Moments in Philanthropy :: April 2009

In This Issue


New Funds in 2009
MCF Website Update
Groundbreaking for Urban League
Having Fun Keeping Fit - Wii Games for Seniors
Leave a Lasting Legacy Gift for Your Library – Through MCF
Phase II – Library Collection Grants
Marshall Community Library – Music to Our Ears


New Funds in 2009:

Monona Book for Life Fund

Easement Defense Fund

Deerfield Community Center Capital Campaign Passthrough Fund

Madison Public Library Sequoya Branch Endowment

Waunakee Library Endowment Fund  
 

MCF Website Update

  • Traffic on the new MCF website is vigorous, with over 66% unique new visitors.
  • News articles are added regularly and can be found under News: http://www.madisoncommunityfoundation.org/news-recent-news/
  • Pictures are photos of actual projects we funded through MCF, in Dane County and the world.
  • We welcome submissions of high resolution photos of Dane County area community sites.
  • Charities linking to our site should verify their links.
  • Click here to view our new site: www.madisoncommunityfoundation.org

Groundbreaking for Urban League


On Friday, March 27, 2009, ground was broken for a new building to house the Urban League of Greater Madison.  Madison Community Foundation contributed a $100,000 community impact grant towards the capital campaign.  When completed the facility will enable to League to expand its education, advocacy and employment programs that benefit hundreds of children, families and single adults.

 

Having Fun Keeping Fit - Wii Games for Seniors


The Enhancement for the Elderly field of interest fund at Madison Community Foundation contributed to the purchase of Wii machines in 2008 for five local senior and neighborhood centers. Wii is a game system that requires players to move in three dimensions to play. From tennis to bowling to yoga, these innovative gaming systems allow seniors at Deerfield, Monona, Madison, and Black Earth senior centers to exercise and interact in sporting events in a low-impact workout at their senior centers. Inter-center bowling leagues have started in several centers – all using the Wii machine.

Youths at Neighborhood House summer camp in Madison raised money through a successful car wash to increase the number of consoles awarded. The youngsters had the double satisfaction of creating a business and contributing to their community’s well being.       

“The console games promise to have a huge impact on the quality of life for many here at Neighborhood House,” says Zanna Majerle, executive director of Neighborhood House in Madison.”Numerous seniors don’t have access to exercise, our children need a safe, active way to play with their friends, and using Wii, each group can have great fun while getting a good workout.”

Phase II - Library Collections Grants


Madison Community Foundation recently announced the second phase of the Library Collections Grant Project, awarding  fifteen libraries in Dane County $27,500 to build unique, focused collections over the next three years. This phase will complete the project of funding collections in all twenty-seven of the libraries in Dane County, including the Bookmobile.

Niche collections in each library underscore the value, quality, and character of each neighborhood, while creating destinations for specific, exclusive collections. Materials span nearly all formats available, including books, periodicals, CDs, mp3s, videos, software, games, tools, and more. The grants translate into thousands of new materials for Dane County Library users. Most of the materials are available through interlibrary loan via the online library catalog LINKcat: www.linkcat.info

The grants come with a challenge to link programming activities to the collections to build more community support, develop partnerships, and raise additional funds for the collections.  As the collections grow, the library and community partners will hold events and offer outreach opportunities around each distinctive collection.  A brochure, designed to promote the program and describe MCF support, is available at any of the county libraries. A central website describing the program and providing links to all the libraries can be found here: www.scls.info/danecollections.


All 27 libraries and their collections are listed below:

Belleville

Performing Arts

Stoughton

Life Transitions

Black Earth

Literacy Enhancement

Sun Prairie

World Cultures

Cambridge

Agriculture

Verona

Art & Architecture

Dane County Bookmobile

Large Print Books

Waunakee

Wisconsin

Deerfield

Sports & Fitness

Madison Branches:

 

DeForest

Gaming

Madison Central

Small Business

E.D. Locke

Crafts and Hobbies

Hawthorne Branch

Pop Culture

Marshall

Music

Alicia Ashman Branch

Graphic Novels/Anime

Mazomanie

Home & Garden

Lakeview Branch

Film & Film History

Middleton

Foreign Language

Meadowridge Branch

Strong Families

Monona

Health & Wellness

Monroe Street Branch

Audio Books

Mount Horeb

Popular Science

Pinney Branch

Sustainable Living

Oregon

Food & Nutrition

Sequoya Branch

Art of the Picture Book

Rosemary Garfoot

Ecology

South Madison Branch

Education & Employment

 

Marshall Community Library - Music to Our Ears


Marshall Community Library Director Diana Skalitsky, recently talked with MCF staff about Marshall’s Library Collections Grant focus on Music.

MCF: Why did you choose music as your collection focus?

Diana: I chose music because I knew I would be able to cross over to many formats: CD's, books, magazines, DVD's, and more.  I also knew I could enhance the collection (throughout the system) for all age groups and interests.

MCF: How did you choose the items in the collection?

Diana: I spoke with a couple of music teachers who helped me. And I have to give credit where it's due - without the help of my teenage daughter Kate and one of my staff members, Marian Barth, I would not have known to purchase Slipknot or Neutral Milk Hotel recordings.

MCF: Can you give us a sampling of what is now available through your collection? 

Diana: The library system had lots of contemporary music thanks to Madison's vast collection, but we were lacking historical and period music.  We chose historical documentaries as diverse as Good Rockin' Tonight; the Legacy of Sun Records , which describes the early days of rock and roll, and  Awake, My Soul: The Story of the Sacred Harp, a documentary about shape-note singing, some of the oldest music in America. From the Smithsonian collection we obtained ballads,  popular music from other eras, and protest songs. I also purchased complete collections of country and rock performers.  When a staff member went to Arkansas I asked her to go to the Cultural Center of the Ozarks and purchase "old timey" music.

We added a set of educational DVD's, including  "The History of Music", including 9 DVD's that teach the different music genres like Baroque, Middle Ages, The Roaring Twenties, etc.  One day a teacher from Madison drove out to get one of the titles for her class the next day. She was thrilled that a public library offered the set, as her budget would not allow for such a purchase.

One DVD I purchased was on how to be a drummer.  That is always checked out!   The children's set of books I purchased on Rock Stars are also popular.  Biographies on U2 and AC/DC written for children - who would have thought it?  I also filled in our collection of the classic musicals, live performances, and a number of historical documentaries.

We also have a set of 12 recordings that use music to reach your inner brain waves.  It's called BrainWave Therapy and includes titles for meditations, stress relief, weight loss, and etc.  Those titles are NEVER on the shelf.  Right now there are 18 holds for it.

Lastly, LINK published a quick snapshot of how many items each library bought and how many times the items circulated.  Our music collection ranked 2nd, behind Anime from the Alisha Ashman Branch.  We purchased about 1200 items and they have circulated about 6000 times so far.  I'd say we did a good job of filling a void.

NOTE: All of the items listed in the article above are available through LINKcat: www.linkcat.info


========================

Madison Community Foundation exists to encourage, facilitate and manage long-term philanthropy. More information about programs and opportunities to become part of this philanthropic family are on the foundation’s Web site at www.madisoncommunityfoundation.org.