Brookfield, Wis. –
North Shore Bank today unveiled its giant, kindness-themed art installation in front of its
North End branch at 510 E. Pleasant St. in Milwaukee, WI. The occasion was also marked with a Proclamation by Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson marking June 2, 2022 "Be Kind Day" in the City.
In creating the 7-ft x 4-ft larger-than-life artwork, the bank partnered with well-known Milwaukee artist Fred Kaems. He painted each letter to spell the phrase “BE KIND,” as well as the North End branch windows. According to Kaems, the design is a fun and playful nod to summer in Milwaukee.
During the unveiling, North Shore Bank also recognized and announced key Kindness Community Leaders. These leaders were identified as members of the community who exemplify and spread kindness in their everyday lives. As a thank you, North Shore Bank has gifted each of these leaders with $500 in starter funds to pay forward and spread more kindness this summer. The Kindness Community Leaders include:
- Dea Wright, Director of Office of Early Childhood Initiatives for the City of Milwaukee;
- Kathryn Vachon, Homebuyer Coach at Acts Housing;
- Raynetta Hill, Executive Director of Historic King Drive BID;
- Jackie Herd Barber, Community Leader; and,
- Ryan Daniels, Executive Director of Milwaukee Public Library.
Each of the community leaders accepted the kindness challenge and designated how they may best put the funds into action for kindness. For example, Jackie Herd Barber is planning to use the funds to purchase personal needs for mothers and babies, groceries or gas for families, or a small grant for students in need. Ryan Daniels is using the funds to underwrite a hot spot for a year, allowing families the opportunity to access high speed broadband internet.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with these fantastic community leaders, a local muralist, and the City of Milwaukee to truly make this the summer of kindness and spread positivity in the city and beyond, kicking off with today’s Be Kind Day,” said North Shore Bank President Jay McKenna. “We welcome everyone to join us by coming to see the art installation, attending the related events, taking and sharing photos of the art message and most importantly, remembering to spread kindness.”
The art installation will remain up for community engagement through August with North Shore Bank hosting related monthly events at the North End Parklet space, including:
- June 25 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., the community is invited for a “Kindness Rocks!” event to decorate rocks with inspirational messages to take or leave for another to find. Participates can scatter the rocks across the city to spread positivity and kindness or add them to the bank’s #BankOnKindness Rock Garden, as part of the growing trend of #WiRocks.
- On July 16 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. North Shore Bank will partner with a variety of local organizations to create a Dog Days of Summer event, with fido-friendly food, agility activities, puppy pools and more.
- Join North Shore Bank on August 27 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. for a North End Community Clean Up with local organizations and community members working together to clean up the area, with refreshments provided.
The 2022 Be Kind initiative is an extension of North Shore Bank’s Bank on Kindness Ò commitment that began in 2020. Through that initiative, the Bank on Kindness initiative finds meaningful, fun, and special ways to carry out acts of kindness from the bank and the bank encourages and then matches public donations to support local efforts of Wisconsin non-profit organizations. To date, their online donation drive efforts have raised over $42,000 for participating non-profits, and the bank is continuing that effort this year as well.
Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Brookfield, Wisconsin, North Shore Bank is a mutual savings bank with assets of over $2.5 billion and 44 offices throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Wisconsin locations are in metro Milwaukee, Germantown, Ozaukee County, Racine, Kenosha, Appleton, Menasha, Green Bay and surrounding areas, Burlington, Union Grove, Muskego, and Door County.
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