Leaving my ‘mark’ at the 2025 Mile of Music…

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Those who know me know that I never shy away from an opportunity to talk about my book and mission. My husband, Mike, is always amazed and yes, a little uneasy at times about my ability to walk up to total strangers and engage in, shall we say, stimulating conversation. But…identifying important and meaningful connections with people is my main focus.

During our time in Wisconsin this past summer, we traveled to Appleton, WI for the twelfth annual Mile of Music Festival. According to their website, the “Mile of Music is a free music festival featuring original music from hundreds of emerging artists each summer. The festival is located in the heart of Downtown Appleton, a walkable mile of restaurants, coffee shops, retailers, bars and more.”

For anyone who has not experienced this festival, it really is just that, an experience.

After listening to a few of the festival’s artists, I did my thing…

Our first stop was the historic Lawrence University Memorial Chapel. We stopped to chat with Jerry who was stationed at the Appleton Community Music, Inc. donation table. Jerry explained that this organization provides fundraising support to sustain the Mile of Music festival. He also explained that in addition, the Mile of Music Festival supports all of their featured artists through what’s known as the Artist Care Program.

My generous husband pulled out his wallet and made a donation. And when Jerry learned that we were from out of town, he asked if we’d be willing to do a brief video describing why we came to the festival. I volunteered…because why not? And because of what I do, I can always use the extra practice! I then left a bookmark with Jerry while explaining what my book is about.

Joan Treppa, Katie Boeck, and Clare Martinson

The musician at this venue was Katie Boeck, a wonderful singer and lyricist whose voice is considered “earthy and cosmic.” She spoke about the challenges of being called to write and the importance of writing meaningful lyrics. Those words compelled me to introduce myself after her performance. When she stepped off the stage to greet her supporters, Mike, my sister, Clare, and I approached her. I shared that I was a different kind of writer and handed her a bookmark. I explained that this was a book about my meaningful journey. She appreciated the gesture and posed for a photo with us. 

We then listened to Jacob Fannin on the Jim’s Place/Wooden Nickel Back patio. Fannin, an energetic Folk vocalist and guitarist, shared what an underachieving student he had been in grade school. Full disclosure; so was I. And the message behind the words to the final song of his set, Bulletproof, deeply resonated with me because of what I had experienced as a child and my journey of overcoming bullying: “Cause I am Bulletproof and nothin’ that you say could ever hurt me. Take your shots I’ll still be standing here…”

Jacob Fannin’s latest CD: Lemonade

Afterward, I approached the table where Fannin was selling/signing merchandise. I shared my thoughts on his final song and how much I appreciated his candor as a student. I then said, “In 5th grade, I received my first really bad grade; an F.” I added, “I didn’t know then that it stood for things like Feisty, Free, and Fabulous.” I handed him money for the CD, then one of my bookmarks, and told him that this was my accomplishment despite my failing grades.

                                                                              Natural Satellite in Tito’s Song Lounge Hilton Appleton Paper Valley hotel, 12th annual Mile of Music Festival Saturday, 8-2-2025, Appleton, WI. Photos courtesy of Dan Powers, USATodayNetwork

Regrettably, not on the schedule the only day (Friday) we were able to attend was one artistic duo we had hoped to see. Karli and Jason Reisdorf of Natural Satellite had performances scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Their music, which they describe as an “indie folk sound with lyrics centering on themes of self-love, reflection, and personal growth” is exceptional. In fact, they recently won a well-deserved  WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) award for Classical, Jazz, New Age Album! Bravo!

In the coming months I will be collaborating with this dynamic duo on an event that we all are very excited about!

And in other somewhat  related news, I included the below comment in a donation to 91.1 The Avenue during their recent pledge drive. This image was posted on their FB page:

With this response:                                                                                                                               Thank you, Joan ❤️ We can say the same about you! There’s none better than Avenue listeners

This non-profit radio station is located in Appleton and is unique in its programming. I recommend that you check them out when you have a chance. And…know that they sometimes support their listeners in various ways…😉 

Please stay tuned…

Connecting With Quality Friends at Eden Vista…  

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Good friend and fellow advocate for six innocent men, Shirley DeLorme now resides at a senior living community in Green Bay called, The Village at Eden Vista. Through her efforts, I was scheduled to give a book talk to its residents on Thursday, July 31, 2025.

When doing these events, I always keep in mind that sometimes it is more about the quality of my audience than the quantity. That was certainly the case with this event which summoned a modest group of 15-20 attendees made up of both residents and staff. It was held in the basement theater space and was a mixed group of those who were aware of the Monfils case and those who were not.

Photo courtesy of The Village of Eden Vista

Our exoneree, Michael “Pie” Piaskowski, joined me for this event. And this time, I provided a slide show to accompany my usual presentation of introducing myself, summarizing the case, announcing him as my guest, and finally, fielding questions from the audience.

Locatelli family circa 1964 (Joan Treppa’s immediate family)

Shirley was the first to arrive downstairs. Aside from her welcomed presence, one other woman stood out quite prominently. Judy is a retired attorney who grew up in Green Bay. She had practiced elsewhere and was not in the area when the Monfils case saturated news headlines. In fact, she had only recently returned to her hometown of Green Bay.

I asked what her level of understanding of the case was. “I was kept abreast by colleagues in this area during that time,” she explained. “I wanted to attend today to hear more details and to learn what has happened since. If you have extra books with you, I’d like to buy one.” I signed her copy and showed her the four additional signatures near mine. “I was able to get some of the six guys to sign the books as an added bonus for these events,” I said to her. She was thrilled.

Following the presentation, Judy’s background became apparent when she asked a number of very technical questions regarding appeals, procedure, etc., which Mike Pie handled with ease. She was also interested in knowing whether or not the other five men were still in prison. Shirley asked a number of questions as well, as a way to help the rest of the audience gain an appreciation of the flaws in this case.

During questions, I shared Shirley’s role of hosting the Family and Friends (FAF) meetings at her home. I shared photos taken of her with various family members of the six men. The photos also included John Gaie and Denis Gullickson, authors of the book, The Monfils Conspiracy.

Back row L to R: Denis Gullickson, Lee Basten, Mike Pie, Clayton Kutska Front row: Shirley DeLorme, Gina Martin, Claire Micoliczyk

John Gaie, Shirley DeLorme, Mike Hirn

After every one else had left, both Shirley and Judy hung out with us to chat further. Much more was discussed about the case. Judy also shared an impressive list of prominent people she considered as close friends. Those in the political arena such as Wisconsin Senator, Tammy Baldwin and Virginia Senator, Tim Kaine are among her closest. Judy promised to share my book with Senator Baldwin.

Both women walked with us to the front entrance and lingered for a bit longer. As we exited the building I said to Mike Pie, my husband, Mike, and Clare, “There’s always at least one interesting connection made at these events. You just never know what that connection will be and where it might take us.”

Persistence is “Key” in a Successful Journey…

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Image courtesy of the Hennepin County Library

On July 24th I participated in a heartfelt and candid recorded conversation with Myron Metcalf; a Minnesota Star Tribune Columnist and the great, great, great grandson of Mary Ann Key. Myron is responsible for creating the Mary Ann Key Book Club.

I had introduced myself to Myron in the fall of 2024 at a book club talk at the Hennepin County Library in downtown Minneapolis. The featured speaker at that meeting was Anthony Ray Hinton, an exoneree who had written a memoir about his experience of being wrongfully convicted titled, The Sun Does Shine.

Following Hinton’s talk, I approached Myron and shared my story. I gifted him a copy of my second edition of Reclaiming Lives. My hope was that he’d read it and be so moved by it that he’d reach back out with an offer to highlight this story in some profound way.

In my futility, I often harken back to something my friend, Byron Lichstein, former Wisconsin Innocence Project (WIP) attorney had said at one of our Walks that, “Persistence and determination will be the deciding factor to move this case forward.”

Former WIP attorney Byron Lichstein at the 2011 Walk for Truth and Justice at the Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay, Wisconsin

So…after publishing the third edition* of my book, I contacted Myron again and included the link for the new edition. He responded with an offer to include my book in the library’s summer reading list. Our recent conversation in their latest Mary Ann Key Book Club Newsletter is the result. Many thanks to Myron Medcalf for this amazing opportunity!

August 4, 2025

Our 2026 season book club title and program details will be announced in February. In the meantime, the Mary Ann Key Book Club newsletter will highlight authors from the Twin Cities in conversation with Myron Medcalf about their latest books and work within the community.

Myron Medcalf and Joan Treppa discuss “Reclaiming Lives: Pursuing Justice for Six Innocent Men”

(Run time just over 15 minutes)

Joan Treppa is a social justice advocate for those who’ve been victimized by the criminal justice system. She’s best known for her unwavering advocacy on behalf of six Green Bay, Wisconsin men she believes were wrongfully convicted in 1992 for the death of coworker, Tom Monfils, a case cited as one of the most notorious injustices in Wisconsin history. With no formal legal training, Joan’s actions illustrate the power of persistence and drive to highlight the voices of those silenced. 

Her first edition of Reclaiming Lives: Pursuing Justice for Six Innocent Men, a four-and-a-half-year labor of love project, won three book awards. More importantly, it has played a significant role in the recent releases of some of the convicted men. Treppa currently resides in Minneapolis, MN with her husband, Mike.

Our journey on behalf of the six men is not yet complete. Please help out by watching the video, hitting the “like” button, and sharing it far and wide. Thank you!

*Note: If you’d like a paperback copy of this edition your best bet is to order it directly through my publisher, Kirk House Publishers. Amazon currently has it listed with an overpriced vendor. However, the pricing of the audiobook, hardcover, and e-book on Amazon are correct.