Show your Villa Louis appreciation by becoming a ‘Friend,’ attending Annual Dinner
By Correne Martin
Appreciators of the Villa Louis’ heritage are invited to join the Friends of the Villa Louis organization, as they are a vital part of preserving the historic site’s continued existence in Prairie du Chien.
Through in-kind and financial support, the Friends of the Villa Louis (FVL) help sustain the attraction and its history in ways that the Wisconsin Historical Society cannot.
One major public event sponsored by the Friends is their Annual Dinner, which will be held this year on Thursday, April 2, at the Dousman House. This is an opportunity for Friends as well as interested community members to experience in-depth information from speakers about Villa Louis’ past, present and future, according to Sarah Hohlfeld, Villa Louis guest experience coordinator.
This special event will start with a cocktail hour at 5 p.m., with dinner at 6 p.m. and the night’s guest speakers at 7 p.m.
Join other admirers at this year’s Annual Dinner for an evening of “Hats, Horses and History.” There will be a social hour, including mint juleps (cash bar), a contest for the best derby hat and most dapper derby man.
Mike Rider, Villa Louis Carriage Classic chairman, from Prairie du Chien, will entertain those gathered with a history of competitive carriage driving in the United States and the evolution of the Villa Louis Carriage Classic. Rider was previously recognized as one of 40 influential members of the American Driving Society.
Also, Caya-Slusser will speak about the recent renovations to the Villa Louis Fur Trade Museum and the exciting future plans for that space. She will touch on other Villa Louis news and updates for 2020 as well.
Catered by The Barn Restaurant, the derby-inspired dinner will include mushroom braised pork medallions, roasted sweet potatoes with charred pecans and maple bourbon reductions, roasted carrots, cornbread with bourbon honey butter and peach cobbler.
Typically, about 40 people attend the Annual Dinner, but at the historically appropriate Dousman House, there’s plenty of room for more. RSVP by Monday, March 16 (call 326-2721), and come learn about the different membership levels and what being a “Friend” entails. Hohlfeld noted that, in addition, the FVL will take care of some short annual business, including elections, that night.
“Over the years, the funding model has changed for the historic sites division. Those sites that have Friends groups are fortunate, as it gives us an extra boost and boots on the ground in our communities, to raise additional funds for special projects that are either not ear marked by the state of Wisconsin,” said Susan Caya-Slusser, WHS southwest sites regional director.
Some of the recent fundraising campaigns that the FVL helped with include restoration projects like the Steinway piano, the duck pond and the gazebo, Caya-Slusser said.
“They also offer critical volunteer hours by providing support at special events, including Spring Clean Up, the Villa Louis Carriage Classic Reception and a food stand at our annual War of 1812 Reenactment,” she shared. “Villa Louis staff really appreciated the extra efforts from Friends of Villa Louis members in our clean-up from the high water in 2019.”
Though there was a slow start to the 2019 season, the entire season bounced back fairly successfully. Since the Villa Louis survives significantly on its revenue from tours and events, and those earnings fluctuate from year to year, the FVL, as well as general donations, are a crucial and constant supplement to the historic site.
