A View of the Valley

by Linda Schwanke It says a lot about the Valley that in these crazy, stressful times our community has pulled together, down by the river, to look for Parker Kruse. While the rest of the world, and some of us here at times I admit, is stressing out and lashing out in anger and frustration about the pandemic, the economy, the environment… all sorts of things, the people of the Valley found a way of pulling together to help a family desperately in need of a miracle.  For more than a month now, dozens and dozens of people have been working with the Jackie Johnson-Kruse and Joel Kruse and all Johnson girls find Parker’s body. There have been people coming in from all over, groups dedicated to helping families locate bodies and just random strangers who have heard about Parker’s accident and offered help. Through it all, day in and day out, a group of amazing folks from the Valley have brought their boats and their eyes, given up their free time and given of themselves to find a son of the Valley. I wonder how many other communities can say that?  I have thought many times, especially over the last month, how sad I am that Jim and I have never gotten around to getting a new boat. For years and years, Jim, the kids and I spent every free moment of our summers on the river. Picnicking, camping, just trolling around with family and friends, the beauty of the river drew us out in good weather and a few times bad when pop up storms caught us by surprise. Even after we sold the last boat we had, we drove out to one or the other of the boat landings in the area most days to, as we joke, see if the river is still there. We have continued to visit the river nearly every day, our kids go as often as they can. Both of them, returning home from jobs and travel all over the country, have always stopped at the river on their way home. It’s a touchstone for us and so many. I want to be able to tell visitors that the river is beautiful but dangerous. As we have learned, over and over, the river is safe as you make it. One seemingly small thing – a law that isn’t but needs to be on the books – cost Parker his life. People coming to the river need to know that it isn’t a lake or a pool, which aren’t free of danger either. Visitors don’t seem to know that. They get angry when the local canoe liveries tell them they’ve had to cancel trips if the river is too high. It is for their own good but, as is often the case, people don’t want to hear it.  I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been at Peck’s Landing watching people swim out into the current without a life jacket on. Or letting their children play in the shallow water by a sandbar, just a few feet away from a life jacket. So tell your friends who visit and everyone you can think of that you have to respect the river. You don’t want to go through what Jackie and Joel, their family and our community, are going through. The Wisconsin River enriches our lives, just as the people of the Valley do. Our hearts are breaking. Pray, even if you don’t normally pray, that he will be found soon. The Wisconsin River has taken Parker’s life far, far too soon.  Stay in touch. My number is 574-3159. Email me at homenewseditor@newspubinc.com or write to me at the Home News, P.O. Box 39, Spring Green WI 53588.  Visit our website at homenewsrv.com Get in touch with Gwen for sports or features at homenewssports@newspubinc.com. If you need a display ad, Dave Pronold can be reached at homenewssales@newspubinc.com or by calling him on his cell at 588-4777. Display ads, or ads that are in boxes, are due by 1 p.m. on Wednesdays. The classified ad deadline is noon Thursdays the week prior to publication for both the Buyer’s Guide and Home News. Classified rates are $13 for the first 10 words, then 30¢ per word for each additional word. Call (608) 767-3655 or email classifieds@newspubinc.com  Legal notices are due by 2 p.m. on Fridays, email them to legals@newspubinc.com Call the NewsPub central office at (608) 767-3655 for subscriptions and all other information Monday through Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon, although afternoon hours can vary. Closed Fridays.