Theodore Roosevelt marches on Viterbo's campus

On March 3, at 7 p.m. a portrayal of Theodore Roosevelt, America’s 26th president, was performed by Joe Weigand on Viterbo’s campus. For one hour, Roosevelt talked about what it was like growing up an asthmatic boy in New York City during a time when inhalers didn’t exist, raising his family, and becoming president. Joe Wiegand keeps true to Roosevelt’s life. Roosevelt is known for his many contributions to the United States: he was a solider, president, vice president, a scientist, a historian, an author, and for his many contributions to the wildlife, state parks, and monuments.

In honor of Aldo Leopold week, students were entranced with the “Leave your campground cleaner than you found it” speech Roosevelt gave. Both Leopold and Roosevelt left a profound impact on our country’s conservation efforts. Viterbo held a series of events in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin La Crosse that kicked off on Saturday at the Upper Mississippi river and national wildlife and refuge visitor center in Brice Prairie. There were many events including a nature walk with students from UW-L who read from Roosevelt, Leopold, and other conservation writers.

The audience enjoyed the show as Wiegand preformed, never breaking character, even as he met with audience members after for questions and photos. Joe Wiegand, an American impersonator, has made his career as a one man show doing historical impersonations of Theodore Roosevelt since 2008. Wiegand has been featured in the role of President Roosevelt not only in his show, but he has also been seen in the role on the History Chanel, been used to model a statue for America’s Museum of Natural History, and has had a role in a film called “National Parks Adventure.”

Wiegand’s Roosevelt told of a messy childhood where he recounted his love of science. “We collected snakes, and bugs, and turtles, and birds, squirrels and rats and mice, alive or dead it did not matter we brought these creatures home, and had on the fourth floor of our home something that we called Roosevelts museum of natural history.”

Weigand showed the love Roosevelt had of science even as a young boy. Growing up in New York City, he found a love of nature and all the things in it. This love of nature is the reason that we are gifted with so many beautiful wonders. In honor of Leopold week, and with Earth Day just around the corner I challenge you to follow Wiegand’s message and begin to think about the planet, perhaps you too can “leave your campground cleaner than you found it.”