The Stewards of the Dells of the Wisconsin River met for the first time on April 25, 2006.

Our group worked on a name, mission statement, bylaws, and creating interest groups. We invited speakers from groups interested in similar protection and preservation missions: the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, Baraboo Range Preservation Area, Wisconsin DNR, River Alliance, Gathering Waters, and Sauk Prairie River PAL. In September, we held our first annual meeting and elected officers.

Our first major activity was a fundraiser: the First Annual Music & Art Festival on September 23 in Bowman Park in the Dells. We ran an art contest (My Favorite Rock in the Dells) for school children, auctioned donated items and gave out door prizes, offered refreshments, and featured music groups from the area. Our purpose was to raise money and to create community awareness of our mission. We are currently selling notecards using four designs created by contest winners.

Our Holiday Party in December at River Walk Pub offered an opportunity for socializing and recruiting a few new members.

We spent a great deal of time at our November 2006, and January and February 2007, meetings working in large and small groups on our priority list of goals, objectives, strategies, and activities. We finalized our goals, objectives, strategies, and activities at the April meeting.

In the Spring of 2007, we adopted a logo and developed a website for information concerning our efforts to protect and preserve the Dells of the Wisconsin River.

A water safety panel which included two DNR representatives, the Juneau County deputy who patrols the Upper Dells river corridor, a representative from Rep. Doc Hines office, and the Wisconsin Dells chief of police led a lively and productive discussion at our May meeting.

The Second Annual Stewards of the Dells Festival raised just over $4,000 on September 22-23, 2007. The two day festival began with The "Artistry of H.H. Bennett" 3-D slide show was presented by Tim and Karen White on Saturday night at the H.H. Bennett Studio—the first time this show has been presented in the Dells. The second day of the festival saw a crowd of more than 200 people enjoying a wide range of musical entertainment provided by the Raging Grannies, the Spare Time Bluegrass Band, the Sara Pace Band, and the Big House Tuba Quartet.

At the second annual meeting in September, the following officers were elected: President—Debbie Kinder, Vice President—Diana England, Treasurer—Dave Simerson, Secretary—Arlene Kanno, and members-at-large: Easton Dreher, Jenel Tallmadge, and Ted Hagen. Kristin Helland has resigned her post as our first vice-president to teach in China this year. In November, we elected Pat Andersen to take Easton's place on the board; he is very busy opening Vertical Illusions at its new location, but we hope he will come to meetings when possible.

In early November, Jim Welsh, executive director of the Natural Heritage Land Trust, notified us that his board of directors is willing to work with the Stewards to preserve and protect land in the Dells of the Wisconsin River State Natural Area acquisition zone. Frank and Mariana Weinhold were pioneers in their protection of Louis' Bluff last spring with help from the Natural Heritage Land Trust. The Wisconsin State Legislature approved a budget reauthorizing and increasing the Stewardship Fund, a key component of this process. We are making plans to offer this option to area landowners.

Plans for the Third Annual Stewards of the Dells Festival are being made for events scheduled for October 3-4, 2008. Watch this site for more information.