Sparkling like a diamond

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: Aug. 30, 2017

Sparkling like a diamond

Grace Braeger’s 1957 Chevy Bel-Air still shines like it did 60 years ago

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

TOWN OF WEST BEND — Short in stature, the head of Grace Braeger barely peers above the red dashboard of her black 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air.

The top of the large, red steering wheel is higher than Braeger’s eyes and she’s sitting on a cushion that rests on the black and red leather interior.

At 60 years old, Braeger’s ’57 Chevy — or “57 LADY,” as its license plate reads — the car looks, sounds and smells like it rolled off the assembly line yesterday.

That is courtesy of plenty of years of taking care of the vehicle, changing the oil every 1,000 miles, and restoring it in the late 1980s.

The car’s original engine is still onboard, 121,000-plus miles after it rolled out of the assembly factory in Janesville.

“It’s been a part of me for 60 years,” she said, smiling as she sat on a chair inside a gazebo on the campus of Cedar Ridge. “We enjoyed our rides together.”

Braeger is the only owner this ’57 Chevy has ever known. It replaced a 1950 Chevrolet Club Coupe in 1957. She bought that car, which was her first, in 1953.

Braeger grew up in West Bend and attended West Bend High School. She said, with a smile, look for her graduation year when her obituary is printed.

After high school, she attended Valparaiso University in Indiana. There, she got a degree in religion.

After college, she moved to Albany, New York, and lived there for two years, then moved to La Grange, Illinois. She was there for more than a decade.

In 1953, she bought the Club Coupe because she needed a means of transportation for her job. In 1957, while getting the Club Couple routine repairs, Braeger was told by a mechanic that she needed a new vehicle. The one she had wasn’t likely going to last much longer.

At that time, she was in Milwaukee on a job assignment and went to King Braeger Chevrolet on South 27th Street. There, she fell in love.

A long, black 1957 Chevy sat in the parking lot. It was the only car the salesman showed her that day. It was the only one she needed to see.

“It was a good deal,” Braeger said, adding, “I thought it was a beautiful car.”

Braeger paid $2,250 for that ’57 Chevy, plus her trade-in. According to www.nadaguides.com, a website that offers classic car prices, her car is valued at about $36,600 today.

It has a four-barrel carburetor with dual exhausts and a turbofire 283horsepower V8 engine.

“It still purrs very nicely,” Braeger said.

When she drove it off the lot, she was in love with her new car. It also has power brakes and power steering, which were items her Coupe didn’t have.

“It’s very easy to drive,” Braeger said.

In the mid-1960s, she and her car moved home to West Bend. She said she came home to “regroup” after a series of short-term jobs.

She stayed in West Bend for nearly two years before moving to St. Louis.

Never married with no children, Braeger could get up and move on a whim if she needed to. She traveled frequently with several jobs and her beloved Chevy was her mode of transportation.

Braeger moved back to West Bend in the early 2000s and has been here ever since with her ’57 Chevy accompanying her. When the 1980s approached, it was time her car needed to be restored. Selling it or junking it for a newer, more modern vehicle was never considered.

“I never saw anything I liked better,” Braeger said.

The Chevy spent several months in the restoration shop. When it was finished, it was like the car was new, just like how it still looks to this day. There are no dents, scratches or rust spots anywhere on the ’57 Lady.

In 2011, Chevrolet featured Braeger’s car in its 100th anniversary collector’s book: “A Century of Chevrolet.” The headline for the story about the car says, “Sleek Bel-Air becomes a symbol of changing 1950s culture.”

Today, whenever she drives it, people walking on the sidewalks often stop in their tracks and admire the ’57 Lady. Passersby on the road with her nearly do the same.

“I always say, ‘I have my own car show,’” Braeger said.

Climbing to reach the top

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: Aug. 29, 2017

Climbing to reach the top

Driver has achieved one of his goals, out to accomplish another

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

ELKHART LAKE — Justin Marks' two biggest goals in his life were to be a professional race car driver and to climb mountains.

At age 36 and with more than 15 years of being behind the wheel of a race car, the Menlo Park, California, native believes he is at a point in his life to try that other goal. And he's working toward climbing the biggest mountain of them all: Mount Everest.

“I kind of put that dream on hold to pursue my racing career,” Marks said. “It just requires so much time and effort and focus and dedication, it's really hard to do a good job of both of them simultaneously.

“As I kind of get a little bit older and get a lot of my racing success in the rearview mirror I kind of refocused my training for my other dream.”

While Marks has never had a full-time drive in NASCAR, if his career were to end today, he would be at ease with what he accomplished.

He started racing in 1999 when he was 18 years old, driving in the SCCA Regional Racing Series, later the Speed World Challenge Series.

In 2004, he added the GT class of the Rolex Sports Car Series into his schedule, while still competing in the Speed World Challenge Series. Between the two series, Marks won four races, finished on the podium eight teams and collected 13 top-10 finishes.

In 2005, Marks remained in the Rolex Sports Car Series, winning three races with teammate Joey Hand. Marks also teamed with Bill Auberlen in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge for Turner Motorsport, finishing third in points with five pole positions and five wins in nine starts.

In 2006, Marks ditched sports-car racing and moved to NASCAR and made his debut with the Craftsman Truck Series in 2007. Since then, Marks has made 71 starts in NASCAR, including his fourthplace finish in Sunday's Xfinity Series race, the Johnsonville 180, at Road America.

In 2016, he won his first NASCAR race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

“It kind of made the transition, everything I've worked for the last 10 years in North Carolina worth it,” Marks said.

Since his move to stock cars, the only full season Marks has put in was in 2010 with the ARCA Racing Series. He had 13 top-10 finishes, with one victory, in 20 starts to finish sixth in the points.

“I'm very happy with what I've accomplished in my career,” Marks said. “I did not grow up in a racing family. I didn't start racing until I was almost 20 years old. It was something I decided to try.

“Coming from an environment where you don't have a lot of racing in your life and I had to go figure out how to do it on my own, to be able to get to this point in my life with a Rolex 24 Hours win under my belt, a NASCAR Xfinity Series win, I'm proud of those.”

Comfortable with his racing career, he's spent the last several years working toward reaching the peak of the world's tallest mountain.

“I've always been passionate about adventure and exploration,” he said when asked what inspired him to want to climb mountains. “One of the greatest expressions of those is to climb the tallest mountain in the world.”

The experience of training for a tall task has helped him learn things about himself he didn't know before.

“Anybody is capable of doing extraordinary things if they focus on the work that needs to be done, the time, the devotion, a daily devotion to it,” Marks said.

He added, “I ran an ultra-marathon two years ago. When I started training for that, I could hardly run 3 miles without stopping. We're all capable of doing amazing things if we just decide to go out there and do it. I've learned a lot about myself and the fact that there's things out there you don't think you can do.”

Training started several years ago, but has stepped up his training as of late. In January, he wants to go to South America in January and climb Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in the Western Hemisphere. He's also climbed mountains in Ecuadour, rock climbed in the Sierras and ice climbed in Canada.

“I've been doing a fair amount of climbing in the last year,” Marks said, adding, “We live in a world where it's getting increasingly harder to find adventure.”

One of the first books Marks read growing up was “Annapurna: First Conquest of an 8,000-meter Peak” by Maurice Herzog, a French climber. The

book is about the first expedition in history to summit and return from an 8,000plus meter mountain, Annapurna in the Himalayas.

“There is a ton of trail running,” Marks said of his training program. “But we don't have a lot of elevation in North Carolina so you have to do the best with what you've got. So, I spend hours and hours and hours running at low intensity on the trails.

“Then I focus on the treadmill. I have a treadmill in my house. I put it at 25degree incline and I put 50-60 pounds in a pack and just walk for hours.”

According to Wikipedia, more than 290 people have died trying to climb the mountain.

“I think a lot of risk you can mitigate,” Marks said. “Some of the risk you can mitigate by being prepared, making smart decisions. ... I have a good comfort level with the risks.”

After all, he does drive race cars, so risk is nothing something new to him.

“I don't anticipate it being anything but hard work and a very rewarding experience,” Marks said.

Getting past last year’s tragedy

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: Aug. 25, 2017

Getting past last year’s tragedy

Second annual Rockin’ for Heroes fundraiser promises to be an emotional day

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

Former 3 Doors Down guitarist and founding member Matt Roberts was found dead Aug. 20, 2016, at the Hampton Inn in West Bend.

Roberts, 38, was in town to play for the inaugural Rockin’ for Heroes fundraiser, which aimed to raise money for the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight program.

It was later determined Roberts died of a prescription drug-related overdose.

For the several weeks that followed, Nick Pari, a member of the band The Nix, and the event organizer, continuously thought he was responsible for

what happened to Roberts.

“I felt a little guilty,” Pari said. “I was one of the people that brought him here.”

Unfortunately, he didn’t have many opportunities to get his mind off of it because he spent nearly five months with limited to no mobility recovering from a broken leg he suffered a week before last year’s event.

Most of the The Nix’s band members thought the same thing and it nearly spelled the end for The Nix.

“Our band almost disbanded,” Pari said, adding “The whole band was in a funk. ... We were besides ourselves.”

That so-called guilt the band and Pari had was erased with the help of a friend of Roberts.

“His friend said Matt was looking forward to coming to this,” Pari said. “He wanted to do something for the troops.”

That, along with the addition of an energetic and upbeat personality with a fresh perspective behind the drums, has helped The Nix get back on their feet, play music again and give Rockin’ for Heroes a second try.

On Saturday night at Our Place, 4721 Highway 33, West Bend, the second annual Rockin’ for Heroes benefit concert will take place with proceeds benefitting the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight program.

“Most of the planning is done,” Pari said. “Now we’re just waiting for the day to come.”

And frankly, the day, which Pari promised will be emotional, can’t get here soon enough.

That was such a dark cloud over last year,” Pari said.

Not only is it a benefit to thank those in the military, a cause close to Pari’s heart, but also an important step in the healing process.

“We had a lot of long talks,” Pari said about how close the band came from disbanding.

Two things brought them back together.

“The love of music and the love of playing together,” Pari said. “We had a lot of soul searching.”

The Nix took their semi-comeback slowly.

It started with the search for a new drummer after Pari said the previous drummer didn’t want to do it anymore, mostly because of what happened with Roberts.

So Pari searched the web for a drummer and came across a woman named Pamela. Pari declined to provide Pamela’s last name, per her request.

At about the same time, the group’s agent contacted Pari and told them about a drummer. It was the same person.

“We said if Pamela works out then we’ll see how it goes,” Pari said.

They had no idea what was about to happen next.

“We just clicked,” Pari said, adding Pamela’s playing meshed with the band’s right away.

“It was like we’d been playing together for 20 years,” he said. “It’s been a terrific decision ever since.”

The band’s first performance after Roberts’ passing was in May. Since then, the reception and support has been nothing short of fantastic, playing in front of nearly capacity crowds at every gig.

Pamela is one person The Nix owe a thank you to.

“She’s amazing,” Pari said. “She’s our little powerhouse. She’s always pumped up. She bred new life into our band.”

❑❑❑

Saving Abel joins the event

In addition to The Nix, a West Bend-based group that plays songs by Styx, REO Speedwagon and 3 Doors Down, international touring band Saving Abel will also perform.

Saving Abel has seven top-15 hits to their credit, including the No. 1 hit “The Sex is Good,” released in 2010. Their first single, “Addicted,” got to No. 2 on the U.S. rock charts in 2008.

Scott Bartlett, rhythm guitarist, backing vocals and the band’s tour manager, said the group is eager to help out this year’s Rockin’ For Heroes event.

“When it comes to any branch of the military, we’re always all in,” he said.

Bartlett added his father was a doctor in Vietnam.

“We’re happy we can be a part of this,” Bartlett said.

The band’s involvement is also a tribute to Roberts, a man the band called a role model and a friend.

“We grew up listening to their music,” Bartlett said.

When they heard of Roberts’ death, it caught their attention. Bartlett said it was “heart wrenching.”

“We knew he was struggling,” he added. “We knew he was trying to find his way. What I remember most about him is his heart. He was a goodhearted lover of people and music.”

❑❑❑

Roberts’ memory remains

There were positive memories Pari and The Nix took from the brief time they spent with Roberts.

He arrived in West Bend and at Pari’s house shortly before dinner time Aug. 19.

“We had a meal catered for him and his dad,” Pari said. “Super nice guy, really engaging.”

After dinner, The Nix and Roberts rehearsed for the following evening’s show. They were up until about 1 a.m. Aug. 20.

“He just said he was super tired and wanted to get some sleep,” Pari recalled.

Looking back on it now, Pari thought of how neat it was to be in the same room, playing with a man the band admired.

“It was kind of surreal,” Pari said. “I’ve been listening to 3 Doors Down for years and I’m sitting across from him, playing with him. It was a good feeling.”

He added it was neat to play 3 Doors Down’s “Kryptonite” with the man who helped write the song in the room. “Kryptonite” was the band’s debut single and was a No. 1 hit in 2000.

Pari said he admired Roberts’ warm heart, but also his ability to know when it’s time to get serious on stage.

“He was very business-like when playing,” Pari said

West Bend group honors their ancestors’ heritage at Irish Fest

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: Aug. 16, 2017

West Bend group honors their ancestors’ heritage at Irish Fest

The Celtic Company performs Saturday

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

Susie Muehlbauer’s greatgrandmother was 18 years old and had less than $20 in her pocket when she set foot on Ellis Island in New York City more than a century ago.

Katherine Shyne came to America from Ireland, looking for what a lot of Irish men and women sought in the early 20th century: freedom, especially religious freedom.

It wasn’t that simple, however — most of the Irish immigrants at that time had to ditch their heritage in order to survive.

“She dropped her accent,” Muehlbauer said. “She did the best she could to sound like an American. It was hard to find a job if you had an accent.”

Muehlbauer has spent most of her life honoring her great-grandmother’s sacrifice.

At 4 p.m. Saturday, visitors of the annual Irish Fest at Henry Maier Festival Park on Milwaukee’s lakefront will see how far her efforts have come.

Muehlbauer is the founder and artistic director for The Celtic Company, an Irish music and dance group out of West Bend. The group will play on the children’s stage, which is near the main entrance, at Irish Fest.

There are 14 members in the ensemble, ranging from sixth grade to 65 years old.

“It’s a wonderful festival, very family friendly; everybody has a good time,” Muehlbauer said.

Irish Fest, which started in 1981, features more than 100 musical acts in four days on 17 stages and has more than 130,000 people go through the turnstiles.

The Celtic Company is at Irish Fest for the first time in 10 years.

The reason for the gap is because Muehlbauer doesn’t like to stray too far from what the group’s mission is: to bring Irish music and dance to those who are poor, sick, forgotten or are in need.

They often play at several small events or at nursing homes about once a month. In March, they’ll play as many as five or six shows.

“These kids work so hard. They deserve to play at

a fun festival once in a while,” Muehlbauer said. “It’s a great reward for them. A lot of what we do is without a lot of fanfare.”

And that’s OK. It’s the mission that’s important. In addition to bringing Irish music and dance to those who can’t afford to see more expensive shows, the group, led by Muehlbauer, also aims to raise awareness about the Irish background and the power of its music.

“It’s hard to describe, people just perk up,” she said, referring to the reception the group often gets when the first notes are played at a show or at any show featuring Irish music.

“To raise awareness, I have to take those kinds of gigs,” Muehlbauer said. “We did the Washington County Fair this year for the first time in years.”

Today, their reception and demand is high. It wasn’t always that way and that goes back to as early as the turn of the 20th century.

Irish immigrants were turned away for jobs, just like blacks were at that time.

“When they came here, they fled for religious freedoms and freedoms all around,” Muehlbauer said of her ancestors. “They dropped the ‘O’ or the ‘Mc’ in their names. It was hard to find a job.”

They had to swallow their pride.

“A lot of it was taken away from the Irish people,” Muehlbauer said.

Muehlbauer grew up in Chicago and there was no problem being proud of her heritage. Her father played guitar and was an actor for local theater groups. Her mom wasn’t as artistically talented, but was a great supporter.

About 25 years ago, Muehlbauer moved to Washington County to raise a family. She did so to also get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. She worked in downtown Chicago and got frustrated with the daily struggles of commuting back and forth to work.

When she got to Washington County, she discovered music wasn’t emphasized or taught the way she thought it should be.

“When I came up here, I wanted to re-establish the lost heritage in my family,” Muehlbauer said.

“One thing I noticed was music wasn’t appreciated. I wanted to reestablish that and the importance of music.”

She ingrained that lesson early on with her kids and quickly the neighborhoods kids caught on.

“My kids played instruments and lot of their friends would hear it in the living room and word got around,” Muehlbauer said. “We started getting requests.”

She added, “My daughter calls me the Irish ambassador of Washington County.”

Fifteen years ago, she started The Celtic Company. One reason for that was the front porch and the living room had filled up.

In the years that have followed, several musicians have come and gone and went onto great careers in performing arts.

Muehlbauer said one of the defining moments in the group’s history was when the West Bend School District latched on and supported the effort.

“That was huge,” she said.

Students in the group have since earned volunteer credits and scholarships because of their involvement.

“So many wonderful kids have gone through the company,” Muehlbauer said, adding it took a long time to get accepted in Washington County.

“Every day I pinch myself,” she said.