Fire Department Lights Blaze

Badger State Games Opening Ceremony presented by Saint Joseph's Hospital-Ministry Healthcare kicks off for the second time at the Cedar Creek Village in Rothschild on Friday February 3, 2005. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Festivities for all will start at 5:30 pm and the Ceremony will begin at 7:00 pm. The fire department will kick things off at 5:30 pm as they light the bon fire.

Activities for the Opening Ceremony Friday night will include the traditional lighting of the torch, free food, snowshoe demonstrations, a bon fire, horse and wagon rides and a performance by Comedy Sportz, a family friendly improvisation comedy act out of Milwaukee.

The Cedar Creek Mall will also be the site for athlete registration and packet pick up information Friday, February 3 from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm and Saturday, February 4 from 5:00 pm-7:00pm.

Who:
Jim Holperin, Secretary of Tourism
Bret Bielema, UW Football Coach
Gary Shuchuk, former UW Badger Hockey Player, NHL alumni and 2006 Badger State Games Honorary Athlete
Jim Tipple, Mayor, City of Wausau
Keith Langenhan, Board Chair, Marathon County
Neal Torney, President, Village of Rothschild
Kathy Foley, Board Vice President, Wausau/Central Wisconsin CVB

Where:
Cedar Creek Mall I-39/Bus Hwy 51, Exit 185 Wausau, WI

When:
5:30 pm - 6:45 pm
Festivities start
Snowshoe demonstrations
Bon fire
Hot air balloon on display
Snow sculpture (tentative)
Horse and wagon rides
Bike Drawing (for those 18 & under)

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Comedy Sportz - A family friendly improvisation comedy act out of Milwaukee

7:10 pm - 7:50 pm
Opening Ceremony

WELCOME
Kathy Foley, Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Wausau and Central Wisconsin Convention and Visitors Bureau.

INTRODUCTIONS
Mark Steinberg, the President of Wausau Signature Agency and Senior VP and General Manager of Wausau Insurance Companies.

NATIONAL ANTHEM AND FLAG PRESENTATION
Wausau Music Society

ATHLETE PARADE
Lead by Secretary Holperin, special guest Bret Bielema, UW Football Coach and Gary Shuchuk, former UW Badger Hockey Player and NHL alumni, 2006 Badger State Games Honorary Athlete

REMARKS
Bret Bielema, UW Badger Head Football Coach
Denny Domack, Board President, Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD PRESENTATION
Mary Krueger, President/Chief Operating Officer for Saint Clare's Hospital in Weston-Ministry Health Care.
Awarded to Tim Glaeser and Gary Dotter, Tomahawk Hockey Volunteers

DRAWING FOR MOUNTAIN BIKE
Jim Tipple, Mayor, City of Wausau
Keith Langenhan, Board Chair, Marathon County
Neal Torney, President, Village of Rothschild
Kathy Foley, Board Vice President, Wausau/Central Wisconsin CVB

OTTO BREITENBACH SPIRIT OF THE GAMES AWARD PRESENTATION
Jim Holperin, Secretary of Tourism
Awarded to Nordic Skiing Volunteers

TORCH LIGHTING AND OATH OF ATHLETES
Gary Shuchuk, former UW Badger Hockey Player and NHL alumni, 2006 Badger State Games Honorary Athlete

FINALE
Fireworks

The 2006 Games started last weekend, January 27-29 and included Archery, Bowling, Youth and Women's hockey. Result are posted at www.badgerstategames.org. They will continue this weekend, February 3-5 with, Alpine Skiing, Billiards, Curling, Figure Skating, Freestyle Skiing, Men's Hockey, Nordic Skiing, Quadrathlon, Ski Jumping, Snowboarding, Snowshoe Racing, Speedskating as well as the Opening Ceremony in and around north-central Wisconsin.

For more scheduling information and to register for the 2006 Winter Games, log on to www.badgerstategames.org or call 608-226-4780.

Wausau Insurance Companies presents the Badger State Winter Games. Major sponsors are American Family Insurance, Charter Communications, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and Saint Joseph's Hospital-Ministry Health Care, with special thanks to TravelWisconsin.com and the Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation is a nonprofit sports management organization that helps develop sports tourism in Wisconsin and promotes positive lifestyles and physical fitness through amateur athletic events and health education programs. WSDC owns the Badger State Games, the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame, the Wisconsin Sports Foundation, Paddle & Portage, Shape Up Wisconsin Kids, Lighten Up Wisconsin and the Fit Kids Challenge. WSDC is also the local host of Ironman Wisconsin