MISSION

The Steps to Make a Difference Walk is the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s (UWGB) campus response to the national Make a Difference Day, held annually on the last Saturday of October (the 27th this year).  Steps Walk encourages UWGB students, student organizations, faculty, staff and Green Bay community members to ‘step up and help others’ by enjoying a 4 mile walk on the campus arboretum trail and donating to the charity of their choice.  The walk aids nonprofit organizations that serve thousands of people throughout the Green Bay community, but also provides an opportunity for students to learn how to organize, advertise and lead an event, as well as connect together in to help others.

HISTORY

In2002, the Public and Nonprofit Management Class embraced the university’s mission of ‘connecting learning to life,’ by creating the first Steps to Make a Difference Walk.  Every fall the students in the class, under the guidance of the UWGB CivicsClub, work together to plan, organize, and implement the charity walk.  In four years, the Steps Walk has raised over $35,000 for nonprofit organizations throughout the Green Bay community, receiving national attention in USA Weekend as a semi-finalist for a Make a Difference Award. 

GREEN BAY COMMUNITY BENEFIT

Countless challenges face our community, from debilitating diseases, degradation of the environment and homelessness.  Over the past four years, money raised from the walk has gone to the NEW Community Clinic, New Community Shelter, Baird Creek Preservation Foundation, ALS Therapy Development Institute, the Bay Area Humane Society and Animal Shelter, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society – Wisconsin Chapter, Cystic Fibrosis, and the American Red Cross – Lakeland Chapter.  These funds have helped provide prescription medications not otherwise available for clients at the NEW Community Clinic, new blankets for residents as they leave the NEW Community Shelter, support for the development of the master plan for Baird Creek, and transportation for elderly and disabled clients of the Red Cross, among other support. 

STUDENT BENEFIT

In addition to the benefits discussed above, the Steps Walk is uniquely positioned to help students become more engaged, active, caring community members.  Students organizing the event gain leadership, organizational and team-building skills.  They learn about challenges faced by local nonprofit organizations as they work closely with nonprofit leaders during the planning of the walk.  By involving over two dozen student organizations, Steps Walk provides opportunities for over 200 students to “give back” to their community by not only raising donations as walkers, but also learning about the work of the nonprofit organizations during the day of the walk.  Since the walk began, over a dozen students have gone directly into entry-level management positions of nonprofit organizations in the state, but  perhaps the best evidence of the ability of the Steps Walk to be a transformative experience for students is the high number of students who note this event as memorable in the alumni survey and who contribute or participate in the event after graduation.

Our long term goal for this project is two-fold.  First: that Steps Walk continues to have a positive impact on the greater Green Bay community as well as the students as UWGB.  The UWGB Civics Club has set a goal to raise $15,000 for the 2007 event, and a total of $100,000 for local charities by 2012.  We also hope that one day the Steps Walk will be implemented on other college campuses throughout Wisconsin, as a way for other campuses to respond to the national Make a Difference Day. 

PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES

Please consider joining the Steps Walk team.  Companies and organizations can be a part of this exciting event by making a donation directly to one or more of the six nonprofit organizations in this year’s walk (New Community Shelter, Freedom House, NEW Community Clinic, ALS Therapy Development Foundation, Baird Creek Preservation Foundation and aid to local veterans).  You can write a check in any amount, made payable to the 501(c) 3 organization of your choice.  You can also make a check payable to the UWGB Civics Club.  The Club will provide a letter acknowledging your donation, and distribute the donation to the nonprofit organizations according to your preferences.

SPONSORSHIP

A guiding principle of the Steps Walk is to deliver 100 percent of the donations made by walkers to these deserving nonprofit organizations.  Walkers are encouraged to write checks directly to the nonprofit organizations of their choice.  Given this guiding principle, the event needs support in advertising and promotion.  Over 500 brochures, 100 posters, and one banner are printed each year, at costs ranging from $1,000 to $1,250. Additionally, over 300 t-shirts are given to walkers who donate at least $25 to one or more of the nonprofit organizations, an annual cost ranging from $2,250 to $2,500. Water bottles and refreshments, as well as clean-up at Curly Lambeau Cottage (a highlight of the walk along the arboretum trail) also represent a cost for the event, ranging from $250 to $500.

We are seeking company and organizational sponsors to support these components of Steps Walk 2007, as well as to make direct donations to the nonprofit organizations as part of the walk.  The following amounts detail possible opportunities:

CONTACTS

Brian Schmitz and Heather Rusch, UWGB Students; Civics Club Directors and Steps Walk 2007 chairs schmbm18@uwgb.edu and ruschm10@uwgb.edu; Professors Denise Scheberle and Terri Johnson, Public and Environmental Affairs; scheberd@uwgb.edu and johnsont@uwgb.edu.  You can reach the faculty by phone at 465-2198 or 337-6287 or 465-2758.