WEYAUWEGA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Wisconsin is known worldwide for its cheese, but the cheese looked to put the state in the world record books once again on Thursday.
Weyauwega Star Dairy unofficially broke its own record for the world’s longest piece of string cheese at 3,832 feet.
Gerard Knaus’ 85-year-old father, Jim, set the original record in 1995 for world’s longest piece of string cheese.
“We’re just adding onto his record. That’s all we’re doing today”
To do that, the cheesemakers needed a good slice of Weyauwega’s more than 1,700 residents.
“I’ve never seen this before and I want my piece of string cheese,” said Allen Robbert, who lives about 10 miles from Weyauwega.
Many have been here before. The Knauses beat their 1995 record in 2006 with a piece of string cheese about 2,000 feet long.
“When we first started dating, we came up here and held the cheese then. Got in the Guinness Book of World Records,” said Sheryl Harris of Weyauwega. “Now we’re doing it again.”
Standing seven feet apart, on a shut-down Main Street, residents grabbed a piece of the potential record.
“This is helping take all that flab away underneath my arms here,” said John Kelley while holding up his part of the string.
The effort made it three Weyauwega blocks long and then doubled back the way it came.
After about 90 minutes and no one expressing any regrets, the record was broken with a nearly 3/4-mile-long piece of string cheese.
“For the community to come out and do this, this is huge,” said Knaus.
It was an effort especially appreciated by the original record setter.
“I can’t do it anymore, so it’s great they do it,” said Jim Knaus.
Gerard Knaus says the record will be kept in his father’s name. He says Guinness recognized the 2006 record with the proper materials being sent in and he hopes the same happens with this achievement.
Weyauwega Star Dairy says the length of string cheese probably equals about 30,000 individual sticks.
