Jumping for Joy
By Annie Levihn
A delightful children's book by Madisonian Jean Rennebohm keeps kids hopping for more
It’s a simple truism: Everyone loves a kangaroo. Maybe it’s the jumping, which seems like such a joyous method of transportation. Maybe it’s the pouches, from which the cute baby joeys sweetly poke out their heads. Who knows? And who would know how on Earth a red kangaroo — which hales from mainland Australia — got sidetracked on the country roads near Dodgeville, Wis., one cold, blustery January not too long ago? Hard to believe, yes. But as Jean Rennebohm’s new children’s book states, “It’s absolutely true.”
The runaway kangaroo
In January of 2005, motorists reported seeing a kangaroo hopping along U.S. 18-151 near Dodgeville. The kangaroo was captured, quarantined and examined by veterinarians. While private ownership of kangaroos is legal in Wisconsin, no one came forth as the kangaroo’s owner, so eventually it was taken to live at the Henry Vilas Zoo.
Stories about the runaway kangaroo made international headlines, with media calling even from Australia. Local schoolchildren came up with names for it including, “Jumping Jack Frost,” “Roo” and “Snowy Joey.” But to Bob and Jean Rennebohm, the story became a personal fascination.
Rennebohm … that name sounds familiar
Jean Rennebohm reads her book with Christopher Cutler at the Special Procedures Clinic. "Boomer" the kangaroo (a costumed Debbie Garten) looks on. |
Anyone who has walked across the Univer-sity of Wisconsin-Madison campus may have taken notice of Rennebohm Hall, which houses the School of Pharmacy. In the 1920s, Oscar Rennebohm became well known as the proprietor of a chain of Madison drugstores and in the ‘40s, he was also the Wisconsin state governor. Oscar went on to found the Rennebohm Foundation, a philanthropic organization that has donated to numerous causes.
Bob Rennebohm’s father was Oscar’s cousin. After playing football for the Badgers from 1942-1943 and again from 1946-1947 after a stint in the Marines, Bob signed on to play with the Green Bay Packers. He was traded to the Detroit Lions, but a leg injury forced him to retire. He ultimately became the president and executive director of the UW Foundation and served as a director of the Oscar Rennebohm Foundation (ORF) from 1992-2006.
ORF donated to the new American Family Children’s Hospital fundraising campaign, and a clinic was named in Bob and Jean’s honor.
Bob and Jean Rennebohm. |
ORF donated to the new American Family Children’s Hospital fundraising campaign, and a clinic was named in Bob and Jean’s honor.
The Robert and Jean Rennebohm Special Procedures Clinic is for children who are being treated with procedures such as chemotherapy or dialysis or who are undergoing sedation. According to Steve Skolaski, current ORF director, the foundation only gives naming gifts on occasion, but decided to honor the couple, “because they had served the Madison area for many years and children are a very important part of their life.” Skolaski adds, “We felt we needed to honor both of them because they were always thought of as a loving couple who worked together.”
And work together they did. Bob and Jean were so touched by the naming gift they — in turn — wanted to give each child who entered the clinic something from the two of them.
“Since we both enjoyed writing, we thought a little book might be a good idea,” says Jean.
Musing on marsupials
At the time, the runaway Dodgeville kangaroo was making local news. The couple became intrigued by the story and thought it might make a good children’s book.
But Bob became ill, and died in April of 2006. “I didn’t have much enthusiasm after that,” recalls Jean. “But the next fall, I sort of started up again with the idea. Suddenly, I was going to the library and learning everything there is to know about kangaroos.”
As a former kindergarten teacher, Jean has a knack for understanding what would interest a child. “This was not an easy thing to plan,” she states. “There will be children from infants to age 18 at the clinic. A simple little picture book wouldn’t do.
“As a mother, I know what it’s like to be sitting, waiting, in a doctor’s office. With this book, I was thinking about the parents as well as the children.”
Jean Rennebohm sits with Dr. Larry Hogan. |
The research and writing of the kangaroo book proved cathartic for Jean, who says it helped keep her mind off the sadness associated with Bob’s passing. With advice and encouragement from Merry Anderson, a senior writer at the University of Wisconsin Foundation, and illustrator Dr. Larry Hogan, a retired anesthesiologist (“The book really came together because of Larry’s drawings,” Jean says), “The Mysterious Kangaroo — It’s Absolutely True” came to fruition. The book has been placed into the hands of each and every child who’s come through the special procedures clinic since the American Family Children’s Hospital opened its doors in August of 2007.
“When a child checks in, he or she automatically gets one of the kangaroo books,” says Kris Frey, a child life coordinator at the Children’s Hospital. The children also, on occasion, receive a visit from a costumed version of a kangaroo as an additional way to entertain kids in conjunction with the book. The animal — it seems — is the Robert and Jean Rennebohm Special Procedures Clinic mascot.
“Jean has such a kind heart and a warm soul,” says Nancy Francisco-Welke, director of development for UW Hospital and Clinics/UW Children’s Hospital for the University of Wisconsin Foundation. “She has so much to share with all of us, young and old. I’m overjoyed that the children will have a chance to get to know her through her book that she wrote just for them.”
Upon first glance, one might think “The Mysterious Kangaroo” isn’t “fancy” enough. “This isn’t a slick children’s book; it’s old-fashioned,” explains Jean. “It’s meant for parents to read to younger children, and for older children to read themselves.
“It’s spiral bound so that the book can lay flat — that way a child can write in it. There are games and puzzles in the back to keep them occupied.”
Along with the story, the book also contains interesting facts about kangaroos (did you know, for instance, that kangaroos can hop up to 40 miles per hour?) all accompanied by the whimsical drawings of Hogan.
Look who's new at the zoo
Boomer, in his new home. |
On an interesting parallel, a gift was given by the ORF to the Henry Vilas Zoo for its “Zoo Century Campaign,” which includes renovations and additions to the current zoo. In August 2007, Phase One of the campaign was completed with the new Children’s Zoo. It includes a playground with all sorts of fun distractions, including a 7’ kangaroo statue. With a suggestion from Debbie Garten, past president and board member of the Zoological Society (and coordinator of the costumed kangaroo visits to the clinic), the statue was dedicated to Bob and Jean, and named “Boomer” in Bob’s honor.
“Bob’s nickname was ‘Boomer’,” explains Jean. “From ‘Rennebohm’ the college kids got ‘Boomer’ and that’s what everyone called him.”
She goes on to explain that while the book was never intended to be sold, the Zoological Society thought it would be ideal to include it in the gift shop since it tells the story of the runaway kangaroo that now resides at the Zoo. Proceeds from the book’s sale, which is also available at the Children’s Hospital gift shop, benefit both organizations.
So how is that mysterious kangaroo doing these days? “He’s settled in quite nicely,” states Jim Hubing, director of the Henry Vilas Zoo. Now, he says, the Australian transplant is affectionately known as “Boomer.”
“You’re going to think this is odd,” laughs Jean. “But when Bob injured his leg so many years ago playing at the UW, he had to have surgery. You’ll never guess what the doctor used to repair his leg: kangaroo tendon.
“Our family always joked about how high Bob could jump.”
And that is absolutely true.
