Madison-based First Business Bank raised $33,000 for five area nonprofit organizations at its annual golf tournament this week.
The First Business Bank Charity Golf Invitational – Milwaukee convenes local business leaders to compete in two-person teams on behalf of a local charity of their choice. The event has raised $630,000 for 47 nonprofits in Madison and Milwaukee over the past 11 years, according to the company’s website.
Top-scoring teams win pooled entry fees as donations for the charity they select. Finishing first place this year was Menomonee Falls-based EFCO Finishing Corp. president Terry Schultz and owner Mike Budgins, who donated $15,000 to Blessings in a Backpack of Waukesha County.
Founded in 2012, Blessings in a Backpack aims to reduce childhood hunger by filling backpacks with food for the weekend. The organization serves more than 3,600 children at 36 schools throughout Waukesha County. With the $15,000 first-place prize, the organization can feed 115 students, said Lisa Hayes, treasurer of Blessings in a Backpack.
“It costs about $130 a year to feed one student,” Hayes said. “These students usually are on federally free and reduced lunch programs, so they’re getting food at school during the week. Sometimes there’s food insecurity over the weekend, so it’s good to know these students have food over the weekend. Fridays we bring food to the schools and counselors discreetly put it in the students’ backpacks. The counselors appreciate it — they tell us it’s making an impact on the students’ lives.”
Other winning donations from the tournament include:
- $9,000 to Meta House by John Richter and Riley Yemm
- $4,500 to United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County by Dale Van Dam and Walter Cain
- $3,000 to Delavan-Darien School District Foundation by Scott Robb and Mike Mack
- $1,500 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee by Matt Krutza and Greg Block
First Business Bank covers 100% of the event’s cost. This year’s tournament was held at Oconomowoc Golf Club.
“The past few years I’ve had the pleasure of being part of this event, it’s inspirational to see the generosity and passion as our business leaders put a lot of effort into winning for their favorite nonprofits,” said Kevin Kane, president of Southeast Wisconsin Market of First Business Bank. “The goodwill between our local business community and dedicated nonprofits is outstanding, and I’m so glad First Business Bank can play a small part of bringing the two together for good.”
