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    • July 23, 2026
    • 7:45 AM - 6:30 PM
    • Milwaukee and Greendale
    • 0
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    From Chimneys to Iconic Wings

    Thursday, July 23, 2026

    Registration deadline is Monday, June 29

    Registration opens on Tuesday, June 2

    Each chimney has a story of its own that means something special to the owner.  We will hear these stories during our historic and folk-art chimney tour.  There are hundreds of decorated Greendale original home chimneys!

    The decor of the chimneys relates to many of Greendale's "alphabetized streets" All streets in the "A section" begin with the letter A, etc. So, apricots hang on Apricot Coutt chimneys... azaleas bloom on Azalea Court chimneys...berries ripen on Berry Court, and naturally, balsam branches on Balsam Court. Other sculptures reflect the homeowners' lives and personal experiences.

    Two Brewer fans, a couple married at Miller Park, sport a ball and glove logo on their chimney; a film director displays an old camera projector on his. Whether a lover of country, a beach comber, a bird watcher, or UW grad, each chimney has its own story, and you will discover many of them on our tour.


    Following lunch and some time in Greendale's Historic Downtown Center, we're off to the Milwaukee Art Museum the largest art museum in the state of Wisconsin, housing a collection of more than 30,000 works and hosting an impressive lineup of internationally regarded exhibitions. The Museum sees almost 400,000 visitors each year, with nearly 21,500 holding annual Museum memberships. The Museum's stellar art education program serves over 50,000 youth each year through programs, tours, and internships.

    A surprise stop will end our day's event.

    _________________________________________

    Lunch (Indicate your choice when registering)

    Lunch includes coffee or fountain soft drink.

    • BURGER:  1/4lb Burger Topped with Lettuce & Tomato. Served on a Brioche Bun, and Side of Homemade Chips
    • APPLE WALNUT SALAD: Spring Mix, Apples, White Cheddar, Walnuts, Dried Cranberries, Served with Raspberry Honey Vinaigrette and Grilled Chicken
    • APPLE WALNUT SALAD: Spring Mix, Apples, White Cheddar, Walnuts, Dried Cranberries, Served with Raspberry Honey Vinaigrette and Crispy Chicken
    • CHICKEN SALAD WRAP: Chopped Grilled Chicken, Apples, Walnuts, Celery, Lettuce, Tomato, & Mayo. Serviced With Side of Homemade Chips

    _________________________________________

    PLATO is partnering with the Verona Senior Center  and UW Retirement Association on this travel opportunity.  You will be required to fill out the 2026 Verona Senior Center New Member  and Trip Waiver Form   (no charge).  You can fill out these forms in advance or on the day of the trip.  

    Schedule:  (Return times are approximate)

    TRAVELERS ARE REQUESTED TO ARRIVE 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO DEPARTURE

    7:45 a.m.  Depart Verona Park & Ride

    8:30 a.m.  Depart (East Madison) Dutch Mill Park & Ride (East Lot)

    6:00 p.m.   Return (East Madison) Dutch Mill Park & Ride (East Lot)

    6:30 p.m.   Return Verona Park & Ride

    Departure Locations:


    Verona Park & Ride - 2585 Old PB, Verona, WI


    East Side (Dutch Mill Park & Ride (East Lot))

    Map below for those boarding the bus on east side Dutch Mill Park & Ride. Please park in the "east" lot as indicated by the arrow. (east of Arby's)


    Cost: $120 per person and includes bus transportation, driver tip, admission fees, meal, taxes, and gratuities.

    Seating is limited, so register today!  Registrations must be received no later than noon on Monday, June 29, 2026.

    Mail-In Registration Form:  Print, Fill-in, and Mail this Form for those who wish to register off-line and by check

    Refund Policy:  PLATO refunds an event fee if cancelled prior to the registration deadline.  Refunds after the registration deadline are only processed if a wait-listed registrant can attend.  

    PLATO Membership:  PLATO membership is $60.00/year and all memberships renew on July 1. 

    For further information, contact PLATO trip coordinator, Bob Shaw,  robert.e.shaw@gmail.com , 608-255-3486.

    • August 03, 2026
    • 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    • 1615 Sherman Avenue
    • 12



    From Wood to Watercraft:

    Dugout Canoes of Wisconsin

    Monday, August 3, 2026

    Registration deadline is Friday, July 24

    Registration will open July 7

    Sissel Schroeder, Professor of Anthropology at UW Madison, will educate us about the Wisconsin Dugout Canoe Survey Project.  The talk will take place on an MSCR Pontoon boat where, if the weather permits, we will hover over where dugout canoes were discovered in Lake Mendota a few years ago.

    The goals of the Wisconsin Dugout Canoe Survey include locating, identifying, and documenting dugouts across the state.  When this project started in 2018, 11 dugout canoes were documented in Wisconsin, ranging in age from about 150 years old to a fragment from Kenosha County that is 1,850 years old. By February 2024, there were 95 reports of dugouts in the state (the research team has confirmed and documented 73 of them). These discoveries put Wisconsin second in eastern North America for the number of reported dugout canoes. The Wisconsin sample of dugouts has two of the 10 oldest dugouts in eastern North America that range between 4,000 and 6,000 years old.

    Don't miss this fascinating lecture and opportunity to glimpse the front lines of Wisconsin history as it's being made.

     Sissel Schroeder received her PhD from The Pennsylvania State University and is currently a Professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is also an affiliate of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, the Center for Culture, History, and the Environment, the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program, and the Material Culture Studies Program. Her current research is focused on issues of sociopolitical complexity, climate change impacts, and historical ecology among ancient Native American societies of the southeastern and midwestern United States.


    ________________________


    The talk will given on an MSCR Pontoon boat while we are travelling Lake Mendota.  You will be required to sign a Pontoon Program Liability Waiver before boarding.    There are Porta Potties at the departure point.  Bring your own water and snacks and dress appropriately for the weather.  It is often windier and cooler on the lake.

    Note that this is a 3-hour trip with a bathroom break at the Memorial Union.

    Tentative Timetable:

    1:00 PM - Depart Tenney Park dock and go through Tenney Park locks

    1:30 - 2:45 - Hover over Shorewood mooring field where the canoes were found for Sissel's talk

    2:45-3:15  - Dock at Goodspeed Pier by Memorial Union for bathroom break

    4:00 PM -  Disembark at Tenney Park dock 

    Meeting Point: Tenney Park, 1615 Sherman Ave

    The boat trip to Lake Mendota will depart from the Tenney Park Boat House and will go through the lock at Tenney Park. 


    Cost: $30 per person.

    Seating is limited, so register today!  Registrations must be received no later than noon on Friday, July 24, 2026.

    Mail-In Registration Form:   Print, Fill-in and Mail this Form for those who wish to register off-line and by check

    Refund Policy:  PLATO refunds an event fee if cancelled prior to the registration deadline.  Refunds after the registration deadline are only processed if a wait-listed registrant can attend.  

    PLATO Membership:  PLATO membership is $60.00/year and all memberships renew on July 1. 

    For further information, contact PLATO trip coordinators, Bob Shaw,  robert.e.shaw@gmail.com , 608-255-3486 or Liz Coleman, liz_coleman@msn.com, 608-320-4480

    • August 11, 2026
    • 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
    • Green Bay
    • 10



    Green Bay/Oneida Nation Tour

    Tuesday, August 11, 2026

    Registration deadline is Tuesday, July 28

    Registration opens on Tuesday, June 30

    It’s going to be a great day in Green Bay!!  We’ll start our day at the Discover Green Bay Welcome Center and learn a bit about the city’s history.

    Next, we’ll head to the Oneida Nation to visit their new museum which opened in June where we will learn about the Oneida culture, government, and economy.  Read more about the new museum at Kahnekano Lu Cultural Center Opens.  Experience the history through the exhibits of basketry, beadwork, contemporary art, music, children's hands-on-area and other programming.  

    The Oneida Nation reservation spans parts of two counties west of the Green Bay metropolitan area. Their property includes the museum, a Long House Village, Buffalo Overlook, Veteran’s Wall and more.   

    After our visit, we’re off to lunch at the 1919 Kitchen & Tap Restaurant  at Lambeau Field.  Here we’ll experience the excitement of Lambeau Field while we savor and sip local food and drinks.  After lunch you will have a chance to visit the ProShop.

    On our way home we will swing by LaClare Creamery to pick up dinner and visit their baby goats.

    And don't forget there will be surprise stop during the day.

    _________________________________________

    Lunch (Indicate your choice when registering)

    Lunch includes beverage

    • Wisco Burger with chips, Wisconsin cheddar, lettuce, tomato
    • Turkey Club with chips, Shaved turkey, smoked gouda, lettuce, tomato, peppered bacon, chive mayo, ale mustard, sourdough
    • Cobb Salad, Butter crunch bibb, peppered bacon, red onion, sweet corn, tomato, bleu cheese, avocado, buttermilk parsley dressing,
    • Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork with chips, Maple coleslaw, house BBQ sauce

    _________________________________________

    PLATO is partnering with the Verona Senior Center  and UW Retirement Association on this travel opportunity.  You will be required to fill out the 2026 Verona Senior Center New Member  and Trip Waiver Form   (no charge).  You can fill out these forms in advance or on the day of the trip.  

    Schedule:  (Return times are approximate)

    TRAVELERS ARE REQUESTED TO ARRIVE 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO DEPARTURE

    7:00 a.m.  Depart Verona Park & Ride

    7:30 a.m.  Depart (East Madison) Dutch Mill Park & Ride (East Lot)

    6:30 p.m.   Return (East Madison) Dutch Mill Park & Ride (East Lot)

    7:00 p.m.   Return Verona Park & Ride

    Departure Locations:


    Verona Park & Ride - 2585 Old PB, Verona, WI


    East Side (Dutch Mill Park & Ride (East Lot))

    Map below for those boarding the bus on east side Dutch Mill Park & Ride. Please park in the "east" lot as indicated by the arrow. (east of Arby's)


    Cost: $130 per person and includes bus transportation, driver tip, admission fees, meal, taxes, and gratuities.

    Seating is limited, so register today!  Registrations must be received no later than noon on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

    Mail-In Registration Form:  Print, Fill-in, and Mail this Form for those who wish to register off-line and by check

    Refund Policy:  PLATO refunds an event fee if cancelled prior to the registration deadline.  Refunds after the registration deadline are only processed if a wait-listed registrant can attend.  

    PLATO Membership:  PLATO membership is $60.00/year and all memberships renew on July 1. 

    For further information, contact PLATO trip coordinator, Bob Shaw,  robert.e.shaw@gmail.com , 608-255-3486.

    • September 02, 2026
    • 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • 1615 Sherman Avenue
    • 12



    Limnology Lake Tour

    Wednesday, September 2, 2026

    Registration deadline is Monday, August 24

    Registration will open August 4

    Helen Schlimm, Research Specialist & Outreach Coordinator for the UW-Madison Center For Limnology, will be joining us on MSCR's pontoon boat for our limnology lake tour. 

    We will navigate to different points around Lake Mendota from University Bay, around Picnic and Frautschi Points, out to the middle of the lake at the CFL research buoy, and back along the southern shore. Topics of conversation will include: history of the Madison lakes and area, history of limnology, ecology of the lakes, past and current research efforts.  There will be plenty of time for questions. Helen will have some limnological sampling tools on board so participants can gain hands-on experience with lake science.  


     Helen Schlimm assists in the regular operations and research endeavors of the Wilkinson Lab, in addition to leading outreach efforts. Her work combines her interests in limnological study and inclusive community science. She received a BS in Environmental Science from Dickinson College in 2017.



    _______________________________


    The talk will given on an MSCR Pontoon boat while we are travelling Lake Mendota.  You will be required to sign a Pontoon Program Liability Waiver before boarding.    There are Porta Potties at the departure point.  Bring your own water and snacks and dress appropriately for the weather.  It is often windier and cooler on the lake.

    Note that this is a 3-hour trip and there will be a bathroom break.

    Timetable:

    5:00 - Depart Tenney Park dock and go through Tenney Park locks

    5:40 - Pick up Helen at the Limnology dock

    5:40 - 7:00 - On the lake with Helen

    7:00 - 7:30  - Tour of the Hasler Laboratory of Limnology (and bathroom break)

    8:00 -  Disembark at Tenney Park dock 


    Meeting Point: Tenney Park, 1615 Sherman Ave

    The boat trip to Lake Mendota will depart from the Tenney Park Boat House and will go through the lock at Tenney Park. 


    Cost: $30 per person.

    Seating is limited, so register today!  Registrations must be received no later than noon on Monday, August 24, 2026.

    Mail-In Registration Form:   Print, Fill-in and Mail this Form for those who wish to register off-line and by check

    Refund Policy:  PLATO refunds an event fee if cancelled prior to the registration deadline.  Refunds after the registration deadline are only processed if a wait-listed registrant can attend.  

    PLATO Membership:  PLATO membership is $60.00/year and all memberships renew on July 1. 

    For further information, contact PLATO trip coordinators, Bob Shaw,  robert.e.shaw@gmail.com , 608-255-3486 or Liz Coleman, liz_coleman@msn.com, 608-320-4480


PLATO is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization supported in part by:



info@platomadison.org

Facebook: @platomadison

608-572-6869

6209 Mineral Point Road #203
Madison, WI 53705








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