Grammy Award-Winning Violinist Gil Shaham Returns to the Wisconsin Union Theater’s Concert Series on Dec. 11

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 18, 2021

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

GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING VIOLINIST GIL SHAHAM RETURNS TO THE WISCONSIN UNION THEATER’S CONCERT SERIES ON DEC. 11

MADISON – Join the Wisconsin Union Theater team on Dec. 11 as it presents Grammy Award-winning violinist Gil Shaham as part of the 2021-22 Wisconsin Union Theater Concert Series. The performance, part of the David and Kato Perlman Chamber Music Series, will take place in Shannon Hall at Memorial Union at 7:30 p.m. CDT.

Shaham is no stranger to the stage or the spotlight. He began taking violin lessons at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem at the age of 7, debuted with the Jerusalem Symphony and the Israel Philharmonic at the age of 10, and stepped in for acclaimed violinist Itzhak Perlman on a single day’s notice in a performance with the London Symphony Orchestra at the age of 18.

Shaham carefully perfects the vibrant, lively sound of his violin to create an unparalleled listening experience. His solo recital program for the Dec. 11 concert spans composers and centuries, featuring classic and contemporary pieces. Shaham’s performance will include the following selections:

• Johann Sebastian Bach
  • Violin Sonata No.2 in A minor, BWV 1003
    • Grave
    • Fuga
    • Andante
    • Allegro
  • Violin Partita No.2 in D minor, BWV 1004
    • Allemande
    • Courante
    • Sarabande
    • Gigue
    • Chaconne
• Scott Wheeler, “Isolation Rag”
• Max Raimi, “Violin Etude: Anger Management”
• Reena Esmail, “When the Violin”
• Johann Sebastian Bach
  • Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006
    • Preludio
    • Loure
    • Gavotte en Rondeau
    • Menuets (I and II)
    • Bourrée
    • Gigue

“Gil Shaham last performed in our classical Concert Series in the 2000-2001 season,” Wisconsin Union Theater Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said. “His original return to the Shannon Hall stage was scheduled during the 100th anniversary season of the Concert Series in March 2020. We are so honored to finally present this return engagement as part of the David and Kato Perlman Chamber Music Series and are so thankful for Dr. Kato Perlman’s support in making this concert possible.”

Recognized worldwide for his musical mastery, Shaham has received many prestigious awards and acknowledgments, such as the Avery Fisher Career Grant in 1990; the Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance in 1998; and the Avery Fisher Prize in 2008. Musical America named him Instrumentalist of the Year in 2012.

Patrons may choose to purchase a ticket for the in-person concert or a virtual livestream of the event. Patrons can purchase single tickets for this concert through the event webpage or at the Memorial Union Box Office.

The 2021-22 season marks the 102nd year of the Wisconsin Union Theater’s Concert Series, the Midwest’s longest-running classical music concert series. Each year, the Wisconsin Union hosts impressive, carefully-selected artists bound to amaze audiences with their remarkable sound and repertoire.

The Wisconsin Union team is dedicated to creating a safe environment for all patrons and team members and upholding the highest cleaning and sanitation standards. The Union team thoroughly and regularly cleans and disinfects its spaces, including performance spaces. In addition, the Theater has established a temporary health and safety measure to ensure 20 feet of space between performers and audiences in Shannon Hall.

Patrons and team members are required to follow the current University of Wisconsin–Madison health and safety protocol of wearing a face covering when indoors on campus, unless actively eating or drinking. The Wisconsin Union Theater team will continue to monitor and follow university guidelines.

Click here for more information about the Gil Shaham performance.

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About the Wisconsin Union Theater

The Wisconsin Union Theater’s mission is to present, promote and cultivate a lifelong appreciation of the performing arts, especially among University of Wisconsin–Madison students. For more than 75 years, the Wisconsin Union Theater (WUT) has served as a center for cultural activity in the heart of the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. Through a student-led committee, WUT presents an annual season of up to 40 events. Additionally, the Theater serves numerous renters on and off campus for graduations, lectures, conferences, and performances by university departments, registered student organizations, and community organizations. WUT is committed to social justice and works to create an equitable, diverse, and inclusive place for patrons, staff and performers.

Learn more: union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-union-theater.

[Click here to download a photo of Gil Shaham. Photo by Chris Lee.]

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/gil-shaham-2021.

WPS Health Solutions: Army veteran Gauge Hunter saluted for Operation Fan Mail

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Army veteran Gauge Hunter saluted for Operation Fan Mail
Program is sponsored by WPS Health Solutions and the Green Bay Packers

MADISON, Wis.—Nov. 15, 2021—The Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Solutions paid special tribute this week to Army veteran Gauge Hunter and his family in conjunction with the Nov. 14 game against Seattle. Operation Fan Mail, the program that recognizes military families and veterans at each Packers home game, marks its 15th season in 2021.

Hunter, who was born in California but spent much of his childhood in Michigan, joined the U.S. Army in 2012 to serve his country. After basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, he received orders to the 23rd Engineer Company (Sappers) in Fort Richardson, Alaska. After a year of active duty, he was deployed to the east region of Afghanistan, where his unit did route clearance missions.

Five months into deployment, his truck was hit with a roadside bomb while on mission and he was injured. Following the deployment, he was medically retired.

After his retirement from the service, Hunter, a lifelong Packers fan, decided to make Wisconsin his home. He and his wife, Alli, moved to Oshkosh, where they have lived for five years. They attended Sunday’s game with Hunter’s sister, Lindsey, and his brother-in-law, Fred.

As the honorees for Operation Fan Mail this week, the Hunter family also received four tickets to the game and a $150 Packers Pro Shop gift card, courtesy of WPS.

The program, which debuted in 2007, is designed to honor families with a member who is on active duty, or a member who is a veteran. The Packers and WPS Health Solutions will host a family at each 2021 home game and recognize the members on the video boards during pregame activities. A total of 142 individuals, families, or groups have been recognized through the program since it began.

The Packers and WPS Health Solutions invite interested families, or friends of eligible families, to submit an essay, 500 words or less, on why a particular family should be saluted this year. Families intended for recognition are those that have a member serving on active duty, or a member who is a veteran. The family member can be a spouse, mother, father, son, daughter, or sibling.

Essays can be sent to Operation Fan Mail, P.O. Box 10628, Green Bay, WI, 54307-0628 or online at packers.com/lambeau-field/operation-fan-mail.

About WPS Health Solutions

Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Solutions), founded in 1946, is a nationally regarded benefits administrator for a variety of U.S. government programs and a leading not-for-profit health insurer in Wisconsin. WPS Health Solutions serves active-duty and retired military personnel, seniors, individuals, and families in Wisconsin, across the U.S., and around the world. WPS Health Solutions, headquartered in Madison, Wis., has more than 3,100 employees. Within the enterprise, there are three divisions: WPS Government Health Administrators, WPS Military and Veterans Health, and WPS Health Insurance/WPS Health Plan/EPIC Specialty Benefits. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.

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Wisconsin Union: Beloved Hoofer Ski and Snowboard Resale to Return to Union South Dec. 4-5

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 5, 2021

Contact Information:
Abby Synnes, Communications Associate
Email: asynnes@wisc.edu

BELOVED HOOFER SKI AND SNOWBOARD RESALE TO RETURN TO UNION SOUTH DEC. 4-5

MADISON – After a year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Hoofer Ski and Snowboard Resale will return next month, celebrating 57 years of the time-honored tradition. The Resale will take place at Union South’s Varsity Hall on Dec. 4 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Dec. 5 from 8 a.m. to noon.

Local and national vendors will sell new and gently used gear at the Resale, such as downhill and cross-country skis, snowboards, boots, helmets, poles, jackets and other winter recreation equipment at significantly reduced prices. Some of this year’s vendors include: 

• Endurance Enterprises
• Fitzharris Ski, Bike and Outdoor
• Lakewood Ski and Sport
• Sol Alpine
• Wayne’s Ski and Cycle

In addition to purchasing items from vendors, community members also have the opportunity to bring in their own new and gently used products to sell. Individuals can drop off up to 10 approved items, receive help pricing the items from on-site salespeople and monitor the sale of their items online. 

“The Resale is loved by members and the community, since ski equipment is usually very expensive,” Hoofer Ski and Snowboard Club President Isabel Ullrich said. “Having the opportunity to buy discounted yet high quality equipment opens up skiing and snowboarding to people who otherwise might not be able to afford to try the sports. We are excited to hold the Resale again and to get more people on the slopes this winter.”

Members of the Hoofer Alpine and Nordic Ski Teams will also offer waxing and sharpening services at the Resale. Waxing or tuning will cost $10 per snowboard or pair of skis. 

Proceeds from the Resale help fund the Hoofer Nordic, Alpine and Freestyle Ski Teams, as well as Hoofer Ski and Snowboard Club events and outings, including annual free ski trips with local non-profit groups.

The Hoofer Ski and Snowboard Club is dedicated to fostering a love of the outdoors and promoting leadership opportunities for University of Wisconsin-Madison students. Members can join the Hoofer Alpine, Nordic and Freestyle Teams; go on trips to local ski hills or larger ski resorts out west; and participate in optional lessons. 

The Wisconsin Hoofers is composed of six outdoors clubs, including the Hoofer Ski and Snowboard Club, and is open to everyone 18 and over. With nearly 2,000 members, Hoofers is one of the oldest and largest student organizations at UW-Madison. From sailing on Lake Mendota to climbing at Devil’s Lake, Hoofers provides opportunities for people of all abilities to learn outdoor skills and enjoy outdoor activities. 

More information about the 57th Annual Hoofer Ski and Snowboard Resale is available at hoofersns.org/resale. 

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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.  

[Click here to download a photo from the 2016 Resale. Photo by Owen Desai.]

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/about/news/2021-resale

Online Ordering for Wisconsin Union’s Thanksgiving to Go Meals Available Now

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 3, 2021

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

ONLINE ORDERING FOR WISCONSIN UNION’S THANKSGIVING TO GO MEALS AVAILABLE NOW

MADISON – Now through Nov. 17 at 3 p.m. CDT, or while supplies last, Wisconsin Union customers can order Thanksgiving to Go, a tradition aimed at providing Wisconsin Union members; University of Wisconsin-Madison students, staff, and faculty; and the greater Madison community with ease and efficiency for their holiday celebrations. Patrons can place their orders through the Thanksgiving To Go website and pick up their meals on Nov. 24.

This year’s entree options include bourbon roast turkey, gingersnap mustard glazed ham, or a vegetarian creamy butternut squash lasagna, and side options include sage stuffing, turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, herbed green beans and carrots, house-made cranberry orange relish, and a dinner roll with butter. Each meal also comes with a choice of pumpkin, pecan, or fudge bottom pie.

At the Thanksgiving To Go website, customers can select menu items and quantities as well as a 30-minute time period for pickup in Tripp Commons, located on the second floor of the Union’s Memorial Union. Options include a personal meal for one, a family meal for six, and à la carte items. Meals will be cooked, chilled and packed in reheatable containers.

Personal-sized meals are available for $15 each, while the family-sized meal options start at $145. Payments can be made by credit card or Wiscard. Current University of Wisconsin-Madison students paying with a Wiscard can purchase a personal meal for a discounted price of $12. Credit card payments will be processed online, and Wiscard payments will be processed on-site at the time of pick-up.

The Union team is grateful for the opportunity to continue to offer Thanksgiving To Go. Through this effort, the team aims to provide campus and community members with a financially-friendly, gourmet, delicious meal option that eliminates preparation and clean-up stress.

In 2020, the Wisconsin Union partnered with the Dean of Students Office to provide meals to students experiencing food insecurities, both at Thanksgiving and throughout the year.  Last year, Thanksgiving To Go participants donated $3,375 to the cause, and this partnership will continue this year.

Those interested in ordering a Thanksgiving To Go meal can visit union.wisc.edu/thanksgiving.

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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.  

[Click here to download photos of Thanksgiving To Go. Photos by Isabel Finn.]

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/news/thanksgiving-2021.

MSCR Announces Annual Friends of MSCR Auction

November 2, 2021

For Immediate Release

Contact: Nicole Graper at ngraper@madison.k12.wi.us

MSCR Announces Annual Friends of MSCR Auction
Proceeds support Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR) MSCR Programs

The Annual Friends of MSCR (Madison School & Community Recreation) Auction takes place on November 1-12 at 32auctions.com/mscr2021. Friends of MSCR is a non-profit organization that supports MSCR programs and services. MSCR’s proud history of service began in 1926, and Friends of MSCR is committed to ensuring that MSCR public recreation programs remain accessible and affordable in the future.

Since 2013, the Friends of MSCR has gifted over $480,000 to MSCR. These funds support new program initiatives and essential equipment including outdoor and environmental education, adapted recreation and inclusion services, Latino community outreach, afterschool clubs and neighborhood center programming, to better serve the Madison community.

For example, Friends of MSCR provides funding for outdoor adventure programs to Madison families that may not otherwise have access to these activities:

“Friends of MSCR allowed us to offer 10 free paddling opportunities this season. We partnered with 3 neighborhood community centers — Warner Park, Goodman and MSCR Meadowood to do targeted promotion for these events and were able to serve a variety of youth and adult community members with free paddling experiences.”

Support a variety of accessible public recreation opportunities including free outdoors programming, and bid on an array of fabulous items in the 2021 Online Auction!

This year’s Online Auction is supported by the following generous sponsors:
Community Believers – Oak Park Place and Park Bank
Recreation Enthusiasts – Slow Roll Cycles and Greenleaf Media
Afterschool Advocate – The QTI Group and Stroud, Willink, & Howard LLC

MSCR is grateful to all the donors and supporting public recreation which is more important than ever.

MSCR offers many recreation programs for all ages that are accessible and affordable. Fee assistance is available. Please call 608-204-3000 or visit mscr.org for more information.  MSCR is Madison’s public recreation department serving the community since 1926.

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