For the City Times

STEVENS POINT – Worzalla, an employee-owned printing company, collected more than 500 pounds of school supplies as part of Project Fresh Start, a United Way of Portage County Volunteer Center program.

Project Fresh Start provides free school supplies to Portage County students, grades 4-12, who qualify for free and reduced lunch through their school district.

“With nearly 400 employees at Worzalla, we have many families who are directly connected to the Steven Point area’s local schools,” said Brianne Petruzalek, organizer and director of human resources at Worzalla. “We are proud of their effort to collect so many school supplies to help local students be able to read and learn in the best environment possible.”

Worzalla employees were incentivized to contribute to the school supplies drive through an internal contest. In addition to employee contributions, Worzalla purchased 5,000 pencils and 30 high-quality backpacks to donate to the school supplies drive.

“Throughout Worzalla’s 125 years, the company has been incredibly committed to the central Wisconsin community,” said Jim Fetherston, Worzalla president and CEO. “Thanks to all of our employees who took part in this impressive effort to help our local schools and students thrive.”

Worzalla manufactures millions of children’s books, lifestyle books, and cookbooks that are sold in bookstores and through online retailers across the country.