Rotarian, Long Distance Runner Joining Wall of Stars

Editor's note: The following information was provided to Patch via a news release from Waukesha North High School.

Waukesha North High School announced the two graduates who will be inducted into the Wall of Stars at the homecoming rep rally on Friday at 1:30 p.m.

Wendy Taylor Kipperman

Ranking No. 1 in the Class of 1979, our first 2012 Wall of Stars Inductee is being inducted for her community service. One of Wendy’s most memorable moments was being recognized as Rotary Student of the Month her senior year.  She recalls that one of the Rotarians predicted that Wendy would go on to become the first woman President of the Rotary, a club that did not even admit female members at that time.  He was close—she was the second female to serve as president from 2006-07! 

For the past 21 years Wendy has been a service leader for the Waukesha Rotary Club and has served on their Board of Directors, as well as coaching the Rotary Student Speaker Program since 1996, and providing rides to current Rotary Students of the Month.

After high school, Wendy graduated cum laude from Westmont College in 1983 and went on to further her studies at the Graduate School of Banking, the National Graduate Trust School, and Cannon Trust School where she earned her CTFA (Certified Trust and Financial Advisor) title.  Wendy has been the Vice-President and Trust Officer at Waukesha State Bank and was the co-owner/business manager of O’Brien Photography.

Wendy has also served on the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of America, the Caring Place, and Crime Stoppers.  Her nominator labeled Wendy as a Volunteer Extraordinaire!  

Ashley Kumlien

Our second recipient has worked very hard to promote awareness for Multiple Sclerosis, and she  founded MS Run the US, a run across America  created as a tribute to her mom and the 1.8 million other people battling MS in the United States.  Waukesha North High School is proud to induct Ashley Kumlien, Class of 2002, into the Wall of Stars for her community service efforts.

Ashley ran cross country and played soccer all four years at Waukesha North.  After high school, she went to UW-LaCrosse and earned a Bachelor of Science in exercise and sport science. Ashley is a certified adventure boot camp nstructor and personal trainer. 

After training extensively in March 2010, Ashley’s goal was to run from San Francisco to New York, a 3,288-mile feat; the equivalent of running a marathon every day for six months.  Amazingly, she completed her goal and did run across the United States in six months! In the process of running from California to New York, she wore out 10 pairs of shoes and burned 270,000 calories!

It is Ashley’s goal to raise $500,000 for MS awareness, and the MS Run the US raised 10 percent of that amount, while gaining national and international attention for MS. Ashley has not stopped trying to reach her goals. She has already arranged a new 3,000-mile relay that she is organizing with celebrity, Montel Williams set for 2013 with 22 other runners. 

“There is currently no other event like it,” Ashley said. “The structure is unique, and we are offering runners the opportunity to run across a section of America for a week, as they test their physical capabilities while supporting a worthy cause.”

Ashley and her mom, Jill will  participate in their first mini-marathon together on Sept. 22.  Ashley hopes to raise $13,100 for MS for the 13.1-mile Brewers mini-marathon. North’s Homecoming coin wars, sponsored by DECA, is supporting Ashley’s MS fundraising efforts.

Wendy Taylor Kipperman and Ashley Kumlein will be introduced to the North Star community and will be recognized at 6:45 p.m. shortly before the kickoff for the North homecoming football game.