‘Other commitments’ may have kept aliens from UFO Daze 2003

The hundreds who anxiously awaited the mysterious lights that periodically appear near Dundee
were left only with disappointment Saturday night during the 14th annual “UFO Daze” at Benson’s
HideAway.

UFO Daze, an all-day event filled with speakers, testimonials and sky-watching that host Bill
Benson calls “a place where like minds can go without getting laughed and scoffed at,” attracts
hundreds of people annually during the third Saturday in July.

During last year’s event, mysterious lights appeared in the sky.

Those in attendance this year included people who claim to have had experiences with alien
beings or aircrafts, as well as curious spectators.

Bob Kuehn of Fond du Lac, founder of UFO Daze and one of those who claims personal experiences
with aliens, had an explanation for the absence of mysterious lights this year.

“I was given the impression that they were going to be coming later tonight,” Kuehn, 72, said
at 10:30 p.m. Kuehn said he has communicated telepathically with aliens since he was taken
aboard an aircraft when he was 3 years old. “They said they had other commitments first.”

Benson admitted he was a little disappointed at the lack of lights, but was also quick to note
that the lights are occasionally spotted in the area outside of UFO Daze.

“If they wanted to show up, they would,” he said.

Earlier in the evening, while still hopeful the lights would appear, spectators willingly
shared their views about other life forms.

Freedom Baumann of Greendale, who has attended every UFO Daze, said he believes humans were
created by aliens and that humans “are in the dark ages compared to them.” Humans were put here
to learn about love and spirituality, Baumann said.

Andrew Koraleski of Milwaukee held a similar view. Koraleski, who had videotaped last year’s
lights, came back equipped to videotape them again after having more questions than answers
after last year’s event.

“I’m not quite sure what to make of (the lights),” Koraleski said.

But even had the lights made an appearance, it would have taken more to convince Dave and Karen
Sparks of West Bend, two of the more skeptical in attendance.

“I’m not saying there’s not anything out there,” Dave Sparks said. “You just have to be careful,
because this is a topic that opens itself up for hoaxes.”

But Kuehn firmly maintains that these are no hoaxes.

“I know what I’ve seen,” said Kuehn, who also said he is a pilot. “They are real. It’s
important that people know about this.”