Beat the Heat: Port, Saukville Have Your Cooling Needs Covered

The weather outside might be hot and humid, but that doesn't mean hiding in air conditioning indoors is the only way to cope, according to Saukville resident Sara Nelson.

What is she doing on this near-90 degree Monday?

"Sitting outside with my daughters, enjoying the breeze," she wrote on the Port Washington-Saukville Patch Facebook page. "We have central air, but I hate sitting in the house if I don't have to. We also have a small pool filled up if it gets too hot later."

Others are finding themselves stuck indoors without a choice, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

"I am at work in a climate-controlled environment," posted Julie Russell, who lives in Port Washington and works at Cardinal Stritch.
"You won't hear me complaining about anything this week. My cubicle is right under an air conditioning vent. It feels good to walk outside on days like today."

And depending on where you walk outside in Port Washington, it might not feel like a heat wave at all with the lake breeze often on residents' side.

"Went to North Beach yesterday evening," Kristin Baker wrote on Facebook of her visit here. "The lake breeze and the shade almost made me want a jacket."

But with until 10 p.m. Monday, and hot and humid air expected all week, those living in southeastern Wisconsin should still be thinking about hot weather safety.

"Even if you don’t feel thirsty, drink fluids," said Catherin Kiener, director of the .

The senior center doesn't offer any special activities because of the heat because much of the population that visits the center has air conditioning and tends to choose to stay at home — different than the case might be in a big city such as Milwuakee, Kiener said. Sometimes the center will cancel outdoor events, and it always invites people to make use of their air-conditioned building.

"It's hard because sometimes here in Port it depends on where you live … (if you live) near the lake, it (might not be) as critical for (those) people as others," she said.

She said it's a good idea for family members to check up on each other, and also for neighbors to check in on neighbors to make sure everyone is handling the heat.

Take a heat break, for free

Both the in Port Washington and in Saukville offer various story times for children of different ages throughout the day. Check the Port or Saukville libary's websites for times, or check in on the calendar on Patch.

Oscar Grady library is also hosting an e-reader class from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday. Learn how to use and upload new books to your e-readers; registration required. Also from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday night at W.J. Niederkorn is the adult book club. The book for this month is Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell; call Annie Bahringer at (262) 284-5031 for information.

Tuesday night, check out a bike repair and maintanence class at Oscar Grady hosted by Grafton Ski & Cyclery from 6:30 to 8 p.m.; but first, head to W.J. Niederkorn for a Writer's Group from 5 to 6 p.m. Again, call Annie Bahringer at (262) 284-5031 for information.

Wednesday night is Oscar Grady's adult book club, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., and a refresher Spanish course at W.J. Niederkorn from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Call (262) 284-5031 or stop by the adult desk at the library to register for the Spanish class.

On Thursday, get ready for reptiles galore when animals such as giant python, lizards and other scaly creatures head to Oscar Grady Library from 2 to 3:30 p.m., and head to W.J. Niederkorn from 3 to 4 p.m. to find out all the craft ways you can use duct tape in the library's Teen Duct Tape Art class.

Finish the week on Friday with a 10 a.m. adult movie, "The Kite Runner," at Oscar Grady, and a teen's movie, "Lemonade Mouth" at 3 p.m. W.J. Niederkorn shows family movies at 1 p.m. Fridays, and another movie at 3 p.m.

Plus, don't forget that the is open for a little outdoor splishing and splashing Monday through Friday from noon to 4:30 p.m. and again from 6 to 8 p.m., as well as noon to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.