Buttke honored with the Assembly's Hometown Hero Award

Sharing this important day with Tom (center) are (left to right): Speaker of the Assembly Robin Vos; David Ballerstein; his wife, Terri Buttke; Rep. John Spiros; and his sister, Renie Rehmer.

Wisconsin Community Media congratulates Tom Buttke, a community television producer from Marshfield, who was honored with the Hometown Hero Award at the Wisconsin State Capitol on April 25.   

Buttke served on the Marshfield City Council for 22 years and has always been active in the community.  “Tom has done many things from helping kids, to raising money for projects at the Marshfield Zoo,” said David Ballerstein, Communications Specialist at Marshfield Broadcasting.  Buttke was one of the leaders of a fundraising effort to create a veterans wall of honor at the Second Street Community Center.

Buttke also produces and hosts the community program, Heroes from Home, which is shot in the Marshfield Broadcasting studio.  Veterans who come on the show talk about their experiences and share what services are available for vets and how to apply for them.

The Wisconsin State Assembly established the Hometown Heroes program to recognize people who “make a difference in their community.” The award says, “A Hometown Hero has an unconditional desire to lend a helping hand to those around them.”

Congratulations, Tom! Well-deserved!

Oshkosh Media covers events honoring local first responders, remembering veterans

Attendees to the dedication of the Wall of Honor get a first look at the tribute housed in the Oshkosh Fire Department.

On December 7, the Oshkosh Fire Department dedicated its new Wall of Honor that pays tribute to both past and active members of the department who were/are veterans. Oshkosh Media, the city’s community media center, was there to record the touching ceremony. Some of those honored date back to the American Civil War. The wall also honors members of the department who died in the line of duty, and the 343 firefighters who perished in the 9/11 attacks in New York. “The Oshkosh Fire Department is profoundly grateful that our citizens, and especially local veteran’s groups, feel that it is a worthy and meaningful tribute to those who have served our country and community for generations to be acknowledged and remembered in this special way,” said Oshkosh Fire Department  Battalion Chief Andrew Jaeger. “We intend to have this Honor Wall be a visual reminder that our core value of service is the one of the foundational concepts for why we exist, and will continue to serve our citizens and visitors.” Click here to watch coverage of the event.

 On the same day, Oshkosh Media was on hand to capture a Pearl Harbor remembrance ceremony hosted by the local AMVETS that marked the 81st anniversary of the attack on the American naval base in Hawaii. More than 200 Wisconsinites were present on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese military attacked Pearl Harbor. 56 people from our state were killed, including three who called Oshkosh home. 2,403 American service members and civilians were killed in the attack. The ceremony’s featured speaker was Wayne Amborn, a Vietnam War veteran whose father survived the attack on Pearl Harbor.   "The events at Pearl Harbor struck the American soul back in 1941. It's day that we as a nation cannot forget, especially because three area Sailors perished that day,” said Lt. Col. Mike Hert (Army, retired). “We were blessed to have the Oshkosh Media team to record the local Pearl Harbor Day ceremony. This ensured that some citizens still had the ability to observe the service and ensure those memories would be still be embraced in the year 2022. Thus passing along the stories of valor and sacrifice to the current generation. Many said that after December 7, 1941, that we as a country can never forget, we truly are fortunate to have the OM team actively engaged with the Veterans community to ensure that sacred loss of life is bonded to our very fabric." Click here to watch coverage of the event.