News and Media

Combines Community, Competition, and a Cause On May 16th, we invite you to experience something special along the beautiful Monona lakeshore, our very first Spring Lawn Games at San Damiano. Designed as a relaxed, family-friendly afternoon, this year’s event brings together croquet’s classic outdoor fun and meaningful impact. Guests can participate in a lively croquet tournament, as well as enjoy picnic-style seating, food trucks, a Lemonade Stand, a bucket raffle, team costumes, and live music… All set against one of the most scenic backdrops in Monona and our eastside community. Adding to the excitement, we’re thrilled to welcome Lanette Hansen…

Monday, April 20th marked an important milestone, not only for San Damiano Park, but for Monona and our Dane County community. Unanimously, the City of Monona Common Council officially approved the Phase I Conceptual Development Plan, setting in motion the first tangible steps toward transforming this lakefront park into a vibrant, welcoming destination for daily use.    From Underutilized to Destination  For years, San Damiano Park has held incredible potential, beautifully located along Lake Monona, yet limited by barriers that make it difficult to fully enjoy. Phase I is designed to change that by focusing on immediate activation and visible progress:  Making the site easier to access   Creating reasons to visit every day Building energy, activity, and connection   Phase I includes thoughtful improvements that invite people in.  What Happens Next: Bringing the Space to Life …

About 50 people showed up to spread wood chips, pick up sticks and litter, clear and line the trails, and take care of the park. In less than 3 hours, volunteers spread 45yds of wood chips… We can’t wait to put those freshly groomed paths to the test! It’s also volunteer appreciation week, and we are so grateful for our ever-expanding, dedicated, and supportive community. Our non-profit would not function without the hardworking volunteers who give their time and energy to steward this breathtaking public space. Thank you for helping us shine. In appreciation, we held a cookout afterwards to…

Spring is blooming at San Damiano Park, and, with it, a renewed sense of energy and connection presents itself through exciting events on the shores of Lake Monona. We invite you to be part of this spring renewal with these upcoming events.

When organizations share a commitment to caring for land and water, meaningful partnerships can grow. That’s exactly what has happened through San Damiano’s collaboration with Clean Lakes Alliance. For Clean Lakes Alliance, the connection to San Damiano felt natural from the start. Located along the shores of Lake Monona, the property represents a rare place where people, water, and landscape meet in powerful ways. As an organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the Yahara watershed, Clean Lakes Alliance recognized that San Damiano offers a meaningful opportunity to highlight the importance of healthy lakes while welcoming the community to experience the…

MONONA, Wis. (WMTV) – A once-private stretch of shoreline on Lake Monona is now at the heart of a major community effort, as the City of Monona and a local nonprofit work together to transform San Damiano into a vibrant public space. Read More

For Heather, San Damiano quickly became more than just a beautiful place to walk Ruby, her dog — it became part of Heather and her husband’s story as well. With so many options for getting outside with Ruby, San Damiano stands out as their favorite by far. “It’s such a beautiful and peaceful place for Ruby and me to relax. We go there as often as we can.” Ruby loves greeting visitors, exploring the wooded areas, and especially romping through the snow in winter. For Heather, the experience begins the moment they step onto the property. “The minute we walk…

For many people, San Damiano has a magnetic quality. For volunteer Pat Howell, it began years ago with simple walks and bike rides along the curved driveway with being drawn in by the property’s mystery, beauty, and rare stretch of natural lakeshore on Lake Monona. As surrounding development increased and access to the lake became more limited, San Damiano felt increasingly special. That connection deepened when Pat learned the Frank AllisHouse might be torn down or the property sold. Pat hoped instead that the land would remain undeveloped and accessible as a place where the community could enjoy nature, wildlife,…

After moving to Monona, one of the first places that truly made Sadie feel at home was San Damiano. Drawn in by the community spirit and natural beauty of the property, Sadie jumped into volunteering soon after arriving — and her first event, serving hot cocoa inside the Frank Allis House during the Winter Solstice 2022 celebration, set the tone for many meaningful experiences to come. Among Sadie’s favorites is the Harry Whitehorse Wood Sculpture Festival first held in 2024, an event she loves for the way it blends community service with learning. “I love serving my community and learning…

When you’ve driven past San Damiano for 45+ years, the place becomes a part of your personal landscape. For this month’s Volunteer Spotlight, we’re thrilled to feature a longtime Monona resident whose dedication, craftsmanship, humor, and heart have helped shape San Damiano from the inside out – Tim Turino.

A new volunteer and a message in a bottle

Volunteer Spotlight: Celebrating Greg Burt, a Steward of San Damiano At the heart of any successful community initiative is a dedicated group of volunteers — people who give their time, talents, and energy to causes they care deeply about. Today, we shine the spotlight on one such volunteer whose passion for San Damiano is both inspiring and deeply rooted in a love for the land and community – Greg Burt. For Greg, volunteering at San Damiano is more than giving back—it’s a way to protect something truly special. Drawn in by the land’s beauty and potential, he felt compelled to…

Karen Turino has been very involved with San Damiano right from the beginning. She notes: “I was serving on the Monona Park and Recreation Board back when the idea of purchasing the property was barely a twinkle in the City of Monona’s eye. At the time I thought it was a pipe dream, so I was thrilled when the purchase actually went through.” She and her husband Tim were asked to help with the first Celebration on the Shore gala in 2023 and “the rest is history.”  Karen believes “the importance of the property cannot be overstated; it is the…

For decades, visitors to San Damiano have admired the vibrant vegetable garden nestled near the entrance, a quiet, flourishing space that spoke volumes about dedication, care, and community. What many may not have known is that this garden was lovingly planted, nurtured, and harvested by Monona native Rev. John Sheild, beginning in the early 1980s. The summer of 2024 marked John’s final season in the garden. On April 16, 2025, he passed away at the age of 94, leaving behind not only a beautifully cultivated plot of land but a deep legacy of service, compassion, and stewardship. John was a…

This month, we’re thrilled to spotlight one of our dedicated volunteers whose journey with San Damiano is rooted in a deep commitment to environmental justice, public service, and community connection – Molly Grupe, pronounced “groupie” so now the title of this blog makes more sense! Molly’s path to the Friends of San Damiano (FoSD) began during her time serving on the Monona City Council from 2018 to 2022. With a strong passion for environmental preservation, Molly was deeply involved in both the Parks Board and the Sustainability Committee. It was there, workingalongside fellow community members and City staff, that she…

Since 2020, Friends of San Damiano (FoSD) has been on a mission to protect and reimagine one of Monona’s most iconic natural spaces. What began as a grassroots effort to save this nearly 10-acre property on Lake Monona has evolved into a thriving nonprofit with a bold, community-driven vision: to advance the use of the San Damiano property as a place for public recreation, interpretive programming, and peaceful reflection. In March 2024, the City of Monona, FoSD, and the community finalized the San Damiano Master Plan, a long-term vision that honors the land’s history while shaping a future rich with…