It was a whose who at the Volunteer Center of Washington County on Wednesday evening for the 6th annual West Bend Community Foundation Donor Appreciation event.
One of the highlights of the evening was the announcement of the winner of the Founders Service Award.
The award was started years ago by Doug Ziegler and Cliff Nelson.
Cliff’s wife Betty Nelson could not be in attendance so Sharon and Doug Ziegler made the announcement.
“It’s an honor to pass this year’s award to Cedar Community Foundation for being a tremendous asset to the community since 1956,” Sharon Ziegler said.
Cedar Community CEO Steve Jaberg, who is retiring at the end of the year, accepted the award. “We have passion, vision and quality standards in all of Cedar Communities campuses,” Jaberg said.
The newest addition to Cedar Community is its recently completed Cottages at Cedar Run memory-care facility. “As of Tuesday this week were were 100 percent filled to capacity,” said Jaber. “Cedar Community recognizes our call to serve others.”
UW-Washington County Dean Paul Price, a board member with the Volunteer Center, opened the ceremony praising the Volunteer Center for its adaptive use of recycled items and he touted some upcoming events including a mosaic art project with the Museum of Wisconsin Art.
Mayor Kraig Sadownikow spoke briefly and focused on the cliche, ‘public-private partnership’ and named off the entities that are key to the redevelopment of Old Settlers Park including LaRosa Landscape, the West Bend Community Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, West Bend Parks Department and Roots & Branches.
Will Janisch, philanthropic adviser with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, talked about the organizations centennial anniversary and partnership with supporting foundations.
“In celebration we made the $200,000 donation to the Old Settlers Park project,” Janisch said. “This is exactly the type of project we were looking for because it’s a community place that can serve a wide variety of people.”
Following the ceremony, those in attendance stepped across the street to review the construction work going on at the park.
The remodel of the park on the triangle corner of Sixth Avenue and Main Street will be finished by next year from opening of Music on Main.
About 50 people were in attendance.
Coming up later this weekend the West Bend Community Foundation will debut its new website. Check out its current location at http://westbendcommunityfoundation.org/