2015 Gathering Golf Classic

As some of you may know, we sadly had to cancel the golf outing on Monday due to severe thunderstorms in the morning and the threat of same throughout the afternoon. It did clear up around 2pm, allowing those who came on out (we could not reach all golfers in time) to golf anyway. Each paid golfer will receive a raincheck allowing them to golf 18 holes with a cart on another weekday this golf season. Because the benefits (lunch, dinner and beverage tickets) will not be part of that raincheck, we will re-send charitable contribution letters to those who paid.

Staff members Ginny and Marianne admire the golf banner before the downpour

The Gathering staff is working on a backup plan for the Golf raffle, and we will alert golfers to the new plan as soon as we are able.

Thank you to everyone who supported the event! Stay tuned for more in-depth information on dollars raised, sponsorships and the raffle.

Meet Bob: Our New Operations Coordinator

Bob came into The Gathering’s office with a photo of the back of The Gathering’s van full of lettuce, milk, eggs, bread, desserts and more. 

“Can you believe all of the good food we got?”

He was talking about his recent excursion to Feeding America, where he and Rosy, the Gathering’s breakfast cook, stopped in to see what they could use for the breakfast meal. Bob’s enthusiasm was contagious as he showed the picture around the office.

Bob loads fresh milk into the van with a smile on his face.

After a few weeks of training with long time Operations Managers Dennis and Jim, Bob has been at the position for four weeks. He is already working to balance ordering food, driving to pickups and deliveries, measuring quantities for meals, recipe planning, food storage and more. The Operations Manager position is one of multi-tasking.

Bob, who runs an insurance agency with his wife Sue, certainly knows multi-tasking. In addition to his work with the Gathering, Bob still spends time selling auto, home and life insurance primarily to families. He also spends time with his own family; 4 children and 7 grandchildren. 

“I am happiest when spending time with my family ... doing just about anything.”  

When not working or spending time with family, Bob has also volunteered at the VA and the Red Cross. That’s how he first got interested in the nonprofit sector. He explained that the Gathering’s job post was similar to his work with the Red Cross.

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“I know Milwaukee has a lot of needs and I felt I could blend nicely with this position.”

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Bob has been blending nicely with the Gathering community the past few weeks. When asked what his favorite part of the job is so far, he responded:

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“Without a doubt, the people. The volunteers at the sites are great to work with, as are the partners again that I have met at the places that help us. I also enjoy the staff at the south side, St James and of course the people at our office who have made me feel very welcome! All of that plus just knowing that what I do does make a difference. The people who come to our meal program not only get a meal, but they get to come in to a safe warm place to enjoy a meal and be with other people who care.”

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We are thankful to have another committed, passionate person join the Gathering’s team. You can see Bob Monday through Friday on the Gathering’s van. He’ll be the one with cases of fruit and bread.

Giver’s Honor Roll

The Gathering Board of Directors thanks the following generous supporters who gave $250 or more between August 1, 2014 and January 31, 2015.

Johnson Controls volunteers

$15,000 - 25,000 Grainger Foundation Nicholas Family Foundation

$5,000 - 14,999 2 Anonymous Donors All Saints’ Cathedral Hunger Book Sale Hunger Relief Fund of Wisconsin Mel and David Johnson Joy Global Luedke-Smith Fund - The Greater Milwaukee Foundation Lux Foundation Joseph and Joni McDevitt Jane Bradley Pettit Foundation United Way of Greater Milwaukee - Donor Choice

Special thanks to our friends at Joy Global, Inc. for this billboard advertisement

$2,500 - $4,999 2 Anonymous Donors Christ Church Episcopal – Whitefish Bay Community United Methodist Church - Elm Grove EFSP Phase XXX Allocation Greg and Jackie Johnson Mark and Karen Meunier St. Paul’s Episcopal Church- Milwaukee Seaman-Goes Family Foundation Service Club of Milwaukee Thompson Family Foundation - Waukesha County Community Foundation

$1,000 - $2,499 5 Anonymous Donors Lucy Cooper Emanuel United Church of Christ - Hales Corners Rachel Finger Gathering Memorial Fund - The Greater Milwaukee Foundation Daniel and Kathy Glaser Green Bay Packers Foundation Thomas and Mary Hawley Dan and Nancy Kiernan Robert Martin John and Beryl Mulhern Rite Hite Foundation William and Susan Rose St. Mark’s Episcopal Church - Milwaukee Richard Schreiner Margaret Schumacher-Kuzon John and Jane Stoneman Jason and Laura Thurow UMB Bank Donald and Kate Wilson Eugene and Carmen Witt Lee and Carol Wolcott

$500-$999 8 Anonymous Donors Robert C. Archer Designated Fund- The Greater Milwaukee Foundation David and Mary Claire Ashpole James Bauman and Candace Moore Evert and Cindy Berndt Richard and Karen Binder Patricia Bowne Joe and Marlene Bruno Carrie Taylor and Nettie Taylor Robinson Memorial Fund - The Greater Milwaukee Foundation James Cary and Cheri Neal-Cary Paul and Mary Counsell James and Diane Cowles Richard and Mary DeLuca Greendale Community Church David P. and Marjorie L. Hamacher Fund - The Greater Milwaukee Foundation Michael Istwan and Amy Korpi Jerome and Lynn Johnson Ted and Mary Kellner Eugene and Gwendolyn Lavin Jim and Maureen Leurquin George and Sharon Loxton Jesse Maier Andrew Martin and Janet Trostel Martin Jane Matheus Thomas Mooney and Elene Strates Rex and Gladys Merriman Fund - The Greater Milwaukee Foundation Shane Morrison Harry and Ellie Moseley William and Susan Mueller Kevin and Cheryl O’Connor W. Stuart Parsons Jack and Martha Prince Family Fund - The Greater Milwaukee Foundation St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church - River Hills Seeds of Health Elementary School Gary and Maureen Shebesta Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church - Hubertus Shorewest Realtors James and Christine Speaker The Other Stratton Foundation Carl and Nancy Trimble Trinity Episcopal Church - Wauwatosa Robert and Ellen Venable Betsy Wagner Bill and Mary Walker Trevor and Margaret Will John and Julie Wolf George Zalewski

$250 - $499 14 Anonymous Donors Robert and Elizabeth Bradley Law Office of John Cabaniss John and Georgia Cain Data Financial, Inc. J. D. Dudek and Ann Kebisek Dudek John Farina Sarah Ford and Randall Klumb Thomas and Roxanne Gebhard Peter and Elizabeth Gottsacker Greg and Hazel Griffin Howard and Christine Gygax Stephen and Deborah Heinze Mark Hohensee Amy Hudson Jeffrey Johnson and Marie Hoven Frederick and Susan Kasten Peter and Mary Klabunde Knights Templar George and Irene Krueger Michael and Sarah Kubly Peter and Kristin Kult Brian and Suzanne Lanser Evan Lenhardt and Virginia Finn-Lenhardt Steve Martinie Phillip Mattix and Sheila Stafford Michael McClone Robert and Colleen Miller Jo Mooney Greg and Beth Myers Charles and Evelyn Payson Clifford Presky Mason and Julie Ross St. James’ Episcopal Church - Milwaukee St. Nicholas Orthodox Church - Cedarburg Richard and Mary Savio Thomas and Meredie Scrivner Bruce and Janine Smith Jerry Smith and Sharon Beste Gertrude Stillman Scott and Holly Stoner Western States Envelope Company James and Elizabeth Wigdale

We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all donor names. If we have missed you or spelled your name incorrectly, please let us know.

St. James Building for Sale

View of the front of St. James Episcopal Church

If you volunteer at the Gathering’s breakfast program or the Saturday lunch located at St. James Episcopal Church, you have probably seen the “for sale sign” out front. A few months ago the St. James congregation made the very difficult decision to find a buyer for the building and secured the services of Ogden and Co. to handle the marketing. The expense of keeping up with the maintenance and repairs of this 1867 historic structure had become overwhelming. The intent of those attending St. James is to stay together as a worshipping community as long as possible and wherever that might lead.

St. James Episcopal is where the Gathering began, formed from the vision of Fr. Michael Stolpman and the Episcopal Diocese. In January of 1982, Fr. Charles Lynch, Rector (pastor) of St. James, together with the Wardens and Vestry (governing body of the church) welcomed the Gathering to the downstairs kitchen, and the rest is history. It continues to be the Gathering’s busiest site, serving 900 plus meals weekly; welcoming 20-40 volunteers six days a week – 1/3 from our guest population; offering collaborative mental health, medical and legal assistance; and housing our Fresh Produce Preservation Project. St. James also hosts the Red Door Clothing Ministry and Sundries from the Avenue, a St. James ministry distributing toiletries and other items to those who are homeless.

The Gathering has formed a committee to look at our options should the building be sold and we are asked to move. At this point in time there have been no offers, and a quick sale is not anticipated.