Marathon County committee backs $5,000 grant for Hmong 50th‑anniversary celebration

La Tau, a member of the Wasatch Hmong 50 planning committee, told the Marathon County Extension Education and Economic Development Committee the group will mark five decades of Hmong presence in the area with an April 4 celebration that includes a daytime business expo and an adjacent museum‑style exhibition called the Impact Center.

"This is the 50 year celebration of the Hmong people being here since the first refugees coming here in 1976," La Tau said, adding the daytime portion will showcase about 100 Hmong‑owned businesses and offer a free public gallery to explain the community’s history and local contributions.

The exhibition will draw on local newspaper archives and school‑district records and highlight early supporters, La Tau said, citing institutions such as Pilgrim Lutheran Church and the First Hmong Missionary Alliance Church. The committee said the $5,000 request is intended chiefly to cover large printed banners and framed images used in the gallery; individual photo prints were estimated to cost roughly $300–$1,000 depending on size.

Supervisor Seefeldt moved that the committee support the Hmong community’s anniversary with the $5,000 grant and send the request to HR Finance to identify an appropriate funding stream; Supervisor Lemmer seconded. The committee carried the motion by unanimous voice vote.

Committee members discussed potential funding sources and next steps. Staff noted options including HR Finance and Property contingency funds, a County Board contingency, or the administration budget. A committee member urged coordination with the Marathon County Historical Society; presenters said they have been contacting the museum and can share or relocate materials if the society agrees to host part of the collection.

The committee’s action was limited to forwarding the grant request for funding identification and does not itself allocate the money. The committee did not record individual roll‑call votes in the transcript; the motion was reported carried by voice vote.

The planning committee said the celebration will also include an evening banquet recognizing veterans, teachers and civic leaders, and that videographers will document the event for archival purposes. The public‑facing expo and exhibition are intended to emphasize the community’s contributions to Wausau and the broader Marathon County area.