WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The first refugee families have landed in Wausau.
Mayor Katie Rosenberg and others from New Beginnings for Refugees welcomed two families at the Central Wisconsin Airport in late December. Rosenberg said for one family, the moment marked a combination of relief and excitement.
“It was a gentleman who worked directly with the US Government,” said Rosenberg of one of the families settled. “He speaks English very well and he’s enthusiastic about America. He’s so excited that this is his new country.”
Mayor Katie Rosenberg welcomed refugees to Wausau at Central Wisconsin Airport. Image courtesy: Katie Rosenberg/Twitter
The man’s family is already enrolled in the Wausau school district and Rosenberg says he is working on finding a job, which shouldn’t be difficult considering the number of openings in all industries in the area.
Rosenberg adds that no sooner had she posted her signature selfie with the man, who she did not identify, onto her official social media accounts she received a surprise endorsement of him from a US Marine that worked alongside him.
“One of the Marines that worked directly with him reached out and said ‘he is a very special person, and you are so lucky,'” said Rosenberg.
The Marine went on to say “he is going to work for your country just as hard as he worked for his, you are just the luckiest,”
“I didn’t think anyone would recognize him,” she added. “I’ll take him at his word.”
The Mayor plans to meet with the newly settled refugees later this month to check in on how they are getting settled and see if there’s anything else that the city can do
Rosenberg says she knows there will be some growing pains for the nearly 100 refugees that are ultimately settled here by the end of the year, but she sees a brighter future for all of them. “Forty-five years ago we embraced our Hmong neighbors. [It was] very similar circumstances, right? they were our allies in Vietnam, and now I can’t imagine Wausau without our Hmong neighbors.
“That’s who we are, and now I’m imagining 45 years from now there will be big impact and opportunity for folks from all these backgrounds.”
More refugees are expected to settle in the coming months. The group New Beginnings for Refugees is continuing to take donations to help those being resettled get on their feet. For information on how you can donate, click here.
Other topics Mayor Rosenberg discussed with WSAU’s Mike Leischner include:
Start of video- Preparations for Wausau’s 150th anniversary
3:30- Upcoming city elections
7:30- First refugees arrive in Wausau
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