I learned more about their culture by taking part in it," Winters said. "They accepted me. I knew I could go to a Muslim country any time after that and live there."
The experience changed her perception of both herself and of the world.
"It makes you more self-reliant that you can do something on your own in a place where you have no experience," she said.
That experience also helped mold her career path. She initially hoped to become a doctor but decided a career better suited for family would be a better fit. It was a mentor at AFS who helped her make that decision and even helped her find classes to go toward a different career.
Winters was part of the largest graduating class at Brodhead High School in 1978 with 107 students.
It was an easy decision to follow in her parents' footsteps: Winters attended their alma mater at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where she majored in accounting. She graduated in three years but was still involved, taking part in the marching band there.
Winters landed her first job with her accounting degree as a CPA at a law firm in Monroe. She held the position for a few years, married her husband, John, and had their first son. The couple then decided to look into going overseas, and John got a teaching job in Saudi Arabia. Winters struggled to find work there as a woman but eventually landed a job running a business office and joined him a month before their second son was born.
Life overseas brought adventure and excitement for the couple. She has fond memories of spending Christmases camping in the desert and writing notes in the sand so Santa Claus would find them. The experiences are far-reaching, including seeking King Solomon's fabled gold mine and watching the sand dunes. They swam with sharks in Australia, and her two boys saw their first snowfall in Germany. They would travel often, meeting family members in places like Kenya, Switzerland and Egypt.
The family stayed nearly nine years, enjoying the experiences life brought their way, and came home to visit family in Brodhead whenever they were able.
Just before her two sons were ready to enter second and third grades, they were back in Wisconsin fishing with their grandfather on Decatur Lake when her oldest son suggested coral to bait the hook.
"The boys grew up with the Red Sea in their backyard," Winters said. "Some things you just have to experience."
She felt it was time to bring them home, to understand the Midwest as well as the world. Although it was sad to leave Saudi Arabia during a pinnacle time of friendship and involvement there, the family returned to a warm welcome. Their home soon became a revolving door of friends visiting from all over the world to experience Wisconsin.
Winters went back into accounting, landing a job in Monroe, but started over in many ways from the work she was doing. She spent eight years working her way up to management. By the time the boys were in high school, Winters was the controller for a Brodhead company, Woodbridge Corporation, and spent a decade there until 2010, when the business closed.
She decided then to take a break - and went on a three-week trip to Russia. When she came back, she worked as the chief financial officer for a manufacturing company in Beloit for five years.
When an opportunity arose to accompany John on a Bike Across America trip, she took it. She rode 1,000 miles with him from San Francisco to North Carolina in 21/2 months. She found several places along the way to meet up with family and made a list of new places to which she hoped to return.
After that, Winters officially retired and enjoyed Tucson, Arizona, in the winter months.
With her free time, Winters has decided to give back to her community with some influence from many of the places she enjoyed while growing up. She recently wrote the grant that was awarded to Decatur Lake to improve its conditions. In the fall of 2015, she became the president of the historical society, which eventually snowballed into building onto the museum.
"It's been so fun to work with a variety of people who are so committed to improving Brodhead," she said.
She also served on the Decatur Township Planning Commission and was part of March of Dimes in Madison. She said she isn't interested in detailing all of her past involvement and feels she's simply helping out wherever she can.
"I've helped a lot, but I've also received a lot of help," she said.
Volunteering, for Winters, is simply a result of wanting things to happen and knowing she needs to be involved to help make them happen. She feels her financial background has been beneficial because often, money is needed to grow any idea.
Her parents were always volunteering and giving back to the community. They started the historical society, she said, and she recalls countless hours of them working on the displays.
"Somehow, all the things you've stretched yourself in order to help other people - it comes back to help you at some point," she said. "I just always do my best and be helpful for somebody. I think that's a nice legacy."
She also hasn't let go of her AFS background, and six years ago, Winters became a liaison for a Turkish girl from Istanbul staying in Brodhead. She was able to reassure and help her enjoy her experiences the way Winters did. She's proud the girl now works with AFS students.
"It made that much of a difference to me," Winters said.
Her sons, John and Kenneth, are both captains in the service. Spending time with them is one of her favorite things to do. She also enjoys time with her 5-year-old granddaughter as much as she can. Winters stays active and enjoys kayaking, biking and making stained-glass projects in a workshop she's had for several years.
One of the things Winters still cherishes is her close-knit class from Brodhead High School. Although some have moved away and life has brought big changes for each of them, she said they still get together often and class reunions are a special time to catch up.
Her adventures aren't quite over, and Winters said she hopes to get back into backpacking to relive some of the epic vacations she experienced through the years. She loves the outdoors and still keeps up with the families she met in Saudi Arabia.
Parting thought: "When everybody does a little bit, a lot happens."