Team Projects
Every year, area businesses and organizations submit project proposals for Leadership Kenosha participants to work on in teams. Participants may choose a project that complements their passion and/or a project that offers them a skill building experience. They are grouped in teams based on their top choices. Projects are completed between November and May. Teams are expected to spend some time to meet and work on their projects outside of the Leadership Kenosha program days.
Teams present their projects to a panel made up of Leadership Kenosha Steering Committee Members and alumni in May. The panel selects a “Project of the Year,” and following brief team presentations of all projects at the Leadership Kenosha Graduation and Alumni Celebration, the “Project of the Year” is announced. The team members of the project that is selected receive a monetary award to be used as they wish. The “Project of the Year” is intended to be an incentive only – all projects are valued by both Leadership Kenosha and participating project sponsors.
Team Project History
Team projects not only help develop and enhance skills, but they have a positive impact on the community. Here are summaries of the great projects that have been done by past Leadership Kenosha participants:
Waiting for Mary
Team Members: Ryen Denny, Tammy Flores, Colin Hennessey, Mary Metten
Partner Agency: Society’s Assets
The team’s goal was to develop a marketing plan that includes material development, research, community outreach, and social media presence to support accessibility in businesses allowing customers with disabilities access to services.
The Rockstars
Team Members: Kathy Bennett, Amber Engel, Karly Kattenbraker, Rob Swanson
Partner Agency: Herzing University
The team planned and executed the first Nonprofit Rush Week which connected Herzing University students with volunteer opportunities at local nonprofits.
The Barbarians
Team Members: Yolanda Jackson-Lewis, Seth Lane, Laura Lazarz
Partner Agency: Kenosha Public Library
The team helped create a foundation for a local Books in Barbershops program that leverages the personal relationship of neighborhood barbers to promote access to books and a love of reading for kids in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Daily United
Team Members: Jake Jones, Magan Perez, Lisa Sanders, Cameron Swallow
Partner Agency: United Way of Kenosha County
The team developed an in-depth action plan that included data, marketing and a recruitment plan for members for the proposed Live United 365 and #IPledge Programs.
#hopebuilders
Team Members: Jessica Kapustin, Michelle Sandberg, Nicole Thomsen
Partner Agency: Shalom Center
The team helped increase the visibility and awareness of the food pantry’s move to a new location.
Don’t Drive Then Drink Campaign
Team Members: Josh Covelli, Lisa Retzlaff, Sabrina Morgan
Partner Agency: Kenosha County Substance Abuse Coalition
The team created a marketing campaign that puts the emphasis where it belongs: people should not drive to where they are going to drink.
Inclusion Drives Innovation
Team Members: Amanda Virzi, Jackie Powers, Louis Rawley
Partner Agency: Lakeside Curative Services
The team worked to increase the Kenosha business community’s awareness of the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities to diversify their workforce and gain dedicated and qualified employees.
United Way of Kenosha County Affinity Group
Team Members: Gia Gutierrez, Mike Steinborn, Nicole Erickson, Teresa LaMacchia
Partner Agency: United Way of Kenosha County
The team researched best practices of United Way affinity groups and set up a structure to launch Students United Affinity Groups at UW-Parkside, Carthage College and Herzing University.
This project won the Leadership Kenosha “Project of the Year Award”
Nifty Thrifty Awareness
Team Members: Greg Strzalka, Jessica Retzlaff, Taylor Arena, Vickie LeFlore
Partner Agency: Women and Children’s Horizons
The team helped to raise awareness for the Nifty Thrifty store and promoted the fact that all store proceeds directly benefit the free programs that Woman and Children’s Horizons offers to its clients.
KAC Proprietary Product Project
Team Members: Erin Ginn, Natasha Evans, Tamarra Coleman, Tina Putra
Partner Agency: Kenosha Achievement Center
The team assisted KAC with the branding, marketing and launch of a proprietary food product.
Team YAJJ
Team Members: Yazlyn Perez, AJ Chivell, Jennifer McMillan and Jacque Kruger
Partner Agency: Building Our Future
The goal of the project was to align and inform the community on the number of resources and programs available for families with young children ages zero to five.
Holy Canolies
Team Members: Jacki Hawes, Trisha Camosy, Tom Wood, Felicia Dominguez
Partner Agency: Washington Park Velodrome
The goal of the project was to assist the Velodrome in increasing sponsorships and attendees to ‘fill the hill’ for Tuesday Night Races.
TMT
Team Members: Travian Franklin, Michelle Carothers, Theresa Swisher
Partner Agency: Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast
The goal of the project was to develop a plan to recruit non-traditional volunteers for Girl Scouts to serve as troop leaders.
This project won the Leadership Kenosha “Project of the Year Award”
BG 3
Team Members: Stacey Cameron-Weigand, Kate Holmes, Robert Niccolai, Renee Young-Trego
Partner Agency: ELCA Outreach Center
The goal of the project was to identify opportunities to market the ELCA Outreach Center to clients, donors, and businesses.
MACS Squad
Team Members: AnnaLisa Nelson, Conrad Christel, Stephanie Barr, Matt Collins
Project Sponsor: Big Brothers Big Sisters
Develop a marketing campaign with specific strategies that will focus on volunteer recruitment and increase awareness of Big Brothers Big Sisters
This project won the Leadership Kenosha “Project of the Year Award”
Impact, Assemble!
Team Members: Kyle Pollock, Diana Moreland, Jillian Kirschbaum, Kristie Matteau
Project Sponsor: The Sharing Center
Coordinate with Eagle Scout to enhance the Sharing Center’s gardens.
MESH
Team Members: Elizabeth Clay, Hannah Keller, Sheri Johnson, Matt Monroe
Project Sponsor: Shalom Center
Raise awareness of the impact that Shalom Center is making in the Kenosha community by providing organizational stats in a fun, virtual, creative & inspiring way.
The Outsiders
Team Members: Justin Kehring, Deni Kraabel, Hansel Lugo, Leigh Presley
Project Sponsor: Kenosha County Youth As Resources
Provide youth groups in Kenosha County with a resource that outlines community service project ideas which will truly benefit local nonprofit groups, schools, and the Kenosha community.
The Scopers
Team Members: Cassie Christensen, Jerry Gulley II, Juan Torres
Project Sponsor: Boys & Girls Club
Develop strategies for increasing recruitment, frequency of attendance, participation, retention/renewal, and average daily attendance.
“Pathfinders”
Team Members: Rebecca Freund, Traci Gotz, Janel Semon, Matt Thomas
Project Sponsor: Genesis House
Team members researched career counseling resources to provide information to Genesis House residents. They created a Career Counseling resource book with information on resume writing, interviewing, completing applications and career choices.
“Inspirational Alliance”
Team Members: Julani Bayan, Carolyn Friesch, Jackie Schmitt
Project Sponsor: Kenosha Area Family and Aging Services, Inc.
Working with KAFASI, team members developed marketing strategies to help increase the participation at western Kenosha County senior dining meal sites. Team members converted an existing survey into an online survey tool to help analyze results and make recommendations for improving the senior dining experience.
This project won the Leadership Kenosha “Project of the Year Award”
“Team Credo”
Team Members: Mandi Ginn-Franz, Nina Jones, J.R.Trimark
Project Sponsor: Kenosha Unified PTA Council
To achieve the goal of increasing parental involvement with elementary schools and their PTA organizations, the team developed an essay contest for youth & their families. The youth were asked to write about a memorable family activity and/or school project. Prizes were awarded for the contest.
“Community Impact”
Team Members: Kathy Bauernfeind, Mary Bolan-Byrne, Carmelo Dávila
Project Sponsor: Kenosha Literacy Council
In an effort to help with volunteer recruitment, team members created a new recruitment flyer and conducted a focus group to generate new ideas. A special Literacy Council flyer was included in WE Energies bills for the month of April in conjunction with Volunteer Month. The team was able to publish an article in the Kenosha News, highlighting Literacy Council tutors.
“Women in Motion”
Team Members: Susan Blust, Amy Greil, Jennifer Krase, Patricia Woods-Clark
Project Sponsor: YMCA and Frank Neighborhood Project
Working with the Frank Neighborhood Project staff, LK team created an experiential learning program for a small group of middle school-aged young men and women. Targeting youth that currently participate in the YMCA’s Choice Youth & Family program, LK used the knowledge of the youth as being passionate about basketball to prepare them for ‘Plan B’ in case a career as a professional basketball player does not develop.
Leadership Kenosha team members created a program to include; a career exploration exercise with UW software application, a speaker series of local successful professionals that had a range of sport-related careers and/or represented a chosen career of the youth, and a personalized campus visit to UW-Parkside including a tour and Q&A with UW-P Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach. During both 3-hour encounters with the youth, LK teammates inspired dialogue and created real-life scenarios that revealed pathways into higher education and into careers thereafter, connecting the life experiences and skills of the youth to a rich diversity of speakers, resources and support.
This project won the Leadership Kenosha “Project of the Year Award”
“Sole Survivors Making Strides”
Team Members: Anita Alfaro, Jackie Anderson, Paris Echoles, Danielle Lazzaro
Project Sponsor: ELCA Outreach Center
The ELCA Outreach Center requested assistance to set up a foot care clinic for homeless individuals.
The team worked with non‐profits, local doctors and nursing students to set up a foot care clinic at the Outreach Center. The clinic allowed homeless individuals to have their feet inspected and treated by knowledgeable people. The team also encouraged several other groups to conduct shoe and sock drives so that Outreach Center clients had access to clean dry socks and sturdy shoes all winter long. The outcome was improved foot care for the homeless of Kenosha as well as education on how to improve their foot care during the winter months.
“The Flok” (Future Leaders of Kenosha)
Team Members: Elizabeth Adkins, Christian Isaacson, Genevieve Moreno, Stacy Riley, Samantha Sullivan
Project Sponsor: Education Matters
The project sponsor, Education Matters, requested a short video highlighting the essence of their program.
The team used project planning, marketing, technology, and communication skills to put together a video to recruit future student participants, donors and community partners. They gathered video footage from interviews conducted with students, teachers, and parents who have been directly impacted by the programs under the Education Matters umbrella. From there they edited and condensed all of the footage into a 4 minute promotional clip that the organization can use to gain more participants and sponsors.
“DCMS” (Design, Create, Motivate, Success)
Team Members: Diane Boehm, Megan Burgess, Selina Hochertz, Chuck Jester
Project Sponsor: Brass Community School
The project was to redesign the teacher/staff lounge to make it a more inviting and comfortable space, and to assess the current memorial garden space and research the ways to make it sustainable and easily maintainable for many years to come.
The team worked closely with the principal and a committee of staff from Brass Community School to learn the needs of the staff and what they would like to have incorporated into the lounge. They presented a proposal for the lounge renovation to the principal and, upon his approval, executed the renovations. The plan incorporated new wall color, room layout, vending machines, lighting, and furniture.
The morale of the staff increased as a result of the renovation.
The school was given a great new plan for the garden and currently awaits the funding to have the plan executed.
“Give Downtown the Ole College Tri”
Team Members: Lauren Hansen, Karon Thomas, Kathy Thompson, Karl Zuberbuehler
Project Sponsor: Downtown Kenosha
In July 2013, Kenosha was awarded a Main Street community designation, beginning the city’s participation in the national program implementing the proven approach of economic development through historic preservation.
The city’s goal is to bring more people and more businesses to the Downtown Kenosha neighborhood. The initiative focused on by the Leadership Kenosha team was one to better integrate three of the local colleges (Carthage College, UW-Parkside and Gateway Technical College) into Downtown activities and events.
The project involved communication with Downtown small business owners to better understand unique opportunities they offer for students to develop a new promotional campaign. The team developed online media, video, print advertising, programs, special events, or other strategies to better connect the area colleges with the Downtown neighborhood.
Team “Lifting Soles”
LK Team Members: Sarah Rubinfeld, Bobby Nash, Lorien Thomas, and Bane Thomey.
Project Sponsor: Walkin’ in My Shoes
The project sponsor Walkin’ in My Shoes requested assistance with building shelving to showcase, merchandise and store shoes and clothing for the Taylor-Gabbylill Boutique for the Homeless.
By using their community connections and their professional problem solving skills, the team was able to acquire a multitude of racks and shelving valued at hundreds of dollars from a local retailer that was going out of business. With the help of other volunteers, they installed the racks and shelving and organized all of the existing donations. Items that are now donated to the organization can be quickly given a “home” on one of the boutique’s multitude of shelves or racks. In turn, clients have a classy, dignified boutique in which they can “shop” for the clothing items that they need.
This project won the Leadership Kenosha “Project of the Year” award.
Team “Be Influential”
LK Team Members: Madeline Carrera and Daphne Ursu
Project Sponsor: Hope Council
This team partnered with the Hope Council to create and execute a mentoring and advertising campaign focused on Kenosha County youth. They developed “Above the Influence”, an inter-active activity for middle school students. An event was hosted in partnership with UW-Parkside’s Mentor KR Project for mentors and mentees at the Boys & Girls Club. This activity provided mentored students with the opportunity to be their own positive role model by writing a short slogan as to why they would stay Above the Influence.
Team “Lights, Camera, Action, Literacy”
LK Team Members: David Hughes, Aimee Martinez, Julie Teeter, and Dustin Feeney
Project Sponsor: Kenosha Literacy Council
The Kenosha Literacy Council (KLC) requested help in creating a few short PSAs that they can use to recruit tutors and learners, increase public support, and advertise what KLC offers to the community. The team worked with the Audio/Visual Technology Department at Gateway Technical College to interview and develop a six minute video clip as well as a one minute video clip to be used in a variety of venues, including the Kenosha Literacy Council website.
With the support of the Gateway AV department, the team filmed interviews with ten KLC learners and five KLC tutors over several days, producing over two hours of raw footage. The final product explains the struggles of the KLC learners and shows how KLC and its dedicated tutors help KLC learners succeed.
Team “Leaders for Life”
LK Team Members: Brandon Amason, Doug Bartz, Cheryl Hernandez, and Michelle Kinney
Project Sponsor: United Way of Kenosha
Over the past decade, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Wisconsin has fallen from one of the lowest to one of the highest in the nation in cases of infant mortality – especially among minority groups. In response to this problem, the Leadership Kenosha team worked with United Way of Kenosha County to develop the Oh Baby! Family Wellness Fair.
The mission of Oh Baby! Family Wellness Fair was to help expectant parents and families with young children gain information about health, wellness, and safety through interactive displays, hands-on activities and presentations. One of the most important focuses was to help parents and caregivers learn about safe sleep environments for babies.
Families participating in the workshops were eligible to receive pack-n-plays, car seats, booster seats, and scooters with helmets – all designed to promote safety. Exhibitors included health agencies, social services agencies and even a booth from Just Ask Kids that focused on fun family events. Educational workshops were: Active Early, Healthy Bites; Safe Sleeping/SIDS Awareness; and Car Seat Safety. The event was attended by over 100 people.
Increasing the Number and Value of Kenosha County Youth Service Projects
Team: H2B… Determined
Team Members: Shalonda Black, Bryan Hughes, Greg Huss
Team Sponsor: Kenosha County Youth As Resources
YAR (Youth As Resources) is dedicated to promoting and facilitating youth-led activism in Kenosha County. The YAR Board of Directors consists of youth and adults from Kenosha County who meet once a month in the Kenosha County Administration Building to discuss community issues, to provide grants to youth-led community service groups and to plan community improvement initiatives.
YAR asked Leadership Kenosha to work with school districts, nonprofit organizations, churches and other service agencies in Kenosha County to identify meaningful community service projects that youth can plan and implement.
Team H2B… Determined contacted over 75 nonprofit groups in Kenosha County and developed a list of 116 potential community projects for youth. These projects will be entered into an online database on the YAR website, and print versions will be distributed to youth groups throughout the county. The team also prepared a press release for YAR to distribute when the database becomes available.
This project won the Leadership Kenosha “Project of the Year” award.
Building Local Partnerships for the Workforce Readiness Computer Lab
Team: Second Chance
Team Members: Tarik Hamdan, Christine Krueger, Wendy Olsen, Kim Thies
Team Sponsor: HOPE Council
In April 2011 the HOPE Council (in cooperation with the Kenosha County Job Center, the University of Wisconsin Parkside Strengthening Communities Fund, and the City of Kenosha Community Development Block Grant Program) opened a “satellite computer lab” to be used by ex-offenders with a history of substance abuse with the goal of helping ex-offenders to find employment through the use of resume building, online job searches, and employment skills workshops.
The HOPE Council asked Leadership Kenosha to help them get the word out to local businesses about the benefits to employers who hire ex-offenders by creating a campaign to reach out to employers and to develop a partnership with employers willing to help these clients.
Team Second Chance contacted the Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce to identify and contact local businesses which might be willing to partner with the HOPE Council in this community endeavor. Utilizing the Council’s existing marketing materials, the team also developed a letter to be sent to targeted businesses, explaining the program’s goals and potential benefits.
Racine/Kenosha Community Action Agency Outreach Development
Team: CSI
Team Members: Jennifer Dustman, Mary Herbert, Nyles Jackson, Raiana Mearns, Matt Nelson
Team Sponsor: Racine/Kenosha Community Action Agency
Team CSI opted to develop their own project to assist the Racine/Kenosha Community Action Agency (RKCAA) with outreach efforts, including the development of a promotional video, initiating social media accounts, and planning and implementing the open house for the RKCAA’s new community kitchen. The five-minute video provides a brief introduction to the RKCAA’s programs and services; it will be used for local presentations and will be posted on the organization’s website and social media platforms.
On May 1, 2012, over 50 community members attended to an open house highlighting the RKCAA’s newly renovated second floor, which includes a community kitchen. This kitchen will serve as a learning/teaching space, allowing the RKCAA to offer food preparation, cooking, and nutrition classes for participants of the WIC (Women, Infants, Children) program, as well as the greater Kenosha community. Team CSI was instrumental in the success of the open house, helping to identify the invitees, develop and distribute the invitations, organize the agenda, coordinate the food, and facilitate the evening.
Healthy, Fresh Food For All
Team Members: Cynthia Brown, Deanna Byrnes, Heather Kraeuter
Project Sponsor: Kenosha County UW-Extension
After visiting the Daniels Dairy Farm, Brightonwoods Orchards and Appeltrew Winery, and speaking with the Kenosha/Racine UW-Extension Community Agriculture Educator, this team decided to create its own project with the goal of increasing access to fresh, locally-grown food at farmers markets. The team conducted community research to better understand the farmers markets in Kenosha and the local food system. They also researched the process for obtaining and using an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) machine at farmer’s markets, which would allow individuals to use their food benefits at the market. After running into several road blocks, the team connected with Harborside Academy’s garden project, Five Acres and No Mule, which is also working to increase access to healthy food. Combining their efforts, the LK Team solicited donations to create sustainable vegetable gardens at Kenosha area schools and to make an EBT machine available at the farmers markets.
This project won the Leadership Kenosha “Project of the Year” award.
ElCA Urban Outreach Center Project
Team Members: Roxanne Canovi, Chris Johnson, Jesse Noyola, Nomi Webb
Project Sponsor: ELCA Urban Outreach Center
The ELCA Urban Outreach Center provides basic necessities free of charge, including a clothing closet, personal care program, referrals to Kenosha County agencies, job search assistance, and adult education (GED classes in English and Spanish). The Leadership Kenosha team worked to raise public awareness of the Center. This included: highlighting the ELCA Urban Outreach Center on the Kenosha public access channel, sending emails to the eight ELCA churches that support the center, and an article in the Kenosha News about the team’s fundraising activities.
The team also organized, promoted, and implemented a fundraiser at Siebert’s pub in Salem. Outcomes from this event included a 50/50 raffle (raising $162), a cash donation of $30, and approximately ten bags of personal care items including shampoo, feminine hygiene, baby food, socks, and clothes. Siebert’s provided a donation of 10 percent of their intake on the afternoon of the event. For longer-term outcomes, one member of the team has placed a box for donations in the O’Hare flight crew lounge for travel-size personal care items for the shower facility at the Center, and they are working on linking the Center’s website with Facebook and Twitter.
Improving Community Emergence Preparedness
Team Members: Joan Fergus, Jerry Fugiasco, Anne Whynott
Project Sponsor: Kenosha County Division of Emergency Management
The need for emergency preparedness for all hazards is very real and will not only benefit the citizens of Kenosha County when a disaster strikes, but it will be a huge benefit in assisting first responders in their response to a disaster situation. The Leadership Kenosha team worked with Kenosha County Division of Emergency Management to identify and develop a means to encourage emergency preparedness throughout Kenosha County and show the public that it isn’t difficult to prepare, that any preparedness they do is better than no preparedness at all.
With assistance from the County Information Services Department, Kenosha County UW-Extension, and Gateway Technical College, the LK team redesigned the website for Emergency Management so that it is more informative and functional, and they developed and printed brochures for the Division to distribute at community events.
Marketing Western Kenosha County Transit
Team Members: Susan Hawkins-Wilding, Tracy Musgrove, Emma Rodriguez
Project Sponsor: Kenosha County Division of Aging & Disabilities
Since 2007, Western Kenosha County Transit (WKCT) has offered public transportation services to towns and villages in the western part of the county; it is one of very few rural public transit systems in the United States. To raise awareness and ridership, Western Kenosha County Transit requested assistance from the Leadership Kenosha Team in developing marketing materials to promote its services.
The team produced testimonial videos to include on WKCT’s website, and provided posters created by students at Bristol Elementary School. After speaking with current riders, they also discovered that one way to promote the public transit system to younger people is to emphasize how it contributes to a “green,” sustainable community. To build on this idea, the team set up an informational table at the Bristol Farmer’s Market (which is located adjacent to a stop for WKCT) and will staff it through the month of June.
Healthy Babies/Brighter Future Baby Wellness
Team Members: Cyndean Jennings, Lautausha Shell, Felicia Stallworth
Project Sponsor: United Way of Kenosha County
The African American infant mortality rate in Kenosha County is one of the highest in the state of Wisconsin, and currently outpaces the nation as well. In 2006, African American infants who were born in Kenosha County died at a rate of more than seven times that of Whites. To bring awareness to the issue in Kenosha County, the team worked with the United Way of Kenosha County to organize and implement the Healthy Babies/Brighter Future Baby Wellness Expo at the Brass Community School.
The expo was designed to raise awareness and provide information and resources to the community, including workshops on topics such as access to prenatal care, home and car safety, stress reduction, infant nutrition, smoking cessation and safe sleep. The team also secured donations of raffle prizes and pizza for the expo. This team won Leadership Kenosha’s “Project of the Year” award.
Well City Kenosha Project
Team Members: Emily Delabrue, Liz Peyton, Jean Preston
Project Sponsor: Don Gillespie & Guida Brown, Kenosha Community Healthcare Initiative (KCHI)
The Kenosha Community Healthcare Initiative (KCHI), is a volunteer group of employers that is invested in improving the health of Kenosha residents through the sponsoring of health and wellness events. The Leadership Kenosha team organized and implemented a kickoff breakfast for local business leaders to generate interest in the Well City Initiative, a national program to create a healthier American workforce by engaging entire business communities in improving the health and well-being of their workforces.
Ninety-three people attended the breakfast, including heads of corporations, institutions of higher education, government agencies and non-profit organizations. Unfortunately, although the community demonstrated obvious interest in the initiative, the Wellness Council of Wisconsin was forced to put Kenosha on its wait-list in April, due to limitations of how many cities can join the program each year.
Helping LGBT Youth
Team Members: Susan Larkin, Kristen Lie, Mary Spence
Project Sponsor: Bruce Joffe, LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin
The LGBT Center of Southeast Wisconsin provides services and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people living in Kenosha, Racine, and the surrounding area. Working with the Center’s Kenosha-based youth coordinators, the Leadership Kenosha team created youth-oriented marketing materials, including bookmarks, business cards, flyers and a YouTube video. The Center’s youth coordinators, executive director and board of directors are working together to determine the best methods to distribute the materials so that LGBT youth in Kenosha are aware of this resource.
Leadership Kenosha Marketing Project
Team Members: Kristin Gunia, Colleen Kane, Kimmberly Peters
Project Sponsor: Leadership Kenosha Steering Committee
The team was asked to develop new, creative marketing strategies to spark more interest in the Leadership Kenosha (LK) program and help find recruits for future years. Centered on the idea that the marketing should focus on one-on-one business calls and raising awareness of LK with community leaders, the team produced a recommendation for an alumni-based recruiting/marketing campaign. This included: a letter to generate alumni support and commitment for LK program recruitment; a list of targeted businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies which would benefit from participation in the LK program; a list of local civic organizations at which LK could be highlighted; and a presentation that may be used as a starting point when speaking to civic organizations.
2009 Run/Walk for the Cure of Kenosha
Team members: Shannan Fettes, Julio Plata, Pam Halbach, Christine Hogue
Project Sponsor: Michelle Povlich, American Cancer Society
This team worked hard to help the American Cancer Society meet and exceed its goals for this year’s Run/Walk for the Cure- not an easy feat in such a tough economic climate. They promoted the event throughout the community and put up posters and brochures throughout Kenosha and Pleasant Prairie. With this team’s help, the Run/Walk for the Cure had 30 teams participate this year, and nearly 100 more participants involved than last year. The event was able to raise over $35,000.
C.A.P. Crusaders (Child Abuse Prevention)
Team members: Lou Molitor, Loretta Bondi, Michelle Mancusi, Shawn DeBoey
Project Sponsor: Karyn van Heijningen, Community Impact Programs, Inc
Despite dismal weather during the week that they carried out their project, the C.A.P. Crusaders completed a successful project to raise awareness and help prevent child abuse in the community. They created a large scale visual image on the infield of the Kenosha Velodrome Park with an outline of the Unites States complete with border lines of all 50 states. Inside of each state was a plaque of the statistical data of the number of children reported as being abused for that year. Around that sign was an American flag to represent the loss of each child in that state, totaling nearly 1500 in the country. An outline of a blue Ribbon was sprayed on the grass inside of the outline of Wisconsin and attendees were invited to plant a blue flag made by local children from various childcare centers to represent their commitment to fight against child abuse. The team created awareness in the community by holding it open for viewing for the entire week. An opening ceremony was held which included speakers such as Kenosha Mayor Keith Bosman, Kenosha County Executive Jim Kreuser, and representatives from D.C.F.S. The team closed the week by blessing the field and having the community take a flag back with them for their commitment to help prevent child abuse. The team won Leadership Kenosha’s “Project of the Year” award.
Safe Haven Youth Shelter
Team members: Jeanette Stevenson, Evette Rowley, Dana Thomson, Gary Fisher
Project Sponsor: Russell H. Warren, SAFE Haven Youth Shelter
Safe Haven Youth Shelter is an eight bed facility in Racine that focuses on area youth ages 10-17 in situations of abuse, neglect or runaway. The facility is well known through authoritative and social channels such as the police, social workers and school guidance counselors but is virtually unknown to the public at large. Safe Haven wanted to bring their message directly to the kids they support in a marketing campaign that would make them both aware of the shelter and the help available to them. This team focused on the school environment as the best venue to start spreading the word about the help youth can find at Safe Haven Youth Shelter. They created a marketing program that included six different posters with tear-away tab contact information as well as video pieces that can be used in different aspects: Safe Haven website, Youtube, school visits, etc. Each quarter Safe Haven will mail copies of a new poster to the contact person at all of the schools in the district. Copies of the videos will also be distributed on DVD to the school’s contacts. Meetings with Racine Unified School District guidance counselors were positive and well received. They are excited to begin using the campaign to ensure their students are aware of all the options available to them. The program can reach kids in their time of need before it becomes too late. Safe Haven hopes to create awareness to the individuals who need the information most – the kids.
Y-Link – Young Leaders in Kenosha
Team members: Chris Grugel, Danielle Williams, Jeff Kehl, Trudy Biehn, Chuck Duford
Project Sponsor: Maegan Pitts, United Way of Kenosha County
Team members were originally assigned to create organizational by-laws, form a board of directors and design a website for Y-Link. However, team members realized an opportunity for Kenosha to create a sustainable organization that could benefit the community for years to come. These realizations and efforts resulted in the creation of a partnership between United Way, Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce and Kenosha Area Business Alliance. The focus of Y-LinK now includes promotion of business and professional development, community involvement and enrichment, and social networking opportunities for its members. The team also created a brochure, survey, an expandable website found at http://www.ylinkenosha.com/, and assisted in the success of the first community sponsored Y-LinK event at the Civil War Museum on April 16. The highlight of the evening was the informal networking that took place between those who attended. Business cards, handshakes, and genuine interest in what people were doing in the community quickly became the focus of the evening. With more events scheduled in the summer of 2009, Y-Link appears certain to provide many opportunities for Kenosha’s Young Leaders to make a difference and positively impact the community.