Life-sized fiberglass cow a special attraction at events

The Sheboygan County Dairy Promotion Association's life-sized fiberglass dairy cow continues to serve as a magnet for children and picture takers at a variety of events. Named "Addie," she embarked on a busy 2012 tour in early May and is scheduled to make appearances into September this year.

Addie, who is decorated with flowers and bells, offers children of all ages a chance to try their hand at milking into a bucket. She is also equipped to moo.

Caretakers of Addie are the association's dairy ambassador Marlene Kammann, her assistant Barb Scholten, and Allen Nohl, who is her tender and the hauler in the 26-foot custom made trailer in which she travels.

Nohl stepped into the role when he volunteered to haul the fiberglass attraction from the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay, from which county dairy promotion association obtained her.

At the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce's Downtown Dairy Day on June 9, the three set up Addie and an accompanying display at a downtown corner.

Visitors could pick up literature about the nutrition provided by dairy products and about the dairy industry, test or increase their knowledge about dairy products on quiz boards or at trivia wheel kiosks, or purchase Addie the Cow T-shirts.

Addie's 2012 tour began on May 3-4 as more than 900 elementary school students and teachers from Sheboygan County attended half-day classroom sessions on the Hanke families' dairy farm.

Other appearances during the month were on May 11 for the Sheboygan Falls FFA kindergarten day on the farm and on May 17 for the Plymouth FFA's Food for America program.

In June, the other appearances have been at the National Exchange Bank in Fond du Lac, Brown County's breakfast on the farm, and Kewaunee County's breakfast on the farm.

Later appearances for the month include breakfasts on the farm in Sheboygan County on June 16 and in Ozaukee County on June 23 and at Calumet County's Sundae on a Dairy Farm on June 24.

July's schedule is the Mill Street Fest in Plymouth on the 14, Moo at the Zoo in Manitowoc on the 15, and Farm Technology Days in Outagamie County on July 17 to 19.

County fairs dominate on the August schedule with dates of Aug. 2-5 in Ozaukee County, the 16 in Brown County, the 24 and 25 in Manitowoc County, and the Sheboygan County Fair from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3.

The Pinecrest Historical Village in Manitowoc County will host Addie on Aug. 11. The final scheduled appearance for the year is at the Earth to Table program at the historic Wade House in Greenbush on Sept. 22.

As the scheduler for Addie, Kammann indicates that the fee is $75 for an appearance within Sheboygan County. For out of county appearances, the fee to the sponsor is a combination of mileage and the length of the appearance.

Kammann says there a general limit of about a two-hour travel time one way for Addie's appearances. She can be reached by phone at 920-565-2608 or by e-mail to mkammann@tds.net.

The association also has a website at www.sheboygan countydairypromotion.com. Click on Addie the Cow for more information and a collection of pictures of the display and typical scenes at appearances.