Oak Bank Partners with Madison Reading Project

For Immediate Release

Contact: Karen Virnoche, 608.441.6000
kvirnoche@oakbankonline.com

Oak Bank Partners with Madison Reading Project
Book donations accepted until December 15

Fitchburg, WI – Reading profoundly benefits children beyond developing language skills. It improves social and cognitive development, well-being, mental health, relationship building and so much more. But two-thirds of children from low-income households in the U.S. do not have books in their home.

Oak Bank has partnered with Madison Reading Project to help get books into the hands of Dane County children who need them the most.

Each year, Madison Reading Project distributes thousands of books – for free – to area children. The Big Red Reading Bus stopped at Oak Bank, an official Book Donation Station, on Tuesday, December 1, highlighting Giving Tuesday, a day aimed at raising awareness and monies for non-profits.

“We hope by collaborating with the great folks at Madison Reading Project and our community, we can help give children not only an escape during these trying times but also help them build a foundation for success at a critical time in their development,” said Bob Gorsuch, Oak Bank CEO.

If you’d like to donate to the book drive, you can drop off new and like-new books for ages birth to teen at Oak Bank until December 15. Visit the Madison Reading Project website for details on the types of books needed. Considering COVID restraints, you also donate directly by visiting https://www.madisonreadingproject.com/communitybookdrive.

About Oak Bank
Oak Bank has been deeply rooted in the Fitchburg community and Madison area for 20 years, meeting the financial needs of homeowners and businesses by offering top-notch service, quick answers and unique solutions, all while supporting over 125 local nonprofits each year. Visit oakbankonline.com to learn more.

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MSCR Annual Pottery Sale

December 3, 2020

For Immediate Release

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

MSCR Annual Pottery Sale is Virtual
Perfect for Holiday Shopping!

The Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR) Annual Pottery Sale is moving to a virtual shopping experience.

The Pottery Sale showcases over 500 pieces of work from MSCR instructors, pottery students and local ceramic artists.  The sale opens Thursday, December 17 at 8 am and continues through Saturday, December 20 at 9 pm at mscrvirtualpotterysale.squarespace.com  Customers can pick up their purchases on Monday, December 22, 8 am to 6 pm at MSCR Hoyt, 3802 Regent Street.

Sale proceeds support the MSCR Pottery Program. Items are available at a range of price points including mugs, dishes, vases and unique gifts. MSCR is featuring artists all month on its Facebook page.

“The Pottery Sale is an important community event showcasing and supporting local artists. We are excited to be able to still offer this event virtually”, said Martha Hutchinson, MSCR Adult Arts Specialist.

MSCR offers pottery and additional art classes for all ages.  Please look for updates on winter programs at mscr.org.

MSCR is the Madison public recreation department offering a variety of recreation programs for all ages since 1926.

For more information contact 608-204-3000 or go to mscr.org

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State Bar launches new pro bono portal to connect lawyers with their communities

Madison, WI – More low-income Wisconsinites facing civil legal challenges are expected to receive free legal help from pro bono attorneys with the development of Wisconsin’s first statewide Pro Bono Opportunity Portal, thanks to a partnership between the State Bar of Wisconsin and Paladin, a justice technology company.

The portal, which launched today at probonowi.org comes as civil legal service organizations in Wisconsin face critical funding issues and are turning away nearly 50 percent of those who need legal help. Examples of civil legal challenges include landlord evictions, unpaid health care bills due to unemployment, and child custody issues during the pandemic.

The new website will enable attorneys and law students to match their skills and interests with opportunities available through free legal agencies across the state, such as Legal Action of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Judicare. It will also allow the agencies to post their opportunities to a nationwide, American Bar Association-led Disaster Relief Pro Bono Portal to extend reach for COVID-19 specific pro bono work.

“Civil legal aid programs in the state are telling us that pro bono assistance is crucial to making our shared goal of equal justice for all a reality,” said State Bar President Kathleen Brost. “Requests for legal services have surged with the recent pandemic, and increased pro bono engagement will greatly benefit people in need of critical legal services.

“Pro bono efforts by private attorneys and law students help their clients, the courts, and the profession by reducing barriers to justice and closing the justice gap by meeting the legal needs of all Wisconsin residents and ensuring a just and equitable legal system,” Brost said.

Wisconsin Union Theater Season Continues With Virtual Events Featuring Jazz Pianist Christian Sands and Classical Pianist Jeremy Denk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 20, 2020

Contact Information:
Shauna Breneman, Communications Director
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu

WISCONSIN UNION THEATER SEASON CONTINUES WITH VIRTUAL EVENTS FEATURING JAZZ PIANIST CHRISTIAN SANDS AND CLASSICAL PIANIST JEREMY DENK

MADISON –  The Wisconsin Union Theater’s fall virtual events will continue with a live performance by the Christian Sands Trio on Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. CDT, which will be preceded by a live Q&A at 7:30 p.m. CDT, and a performance by pianist Jeremy Denk on Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. CDT, which will be preceded by a live Q&A at 7 p.m. CDT.

At the age of 31, Sands has already established himself as one of the most in-demand jazz pianists in the world and has been hailed as the leading pianist of his generation. He began learning piano at the age of 3, but his journey began with learning classical music.

He found his way to jazz piano at 7 years old after feeling constricted by the specificity his teacher prescribed for how each classical piece was to be played. His parents supported his journey and ensured music often filled the Sands household, including music from Grover Washington Jr., Miles Davis and Shirley Caesar, all of which influenced Sands’s music.

Sands recently released an album, called “Be Water,” which took inspiration from water’s peaceful yet powerful qualities. “Be Water” includes 10 pieces, nine of which Sands wrote, that emulate the many forms that water can take, from a sun-bathed, tranquil lake to a fierce thunderstorm.

“Christian was a jazz piano prodigy playing with the greats like Billy Taylor and Oscar Peterson and is shaping up to be one of the ‘greats’ himself,” Wisconsin Union Theater Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said.

Customers that still have previously purchased tickets for the Christians Sands performances that were scheduled for April 9 or April 10 can use the tickets for the Dec. 3 performance.

Denk’s performance, which is part of the Theater’s 101st Annual Concert Series, will include Robert Schumann’s “Papillons, Op. 2,” Clara Schumann’s “Romances, Op. 21,” Missy Mazzoli’s “Bolts of Loving Thunder,” and Johannes Brahms’s “Four Pieces for Piano, Op. 119.”

In the United States, Denk has performed with the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony and Cleveland Orchestra and frequently performs at Carnegie Hall. Internationally, he has toured with the world-famous Academy of St Martin in the Fields as well as at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms. Among his many accomplishments, Denk won a MacArthur Genius Fellowship and the Avery Fisher Prize.

Denk’s talents include writing about music. Some of his stories about music have been featured on the front page of the New York Times Book Review as well as in The New Yorker, The New Republic and The Guardian. His passion for composing both music and writing compositions is evident in his music-based blog “Think Denk,” which dates back to 2005.

“Jeremy Denk is one of the greatest pianists of our generation,” Snodgross said. “While many pianists specialize in a particular period or composer, Jeremy is a musical omnivore whose wide-ranging interests span centuries and styles, and he is exceptional at playing all of them. As The New York Times said, he is ‘a pianist you want to hear no matter what he performs.’”

For more than 75 years, the Wisconsin Union Theater has served as a cultural center for community members and visitors.

The Wisconsin Union Theater team presents its season in collaboration with the student-led Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Performing Arts Committee, which, along with 10 other WUD committees and six clubs, promotes and runs more than 1,000 Wisconsin Union events each year.

The Theater team strives for all of its spaces to be accessible, and those that need accommodations can reach out to the Wisconsin Union Theater team at wisconsinuniontheater@union.wisc.edu.

This year, the Wisconsin Union Theater team committed to taking action in standing against racial inequities. The team is working to be activists; use the arts to create social justice; remember that students are future leaders and must be part of the change; use its voices to influence leadership and be firm in its resolve; and make space, step back, and learn how to give up undeserved or unnecessary power and privilege. For a full statement on the Theater’s stance and efforts, click here.

To purchase tickets to Sands’s performance, visit union.wisc.edu/events-and-activities/event-calendar/event/christian-sands-trio. To purchase tickets to Denk’s performance, visit union.wisc.edu/events-and-activities/event-calendar/event/jeremy-denk.

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About the Wisconsin Union Theater

For more than 75 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 expansive history of remarkable performances. 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 about the Theater: union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-union-theater.

About the Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee

The Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee plans and promotes events for the historic Wisconsin Union Theater stages. The student-led committee programs a variety of events to provide a diverse and cultural experience for students, faculty, alumni, community members and visitors. Learn more: union.wisc.edu/get-involved/wud/performing-arts.

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/december-theater.

Stoughton Semi-Truck Trailer Sales Orders Surge in Q4

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Ron Jake
Stoughton Trailers
608.877.8601
rjake@stoughtontrailers.com

Amy Mertz
Brick Road PR
608.220.9815
amy@brickroad-pr.com

Semi-Truck Trailer Orders Surge in Q4
Stoughton Trailers Raises Base Pay to Attract New Employees

STOUGHTON, Wis. (November 19, 2020) — While many businesses unfortunately continue to struggle amid the COVID-19 pandemic, others — including Stoughton Trailers, LLC — are experiencing tremendous sales growth and boosting their staffing.

Sales secured through several new dealers contributed to the fourth quarter’s dramatically increased order volume, as well as new fleet customers and existing customers across all markets. The majority of semi-trailers sold were dry vans, designed to hold palletized, boxed or loose freight.

“Despite the unpredictability we saw in the spring and early summer due to COVID-19, our business and industry have swiftly recovered and even thrived,” said Stoughton Trailers Chief Commercial Officer Jeremy Sanders. “The fact that we’re experiencing such a large order volume increase for van trailers reinforces the health and resilience of our company, and the trust customers have in our brand.”

Trailer sales declined from April to July as fleet customers became apprehensive about purchasing equipment in the first several months of the pandemic. However, orders began to rebound in August and have steadily grown from there, Sanders said. “Customers have since gained confidence that the freight business will remain strong and are investing in trailers as well as utilizing our Stoughton Lease rental trailer fleet,” he said.

A second factor resulting in greater order volume is the shift of more freight toward online order delivery. The industry requires more trailers to manage the logistical challenges of increased parcel shipments.

The sharp order increase will keep trailer builders and other staff steadily busy through 2021, Sanders said. To attract new employees, Stoughton Trailers increased its hourly base pay for several important entry-level and skilled positions: assemblers, $16; machine operators, $17; and welders, $18.25. The company continues its aggressive recruiting effort that began in September, with the hopes of hiring several hundred workers in the coming months. Candidates may visit stojobs.com for a complete list of employment opportunities.

About Stoughton Trailers

Stoughton Trailers is a top 10 international supplier of semi-truck trailers. The Wisconsin-based, family-owned company designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of dependable semi-truck trailers used for over-the-road trucking, as well as agricultural trailers and other specialty transportation equipment. It provides one-stop build, finance, rental and fleet management solutions through world-class responsiveness and design value. For more information, visit StoughtonTrailers.com.