Wisconsin Polka Hall Of Fame
Preserving Ethnic Roots - Honoring Performance Excellence - Connecting Generations
 |  |  |  |
Thanks for making the
WISCONSIN POLKA HALL OF FAME'S
2011 AWARDS CEREMONY
A HUGE SUCCESS!
November 15th, 2011
Dear Friends of Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame, Inc.
Thank you for helping make the 2011 Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony & Dance a huge success! Your membership, support and participation are greatly appreciated! Now in our sixteenth year of existence, the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame has recognized, honored, and inducted over 185 individuals!
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Jerry Voelker
SIDE PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD
Tom Schneider
Mike Marnocha
HONOR ROLL AWARD
Mike Schneider
CULTURAL HERITAGE AWARD
SUPPORT AND PROMOTION
Wisconsin Polka Boosters
BAND OF THE YEAR AWARD
Jerry Schneider Band
YOUTH MENTOR AWARD
Craig Gall
YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Tyler Sawall
Congratulations to all the 2011 Nominees!
SIDE PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD
Don Hunjadi (S. Meisner, M. Schneider, T. Brusky)
Tom Schneider (Jerry Schneider Band, “Tuba Dan” Band)
Mike Marnocha (D. Rogers, D. Schlies, OK Dance Band)
Cliff Penniston (M. Schneider, J. Winard, D. Austin)
Dave Austin (R. Bright, Jeff Winard, I’ntl Main St. P.B.)
HONOR ROLL AWARD
Rick Gundrum (Musician, Radio D.J., Promoter)
Duane Westphal (Band Leader, Musician, Arranger)
Johnny Hoffmann (Band Leader, Musician)
Mike Schneider (Band Leader, Musician)
CULTURAL HERITAGE AWARD
(S.V.E.V.) D’Oberlandler Schuhplattlers
River City Blaskapelle
Leon Ostrowski & Dozynki Harvest Festival
SUPPORT AND PROMOTION AWARD
Aaron Schuelke - WRJQ (WRJQradio.com – Internet D.J.)
Wisconsin Polka Boosters (Bi-Monthly news letter & lessons)
BAND OF THE YEAR AWARD
Jerry Schneider Band
Carol & the Keynotes
Mark Jirikovec Orchestra
With your continued help and support of this organization, you will enable the Wisconsin Polka Hall Of Fame , Inc. accomplish more in 2012 and for generations to come!
With sincere thanks,
Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame, Inc.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for making our Annual Spring Dance such a success!!
Distinguished Service
Award Recipients
“Cousin” Aggie Benz
Joe Karman
Russ Zimmerman
Official Inductees of 2010
Lifetime Achievement Award: Alvin Styczynski
Support & Promotion: “Tuba Dan” Jerabek
Cultural Heritage Award: Pommersche Tanzdeel Freistadt
Honor Roll Award: Mark Jirikovec, Gary Brueggen
Side Person of the Year Award: Tom Schneider, Laurie Solberg, Denis Thull
Band of the Year Award: Neal Zunker and the Music Connection
Youth Mentor: Jason J. Sebranek
Youth Achievement: Emmitt Raczkowski
About us...
In 1995, a group of volunteers came together to form a non-profit organization to boost the radio signal of southeastern Wisconsin polka radio station WTKM. This boost was to allow WTKM to rebroadcast into the city of Milwaukee. At that time, there was great interest for WTKM's happy polka beat. Following several meetings, it was discovered that the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) had just assigned the only available radio frequency in Milwaukee to WFMR, a classical station. This closed the door on the idea of rebroadcasting WTKM into Milwaukee, and left the motivated individuals without a mission. In the weeks to follow, it was decided that the group would move forward with the creation of a new organization. This organization would recognize and honor individuals who have influenced the polka industry throughout the state of Wisconsin.
On December 3, 1995 there was a big “kick-off” dance, held at the Blue Canary in Milwaukee, WI to introduce this non-profit organization, known as the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame. As of today, the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame has inducted many talented individuals. The categories of recognition include: Lifetime Achievement, Senior Achievement, Honor Roll, Support and Promotion, Side Person of the Year, Band of the Year, Youth Achievement,Youth Mentor and Gone But Not Forgotten. The founders include: Noyes Lane, Barbara Lane-Krainz, Ray Mallak, Gene Schweiger, Bernadine Nelson, John Pinter, Greg Drust and Jim Boren.
 |  |  |  |
Mission Statement
The Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame has been formed to recognize and honor those individuals who have excelled in performance, preservation and promotion of polka music in the state of Wisconsin and thereby historically maintaining the various ethnic roots of the music for all generations.