Last Tuesday, September 5th, the buses were rolling and the bells were ringing in Denmark as students and staff returned to school for another year of learning. The Denmark News was on the scene Tuesday morning as the waves of students made their way into their respective schools for the first day.

Last Sunday, Our Savior's Lutheran Church held their annual Fall Festival and Car Show fundraiser in and around their church on the southeastern corner of the Village of Denmark. The massive, multi-faceted event was a massive hit despite a less-than-favorable forecast, with hundreds upon hundreds pouring out to support the parish and have some good old fashioned fun.

On Saturday, September 9, the small community of Wayside was host to a historic event for the ages. Throughout that day and night, hundreds upon hundreds came out to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the town's fire department. The event, held at the fire department and adjoining park, featured a variety of activities that offered fun for all ages.

This summer, a number of members from the Denmark FFA participated in the adventure of a lifetime halfway around the world. From July 10th through the 19th, 12 DHS students and two chaperones made the journey to South Africa where they participated in a whirlwind of a tour of the country's sights, wildlife and culture. 

Last Saturday, the small community of Poland, Wisconsin was the site of a fun yearly sports competition for a great cause. That day, the 12th annual Eaton Pumpkin Ball tournament was played at the Eaton Baseball Diamond behind the Town Hall. Starting at 9:45 a.m. and stretching throughout the beautiful Saturday, seven local teams competed in the modified softball game for the coveted championship title.

This school year, the Denmark Elementary School office will feature a new, albeit familiar, face as former DES teacher Kate Willett returns to assume the helm of the school. We sat down with Willett to talk to her about how she first found Denmark, why she returned and what she hopes to bring to the institution this year.

Back to school can be a difficult time for new students. It can be even more difficult for new teachers who have to navigate the trials and tribulations of a new school without the benefit of a classroom full of their peers. In the Denmark School District, newly-hired educators are provided with a "New Teacher Mentor Program" to help acclimate them to both the district and the community as a whole.

With fall now starting to be upon us, it is time for cooler temps, shorter days and changing of leaves. Another exciting part of this season is the return of a fun and exciting weekly event for all ages to enjoy--All Saints Bingo! We chatted with bingo organizer Betty Duckett for some more information on the past, present and future of this fun fundraiser.

Last week, we got the chance to visit with Jim Crawford to learn about his unique property northwest of the Village of Denmark. Many may not know this, but on the corner of Town Hall Road and Ronk Road in the Town of New Denmark is a large field that is reported to be the largest prairie in Brown County.

Last Thursday night from 4 to 6 p.m. All Saints Catholic School in Denmark opened its doors and welcomed students and their families for a special “Back to School Night”. All Saints families were welcome to enjoy a hot dog or brat dinner provided by the Home and School organization while they visited with friends, greeted their teachers and stocked up their school supplies for the year.

Last week, the downtown Denmark business community added a new, albeit familiar face to their ranks. A new sign erected on the corner of Main Street and Wisconsin Avenue signified to the community that Salm Partners would be taking over the office building formerly owned by Bank First.

Next week, the young people across our community will be making their way back to school for another year of learning. In last week's issue, we talked with Denmark District Administrator Luke Goral to see how this hectic time was going in our public school district.

A one-of-a-kind event is taking shape for this October with a celebration of Denmark Viking Football past, present and future being its main intention.

On Monday, August 21st, the School District of Denmark held their monthly board meeting in the high school media center (library). Although it was an uncharacteristically short meeting for the board, they still managed to discuss and act on a number of topics including renewing the district's snow removal contract for another year and the hiring of a new principal for the elementary school.

Last week was one for the history books for the Denmark community as the International Softball Congress World Tournament gripped the area with over a week of intense athletic action. For eight days, thirty six elite teams faced off in over a hundred games across three venues.