Category: News

Audiences at Abrams’ theater now experience a better quality of sound at the community theater’s shows. Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc. installed a state-of-the art sound system at the Nancy Byng Community Theater, 5852 Maple St., Abrams. The new sound system improves the ability for the cast, crew, and audience, including older adults and individuals with hearing impairments, to fully enjoy a performance.
This fall, Northern Sound and Video installed the $20,000 sound system. The state-of-the-art sound system includes a digital sound board, mixers, monitors, speakers, subwoofers, amplifiers, and a variety of microphones. The system also includes a hearing assisted sound loop system to amplify the sound for individuals wearing hearing aids. The choral microphones, headset (hands-free) microphones and floor microphones are the same quality as the ones used for Broadway shows.
All of this was made possible because of volunteer labor and grants from the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation and the Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation.
“It’s a very nice system. We’re happy to put it in,” said Brad La Jeunesse, Northern Sound and Video lead installer. “The whole theater is surrounded by a better quality of sound. Wherever you’re sitting – in the front row or all the way in the back – you will be able to hear just as well.”
Prior to Northern Sound and Video’s installation, volunteers contributed approximately $3,000 worth of labor to replace and connect wires, groove the hardwood floor, and complete other prep work.
“This was a major savings, and we can’t thank our volunteers enough for their hard work,” said Bill Koehne, ASPI board president. “This is a community theater, so it belongs to everyone. That’s why it’s great to see volunteers helping out and donations coming in.”
Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc. is a nonprofit organization that presents three shows a year and hosts numerous events at the Nancy Byng Community Theater. Formerly St. Louis Catholic Church, the 96-year-old church has been fully renovated.
ASPI Tech Supervisor David Jolly said the new sound system exceeded his expectations.
“Everyone will be able to hear and enjoy events here so much more,” Jolly said.
With the digital sound board, it’s easy to integrate different sources of sound into the system for sound effects and music. Plus, the sound engineer can balance the volume of music and voices, making it easier for the audience to distinguish between the two.
Not only does the new sound system benefit the cast and the audience, it also benefits anyone in the community interested in technical aspects of theater performances.
“We want to encourage volunteers to learn to operate our sound system. This is a professional system, and volunteers can learn to operate it in a low-stress environment,” Jolly said.
“A successful theatrical performance involves a lot of different elements, and a sound system is a key ingredient,” Koehne said. “The new sound system allows the audience to sit back, relax, and enjoy the performance.”

Four-year-old students at Oconto Falls Elementary School are excited to be taking home books and accompanying activities to use as the OFES 4K School to Home Language Project gets underway. In spring 2023, Pamela Jackson and Alison Clausen (4K teachers), along with Crystal Beaman (Reading Specialist) wrote a grant proposal requesting money to purchase books and accompanying activities from the Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation. Oconto Falls Elementary 4-year-old kindergarten was awarded grant monies to purchase 30 different book titles along with activities that matched book topics. The OFES 4K School to Home Language Project was designed to provide ALL Oconto Falls 4K families with opportunities to build language skills as parents/guardians read with their children and engage in quality conversations through play.
Each week, 4K students take home a small backpack with a book and activity. Parents/guardians and students are encouraged to use the materials for 5-6 days. These books and activities were intended to promote positive home and school connections. Access to quality children’s literature and activities is intended to remove barriers and increase literacy. When families return materials to school, they receive another backpack with a new book and activity on a rotating schedule. By engaging with these materials, parents/guardians help to build oral language skills through speaking and listening. Oral language skills are the building blocks for later reading and writing skills. Crystal Beaman and the 4K team spent time during open house presenting parents/guardians with information on how the human brain learns to read. Hearing words helps children build an understanding for new concepts and makes students aware of individual sounds in words. Students that can recognize individual sounds in words are later able to connect letter(s) to those sounds for reading and spelling. Promoting literacy experiences and exploration will impact students’ future learning success.

Conner Christensen is the 2023 recipient of the $4,000 Leon H. & Clymene M. Bond Scholarship. He is the son of Ross and Courtney Christensen and plans to attend St. Norbert College to study Pre-Physical Therapy.

Madilyn Steele is the 2023 recipient of the $2,000 Earl J. DeCloux Memorial Scholarship. She is the daughter of Steven and Dawn Steele and plans to attend Fox Valley Technical College to pursue a degree in Agriculture/Veterinary Technician.

The Leon H. & Clymene M. Bond Scholarship and the Earl J. DeCloux Memorial Scholarship are awarded to graduating seniors from Oconto High School who demonstrate leadership ability, a high academic record, and service as evidence by school and community. They must plan to enroll in a course of study in a public or private college. Preference may be given to a student majoring in the health or recreation field.

The Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation awarded a $9,900 grant to Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc. for the theater’s Can You Hear Me Now? project – a new sound system. The sound system will enhance the theater experience of the cast, crew, and audience, including older adults and individuals with hearing impairments. ASPI is a community theater organization that presents 3-4 shows a year at the Nancy Byng Community Theater, 5852 Maple Street, Abrams.
According to Bond Foundation executive director Jennifer Hanna, the project was selected for funding because of the theater’s significance in the community.
“The foundation’s board of directors recognized Abrams Spotlight Productions as a great creative outlet for the local community as well as an entertainment venue for people of all ages,” she said. “The board was also impressed with the dedication and hard work of the many volunteers who are responsible for the success of Abrams Spotlight Productions. The board felt that the sound system will also allow Abrams Spotlight Productions to better serve the community.”
With grants from the Bond Foundation and Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, ASPI has the necessary funds to purchase a state-of-the-art theater sound system: sound board, amplifier, speakers and microphones. Additionally, ASPI will install a hearing assisted sound loop system that works wirelessly with people’s hearing aids.
Bill Koehne, president of Abrams Spotlight Productions Inc., said the community theater was grateful to be selected for the grant, because the current sound system is past its useful life.
“When the sound board failed during ‘White Christmas’ rehearsals in 2022, we scrambled to find a solution. Luckily, we could borrow a sound board from another theater. But that wasn’t a long-term solution,” he said. “When a speaker failed this year during rehearsals for ‘Gypsy,’ it was just another indication that our theater needed a new sound system.”
The ASPI summer show, “Lustful Youth,” is next on the theater’s agenda. The comedy tells the out-of-control story of a television statistician contractually obligated to write an evening soap opera. Written and directed by Mike Eserkaln, the artistic director of Comedy City in De Pere, “Lustful Youth” will be performed June 8-11 and 15-18.
Volunteers will provide the labor to install the sound system, saving the theater an estimated $3,000. Carpenters, electricians, and ASPI volunteers will pull wire, groove the hardwood floor for the sound loop, and install and connect the system.
“A new sound system will really make a big difference,” Koehne said. “When performers’ voices are too quiet or overpowered by music, it’s hard for the audience to follow the storyline. The new sound system and hearing loop enables everyone to fully enjoy a show.”

Recently, two members of the Bond Foundation, Mary McMonagle, and Jenni Hanna, stopped by Oconto Middle School to visit the new Technology Education area. This project was made possible by a $50,000 grant from the LEON H. AND CLYMENE M. BOND FOUNDATION. Mary and Jenni were very impressed with the new Tech Ed area. They were able to see first-hand the impact of their generous donation, and they expressed their delight with what the new tech ed area offered to the students. They were also able to appreciate the hard work of Ms. Hermsen in making good use of the funds for the benefit of the students. Mary and Jenni were pleased to note that the equipment in the Tech Ed area was up-to-date and of high quality, ensuring that students have access to the best possible equipment for their learning.

The grant assisted in tooling up a woodshop and technology lab to help students learn and explore in a project-based, hands-on, collaborative environment. Over their four-year experience at OMS, all students will learn about woodworking, hydroponics, 3-D design, engineering, virtual welding, and coding while creating individual and group projects. The mission of the program is to provide students with a pathway for developing their potential in a space that focuses on technology, innovation, career awareness, and life skills.

Oconto Unified School District thanks the Bond Foundation for its continued support.

St. Anthony School has been blessed to receive a grant from the Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation, Inc. in the amount of $25,192.86. This grant will provide the funds to furnish classrooms to make room for future growth.

St. Anthony’s School makes an effort to embrace each child. It is founded on the Catholic tradition and strives to educate each student in spirit, mind and body. Due to this grant, the St. Anthony School community is excited to have the opportunity to offer more options for its amazing students and families.

Thank you to the Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation for their investment in the St. Anthony mission. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Anyone interested in attending St. Anthony School, please contact school@holy3.org or call the office at 920-846-2276.

The Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation, Inc. (Oconto, Wisconsin) has awarded the Peshtigo School District a $12,000 grant to assist in the installation of an ADA compliant kayak launch on Trout Creek. Kayakers and canoers will have immediate access to the Peshtigo River and the great views it provides. Kayaking and canoeing are already part of the Peshtigo School District’s curriculum and the launch will improve the access and safety for students and community members.

Superintendent Rau stated, “The impact of the ADA kayak launch is enormous as it will provide access to ALL students and community.”

The Bond Foundation grant along with the fundraising efforts of the Peshtigo Chamber of Commerce and Wild Goose Kayak Club will provide funding for the ADA compliant launch, parking, lighting, kayaks, storage racks, and safety equipment.

Rau added, “The district is beyond grateful for the support of the Bond Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Wild Goose Kayak Club.”

The Oconto Police Department is pleased to announce that we have started a K-9 program. This program was kick-started in April of 2021 when the department was awarded a $50,000.00 grant from the Leon H and Clymene M. Bond Foundation. The Oconto Police Department will use these funds to secure “K-9 Falco,” as well as purchase various equipment the program will need to be successful. The funding will provide the program with various pieces of training equipment such as a bite suit, narcotics detection kit, and a patrol vehicle outfitted for the K-9.
K-9 Falco is a Belgian Malinois, who is currently going through extensive training at Working K-9 headquarters in Canada. Falco is a dual-purpose K-9, trained in Narcotics Detection, Patrol Apprehension, and Search & Rescue. K-9 Falco will descend upon the citizens of Oconto, and begin his life as a Police K-9 in late fall of 2021. The Oconto Police Department would like to thank the Bond Foundation for its continued support of our department, as well as the City of Oconto.