Pantries collect vital donations at Race for the Hungry
Racers from Grace Welcome Center speed through Kenosha Festival Foods at last week’s Race for the Hungry.
Our 13th annual Race for the Hungry took place in three locations last Wednesday, February 16, to help area food pantries. The annual community event sees representatives from the pantries dashing through supermarkets to fill their shopping carts with items to be donated to the nonprofits.
Representatives from the Milwaukee Christian Center get ready to race at El Rey Foodmart.
At El Rey Foodmart, racers collected $652.31 of groceries for the Milwaukee Christian Center. At Kenosha Festival Foods, racers gathered $542.73 in groceries for Grace Welcome Center. And at Menasha Piggly Wiggly, racers picked up $569.52 in items for St. Joseph’s Food Program.
Todd’s Painting of Menasha, a North Shore Bank business customer, donated another $500 to St. Joseph’s at the race.
Celebrating a successful race at Menasha Piggly Wiggly.
The winner of each race received a $100 gift card, and the runner-up received a gift card for $50.
All three food pantries were also partners in this month’s Bank on Kindness initiative. •••
Make time to enjoy your kids, say moms
To celebrate National Working Moms Day on March 12, we asked our current and former working moms to share photos of their kids and thoughts on how they’ve balanced the demands of their careers and parenting.
Kristin’s sons Sam and Henry, keeping busy while she works.
“Being a working mom is hard work!” writes senior financial accountant/analyst Kristin Monday. “I am grateful for my family’s support to help get it all done. My best advice for other working moms is to communicate to your family what is going on for the week and plan what’s for dinner, who is picking up who from where, etc. It’s not always easy, but the kids make it worth it!”
Stevie and daughter Khalani, who just turned 2.
“My biggest piece of advice for balancing work and family life is waking up a little earlier each morning and never stressing the mess!” Ashwaubenon assistant branch manager Stevie Nemetz says. “There will always be something to clean or housework to do, but your children won’t be little forever! Take the time to play and enjoy family time! I’ve found getting up even 30 minutes earlier, while my daughter is still asleep, gives me enough time to clean up around the house a little bit, and then once I’m home from work, we get to spend quality time together!”
Lisa with Wyatt.
“I am a new mom, and my 7½-month-old son is a blessing,” Northside branch manager Lisa Brooks says. “The way I balance work and family is: I literally leave work at work. When I go home, I am focused on playing with him and involved in his growth and enjoying every second of him being little. It sounds simple, but as someone who takes pride in my work life, I’ve learned that you literally have to tell yourself ‘Work is work, home is for family time.’ I give myself grace. I leave my phone somewhere away from our play area. I embrace messes or chaos, as I can always clean or organize later. He will only be little for so long, and I want to soak it all in. And I make decisions that work for me and my family and commit to them. Advice is nice, and everyone has a opinion on how you can be a better working mom, but what works for others may not be the best path for me and my family. I follow my own path and heart.”
Got any words of wisdom or advice about being a working mom? Share it with us at shorelines@northshorebank.com. Winners of our prizes — The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown and a paid half day off — have been selected and will be announced on March 10. •••
Sowinski named king after finding baby in cake
The king with his cake and new baby, who is now displayed on the top ledge of Darrin’s cubicle.
The Residential Operations team celebrated Fat Tuesday early yesterday, with a treat from their National MI rep: a “king cake.” In keeping with Mardi Gras tradition, a king cake has a tiny plastic baby doll baked into it. Whoever receives the slice with the baby is named “king” for the day.
An example of a king cake.
Residential loan specialist Darrin Sowinski was anointed the lucky monarch for Wednesday’s celebration.
“At first, when this weird-looking cake was brought out, my thought was to avoid it,” Darrin joked. “But once the backstory was provided by (residential loan processing manager) Cindy Nell, I thought, Hmm, might as well have some fun and see if I can be a king today! I was wearing a purple shirt, which perfectly aligned with Mardi Gras colors, so I went right for the smallest purple piece. Lo and behold, the baby’s leg was sticking out of the piece that I cut. It was a pleasant surprise, and I’m ready to try and win again next year!” •••
Muskego helps raise funds for firefighter
The Muskego branch is hosting a donation drive to help the family of Mike Schmitt, a firefighter with Greendale Local 177, who lost their home in a fire earlier this month. Fortunately, the family is safe, but the house will need a lot of work.
Through March 31, the branch is offering free coin counting as an incentive for customers and members of the public to come in and donate. North Shore Bank will match up to $500 of donations received. •••
Let go of negative thoughts, open yourself to inspiration
Floating so gently on the wind, kites wheel and dip, their beautiful colors displayed for everyone to see. They don’t fly of their own power, but because of the wind that propels them. They have no light of their own, but the sun shines through them. We often crave the power or light we feel we don’t have; we forget that those things are available freely to every one of us. All we need to do is find our true nature, and that uplift happens immediately. You have everything you need right now to reach those great heights.
Try this meditation for one minute every day, or longer if you want to:
TAKE A MOMENT TODAY to pause and open yourself to the inspiration around you. Let go of the negative thoughts and be a conduit for that positive light.
As the river flows, from out of the faceless void arises the greatest of realities — a simple smile. —Bernadette Roberts, Carmelite nun and author
How did this meditation go for you? Share your experience at shorelines@northshorebank.com and you’ll be entered to win a copy of A Mindful Day: 365 Ways to Live Life With Peace, Clarity, and an Open Heart, by David Dillard-Wright.
If you’d like a daily email reminder to practice one minute of mindfulness, email us with the subject “Mindfulness reminder.” •••
New Hires for February 24
It’s always exciting to add new members to our team. Here are some of the fresh faces at North Shore Bank.
El Rey teller Jennifer Morris is from Milwaukee and is going to school at UW-Milwaukee, where she is majoring in business administration and finance. “In my free time I am a photographer,” she says. “I love to take photos of people and the city.” Jennifer also likes playing volleyball and was on the varsity team in high school. •••