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FEATURED CORPORATION: Kahler Slater
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We are “Experience Designers” at Kahler Slater, who exist to enrich life through artful design. Established in 1908 as an architectural firm, today we include architects, interior designers, planners, graphic designers, researchers and marketing and communications specialists; all creative problem solvers, who collaborate to create experiences in partnership with our clients. Further, throughout our firm’s history we have embraced that we are important partners to our local and world communities, and as such we are committed to improving experiences in society and in our professions by sharing our time, talents and treasure. Over the past decade we have lived this out through our engagement with over 150 non-profit agencies, programs and activities.
 In 2009 we made the decision to use our annual, day-long, firm-wide retreat to focus on volunteerism, investing in multiple simultaneous projects across all of our offices. Leveraging the United Way “Days of Caring” structure, that retreat was received so well we agreed to repeat it on an every-other-year basis. And so we did in 2011. Each retreat kicked-off and wrapped-up with sessions at the beginning and end of the day in our (video-linked) offices. Most of our staff agreed these were two of our best retreats ever. Our projects in Milwaukee in 2011 included separate teams painting and landscaping at an ARCW residential facility, another team building outdoor furniture at Meta House and a large team working to eradicate invasive plants at the Urban Ecology Center. In 2009 our Singapore office chose to work in a food distribution program, having the honor of being the first Caucasian volunteers the group has ever had in its long history, which was indeed a novelty to its patrons!
 Based upon the feedback from the agencies with whom we worked we know the population(s) they serve will have better experiences because of our efforts. And we know our staff loved their experiences during the retreats, even though some of the projects were physically exhausting. This was best summarized by one person on a team that hauled demolition debris by hand, who commented with a very tired smile, “I have never worked so hard in my life!” Overall, we heard from person after person they loved these experiences because we weren’t just talking about team work in the abstract; rather, we were living it out in the moment. The team in our Madison office even created a music video celebrating their efforts!
Kahler Slater has been a member of the Greater Milwaukee Business Volunteer Council (BVC) since 2009. For more information, contact Debbie Knepke, Corporate & Events Manager, at (414) 273-7887.
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The Corporate Program of the Volunteer Center supports, promotes
and increases employee volunteerism in Greater Milwaukee.
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Core Principles of Corporate Volunteerism
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How the Volunteer Center Supports Corporate Volunteerism
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What a Corporate Member Receives
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Acknowledge that the company’s community service and its employee volunteer
efforts contribute to the achievement of its business goals.
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Provide one-on-one consultations, networking opportunities and promotion of employee
volunteer efforts.
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Invitations to attend Business Volunteer Council Networking Sessions
, and inclusion in the Volunteer Center’s Report on
Corporate Volunteerism in Greater Milwaukee.
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Commit to establish, support and promote an employee volunteer program that
encourages volunteerism, and treat it as a core business function.
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Provide the tools to establish, support and promote an employee volunteer program.
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The Corporate Volunteerism Handbook, a guide to implement,
evaluate, and strengthen an employee volunteer team.
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Target community service efforts toward serious social problems in the community.
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Provide accessible, meaningful and convenient volunteer opportunities that address
critical needs in Greater Milwaukee.
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The annual Corporate Project Book, which offers
a full year-long listing of one-time group volunteer events and working
one-on-one for individualized volunteer needs.
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The Corporate
Program is supported by the generous donations of area businesses who share the
belief that community service, social consciousness and good corporate
citizenship make for stronger employees, stronger businesses and stronger communities.
The Volunteer Center is the one-stop resource for corporate volunteerism.
Learn about Corporate Team Volunteering, and the Greater Milwaukee Business Volunteer Council.
To become a corporate member please see Membership Form for membership packages. Print the form and return it with your membership fee to:
Volunteer Center of Greater Milwaukee, Inc., a service of the Non Profit Center
Attn: Debbie Knepke, Corporate & Events Manager
2819 W. Highland Blvd.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53208-3217
Phone: (414) 344-3933
Printer Friendly Corporate Page
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