Progress Days honors four Outstanding Citizens
By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer
In 1969, when then-Bristol Town Chairman Earl W. Hollister requested a community event in the municipality, the Bristol Recreation Committee decided on a picnic.
However, the simple community picnic turned into a larger event now known as Bristol Progress Days.
On July 12 at Parkway Chateau in Kenosha, where the annual coronation banquet was held, state and local leaders recognized the event with historic proclamations.
Kenosha County Board Supervisor Monica Yuhas, who spoke on behalf of county officials, told the audience the event has strengthened the community.
“We congratulate Bristol Progress Days as it celebrates its 50th anniversary of bringing our community together,” said Yuhas, reading from the executive proclamation.
Along with Kenosha County Executive Jim Kreuser and County Board Chairman Daniel Esposito, the Board of Supervisors proclaimed July 12 as Bristol Progress Days 50th Anniversary Day.
Meanwhile, Bristol Progress Days was chosen as the name of the event in 1970 and garnered incorporation in 2001.
In 1971, Bristol Progress Days started issuing Outstanding Citizen Awards to residents and began crowning Miss Bristol the next year.
While the town eventually became a village, Bristol Progress Days continued to recognize residents, adding four more at Friday’s coronation banquet.
Glassman, LaForge honored
Before dinner, Bristol Progress Days announced Dave Glassman and Regina LaForge as this year’s Outstanding Citizens.
Glassman is a Bristol Historical Society member who took ownership of his father’s business, Woodworth’s Garage, in 1967.
His nominator said Glassman “always had an open ear and was willing to listen and to give his opinion on what could be done to improve the community.”
Glassman, who started working at 16 years old, also ran a milk route in Bristol and drove a school bus for 20 years.
The now-retired Glassman, president of North Bristol Cemetery, is married with three adult daughters.
LaForge is an active member of Wesley Church who has been involved in Kenosha County 4-H programs for decades.
LaForge, who has been the leader of Bristol Challenge 4-H Club for more than seven years, was involved in Salem Pioneers 4-H Club for close to 15 years.
“She is a leader and president of the Kenosha County 4-H goat project,” her nominator states.
Her nominator credited LaForge for reviving the project, reorganizing the program from the ground up and “was able to get the youth involved again.”
LaForge, also a member and co-president of House and Community Education, has educated 4-H children about animals.
She also volunteers and raises funds for the Wisconsin Bookworm Association, a program designed to provide free books and early reading experiences for families with limited incomes.
LaForge, a mother of five, has had all of her children play Bristol Recreation softball.
One of her kids, Natalie, eventually became Miss Bristol.
Outstanding juniors
In addition, Bristol Progress Days recognized Aidan Hawkins and Mary Gillmore as Outstanding Junior Citizens.
Outstanding Junior Citizens became part of Progress Days in 2012. The awards are for children between kindergarten and seventh grade.
Gillmore, a member of the Bristol Challenge 4-H, has exhibited arts and crafts and has shown pigs and turkeys at the Kenosha County Fair.
In addition to playing softball with Bristol Recreation, Gillmore received multiple accolades in school, such as earning straight A’s and winning the Diligent Award and Christian Character Award.
Her nominator said she is a very hard worker who likes to serve her community.
Gillmore lives on a farm and has volunteered as an angel in her family’s annual live Nativity scene and works at Marleigh’s Ministry packaging care boxes for premature babies.
Hawkins also is a straight-A student. He plays baseball on the Broncos Select Team and participates in soccer, basketball and track.
He has been a student of the month, a forensics award winner and member of the Geography Club.
He won the Westosha Central High School geography bee and helped his team win the overall title.
His nominator describes Hawkins as a “wonderful young man who has the innate qualities for an effective leader. He is hardworking, kind, involved and will make a wonderful reflection for this award.”