For the City Times

CAP Services held its 51st Annual Awards Reception Wednesday, May 31, in Menasha to honor the clients, partners, donors, volunteers and staff that make its work possible.

Victor and Christine Anthony, Waupaca, received the Pnazek’s Box Award, which recognizes individuals who, through innovation, initiative, insight and integrity create ‘outside-of-the-box’ ideas and programs that have a positive impact on the people served by CAP and similar organizations.

“The Anthonys have truly spent a lifetime lifting people up. In their working lives and in their work in the community and through their foundation, their compassion and intelligence shines brightly,” said Mary Patoka, CAP CEO. “We are honored to have them as a partner and to be able to present them with this award.”

To date, The Victor and Christine Anthony Foundation has invested over $5 million in the Waupaca area and beyond in homeless services, basic needs, food pantries, faith-based organizations, libraries, Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill, and services for youth and children including the prevention of child abuse.

Since 2010, their foundation has invested nearly $400,000 in CAP Services’ Skills Enhancement and Fresh Start programs, Ministry Dental Center, and services for families affected by domestic violence. They made a major gift to CAP’s corporate headquarters campaign, supporting a move to a more functional and energy-efficient office.

CAP gave Transform Awards to program participants and other people and projects who exemplify the nonprofit’s mission “to transform people and communities to advance social and economic justice”. Receiving awards were Amy Griffin, Appleton; Isaac Kou Lee of L. Jay Inc., Wausau; the Brillion Townhomes housing development, Brillion; John and Jennifer Loehrke, Junction City; Cindy and Bobby Babino, Clintonville; Amanda (last name withheld for privacy), Waupaca County; and the Family Crisis Center Advisory Board.

“We talk a lot about meeting people where they’re at in terms of alleviating poverty and violence,” said Patoka. “This year’s awardees are a great representation of how that works in real life. Whether it is a Head Start family who used our income tax program to save money for a new home, or a weatherization client who volunteers in a Head Start classroom, the interconnected nature of our services is strongly represented in this group of very deserving awardees. ”

Greg Fox, Stevens Point, received the Arlene Stahmer Volunteer of the Year Award. Fox came to CAP Services through the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) in 2009. When he exited SCSEP in 2010, he stayed on as a volunteer in CAP’s corporate office, which he still does today. Fox has also serves as CAP Services’ representative to the Wisconsin Judicare Board of Directors since 2010. He was elected as its Vice-Chair in 2015.

Scholarships awarded at the event included the Joanna Sherman Scholarship, Clarence & Ruth Ruhland Memorial Scholarship, and Betty A. Gellerup Memorial Scholarship – all awarded to CAP Services’ Skills Enhancement Program participants in Waushara County. Recipients were Bonnie Jenkinson (Redgranite, WI), Ashley Morris (Redgranite, WI), and Emily Lysaght (Wautoma, WI), respectively.

The event was emceed by Bill Jartz, news anchor at WBAY-TV2 in Green Bay, and featured a keynote by Dr. Donna Beegle, executive director of Communication Across Barriers.

At the CAP Board’s annual meeting preceding the reception, Brett Jarman, chair; Lauren Mai, vice-chair; Jan Banicki, secretary; and Mary Walters, treasurer were re-elected to their leadership positions.

CAP Services is a private, nonprofit community action agency that has been advancing social and economic justice for people and communities in Marquette, Outagamie, Portage, Waupaca and Waushara counties since 1966.

Last year, CAP programs reached nearly 2,500 households with over 9,100 members. Those services resulted in people getting better jobs; securing more reliable transportation to get to work; accessing affordable housing; starting and expanding businesses; finding safe shelter and emotional support; strengthening their families and so much more.