The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Wisconsin Chapter, inducted 11 honorees into its 2014 “Milwaukee’s Finest” Campaign Thursday evening and officially launched its goal to raise $45,000 in the next 10 weeks.
The campaign, in its third year, pools together the fundraising efforts of young professional honorees who commit to raising at least $2,500 to benefit CFF’s research of cystic fibrosis, a chronic disease that causes mucus to accumulate in the lungs and digestive tract among other areas in the body.
Fundraising proceeds also support the foundation’s mission to provide access to quality care and therapies for individuals affected by the chronic disease.
Each participating honoree has been nominated for being both active in their community and ambitious in their professions.
2014 “Milwaukee’s Finest” honorees are:
*Leah Barton of OS Inc.
*Joseph Cronin of Robert W. Baird & Co.
*Lisa Engel of Johnson Controls
*Matt Fisher of Metalcraft of Mayville
*Brianne Grota of Spaulding Clinical Research
*Steven Horner of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC
*Nan Jiang of Rockwell Automation
*Alexis Lundgren of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
*Alison Majcen of Johnson Bank
*Drew Sawa of Johnson Controls
*Kyle Schildkraut of Ernst & Young
During the kick-off event, held Thursday at the Miller Room at O’Donnell Park in Milwaukee, honorees had an opportunity to meet one another and learn more about the competition they will engage in as they vie for the top fundraising spot, the title of “Milwaukee’s Finest,” a special Breath of Life Award, and a vacation getaway.
But the competition will be a friendly one, said Stew Brase, director of accounts business development at Ernst & Young and corporate recruitment chairperson of the campaign.
“Probably the underpinning of why this is so important (and) why you should feel really good about this is the friendships and camaraderie that you’ll make through this event are something that will stay will you for a longtime,” Brase told honorees.
“I commend each and every one of you,” Brase said. “I think that you’re going to learn a lot of things. You’re going to learn that competition’s fun. You’re going to learn you can make money doing a lot of different things.”
Honorees will also learn more about cystic fibrosis, both through a tour of the cystic fibrosis care center and research lab at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and through interactions with families personally impacted by the disease.
“You’re going to discover that you’re going to redefine the word ‘toughness,'” Brase said, as each participant is paired with a cystic fibrosis mentor and ambassador who will give them insight into the daily struggles they face because of the disease.
“You’re going to be exposed to that, and it will change your life,” he said.
The “Milwaukee’s Finest” campaign will come to a close during a recognition event in May.
Last year’s campaign collected approximately $30,000 with seven honorees raising funds.
For more information about “Milwaukee’s Finest,” click here.
BizTimes Media is serving as a media sponsor of the campaign.
