WEDC is providing a second round of We’re All In Small Business Grants to distribute an additional $50 million to small businesses hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The first phase of the program provided more than $65 million in grants to over 26,000 businesses statewide this summer, including around 100 Calumet County businesses. Despite the infusion of CARES Act funds distributed by WEDC, however, many Wisconsin small businesses continue to struggle. The new round aims to provide grants of $5,000 each to 10,000 additional Wisconsin small businesses.

Applications for the grants will open at 8:00 am Monday, October 19, and close at 11:59 pm Monday, November 2. As with the previous round of We’re All In Grants, awards will not be made on a first-come, first-served basis.

Businesses that received funds under the first round of We’re All In Grants, as well as the Ethnic Minority Emergency Grant program, are also eligible for the second round of We’re All In Grants. Priority will be given to businesses that have not previously received funds from either of the first two programs, those with ethnically diverse ownership, and those in the hardest-hit sectors, such as restaurants and taverns, hair and nail salons and barber shops, and other services.

Pre-registration is strongly recommended in advance at http://register.covidconnect.wi.gov. 

Calumet County has long promoted business assistance to existing and start-up businesses throughout the county, and that tradition continues. The following is a reminder of the extensive list of services available from Ray York, Small Business Development Center business specialist, at no cost. Ray’s goal is to provide opportunity to clients by guiding them to make informed decisions to start, expand, or transition their business. What are you waiting for, contact Ray today by using the online contact form, by phone (920-946-9379), or email.

With Mike Troy, Editor, Retail Leader

The COVID-19 Christmas has begun. Shoppers started grabbing deals last week during Amazon's Prime Day. The shifting of Prime Day to mid-October and the promotional response from competitors will alter the entire cadence of normal holiday spending patterns during a season that will see physical store traffic under pressure. Nevertheless, expectations are overall spending during the holiday season, a period that now needs to include October, will surpass last year's record results.

On the retail bonus front, Lowe's is giving an additional $100 million in bonuses to recognize front-line hourly associates. The company has paid out more than $775 million in pandemic pay this year.

Amid a national debate about health care, Walmart is offering more details about its plans to build a health insurance business. The company will begin selling Medicare insurance plans starting October 15.

The average Costco location now exceeds annual sales of $200 million following the release of fourth quarter results that revealed the powerful effects of pandemic purchasing.

Officials of the Kiel Lions have announced that Mike Mathes has been named “Citizen of the Year” for 2020 in Kiel.

Mathes will be honored at the annual banquet—open to the public—on Sunday, November 1, at Millhome Supper Club (River Room); doors open at 5:30, and the meal starts at 6:30 pm. The cost of the banquet is $20 per person. Mathes recently announced his fulltime retirement after a career spent working at and leading Kiel’s hometown newspaper. A nomination letter for Mathes said, “...the real reason Mike deserves this recognition is his never-ending love of the community in which he grew up and, because of that, all that he has done to support Kiel.

By David Nordby, The Brillion News, October 15, 2020

The third annual Brillion’s Best & Brightest Awards, presented by the Brillion Chamber of Commerce, looked and felt a little different this year.

Stone Prairie was the new host venue of the site, while previous host Cobblestone Creek catered the event. There were masks worn and less guests and citizens because of COVID-19 concerns. Still, the event carried the same positivity as the previous two

years celebrating the Brillion community. “The chamber board wanted to make sure the event happened. The biggest thing we were concerned about was air circulation. How timely was it that Brillion’s newest venue, Stone Prairie, is open to the outdoors

and well ventilated? On top of that, it is heated,” Chamber of Commerce President Amy Meyers.

Business of the Year: Amy Myers, Brillion Chamber of Commerce President is with Joy and Mike Buboltz (center and right) of Hardware Plus.

Young Professional of the Year: John Kees, Kees Masonry Solutions (right), presented by John School (center).

The 2019 Citizens of the Year, Kim and Nancy McKeen, will be honored by the Chilton Chamber of Commerce, family, friends, and the community on Sunday, November 1, at 2:00 pm at the Chilton Twilight Drive In Theatre, 1255 E. Chestnut Street, Chilton.

Due to COVID-19, our March banquet was postponed. With restrictions in place, and by using guidelines provided by Calumet County, we plan to move forward with this well-deserved recognition.

Jamie Wieting (left) is with Kim and Nancy McKeen, 2019 Chilton Citizens of the Year.

By Ed Byrne, The Brillion News, October 8, 2020

The Wisconsin 2020 Small Business Exporter of the Year is Smoky Lake Maple Products in Hilbert. The business began in 2008 at the home of Jim and Angela Schumacher, in Kaukauna. The married couple spent their weekends in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan - at Jim’s cabin between Big Smoky Lake and Little

Smoky Lake – and it was there they

tapped maple trees in late winter and

turned the sap into maple syrup.

What started as a weekend hobby

became a home-grown business. Jim

started by experimenting with ways

to make the cooking of maple syrup a

more efficient process.

Jim and Angela Schumacher, owners of Smoky Lake Maple Products, were honored for their dedication to exporting their products, which are manufactured at their plant in the Hilbert West Side Industrial Park. (Ed Byrne/BN)

In 2011, he left his job as a plumber and began manufacturing his own line of maple syrup equipment. Eventually, the business outgrew the Schumacher home, and they built their first free-standing showroom and manufacturing shop in Hilbert’s new West Side Industrial Park. Since then, the facility has expanded, and on September 10, the U.S. Small Business Administration named Smoky Lake the state’s top small business exporter.

by David Norby, Brillion News, October 8, 2020

Sarah and Jason Pielhop understand the significance of becoming the first non-Wieting family members to own Wieting Funeral Homes, serving Brillion and Reedsville.

But to them, Merlin “Fuzzy” and Kathy Wieting, the longtime owners of the funeral home, are like family. “This is something that they wanted us to do and trusted us to do. Fuzzy’s dad started here back in 1957, so I mean it’s a family legacy,” Jason said.

“It was awesome that they trusted us with that,” Sarah said. “We’re literally living in the apartment that they grew up in and now it’s ours,” Jason said.

The Pielhop family (Jason, daughters Nora and Julia, and Sarah) stands outside of Pielhop Wieting Funeral Homes in Brillion. The Pielhops are the new owners of Wieting, adding their name to the business that has locations in Brillion and Reedsville. (Melissa B. Photography photo)

“We’re doing the same story they did. We’re working here, we’re living here, we’re going to be in the community for a longtime,” Sarah said.

Their product and pricelist is available here, and advance orders can be place by e-mailing orders@amishblisss.com.

By Benjamin Wiedman, The Country Today, Sept. 29, 2020

“When we moved back up here and bought the farm from Gary’s mom, we thought, ‘Well, what are we going to do?’” Roland said. “So we decided to start growing pumpkins on about 3 acres. We put them in the yard for sale and had a coffee can sitting outside for people to put money in.” Fast forward to today, and Roland and Juckem are the proud owners of Polly’s Pumpkin Patch, a family-friendly, agricultural destination that attracts thousands of visitors each fall to rural Calumet County.

The couple owns more than 50 acres, highlighted by a 15-acre corn maze, 12 acres of pumpkins (of which they grow more than 30 varieties), 10 acres of soybeans and five acres of strawberries.

“We’ve definitely grown a lot,” Roland said with a chuckle. “We’ve gone way past any expectations we ever had at first. Never for a minute did we dream we would ever have anything like this when we first moved here. But people kept asking for more, and we grew to fill the demand.”

Doreen Sutilla (left), owner of One-Ten Boutique in Brillion, was recently presented

with a First Dollar certificate from Brillion Chamber of Commerce president Amy Myers.

November 13, 2020 | 8:00 am - 12:00 noon

Fee: $149.00

Location: D.J. Bordini Center, Appleton

More Information | Register

The Fox Cities Operational Excellence Association (FCOEA) is committed to helping its members strengthen their business and community through knowledge sharing and networking.

November 3, 2020 | 1:00-2:30 pm