www.serviceclubofmilwaukee.com

Dear SCM Alum,

We write to you today with a heavy heart. The Board of Directors of the Service Club of Milwaukee met on Monday April 13, 2021 and concluded that the Club in its current form is not a sustainable organization. We made the difficult decision to cease SCM operations by the end of June 2022; our last SCM Charity Ball will be held on June 4, 2022.

In the last 10 years the SCM experienced a sharp decline in Charity Ball participation and struggled to recruit both Active Members as well as new Board Members. Approximately five years ago, new SCM Board leadership recognized that the organization needed to evolve to meet the needs of young women in the 21st century. The Board met to devise a plan for high school-aged women that would drive access to life-long opportunities for alums and benefit them long after their active Club days.

Since that meeting, the SCM Board made several changes to attract new members and Board members. With a grant from the Jeffrey C. Kasch Foundation, it invested in a new website and mobile app to help facilitate better communication, networking and user experience for Members. While these changes netted some positive results, the COVID-19 pandemic greatly restricted our ability to continue Club business as normal. Despite the great efforts of our Members and the SCM Board to keep the Club going, the Board has concluded that there is simply not a sustainable path forward for the organization.

We sincerely appreciate the steadfast commitment of our Members, Advisors, Alums, and Community Partners. While SCM is closing, we hope your passion and dedication to serving our greater community endures. SCM has not only taught us the importance of service to our community, but the value in coming together to serve. We hope that as you continue to serve our community, you will remember your time in SCM fondly. Thank you for your support and we hope the 110 year tradition of service and community built by the Service Club of Milwaukee continues in a new iteration even as we close the door on our operations.

Sincerely,

The Service Club of Milwaukee Board of Directors

Board of Directors

Julie Kasten Art
Julietta Sheen Coburn
Amy Ross Damon
Katherine Vogel Edwards
Heather Kubly Erlandson
Mindy Bell Grenier
Laurel Christine Heil
Jessica Koss Hillstrom
Julie Christine Laudon
Kathryn McGourthy Lemke
Katherine Minahan McGregor
Lynn Schoebeck Moertl
Lauren Remsik Orton
Riley Kelly Tanner
Lauren Elizabeth Wilhelm

Advisors

Julie Kasten Art
Lucy Campbell Bartlett
Julietta Sheen Coburn
Amy Ross Damon
Katherine Vogel Edwards
Brigid Duffy Gallagher
Julie Christine Laudon
Kathryn McGourthy Lemke
Lynn Schoebeck Moertl
Riley Kelly Tanner
Lauren Elizabeth Wilhelm

"In Milwaukee, we are fortunate to have many advocates who believe, as we do, that kids deserve the best. Children's Hospital of Wisconsin was founded by members of our community, and we continue to grow through meaningful, local partnerships and the support we give and receive. The Service Club of Milwaukee is a dedicated ally in the community, and I am deeply grateful for their philanthropy and volunteer support of our programs."

- Peggy Troy, CEO, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin

Community Service

Commitment for each member is to volunteer 60 hours overall. As a whole, members have volunteered over 2,000 annually

History

Mrs. Walter Dake established SCM in 1910. The mission at that time was to render service to those in need and provide financial aid to worthwhile non-profit agencies.

Fundraising

Each SCM class has raised over $50,000 annually in grants for non-profits in Greater Milwaukee. We firmly believe fundraising is a critical, life-long skill for today’s world.

“My most memorable experience was volunteering at St. Francis Children’s Center for two consecutive summers. I loved being able to work and play with special needs children and found it rewarding every time I interacted with them. Overall, having this experience has made me want to pursue a career with children. I found Service Club of Milwaukee to be an experience that I will cherish forever. I learned about responsibility, patience and thankfulness during my time volunteering at numerous agencies.”

– Ashley H., Fundraising Leader

“My most memorable part of Service Club of Milwaukee was the open volunteer opportunities that brought people from other schools together. This created an opportunity to make new friends and bond as a group to create Service Club of Milwaukee a sociable and enjoyable environment to volunteer.”

–Mary B., Alumni

“I enjoyed planning a Green Bay Packer party for the residents at Cedar Springs Health & Rehabilitation Center. The residents wore their favorite Packer gear and the room was filled with lots of decorations, including a massive inflatable Packer player. The residents chanted, “Go Pack Go!” after each touchdown and enjoyed Packer decorated cupcakes.”

– Alexandra B., Volunteer Leader

“SCM was a fantastic avenue for my three daughters to volunteer and give back to the Milwaukee community. By being involved in SCM, they also learned valuable lessons about life and the positivity that goes along with helping organizations, causes, and most importantly, people. I highly recommend anybody who values volunteering and giving back to the community to look into SCM for/with their daughters.”

– Greg H., Parent of Members

“Service Club provided me with the opportunity to take time out of my day to remember what truly matters and give back. I have created relationships with non-profits throughout the Milwaukee area that I will continue to return to. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to meet such incredible women both in SCM and at the sites where I volunteered.”

– Lauren Heil, Alumni

“I love SCM because of the amazing opportunities to serve our community and the friendships we gain from small groups and large group activities. We continuously learn from the girls we serve with and the members of the community to which we serve!”

– Coco G., Member

“In my many, many years as a private college counselor/advisor, I have had the pleasure of referring countless young women of high school age to the very unique and very special Greater Milwaukee area Service Club of Milwaukee. Our entire community is the recipient of the thousands of hours of service to needy residents of Wisconsin performed by the SCM volunteers. I cannot think of any social service organization or group anywhere in the area not directly or indirectly benefitting from SCM and its dedicated heads. Community service is of course an absolute requirement for most of America’s outstanding colleges and universities and has been for many years, and there is no more productive and beneficial way to do that than through membership in SCM. Beyond a college requirement, however, community service is a requirement for all of us as members of the human race; each of us has a lifelong individual and group responsibility to work with ALL members of our communities in need of help, whatever and wherever that assistance is or may be needed. That’s what SCM does, and the group does it is incredibly well. Among its countless benefits, membership in SCM encourages young women in our area to connect with their peers from every part of southeastern Wisconsin to make a positive and profound impact on the lives of others. I strongly and unequivocally recommend SCM to all of the young women in our area, and I am positive all prospective members will be richly rewarded under the tutelage and coordination of the absolutely outstanding and selfless leadership. Our communities are the better because of their individual and coordinated efforts with members. I salute both of them, and I salute all current and prospective members of SCM!”

– Dr. Bernard J. O’Connell, College Advisor

Our Partner Agencies

SCM works with over 200 Non-Profit Agencies in Greater Milwaukee. Categories include: Arts, Conservation, Elderly, Fund Drives, Children, Literacy, Medical, Museums, Public Safety, Worship, & Social Services.