Wisconsin Union: Outdoor UW Creates Outdoor Recreation Learning Series for People of All Skill Levels

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 1, 2022

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

OUTDOOR UW CREATES OUTDOOR RECREATION LEARNING SERIES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL SKILL LEVELS 

MADISON – The Outdoor UW team at the Wisconsin Union will soon debut a program open to all and for every level of outdoor adventurer, called the Outdoor Explorer Series by Outdoor UW. 

The Outdoor Explorer Series includes a wide variety of outdoor recreation educational and skills-developing programs led by outdoor educators and industry professionals throughout the year, from a winter camping introductory course to a wilderness first responder certification  course. 

“As an outlet to the outdoors with patrons of every skill level, we wanted to create a learning and skills-development series that helps our patrons explore, grow and make the most of outdoor recreation opportunities,” Outdoor UW Director Dave Elsmo said. 

The program includes three categories of programs including:

• Introductory courses that present new outdoor experiences to people of all skill levels
• Leadership courses that can help leaders in the outdoors improve outdoor recreation programs and hone their leadership abilities
• Advancement courses for those interested in advanced skill development, certifications and other transferable learning opportunities

Upcoming courses include but are not limited to introduction to backpacking on March 1, introduction to backcountry cooking and nutrition March 29, and NOLS Wilderness First Aid training April 16-17. 

The Outdoor UW team aims for this program to help people easily choose outdoor experience courses based on their skill level and to reduce barriers to enjoying the outdoors by providing instructor-guided experiences with all needed equipment included.

In addition to its new series, the Outdoor UW team offers camping, hiking, climbing equipment and snowshoes rentals as well as kayak and canoe storage space rentals. The team also holds private outdoor group experiences by reservation, such as group paddling. 

Outdoor UW is home to six outdoors clubs that make up the Wisconsin Hoofers, which welcomes all 18 and over to join the organization. The clubs include the Hoofer Mountaineering Club, the Hoofer Outing Club, the Hoofer Riding Club, the Hoofer Sailing Club, the Hoofer Scuba Club, and the Hoofer Ski and Snowboard Club. Hoofers is part of the Wisconsin Union Directorate, the programming and leadership board for the Wisconsin Union.

Patrons can learn more about the Outdoor Explorer Series at union.wisc.edu/explorerseries.  

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About Outdoor UW

Outdoor UW is the Wisconsin Union’s outlet to the outdoors, offering everything from outdoor recreation equipment rentals to custom group outdoors experiences. The Outdoor UW team also advises six student-led outdoors clubs, which make up the Wisconsin Hoofers, and Hoofer Council, the governing body of the Hoofers. Outdoor UW is part of the Wisconsin Union, which is the UW-Madison Division of Social Education. Learn more about Outdoor UW: union.wisc.edu/events-and-activities/outdoor-uw. 

[Click here to download outdoor recreation photos.]

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/about/news/explorerseries.

Madison Ballet’s Lift Every Voice Virtual Dance Production Returns

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 31, 2022

Madison Ballet’s Lift Every Voice Virtual Dance Production Returns
Debuting four new works by choreographers of color 

Madison, WI – Expanding on the success of their first film series in spring 2021, Madison Ballet’s Lift Every Voice 2022 will premiere this February 13th with four brand-new contemporary works by local choreographers of color. This free virtual production will guide audiences in an exploration of thought-provoking themes through progressive ballet movement.

Lift Every Voice 2022 features pairings of choreographer and filmmaker resulting in four brand-new works: Choreographer Morgan Williams of Water Street Dance and filmmaker John Carlo Rosillo present Love Suites; Choreographer Jacob Ashley EL of Madison Ballet and filmmaker John Urban of Big Dreamers United present Away/Return; Choreographer Yaqi Wu of ArtEast Dance Studio and filmmaker Aaron Granat present Meet; and choreographer Yu-Jhe Sun of Madison Ballet and filmmaker Dave Alcorn present Love Dream.

“We are thrilled to be able to expand this year’s production to feature an additional choreographer and their new work. Lift Every Voice is just one way Madison Ballet is working to highlight choreographers of color in our community, and we look forward to seeing the project continue to grow each year,” says Artistic Director Sara Stewart Schumann.

These works feature striking contemporary movement while grounded in classical ballet, addressing themes of love, connection, and culture. The film medium gives the choreographers and dancers a wonderful collaborative tool, allowing them to incorporate additional Madison artists and unique performance locations, transporting viewers to inspiration previously unimagined.

Viewers can turn their screening of Lift Every Voice into the perfect Valentine’s Day date with the “Madison Ballet Pack” from Table Wine in Madison. For $50, audiences will receive a bottle of wine, chocolates, cheese, sausage, and crackers, with proceeds going to support Madison Ballet’s artists. To order, visit www.tablewinemadison.com/order and request the “Madison Ballet Pack” on the form. Packs will be available for pick up starting Monday, February 7th. 

Lift Every Voice will premiere for free on February 13th at 6 pm and will be available online through February 28th, 2022. Register to watch at www.madisonballet.org/lift-every-voice-2022.

This project is generously supported by the Madison Community Foundation.

For 40 years, Madison Ballet has been an integral part of the vibrant Dane County arts community. Full-scale productions of inspiring traditional ballets, innovative contemporary performances, and the timeless holiday tradition of “The Nutcracker” reach more than 13,000 people each year. The School of Madison Ballet empowers students of all ages and skill levels with the poise, confidence, discipline, and fundamental life skills intrinsic to the study of dance. Outreach programming, presented in partnership with dozens of local school and community groups, enriches thousands of young people’s lives by introducing them to the joy of dance.

Contact: Lexi Janssen, Marketing Manager

Phone: 262-402-2358

Email: lexi@madisonballet.org

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Host a Fundraiser Night at Portillo’s

When you host a fundraiser night at Portillo’s, you will receive 20% of the fundraiser sales back to your organization. All you have to do is promote it!

If you are interested, please apply online at Donations & Fundraisers | Portillo’s (portillos.com) to set one up at our new West Madison location!

Leadership Greater Madison accepting applications for 2022 program

Great civic leadership starts with Leadership Greater Madison. Leaders are change makers and motivators. They get involved and empower others to get involved. They make a difference.

Leadership Greater Madison equips future leaders with transformative and innovative knowledge and skills. Participants benefit from exploring vital community issues and leadership skills; connecting with local experts and fellow class members; and engaging in experiential learning.

Leadership Greater Madison members come from diverse backgrounds and experiences and share a passion for community service. During monthly sessions held over a 10-month program year, participants are exposed to new ways of viewing the community and analyzing issues, develop significant connections with local leaders and engage in experiential learning opportunities as they discover their individual capacities and plot their personal leadership pathways

In its nearly 30 years. Leadership Greater Madison has helped approximately 750 community leaders discover how they can make a difference.

Be a part of the next generation of community leaders. Apply to Leadership Greater Madison today. The online application form can be found at www.leadershipgreatermadison.org.

StartingBlock Madison Enhances Member Benefits with Health Insurance Offering – Partnership with M3 Insurance and Quartz

January 19, 2022

Communications Manager: Mary Cait McManamon
Executive Director: Nora Roughen-Schmidt
StartingBlock Madison, Inc
Email: nora@startingblockmadison.org
marycait@startingblockmadison.org
Phone: 608.606.6231 or 701.630.4865

For Immediate Release
Madison, WI  

StartingBlock Madison Enhances Member Benefits with Health Insurance Offering – Partnership with M3 Insurance and Quartz

StartingBlock Madison, a coworking space and entrepreneurial hub in downtown Madison, is enhancing member benefits by offering Health Insurance through a new pilot project and partnership with M3 Insurance and Quartz. Entrepreneurs who operate their startups and social impact nonprofits out of StartingBlock now get to add health insurance plans to the list of membership perks and amenities at 821 E Washington Ave. in Madison.  

For entrepreneurs and small businesses, the second most costly expense after payroll is offering an Employee Benefits program.  To attract and retain talented staff, startups need to be able to offer Employee Benefits. However, the cost associated with offering benefits is often out-of-reach for start-ups and the traditional “one size fits all” benefits package may not necessarily satisfy the needs of entrepreneurs, startups, and the gig economy. The defined contribution benefits program will be available to all members at StartingBlock, where memberships begin at just $150/month for 24×7 access.

“Access to health care should not be a barrier to entry for people wanting to start businesses and especially not for people who want to work for startups,” says StartingBlock Executive Director, Nora Roughen-Schmidt. “By partnering with Quartz and M3 Insurance, we are offering affordable healthcare to StartingBlock Madison members and their employees, making entrepreneurship as a whole more accessible.”

The addition of health insurance completes a package for members that includes vision, dental, life insurance, and telehealth services with 24×7 mental health support. The benefits are offered in a cafeteria-style format, meaning members can pick and choose what they would like to participate in based on entity size and employee needs. 

Quartz offers an innovative approach to health insurance products and wellness programs designed to improve the health and well-being of people in the communities they serve.

“This partnership allows us to bring accessible, high-quality health care to more of our neighbors in Wisconsin,” said Quartz Vice President of Product Innovation, Christina Ott. “Bringing plans to StartingBlock gives local entrepreneurs more choices to meet their needs and budgets.”

“We are excited to partner with Quartz in an effort to make health insurance more accessible for StartingBlock Madison members.  It’s important that entrepreneurs have access to resources such as affordable health insurance, which can help them to attract and retain talent.  Our team is ready to guide members through the insurance process.” Rebecca Menefee, Vice President of M3 Elevate, M3 Insurance

“Entrepreneurs face so many challenges when trying to scale or launch a business. It can be even harder when you are inundated with the challenges we face in everyday life. StartingBlock Madison continues to provide resources for all entrepreneurs to succeed and that will allow more people to chase their dreams. This is another example of just that!” Max Fergus, CEO LUM

Heather Wentler, StartingBlock’s Entrepreneur in Residence, adds “Being able to afford high-quality benefits as an entrepreneur is a challenge; and the same goes for small business and early-stage venture owners who are trying to support their staffing benefit options to be able to retain talent. The fact that all membership types have this option too, and not only the companies who are using physical office spaces within StartingBlock, shows that StartingBlock supports entrepreneurs at every level of business development and believes in their growth and success.” 

StartingBlock members will have the ability to sign up for benefits starting January 2022 and new members will be able to access benefits of membership with applications being processed on a rolling basis. With this partnership, StartingBlock members will have access to office hours with M3 and Quartz along with resources to make the process accessible and straightforward.

As we continue to navigate a global pandemic, the need for affordable and accessible health care is essential for both physical and mental well-being. According to a McKinsey and Company study, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, 42 percent of employees globally have reported a decline in mental health. Symptoms of burnout are increasing among employees and leaders alike, according to press reports. These kinds of effects can be detrimental to small teams and startups, making access to telehealth services all the more necessary. 

“If we want to make the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Madison and Dane County truly accessible for all people interested in entrepreneurship, we have to start totally supporting entrepreneurial needs–not just talking about supporting them– and that includes providing healthcare options,” says Roughen-Schmidt.

To learn more about StartingBlock Madison and their new partnership with Quartz and M3, visit www.startingblockmadison.org.

About StartingBlock Madison:

StartingBlock Madison’s 50,000 square-foot entrepreneurial hub occupies the second, third, and fourth floors of the American Family Spark Building, providing a collaborative community for Madison area startups and entrepreneurs. StartingBlock’s mission is to put Madison on the national map for entrepreneurship and innovation by creating the intersections that cultivate entrepreneurs, accelerate growth and drive innovation. StartingBlock offers low-cost, flexible leases, programming, education, mentorship, benefits and access to a network of entrepreneurs. Learn more at www.startingblockmadison.org. 

About Quartz:

Quartz Health Solutions, Inc. (Quartz) is jointly owned by UW Health, Gundersen Health System, and UnityPoint Health. The company manages four nationally recognized, provider-sponsored health insurance plans: Quartz Health Benefit Plans Corporation, Quartz Health Plan Corporation, Quartz Health Plan MN Corporation, and Quartz Health Insurance Corporation. As a third-party administrator, Quartz also services self-funded health plans. Through an extensive provider network, Quartz focuses on local, community-based health care and services for more than 350,000 customers who live in southern and western Wisconsin, parts of Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota. Quartz maintains offices in Madison, Sauk City, and Onalaska, Wisconsin. Quartz Health Solutions, Inc., Quartz Health Benefit Plans Corporation, Quartz Health Plan Corporation, Quartz Health Plan MN Corporation, and Quartz Health Insurance Corporation are separate legal entities. For more information, visit QuartzBenefits.com.

About M3:

M3 is the largest insurance broker and risk management firm in the state of Wisconsin. As a top 50 broker in America, they are leaders in the products they represent and the industries they serve. M3’s people are an extension of your team, providing world-class resources to help you manage risk, purchase insurance, and provide employee benefits. Their focus is on building better communities to live and work.