Forward

Welcome to our new home on the Internet! With this site we hope to inform you about:

• The Wisconsin Council.

• Existing and planned Wisconsin hostels.

• Services we offer.

• Local events and activities we sponsor throughout the year.

• Travel and tourist opportunities.

• Budget travel.

• How you can help out!

So have a look around and let us know how you like it!

Words from Carol Ann Rittenhouse

Dear HI-AYH Friends,

What fun it is and what work to be part of the leadership of our amazing organization! From beginning travelers who visit our office to those of you who have great stories to tell of life and travel, I thrive on your experience!

Those who then wish to share their learning and joy in life with others through the hostel experience (whether it be through local area travel such as bicycling or canoeing in Wisconsin, or national or international travel, and the use of hostels) can give of the richness of their learning -- and are doing so more and more in Wisconsin!

With the new Madison Hostel just two blocks from our state's Capitol, the Wellspring Hostel, our seasonal Red Barn Hostel on the Oak Leaf Bicycle Trail, and our Eagle and Monches Home Hostel development projects, to the potential of a City of Milwaukee Summer Hostel now in the planning stages, life stays really exciting!

Put all that together with our delightful canoeing program, and our annual Midnight Madness Bicycle Ride and we have excitement galore!

Please join our talented volunteers in growing the Council even greater in this new century! Help with Wisconsin Council "Fun"draising! I'll look forward to seeing you soon!

Yours in HI-AYH,

Carol Ann Rittenhouse

...and from our Webmaster

I am new to hostelling.  My recent interest in European travel showed me how wonderful hostels can be for the independent, budget traveler.

I didn't even realize that Wisconsin had a council (or, for that matter, its own hostels) until I was hunting for a hostelling card to use in Europe.  What a great organization and resource we have right here in Wisconsin.

I want to make many more Wisconsinites and potential Wisconsin visitors aware of our council -- I hope this site helps achieve this goal.

I would love to see Milwaukee get its own hostel to attract travel savvy visitors from all over the world. We need your help to make this a reality by summer, 2001.

If you live in Wisconsin, and you like what you see here, please consider joining and getting involved in the council.

John Ewan