Reach for the Stars event raises $140,000 for Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac, and more news in weekly dose
FOND DU LAC — The 16th annual Reach for the Stars Dinner & Auction took place Feb. 23 in support of the Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac.
The event raised more than $140,000 for the organization’s summer youth programs.
A significant portion of the proceeds stemmed from the “Sponsor a Child” summer scholarship promotion, which raised more than $36,000.
In addition to a speech by Stephany Lopez, the Boys & Girls Club’s 2023-2024 Youth of the Year, there was a performance by a group of club youth.
Dan Hebel, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club, also provided a brief update on the impact and continued growth of the club, including expansion plans for the partnership between the Fond du Lac Family YMCA and Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac.
Reach for the Stars included an online silent auction and a raffle for a chance to win a “Door County Experience” package, won by Mindy Ausloos.
For more about the Boys & Girls Club, stop in at 76 W. Second St., call 920-924-0530, or visit bgcfdl.org.
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Welcome to your weekly dose. Here is more news from throughout Fond du Lac County.
Moraine Park hosts job/college fair March 5
Moraine Park Technical College will host Future Fair, a community-wide job and college fair, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 5 at the Fond du Lac Campus Conference Center.
Seventy-six employers and college exhibitors will be in attendance. Employers will showcase their businesses and recruit for internships and job opportunities, and the educational institutions will be there to discuss various transfer options.
Registration is not required. Free headshots will be provided between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
For more information, contact Michele Sabel, Moraine Park’s career and employment services specialist, at 920-924-3205 or msabel@morainepark.edu.
Women of all faiths welcome to Energizing Spirits breakfast
The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes will host Breakfast with Women: Energizing Spirits March 7 at Hotel Retlaw in downtown Fond du Lac.
Women from all belief systems and spiritual journeys are welcome. Panelists are Sisters Rhea Emmer, Jean Hinderer, Patrice Rog, Susan Seeby and Jomarie Zielke. Each sister brings a personalized approach to spiritual direction and spiritual companionship informed by years of training and experiences in diverse settings.
The event will start at 8:15 a.m. with presentation, discussion and panel questions, leaving time to socialize with other attendees. Check-in and breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m.
Tickets are $25 per person and are available at csasisters.org/breakfast.
This event also will serve as the first Sisters & Seekers gathering for 2024. New participants are always welcome. For more information, contact dkrikau@csasisters.org.
Meet candidates for city council in Fond du Lac, Ripon
The Democratic Party of Fond du Lac County will offer a chance to “Meet Your 2024 City Council Candidates” at 6 p.m. March 7.
Meet candidates in the contested races in Fond du Lac and Ripon at Labor Hall, 50 E Bank St., or on Zoom.
Four of the seven city council seats in Fond du Lac are up for election this year. In Ripon, there is one contested race for City Council.
Fond du Lac candidates attending the event include Antonio Godfrey, Angela Luehring, Jane Puddy Ricchio and Brett Zimmermann. Mark Denkert is running in Ripon District 2.
To view the Zoom event, visit the group’s Facebook page at facebook.com/FDLDems. For more information, visit wisdems.org.
Students invited to attend College Preview Day at MPTC
Moraine Park Technical College will host a College Preview Day for high school juniors and seniors March 13. It will be held 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Fond du Lac Campus Conference Center.
During the event, students have the chance to tour campus, visit program areas, connect with MPTC staff and students, win prizes and more.
For more information and to register, visit morainepark.edu/visit-us/college-preview-day. Registration closes March 6.
Ripon library offers movies, game night and more
The Ripon Public Library hosts a variety of programs for youth, teens and adults.
Patrons 11 and older are invited to take part in Dungeons and Dragons and other role-playing games from 1 to 4 p.m. March 10. Beginners are welcome.
On March 11, a newly-released movie will be shown at 2 p.m. There will be complimentary popcorn.
Ripon College Professor Emeritus Skip Wittler will present a program on the benefits of diverse ecosystems to humans from 6 to 7:30 p.m. March 11. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session.
The third Wednesday of the month is adult game night. From 6 to 8 p.m. March 13, patrons ages 16 and older are invited to play modern board games.
The library is at 120 Jefferson St., Ripon. For more information, contact 920-748-6160 or visit riponlibrary.org.
Decker joins advancement team at St. Mary's Springs
Chris Decker has been named director of advancement at St. Mary’s Springs Academy. Decker brings a wealth of experience and expertise in philanthropy, including fundraising, stewardship and institutional marketing.
Decker previously served as the director of advancement for St. Mary Catholic Schools in Neenah, where his role was crucial in building relationships with stakeholders, including alumni, parish partners, Board of Trustee members, and community supporters.
President Stacey Akey said in a news release: “Through the interview process Chris demonstrated a true passion for servant leadership and Catholic education. I am confident he will leave a lasting impact as he becomes part of the SMSA legacy.”
Abel is most recent DAISY Award winner at SSM Health
Registered Nurse Heather Abel, part of the Medical/Surgical team, has been named a DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses winner at SSM Health Waupun Memorial Hospital.
The award recognizes the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day. Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues.
Abel was nominated by a patient’s family who wrote in part: “... Heather was grandpa’s nurse a few times, and each time she spent some extra time with him and our family, to either explain things, answer questions, or just reminisce with us. We felt so welcomed and at home – which is hard in a hospital, especially knowing grandpa wasn’t going home ...”
During a brief ceremony, Abel received a certificate, a DAISY Award pin, and a sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.
For more information, visit DAISYfoundation.org.
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Popp of Society Insurance honored at leaders conference
Gina Popp of Society Insurance has been honored by the American Property Casualty Insurance Association as an emerging industry leader. Popp joined a select group of property and casualty insurance professionals at the 2024 Emerging Leaders Conference in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 4 to 6.
The conference provides insights on executive leadership, facilitates networking and promotes professional and personal development.
“It was an honor to be surrounded by such a talented group of insurance professionals,” Popp said in a press release, who serves as Society’s director of information technology delivery. “This was a great opportunity to recognize the contributions these individuals are making not only at their companies and within the industry, but also in the communities they serve. The future of insurance and technology looks brighter than ever with so many thought leaders truly working to make a difference.”
Contact Mara Wegner at mwegner@gannett.com or 920-996-7241.
This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac Boys & Girls Club announces Reach for the Stars proceeds
