Paddock Lake receives accessibility award

Paddock Lake Village Administrator Tim Popanda (right) accepts an Accessibility Award at a Society’s Assets banquet from the organization’s CEO, Bruce Nelsen (Submitted/The Report).

By Gail Pecker-Dziki
Correspondent

Janie Mueller is a hometown girl with strong family roots in Western Kenosha County.

Mueller, a graduate of both Riverview School and Wilmot Union High School, has several relatives with similar roots.

Mueller’s father, Rueben Mueller, grew up in Bristol and mother, Nancy (Bruening), grew up in Camp Lake. Her brother, Kevin, lives in Trevor.

Several years ago, she suffered an accident that left her in a wheelchair.

For the past 12 years, it hasn’t been easy.

“I love this area,” Janie explained. “There aren’t many municipalities in Western Kenosha County where businesses and other areas are accessible both for wheelchairs and to a major highway.”

Then she found Paddock Lake and was thankful that she didn’t need to move to a larger city.

“I found a place to buy a home where I can easily get to the village hall, businesses and high school safely.”

Janie wanted Paddock Lake to be recognized for that accessibility.

So late last fall, she spoke to Village President Terry Burns about nominating Paddock Lake for the Society’s Asset award for accessibility.

“He was so helpful,” she said. “Everyone of the staff is always kind and accommodating.”

Burns helped her fill in the nomination form and on Dec. 20, Village Administrator Tim Popanda represented the village and attended the banquet to receive the award for the village.

The award states that Paddock Lake “is recognized for its dedication to the community and to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.”

In addition to Village Hall being an accessible building, the village has built and maintains an ADA accessible fishing pier.

The three-mile lake walk is an accessible path, and the sidewalks and a paved off-road path through the Westosha Central High School grounds makes the school and commercial areas also accessible.

“I am so blessed,” Janie said. “God gave me the wisdom to see that Paddock Lake is a place where I can be independent in my home and have access to my community while I raise my son.”

Janie has lived in Paddock Lake for seven years and being close to Highway 50 has also been important for her, contributing to ease of travel.

She has traveled the three-mile path around the lake, which is easily accessible to regular and electric wheelchairs, and has fished on the accessible pier. If she had been using an electric wheelchair, her trip around Paddock Lake might have been easier because some electric wheelchairs can go up to 25 miles on a single charge.

Janie has also worked for Society’s Assets as an independent living coordinator.

The path around the lake was completed during Marlene Goodson’s term as village president.

“We determined the length of the walk around the lake, Goodson explained in a recent telephone interview.

“Baxter and Woodman, our village engineers at the time, determined the placement of the mile markers for free. We paid about $300 for the signs and our public works department installed them,” she said.

Goodson said this was done in 2008 when she, and the Village Board, encouraged people to get out and exercise more.

About Society’s Assets
Society’s Assets is a non-profit organization that serves people with disabilities in Racine, Kenosha, Walworth, Rock, and Jefferson counties. The agency assists seniors and people with disabilities to live as independently as possible in their homes in the community of their choice.

Offices located in Racine, Kenosha, and Elkhorn provide independent living skills training; information and referral; peer support; advocacy; supportive home care services; adaptive equipment and home modifications; Americans with Disabilities Act services; financial and medical benefits consultation; bill paying and representative payee services; housing, employment, and transportation information; and veterans’ services.

Society’s Assets, which originated from the grass roots efforts of people with disabilities, has assisted people in leading more independen


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