Hoofer memories: a night with Lady Liberty
Story by Jen Kulkoski as told by Katie Klinger
In February 2009, the Hoofers Council chose to commemorate our very own Lady Liberty on Lake Mendota by spending a night with her. Wrapped in warm winter clothes and clutching sleeping bags, the crew spent the night inside the head of Lady Liberty!
Jen Kulkoski, Tiana Riebe, Kyle Olsen, Brittney Rathsack, Paul Davidsaver, Josh Schmale and David Nimmer were the Hoofers brave enough to rough the winter cold. After many winters without the presence of Lady Liberty on Lake Mendota,Hoofer Council finally got her restored and sitting back in her proper place. Therefore, the club members thought it was only fair they spend a night with her after finishing such a great accomplishment.
The space in the middle of her head served as a tent and Hoofer Council all agreed it was an amazing experience. Jen Kulkoski, one of the members who shared this story, said that the experience was something she “would definitely do again.”
“The experience helped us relive a part of both Hoofer and UW history and brought to light the true reason why the statue was created in the first place–as part of a student protest,” said Jen. “The statue’s presence forces people to look back at UW history and think about the time when it was created. Lady Liberty’s presence on the lake has shaped the atmosphere of our beloved UW campus as well as the Hoofer organization as a whole.”
Jen said her involvement in Hoofers has had an even more profound impact on who she is today than many of the classes she attended at UW Madison. After all, sleeping out on a frozen lake and other moments like this only happen once in a lifetime.
For more information regarding Lady Liberty and her history, please visit the history page of the Hooferswebsite. Thanks to the UW and the Memorial Union Directorate for its continued support of the Hoofers Organization.
Katie Klinger is a member of Hoofers and works as the Hoofer Council Historian for the organization. She is a sophomore at UW Madison studying elementary education with a minor in English and language arts.
