ImpactLife: Weather Alert: Snow and Ice Leading to Canceled Blood Drives, Lost Donations

More than 400 donations canceled on Feb. 12; total for the month exceeds 550

Concern over canceled blood drives and missed appointments for blood donation is growing as a winter storm moves across large portions of the ImpactLife service region. Snow and ice accumulation has canceled 19 ImpactLife blood drives so far on Wed., Feb. 12, and the blood center projects it will see approximately 100 fewer donors at its Donor Centers. Total losses for the day will exceed 400 donations, adding to a total of at least 550 donations lost to weather-related cancellations so far this month.

ImpactLife asks all eligible donors who can safely travel to a nearby mobile blood drive or Donor Center location to help make up for lost donations. To find a donor center or mobile blood drive, call (800) 747-5401, or book online at www.bloodcenter.org, or via the ImpactLife mobile app (www.bloodcenter.org/app). 

Schedule Now!

Donor Rewards

All donors will receive a voucher to redeem for their choice of an electronic gift card, a charitable donation, or points to redeem in the Rewards Store. For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org/now.

• DONOR CENTER BONUS: Through February 23, donors who give at donor center locations receive a $20 value or 1,000 points increase. (Values remain the same for donors who give at mobile blood drives.)
• WHOLE BLOOD: $20 gift card or $20 donation or 1,000 points
• DOUBLE RED CELL DONATION: $25 gift card or $25 donation or 1,500 points
• PLATELET APHERESIS OR PLASMA: $30 or $30 donation or 2,000 points

February is Heart Health Awareness Month; Blood Donors Make a Difference!

Blood transfusions are needed or ongoing patient care at hospitals across our region. During February’s Heart Health Awareness Month, ImpactLife is reminding blood donors of the lifesaving impact blood transfusions can make for patients with heart disease. Renee Brown, a critical care nurse with who works with cardiac patients at Carle Health Methodist Hospital, says it is “amazing to watch” the improvement heart patients can experience after receiving a blood transfusion.

Renee Brown (Manager, Critical Care with Carle Health)

Learn more in the blood center’s Heart Month news release and social media toolkit.

About ImpactLife 

ImpactLife’s mission is to save lives by engaging donors, supporting partners, and advancing medicine. Founded in 1974, ImpactLife supplies blood products and services to hundreds of hospitals, emergency services organizations, clinical researchers, and other blood centers throughout Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Missouri. The nonprofit blood provider is ranked among the leading 12 blood suppliers in the United States. For more information on current blood inventory levels, our donor promotions, and more, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

For more information on blood inventories and donor promotions, visit www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

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Bank of Sun Prairie Named 2024 WBF Financial Education Innovation Award Winner

Wisconsin Bankers Foundation Recognizes Initiative of Bank of Sun Prairie and St. Vincent de Paul 

The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation (WBF) is pleased to announce that Bank of Sun Prairie has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Financial Education Innovation Award. The award was presented on February 6, 2025, at the largest banking industry event in the state, the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) Bank Executives Conference, in Milwaukee.

“It is important to raise awareness that when unexpected expenses hit, banks offer much better alternatives to high-interest payday loans,” said Rose Oswald Poels, WBF chair and WBA president and CEO. “Bank of Sun Prairie’s partnership with St. Vincent de Paul is an outstanding program that connects people who are experiencing financial hardship with resources to get them back on solid financial footing.”

Bank of Sun Prairie has created a unique partnership with St. Vincent de Paul in Madison to provide microloans of around $500–$2,500. The program not only helps borrowers avoid costly payday or title loans, it also comes with financial literacy support. Participants are coached each month to help them find ways to make the minimum payment. One recipient, Terri, was able to pay off her car title loan and secure a low-interest loan with the bank. Terri’s monthly payment dropped from $437/month at 305% interest to $74/month at 5% interest, and she could afford to stay in her new apartment rather than become unhoused. The program also connects people with the bank’s Fresh Start Checking Accounts, which can help those who have had challenges with using and keeping a checking account in the past to move forward.

The WBF Financial Education Innovation Award is a prestigious category of the WBF Excellence in Financial Education Awards. Submissions for the 2024 WBF Excellence in Financial Education Awards encompassed over 900 financial education presentations — including Teach Children to Save Day presentations, homeownership workshops, and elder financial abuse prevention seminars, among other initiatives — given by more than 400 Wisconsin bank employees, reaching approximately 30,000 Wisconsin community members.

Capitol Bank: Ken Thompson Honored as 2024 Wisconsin Banker of the Year

Capitol Bank is delighted to announce that Executive Chairman of the Board Ken Thompson has been named the 2024 Wisconsin Banker’s Association Banker of the Year. This prestigious award recognizes exceptional leadership, innovation, and dedication to advancing the banking profession and supporting the communities served by banks. Recipients are individuals who have demonstrated significant contributions to their institutions, fostered growth, and resilience in their organizations, and upheld the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. The award also highlights the recipient’s commitment to community involvement, their role in driving economic development, philanthropic efforts, and fostering financial literacy.

“Ken Thompson is a true community banker at heart”, said Justin Hart, CEO of Capitol Bank. “He has played an instrumental leadership role in the business growth and expansion of the Bank’s footprint. In his 29 years at Capitol Bank, he has worked tirelessly to develop relationships and bring in new customers to grow the Bank.”

“Ken’s unwavering commitment to the banking industry, coupled with his extensive non-profit involvement in the greater Madison area, make him an exemplary recipient of this award”, said Ami Myrland, President and CFO of Capitol Bank. “His contributions through the WBA and his tireless work in the community have significantly impacted local businesses, enhanced economic growth, and strengthened the financial wellness of his fellow Wisconsinites.”

Ken was honored at the 2025 WBA Executive Conference on February 6, 2025, in Milwaukee.

About Capitol Bank: Capitol Bank, locally owned and operated, is committed to serving the communities in which we live, work, and do business. We are proud of the partnerships we have established with organizations, businesses, and individuals in the Greater Madison area. Our philosophy of community support is demonstrated at the corporate level, as well as in the time and energy our employees devote to our community each year. Capitol Bank is Member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender.

OPEN Foundation: Queer Empowerment Hour: Quiet Leadership

Join us for an empowering session with Maggie Conrad (she/her) of Little Light Solutions, LLC, as she explores how LGBTQ+ professionals can lead authentically and create meaningful change in their workplaces. Whether you’re an emerging leader or an established professional, this workshop will provide actionable insights on advocating for inclusivity, building equity, and leading by example—no matter your job title.

What You’ll Learn:
Strategies to influence workplace culture as your authentic self
Tools to advocate for inclusive policies and practices
How to lead with quiet confidence and purpose

This event is perfect for LGBTQ+ professionals, allies, and anyone passionate about fostering equitable and inclusive environments.

About the Event:
This event will feature an engaging workshop followed by a live Q&A session designed to help queer professionals lead authentically and drive positive change in their workplaces. While the workshop will be recorded for future reference, the Q&A will not be, ensuring a safe space for open discussions, meaningful connections, and community building.

About the Speaker:
Maggie Conrad (she/her) is a seasoned operations manager and consultant with over a decade of experience leading teams and hiring talent. As the founder of Little Light Solutions, she empowers queer leaders to create positive change, foster inclusive environments, and lead authentically.

Hosted By:
OPEN Foundation in collaboration with Little Light Solutions, LLC

Carnelian Art Gallery to Host First Exhibition of the Year

CONTACT: EMILIE HEIDEMANN
MARKETING DIRECTOR
EMAIL: EHEIDEMANNCAG@GMAIL.COM
PHONE: 920-763-6980

Carnelian Art Gallery to Host First Exhibition of the Year

MADISON, Wisconsin, Feb. 4 – Carnelian Art Gallery, located at 221 King St., Suite 102, in downtown Madison, is pleased to announce its first art exhibition of the year, titled “Finding Color In the Chaos.” The show will kick off with an opening reception at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 7, at the gallery. As always, light refreshments will be served.

Participating artists include Carnelian Art Gallery’s own curator and owner Evan Bradbury, as well as Wisconsin artists Jen Dunlop a.ka. “Jen Sky Art,” Matthew Braunginn, Denise Presnell and James Ackerman.

New this year, “Finding Color In the Chaos” will include a live painting session by Jen Dunlop, as well as poetry readings by Emilie Heidemann, Carnelian Art Gallery’s marketing director. The two worked together over the winter months to create a book, titled “The Secret Realm,” that’s a
collection of poems written in response to 10 of Dunlop’s artworks to be displayed as part of the exhibition. This type of call and response art is called ekphrastic art, a rising trend in Madison’s art scene.

The live painting session is set to commence at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 7, along with the poetry readings. Heidemann will read five or so poems from “The Secret Realm.” Signed hardcover copies of “The Secret Realm” will be available for purchase at the opening reception and beyond. The price for each book is $25.

“I am delighted to have worked with Jen to put together ‘The Secret Realm,'” said Heidemann. “This book marks not only a celebration of ourselves as artists, but commemorates Carnelian Art Gallery’s one-year anniversary of operations in Madison. There are no words for the amount of gratitude I feel toward the Carnelian Art Gallery team for letting us spread our wings and bring this idea to fruition.

“‘Finding Color In the Chaos’ is a beautiful metaphor for finding joy when things seem bleak. Whether you attend this exhibition’s opening reception, stop by to see it during Carnelian Art Gallery’s regular hours or set up an appointment to privately view artworks from the show, doing so will be good for your soul.”

“I can’t believe Carnelian Art Gallery has been in business for almost one year,” said Bradbury. “I want to send a huge thank you to our supporters, partners and the City of Madison for helping us grow. ‘Finding Color In the Chaos’ is a show you won’t want to miss. Please join us.”

About the artists
Bradbury, when he’s not heading up operations at Carnelian Art Gallery, enjoys “making a mess” while painting. He primarily works with acrylic paints, inks, sprays and gouaches to achieve his distinctive abstract style. Bradbury enjoys working on canvases small and large. He’s from the Madison area.

Creating art has been a constant companion for Dunlop. The Madison artist has created a series of abstract paintings using tissue paper, glue and iridescent acrylic paints. Her personal mantra is “paint just to paint.” She hopes to capture enchanted beauty, mystery and intrigue one brushstroke at a time. It’s a spiritual practice for her.

Braunginn, of Madison, is an emerging abstract expressionist painter. His abstract paintings express complex emotions and experiences. Braunginn mainly uses acrylic paints on wood and standard canvases to achieve each color’s deep yet vibrant opacity, as well as each distinguished pattern. Some of Braunginn’s paintings depict rounded shapes, while others sharply study three dimensional perspectives. Even more are circular.

Presnell, of Sheboygan, is a painter and mixed media artist. Her current work has evolved into a type of surrealism through biomorphic shapes, according to her website. The shapes arise from intuitive gestural drawing. She never has a plan. Presnell instead trusts her sense of color and composition to arrive at something new. Spontaneity is key for her process.

Ackerman, of Middleton, is an abstract expressionist artist examining the interaction of lines, shapes and color, according to his website. Painting abstracts can be compared to designing and assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle, he writes. Ackerman’s paintings usually begin unplanned, sometimes with a general idea or color combination. Then, he adds and subtracts different elements until they evolve into a more definitive composition.