Hi! My name is Bill Wandsnider.
It has now been about four years since I moved to Mequon from Fox Point, where I lived for about 25 years. We built a new home, and our gardens and pollinator plants are just about in full swing! We just got finished taking care of one of my daughters' two dogs before the next daughter's dog comes in this weekend! I guess that’s payback for when we used to drop off the dog at my parents’ house!
I grew up in Menomonee Falls, where my business is located. In my occupation, the primary piece I hang my hat onto is the landscape design/build firm that I own and have operated for over 35 years. I have been in Rotary nearly that long. Along with the landscape business, I own a storage business and a landscape waste recycling business, one of our products being landscape mulch.
I have two wonderful daughters that are out in the world. Joan is the wonderful woman I am spending my life with after the passing of my wife.
I love to travel and have been to South America many times, even though I don’t speak Spanish. Joan and I have traveled to Ecuador and Argentinian Patagonia, and I have been to a number of other countries in South America as well. We just signed up to take a bicycle trip to Portugal at the end of October. Below, I have one foot on either side of the equator!
I quite enjoy reading about history, and I like to get a grasp on the foundation of how things began. I am currently reading a science-related book on longevity and just finished up a book on Stephen Hawkings's last thoughts on the cosmos. I would say that was largely incomprehensible to me!
I like active sports, such as biking, kayaking, and cross-country skiing. Learning to roll my kayak was a big accomplishment! I am going to do the Ride across Wisconsin at the end of August, and I am not so sure I am well prepared for that!
While I have participated in Rotary to a greater and lesser degree at different times, the people I have met and the friendships I have made have been an important part of my life.