November 18, 2025 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Clean Lakes 101
Join us in-person only for Clean Lakes 101 on Tuesday, November 18th, at The East Side Club from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Hear from Ho-Chunk elder Janice Rice as she shares teachings, stories, and values that highlight the deep connections between the Ho-Chunk people and the Teejop (Four Lakes) land and waters.
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About this Talk
Many of the roads and pathways of the Teejop (Four Lakes) region are built upon the trails of the Ho-Chunk people. Before the first European settlers arrived, the beauty and bounty of the lands and waters were loved and respected by Indigenous people. Janice Rice, a Ho-Chunk elder, will share values, teachings, kinship, and relationships that frame a Ho-Chunk worldview. Join us as we hear tales and remembrances that evoke an enduring respect for the Teejop land and waters.
About our Speaker
Janice Rice, a Ho-Chunk tribal member, is an emerita University of Wisconsin (UW) academic librarian who received her education degree from UW–Milwaukee and her MLS advanced degree in Indian Librarianship from UW–Madison. She has been active in Teejop (Four Lakes) since the late 1970s. Since her college days, she has been an activist, environmentalist, and educator.
Janice has been an advocate for saving the Indian Mounds in Monona and has served on the campus committee that transformed the Tenney bike path into the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. In 1988, she assisted with the installation of the Tree of Peace and a marker near the UW Observatory and the effigy bird mound.
As a Clan Mother for Ho-Chunk Nation Social Services, she provides guidance for young Ho-Chunk women. She serves on the Teejop Community History Project and the Harry Whitehorse International Wood Sculpture Festival Board. On campus, she has advised UW–Madison’s cultural landscape tours and Teejop Waterscapes boat tours.
From 2022 to 2024, she served on the Lake Monona Waterfront Design Challenge Ad Hoc Committee for the City of Madison. In 2023, she was elected president of the first tribal library for the Ho-Chunk Nation and continues to be a voice for Ho-Chunk history, the waters, the environment, and the preservation of art and culture.
Event Details
This event will be held at The East Side Club (3735 Monona Dr, Madison, WI 53714). Doors open at 3:30 p.m. The program runs from 4 – 5 p.m. A Q/A session will follow the presentation as time allows. Complimentary event parking will be available at The East Side Club. Parking spots fill up quickly and may be limited depending on capacity.
Clean Lakes 101 Lecture Series
Clean Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences. The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company, hosting sponsor The East Side Club, supporting sponsor Johnson Financial Group, and media sponsor WKOW. Additional support is provided by Alliant Energy Foundation, Hovde Properties, and Perkins Coie LLP.
Saturday, June 15th
