THELMA Raises Over Eight Thousand Dollars For Parkinsons Cure And The Arts

In the photo, from left Michelle Ries, Agnesian HealthCare Foundation events coordinator, Kevin Miller, THELMA Executive Director, and Colleen Phalen, wife of Tom Remo.

(Fond du Lac)-With an art exhibit and a concert, Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts (THELMA) helped raise over $4,000 for a cure of Parkinson’s Disease and another $4,000 for arts education.

The exhibit opening and concert, held June 17, featured the largest collection of works by Fond du Lac artist and community advocate Tom Remo, before and after his diagnosis. Remo died in 2014 from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. The event was sponsored by Agnesian HealthCare, Jo Ann Ward, Jon Flood, and Bob and Lori Hornung.

Donations were collected until the exhibit closed earlier this month and a check for $4,035 was presented to the National Parkinson’s Foundation.

Prior to his death, Remo was passionate about finding a cure for the progressive neurological condition, according to his wife, Colleen Phalen. All proceeds from the event went to support Parkinson’s Disease initiatives and arts education.

A 1958 graduate of Goodrich High School, Remo received formal art training at Drake University. He served as the proprietor of Remo Printing Services and Metalgraphics, Inc. of Fond du Lac for many years, and as the publisher of the weekly feature newspaper The Fond du Lac Times.

Active in the Fond du Lac community, Remo created the first Walleye Weekend poster, a signature effort adapted and revised for several subsequent festivals, and designed promotions for many Fond du Lac Convention & Visitors Bureau tourism events including the Lakeside Winter Celebration, Fondue in Fond du Lac, the Fall Flyway, Taste of Fond du Lac, the Landmark Wildlife limited edition art series, and covers for the Visitor’s Guide. 

Remo’s paintings, pencil drawings and sculptures have been exhibited at the University of Wisconsin, the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, the Franklin Mint and Congressional offices in Washington, D.C.  His art is in private collections in the U.S., England, France and Japan.

The concert included a performance by Milwaukee-based Mission River Band, which includes Fond du Lac native and Remo’s nd brother-in-law Richard Phalen on bass guitar and vocals. The band is a unique collaboration of lifelong musicians whose “mission” is to use their performances to support local and national charities. Since the band was formed by a group of friends and business professionals ten years ago, Mission River has helped raise an estimated $500,000 for a variety of charitable causes.

THELMA is located at 51 Sheboygan St., in the heart of Downtown Fond du Lac’s Arts and Entertainment District. THELMA is a member-based, privately-funded non-profit dedicated to providing arts experiences not readily available in the area. Intimate concerts in the Great Hall, street concerts with major performers, indoor films, and art from world-renowned artists are available at THELMA. THELMA also offers a stunning backdrop for weddings, meetings and all social and corporate gatherings.

Learn more about THELMA at thelmaarts.org, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.