Endres Mfg. Company Foundation Spring 2019 Grants

There are great stories and valuable work being done by nonprofits that have a positive impact on building better communities.  There are about 3,000 non-profit public agencies in Dane County, and about 270 private foundations.  There are so many paths for doing good!  The Endres Foundation received 36 grant requests, and have 5 agencies that are funded annually.  Two of those are an annual BIG sponsorship for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County, and a long-standing partnership with Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission.  After discussion and review, the EMC Foundation is giving approximately $177,420.00  to 28 agencies in May.

Grants given during this spring cycle include:

The Beacon Homeless Shelter – Catholic Charities          $5,400
Big Brothers Big Sisters – annual BIG sponsorship           $1,000
Waunakee Boy Scout Troop 46 Eagle Projects                  $2,500
Capital City Theater – On the Town production                 $5,000
Centro Hispano Sostenme program – Hold Me Up             $10,000
DAIS Shelter                                                                             $5,000
Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission                         $15,000
Girl Scouts CampBUILD –  building trade skills                $10,000
Goodman Center – youth art classes                                   $2,000
Ice Age Trail Alliance Sauntering program                        $3,500
Independent Living – partnership program                      $5,000
Lakeview Lutheran Church – Phase 2 upgrades                $3,000
Madison Reading Project – books for kids                          $5,000
Madison Youth Arts Center – $100,000 pledge                   $33,000
Music Makers – music ed through Wi Youth Symphony   $15,000
PEBOGA – workshop and keynote series                            $2,500
RENEW Wisconsin –  energy video/website                       $5,200
RSVP of Dane County                                                             $1,200
Simpson Street Free Press – Wi history research              $5,000
Tri 4 Schools – for 4 Waunakee elementary schools         $5,000
Unity Point Health – youth mental health facility              $5,000
Vera Court Neighborhood – final pledge payment            $5,000
Waunakee “Mutts on Main” – artist stipend                        $1,350
Waunakee EMS – recognition monument                           $1,000
Waunakee Fire Department – search & rescue equip       $7,220*
Waunakee Police Department – vest & helmet equip        $3,850*
Waunakee Senior Center – elderly cooking classes           $2,200
Waunakee Warrior team center for soccer stadium          $12,500*

*  half of requested amount, given to promote a match from other donors.

New Waunakee Library total pledge was $150,000.  $90,000 has been paid and balance of $60,000 will be given later this year upon completion.

The valuable impact of these gifts will multiply and have a positive ripple effect.  This year, three of the Foundation’s largest gifts went to the new Waunakee Library opening this fall, the new Madison Youth Arts Center opening in 2020, and the Waunakee Soccer Team Center Stadium.  Each of these projects will touch a large population and be used by a broad scope of people.

The work nonprofits do to improve lives is critical.  The work they do to create better neighborhoods is important.  The work they do to build strong communities is impressive.

Chopra said, “Everything that is of value in life only multiplies when it is given.”  Everyone should seek to give back to their community with their time, talent or treasure.  If you want to give but don’t know how, the EMC Foundation accepts donations of any size, and all money is channeled wisely to positive community projects.  Check our website online.

MGE Announces Goal of Net-Zero Carbon Electricity by 2050

“We believe it is important to articulate a long-term goal that is both visionary and based on the
best climate science available,” CEO says.

Madison, Wis., May 14, 2019—Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) today set a new goal of net-zero carbon electricity for its customers by 2050, said Jeff Keebler, MGE Chairman, President and CEO.

“In creating an energy future for our customers and shareholders, we need ambitious and crucial reductions in carbon emissions that align with the work of the scientific community, specifically the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and its assessment of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050,” Keebler said.

MGE already has been on a path to reduce carbon, having reduced carbon dioxide emissions 23% since 2005 and targeting carbon reductions of at least 80% by 2050 from 2005 levels.

“Since introducing our carbon reduction targets, we have always said that if we can go further faster by working with our customers, we will. We believe it is important to articulate a long-term goal that is both visionary and based on the best climate science available. Our net-zero carbon goal is aggressive, and it will require technologies not yet commercially available or cost-effective, but it is where we need to be,” Keebler said.

MGE’s mission continues to be safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity for all customers. Through the application of science and investment in the technologies of today and tomorrow, the company will continue to fulfill its mission.

Climate Science Partnership
MGE also announced it will be working with scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences to help evaluate the company’s net-zero carbon goal in the context of the analyses done by the IPCC. The university will provide expert input and perspective to ensure MGE’s goal is consistent with the IPCC assessment.

In 2015, the company announced its Energy 2030 framework, which was informed by community input and laid out its foundational objectives for building your community energy company for the future:

• Provide customers with options they want today and in the future,
• Help customers use energy efficiently and control future costs for all customers,
• Transition MGE to a more environmentally sustainable energy supply,
• Provide a dynamic electric grid that can integrate all energy technologies to serve customers, and
• Ensure that new and changing technology serves all customers equitably.

“These remain our objectives as we continue to build customer and shareholder value on our path to deep decarbonization,” Keebler said. “As your community energy company, MGE has a history of engaging our customers and communities. We actively continue work to deepen that engagement to achieve our goals. Our net-zero carbon goal is a reflection of our commitment not only to long-term sustainability, rooted in the latest climate science, but also a reflection of our commitment to our customers and communities.”

Key strategies for deep decarbonization include reducing the carbon intensity in electricity generation through adding significant new renewable energy resources and reducing the use of fossil fuels; continued work to help customers with energy efficiency; and electrification, including transportation.

“We are excited about our path, our progress and our ultimate vision. To us, this is what it means to lead and to serve,” said Keebler.

About MGE
MGE generates and distributes electricity to 153,000 customers in Dane County, Wis., and purchases and distributes natural gas to 161,000 customers in seven south-central and western Wisconsin counties. MGE’s parent company is MGE Energy, Inc. The company’s roots in the Madison area date back more than 150 years.

Contact
Steve Schultz
Corporate Communications Manager
608-252-7219 | sbschultz@mge.com

Building Community in Wake of August Floods

Kickapoo River Valley was hit hard by the flooding that affected much of Southwest Wisconsin last August. Several commercial and residential buildings experienced significant damage necessitating demolition. The August flooding has taken a significant toll on the community. The incident spurred local resident and Mead & Hunt employee Scott Lind to action.

As an involved member of the community, Scott could see the emotional, environmental, and physical toll the flooding had on the area surrounding the Kickapoo Valley River. With the help of fellow employee Mark Sauer, Scott was able to enact positive change in his community by creating a team of Mead & Hunt employees dedicated to removing flood debris from the Kickapoo River.

The project struck a chord for many within the company who were themselves affected by the flooding. Due to the high level of interest and dedication, the company provided time off for employees to participate as well as funding for the project. This funding allowed the Kickapoo Valley River to hire a local logging company to remove a large walk-in cooler from the center of the river, along with multiple log jams and other debris.

This cleanup project is vital to the community as the local topography makes farming and transportation difficult, so visitors to the area represent a large source of income. Kayaking, canoeing and tubing in the Kickapoo River is a significant driver of tourists to the area. Keeping the river as beautiful as possible is therefore critical from an environmental, social and financial perspective.

Mead & Hunt believes in empowering employees to enact positive change within their own communities where they see need. For the Kickapoo Valley River community, seeing people come together to rise above the effects of the flooding to actively move forward is a vital morale boost, and also has the potential to drive sorely-needed revenue to the area.

Mead & Hunt is an employee-owned consulting firm and remains strong on ENR’s Top 500 design firm list with a national ranking of 119th in 2019. The firm employs over 750 employees from 30+ offices located across the nation and was named by CE News one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation.

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Media Contacts:

• Kathy Schumann, Employee Communications, schumann@meadhunt.com 608-443-0374
• Chloe McKenzie, Corporate Communications, mckenzie@meadhunt.com 608-443-0389

Attic Angel Awards $220,000 in Grants to Area Nonprofits

Attic Angel Association, the fund-raising and volunteer arm of Attic Angel Community, awarded nearly $220,000 in grants this year to a total of 10 area nonprofit organizations that support pressing needs in the greater community.

Each year, the 500-member Association conducts three community-wide signature fund-raising sales to support the Association’s good works, a long list of which dates back to 1889. Proceeds from the Attic Sale, Classic Clothing Sale, and the Holidays Galore & More Sale all go toward that fiscal year’s outreach focus. In 2018-19, the focus was to provide mental health services for school-aged youth (K-12).

Grant recipients for 2018-19 are as follows:

• CANOPY CENTER INC. – Oasis Program Expansion – $43,850
• CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF MADISON – School-Based Suicide Prevention Program – $12,742
• DOMESTIC ABUSE INTERVENTION SERVICES (DAIS) – Men Encouraging Nonviolent Strength Program – $20,000
• GOODMAN COMMUNITY CENTER – Mental Health Services Program – $25,000
• HORIZON HIGH SCHOOL – Mental Health Services – $10,000
• THE RAINBOW PROJECT – Rainbow Project Trauma Specialists in the Schools – $30,000
• THE ROAD HOME – Bright Future Therapy Program – $40,000
• SAFE HARBOR CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER – Safe Step Trauma Assessments – $8,000
• UNITED WAY OF DANE COUNTY – Cognitive Behavior Interventions for Trauma in Schools – $14,241
• VERA COURT NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER – Mindfulness Project – $15,000

Attic Angel Association began in 1889, when two sisters earned the nickname “attic angels” by descending from their attic with armloads of goods to share with children less fortunate. Today, more than 500 members join their ranks to serve both children and seniors throughout Dane County, including those living in Attic Angel Community. This new fiscal year, Attic Angel marks its 130^th anniversary of caring for the greater Madison community.

Local Business Owners Making a Difference for 1,850 Children in Haiti

Madison, Wis. (March 13, 2019) –What started in 2006 with one school, one teacher and twelve children, has now become a network of schools in Haiti that serve over 1,850 Haitian children in ten schools. Local business owners Doug and Lois Fearing, of Fearing’s Audio Video Security, became involved with Schools for Haiti in 2014 and, in addition to supporting individual children through child sponsorships, host the Schools for Haiti Gala annually to raise funds for the non-profit.

The sixth annual Schools for Haiti Fundraising Gala & Silent Auction will take place on Saturday, April 27th, 2019. The Gala will be held at Madison Marriott West. Laura Gallagher, President and CEO of The Creative Company, will be master of ceremonies. The gala will also feature Brandon Williams, former All-Big 10 Badger & NFL Wide Receiver.

Schools for Haiti is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that provides safe and nurturing educational environments for the youth of Haiti offering them the opportunity to gain knowledge, skills, and values so they can flourish and grow. Haiti is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. The literacy rate is only 61% and 85% of all education in Haiti is performed by Christian and other non-profit organizations.

Schools for Haiti operates schools in and around the city of Montrouis, (pronounced Mo-wee) which is 57km north of Port-au-Prince. The schools provide a quality Haitian education, a daily nutritious meal, and school uniforms to each child. They also employee 181 staff, helping to strengthen the local economy.

In particular, the money raised is going to two specific projects: The Wisconsin School in North Montrouis which serves around 185 kindergarten thru 6th grade students and The Educational Vision Complex, a property that will have elementary and high schools, a mission house for visiting mission teams, and a community center that will serve the entire Montrouis community.

“Becoming involved with Schools for Haiti was an opportunity God just placed in our hearts,” said Doug Fearing. “When Lois and I visited for ourselves and saw the need, we had to get involved. By providing an education to the children of Haiti, we firmly believe it will change the future of the country. Who knows, the next Nelson Mandela or president of Haiti could be a student in one of the schools right now!”

Tickets for the Gala can be purchased online at www.fearings.com. If you are a business and would like to learn more about sponsorships, please contact Lois Fearing at 608-443-2595.

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About Schools for Haiti:
Schools for Haiti  is a nonprofit that operates and funds ten schools in Haiti, the third poorest nation in the world. Schools for Haiti educates over 1,850 students in eight primary schools, one kindergarten and one high school, with an average passing grade of over 86%, along with providing nutritious meals and school clothes. The schools have only Haitian staff, with 181 positions filled by residents, adding greatly to the local economy. Gil and Bonnie Bailie from Florida, and Daniel Michelle, who grew up in an orphanage in Haiti and was in the States at the time learning to operate a water drilling rig, started Schools for Haiti in 2006. The first school had 12 students. The organization has grown tremendously, with Doug Fearing of Fearing’s Audio Video Security joining the Board of Directors in 2015.

About Fearing’s Audio Video Security:
Fearing’s Audio Video Security is a Wisconsin-based and family owned business, with offices in Madison and Milwaukee. Fearing’s is a design-build low voltage systems integrator with core disciplines in audio, video, security, and voice/data/fiber cabling systems serving the commercial and residential marketplace in the Upper Midwest for 21 years.

Fearing’s vision is to make a difference for “our customers, our communities, and our world”. The company supports many local organizations and is deeply committed to Schools for Haiti, a nonprofit which provides education for hundreds of children in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

For more information visit www.fearings.com or find the company on Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Laura Gallagher: Laura Gallagher is the President and Founder of The Creative Company, a PR and Web Development Agency in downtown Madison. She is also one of fewer than 100 women to be recognized as a Trailblazer by the State of Wisconsin. She is a 2019 finalist for the SBA’s Women’s Business Champion of the Year Award and Wisconsin’s Ambassador for Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, a Global economic empowerment movement where Gallagher also serves as the North American Regional Ambassador. Gallagher is a published author. Her book #180in120 – How to Recharge Your Business was published in March of 2016.

About Brandon Williams: Brandon Williams is a former NFL Player, Author, Commentator and Innovator, who serves on the teaching team at Zion City International Ministries, a faith-based organization. Since 2010 he has been a NFL and College football analyst for FOX, ESPN and BTN.  In 2015, after years in the financial services industry, he released his first book called “Millionaire Mindset 7 principles athletes need for financial freedom.

He is also the Founder/Publisher of Kingdom Man Magazine, a personal, professional and spiritual development magazine geared toward men.  Brandon has a Bachelor’s in Communication with a minor in Entrepreneurship and is a Certified Life Coach with the International Coaching Federation.  He has been happily married to B. Marcell Williams since 2011 and together they have 5 children.