Small Street Journal: February 12, 2016

Three Food and Beverage venues will be opening this Spring along with the downtown hotel, The Lismore, A Doubletree by Hilton. The Informalist is the 120+ seat restaurant, Eau Claire Downtown Coffee is the coffee shop with a fireplace lounge and Dive bar replaced the pool on the second floor. Leading the Food and Beverage operations for the property is Terry Vajgrt, former owner of The Creamery in Downsville, WI. Leading the culinary team are Bradley Dean Parent and Luke Bilda, co-executive chefs. Parent has lived and worked worldwide and has been a chef in some of the finest restaurants and worked with some of the finest chefs in the country. Bilda is culinary school trained and interned on the north coast of France. The property’s beverage manager is Sean Murphy. A Chippewa Falls native, Murphy has been in the industry for more than 26 years.

Jennifer Loew was recently named the new regional director of Volunteer Services at Mayo Clinic Health System in northwest Wisconsin. Prior to becoming director, Loew worked for more than nine years as an administrative assistant, coordinator and manager of operations for the volunteer program. As regional director, Loew is responsible for overseeing Volunteer Services in Barron, Bloomer, Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Menomonie, Osseo and Rice Lake. She also will serve as a resource for volunteer coordinators and work to enhance the recruitment and retention of volunteers.

The YMCA OF Eau Claire recently elected new officers at its 135th Annual Meeting. Pam Haller and Brian Lanners were elected to initial three-year terms on the Board of Directors.  Heidi Atkins, Mark Gilbertson, Scott Lau, Connie Pedersen and Chris Seelen were elected to additional three-year terms. At the same meeting, Heidi Atkins was elected president, Jenny Fesenmaier and Scott Lau were elected vice-presidents, Connie Pedersen was elected secretary and Janine Wildenberg was elected treasurer. 

The YMCA recognized Dick May for his outstanding service to the Y by presenting him with the “Steven J. Anderson” Memorial Award.  They also recognized outgoing President Andy Cooper as well as John Hopkins who is ending his term on the Board.  Andy Cooper will serve on the Executive Committee as past president.

HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital’s L.E. Phillips-Libertas Treatment Center recently received certification renewal from the State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The treatment center offers adult inpatient and outpatient services, as well as outpatient services for adolescents. The center underwent a rigorous on-site survey last month, and the renewal was awarded for a two-year period.

The Rev. Francis Ibanga, hospital chaplain at HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital, has recently been certified by the National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC). The NACC is a professional association that advocates for the profession of spiritual care and all members who continue the healing ministry of Jesus in the name of the Church. Ibanga joined St. Joseph's Hospital in 2012 from the Archdiocese of Chicago. His previous pastoral care experience was drawn from his pastoral ministry in several countries including the United States. Ibanga holds a doctorate degree from Fordham University in New York.