West Allis Charities

West Allis Western Days Parade...West Allis Western Days Festival...two community staples, which due to lack of sponsor support and festival attendance, were forced to be cancelled and never return. Did you know the yearly parade costs were an estimated $30,000, yet it was free to attend? Did you know the festival was the largest, annual FUNDRAISER for the West Allis Charities, Inc.? If more people would have harnessed the concept the West Allis Western Days Festival existed as a fundraiser for the West Allis community instead of grumbling about the $5.00 admission cost, maybe these two events would be in existence today.

Did you know 100% of the proceeds (after expenses) from the festival went back into the community for literacy programs, education scholarships, living needs assistance, replenishing food pantries, increasing resident safety, and providing medical / vision / dental funds for children and elderly? Yes, we do all this and more with the funds we raise. How much of our expenses are for employee salaries? ZERO...we are a 100% volunteer organization. The reality is...how much do you care about your community and helping to better new / existing programs or the lives of others? We are an avenue for you to use to make your dollars work in and for your community.

The April 2009 newsletter for the City of West Allis had our newsletter in it on a yellow sheet of paper. Each resident should have received one. If you really want to get to know us and the good we provide the West Allis community, please read it. Our continued efforts to remain a financial resource require monetary contributions and volunteers to put in service hours at our hosted events. Our "family of volunteers" is motivated & dedicated to ensuring the city of West Allis never loses the "Gem in the Community" we call the West Allis Charities, Inc. 

The summer will be filled with opportunities to join the Music By The Mile Planning Committee, to volunteer at hosted events like our monthly hot dog lunch at Majdecki Sentry, or to be part of an Advisory Committee, which keeps the Charities up to date with the needs of the city, its residents, & suggests fundraising ideas.

 We are here for you...are you willing to be there for us?  

Project Literacy & Education is one of the most important funds the West Allis Charities has. For this reason, the Executive Board made a recommendation, which was supported unanimously by the General Membership, to continue providing scholarship opportunities to the youth of the West Allis community. In years past, we were able to provide $10,000+ per year and offer the scholarships to graduating seniors & students furthering their college education.

Due to project, budget cuts and a decrease in contributions to the Project Literacy & Education fund, we will only be offering the scholarships to graduating seniors from West Allis Central and West Allis Nathan Hale High Schools. We did not feel cutting scholarships completely from our budget was the answer to limited funds we have to spread out over the five project needs we have in our community.

We are hopeful we will be able to raise funds from private and corporate contributions for 2010.  As a 501(c)3, non-profit organization, there are allowable tax deductions for contributions to our organization. When funds are donated to one or more of our projects, the funds are earmarked and used as requested. We are all volunteers, so there is no worry your dollars are "padding executive pockets."

Scholarship applications are available at www.westallischarities.org on page two of Community Sharing - http://westallischarities.org/WAC_Scholarship_Guidelines_and_Application.pdf.

Application deadline is April 15, 2009.

The West Allis Charities, Inc. held a 9-Pin Tap bowling tournament on February 28th to raise money for Sam Koenig's living and medical needs. The fundraiser brought families and friends together from all over Wisconsin, including Green Bay, Windlake, Oak Creek, and our hometown West Allis. Denise, Sam's mother, stated, "I am grateful and overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for Sam. It is organizations like the West Allis Charities that make our city a great place to live."

Saturday, February 28 at 10 AM kicks off WAC Pins for Sam at Riviera Lanes on 86th & Greenfield Ave.

For those of you, who have been following Sam's story, you will not want to miss this event. It does not matter, if you bowl or not, you can come and participate in the many raffles throughout the event. Donations will be taken at the door. Walk-in bowlers will be taken until 10:30 AM promptly...one male and one female equals a team. Entry is $40.00.

It is absolutely amazing to me how the community has come together for the Koenig family. Many thanks to the following for their gracious donations and time spent reeling in bowlers, food, and sponsors for the event. It is the elves I did not know I had, who helped make this day a success before the doors have even opened. Peggy from Signs and Lines By Stretch,  - Joshua from Dillon Bindery - Joe from Greenfield - Butch's Sunday Funnies league - Grebe's Bakery - Mama Mia's - Dave Burns - Dan & Roxanne, owners of Riviera Lanes - Woodrow Wilson Middle School - Diane Brandt from WA/WM Chamber of Commerce, and many more.

It is going to be a great day....Don't miss it!

It is plain & simple, WE NEED BOWLERS & A FOOD SPONSOR!  "WAC Pins for Sam" is a special fundraiser to benefit Sam, an extremely needy child, who just turned 13. The tournament format is scotch doubles; one male & one female per team. It will be held at Riviera Lanes (86^th & Greenfield Ave.) on Saturday, February 28 starting with check-in at 10 AM. Pre-registration and $40 entry fee for the event are required!

Since May 2008, Sam and his family have been living each day in a non-handicap / wheel chair accessible home. It is impossible to imagine the immediate, life-altering change the Koenig family is going through. Emotionally, mentally, physically, and financially Sam's rare disease (Anterior Cord Syndrome/Transverse Myelitis) has taken its toll. What keeps the Koenigs strong is the support from the community, family, and friends.

Sam continues his extensive physical therapy, which also includes electric stimulation of his leg muscles and hydro-track water therapy. Recently he was fitted for floor-reaction, ankle foot orthotics (AFO's). The AFO's will provide stability and aid in increasing Sam's mobility. He continues to make regular progress, while keeping a positive attitude and striving to achieve his goal of one day walking again.

Let's not let the Koenig family down. Each of us can make a tiny sacrifice knowing the outcome of what we choose will have a tremendous benefit to a child and family, who desperately need us and our support. The bowling tournament is an infinite step in the long recovery process Sam is faced with. Our fundraising goal is $5,000. Without enough bowlers, we will not be able to reach the goal. You do not have to be a good bowler. You just need to like to laugh and have fun for a few hours on a Saturday. What do you say...come on and join the fun for Sam!

Additional items needed for the success of the tournament are lane sponsors ($100), raffle items (gift certificates / gift cards valued at $10 or more), food to feed 175 people, and bowler match sponsors ($20.00 each or a team of two for $40.00.) We will also be accepting donations at the door the day of the event.    

Tournament information and sign up sheets are available at http://www.westallischarities.org/ for download on the "News & Events" page. If you are interested in providing the food for the event, would like to sponsor a lane, or make a monetary / raffle contribution, please contact TJ at 414.520.2262.

We have extended the deadline for the 9-Pin Tap Bowling Tournament being held Saturday, February 28, 2009 at Riviera Lanes on 86th & Greenfield to allow additional time for us to reach our fundraising goal of $5,000+ for Sam and his family.

Pre-registration is required for each team participating in the tournament. We must receive the payment and entry form together. Please have them to us no later than February 20. Forms and tournament information are available at westallischarities.org on the News & Events page or pick up a form at Riviera Lanes.

We are still in need of lane sponsors ($100), raffle / door prizes (gift certificates / gift cards), and a food sponsor to feed 175 people. These sponsorships will decrease the expenses of the tournament and bring us closer to the $5,000 goal.

Thank you to Matt Connor of PRP Wine International, Diane Montgomery of Cookie Lee Jewelry, State Fair Inn, Christy Peters of DiamondZ Pet Spa, West Allis Fire Department, Suzzette Grisham of Suzette's Hair 4 You, Woodrow Wilson's Brownie Troop 1295, the SanFillippo family, and Accent Alternatives, LLC for their raffle, door prize, and lane sponsorships we have received. 

We have a fantastic tournament of events prepared! There will be a special presentation by Woodrow Wilson's Troop 1295. Every participant will be entered into a special, exclusive drawing for great prizes. There will be 50/50 cash raffles and other raffle items available to participants and spectators.

Please call TJ (414.520.2262), if you are able to become a sponsor. We need you to be successful!

It is a normal school day in May 2008. You give your kids a hug and a kiss goodbye, and they are off on their merry way to school. You get yourself to work, as you have many days before; the same, daily routine. What you did not know was this day wouldn’t be like any other day. This would be the day the life of one of your children and your family would change forever in a blink of an eye.

“WAC Pins for Sam” will be held at Riviera Lanes (86^th & Greenfield Ave.) on Saturday, February 28 from 10 AM – 3 PM. We need lane sponsors ($100), raffle items (gift certificates / gift cards valued at $10 or more), food to feed 175 people, and bowler participants with bowler match sponsors.

Tournament information and sign up sheets are available at www.westallischarities.org for download on the “News & Events” page. If you are interested in providing the food for the event, would like to sponsor a lane, or make a monetary / raffle contribution, please contact TJ at 414.520.2262.

Start 2009 out right. Make a difference for Sam and his family. Deadline for bolwer registration is February 6.

     As we head into the hussle and bussle of the holiday season, it is a good time to reflect on where we have been over the past year, where we are now, and where we would like to improve in the future. Some of us have driven the curvy road. Some of us have been able to take the straight road. Some of us have taken the roller coaster ride of a lifetime. No matter which road you have been on or decide to travel, it is important for all of us to remember giving of yourself is the best thanks anyone can receive. 

     Being a part of the West Allis Charities is a constant reminder of what I have and the gifts I have to give. What do I have? I have a network of volunteers, who surround me as friends and have become an extended family. Each day we meet and talk about how to be progressive with the organization, it always winds up on a personal level after all the business of the day is taken care of. Sharing the events of the day / week (outside of the Charities' business) or laughing, just because we can, and it feels good.

     Knowing, at any given moment, we can come together as one to help a family, an individual, a group, or an organization in our great city, whether it is food, clothing, living needs, or monetary funds, tugs at my heartstrings and makes me want to give more. The many tearful thank you letters and notes we have received has made and will continue to make a lasting impression on my life and choices I make in giving, not receiving. It also confirms why being a part of the West Allis Charities for the past ten years has been a rewarding commitment.

     What do I have to give? My time...there is a value on everyone's time. The value I place on the time I spend with the Charities is measured by how we can accommodate requests for assistance and how many Community Partners (sponsors) we can recruit to help us continue our mission. I give my education and professional experience to help guide the organization in making decisions, which best support our purpose and the community we serve. None of the gifts I give cost me a dime. At times, I feel I am one of the most wealthy people in the world. 

     The wealth in volunteering for the West Allis Charities can be described best by the following story of a child. In 2001, when I was Ms. Western Days, I was attending a function where I was able to do face painting and other interactive activities while promoting the Charities to families. I came upon a dad holding his young son. The boy had such a gleem in his baby blue eyes with the happiest rosy-red cheeked smile I had ever seen. He was laughing and giggling as his sister tickled his feet and chubby little legs. The dad waved me over with a smile almost as big as his son's. He asked me, if I was representing the West Allis Charities, and I told him I was. He proceeded to tell me, with tear-filled happy eyes, his son was alive and in his arms today, because we cared enough to help them financially when his son needed a bone marrow transplant. The only match was his sister, and at the time, she was four or five years old. I stood there for a moment and tried to hold back my tears...kind of like I am now writing this story. Words cannot express my tingling skin, the warmth, and the joy I was feeling at that moment. All the dad wanted to do was say thank you and let an actual person with the Charities know the impact we had on their family. When I am asked "Why do you volunteer," my response is "How can I not." 

     As you are traveling your life's and paved roads this holiday season, I ask each and every person, who reads my blog, to reflect on what is good in their lives to get you through the obstacles. Volunteering your time and talents only costs you a little bit of time for an immeasurable return. If you make a choice to give to the West Allis Charities monetarily, because you do not have the time, be assured, 100% of your donation will go for the purpose you request. We will not use it for administrative purposes. Donate Now online at www.westallischarities.org.  Thanks-for-Giving.

We are half way to goal for the West Allis Christmas Parade, Saturday, December 6, 2008, thanks to Quad Graphics' ($2,500) and WaterStone Bank's ($2,500) contributions.

We are asking the citizens of West Allis and all the people, who come to watch the parade, to donate one, single dollar ($1.00), so we can continue a wonderful, holiday tradition.

We want you to be able to tell people, "I helped the West Allis Charities make sure the West Allis Christmas Parade was able to continue for another year." We only have 37 days left to raise the last $5,000 to meet our goal of $10,000.

Parades are free to watch, but they are not free to put on!

You can donate online www.westallischarities.org (Project Networking). You can mail your donations to: West Allis Charities, Inc., c/o Christmas Parade, PO Box 14544, West Allis, WI 53214, or you can drop them off to Bill Potocic (President of the West Allis Charities, Inc.) at State Fair Inn on 81st & Greenfield Ave.  

Your monetary support will allow us to maintain our current resources and use them for our Project Literacy & Education, Project Living, Project Health, Project Safety, and Project Networking. These projects represent the needs of our residents. Do you really want us to take money away from these projects to fund a parade? I did not think so.

The planning is in process for this year's Christmas parade in West Allis. We have been organizing & bringing the parade to the downtown streets for over 10 years. The sweat equity is a lot of fun. Working with the Business Improvement District and the WA/WM Chamber of Commerce, to bring an entire day of community activities together, is well worth our efforts.

We wish parades would come free, but they do not. In order for us to put on a quality parade, we need to raise additional funds. WaterStone Bank has come forward with $2,500. Their gracious donation is a good start, but we still need $7,500 or donations of bands and attractions.

Why so costly you might ask? The costs include, but are not limited to, marching bands, live animals, character costumes, advertising, and signage. We also need convertibles and pick-up trucks without cabs to escort our celebrities. The vehicles enable people to be seen as they do their own version of the "parade wave" in the fresh, crisp air.

"It's a Holly Jolly Christmas" Challenge for the community. If each person, who enjoys watching the parade, were to donate one, single dollar ($1.00), we would be able to fund the parade for at least two years! Wouldn't it be great!

Be a part of the solution and donate now. We do not want to see this part of our community's tradition go away! 

On September 4, 2008, the Executive Board was reinstated by a unanimous vote. Claudia Derringer, Second Vice President, decided to step down. Her compassion, dedication, and hard work will be missed. The General membership requested the appointment of Patti SanFillippo to Second Vice President, and she accepted. 

The 2008-2009 elected positions are as follows; Bill Potocic - President, TJ Meyers-Jansky - First Vice President, Patti SanFillippo - Second Vice President, Marge Larson - Treasurer, Sue Jean Ceel - Secretary, Dave Wied - Past President, Scott Adrian - Officer, Joyce Halliburton - Officer, Eric Christensen - Officer, Sheila Kuchenreuther - Officer, and David Radowicz - Officer. 

As the West Allis Charities moves into new fundraising ventures and attains new members, the Executive Board will be persistent in achieving their goals and objectives for the organization. "We want new members to feel they are serving a purpose and spending their time on worthwhile and value added projects for the community," stated Bill Potocic. "No one wants to belong to an organization, which is run without professionalism and / or lacking the ability to administer tasks effectively to its members & volunteers."

We have completed a written, business plan for our new fundraiser, Music By The Mile, coming up in July 2009. We are educating our Managing Directors in the event planning processes and procedures. We want new faces with new ideas to join us on the ground level. Each member, volunteer, and Community Partner has a direct impact on our fundraising achievements. 

The proceeds from Music By The Mile will help us work toward solving individual, group, and organization problems in the community. There are a variety of Community Partnership (sponsorship) opportunities available. Community Partners will be critical to our continued success. For more information contact TJ Meyers-Jansky at westallischarities@yahoo.com. 

The West Allis Charities, Inc. hosts a 9-Pin Tap Bowling Tournament called WAC Pins for Literacy & Education. They will have a scotch doubles, 9-Pin Tap tournament in February 2009. Lane sponsors ($100.00) and door prizes are now being accepted. Watch for details or log onto www.westallischarities.org and submit your interest in participating. While you are there, make an on-line contribution to Project Literacy and Education.

2009 will be a continuous celebration for our organization. It marks the 45th Anniversary of the West Allis Charities, Inc., one of the most valuable assets for the West Allis community. As we move forward with fresh ideas for fundraising, we are taking a hard look at the budgets and volunteer needs, which will accompany our new and annual events. 

We are reaching out to businesses and individuals, who have an interest in being "first to market" with us. Volunteerism and monetary contributions for our projects are a critical part of our success equation. Stay tuned as our largest, annual fundraising project called "Music By The Mile" unfolds. It is set to make its debut July 23 - 26, 2009. 

Contact Us for Community Partner information. Building relationships with the community and our sponsors is an essential goal of ours. Utilizing the funds raised to help individuals, groups, and organizations is our mission.

www.westallischarities.org

After 44 years, the face of the West Allis Charities, Inc. is changing. New Website...New Logo...New Beginnings!

Our commitment is stronger than ever to maintain our longevity as a support resource for the West Allis community. We want everyone to understand who we are and the positive impact we have on the lives of others. We are a 501(c)3, non-profit organization comprised of a 100% volunteer membership. Your contibutions do not pay salaries. They go toward the needs of the West Allis community.

Please share your story of when and how the West Allis Charities, Inc. has touched your life or the life of someone you know. We may use your story and pictures in our 45th Anniversary - History of the West Allis Charities Activity Book or on our website. Visit us at www.westallischarities.org.