Scott Williams, swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Scott Williams From left, State Tourism Secretary Stephanie Klett enjoys a sample of Sun Drop soda Wednesday with Diane Hartwig and Dan Hartwig, both executives of Shawano soda bottler Twig’s Beverage.
Leader Photo by Scott Williams Sun Drop soda bottler Dan Hartwig, standing left, leads a tour of the Sun Drop museum Wednesday for, from left, State Tourism Secretary Stephanie Klett, Deputy Secretary Sarah Klavas and Regional Tourism Specialist Jeff Anderson.
Wisconsin state tourism leaders visited Shawano County attractions Wednesday and applauded the area for its “magical” combination of natural beauty and fun.
State Tourism Secretary Stephanie Klett led a delegation to Shawano County as part of a “Cabinet On The Road” outreach by various leaders of state government.
Representatives of the state Department of Children and Family Services on Wednesday visited the Menominee Indian Reservation to meet with operators of a local jobs program.
Klett and other tourism officials toured the Sun Drop museum in Shawano and also visited some of the 300-plus barn quilts spread across the region.
“Every time I come here, something magical happens,” Klett said, citing the natural beauty of Shawano Lake and the unique other attractions developed through ingenuity and entrepreneurship.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” she said.
Klett was joined by Deputy Secretary Sarah Klavas and Regional Tourism Specialist Jeff Anderson.
Patti Peterson, tourism manager of the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce, said her organization works closely with officials throughout the year in planning and promoting events and attractions locally. Peterson, however, said she appreciated the visit Wednesday to stay connected and visit key local sites.
“It gives us a chance to tell our story,” she said. “And they’re very good at helping to spread our story.”
At the Sun Drop museum, Twig’s Beverage President Dan Hartwig told the story of how his family launched the Sun Drop bottling business and showed the visitors around the museum, which also includes a gift shop, bottling observatory and soda sampling counter.
Hartwig said the museum has drawn good crowds since opening last year.
“It’s been doing good,” he told the tourism officials. “We have a lot of people coming in.”
Klett and her group marveled at the colorful history behind Sun Drop soda and then took turns sampling various flavors. Klett said traveling the state as a cabinet member for Gov. Scott Walker allows her to develop a new appreciation for places like Shawano County.
“It’s very easy to become isolated in Madison,” she said. “So it’s important for people to get out.”