06/19/2026
From the Iron Mountain Daily News and Niagara Women's Civic Club representatives:
𝙎𝙞𝙭 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙫𝙞𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙧. 𝙉𝙞𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙖, 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙇𝙖𝙙𝙮
NIAGARA, Wis. — The Niagara Women’s Civic Club has announced the candidates for its annual Mr. Niagara and First Lady of Niagara contests, honoring community members who have made significant contributions to the city through volunteerism, leadership and service.
𝘝𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 $1.00 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘬 - 𝘕𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘝𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘣 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘴. 𝘝𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘑𝘶𝘯𝘦 26𝘵𝘩.
Royalty will be crowned at 4 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at the Niagara Lions Club Community Picnic at Heights Park.
This year’s First Lady candidates are Teresa Depas, Missy Schwedersky and Ginger Anderson. Competing for the title of Mr. Niagara are Mark DeClark, Scott Schwedersky and Bruce LaLiberte.
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗗𝗲𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗸
A lifelong Niagara resident, Mark DeClark was born and raised in the community and graduated from Niagara High School before completing vocational training in automotive studies.
He and his wife, Kathie, have three children — Kristin, Erin, and Eric — and eight grandchildren, that range in age from to 2 1/2 to 26.
DeClark said one of his proudest accomplishments is marrying his wife and raising their family in Niagara, where he values the small-town lifestyle and close-knit community.
He enjoys that neighbors still care about each other and can always rely on if needed.
The retired business owner assisted helped to establish the Niagara Area Business Association, or NABA. He was also involved in the Moose Lodge until it closed, Lions Club, Snowcats Snowmobiling Club and served as supervisor on the town board.
He also serves his church by providing music for services and funerals, and by chairing the Board of Trustees.
For the past six years, DeClark has volunteered with the Dickinson County Cancer Unit Loan Closet and helped establish a monthly cancer support group, drawing from his own experience as a cancer survivor.
DeClark enjoys bowling, spending time at his campsite on Lake Hilbert, and tending to his lawn — one year even mowing it on Christmas Day.
He loves volunteering within the community and is a kind, caring and all-round great person to be around, said a Niagara Women’s Club spokesperson, adding his dedicating and support doesn’t go unnoticed.
𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐚 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐬
Teresa Depas has spent her entire life in Niagara and attended Northeast Wisconsin Technical College for a year. She recently retired after a 42-year career at Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson.
She and her husband, Jeff, raised five children, Calvin, Landin, Madisin; and Austin and Eastin, who are deceased.
Her son, Landin, is married to Nora and they have two furbabies. She noted that she probably will never have grandchildren but she loves her grandpups.
After losing son Eastin, Depas found comfort and purpose through her volunteer work at Karen’s Pantry at St. Anthony Catholic Church. Today, she remains heavily involved with the organization, which serves an average of 40 families each month and assisted 73 families during the past Christmas season.
Depas enjoys spending time with son Calvin, playing mahjong at the library, participating in chair yoga at the YMCA and summers at the lake with family. She noted they take pontoon rides and swim in the middle of the lake.
She credits Niagara’s strong sense of community and the support during her family’s difficult times.
Her proudest accomplishment is raising “decent children.” She added that no matter the cause, Niagara rallies around who is in need of support.
Her dedication to helping others through Karen’s Pantry has made her a valued and respected member of the community.
𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝘄𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗸𝘆
Originally from Belvidere, Illinois, Scott Schwedersky has called Niagara home for the past 36 years.
He and his wife, Missy, have six daughters and four grandchildren, with another grandchild on the way.
Schwedersky owns Scott’s Uptown Lanes and works full-time for Bink’s Coca-Cola. He is an active member of the Lions Club and NABA and enjoys fishing, golf and bowling.
Throughout the years, he has supported Niagara schools and community organizations through numerous donations and sponsorships. His contributions have included concession stand supplies, athletic sponsorships, transportation funding for student activities, a new gymnasium scoreboard, and bowling fundraisers benefiting both the Lions Club and local athletic programs.
Schwedersky said his greatest accomplishment is his children. He appreciates the way Niagara residents support one another.
His generosity and willingness to support the community and school are truly incredible, the women’s club spokesperson said.
𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝘄𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗸𝘆
Missy Schwedersky, originally from Norway, has worked in Niagara for 25 years as a child care provider and resided in the community for the past 10 years.
She has a degree in early childhood education and is married to Scott Schwedersky. They have six daughters, Weslea, Gwen, Brooke, Shelby, Delany and Mary; and four grandchildren, Raelynn, Grant, Gunnar, and Gemma with one on the way.
Schwedersky is active in the Lions Club, NABA, and the Purple Power Youth Cheerleading program, a nonprofit organization she founded.
What began as an effort to strengthen Niagara’s youth cheerleading opportunities has grown into a regional program involving five schools and earning numerous awards.
Her husband, Scott, has helped fund a majority of the initial costs and continues to support the cheerleading program. Her mother, Mary Pontbriand, has helped her get the program to where it is today.
Schwedersky also volunteers extensively at school events, assists with fundraising efforts and mentors children who need additional support and encouragement.
She said her favorite parts of Niagara is the way residents rally behind one another, the school district and support for the cheer program.
Her proudest accomplishment is witnessing what her daughter, Weslea, has done over the years, including assisting with bowling fundraisers, volunteering at the school and friend/adult mentorship. She is someone who cares deeply about her community and because of that she gets to see the kids she once took care of succeed in what they do as they get older, Schedersky said.
She treasures her role as both a mother and grandmother.
𝗚𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻
Anderson has devoted much of her life to education and community involvement in Niagara, where she raised her family. Originally born in Fort Frances, Ontario, she moved to the area as a child and later graduated from Kingsford High School.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Northern Michigan University and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Western Governors University. She has worked in education since 1996 and currently teaches English at Niagara High School.
She and her husband, Kevin, moved to Niagara in 2004 and raised two children, Benjamin and Beauden. Today, they are also proud grandparents.
Looking back, Anderson said moving to Niagara was one of the best decisions. “It was a wonderful place to raise our children,” she said. “They were surrounded by family, friends, teachers, coaches and community members who helped shape them into the adults they are today.”
Their son, Benjamin, is a physician with Associated Orthopaedics in Kingsport, Tenn. He and his wife, Hailey, have two sons, Owen, 3, and Miles, 2.
Their daughter, Beauden, is studying veterinary medicine at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn.
Over her career, Anderson has served in numerous roles, including game manager for several sports, homecoming coordinator, prom and winter dance organizer, National Honor Society advisor, driver education instructor, forensic speaking coach, and theater director. She also founded the Badger Care before- and after-school program in 2003, which continues to serve students today.
When she is not working, Anderson enjoys spending time with her family, especially her grandsons. She also enjoys riding her motorcycle, taking side-by-side trips with her husband and friends, and playing the piano.
Asked about her proudest accomplishment, Anderson doesn’t point to a degree or career achievement, she says choosing Niagara as the place to raise her family tops the list. “I’ve been very fortunate,” she said. “There are so many wonderful memories and friendships that have come from living here.”
Anderson plans to retire from Niagara High School after the 2026-27 school year and relocate to Tennessee to be closer to family. While she looks forward to the next chapter, she said Niagara will always hold a special place in her heart.
She hopes to find a new career opportunity after moving and is looking forward to discovering what the next chapter of life will bring.
Anderson also hopes all her Niagara friends and family will visit in Tennessee. “After all, Dollywood isn’t far away,” she noted.
She is grateful for the many opportunities and memories the community has provided over the years.
𝗕𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲
A lifelong Niagara resident, Bruce LaLiberte has dedicated decades of service to his community, profession, church and country.
LaLiberte learned the butcher trade from Clarence Marcoullier after high school before working at the Niagara Paper Mill as a licensed industrial electrician.
Throughout his career, he also worked at Systems Control, M.J. Electric, at the Tilden and Empire mines, and Dickinson County Healthcare, where he established the biomedical equipment department and also served as a facility manager.
LaLiberte was drafted in the U.S. Army and served in the Army National Guard as a communications chief for seven years. He worked on installing and maintaining all battalion communications.
His extensive volunteer service includes leadership positions with the Niagara Medical Society, Board of Trustees for Elks Lodge 700, and Nicolet Shores Resort.
He also helped develop the Town of Niagara’s zoning ordinance and continues to serve as chairman of the township’s Planning Commission.
He hopes to be able to fully retire from this job soon.
LaLiberte has played many roles at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, including chair of the pastoral council, chair of the Religious Education program, and was a part of the maintenance crew.
He is a proud veteran and the adjutant for American Legion Post 136.
LaLiberte founded the Hall of Heroes display at Niagara Public Schools.
He enjoys amateur radio, shooting sports, and spending time with his family. He and his wife, Eileen, have two children and seven grandchildren.
He said his greatest accomplishment is his family and values Niagara’s tradition of neighbors helping neighbors whenever assistance is needed.
