Service to country and community to be honored

Three people will be honored during the annual Military and First Responders Appreciation Night Friday, Aug. 28, at Kellner Field in Grafton.

The honorees are Tricia Maurer, Arnold “Hunsie” Kaul Jr. and Doug Arendt.

The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. and continue during halftime of the Black Hawks’ football game against the Slinger Owls, when the honorees will be recognized.

Tricia Maurer was nominated by Cait Werner as an example of service in every aspect of her life. A military veteran, burn unit nurse, mother of two children in the Grafton School District and tireless community supporter, Maurer has consistently put others before herself.

In recent years, she helped organize fundraising efforts to support a local family following a devastating tragedy, providing practical assistance and emotional support.

She is involved with the Grafton Youth Cheer program, where she helps organize team celebrations and supports activities alongside her daughter.

Earlier this year, she volunteered to educate middle-school students about the dangers of frostbite and the importance of proper winter clothing, combining her medical expertise with a desire to protect and educate young people.

“To know Tricia is to know someone who will support you no matter what,” Werner said. “Her heart is enormous, and her impact on our community reaches far beyond what most people see.”

Arnold “Hunsie” Kaul Jr. was nominated by Jean Steinke, who said, “Through his military service, lifelong volunteerism, historical preservation, church leadership and unwavering commitment to others, Arnold ‘Hunsie’ Kaul Jr. exemplifies the very spirit of the Military and First Responders Recognition Award.”

At 92, Kaul embodies a lifetime of service and dedication. He served six years in the United States Army, including active duty at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., from 1956 to 1958, attaining the rank of specialist fourth class before continuing his service in both the active and inactive Army Reserves.

This year, Kaul participated in the Milwaukee Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., recognizing his military service and personal sacrifice.

A lifelong member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Kaul continues to volunteer each week, devoting countless hours to preserving the church’s history, establishing and maintaining archives that safeguard historical records, photographs and documents for future generations.

Outside the church, Kaul meticulously documented and preserved his father’s collection of early 1900s glass-plate photographs, donating the original camera, glass negatives and identified photographic collection to the Ozaukee County Historical Society.

An active supporter of the Grafton Historical Society, Kaul shares his historical knowledge and research with others.

Doug Arendt was nominated by Slava Krol, who said, “His life reflects service not as a single chapter, but as a lifelong commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.”

Arendt served three years of active duty in the United States Army and five years in the Army National Guard as a military police soldier, attaining the rank of sergeant. His assignments took him around the world, including South Korea, Panama, Louisiana, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Saudi Arabia.

During the 1988 Seoul Olympics, he participated in security operations and joint SWAT training. Following Hurricane Hugo, he deployed to the U.S. Virgin Islands to assist with humanitarian recovery efforts and support local law enforcement. During Operation Desert Storm, Arendt served with a military police battalion responsible for securing an Iraqi prisoner-of-war camp housing approximately 16,000 prisoners near the Saudi Kuwaiti border.

His distinguished military service earned him three Army Achievement Medals and numerous additional honors.

After leaving active military service, Arendt dedicated 27 years to public education, including 25 years as a vocal music educator in the Grafton School District, where as a teacher, choir director and administrator, he inspired generations of students.

After retiring from the district in 2024, Arendt directed a local community choir. He remains involved with Rose-Harms American Legion Post 355, Grafton Lions Club and Village of Grafton Public Safety Committee, while serving as a customer service representative and dispatcher for K Komfort Heating & Cooling.