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What's New at the M&M; Area Community Foundation?

Menominee's Yellow Bike Program Replicated In Florida

A new bicycle-lending program is starting this month in Punta Gorda, a small harborside community in southern Florida. While this program will help set the town apart from the rest of the state, and even national cycling havens such as Boulder, Colorado, the inspiration came from Menominee's Yellow Bike Program, which has been funded by the M&M Area Community Foundation since 2006.

Gene Pawlowski, brought the idea back to Punta Gorda about a year and a half ago after a summer sailboat race on Lake Michigan. His crew enjoyed the public bikes in Menominee, Mich., where the race ended. It reminded him of the marinas along Charlotte Harbour, where boaters come ashore with no transportation. The Punta Gorda Downtown Merchants’ Association, led Jerry Presseller, also thought the bike share idea was a fit.

“It’s another amenity for our winter friends and guests,” Mr. Presseller said.

Mr. Pawlowski now serves as chair of the Spokes and Trails Committee for TEAM Punta Gorda, the grassroots cooperative that developed the Yellow Bike Loaner Program. Team Punta Gorda worked out most of the details last year before the city adopted the plan at council meeting this month, agreeing to take ownership and place the bicycles under its insurance umbrella.

“That’s how the organizations in this city work together,” Mr. Pawlowski said.

The Community Foundation is proud to have shown them the way.

2009 Recap

The Foundation had a very busy 2009.  In April, a total of $10,000 in grants was awarded to 6 non-profit and charitable groups in Marinette and Menominee counties from the Roger & Lyn Derusha AAOD Family Fund.  Projects receiving funds were in the area of alcohol and other drug abuse and prevention. 

The Peshtigo Area Foundation also awarded a grant to allow Respite Care of Marinette to focus on community outreach and education of their program concept in the Peshtigo area.  Their priority is to build a network in the county so that they can better assist and support families who are facing life transitions.  The funds will be used for marketing and educational materials so that they can build a strong foundation for future families to utilize Respite Care of Marinette and Menominee counties as a resource and for them to become a referral resource to and for the network of professionals. 

On April 23rd the Foundation held the first Brats for Breakfast Fundraiser sponsored by Bay Cities Radio in Menominee.  The fundraiser brought in more than $3,100 to help support the operations of the Foundation.

On Thursday, May 14th, the Women’s Giving Circle of Marinette & Menominee Counties awarded $5,000 to five local non-profit organizations.  An additional $1,000 was awarded from the Mary L. Staudenmaier Fund of the M&M Area Community Foundation.  Organizations receiving awards include Bay Area Pregnancy Services, $2,000 for the Earn While You Learn Project; The Menominee Animal Shelter (partnering with The Rainbow House Domestic Abuse Services), $500 for the Safety Nets for Victim’s Pets; Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, $1,500 for their Starting Over Project; the City of Marinette Recreation Department, $500 for the Supervised Playground Program and the Marinette Menominee Area Chamber of Commerce, $500 for the Chart Your Own Course: A Workshop for Women Who Want to Start a Business.  An additional $500 was awarded each to Northeast Wisconsin Technical College and the Marinette Menominee Area Chamber of Commerce from the Mary L. Staudenmaier Fund.  Each project was focused on one of three priorities identified by the Women’s Giving Circle.  These priorities include women interested in starting and growing their own business, education, and safe affordable childcare.

The Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) of the M&M Area Community Foundation has awarded grants totaling $4,163 for 7 local youth programs.  The grants were awarded on Thursday, May 21, at a reception held at the Best Western, Marinette.  Since the Youth Advisory Committee began awarding grants in 1997, they have given over $176,000 to 93 different organizations within Marinette and Menominee Counties. Organizations receiving grants include: Menominee County, $500 for their Teen Court Program, DAR Boys & Girls Club, $500 for their 2009 Summer Day Camp, Garfield Elementary School $750 for their Recipe for Reading Success Program, Northern Lights Master Gardeners Association, $1,013 for the Creating a Children’s Learning Garden at Harmony Arboretum & Demonstration Gardens, Healthy Youth Coalition of Marinette & Menominee Counties, $500 for the Every 15 Minutes Program, Marinette County Sheriff’s Department, $500 for the Marinette County Jail Inmate Education Program/High School Diploma or GED Program, and Menominee High School Physics Class, $400 for their Physics Field Trip for Engineering Olympics 2010. An additional $2,250 was also awarded by the Mary L. Staudenmaier Fund of the M&M Area Community Foundation.  The Menominee County Teen Court Program and the Marinette County Jail Inmate Education Program/High School Diploma or GED Program received an additional $500 each.  The YMCA received $1,000 for their Strong Kids Campaign and UW-Marinette received $450 for their Dictionary Project and $100 for the Undergraduate Research and Performance Conference

The Classic sponsored by The Stephenson National Bank & Trust raised nearly $15,000 to support the operations of the M&M Area Community Foundation on Saturday, June 20th at North Shore Golf Club.  The golf & dinner event kicked off with a shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. followed by lunch and awards.  Participants returned for a cocktail hour, silent auction & sit-down dinner at 6:30 p.m.  A live auction followed dinner.  Event Chairmen Arthur Baron and Larry Valencic were pleased with outcome of the first annual golf and dinner fundraiser.  They would like to thank The Stephenson National Bank & Trust for sponsoring such a wonderful event.  They would also like to thank all who participated in the event, purchased a table, donated to the auctions or sponsored a tee/green.  Special thanks to the Community Events Committee of the Foundation for all of their hard work in making the event a huge success.   

The Foundation held its annual Volunteer Appreciation BBQ on Thursday, August 13th at 5:30 p.m. at the Yacht Club in Menominee. 

The Foundation presented grant awards from the Community Wide Grant Cycle on Tuesday, August 18th at their annual meeting.

The Foundation held its 11th annual Tailgate Party Fundraiser on Friday, October 16th at Schussler's Supper Club in Peshtigo.  Former Packer running back and ESPN Analyst William Henderson overcame adverse travel conditions, and, though he arrived late, he delivered an terriffic speech about the importance of community, and stayed late into the night to speak with fans and sign autographs. 

Last Updated ( Monday, 03 May 2010 )
 
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