Ozaukee & Washington County Real Estate: Wisconsin: Grafton

Looking for a place to donate clothes you no longer wear or items such as furniture, electronics, and housewares? Or are you looking for some gently used furniture, electronics, household items or clothes for yourself or your family? 

Goodwill is hoping to open a retail and drop-off location in Grafton! If all goes as planned, the store should be opening in June, and will be located in the former Sears building on Wisconsin Street, just a short distance south of Highway 60/Washington Avenue. This is a great addition to the community as this will be the only location in Ozaukee County.

If you're not familiar with Goodwill, they are a non-profit organization with headquarters in Milwaukee that assists youth, seniors, veterans and military families, immigrants, and people with disabilities, criminal backgrounds and other special needs in securing employment and becoming and staying a contributing member of society. You can learn all about their mission, services, and opportunities by visiting their website, goodwill.org.

Fall has definitely made its presence known here in Grafton with the chillier temps and changing colors. It also means it's time for Grafton's Annual Pumpkin Fest. So take some time the weekend of October 6-8 to enjoy the many activities! Admission is free.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6
5:30-7:30 pm Scarecrow building in the Paramount Plaza.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7
6:00 pm Food, beverages and a performance by Loo$e Change.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8
8:00-11:00 am Grafton Lions Club Pancake Breakfast at the Zaun Pavilion in Lime Kiln Park

10:00 am-1:00 pm Family scavenger walk in Paramount Plaza

10:00 am-4:00 pm Art show in Paramount Plaza

10:30 am-Noon & 1:30-3:00 pm North Shore Academy of the Arts in Paramount Plaza

10:30 am-2:30 pm Pumpkin Cross Cycle Race in Lime Kiln Park

11:00 am-1:00 pm Pumpkin carving demonstration in Paramount Plaza

11:00 am-4:00 pm Chalk walk, children's activity area, bake sale, farmers market

Noon-2:00 pm Pumpkin seed spitting contest at Grafton Village Center

1:00-3:00 pm Bingo at Paramount Grille and Bakehouse

3:00-9:00 pm Pig roast, hay rides, live music, food/beverages in Lime Kiln Park

7:00-9:00 pm Community bonfire and sing-along in Lime Kiln Park

This event is sponsored by Aurora Healthcare and presented by Celebrate Grafton. If you'd like more information, check out celebrategrafton.com.

Looking for something different to do this weekend?

Check out The Rain Barrel Auction at the Arts Mill in Grafton on Saturday, July 30, 6:00pm - 9:00 pm. (The mill is located just south of the Bridge Street dam, east of Wisconsin St.)

There will be a silent auction, and beverages provided by Grapes and Tastes will also be available. Appetizers are compliments of Cornerstone Community Bank.

All proceeds go toward the new Grafton Public Arts Board to continue bringing art into Grafton

Everyone is welcome!

(A small donation will be taken at the door.)

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24

11:30 AM--1:00 PM
(No Packer game!)

Check out this great deal in Grafton! Four-bedroom/1.5 bath colonial in mature neighborhood. The home has a built-in china cabinet in the dinette, first-floor laundry, hardwood floors in all the bedrooms, a finished lower level, two patios and a nicely landscaped, semi-private back yard. The sellers are providing a home warranty, too! PRICED AT $204,500!

Todd Pruett, a resident of West Bend, Wisconsin, learned in August 2009 that he has a blood disorder called MDS, which is a precursor to leukemia. His bone marriow cannot produce healthy blood cells, and as a result, he needs a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor.

A Marrow Donor Registration drive will be held Friday, February 5, 3:00pm-6:00pm and Saturday, February 6, 11:00am-3:00pm, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 1044 S. Silverbrook Drive in West Bend.

You can get more information by contacting:

Chaplain Vince Marolla 262-323-6189

Todd Coleman 866-702-HOPE (4673)

todd.coleman@bcw.edu

You can also visit Todd's website at doit4pruett.com

Thank you for your consideration.

Seems like there's been an awful lot of heavy sighs the past few days with the cooler temps and strong winds that have found their way to southeastern Wisconsin.

Yes, it is officially Autumn, and while that means the lazy hazy days of Summer 2009 are behind us, it also means the colorful paintings of fall are all around us.

So in the busyness of everyday life, be sure to take some time to slooooow down and look around you. From your back yard, to neighborhood parks, to Holy Hill, soak in and marvel at the reds, oranges, and yellows that cover our trees. This beauty only hangs around (literally) for a few short weeks. Don't let another autumn pass you by without taking notice.

Want to know where the colors are at their peak? Check out this web site: Wisconsin Fall Color Report

Enjoy..........

Like everyone else, I can't believe we're already at the end of the first week of August! And yet in the midst of summer activities -- baseball games, biking, parties, festivals, fairs, cookouts -- I've seen my real estate sales hold pretty steady over July. You can see from the graphs below, that the same can be said about Ozaukee and Washington counties, as well.

Overall inventory is still plentiful, and interest rates continue to stay below 6%. This is still a great time to buy a house or condo, especially for first-time buyers who qualify for the $8000 credit. Remember, though, that you must close by November 30, 2009.

Opportunity is knocking...are you going to answer the door?

OK...so you wouldn't know it looking out the window today, but we're just three days from one of the most family fun days of the year -- the 4th of July.

And if you're looking for a great time, stop at Grafton's Holidaze celebration on Friday, July 3.

The day begins at 3:00 pm, when Lime Kiln Park (2020 Green Bay Road) opens. Bingo, food and refreshments will be available and music by Don Burhop will be provided 3:30-5:30.

From 4:30-8:30 pm the kids can enjoy inflatable attractions and games, which are sponsored by the Rose Harms American Legion family.

A parade featuring the UW Marching Band begins at 5:30. Thanks for the Heart of Grafton Family Restaurant for sponsoring this.

After the parade watch the UW Marching Band perform in the park at 6:00.

There will be a Rock Band Video Contest, sponsored by Best Buy, from 6:30-8:00 and Loose Change will be providing entertainment from 8:30-dusk.

A great fireworks display will begin at dusk, and this year's show is sponsored by Harris Bank and the Grafton Area Jaycees. Following the fireworks, Loose Change will continue entertaining us until 11:00 pm.

So enjoy the day we celebrate our independence by stopping by for part or all of the day's events!