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Salvation Army Red Kettles in the Office
The Milwaukee office of Michael Best joined the Milwaukee community in efforts to raise donations for The Salvation Army’s annual fundraiser, Christmas Red Kettle Campaign. Michael Best contributed by placing red kettles on every floor over the 2011 holiday season. Due to campaigns like the one organized by Michael Best, The Salvation Army was able to exceed its 2011 financial goal.
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Frito-Lay’s River Cleanup
Linda Bochert, Farah Rifelj and Leah Ziemba of the firm's Madison office, and Kelly Rourke (and her husband, Andy) of the firm's Milwaukee office traded their briefcases and suits for volunteer garbage duty as part of Frito-Lay’s river cleanup event on Saturday, September 17th, 2011, in Beloit, WI. They joined Frito-Lay Beloit’s Green Team as they paddled canoes down the Rock River and combed the banks gathering litter.
Click here to learn more about Michael Best’s sustainability practices.
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United Way Presents Glen Weitzer with the Albert Beck Award
Jayne Thoma, Executive Director of United Way in Waukesha County, presented Michael Best's 2010 United Way Campaign Chair, Glen Weitzer, the Albert Beck Award. Michael Best in Waukesha made the largest contribution among law firms over 30 employees.
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AnchorBank's Operation Toy Drive The Madison office of Michael Best held their annual Holiday Toy Drive in December 2010. This year, employees collected toys and monetary donations for
AnchorBank's Operation Toy Drive, which distributes toys to underprivileged children throughout south central Wisconsin.
Partner,
Michelle Dama coordinated the effort and indicated this was the most successful toy drive they have had in the office history. "My car was completely full," Dama said. " Madison's 96.3 fm was on hand at the local Blain's Farm and Fleet to help collect the toys and was ecstatic our firm was able to make such a large contribution."
Click
here to listen to the WMAD 96.3 fm interview with Dama and her daughter and
here to view photos of the toy collection.
Koats for Kids
Since 1986, Klinke Cleaners, the Community Action Coalition, WISC-TV3, and Magic 98 have teamed up for the annual Koats for Kids campaign. The program helps provide winter jackets, caps and mittens to under-privileged children and adults in Dane and Waukesha counties. This year, Michael Best’s Madison office collected gently-worn winter outerwear items from September 21, 2009 through October 10, 2009. Klinke Cleaners cleaned and donated them to the Community Action Coalition for distribution to needy families in mid-October. For more information on the campaign or to see how many coats have been collected since 1986, please visit Klinke Cleaners web site at
http://www.klinkecleaners.com/koats-for-kids.php.
Best Jeans DayMichael Best regularly supports many local and national charities with the help of dedicated office champions. In 2006 Michael Best established “Best Jeans Day," held the second Friday of each month. On this day, we rally the office to support a particular charity by making a donation to that charity. As a token of appreciation for their support, our attorneys and staff then may wear denim at the office that day. Our Best Jeans Day initiative already has raised a total of $28,349 for 30 different organizations since the program began.
Lee National Denim DayThe Madison office of Michael Best joined the fight against breast cancer by asking supporters to donate money in exchange for wearing denim on October 2, 2009. As in years past, the office donates the proceeds to a local chapter of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
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Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a national charity whose mission is to grant wishes to children with life threatening diseases. Since 1980, it has granted more than 161,000 wishes worldwide. The Illinois Chapter of Make-A-Wish grants 700 wishes per year with the help of volunteers and hands-on board members. Michael Best has been a supporter of this mission through the annual Wish Ball, which raises an estimated $600,000 a year. One of our partners has played a special role in making these wishes come true as a Wish Grantor. She is informed, through doctors and hospital staff, of wish children in the area. Over the course of several meetings with the wish child and their family, she works to discover that child’s wish and assist in making it a reality.
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One of the firm's Waukesha office partners is a member of the Board of Directors for Make-A-Wish Wisconsin. He is actively involved in the organizations many different events and initiatives in Wisconsin.
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Milwaukee Public Market Michael Best played a leading role in the development of the Milwaukee Public Market, a highly acclaimed development in downtown Milwaukee. One of our partners was the Honorary Fund Raising Chair for the project and served on its Board.
Milwaukee Public Policy ForumOne of our partners serves as Chair of the Milwaukee Public Policy Forum, a group dedicated to policy research on a broad range of issues including education, tax and economic development policy, transportation, public safety, health, public infrastructure and other quality of life concerns that affect southeastern Wisconsin, the state and the nation. The Forum has over 80 corporate, governmental and philanthropic members.
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Milwaukee Art Museum
We have a long and proud tradition of support and service to the Milwaukee Art Museum. Our partner, the late Jack Pelisek, was instrumental in leading the Museum Board during the construction of the world-acclaimed Calatrava addition. Our attorneys serve on various Museum boards committees and render services to the Museum on a pro bono basis. Michael Best has provided financial sponsorship support for a number of Museum exhibitions including, Chihuly Over Venice and Masterpieces of American Art, 1770-1920: From the Detroit Institute of Arts, and events such as the President’s Circle Reception and the Bal du Lac.
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Milwaukee Symphony OrchestraMichael Best represents the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra as its General Counsel and our attorneys serve on its Board of Directors and Executive Committee.
Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the ArtsMichael Best has played a pivotal role in the formation of the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts since its inception, first as an initial capital campaign contributor and now as a continuing sponsor and supporter. The Wilson Center is dedicated to the arts through its performing and visual arts education facility and programs and by the events and performances the organization hosts throughout the year. The Wilson Center collaborates with several other arts organizations, including the Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee Ballet and First Stage Theater. Our attorneys also serve on its Board.
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Girls in the Game
Girls in the Game is non-profit organization focused on providing and promoting sports and fitness opportunities, nutrition and health education and leadership development to enhance the overall health and well being of girls. The organization provides opportunities through after school programs throughout the Chicago area which give girls a chance to interact with and learn from one another, an opportunity some would not otherwise have. Michael Best handles legal matters on a pro bono basis for Girls in the Game and also is a sponsor for the annual "Chip in for Girls" golf outing which has raised approximately $40,000 to help send girls to summer camp.
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Hunger Task ForceMichael Best represents the Hunger Task Force, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing food to the needy, and advise it on a host of issues.
Habitat for Humanity
We represent Habitat for Humanity, Waukesha County, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing safe, decent and affordable housing in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. We have worked on various matters, including negotiations to obtain space for its headquarters and the establishment of its Habitat HomeStore, a retail outlet that sells new and gently used building materials, with all profits going toward building additional Habitat homes. The HomeStore will keep tons of building materials out of area landfills each year.
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First BookFurthering Michael Best's steadfast commitment to our communities, the firm's Managing Partner, David A. Krutz, worked with the Big Brothers Big Sisters After School Program to speak to a group of area children about the importance of reading and education and read the award-winning book, "The Giving Tree," by Shell Silverstein to the children. Michael Best has partnered with the First Book organization, a national nonprofit organization focused on providing children with their first new books and helping them read. The books for this event were donated by the employees of Michael Best during a holiday book drive.
Michael Best's Annual Community Involvement Award
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Michael Best's Annual Community Involvement Award
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José A. Olivieri is the recipient of Michael Best's 2008 Frank J. Pelisek Community Involvement Award, which was established in 2005 and is awarded each year to honor the late Mr. Pelisek's strong commitment to the community. José serves as the Chair of Michael Best's Labor and Employment Relations and Immigration Practice Group and is a member of its Community Outreach Committee. He has been involved with many varied and significant community building activities in Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin. As part of the award, the firm made a donation to the charity of José's choice.
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Michael Best Partner Named as Volunteer of the Year |
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Jeff Dunn, a partner in the Business Practice Group at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, was honored by the Manitowoc-Two Rivers Chamber of Commerce as "Volunteer of the Year." Dunn is very involved with a number of various Chamber committees, serves as volunteer legal counsel for the Chamber and is currently Vice President of the Manitowoc-Two Rivers YMCA.
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NoteMichael Best has long been committed to strengthening the communities in which we live and work. This summary provides a small sample of our community involvement. If you would like more information, please contact the Chairs of Michael Best's Community Outreach Committee, Joshua L. Gimbel at 414.225.4992, or
jlgimbel@michaelbest.com, or Robert W. Mulcahy at 414.225.2761, or
rwmulcahy@michaelbest.com.