Suamico, WI Health and Fitness

In 1976, educator, musician, and kinesiologist Robin Wes opened The Little Gym based on his new take on physical education. His curriculum emphasized motivating children to achieve instead of pressuring them to win. As a result, The Little Gym became a noncompetitive, positive, nurturing environment where young ones could develop physically, socially, emotionally, and intellectually. Since then, The Little Gyms have sprouted up across the country. The programs and classes aim to help kids develop skills such as rhythm and coordination, and kids camps during winter, spring, and summer breaks prevent children from creating finger paintings that express the existential ennui they feel when school is out of session.

A specialist in jaw orthopedics and orthodontics, Dr. Robert Hering founded Fox Valley Dental on the quest for sturdy jaws and straight bites. Since 1975, he has corrected maxillofacial flaws through more than 600 TMJ cases and 4,000 orthodontics cases, working both with traditional braces and Invisalign aligners. For those plagued by sleep apnea, he helps clear breathing pathways with mouthpieces that are easy to hide in a spouse's sandwich.

Dr. Hering’s office design betrays his fondness for the outdoors. Row upon row of windows throw the waiting room open to natural light, which falls upon rustic wooden fixtures. The operatory's French doors look out over a lawn enclosed in shrubbery, where woodland creatures find privacy to pick bits of acorn from their braces.

Fairways stitched by mature trees connect across 6,802 yards of rolling greenery to form Royal Scot Golf Club’s 18-hole, par-72 course. Water hazards come into play on 10 holes, including the par-4 fifth, where a bashful green flanked by bunkers on both sides conceals its ballmarks by hiding behind a front water hazard. Replete with eight yardage signs that extend 250 yards into the distance and a large grass hitting area, the club’s 30-stall driving range gives guests the upper hand by straightening out swings before upcoming rounds.

After hacking their way from green to green, hungry golfers can replenish at the club’s two full dining rooms—both with full-service bars—or place an order from their perch on the expansive outdoor deck. Wireless Internet keeps devices abreast of the latest news, personal emails, or domestic-cat sightings, and golf supplies and veteran instructors wait to enhance games at the pro shop.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par-72 course
• Length of 6,802 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 72.0 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 124 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options
• Link to scorecard

Dr. Jolanta Pajek opened Modern Touch Dentistry after heading up dental practices in Toronto, Canada, and London, England. At her Appleton practice, she approaches dentistry with technologies such as low-radiation digital x-rays and air abrasion, which treats minor cavities with a blast of air rather than a drill. For patients with anxieties about dental work or wearing paper bibs, Dr. Pajek offers free sedation consultations to discuss whether the clinic's conscious-sedation options would make their appointments more pleasant.

Tucked along the east side of the bay, Shorewood Golf Course’s 2,792-yard, nine-hole layout challenges club-swingers with unforgiving fairways and small, breaking greens whose impressive upkeep earned the course an appearance and maintenance award in 2009. Since the first post-putt strut in 1931, the course’s oak- and hickory-lined fairways have invited players to overcome undulating terrain both scenic and demanding. The zenith of these hilly hazards is found on the 492-yard par 5 fourth hole, where golfers must overcome a dogleg right off the tee before hitting multiple shots to the green located at the end of a narrow fairway that encourages conga lines along its gradual incline. After a day out in the sun, golfers can adjourn to the course’s restaurant to munch on pizza and sandwiches or enjoy a frosty beverage.

Course at a Glance:

• Nine-hole, par-35 course

• Length of 2,792 yards from the farthest set of tees

• Course rating of 35.9 from the farthest set of tees

• Slope rating of 124 from the farthest set of tees

• Two tee options

• Link to helpful course notes

To study Chinese medicine, James Rodowca went to the source. He studied at Guangzhou University in China to earn credentials that enhance his already stacked resumé—he also holds a bachelor’s degree in human biology and a master’s in Oriental medicine. His extensive studies inform his practice of these ancient arts at Acupuncture One, though he also gets some help from technology. Digital Meridian Imaging maps the body’s energy pathways, as well as the spots on the body where energy’s movement is blocked by external forces or by the heart’s annual street parade. With the insertion of thin acupuncture needles, James can unblock these passageways and help the body restore balance in order to alleviate such common ailments as allergies, stress, and depression. James also curates a stock of potent herbal supplements that complement his hands-on treatments to treat a slew of issues.