Overture’s Local Legends 2017 Include Exact Sciences, Local Couples Continue Pledge of Half Million Dollars to Match Community Gifts

For immediate release: Monday, March 13, 2017
Contact: Lex Poppens, VP of Marketing and Sales, 608.258.4147 | lpoppens@overture.org

Sarah Knab, Communications Manager, 608.258.4438 | sknab@overture.org

Click here for group photo.

Overture’s Local Legends 2017 Include Exact Sciences, Local Couples Continue Pledge of Half Million Dollars to Match Community Gifts

Second Year of Largest-ever Challenge Grant Will Match Donations Until June 15, up to $500,000

Madison, Wis. — Ted DeDee, President and CEO of Madison’s Overture Center for the Arts, and the Overture Center Foundation (OCF) Board of Directors, announced today the list of Overture’s Local Legends for 2017. These are local companies, couples or individuals who’ve pledged $100,000 to challenge area residents and businesses to support the arts at Overture as part of the Spring Match Campaign.

• Exact Sciences Corporation

“Overture is a world-class facility, one of the best performing arts venues in the country, and truly makes a major impact on our community.  But it can’t survive without our community’s support,” commented Kevin Conroy, Chairman and CEO of Exact Sciences. Exact Sciences became a Local Legend this year after having long supported Overture by sponsoring its National Geographic Live! series. “Madison continues to become a more dynamic community economically, entrepreneurially, and culturally. As a cornerstone of our region, Overture helps make Madison one of the best cities in America to live, work, and start a business.”

• Judith and Nick Topitzes

“We became a Local Legend to help increase the programming of Overture to as many people as possible in Madison and surrounding communities,” said Judith Topitzes.  She joins the Local Legends with her husband Nick, founder and former owner of pc/nametag. “The arts contribute to the culture, health and balance of individuals. Overture has contributed to a downtown that other cities can only be envious of. But most importantly, we wanted to help make Overture free of politics and open to more Madisonians and south central Wisconsin residents.”

• Sandy and Jun Lee

“The arts are so vital for our community, and for our children,” said Sandy Lee, who, with her fellow-UW alum husband Jun, join Overture’s Local Legends this year. “By supporting Overture Center, we are helping to fuel the creativity required for our children to grow and flourish. Through Overture’s free and low-cost programming, including the OnStage Field Trip program, children have the opportunity to experience the arts first-hand.  Seeing a program and the excitement in the children’s eyes, we knew we had had invest in it.”

• Two couples who prefer to remain anonymous

“We made the decision to give this gift in honor of Glenda Noel-Ney, Overture’s VP of Advancement, and Tim Sauers, VP of Programming and Community Engagement, for their dedication to the arts throughout their careers, and their tremendous influence on making Overture this wonderful place to be introduced to, experience and enjoy the arts,” commented the anonymous couple who donated in the names of Noel-Ney and Sauers. “It is vital to the well-being of a community to ensure the arts are accessible to as many people as possible, and Glenda and Tim work tirelessly towards this at Overture, through outreach, engagement and arts programming in diverse forms and for all ages. As we see it, they are the legends – not us.”

“The main reason we made the donation is that we were able to at this moment in our lives and we think the Overture is a beautiful space that everyone should be able to enjoy,” commented one of this year’s Local Legends couples, who will remain anonymous. “We are hoping our donation will make it possible for those that might otherwise not have the opportunity, to be able to do so.”

The campaign grew last season with last year’s five Local Legends – Jim and Sue Bakke, Diane Ballweg, Jim Imhoff and Kitty Kuhl, Jonathan and Susan Lipp and Tom and Peggy Pyle – who challenged Overture’s fundraising efforts with a $500,000 total match of individual and corporate philanthropic gifts.

Previous Years’ Local Legends:

• 2015 – Ron and Deborah Krantz and an anonymous donor in honor of Ted & Gail DeDee
• 2014 – Joe and Mary Ellyn Sensenbrenner and Bea and Lau Christensen
• 2013 – MG&E Foundation, Kelly Family Foundation and Dianne Christensen

“The Local Legends program, now in its fifth year, is part of Overture’s Spring fundraising program where generous individuals, families and corporations have each pledged $100,000 as a match to contributions of any denomination from the Madison area community,” said Ted DeDee, Overture’s President and CEO. “All money raised in this Local Legends Match campaign, which runs through June 15th, supports Overture’s free and low-cost programs throughout the year. To date, twelve Local Legends have made this significant commitment. And now, five new Local Legends have just pledged their extremely powerful financial support in order that the contributions of others are doubled.”  DeDee concluded, “We couldn’t be more grateful for the meaningful gifts of our Local Legends and the resounding response of our entire community.”

To qualify for the match, gifts may be made by individuals or businesses and designated to the Overture Annual Fund or in support of a community program. Performance or program sponsorships will not be counted toward the match.

In 2012, Overture Center became a private non-profit organization, continuing its mission to engage the community in the arts and ensure access to the arts for all, regardless of their social or economic standing.

OVERTURE CENTER FOR THE ARTS in Madison, Wisconsin features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and five galleries where national and international touring artists, ten resident companies and hundreds of local artists engage people in nearly seven hundred thousand educational and artistic experiences each year. Overture.org  

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Starion Bank donates to local charities, organizations

In 2016, Starion Bank donated nearly $1.02 million to local charities and organizations in the Wisconsin and North Dakota communities it serves.

During the year, major donations were given to Dane County organizations including Attic Angel Association, American Cancer Society Coaches vs. Cancer, Madison Winter Festival, Madison Opera and the Second Harvest Foodbank.

“Giving back to the community is a core value of Starion Bank,” explained Craig Larson, CEO and chairman of the board for Starion. “These organizations help make the community strong and vibrant. Starion is proud to support so many groups that share our mission to build a better community.”

The bank also supports its employees’ work to make a difference in the community. “As a supercommunity bank, we believe it’s important to support our employees and their volunteer efforts. It’s an honor to work with individuals who care so much about making the community a better place to live and work,” added Larson.

About Starion Bank

Starion Bank is a $1.2 billion family-owned community bank with a full line of commercial, personal and mortgage banking services. Started in Oakes, N.D., in 1969, Starion opened in the Madison area in 2006 and has three locations: 1651 John Q. Hammons Drive, Middleton; 5900 Gisholt Drive, Monona; and 350 South Grand Avenue, Sun Prairie. The bank has 12 branches in North Dakota.

Online

• www.starionbank.com
• www.facebook.com/starionbank

Conney Safety Products Donates Gas Detection Units to UW Hockey Teams

MADISON, WI – January 12, 2017 – Conney Safety Products made a donation of portable gas detection units to the University of Wisconsin men’s and women’s Hockey teams after hearing about their exposure to elevated levels of carbon monoxide (CO) during a recent away game in Wentzville, Missouri.

On hand to accept the gas detection units were UW Hockey athletic trainers Dennis Helwig and Andy Hrodey. “We appreciate Conney Safety’s generous offer of providing gas detection units for our teams,” stated Dennis Helwig, Assistant AD, University of Wisconsin Women’s Hockey Team. “After our recent experience this will offer a good sense of relief to our athletes knowing that such a unit can be with us at all times.”

The portable gas detection units will help the teams to identify potential hazardous environments when playing at ice arenas on-the-road or at home.

According to the CDC, incomplete fuel combustion by ice resurfacers is the most likely source of elevated CO and poisonings in ice arenas but can be prevented through regular maintenance of ice resurfacers, installation of CO detectors, and provision of adequate ventilation.

About Conney Safety Products
Conney Safety Products, a division of WESCO Distribution, Inc., celebrates 70 years in the safety industry and is one of the largest major distributors in the U.S. that specializes in the distribution of safety products and provides safety support services and solutions for the manufacturing, construction and commercial industries. For more information visit Conney.com or call 800-356-9100.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Fineran
Conney Safety Products
jfineran@conney.com
3202 Latham Drive
Madison, WI 53744
Direct: 608-288-5802

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Seeking Donation Sites for Movers for Moms® Essential Care Item Drive in April 2017

Madison, Wis. – Each year, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® hosts its annual Movers for Moms® donation drive as a way of honoring all moms. Essential care items like toothpaste, diapers and toiletries are collected and donated to moms who are in shelter at Mother’s Day. 

In 2016, more than 83 businesses across Dane and Rock County generously acted as donation locations, collecting 20,000 items to benefit moms in shelter. The 2017 drive will run from April 5 through May 12, with collection of boxes with donations the Wednesday before Mother’s Day. Donations are collected and will be delivered to YWCA Madison and YWCA of Rock County the Friday before Mother’s Day.
 
To make this year’s drive even more successful, the company is seeking donation locations in the community. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK? employees deliver branded boxes shortly before the drive begins plus posters and window clings, and takes care of all campaign promotion. If you are interested in becoming a donation location, please contact Michael Fiez at Michael.Fiez@twomen.com. Participating businesses receive inclusion in all PR and promotion, and opportunities for media interviews.
 
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® franchises across the country will all take part in the campaign because so many women struggle with domestic violence. According to information from The National Domestic Abuse Hotline, one in four women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is proud to support women and families experiencing crisis, and want to make this Mother’s Day rewarding for every Mom. You can help make a difference in the lives of countless women who are reclaiming their lives, and make their Mother’s Day special once again.  
 
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the largest franchised moving company both in the United States and internationally. The company operates 298 locations and 2,100 trucks. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® has performed more than five million moves since its inception in 1985. Each location is independently owned and operated. 

The Madison, Wis., location was started in 1993 and since then has given back well over $1 million in donations and services to charitable organizations in the community. Contact the Madison, Wis., TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® at (608) 278-0800, info0029@twomen.com, or visit twomenandatruckmadisonwi.com.

Contact:  
Phone:   
Email:      Michael.Fiez@twomen.com