WPS Health Insurance adds new maternity program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
DeAnne Boegli
Vice President of Communications
608-512-5754
deanne.boegli@wpsic.com

WPS Health Insurance adds new maternity program
Additional case management services help pregnant customers

MADISON, Wis.—April 10, 2023— WPS Health Insurance introduces a new case management program for pregnant customers. Because of the strong relationship between parents’ health and their infants’ health, the maternity program is designed to support customers during and after pregnancy with the goal of improved health outcomes for parents and their infants.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 10 babies are born too early in the United States. By providing access to health care resources and identifying the risks for preterm births (labor that happens before 37 weeks of pregnancy), these risks can be reduced.  

By helping customers manage preexisting conditions that could cause pregnancy complications, WPS can help parents and babies be healthier. The Maternity Program can: 

• Help customers understand their health care benefits 
• Help customers better manage their personal health care needs and risk factors during pregnancy and following delivery 
• Inform customers about community and technical resources that can help meet their individual needs 
• Support optimal maternal and infant outcomes by promoting evidence-based perinatal care 
• Reduce preterm births by lowering risk factors and providing access to educational tools for perinatal care
• Reduce neonatal intensive care (NICU) admissions for infants 
• Eliminate barriers for receiving health care 

Kimberlee Alton, R.N., and Debra Hartwig, R.N., are WPS Nurse Care Managers who support and educate customers to manage their health care needs and conditions. Through the Maternity Program, they are working hand in hand with the customers enrolled. They are available to provide perinatal education, community resources, clarity, and understanding around health insurance benefits, as well as to support optimal maternal and infant outcomes by promoting evidence-based perinatal care. 

“Many of our customers have expressed appreciation for the Maternity Program. They find it beneficial to form a relationship with a nurse case manager throughout their pregnancy and can continue with this program after their baby is born. Customers can also opt-out of the program at any time,” Kimberlee said.

Pregnant members of any WPS individual or group health plan that includes Case Management services may participate in the Maternity Program at no extra cost. Customers can confirm if their plan includes this benefit by calling the number on their WPS ID card.   

Customers interested in learning more or enrolling can contact 800-333-5003 or visit wps.health/maternity.

About WPS Health Insurance^®

As one of the largest health benefits providers in the state, Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Insurance) offers a variety of services and coverage with Preferred Provider Organization health plans for individuals and groups, third-party administrator services, and Medicare supplement insurance plans. Headquartered in Madison, Wis., and with employees throughout the state, WPS Health Insurance is deeply committed to Wisconsin and its residents. Visit wpshealth.com for more information.

About WPS Health Plan^®

WPS Health Plan, Inc. (WPS Health Plan) is a local, customer-focused choice in a crowd of national health insurance giants. Based in Green Bay, Wis., WPS Health Plan continues its tradition of Wisconsin-based service and is always looking for ways to make owning and using health insurance easier. WPS Health Plan offers Health Maintenance Organization and Point-of-Service plans to the group and individual markets in eastern and north-central Wisconsin, plus third-party administrator services. Visit wpshealth.com/healthplan for more information.

Wisconsin Union Theater: Danish String Quarter, an Ensemble Playing for the Love of Music with a Foundation of True Friendship, Will Perform in Madison on April 18

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 7, 2023   

Contact Information:
Shauna Breneman, Communications Director
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-8862

DOWNLOAD PHOTOS: https://www.kirshbaumassociates.com/artist.php?id=danishstringquartet&aview=dpk#photos

READ RELEASE ONLINE: union.wisc.edu/about/news/danish-string-quartet

DANISH STRING QUARTET, AN ENSEMBLE PLAYING FOR THE LOVE OF MUSIC WITH A FOUNDATION OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP, WILL PERFORM IN MADISON ON APRIL 18

MADISON – Patrons will experience how 20 years of friendship and a shared love of music translates on stage as the Wisconsin Union Theater team concludes its 2022-23 Concert Series with a performance by string ensemble the Danish String Quartet on April 18 at 7:30 p.m. CDT at Shannon Hall in Memorial Union and at an online broadcast.

Violinists Frederik Øland and Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen, violist Asbjørn Nørgaard, and cellist Fredrik Schøyen Sjölin will perform String Quartet No. 12 In C Minor, D. 703,  “Quartettsatz” written by Franz Schubert in 1820; String Quartet in G minor, Op. 20, No. 3 written by Franz Joseph Haydn in 1772; String Quartet No. 7 in F-sharp minor, Op. 108 written by Dimitri Shostakovich in 1960; and Three Divertimenti for String Quartet by Benjamin Britten in 1936. Following intermission, the group will play traditional and contemporary Danish folk music, which it will announce during the performance.

In-person and virtual tickets are available online, at the Memorial Union Box Office, or by calling (608) 265-2787. University of Wisconsin–Madison students, staff and faculty, Wisconsin Union members, as well as audience members under the age of 18, can purchase discounted tickets.

Øland, Sørensen, and Nørgaard met as teenagers at a week-long summer music camp in the countryside of Denmark, becoming quick friends. Sjölin joined the group of friends in playing music in 2007. After forming their friendship, they met together to play for fun throughout the year.

“I think one of the strengths of this quartet, and I believe a lot of quartets, but this quartet, in particular, is that, as you say, we’re built on a very strong friendship because it grew out of a friendship,” Øland said in an interview with BBC Radio 3 in 2014. “We share the same passion for the quartet.”

In planning their programs, the group makes a point to only select music they enjoy playing. This joy consistently translates in dynamic ways to their audience. Nørgaard describes this approach as an evolution in their repertoire; in the beginning, they would often perform compositions that teachers told them to play and pieces that they felt they had to play. Now, they listen to one another’s ideas in a democratic decision-making process and ultimately decide on programming based on the love of playing music.

In a collective message to their supporters, they said, “Yes, playing string quartets is our job, and yes, it is hard work, but we mostly do it for pleasure, like we always did. Music is a way to hang out with friends, and we hope we can continue to hang out for many, many years.”

Madison area community members and visitors can also attend a free studio class 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on April 18 in Shannon Hall at Memorial Union during which UW–Madison students will perform in front of members of the Danish String Quartet and receive feedback. Patrons do not need tickets to attend the class.

The Wisconsin Union Theater 2022-23 season will conclude on May 4 with a performance by jazz singer and 2023 GRAMMY winner Samara Joy. While in-person tickets for this event are sold out, guests can still purchase tickets to enjoy a live, online broadcast of Joy’s performance.

Patrons can visit the Wisconsin Union Theater website to learn more about the performance and studio class featuring the Danish String Quartet. 

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About the Wisconsin Union Theater

For more than 80 years, the Wisconsin Union Theater has served as a center for cultural activity in the heart of the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. The Theater hosts performances in multiple locations, including Memorial Union, and has an extensive history of remarkable performances. The Wisconsin Union Theater is committed to social justice and works to create an equitable, diverse, and inclusive place for all who engage with the Theater’s programming, events, and activities. The Wisconsin Union Theater is part of the Wisconsin Union, a membership organization that blends study and leisure to create unique out-of-classroom opportunities. Learn more: union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-union-theater.

About the Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee

The Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee is part of the Wisconsin Union’s leadership development program for UW–Madison students and supports the Wisconsin Union Theater’s mission of serving students through the performing arts. By helping to program the Theater’s annual season of performing arts presentations, the students learn about program curation, relationship-building, marketing, communications, budgeting, and production. Learn more: union.wisc.edu/get-involved/wud/performing-arts.

Beyond Words Productions: Art of Video Storytelling Workshop

Breakfast With Benefits – Morning Mixer (Virtual)

Numbers 4 Nonprofits

Tuesday, May 9, 2023, from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM

RSVP: becca@numbers4nonprofits.com

Morning Mixer invites you to meet and mix with presenters and fellow attendees. The topic for May is “The Art of Video Storytelling” with Jamie Perez, Chief Storyteller at Beyond Words Productions. Numbers 4 Nonprofits hosts the Breakfast With Benefits series to allow nonprofit staff to get together, share ideas, and learn from presenters on current topics affecting nonprofits. RSVP to the email listed above. 

Kraus-Anderson begins $21 million renovation project for Ladysmith School District

LADYSMITH, Wis. (April 2023) – The Madison office of Kraus-Anderson (KA) has begun an extensive $21 million renovation project for the School District of Ladysmith in Ladysmith, Wis.

Designed by Bray Architects, the district-wide project at the middle school and high school features a 22,000-square-foot remodel of academic classrooms, a 10,131-square-foot gym expansion, 2,764-square-foot media center addition, building systems replacements, security upgrades, ADA improvements and a new roof.  The project also includes new parking lots, new bleachers and LED lights at the football field, and new dugouts at the softball field.  Site improvements are also being completed for better water drainage.

An addition, a new roof will be replaced at Ladysmith’s elementary school. 

“In 2021, KA completed an educational adequacy and facility study, along with facilitating a community task force to help build the district’s referendum plan,” said John Huenink, Kraus-Anderson’s vice president and director of education construction. “ KA also supported the School District of Ladysmith in its information campaign for an April 2022 referendum, which was successful.”

Construction is expected to be completed in summer of 2024.

About Kraus-Anderson

Established in 1897, Kraus-Anderson (www.krausanderson.com) is an integrated construction management and real estate development enterprise working independently and in collaboration with a family of companies, including insurance, mortgage and realty operations. KA continues to lead the field of regional education construction projects and is currently ranked 20th in the nation in the construction of K-12 facilities by Building Design and Construction magazine.  Over the past five years, KA has completed over $1 billion in K-12 projects. KA’s comprehensive school construction services include facility analysis and budget approaches, leading to informed and successful referendum initiatives.  Kraus-Anderson, an EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability employer, is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. and has regional offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wis., Bismarck, N.D., and Duluth, Bemidji and Rochester Minn.

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Dane Buy Local: Soup’s On! Recap

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5, 2023

Available for interviews
Colin Murray, Executive Director of Dane Buy Local
2801 International Lane, Suite 110
Madison, WI 53704
(608) 712-3440
colin@danebuylocal.com
www.danebuylocal.com

Madison, WI – Dane Buy Local is thrilled to announce another successful Soups On! season. This community-supported program generated $89,892 November 2022 through March 2023, selling 6,095 quarts of soup and 440 packs of FEED Bakery cookies.

“Soups On! has been a staple of the Dane County community for the past three years, and we are proud to support local businesses through this initiative. We saw a fantastic turnout and are grateful for the community support which makes it a success,” states Colin Murray, executive director of Dane Buy Local.

“I’m fortunate to interact with both Soup’s On! participants and purchasers throughout the season,” says Amy Johnson, publisher of Madison Locally Sourced. “Participants appreciate the extra support during what is a usually slower sales period and purchasers get to eat delicious soup and learn about new dining opportunities. It’s a lot of fun and a real win-win experience.”

By purchasing food from local artisans, community members not only support local businesses, but they also contribute to the local economy. This program showcases incredible talent and culinary expertise, and we hope will continue for years to come.

Thank you to Soups On! volunteers Lisa Abler, Jeff Affeldt, Chris Brock, Amy Johnson, Lauri Lee, and Colin Murray, and sponsors Arcus Communication, Bunky’s Catering, The Cap Times, Communication Concepts, Dane Buy Local, FEED Kitchens, Madison Locally Sourced, and Ulla Eyewear. Another shout out to participants Ancora Cafe + Bakery‒Maple Bluff, Banzo, Beef Butter BBQ, Bunky’s Catering, Cadre, Cafe Costa Rica, Cambridge Market Cafe, The Deliciouser, FEED Bakery, Green Owl Cafe, Jolly Frog, Kingdom Restaurant, LT’s Aloha Wagon, Madame Chu Delicacies, Melly Mel’s Soul Food, Migrants, North and South Seafood & Smokehouse‒Verona, Paoli Schoolhouse American Bistro, Rookie’s Food & Spirits, Rude Brew Kombucha, Soups I Did It Again, Teddywedgers, and Ugly Apple Cafe. And, most importantly, a heartfelt thanks to the supportive community members.

We look forward to seeing you again in November!

Dane Buy Local is affiliated with the Local Business Institute (LBI) and is part of a growing national movement of communities rallying to support their independent businesses and ensuring the opportunity to operate an independent business endures. Dane Buy Local creates a sustainable, vital local economy through collaboration, education, and promotion, as a non-profit member organization.

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