Lemery Funck had two jobs: one as an artist and the other at Swiss Colony.
One day in 1980 while on break, Lemery started sketching a fairytale drawing on a chalkboard to amuse herself and her co-workers at Swiss Colony's Orders Correction Department.
The whimsical sketch is of an elf hard at work in his tree shop.
According to Lemery's daughter, Querida Funck, the chalkboard remained mounted in the work area until remodeling in late 2006 and early 2007 necessitated removal of the wall, and the drawing.
At that point, Sharon Peska of Swiss Colony started her search to locate Lemery's family.
On May 28, just hours before the second annual general membership meeting of the Lemery Foundation, Swiss Colony representatives donated the 4-foot-by-6-foot chalk drawing to the foundation.
"You can't believe how much it means to us that the Swiss Colony went to the trouble and expense of preserving my mother's art for so many years," said Alysse Lemery Rasmussen, Lemery's oldest daughter and president of the foundation. "It's an incredible tribute to the value of everyday art and the impact it can have on lives unknown.
"Our mother would have been flabbergasted and immensely flattered, to realize something so ephemeral would live so long."
• • •
Last weekend, Monroe resident Nate Soderberg, 19, competed in the Riverfest Singing Idol Contest in Beloit with more than 65 other people hopeful to make it big in Beloit.
Soderberg advanced to the final round of 10, where he sang "Drift Away" and "Listen to the Music." Other songs he sang were "Sorry," "I Can Only Imagine," "Unchain My Heart," "Take it to the Streets," "To Where You Are" and "Cavanaugh Park."
The three finalists performed before the Beach Boys on Sunday.
Soderberg didn't make the final three, but it was still a productive weekend.
According to Soderberg's mom, a producer wants Soderberg to do some demos in his studio.
One day in 1980 while on break, Lemery started sketching a fairytale drawing on a chalkboard to amuse herself and her co-workers at Swiss Colony's Orders Correction Department.
The whimsical sketch is of an elf hard at work in his tree shop.
According to Lemery's daughter, Querida Funck, the chalkboard remained mounted in the work area until remodeling in late 2006 and early 2007 necessitated removal of the wall, and the drawing.
At that point, Sharon Peska of Swiss Colony started her search to locate Lemery's family.
On May 28, just hours before the second annual general membership meeting of the Lemery Foundation, Swiss Colony representatives donated the 4-foot-by-6-foot chalk drawing to the foundation.
"You can't believe how much it means to us that the Swiss Colony went to the trouble and expense of preserving my mother's art for so many years," said Alysse Lemery Rasmussen, Lemery's oldest daughter and president of the foundation. "It's an incredible tribute to the value of everyday art and the impact it can have on lives unknown.
"Our mother would have been flabbergasted and immensely flattered, to realize something so ephemeral would live so long."
• • •
Last weekend, Monroe resident Nate Soderberg, 19, competed in the Riverfest Singing Idol Contest in Beloit with more than 65 other people hopeful to make it big in Beloit.
Soderberg advanced to the final round of 10, where he sang "Drift Away" and "Listen to the Music." Other songs he sang were "Sorry," "I Can Only Imagine," "Unchain My Heart," "Take it to the Streets," "To Where You Are" and "Cavanaugh Park."
The three finalists performed before the Beach Boys on Sunday.
Soderberg didn't make the final three, but it was still a productive weekend.
According to Soderberg's mom, a producer wants Soderberg to do some demos in his studio.