What is new for Northwoods Drifter in 2026
Betty White spent decades dreaming about writing children’s books. Every school day as a teacher and librarian in Wabeno, she’d watch young faces light up during story time and think: someday.
That someday came after retirement. Now a resident at Grace Lodge assisted living facility in Rhinelander, White has turned those years of classroom inspiration into two published children’s books—and she’s channeling every dollar of proceeds toward helping animals at the Oneida County Humane Society.
“I thought about it many years when I was teaching, but I was busy,” White explains. “I didn’t have time to concentrate as much as I wanted to.”
White’s path to publication took patience. After retiring from her career in Forest County’s small village of Wabeno, she finally had the space to focus on crafting stories she’d carried in her imagination for years.
Her two books arrived in 2018, and one of the first people to discover them was her neighbor Jean Priebe. Walking down the hall at Grace Lodge one day, Priebe learned about White’s accomplishment and immediately bought copies.
“I found from a neighbor that she had written them and so I walked down and bought them,” Priebe recalls. “I love them.”
What started as a neighborly purchase became something bigger. When Priebe realized few residents knew about White’s books, she helped organize a book signing event—complete with a charitable mission that reflects the Northwoods spirit of giving back.
At the recent book signing, White sold her books for just a few dollars each. Every cent went straight to the Oneida County Humane Society, a no-kill shelter on Highway 8 that provides adoption services and veterinary care for homeless pets across the region.
The connection feels natural to White. Therapy animals from the shelter regularly visit Grace Lodge, bringing comfort and companionship to residents.
“A lot of those animals come here and visit us, and they’re so cute and really wonderful that we are able to be companions with them.”
The Humane Society aids over 1,000 animals annually, and donations like White’s make a real difference as veterinary costs continue climbing across rural Wisconsin. In the Northwoods, where stray and abandoned animals from remote properties often need rescue, community support keeps the shelter’s doors open.
White’s books join a growing tradition of Northwoods-inspired children’s literature that connects young readers to the lakes, forests, and wildlife defining this region.
Works like these serve multiple purposes in communities like Rhinelander and Wabeno:
Feedback from parents has been encouraging. “Most anything I have heard, from the parents especially, have been good,” White says. “They enjoyed the books so I’m thankful for that.”
White’s own grandchildren have read the stories, as have the grandchildren of neighbors—the ultimate test for any children’s author.
Jean Priebe doesn’t hide her admiration for her friend. At Grace Lodge, their friendship represents the kind of intergenerational community bonds that make assisted living facilities more than just residences.
“Betty’s one of the kindest sweetest ladies I’ve ever known,” Priebe says. “She’s very much there for everybody but she loves kids and I love kids.”
That shared love of children—and the belief that stories can bring happiness—drove Priebe to champion White’s work throughout Grace Lodge. The book signing became a celebration of creativity, community, and compassion rolled into one afternoon event.
Grace Lodge itself continues supporting the Humane Society beyond White’s book sales. The facility is collecting donated items for the shelter through early May, extending the community impact of one writer’s long-awaited dream.
If the name sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Betty White shares her name with the beloved “Golden Girls” actress—but this Betty White carved out her own legacy in the Northwoods through education and now storytelling.
Her books remain available at Grace Lodge, located at 1000 Day Street in Rhinelander. Just ask staff about “the books by Betty White,” and they’ll point you in the right direction.
For anyone wanting to support both local literacy and animal welfare with a single purchase, it’s hard to beat the combination. You’re getting original children’s stories and helping shelter pets find their forever homes.
In a region where community support defines how we take care of each other—and our four-legged neighbors—White’s project embodies what the Northwoods is all about. From Wabeno classrooms to Grace Lodge hallways to the Humane Society kennels, one retired teacher’s stories continue spreading joy in ways she probably never imagined during all those years of dreaming.
Written by
Mike has been coming up or living in the Northwoods since his childhood. He is also an avid outdoorsman, writer and supper club aficionado.
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