ImpactLife eyeing losses due to winter storms

Hazardous travel conditions across portions of the ImpactLife service region are taking a toll on our region’s blood supply. Winter weather has forced the cancellation of numerous blood drives, with many donors unable to keep scheduled appointments at ImpactLife Donor Centers as well.

Nearly 600 donations are estimated to have been lost due to the storm as of the afternoon of Wednesday, January 10. ImpactLife is seeking additional donors to help ensure the blood center’s ability to provide for local hospitals. Donors may find a nearby Donor Center or mobile blood drive by calling (800) 747-5401, or schedule online at www.bloodcenter.org, or with the ImpactLife mobile app (www.bloodcenter.org/app).

“Patient care never stops, and that means the use of blood remains constant even as we see canceled blood drives and missed appointments due to the snowstorm,” said Amanda Hess, Vice President, Donor Relations and Marketing. “We are urging all potential donors who can travel safely to please schedule an appointment and help ensure our ability to meet patient needs for local hospitals and beyond.”

To thank donors who give blood during January’s National Blood Donor Month, ImpactLife is providing all presenting donors a voucher to redeem for the donor’s choice of an electronic gift card, 500 bonus points to use in the Donor Rewards Store, or an equivalent donation to the National Forest Foundation. (Learn more at www.bloodcenter.org/now.)

About ImpactLife

ImpactLife is a nonprofit community organization providing blood services to more than 120 hospitals and emergency medical service providers in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, as well as resource sharing partners across the country. Services extend from southcentral Wisconsin to St. Louis, Missouri and from Danville, Illinois to Chariton, Iowa. (See a map of the ImpactLife service region.) ImpactLife operates 23 Donor Centers and holds approximately 5000 mobile blood drives annually to provide blood components needed for patient transfusions at hospitals throughout our region.

For more information on blood inventories and donor promotions, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat.

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Weichert, Realtors® – Great Day Group and Weichert, Realtors® – Lakepoint Sponsor Christmas Light Parade in Baraboo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Evan Roeser
Franchise Communications Specialist
Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc.
Phone: (973) 401-5578
Email: ERoeser@weichertrealtors.net

Tuesday, January 02, 2024

Weichert, Realtors® – Great Day Group and Weichert, Realtors® – Lakepoint Sponsor Christmas Light Parade in Baraboo

Baraboo, Wisc. – Weichert, Realtors® – Great Day Group and Weichert, Realtors® – Lakepoint, two of South-Central Wisconsin’s premier real estate brokerages, teamed together to help brighten up downtown Baraboo over the holiday season by sponsoring the city’s Christmas Light Parade.

The downtown streets of Baraboo came alive as a spectacle of glittering lighted floats, equestrian units, marching bands, and novelty units made their way past the large crowds. This year’s parade theme of “Downtown Dreamland” gave everyone in attendance memories of dreamy Christmas morning feelings of waking up and running to see a glistening Christmas tree with presents underneath.

Agents from both Weichert, Realtors® – Great Day Group and Weichert, Realtors® – Lakepoint handed out candy and free hot cider to parade attendees outside the Weichert, Realtors® – Great Day Group office, located on 4th Street in downtown Baraboo.

Judy Weiland made a flashy appearance in the parade riding in a Weichert, Realtors® – Great Day Group convertible covered in Christmas lights, while Rob Grether of Weichert, Realtors® – Lakepoint walked alongside the Weichert® mascot, Kurt the Bear.

“Our team is grateful for the opportunity to be part of this amazing parade,” said Rob Grether, broker of Weichert, Realtors® – Great Day Group and Weichert, Realtors® – Lakepoint. “We are proud to support events like this that bring our community together and spread joy.”

Weichert, Realtors® – Great Day Group and Weichert, Realtors® – Lakepoint are independently owned and operated Weichert® affiliates.

For more information about Weichert, Realtors® – Great Day Group, located at 203 4th Street in Baraboo, call 608-356-0120 or visit www.greatdaybrokers.com.        

For more information about Weichert, Realtors® – Lakepoint, located at 2045 Atwood Avenue, Suite 105 in Madison, call 608-721-8002 or visit www.weichert-lakepoint.com.

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About Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc.: Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. is a top real estate franchisor established in 2001 by Jim Weichert, president, chairman and CEO of Weichert Companies, which has been in operation since 1969. The company provides a clearly defined business model for operating, managing, and marketing a real estate brokerage, along with industry-leading technology, marketing tools, and coaching. Its first affiliate opened in 2002, and the franchise network has since grown to over 370 offices, serving markets in over 40 states. The company has been named one of the top traditional residential real estate franchises by Entrepreneur magazine for 19 straight years and identified by Franchise Business Review as a top franchise for owner satisfaction eight years in a row. For more information about Weichert, visit Weichert.com. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit WeichertFranchise.com.

Each Weichert® franchised office is independently owned and operated.

Documents and/or Photos available for this release:

To view supporting documents and/or photos, go to www.enr-corp.com/pressroom and enter Release ID: 444386

Old National Bank: Will deposit rates come down in 2024?

Whether you are reading the comments made by the Jerome Powell or listening to other financial analysts, one thing seems clear- interest rates will fall in 2024.  This is good news for borrowers but bad news for those who keep money on deposit in their banks.

Now is the time to lock into our high yield deposit rates. Stop by the office, email jeff.boudreau@oldnational.com or call me at 608-354-0126 to learn more.

Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce: Applications are Open for 2024 Business Leadership Academy

We’re excited to share that applications are now open to be a part of the 2024 Business Leadership Academy! 

This interactive, ten-month experience develops and strengthens the skills of existing and emerging LGBTQ and allied leaders in the workplace by providing quality and transformative programming. Our 2024 Program will be a monthly in-person gathering in Milwaukee (with option for virtual participation), meeting from February to November on the second Tuesday of each month from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Applications are open and are due on January 5, 2024. Click here to apply to be a part of our 2024 Class of the Business Leadership Academy.

You can find out more about the program in the below or online here. This is a truly rewarding program that can help set you up for the next move in your career.

Wisconsin Union: Winter-Themed Event Series Winter Carnival Brings Back Community Favorite Activities, Debuts New Events Feb. 7-10, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 13, 2023

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

Read release online: union.wisc.edu/about/news/wintercarnival2024

WINTER-THEMED EVENT SERIES WINTER CARNIVAL BRINGS BACK COMMUNITY FAVORITE ACTIVITIES, DEBUTS NEW EVENTS FEB. 7-10, 2024

MADISON – The Wisconsin Union’s winter-themed event series, called Winter Carnival, will make its return to Madison for its 84th year Feb. 7-10, 2024, bringing with it both indoor and outdoor winter-themed activities, including the appearance of a beloved Carnival tradition: Lady Liberty on Lake Mendota.

The Winter Carnival lineup currently includes:

• Feb. 7
  • Curling
  • Open ice skating
  • $1 cheese curds
  • Family ice skating and games night
• Feb. 8
  • Open ice skating
  • New: Taylor Swift music ice skating night
  • Ice fishing derby presented by the Wisconsin Fishing Team in partnership with the Wisconsin Union
  • University Recreation & Wellbeing’s Connolly Classic Pond Hockey Tournament, open to University of Wisconsin–Madison students only
• Feb. 9
  • Inflatable replica of the Statue of Liberty’s head, arm and torch on Lake Mendota
  • Open ice skating        
  • Learn to Skate, instructed by University Recreation & Wellbeing
  • New: Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games tournament, presented by University Recreation & Wellbeing
  • New: Winter Beats: a rhythm game challenge
  • Luminary-making
  • Nighttime snowshoeing on Lake Mendota
  • Snow Ball: live music, dancing, and swing dancing instruction
  • Introductory ice climbing
• Feb. 10
  • Inflatable replica of the Statue of Liberty’s head, arm and torch on Lake Mendota
  • Fireworks
  • Skiing and snowboarding competition, called Rail Jam
  • Maple taffy-making
  • Scavenger hunt, called Secret Agent
  • New: Valentine’s Day and kindness greeting card-making as well as hot chocolate
  • New: snow shelter viewing
  • Family Fun in Alumni Park, presented by the Wisconsin Alumni Association, featuring family-friendly activities
  • Ice and alley games: curling, human bowling and cornhole
  • New: sock snowperson-making
  • New: mini horses photo opportunities and meet-and-greet
  • Open ice skating
  • Limited-time menu options for purchase: mac and cheese as well as chili
  • Viewing of the 39-foot iceboat, called the Mary B, built in 1945 in Madison

Most Winter Carnival events are free and open to the community. The event lineup is subject to change, including due to weather conditions. Some events include age restrictions, a registration requirement or other limitations.

“Winter is too long to not get outside and make the most of the season, and Winter Carnival is an opportunity to experience lots of winter fun and find out what you enjoy while making memories,” Outdoor UW Director Dave Elsmo said. “When an event series lineup includes an inflatable Statue of Liberty head and torch, a Taylor Swift-themed ice skating event, and ponies, you know it’s something you have to check out.”

2024 will mark the 84th year the Wisconsin Union team has hosted Winter Carnival. Each year, the team works with UW–Madison students and community partners to make the winter celebration series possible.

One historic Winter Carnival event brings an iconic New York City destination to Madison: the Statue of Liberty. The Wisconsin Union team brings out a to-scale, inflatable replica of the Statue of Liberty’s head, arm and torch to frozen Lake Mendota each year. The Lady Liberty tradition began in 1979 with a prank by the Pail and Shovel Party members and UW–Madison alumni Leon Varjian and Jim Mallon ’79, who made a Wisconsin Student Association campaign promise that they would bring the Statue of Liberty to Madison. The Pail and Shovel Party erected a Styrofoam Lady Liberty head, arm and torch on Lake Mendota.

Lady Liberty first returned to Lake Mendota as an inflatable Statue of Liberty in 2019. Those interested in learning more about its history can read about it here.

The Wisconsin Union team offers indoor spaces to warm up as well as indoor dining options at its building Memorial Union, which Winter Carnival guests can enjoy. Purchases at Memorial Union and Union South as well as donations to the Union help support the Union’s low-cost and free events, such as the Carnival, as well as Wisconsin Union student leadership opportunities. Wisconsin Union student leaders organize many Winter Carnival events.

The Wisconsin Union team will share details about Winter Carnival events at union.wisc.edu/wintercarnival in the coming weeks.

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About the Wisconsin Union

The Wisconsin Union enhances the lives of members and visitors through recreational, cultural, educational and social opportunities. Formed in 1907, the Wisconsin Union is a membership organization that blends study and leisure to create unique out-of-classroom opportunities. Learn more about the Union and its tradition of providing experiences for a lifetime: union.wisc.edu.