Nominate next year’s 4th of July parade marshal

2023 July 4th Parade Marshal Justin Calvert

Do you know someone who embodies that Shorewood neighborly spirit?  How about someone who goes above and beyond to make Shorewood a better place?  Nominate them to serve as the Marshal of the Fourth of July Parade.  

Each year the Shorewood Foundation honors a Shorewood Resident with the position of Fourth of July Parade Marshal.  Nominations are due to the Shorewood Foundation via email theshorewoodfoundation@gmail.com by Tuesday,, March 5th.  Please reference “Parade Marshal” in the subject line and in 500 words or less, share how your nomination embodies neighborly spirit or contributes to the quality of life in our village.  The Marshal(s) will be chosen by the Shorewood Foundation at their March board meeting.  The Marshal(s) must be available on July 4th to participate in the day’s festivities.

An evening with David Zucker marks the start of the Foundation's 60th anniversary

More than 300 people came to hear Shorewood’s own David Zucker talk about his new book and his 1980 hit movie “Airplane!”

The Shorewood Foundation kicked off its 60th anniversary year on Thursday, November 2, by welcoming acclaimed Hollywood director, producer and writer David Zucker home to Shorewood to talk about his new book, “Surely You Can’t be Serious: The True Story of Airplane!” Guests watched his hit 1980 film as part of the program, which was followed with a talkback session led by Fox 6 entertainment reporter Gino Salomone.

More than 300 people filled Shorewood High School's Gensler Auditorium, where Zucker entertained the crowd with quips and one-liners and fondly reminisced about growing up in Shorewood and the connection he still feels to the village. It was a night filled with celebration and laughter, and we're grateful to all those who attended.

Earlier that day, Zucker met with around 25 students at Shorewood High School, his alma mater. He also met with a small group of Foundation supporters at his childhood home.

The event was free to attend thanks to the Foundation. Since 1964, the Shorewood Foundation has leveraged your generous donations to make the village a great place to live, work, and raise a family. You’re invited to join us in advancing that work by making a special gift to celebrate our anniversary. Click here to learn more.

Shorewood Foundation welcomes 4 new board members

Four new members joined the Shorewood Foundation in 2023. They are, from left, Karen Maierle, Becky Dubin Jenkins, Frank Cumberbatch and Douglas Armstrong.

The Shorewood Foundation welcomed four new board members this year, directors who together bring a wealth of experience in business and media, and a genuine fondness for the community they call home.

Karen Maierle is a 20-year resident of the village who retired last year after 40 years at MGIC Investment Corp., much of that time spent in sales and marketing.

Since retiring, Maierle has thrown herself into volunteering, helping to staff the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Wauwatosa, mentoring Milwaukee Public Schools students in financial literacy, and educating consumers about the perils of single-use plastics through Plastic Free MKE. And she is eager to bring her skills and passion to the Shorewood Foundation, where she will co-chair the Marketing and Communications Committee with fellow board member Douglas Armstrong and sit on the Events Committee.

“We are very fortunate to have the Shorewood Foundation to keep our community vibrant and provide resources and activities to create an active and inclusive place to live and work,” Maierle said. “I view working as a Board Member for the Shorewood Foundation as an opportunity to give back closer to home and to continue making Shorewood a great place to live.” 

Frank Cumberbatch, Vice President of Engagement for Bader Philanthropies, is a prominent figure in Milwaukee’s business and philanthropic communities. He and his wife, Andrea, have three children – Rachel, Sadie and Nathan – and have lived in Shorewood since 2014.

A native of Trinidad, Cumberbatch describes himself as “a father, husband, coach, foundation executive, and community cheerleader.”

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Oshkosh, where he held the 400-meter record in track and field for nearly four decades and was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019.

A one-time Milwaukee mayoral candidate, Cumberbatch has held various senior positions in public, private, and philanthropic sectors. And he serves on the boards of several nonprofits, including BizStarts, Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee (SWIM), the Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation (NIDC), YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee, and The Opportunity Center.

Cumberbatch is co-chairing the Foundation’s Audit and Finance Committee and will serve on its Development Committee

“I look forward to sharing my experience in philanthropy, government, and business to execute the mission of the Shorewood Foundation,” he said.

Becky Dubin Jenkins has been a resident of Shorewood for more than 17 years, moving to the village in 2006 when a job opportunity for her husband, Chris, landed them here. They are the proud parents of Audrey, who is a Shorewood High School student.

Dubin Jenkins has more than 20 years of journalism, communications and marketing experience and currently serves as vice president for client success at Milwaukee-based Athena Communications, a full-service brand management firm. 

She began her career as a sports journalist after graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She spent eight years as a writer and editor for The Sporting News, the Raleigh (N.C.) News & Observer; MLB.com (Major League Baseball’s digital platform); and USA Today. She then worked for 14 years in higher education, serving as a writer and editor for Marquette University and as executive director of marketing and communications for Alverno College. She thrives in mission-driven organizations and is committed, personally and professionally, to doing well and doing good.

Dubin Jenkins will be a member of the Marketing/Communications and Development Committees. 

Douglas Armstrong is a published author and relative newcomer to Shorewood, moving from Whitefish Bay with his wife, Mary, in 2019.

A journalist turned fiction writer, Armstrong previously served on the Whitefish Bay School Board and Library board. And, once settled in Shorewood, he began searching for new opportunities to re-engage in civic life and to contribute to his community.

“I saw the Shorewood Foundation as an ideal fit,” Armstrong says. “It is an opportunity to work with an organization dedicated to making a wonderful community even greater.”

Armstrong has published three novels with a fourth on the way. He is a member of the Milwaukee Press Club and a past board member of the Council for Wisconsin Writers.

Armstrong, like Maierle, will co-chair the Marketing and Communications Committee and serve on the Events Committee.

“I’m happy to be making interesting and knowledgeable new friends who care about their community,” he said. “And I’m very impressed with the depth and breadth of the foundation’s commitment to stewardship and philanthropy.”

Shorewood Foundation awards 2023 SHS scholarships

Deniz Gungor, left, and Aaryan Paudel were recipients of the Shorewood Foundation’s 2023 scholarships.

Congratulations to 2023 Shorewood High School graduating seniors Deniz Gungor and Aaryan Paudel, recipients of this year’s Shorewood Foundation Scholarships.

Each year, the Foundation awards two $2,500 scholarships to Shorewood High School seniors who epitomize good character, community service and scholarship.

Deniz’s nomination describes him as a strong-willed and hard-working young man, who moved from Turkey to Shorewood his freshman year.

“Completing high school in a foreign country, in a foreign language, is a major accomplishment unto itself; throw in a pandemic, and it’s nothing short of extraordinary,” the district said.

Outside of school, Deniz enjoys playing piano and reading, saying he wants to understand others’ world views. He will attend the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the fall and hopes to study economics.

Aaryan is described as a “thoughtful, intuitive and disciplined” student who excels in the classroom and in his many extracurricular activities. He enjoys solving problems and developing new skills, according to his nomination, even teaching himself computer coding using free, online resources.

“Aaryan is a tremendous asset to our school community,” the district said.

Aaryan plans to pursue a computer science degree at UW-Madison in the fall.

Congratulations Justin Calvert of the Shorewood Rec who will serve as this year’s July 4th Grand Marshal

Justin Calvert getting into the holiday spirit for his role as the 2023 July 4th Parade Grand Marshal

The Shorewood Foundation is very pleased to announce that Justin Calvert, a popular and widely-known supervisor in the Shorewood Recreation Department, will serve as as this Year’s Fourth of July Grand Marshal.

Calvert was chosen by the Foundation’s board of directors this spring from among 20 nominees.

“We are thrilled to recognize Justin as our 2023 grand marshal for all he does for our community,” said Sadhna Morato-Lindvall, president of the Shorewood Foundation, which sponsors the 4th of July fireworks and celebration each year.

“Justin received multiple glowing nominations for this honor by members of our community.”

The nominations described Calvert as hard-working and committed to the families of Shorewood and said he has been instrumental in starting a number of Shorewood Recreation programs.

“Justin is a constant, positive presence at most all youth Rec programs,” said one nominator. He “goes above and beyond for the kids and families in our community,” said another. “He has the respect of everyone and he treats the kids with respect.”

For Calvert, it was far more than just the honor of being selected. "I thought it was really cool to hear that people thought of me in this way," he said. “And it really speaks to what I wanted to do when I came here, and that was to make an impact on the community through recreation."

Jody Brooks, director of recreation and community services for the village, said Calvert has a “tremendous passion for serving the participants of our programs.”

“He takes great pride in what he does and is always looking for new programs or ways to expand current programs,” Brooks told Shorewood Today. “Shorewood is lucky to have him; you can tell he loves this community."

Justin has been with the village recreation department since 2015.

A special thanks to board members for their combined four decades of service to the Shorewood Foundation

Outgoing 2023 board members are, from left to right, Steve Kavalauskas, Rose Spano Ianelli, Saj Thachenkary, Carolyn Curran and Matt Simon.

Five outstanding Shorewood Foundation Board members stepped down in May 2023 after a combined four decades of service. The departing board members are  Steve Kavalauskas, Rose Iannelli, Saj Thachenkary, Carolyn Curran and Matt Simon. Iannelli and Thachenkary are past presidents; Kavalauskas served a decade as the Foundation’s treasurer; Simon led our Audit/Finance for nine years, and Curran served a full term on our Marketing/Communications/Events committee. A sincere thank you to these incredibly talented and dedicated leaders in our community.

Shorewood Foundation welcomes Eastmore Real Estate as a Co-Sponsor of Shorewood’s July 4th Fireworks

The Shorewood Foundation is pleased to announce that Eastmore Real Estate is partnering with the organization to present the 2023 Fourth of July fireworks at Atwater Park. Eastmore's owner Deborah Sobczak is a longtime Shorewood resident whose business owns and manages apartment buildings in Shorewood, Whitefish Bay and Milwaukee’s East Side.

"Our company has been a part of Shorewood for over 50 years and we were looking for a meaningful way to give back to the community we serve. We felt partnering with the Foundation to support the Fourth of July fireworks was a great way to do that," Sobczak said.

Through the generosity of its donors, the Shorewood Foundation has supported the Village’s Fourth of July celebration and fireworks for more than two decades and has been its leading sponsor since 2003. 

Foundation President Sadhna Morato-Lindvall voiced the board of directors’ gratitude for the Eastmore gift, saying Sobczak is part of a long tradition of Shorewood residents and partners stepping up to support initiatives in our community. The Eastmore gift is especially timely, she said, as the cost of fireworks has doubled in recent years.

“The Fourth of July festivities are a wonderful way to bring our community together, and that wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our donors,” said Morato-Lindvall. “And we’re especially grateful this year to have Eastmore Real Estate leading the way.”

If you would like to support the Shorewood’s Fourth of July Celebration and Fireworks, please click below!

The Shorewood Foundation Announces new Leadership

Pictured (left to right) Sadhna Morato-Lindvall, Jean Casey, Patrick Kessenich, Rebecca Osborn & Christa Shields.

The Shorewood Foundation is marking 2022 as a year of progress, electing a new president, adding four new board members and hiring the organization’s first associate in its 57-year history.

Sadhna Morato-Lindvall, who has served on the board since 2017, took over as president this spring. Additionally, four new board members – Jean Casey, Patrick Kessenich, Rebecca Osborn and Christa Shields – have signed on this year. And in June, the Foundation hired Annysa Johnson as a part-time associate to assist the board in day-to-day operations. 

"We are so excited to grow our board and bring in Annysa as our first dedicated associate," said Morato-Lindvall. "As a volunteer board, we are grateful for the time and talent of our directors, and I'm excited to work with them to strengthen efforts that improve the quality and vibrancy of our community."

Morato-Lindvall is a program manager with Froedtert Health’s Customer Experience team. She has extensive experience in journalism, media relations, marketing, communications and fund development. She has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including the Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee, Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast, and Skylight Music Theater. Morato-Lindvall is a graduate of the University of Iowa and earned her MBA at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She, her husband, Scott, and two daughters have called Shorewood "home” for the past decade.

Like Morato-Lindvall, the new additions to the foundation bring a wealth of professional and community experiences to the organization.

Jean Casey is excited to give back to the community she is proud to call home – once again. Casey, a Shorewood native and mother of two adult children, returned to the village six years ago. “I’ve always loved Shorewood and considered it ‘home,’” said Casey, who appreciates the community’s proximity to Lake Michigan and downtown, its walkability, friendly neighbors and sensibilities. “And I’m so pleased for the opportunity to support the work of the Shorewood Foundation.”  Professionally, Casey has held leadership positions with several top architecture firms for more than 20 years, working in business and relationship development, strategic planning and public direction. She is engaged in a variety of service and professional associations and has served on the boards of the Rotary Club of Milwaukee, Alexian Village and the Social Development Foundation. 

Patrick Kessenich has spent his career in nonprofit fund development, working at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and Covenant/Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare before joining the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee more than a decade ago. A Whitefish Bay native and University of Wisconsin graduate, Kessenich and his wife, Patrice, raised their three children in Shorewood, where they attended St. Robert and Shorewood High schools. Kessenich, who sits on the foundation’s Grants and Development committees, sees serving on the foundation as a great opportunity to give back to his community. “My professional background in fund development aligns well with the Shorewood Foundation mission, and contributing to its strategic planning for the future very much appealed to me,” he said.

Rebecca Osborn spent her childhood years in Shorewood and returned with her husband and two children in 2013 to make their home here. A graduate of Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin Law School, Osborn has been an attorney with the Wisconsin Education Association Council for more than two decades. She believes her experiences, both as an attorney and as an adult who returned to raise her own family here, will bring a unique perspective to the board. “I support the mission of the Shorewood Foundation to celebrate the uniqueness of the village, to connect members of our community and to sustain the history, charm and green spaces of Shorewood,” she said.

Christa Shields recently accepted the lead development role with Food For Health, a social enterprise working to transform lives through the power of food, an area of passion for Shields.
Shields, who holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, has an extensive background in philanthropy. A relative newcomer to Shorewood, which she has called home since 2019, Shields is no less enthusiastic about serving her community through the foundation. And she said she’ll be guided by the same sense of mission she has felt in her other philanthropic work. “Shorewood has welcomed me with open arms and feels like home already. I am excited to work with the Foundation to make this amazing community an even better place to work, live and play.”

Annysa Johnson has lived in Shorewood with her family for 25 years. An award-winning journalist, she spent nearly four decades in newsrooms large and small before retiring from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in 2022. Johnson holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Northern Kentucky University and Indiana University, respectively. In addition to her new post with the foundation, she serves on the board of Lake Park Friends and works for the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center, where she is also learning to sail. “The Shorewood Foundation plays such an important role in this community,” said Johnson. “And I’m excited and grateful to be a small part of that.”

Shorewood Foundation announces 2022 scholarship recipients Selamawit “Se” Caldart and Zeynab Javid

Selamawit “Sey” Caldart (pictured left) and Zeynab Javid (pictured right)

Every year, the Shorewood Foundation scholarship is awarded to two seniors to recognize good character, community service, and scholarship. This year’s winners are Selamawit “Se” Caldart and Zeynab Javid.
Se is an extremely intelligent, curious, and hardworking student. Every day, she shows the hard work and dedication that it takes to be an outstanding student in all her classes. Outside of her strong academics, Se is committed to both the SHS soccer team and competitive club soccer, as well as social activism and Roots Ethiopia. She puts forth incredible effort in all that she does, demonstrating what it means to be a Shorewood High School student in every capacity, which will transfer well to George Mason University this fall.

Zeynab also excels in academics, taking challenging, rigorous classes that stretch her. She is incredibly kind, caring, and helpful in her interactions with others. Zeynab also volunteers her time by tutoring other students and helping with the National Honors Society. Zeynab is attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2022.

Shorewood Foundation congratulates Congratulations 2022 Grand Marshals Ken & Jonathan Payne!

Ken Payne, a long time Shorewood resident and realtor, was nominated to serve as the Shorewood Fourth of July Parade Grand Marshal because of his active participation in and around the Village. Ken, a member of the Shorewood Men’s Club and the Shorewood Senior Resource Center, is described by his nominator as "the kind of guy who always says yes", engaging and embracing those around him. The Shorewood Foundation is thrilled to honor Ken (pictured right) and his son Jonathan (pictured left) and the positivity they bring to the Village of Shorewood.