Children’s Garden fundraiser exceeds goal
GREEN BAY – The Green Bay Botanical Garden announced it not only met, but exceeded its $11.5 million fundraising goal for its Nature Nurtures campaign, raising $13.3 million.
The funds will be used to build the new 2.5-acre Carol & Bruce Bell Children’s Garden.
Garden staff said the additional $1.8 million over goal will be usedto cover the higher-than-expected project bids, which came in are more than originally estimated, because of higher supply and labor costs, as well as supply chain delays.
Boldt Construction was selected as the project’s general contractor.
Staff said construction will begin this spring, with an estimated completion of spring 2023.
UWGB honors recital
GREEN BAY – The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay music program will hold its annual Honors Recital at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, in Fort Howard Hall of the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts.
Admission is free, and the recital is open to the public.
The 10 students participating in the recital were chosen by faculty members during a juried selection process.
Children’s Hospital sign up
GREEN BAY – The sign for the HSHS Children’s Hospital, Green Bay’s first and only children’s hospital, is up on the outside of the building, marking a milestone in the multi-million-dollar renovation project.
The illuminated sign weighs 500 pounds and measures nearly 13 feet high and 22 feet wide.
It was installed Feb. 2, approximately 80 feet up onto the hospital’s red, brick exterior near the corner of Webster Avenue and Porlier Street.
The sign is part of a multi-phased renovation project at the Children’s Hospital which began in 2019.
Ethical Hunter award nominations
WISCONSIN – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting applications for its annual Wisconsin Ethical Hunter Award.
Established in 1997, DNR Chief Conservation Warden Casey Krueger said the award recognizes a hunter whose action represents Wisconsin’s heritage of responsible, respectful and safe hunting.
More information on how to nominate a hunter can be found on the DNR’s website.
Nominations are due Feb. 26.
Cellcom begins 5G rollout
WISCONSIN – Green Bay-based wireless carrier Cellcom announced it has started the rollout of its 5G network.
Customers can now access the faster speeds and improved response times delivered by 5G in areas across Brown County – along with sites in Shawano and Langlade counties – covering portions of Green Bay, De Pere, Howard, Suamico, Pulaski, Denmark, Belle Plaine and Antigo.
Cellcom said it will be expanding its 5G coverage throughout 2022.
Salvation Army donation
GREEN BAY – The Green Bay Matthews Tire location took part in a company-wide 18th Oil Change for the Better event in mid-December.
For every regular-priced oil change performed throughout the week at all six locations, Matthews Tire donated $15 to The Salvation Army.
They also collected toys in Matthews Tire lobbies throughout the week, just in time for Christmas.
Since 2012, Matthews Tire has raised more than $73,000 for various local nonprofits.
The 2021 event raised $8,000 for The Salvation Army.
Annual consignment sale
DENMARK – The Denmark Lions will hold its annual Consignment Sale on Saturday, March 26, at the Northeast Asphalt Quarry.
Organizers said last year there were more than 1,000 registered bidders.
Items accepted include: All farm equipment, antiques, ATVs, lawn and garden equipment and tools.
No cars, trucks, tires or cow mats will be accepted.
Deadline to consign and have items advertised is Thursday, Feb. 17.
Email [email protected], or call (920) 743-8007 or (920) 559-0466 for more information.
Laundry Love Green Bay donation
GREEN BAY – Laundry Love Green Bay recently received $1,040 for its fundraising efforts at Vandervest Harley-Davidson’s Winter Blues Fest late last month.
Laundry Love volunteers sold brats and other food items, which were provided by Vandervest Harley-Davidson, during the Green Bay Packers tailgate event.
The nonprofit organization provides free laundry services to those in need by providing quarters and soap through their Laundry Love events at local laundromats.
Conservation warden recruitment
WISCONSIN – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hiring for its 2023 class of conservation wardens.
Applications are being accepted Feb. 14-March 6.
DNR conservation wardens are credentialed law enforcement officers, who serve rural and urban communities statewide, enforcing laws that protect fish and wildlife, the environment, state parks and forests, as well as outdoor recreation enthusiasts.
The department said it plans to hire approximately a dozen full-time wardens for its upcoming October 2022 training class.
More information can be found at dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WardenRecruitment.
Greenhouse donation
GREEN BAY – Preble High School teacher Clayton Vader received a $3,500 grant from Wello, which will be used to install an irrigation system in the Preble greenhouse, which produces more than 4,000 plants each spring.
As part of the curriculum in greenhouse production and landscaping, students learn greenhouse management.
This includes plant nutrition, climate control and water requirements.
The addition of the watering system will allow students to get hands-on experience with irrigation installation.
They will work as a team to generate a plan and install the system before the end of the school year.
Blanket Blitz successful
GREEN BAY – Brown County United Way’s annual blanket drive – Blanket Blitz – collected more than 1,150 items in its first year as a one-day event.
Organizers said the collected items were distributed to area agencies.
The event, now in its 11th year, was reimagined from its original format as the collection, sorting and distribution of blankets to area agencies all happened in a single day.
Previously, collection was a month-long process.
Since the drive started in 2012 the community has donated more than 23,000 blankets to help people in need.
National guard members complete CNA training
WISCONSIN – Gov. Tony Evers announced approximately 70 Wisconsin National Guard members completed a two-week certified nursing assistant (CNA) training course at Madison College, and are now assigned at health care facilities across Wisconsin.
The troops join approximately 50 other troops that had previously been assigned at long-term care facilities across Wisconsin.
Guard troops are currently assisting as CNAs at facilities in Mineral Point, Wisconsin Dells, La Crosse, New London, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Cornell, Woodville, Sturgeon Bay, Suring, Antigo, Weyauwega, Kaukauna, Kenosha, Waunakee, Glendale and Racine.
Digital marketing campaign
WISCONSIN – New North Inc., a regional economic development corporation, launched a multi-pronged digital campaign – More YOU in NEW (Northeast Wisconsin) – which Barb LaMue, president and CEO of New North Inc., said is designed to attract and retain talent to the area.
LaMue said the program focuses on a diverse group of New North residents, and why they chose to make the New North region a work/life destination.
She said a new video will be rolled out each month through June.
All released videos and other information are available at thenewnorth.com/living-in-the-new-north/more-you-in-new/.
Well-being summit
GREEN BAY – Wello is set to host its third annual Well-Being Summit from 8:30-10 a.m. Feb. 17.
The virtual summit will feature research partners from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Consortium for Applied Research and St. Norbert College Strategic Research Institute.
Organizers said the summit is an annual opportunity to share local community wins within the Wello network, bring together well-being champions to connect, strengthen and amplify its collective impact and act as an accountability loop for Wello’s local data collection efforts.
More information can be found at wello.org
Prevea welcomes new director
GREEN BAY – Prevea Health welcomed Pam Berth as its director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships.
Berth has more than 20 years of business sales experience, most of which were focused within the health care field.
Her role at Prevea will cover the whole State of Wisconsin.
“I look forward to introducing businesses and their employees across Wisconsin to the high-quality care and service Prevea Corporate Health and Wellness provides,” Berth said. “It’s an honor to be a part of the Prevea family.”
NWTC District Board of Trustees
NORTHEAST WISCONSIN – Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) is accepting applications for four positions on the NWTC District Board of Trustees.
Three three-year positions and a one-year vacancy position are open.
The counties represented by these appointments are: Door, Oconto, Brown, Outagamie, and Marinette
Applications are due 4 p.m. Feb. 21.
Black History Month art contest
GREEN BAY – Voting is now open in UScellular’s third annual Black History Month Art Contest with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Green Bay.
Voting is available online until Feb. 28, at newsroom.uscellular.com.
Club members were encouraged to create original pieces of artwork in recognition of influential Black STEM icons, including historical figures, world leaders, scientists and educators.
The top three vote-getters will be announced in March, and prizes include gift cards in the following amounts: $250 for first place, $150 for second and $100 for third.
State of De Pere
DE PERE – The De Pere Area Chamber of Commerce, Definitely De Pere, St. Norbert College and the City of De Pere will hold the fourth annual State of De Pere from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, at St. Norbert College (SNC).
Presentations from Dan Heider, SNC dean of the Donald J. Schneider School of Business and Economics, Mayor James Boyd, Tina Quigley, executive director of Definitely De Pere, and Ryan Kraft, chairman of the De Pere Area Chamber, begin at noon.
Advanced registration is required and can be done on the chamber’s website.
Urban Food Forest project
GREEN BAY – New Leaf Foods, Inc., located at 1220 Bay Beach Road, is launching an Urban Food Forest project as part of its annual New Leaf Garden Blitz event May 12-15.
In a food forest, also called a forest garden, edible plants are planted that attempt to mimic the natural ecosystem.
In preparation, New Leaf is selling trees and bushes now.
Fruit and nut trees and bushes can be ordered at newleaffoods.org for the 2022 growing season.
Supplies are limited.
The plants are bare root and cost $10 a set.
Raspberries and blackberries come in sets of three.
All other plants are in sets of two.
Payment is due at time of pickup, which will be during the New Leaf Garden Blitz.
New Leaf is also hosting training sessions to those who want to learn how to grow a forest garden.
National Children’s Dental Health Month
GREEN BAY – February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and Oral Health Partnership (OHP) said it’s a great time to talk about the benefits of children developing good oral health habits leading to a lifetime of healthy smiles.
The nonprofit organization has five clinic locations and school-based programs providing dental care to nearly 10,000 economically-disadvantaged children annually.
To learn more about OHP, visit smilegb.org.
2022 Community Challenge grant applications
WISCONSIN – AARP Wisconsin invites local organizations and governments across the state to apply for the 2022 AARP Community Challenge grant program.
Now in its sixth year, the grant program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods and rural areas to become great places to live by improving public spaces, transportation, housing, civic engagement, coronavirus recovery, diversity and inclusion.
The application deadline is 4 p.m. March 22, with project completion by Nov. 30.
To submit an application and view past grantees, visit AARP.org/CommunityChallenge.