RESTORING UNCLE SAM AND HIS TEAM AT GRANDVIEW
Contact: Rick Rolfsmeyer at (608) 967-2322 or
Marilyn Rolfsmeyer at (608) 574-7169
On September 23, Saturday, from 11 AM to 3PM Grandview in Hollandale will host a picnic to raise funds to restore artwork by Nick Engelbert and provide some much needed fun, hospitality and good-natured patriotism.
Grandview is the Englebert family farm transformed by Nick and his family from the 1930s through the 60s with his amazing statues and lovely gardens to welcome all to enjoy the site’s beauty, the art’s originality, and his family’s hospitality. His art celebrates family, Wisconsin, and the United States.
The Pecatonica Educational Charitable Foundation currently maintains and operates Grandview to sustain those purposes and preserve the artwork.
Some parts of Grandview need restoration. Among the most notable pieces is Nick's statue of Uncle Sam. The original piece has Uncle Sam leading a yoked team of a donkey and an elephant with the caption, "Can anybody do a days work with a team like that?" Today, lots of folks ponder that question.
Like the team today, the statue has fallen on tough times. Uncle Sam and the donkey have disappeared; only the forlorn elephant remains. Grandview thinks it's time to put the team back together and restore the statue. Grandview’s beauty, good humor, and welcome offer some assurance that the team can and will work together again.
The picnic kicks off the fund-raising. It features food and drink, including homemade, wood-fired pizza, lots of activities for kids, tours of Grandview, demonstrations by the restoration specialists who'll bring Uncle Sam and his team back together, and a presentation on the history of Nick, his family, and Grandview.
Admission is $25 at the door for individuals or families. Grandview is located on State Highway 39, about a mile west of Hollandale.
RSVPs are not essential but welcome. Please RSVP to rickyr@mhtc.net. If you cannot attend but wish to donate, please do so via PayPal, online, or mail at PO Box 95, Hollandale, WI 53544. Checks can be made payable to the Pecatonica Educational Charitable Foundation for the restoration of Uncle Sam and His Team.