After 10 weeks of creative fundraising, Milwaukee’s Finest honorees contributed more than $49,000 to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation-Wisconsin Chapter to advance both its fight against cystic fibrosis and its support of affected families.
The 2014 Milwaukee’s Finest campaign, which exceeded its $45,000 goal, succeeded through the commitment of 11 honorees, each of whom was required to raise a minimum of $2,500 in whatever way they could. The campaign wrapped up on May 22 with a special recognition event at Coast Restaurant in downtown Milwaukee to toast the accomplishments of all involved.
Following the tradition of the three-year-old campaign, all 2014 honorees were young professionals who were selected to participate because they play an active role in their communities and take an ambitious approach to their careers.
By targeting young professionals, the campaign helps grow the next generation of nonprofit leaders and increases awareness of cystic fibrosis, a chronic disease that causes mucus to accumulate in the lungs and digestive tract, among other areas in the body.
“This is really expanding the footprint to young professionals and families who don’t have a direct cystic fibrosis connection, and so it’s branching out to new communities, new people, new families and introducing them to the cause,” said Rick Verthein, chair of Milwaukee’s Finest and a financial advisor at Milwaukee-based Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.
In addition to fundraising, Milwaukee’s Finest honorees took time to learn more about cystic fibrosis through personal interactions with families impacted by the disease as well as through a tour of the cystic fibrosis care center and research lab at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa.
Last year’s campaign raised about $30,000 through the work of seven honorees.
As in past years, BizTimes Media served as a media sponsor of the 2014 campaign.
