2023 Philanthropy: Causes to Celebrate
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Door County Candle Company launched what became a yearlong effort to raise funds for Razom for Ukraine, an organization that helps provide medical supplies, humanitarian war relief and recovery to the people of Ukraine. Through the sale of a special blue-and-yellow candle, the company was able to donate $851,239.82 by the end of 2022. Photo by Rachel Lukas.
The Storeroom Boys – named after the storeroom where Pat Judy keeps his drums – played for inpatients at Door County Medical Center’s Pete and Jelaine Horton Center Skilled Nursing Facility. Joining Bob were Mike Judy on bass and George Sawyn on guitar. Submitted.
Door County Habitat for Humanity’s April 3 Bowl-A-Thon raised about $8,000, courtesy of 48 bowlers who dressed up in tropical attire and leis, ready to roll some bowling balls to support Habitat. Submitted.
To celebrate Being a Good Samaritan Day on March 13, Scandia Village residents and staff collected 126 boxes of crackers to send to Gibraltar School and the Northern Door Children’s Center. Submitted.
The Mirrorball drag show raised $1,500 for the Kendall Park improvement initiative. Photo by Rachel Lukas.
Nursing students from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College’s Sturgeon Bay campus – in conjunction with Door County Medical Center’s Dental Clinic and the Washington Island Community Health Program – provided free fluoride teeth varnishing for Washington Island children and adults, as well as foot care for adults. Submitted.
After a two-year hiatus, 200 runners participated in the Door County YMCA’s Blossom Run in 2022. Funds from the run go toward operational costs at the YMCA. Submitted.
Members of the Ephraim Men’s Club repaired the old split-rail fence on Moravia Street – what’s known as “the pretty road.” Submitted.
Door Community Auditorium presented its annual Play It Forward event at Stabbur Beer Garden to gather donations for Alice Mattson, a young Jacksonport resident who’s fighting leukemia; as well as the Go Bo! Foundation. The Johnson family matched concertgoers’ contributions with their own $3,500 donation to Alice Mattson’s family. Photo by Suzi Hass.
Ron Kane was named Volunteer of the Year by the Sister Bay Advancement Association in 2022. Submitted.
Chrystal Chartier-Wittenmyer crossed the finish line with several of the 36 members of the Run for a Cause team that raised more than $21,000 for her family to move into a new home. Wittenmyer died of breast cancer in October of 2022, but her family was scheduled to move into a new Habitat for Humanity home in March of 2023. Submitted.
Peninsula State Park opened its new accessible playground at Nicolet Beach, courtesy of the Friends of Peninsula State Park’s fundraising efforts. Photos courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Open Door Pride bestowed its 2022 Sandy Brown Award on the City of Sturgeon Bay (represented by Spencer Gustafson, left, and Helen Bacon, center) for its support of the LGBTQIA+ community. Claudia Scimeca (right) of ARTicipation Studio & Gallery created the award for 2022. Submitted.
More than 30 Door and Kewaunee county Masons and Eastern Star members gathered Nov. 12 at the Henry S. Baird Lodge in Sturgeon Bay to assemble and deliver upward of 300 Thanksgiving meals – a little early. Photo by Rachel Lukas.
(From left) The team of Tina Tishler, Stephanie Oakdale, Christine Christianson and Jordan Burress won Best Dressed honors in October at the Little Eddie Big Cup golf event, which raised more than $42,000 for mental-health programs in Door County. Submitted.
Neighbor to Neighbor presented Jim Stiefvater with its Medical Equipment Volunteer Star Award for his extraordinary service and dedication to the organization’s medical-equipment loan program. Submitted.
Local personalities stepped up to the Dunk Tank for Defibs fundraiser during Sister Bay’s Marina Fest to raise $5,000 for the Defibs4DoorCounty campaign. Volunteer dunkers included Lars Johnson of Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant, Chad Kodanko of Husby’s Food and Spirits, Paula Anschutz of the Sister Bay Bowl, Brian Fitzgerald of the Peninsula Pacers, Mike Holmes of the Wickman House and Trixie’s, Eric DesJardin of Nicolet Bank, and Abby Duebler of The Dörr Hotel. Photo by Rachel Lukas.
(From left) Jason Albertson, a sergeant with the Sturgeon Bay Police Department and the dive-team leader for the Door County Public Safety Dive Team, stood with retired charter captain Jim Robinson. Retired dive-charter captain Jim Robinson donated his diver-recall system to the Door County Dive Team. Submitted.
Members of the 100+ Women Who Care Door County giving circle collected hats, mittens, gloves and scarves during their first Warm Hands Warm Hearts event. The items were delivered to the Boys and Girls Club of Door County and the Door County YMCA’s After School Kids Club program. Submitted.
The Door County Medical Center Auxiliary presented its Angel Award to Deb Hogan (right) during its Angel Scholarship Gala. Submitted.
Members of the Door County Medical Center (DCMC) Auxiliary presented a check for $45,000 to Brian Stephens, DCMC president and CEO, fulfilling a $250,000 pledge to the new skilled nursing facility. The auxiliary raised the funds primarily through its House and Garden Walk event. Submitted.
The 2022 Miss Door County Outstanding Teen, Claire Bohn, used her platform to advocate for those with dyslexia. Her advocacy was part education and part fundraising as she visited local classrooms, posted about the condition on social media and raised funds in partnership with Bright Young Dyslexics, a De Pere–based nonprofit. Submitted.
For her efforts as the leader of the MS Walk in Door County, Pat Heller (right, shown with Tom Heller) received an Inspiration Award during the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Leadership Conference in Dallas. Heller’s MS Walk Door County team, Multiple Screwballs, has raised more than half a million dollars over 15 years. Submitted.
The Annual Chop ’n’ Shop with a Cop event treated 30 children from Door County schools to a day of tree cutting, shopping and wrapping Christmas gifts for family members. Each child was assisted by a uniformed officer from the Door County Sheriff’s Department, City of Sturgeon Bay Police Department or Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, as well as many volunteers from agencies within the Door County Courthouse. Submitted.
The Wisconsin Humane Society Door County Campus held its annual pet walk in September. Photo courtesy of the Humane Society.
