Category: Community

The Gathering Place, a gazebo-style bandstand is located in the heart of the Village of Greendale.  Its construction was spearheaded by the Greendale Lions Club and it was completed in 1995. See below for details.

Today, free Saturday evening weekly concerts are held at the Gazebo.

​Greendale’s history is rich and fascinating: it was one of three “Greenbelt Towns” built in the US by the Franklin Roosevelt Administration in 1936.  

Greendale is referred to as a “Norman Rockwell” community.  A lifelike statue of him graces the corner of Broad and Northway.

The HISTORY OF THE GAZEBO-BANDSTAND

History and Folklore!
Drive down Broad Street in Greendale during the summer and chances are you’ll see activity all around.  You might see a wedding, a group taking pictures, a concert, a walking event, people enjoying lunch on the steps or visitors checking out the names on bricks on the floor.  Newcomers to the Village and even those of us who are not, take for granted that the gazebo is there.  Hard to believe it, but before 1995 Greendale Gazebo Park did not exist.  

The Dream:
In 1989 the Greendale Lions moved their Beer Garden for the 4th of July and Village Days to the property on Schoolway and Broad Street with the permission of Milwaukee County. Shortly afterward Greendale Lion Robert ‘Bob’ Drews began to dream of a gazebo type bandstand on the site as a gathering place for the Village. The Lions started a feasibility study in November of 1992, but the real impetus came in the summer of 1993 when with the permission of Milwaukee County electricity was installed on the site by the Village and the Greendale Lions.

The Plan:
In December of 1993 Lions Robert Drews and James Clinton presented a proposal to the Village of Greendale to erect a gazebo type bandstand in . For the source of funds, the proposal was very clear, “One objective of this proposal is to provide a focal point to bring the community together, not just in visiting the finished product, but in getting it established. We hope to raise the necessary funds through donations from citizens…”. Once the Village Board gave the go-ahead, and Milwaukee County signaled that the land could be leased, Bob reached out to the community to get involved. In March of 1994, he sent a letter to 14 service clubs and 6 individuals in Greendale inviting them to the charter meeting of the Greendale Gazebo Commission.

The Organization:
The first meeting of the Greendale Gazebo commission was held on April 28, 1994. At this inaugural meeting, Bob Drews was elected President, Jim Clinton Vice-President, and Sally Chadwick Secretary. The VFW Auxiliary, Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the Library, Historical Society, Women’s Club, Greendale Civic Orchestra, Greendale Lions Club, Greendale Promotions Committee, American Legion, Golden Agers, and the Village all sent representatives to the meeting. Committees were formed for design, fundraising, and publicity.
​
The Money:
There were a variety of ideas brought forth for fundraising, and a phone solicitation campaign was one of them. But it was not until the 8th meeting in November of 1994 that I found any mention of the sale of engraved bricks as a funding source. Of course, the sale of bricks was to be the major source of funds for the gazebo project. Several businesses lent volunteers the use of their phones and offices in the evenings for the phone solicitation effort. Starting in February of 1995 volunteers went about calling every residence in Greendale. For a donation of $25 or more, a brick could be engraved with the family, business or individual’s name. In all 1,584 bricks were sold.  

​
The Bricks:
You may think with modern technology you just type names into a computer, place bricks on a conveyor belt, and a laser beam etches the name onto them all in a matter of minutes. You would be wrong. The art of ‘brickology’ is still not that sophisticated. The names do get typed into a computer, but then a stencil with the name outlined on it gets printed. This stencil is placed on top of the brick and the letters are carefully removed from the stencil. Each brick is then sandblasted which etches the name on it. Next black goo is spread over the brick creating the black color of the etched letters. When the goo dries the stencil is removed, and then it is ready for placement. That is what a small crew had to do for not one, not one hundred, but one thousand five hundred and eighty-four bricks (1,584). Yikes. Believe it or not, they said they had fun doing it, and also said they contributed a pile of black goo covered clothes to the garbage heap in the process. The brick crew consisted of volunteers Sally Chadwick, Elaine Rendleman, and Doris Fischer along with the Wenta Monuments pros Bernie, Marybeth, Charles, and Michael Schroedl.
​
The Construction:
With Milwaukee County Supervisor Dave Zepecki’s help, on January 1st, 1995 the county leased the land to the Village for $1 per year for 30 years, with the option to renew it twice for ten years. The Ground Breaking Ceremony was held on Monday, May 8th, 1995. Video of the event shows that it was an overcast day with drizzling rain. But that did not seem to damper anyone’s spirits. The list of attendees was a Who’s Who list of village and county officials, village organizations, businesses, and individuals. From that day forward it was game on for the work crew. The goal was to finish the construction by Village Days, only three months away.
Construction of the gazebo was even more labor-intensive than the etching of the bricks. It was not a pre-fabricated gazebo kit. The architectural design of the gazebo was done in a combined effort by Sharon Pendleton and Ed Hahlbeck. All work and materials were provided at cost or were donated. Reichl Construction owned by Jack Reichl poured the concrete platform. The Village Director of Public Works, Dave Mulhauf, opened up 3 bays in the maintenance building for the construction crew to do the fabrication.
Ted Fennig was one of the organizers of the work crew. He said the crew worked 7 days a week; most but not all of the construction crew from the Greendale Lions Club. In the beginning, they would order out fast food for lunch. But then Ted’s wife Cassie started to bring down hot trays of food, jugs of lemonade and cookies. Other ladies started to help out and lunchtime became a fun mid daybreak.
Once outside construction started in Dale Creek Park people would bring lawn chairs and watch the work. Or cars driving up and down Broad Street would slow down to check out the progress. When it rained the crew packed up, went home, and as soon as it stopped they would come back. It was hard work but Ted told me “It was an enjoyable experience. It was a fun project.”
​
The Realization:
The dedication of the Greendale Gazebo was held on the Sunday of Village Days in 1995. There is a plaque on the side of the Gazebo that reads:

THIS GAZEBO WAS BUILT THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF
THE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY AND
WITH THE PRIDE AND GENEROSITY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE
VILLAGE OF GREENDALE. DEDICATED AUGUST 13, 1995.          

The idea for a new community gathering place started with an individual, quickly grew to include other like-minded individuals, organizations, and businesses, and was supported by the county and village governments. This project reaffirmed once again the immense degree of spirit, hard work, and cooperation that the residents of Greendale have been known for since its founding in 1938.
The final list of contributors to the building of the Gazebo is way, way too long to include here. Every single participant or contributor can be proud of this legacy. It is a special gift that will be enjoyed by many generations to come. One person deserves special thanks, and that is Robert Drews. He was the humble champion of the project. Greendale Gazebo Park is the realization of his dream.

​
Epilogue:
Gazebo Commission members: Robert Drews, James Clinton, Sally Chadwick, Pat Koth, Warren Atkinson, Marie Birmingham, Barbara Brunett, Joan Dembosky, John Munger, Bette Murray, Sharon Pendelton, William Poglitsch, Elaine Rendleman, Marji Singer, and Vera Westman.
Park and Recreation Department coordinates the use of the Gazebo, the Village Public Works Department maintains the grounds, and the Greendale Lions Club maintains the gazebo.
The water fountain on the corner of the park is mysteriously listed in the official records as being donated anonymously. The donors wish to remain anonymous. If you really want to know the donors try asking Ted Fennig or Bob Drews.
But did you know?
You can still be part of the Greendale Gazebo story, and pass down your legacy to future generations. The two walks leading to the Gazebo from the sidewalk along Broad Street were completed in 1996, and personalized bricks are still available for purchase. Your purchase of a brick will assist the Greendale Lions in continuing to maintain the Gazebo. This spring (2017) the Gazebo was spruced up with a fresh coat of paint and ceiling stain. So the Gazebo will be looking pretty for Greendale’s 75th Anniversary next year. 

From Greendale Patch, April 15, 2012

The Lions motto is ‘We Serve’ and that is true of the Greendale Lions Club. Last week Hilbert Drews passed away, one of the many from the ‘Greatest Generation’.

On November 10, 1955, 27 Greendale men received notice from Lions International that their request to form a club was accepted. They met for a Charter Presentation Dinner on February 18, 1956 at St. Alphonsus Hall. Tickets were $2.50 per person. They elected Charles Bates as president.  Long time residents will surely recognize some of the charter members: Harold Bruett, Leo Hoyer, Thomas Hartman, John Ambruster, Leon Davis and Ellis Brown, to name a few.

The motto of the Lions is ‘We Serve’. The Greendale Lions record of service to the community has been well carried out and can be attested to by the Club’s record, then and to this day.  Some examples:

• Expansion of the Youth Memorial Building, then located at 6850 Crocus Court, was the first major project. Beginning in 1957, $5,000 was raised to improve its service as a meeting place for several community groups, young and old. Fundraising was accomplished by staffing a dunking booth at 4th of July celebrations. For 40 years thereafter, the club subsidized the building’s operation and did many maintenance chores.
• The annual Pancake Breakfast, begun on the Youth Memorial Building grounds in 1960 and continues to this day currently at the multi-purpose room. The breakfast supports a significant portion of the college scholarship awards, currently $6,000 to $7,500 annually. To date approximately 150 scholarships have been awarded to Greendale High School graduates.
• The annual has been in existence since 1965. This is strictly a fun event for the children, not a fundraiser. They participate with their ladder truck and blows the horn to start the event. Then the race is on for the children to find the Easter candy. Parents and grandparents come to watch this early morning scramble, come rain or shine (or snow).
• Other projects over the years include installation of play equipment in Lions Park, participation with LensCrafters in free vision screenings, and conducting outings for the blind. Lion Gorden VonGonten convinced the Lions International Foundation to provide a $60,000 grant for renovations to the local Center for Blind & Visually Impaired Children.
• In 1994, Lion Bob Drews lamented the fact that Greendale had no focal point where the citizenry could congregate for entertainment events. He suggested that what the Village needed was large enough to stage band concerts. It soon became apparent that, even with volunteer Lions labor, the cost would be $50,000. Undaunted, he spread the word among other civic organizations, and a commission was formed to conduct a fund drive. The goal was reached by the spring of 1995 through sales of engraved bricks for the floor at $25 each.  A contractor was hired for the foundation work, after which many Lions participated in carpentry, electrical, roofing and painting work. The gazebo was dedicated in August of 1995.  It has served the community well ever since.  Engraved bricks can still be purchased for the walkways. Proceeds sustain a maintenance fund administered by the Lions.

• Ever since that first dunking booth, the Lions have maintained a presence at 4th of July and Village Days celebrations.  Early staffing of amusement games on the high school grounds has evolved into the current well-provisioned food, beverage and entertainment garden adjacent to the Village Gazebo.  The sale of food and refreshments, along with a raffle, and Rummage on the Green has become the club’s main source of funds to support humanitarian efforts.

Over the years, Greendale Lions donations have subsidized many Greendale services, such as the Library, Public Celebrations Committee, Health Department programs, concerts, ambulance and defibrillator purchases, to name a few.  Just recently, the club’s Board of Directors authorized a donation of $2,500 towards architectural drawings for the Greendale Historical Society’s ongoing project to restore the exterior of the now 74 year old and put its interior to new use.

The club’s roster has been in the range of 50 to 70 members through most of its 57 years. It is not uncommon for members to ‘serve’ 30, 40 or 50 years. Some notable past presidents, now deceased, are Gerald Casey, Frank Ellison, Emory Turner, Homer Hansen, and John Kovacic. The current Lions President is Jim Schutte, and the President-Elect is Gary Jacobsen. In 1987, Lions Clubs International became the first major service organization to admit women as members.  Shortly after that, John’s wife, Mary Ann Kovacic, joined the club. She is currently in her 22nd year of service and has held the presidency twice.

Over the years, the club has seen fit to honor members who have provided distinguished service to the community, by naming them Lions International Melvin Jones Fellows. Five current members, all past presidents, have received the honor. They are Wayne Broeker, Robert Drews, Ted Fennig, Walt Rolfs, and Lyle Dorow.

The Greendale Lions Club, with a proud history and a promising future, continues to serve Greendale and the world communities.

But did you know? Lions clubs collect used eyeglasses that are professionally sorted and delivered to the needy in third world countries.  You can drop yours in a container in the post office lobby.

The Greendale Lions are changing their colors. After 27 years of marching in parades in yellow T-shirts with blue lettering, watch for us this summer sporting new green T-shirts with white lettering.

The 2012 Lions Pancake Breakfast is this weekend, April 22nd from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.

People, Past & Present!

“The Greatest Generation” is a term coined by journalist Tom Brokaw to describe the generation who grew up in the United States during the deprivation of the Great Depression, and then went on to fight in World War II, as well as those whose productivity within the war’s home front made a decisive material contribution to the war effort.

On Saturday, along with a group of Greendale Lions, I attended the funeral service for fellow Lion Hilbert Drews who passed away on April 10. I did not personally know Hilbert. I did sit next to him and his wife June at several dinner meetings and enjoyed their company. When Hilbert passed away last week I set out to find out more about him and his family for this story. As I searched through the historical archives, talked to his friends and neighbors, and checked references on the internet, I found very few ‘facts’ about his life. And that’s when it dawned on me. I did know Hilbert and June Drews. They were like my parents, my wife’s parents, and the parents of many of you reading this story. They were members of the ‘Greatest Generation’.

Hilbert was born in 1922 and grew up on Milwaukee’s south side in the Layton Park neighborhood. He was the youngest of Ernst and Barbara Drews nine children. He attended Concordia College and Marquette University and then enlisted in the Air Force during World War II. After the war Hilbert joined the families’ variety store business which his father had started in 1938. Coincidentally that was the same year Greendale opened. Singing in the Lutheran A Capella choir introduced him to June Reif, who he would marry in 1947, a marriage that lasted nearly 65 years.

Hilbert and June raised eight children, and the variety store business expanded to 14 locations at its peak. Everyone I talked to remembers going to the Drews Dime store in Greendale, most with their mothers and fathers. They remember being greeted by Hilbert and the fun they had checking out all the merchandise up and down the aisles. Hilbert worked six days a week, but never on Sunday. He and June were devout Lutherans and their faith formed the foundation for everything they did in life.

Hilbert and June along with everyone in their generation just went about their lives never thinking they were any more special than the next person. They raised a family, ran a business, served the community, and participated in church activities always guided by their Christian beliefs. It is only now looking back that we recognize their remarkable lives and accomplishments.

Let me share with you a few memories of Hilbert Drews I heard from his friends and family:

One of the neighborhood kids (now an adult) remembers the kids playing basketball with Hilbert and he always beat them. Pastor Douglas Schroeder of Our Shepherd Lutheran Church remembers his jogging all over the Village well into his 80’s, his singing in the choir, and his cheerful greeting of new church members. Members of the Greendale Lions remember he always supplied the candy for the parades from his Variety Store. He was a member of the Greendale Lions for 52 years. His children remember his playfulness and patience with them growing up. They remember that although he worked hard he always made time for the family. A very fit and handsome man, he was not just another pretty face. He was obsessed with the study of aerodynamic surfaces and talked constantly about them. I looked up 2 of his 8 patents and confess not knowing what the heck he was talking about. Check these patents out yourself:

2008/0054,678 Post Pressurizing Material Treatment for Bodies Moving Through Fluid

2002/0000,497 Surface construction for bodies moving through a fluid

Finally, there was his sense of humor, mentioned by everyone. It was subtle, thought-provoking, and took some getting used to. His son told the story at the service of his humor until the end. At the hospital, the nurse was concerned for his comfort and asked him if there was anything she
would do for him. He replied, “A short term loan would be nice.” Rest in peace Hilbert Frederick Paul Drews. You will be missed.

Greendale Trivia Question and Answer:

** Contributors Sally Chadwick, Ron Anderson, Family and Friends of Hilbert Drews.