For Veterans Wisconsin

WISCONSIN VETERANS

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU CONTACT US:

DISCLAIMER

Homeless To Independence Inc. is a 501©3 non-profit organization. We are self supporting and we do NOT receive any  government grant funding what-so-ever to pay bills for anyone in any situation. We do not give away money. We do not give out loans against any money.

This ministry is supported with generous financial donations that are used to help keep us functioning. Our purpose is to help supply individuals and families with personal needs such as food, toiletries, clothing, household items, furniture and baby/adult diapers/wipes both locally and to areas effected by disasters . At this time, we do not offer any shelter or transitional housing services. Again, we DO NOT pay any bills. We DO NOT pay any rents or mortgages.

If you are actually homeless, or about to be homeless or need emergency assistance of any kind, DIAL “211” from a land-line telephone. This will not work from a cell telephone. Tell the receiver your situation and what you need. They will give you information specific for the location you are currently in plus any referrals you may need.  They have the most up to the minute information for your specific area. Dialing “211” will get you help and much more info than this office can provide. Homeless to Independence wants you to have all the information you need to get through the situation you are in.

Don’t have a land-line telephone???  Go to your local police department, library, or house of worship and ask to use their land-line telephone. They may even make the call on your behalf.

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For those of you looking for employment through-out the United States, District of Columbia or Puerto Rico, simply;  

2.  CHOOSE YOUR STATE/COMMONWEALTH/TERRITORY;

3.  CHOOSE THAT STATE/COMMONWEALTH/TERRITORY’S EMPLOYMENT PAGE.

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Homeless To Independence Inc. is not responsible for misprints or cancellations of events by the event holders, landlord and/or their agent, or ourselves. Homeless to Independence Inc. also reserves the right to “NOT” offer services to people and/or persons that are rude, unpleasant, and untruthful in any way shape or form, belligerent and the like.

OCCASIONALLY, THERE WILL BE ARTICLES BY OTHER WRITERS. HOMELESS TO INDEPENDENCE MAY NOT NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THEIR VIEWPOINTS, BUT WE DO RESPECT THEM.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!

OFFICE CONTACT INFO:

HOMELESS TO INDEPENDENCE INC., 201 STATION ROAD #258, QUAKERTOWN, PA 18951

THE VERY BEST WAY TO CONTACT ME IS TO SEND ME AN EMAIL:  ANN@HOMELESSTOINDEPENDENCE.ORG

OFFICE NUMBER IS:  1-908-454-1500 LISTEN TO THE RECORDING

Please note that our office does have very limited volunteer staff and if we are one telephone line we cannot answer the other line.  There is simply not enough time in the day to answer and/or return each and every telephone call.

THANK YOU!!!

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Find assistance as a vet, spouse, or dependent

One hundred and fifty years ago today, President Lincoln signed a law establishing the first federal veterans’ facility for disabled Civil War veterans. This facility gave root to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ assistance programs.

Today, the VA offers many benefits and services to eligible veterans and connects our military service men and women with resources across the country. Share this information with a veteran you know, or an organization that helps veterans.

LINK: http://explore.va.gov/

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All employment information and career event information can be found here:

Wisconsin Employment

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All housing information can be found here:

Wisconsin Affordable Rentals

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WDVA E-news Header image - March 2023

MARCH 2024

WDVA Celebrates Women’s History Month

Women's History Month WDVA Image 2024

For more than four decades, the month of March has been celebrated as Women’s History Month. WDVA continues to recognize the significant contributions of women who are committed to our common quest for freedom and opportunity. We also recognize the exceptional contributions women have made while serving in our nation’s armed forces over the generations.

Please visit and follow our Women Veterans of Wisconsin page for upcoming programs, news, and events taking place year-round for women veterans.

Governor Evers Signs Into Law Four New Bills Positively Impacting Wisconsin Veterans 

Bill Signing 2024

On Friday, March 22, Governor Tony Evers signed several veteran bills into law. WDVA Secretary-designee James Bond attended the signing which included bills that will allow veteran spouses admission to state veterans homes before admission of the eligible veteran, allows veteran status on state IDs for Hmong soldiers who supported U.S. forces in Laos, changes CVSO grant eligibility, updates state cemetery residency, and more. WDVA is grateful to all who supported legislation to improve Wisconsin veterans’ lives.

We are especially grateful to the authors of AB 1079, Speaker Robin Vos, Representative Kevin Petersen, Senator Van Wanggaard, Senator Joan Ballweg, and Senator Patrick Testin for working with us to get these much needed changes passed and signed into law. 

Read more about the details of the legislation here.

Women Veterans Retreat Registration Now Open

Women Veterans Retreat Now Open Image 2024

The 2024 Annual Women Veterans Retreat is now open for registration! WDVA is thrilled to celebrate Wisconsin Women’s Veterans Day at this retreat. Join us for an opportunity to recharge, reconnect, and connect with women veterans like you!

The retreat will begin Friday, June 7th, at 4:00 p.m. (the evening will conclude at 8:00 p.m.), starting with a few informal icebreaker activities, dinner, outdoor activities, and smores’ around the fire.

Saturday morning registration will open at 7:30 a.m. (for those not in attendance for Friday evening activities).The first scheduled activity of early morning yoga will begin at 8:00 a.m., and all activities will be concluded by 3:00 p.m.

To register and find information on accommodations and be found by visiting the Women Veterans Retreat registration page.

WDVA is grateful to our amazing friends at Trinity Equestrian Center for hosting the retreat once more. We hope you can join this wonderful retreat for women veterans!

‘No Next of Kin’ service held at SWVMC

No Next of Kin Service pic2 at SWVMC March 2024

On March 6, the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery (SWVMC) held a ‘no next of kin’ service (NNOK) with military honors for deceased veteran, Sgt. Gordon A. Streich. This special NNOK service occurs when there is no available family for a deceased veteran.

Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) Secretary-designee James Bond attended the service and received the burial flag in memory of Sgt. Streich. He was joined by WDVA’s Amy Millard, Deputy Administrator of Veterans Benefits, and Andrea Northwood, Director of the Bureau of Veteran Cemeteries and Memorial Services. Also in attendance for the service were the majority of our SWVMC administration staff and caretakers.

  • Service Record: Sgt. Gordon A Streich, US Army veteran
    • Army Commendation Medal w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster
    • Army Achievement Medal w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster 
  • DOB: June 5, 1955
  • DOD: February 14, 2019

Our WDVA staff at SWVMC are honored and privileged to conduct services for all those who have served our nation. Learn more about our southernmost cemetery on our website.

*Pictured above in the front row. from right to left: WDVA Secretary-designee James Bond accepting the flag; Amy Millard, WDVA Deputy Administrator of Veteran Benefits; and Andrea Northwood, WDVA Director of the Bureau of Veteran Cemeteries and Memorial Services. 

New VA Outpatient Clinic Opens in Oconomowoc

VA outpatient clinic opening in Oconomowoc March 2024

WDVA Secretary-designee James Bond was honored to give remarks at a ribbon-cutting on Friday, March 8, for the new 8,500-square-foot Oconomowoc VA Outpatient Clinic located at 1289 Olympia Fields Drive. The new clinic will bring world-class health care closer to home for some 5,500 eligible veterans in the Lake Country region west of Milwaukee.

“The new Oconomowoc clinic will make a difference in the lives of veterans and their families,” Bond said. “WDVA stands with the VA as they serve veterans’ physical health needs and save lives every day with their mental health and therapeutic services.”

The Oconomowoc clinic becomes the fifth community-based outpatient clinic under the Milwaukee VA umbrella, along with clinics in Green Bay, Appleton, Cleveland, and Union Grove. For all information on this clinic opening, please view the official story on VA.gov. 

View more pictures from the ribbon cutting event here. *Photo credit to Milwaukee VA. 

*Picture on left: WDVA Secretary-designee James Bond speaking at the ribbon cutting. 

*Picture on right: Ribbon cutting ceremony outside, from left, are Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow, state Sen. John Jagler, state Rep. Barbara Dittrich, Wangard Executive Chairman Stewart Wangard, Milwaukee VA Executive Director Jim McLain (holding scissors), Waukesha County Board Supervisor Matthew Weil, Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary-designee James Bond and Oconomowoc Mayor Robert Magnus.

WDVA Honors All Who Served in the Vietnam War

Vietnam Veterans Day 2024

WDVA will take time to honor and remember the service and sacrifice of all who served in the Vietnam War on March 29. We also remember those who did not come home, and those who were prisoners of war. Learn more about Wisconsin’s veterans who served in Vietnam by visiting the Wisconsin Veterans Museum website or stopping by to view their exhibits on your next visit to downtown Madison. 

Great Career Opportunities Await with WDVA!

Nursing Home Assistant Director at Union Grove image

Are you looking for a new career opportunity? WDVA is looking for great people to help us serve our veterans in Wisconsin. Our featured job this month is for an Assistant Administrator (Deputy Commandant) for our Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove. 

WDVA has many more available job openings across our state which includes various positions at our veteran memorial cemeteries, skilled caregivers at veteran homes, and administrative staff at our offices in Milwaukee and Madison. To view all available openings, and how to apply, please visit wisc.jobs today!

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WISCONSIN VETERAN’S EVENTS:  

VETERANS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
 
Military Veterans, Military Spouses, and Transitioning Servicemen and Women, If you are interested in a Truck Driving Career please visit our site to learn more information. We also have a brand new podcast that will be talking about approved Trucking Companies, CDL Schools, Military Skills Test Waiver, Tuition Reimbursement, and so much more.
Please let us know what questions you might have.
The Trucking Industry has Great Careers not jobs.
 
CDLVETS.COM

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VETERANS EMPLOYMENT
 
https://1.transitioncareers.com/jobs/?keywords=&pos_flt=0&location=Wisconsin%2C+United+States&location_completion=city%3D%24state%3DWisconsin%24country%3DUnited+States&location_type=state&location_text=Wisconsin%2C+United+States&location_autocomplete=1&radius=320&t735=179
 
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https://sba.my.site.com/s/b2b-course-information
 
 
https://sba.my.site.com/s/reboot-course-information
 
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Full ride scholarship for veterans and their families looking to learn tech!
 
Super excited to announce Vschools partnership with VETS2IINDUSTRY!
 
All prior and current military members and their families are able to apply for this full- ride scholarship. Full details on the scholarship below.
 
 
If you would like to know more on how to enter the tech field please feel free to set a time to meet with me.
 
 
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Women Veterans Health Care
 
CALL CENTER: CALL OR TEXT
 
1-855-829-6636
 
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disABLEDperson Inc. Are you or someone you know in need of funds to assist with college? Come and che k out our Fall 2022 National Scholarship for College Students with Disabilities. #disability #jobs #scholarships
https://www.disabledperson.com/scholarships/34/
 
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Any Pilots out there? Join the new Military Pilots LI Group! The goal is to help Mil-Pilots network and find opportunities. You don’t need to be a military pilot to join – just willing to network!
 
 
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To honor disability pride month, I am helping all jobseekers with disabilities:
 
✅free 30-minute job search strategy call 📱
✅free jobseeker pdf cheat sheet 📃
✅I will find up to 3 open jobs from my network based on your request 🗒
✅free resources you probably don’t know about 😮
 
How can you contribute as an employer/recruiter?
 
✅share open jobs in the comments
 
Send me a dm, leave a comment or tag someone that needs this right now
 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/searchable4u/
 
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Hello everyone. I just wanted to inform all of you about our great nonprofit, Veterans Moving Forward. We provide Service Dogs to Veterans dealing with mental and/or physical challenges at no cost to the veteran or their family across the country. Through our services, VMF makes a meaningful difference in the lives of disabled veterans by facilitating their recovery and increasing their safety and independence within their homes and communities. 
 
Our training takes two years, from an 8-week-old puppy to a mature service dog, with an average cost of $40,000 per service dog. The current Department of Veteran Affairs’ policy is to provide support dogs only to veterans with visual or hearing impairment, not dealing with mental challenges. Therefore we need donations to support our important mission.
 
A year ago, VMF placed Service Dog “Zamp” with Jim “Doc” Anderson, an Air Force veteran who suffered severely with PTSD and who attempted suicide three times. Jim served as a mass casualty officer. SD Zamp is named in honor and memory of Marine legend Louis Zamperini. 
 
Jim says that having SD Zamp has been a life-altering experience. His entire attitude has changed providing him with a totally different outlook on life. They’re together 24/7, attending events, poker and bridge games at the Clubhouse. During Jim’s recent back surgery, SD Zamp rode in the ambulance and stayed in the hospital for four days. 
 
Jim states that “Zamp is an incredibly special Service Dog and everyone who has meet him agrees – that he is special. Since he came into my life full-time, he has made a major difference in my life as witnessed by my wife, therapists, and psychiatrists all who agree that they have seen a change in me that they have not seen in the 20+ years that I have been in counseling. But all that has changed since Zamp entered my life. He is a stabilizing force in my life.”
           
Many other veterans like Jim need our help. Your donation and hopefully, becoming a monthly supporter, will ensure that we are able to support these veterans across the country. 
 
For more information or to make that tax-deductible donation, please visit the Veterans Moving Forward website: www.vetsfwd.org. Also check out our Facebook page at https://lnkd.in/gdnnycr. And feel free to contact me at any time. Email: gsumner@vetsfwd.org. C: 703-595-8800. We would greatly appreciate having yours and your business’s support for our Service Dogs for Veteran Programs.
 
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Wanted to post some scholarship opportunities for veterans transitioning. Would love to talk to all of you considering a career in Tech. Apply today for our 100% Tuition Paid Military & Veteran Scholarship today!
 
 
Are you Interested in #launching your Tech Career???
 
1) Schedule an appointment with me.
 
2) Add us on Linkedin
 
Thomas Gnesda
Veteran Strategic Partnerships
 
Joshua Dominic Prado, MAEd-AET
Director of Growth Partners
 
Feel Free to Send us a direct message and We’ll help you get started! 📞
 
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Keep informed and current on updates, opportunities, job postings and inside information to help navigate the federal hiring process, join the Veterans Federal Employment Collaborative (#VFEC) at https://lnkd.in/gYnZNmgP 
 
 
#vfec #OneMoreVeteranHired #VETwork #fedshirevets #vets2fed #hirevets #veteranjobs #veteranhiring #veteranemployment #hireavet
 
 
Brock Young• FollowingMil-to-Fed Success Story | #Veterati Mentor | #DoDSkillBridge Alum | #OneMoreVeteranHired3d • 3 days ago
Veterans Employment Opportunity Act of 1998 (VEOA): What it is NOT is more important than what it IS.
 
Many transitioning Service Members are eligible for several special hiring authorities (SHA). Each one is unique, and it’s important to know what they are used for, as well as what their limitations are.
 
One SHA I have found people don’t truly understand is the VEOA.
 
The USAJobs definition of the VEOA is: “Service personnel separated after three or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions, are eligible to apply to positions that otherwise may have only been available to current competitive service employees. In VEOA appointments, preference eligibles and Veterans are not given preference, but they are allowed to compete for job opportunities that are not offered to other external candidates.” (https://lnkd.in/gSDWtZ87 
)
 
Okay, but what does that MEAN! For one, it means that even though active-duty Service Members aren’t technically considered “federal employees,” it allows them to compete for jobs that are only open to current or previous employees. On USAJobs, those are the jobs with the symbol below.
 
Some expectation management here; using the VEOA also typically means your resume will be referred, no matter what. Good, right? Not always.
 
Like many vets, seeing my resume “referred” was cool, but it also meant nothing told me my resume wasn’t anywhere near what the agency and HR professionals were looking for. So I kept applying and getting referred, and applying and getting referred, and applying and getting referred… and applying and getting referred…
 
I finally took the time to dig into my resume, take some webinars, talk to some mentors and HR professionals, and it was only THEN that I realized that the VEOA was nothing more than something that allowed me to compete with current/former federal employees.
 
It didn’t offer me any preference (beyond allowing me to compete) or entitle me to a job (which of course is right there in the VEOA verbiage on OPM’s site).
 
Using the VEOA still requires your resume to be on point, meet all of the qualifications required by the announcement and supplemental questionnaire, AND needs to show that you are the best candidate for the position. It is a competition after all.
 
So for those who keep getting referred (and have been using the VEOA), but haven’t been getting the interviews, this might be why.
 
Find a mentor. Have someone take a look at your resume, and don’t assume just because you’ve been getting referred, your resume is anywhere near the quality it needs to be to get you hired.
 
#vfec #OneMoreVeteranHired #VETwork #fedshirevets #vets2fed #hirevets #veteranjobs #veteranhiring #veteranemployment #hireavet  #vetshelpingvets #veteranshelpingveterans #veteransupport #veterans #stillservingveterans  #transitioningservicemembers #transitioningmilitary #ownyourtransition #Beastmoderesume
 
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PTSD GROUP INFO
 
ADHD Time Management Focus Tools That Work. Come and check out our latest Blog Post! #disability #jobs #adhd
 
ADHD Time Management: Focus Tools That Work | Disabled Person
disabledperson.com • 6 min read
 
 
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SOMETHING NEW FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AND OUR VETERANS
 
Maya Stephens Policy Analyst and Researcher | Master of Public Policy Candidate17h17 hours ago
Hello everyone – wanted to introduce myself! My name is Maya and I work at Inclusively, a new human-first employment network built for people with disabilities, mental health conditions, and chronic illness. Our job matching technology allows job seekers to add not only their experience and skills, but also their personalized workplace accommodations into their job search.
 
I’d love to invite you to join and create your free profile! We have thousands of jobs currently listed with wonderful employers like Microsoft, Accenture, Charles Schwab, Essence, UHG, Salesforce & more!
Inclusively
inclusively.com
 
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SPECIAL VETERAN’S ANNOUNCEMENT
 
Last year One More Day launched a new Facebook group called One More Day Lost Heroes. . This group is restricted access and was created with one goal in mind- to provide a safe place for loved ones to post a picture and a story about their “lost heroes”.
The losses include combat-related suicides or PTSD-related suicides.
 
https://lnkd.in/gG4NnPux
 
If you have lost your hero, please visit the Lost Heroes group and post a picture of yours. Meet others who have also suffered these unimaginable losses.
 
If you are struggling but are not ready to ask for help, take step one and “#justtalk#tellyourstory. You matter and your story matters, and I know, that I for one, want to hear it.
One More Day: Lost Heroes
facebook.com • 1 min read
Hey everyone, this group provides the opportunity to share with other members you story of loss and survival. Hopefully your posts will help those struggling with suicidal thoughts. If you are…
 
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DISABLED VETERAN’S JOB BOARD
 
disABLEDperson.com 
 
 
“Connecting our Community with Employers since 2002” We have thousands of remote positions waiting for you! #disability #jobs #remotework
 
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SPECIAL VETERANS ANNOUNCEMENT
 
Veterans LinkedIn Partners Promotion – How strong is your resume? We are currently offering a Free Resume Critique. Send your resume to: info@proresume.biz
 
 
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SPECIAL VETERANS ANNOUNCEMENT
Disabled American Veterans & SupportersJacer (Aguilar) Collins • 2nd1d • 1 day ago
If anyone belonging to this group needs or knows someone that is in need of #resume #coverletter help in their #jobsearch feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to help!
#jobs #careers #resumeadvice #resumehelp #resumes #givingback
 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaceraguilar/
 
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Be a Survivor and Reach Out and Join us for Warriors for Life (WFL) “Peer-to Peer” Online Peer Support Group where “Sharing is Caring!”: https://lnkd.in/gsebEKw  
 
“Remember this always and the meaning runs deep for all those who’ve served this great nation: ‘Honor & Respect Always — Warriors for Life!’ ” — COL (Ret) Mikel Burroughs`
 
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www.connectwithheroes.com
Make Sure Your Business is Being Seen By Heroes Worldwide
 
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HOPE WHITE – Veteran
I Help Organizations Support & Prepare Clients for Success | Career & Federal Employment Coach | Public Speaker |
 
Please join us every Sunday at 12PM EST.
 
Grab a cup of tea, coffee or whatever you’re drinking and let’s talk.
 
No judgement on whatever’s in that cup.
 
It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere.
 
Join Zoom Meeting
https://lnkd.in/dqqPRwwr
 
Meeting ID: 843 7751 6080
Passcode: Alfredo#1

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WE WELCOME ALL INFORMATION FOR EVENTS FOR OUR VETERANS IN WISCONSIN –

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SEND THEM TO ME DIRECTLY AT:  ANN@HOMELESSTOINDEPENDENCE.ORG

THERE IS NEVER A CHARGE FOR US TO HELP YOU GET THE WORD OUT –

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!  IT IS OUR DUTY TO SUPPORT YOU!

 

UPDATED 03-29-24
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SUPPORT THIS VETERAN OWNED BUSINESS!

#VetBiz Success: Army Vet Revitalizes Hotel and Her Community With SBA-Backed Lending

Kristine Ruehl bootstrapped her way from humble beginnings toward entrepreneurship with the Army Reserve, serving for eight years to help pay for college. From there she spent five years in commercial banking. When she saw the dilapidated Hotel Stebbins, she wanted to renovate it and improve the small community of Algoma, just south of Wisconsin’s summer capital Door County. Calling on her expertise and contacts in the banking world, she began the long road to bringing the hotel back to life and profitability in 2005.

Kristine Ruehl at Hotel Stebbins

Ruehl phased renovations of the 1857 property with several SBA-backed loans. She started with purchasing the building and business, improving the restaurant and bar, and addressing urgent mechanical and structural problems. By May 2006, she was ready to take the hotel from a seasonal opening to year-round availability. “We didn’t have many employees those first years,” she says. “I tended bar, I cooked—I put in a lot of sweat equity.”

Three years later, she updated the second floor to include 10 themed rooms. She also created a spacious executive condo out of former attic space on the third floor, which became a year-round revenue stream. In 2009, she renovated the building’s front exterior, and in 2015 added new carpeting, new bathrooms and other amenities in all units, conversion of unused space into a kitchen suite, and more. With this update, all of the hotel’s 4,000 square feet became dedicated to revenue generation.

She also invested heavily from the beginning in the hotel website and online marketing, using her own capital as well as SBA-backed loans. “Marketing investment in the hospitality industry is an absolute necessity,” she says. “The website and our social media presence have attracted people from all over the world—and locals who haven’t been in since before I took over.”

Hotel Stebbins has turned a profit every year except its first since the renovation. Revenues have grown since and held steady and employees have gone from six to 15 or 20 during the busy summer season.

Hotel Stebbins also helped to spark the revitalization of downtown Algoma along with other young entrepreneurs and business owners, and Kristine has been recognized for her community contributions with the Algoma Chambers Leadership Award, Community Improvement Awards, and Kewaunee County’s Customer Service award. In 2019, Kristine was also nominated by her lender, Hometown Bank, for SBA’s Wisconsin Small Business Person of the Year award. “SBA–backed lending has helped me create a livelihood for myself and my employees and has brought jobs and vitality to this small community. As both a business owner and a former commercial banker, these loans really can make a difference for the small entrepreneur’s ability to start, grow, and expand a business.”

Learn more about SBA lending

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WDVA, Legion to Help Bury Indigent Veterans

MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) and the American Legion Department of Wisconsin today announced an effort to ensure that military veterans receive the proper burial they deserve. The partnership seeks to remedy a situation where a veteran may pass away without a next-of-kin claiming them or without the funding to hold a funeral for them.

Together, the WDVA and American Legion are working to reach out to the more than 450 funeral service providers in Wisconsin to identify the remains of deceased veterans who may be potentially eligible for a military burial..

Read more at:

WDVA and American Legion to Help Bury Indigent Veterans

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