Schooling for Cleaner Lakes: Greater Madison community invited to school together towards cleaner lakes

Contacts:
Amy Jo Fisher
608-286-3150
dreambank@amfam.com james@cleanlakesalliance.com

James Tye
608-255-1000

(MADISON, Wis.) – The Clean Lakes Alliance (CLA) and American Family Insurance DreamBank are joining forces by launching “Schooling for Cleaner Lakes”, a community art project designed to increase understanding of our lake ecosystems. The idea for this initiative materialized in response to an exhibit at DreamBank that identified “clean lakes” as a top priority for the Madison community.

The CLA and DreamBank encourage dreamers of all ages to participate in their hands-on, creative project. Participants are invited to decorate fish chosen to represent the Yahara lakes, which will be proudly displayed at venues throughout the Madison area.

Project information materials were developed with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration; the University of Wisconsin Center for Limnology; and the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute. Isthmus Publishing is the project’s promotion partner. Clean lakes enthusiasts are welcome to pick up their project materials at DreamBank, 1 N Pinckney St in Madison, starting on Monday, Mar. 3.

“Our lakes are what make Madison so unique, we are excited to roll up our sleeves and help the community realize this dream – clean lakes” Amy Jo Fisher, DreamBank Manager, said. “This is the heart and soul of DreamBank, we want to inspire action and provide the resources needed to make it happen.”

The decorated fish are due back to DreamBank on Friday, Apr. 4. The kits will be voted on by local judges and prizes will be awarded to the most creatively decorated boxes of fish cutouts. The CLA will award $250 to the top grade school, $250 to the top middle/high school kit and $500 to the top adult community kit.

The fish will then be transformed into giant mobiles, which will be presented on Friday, April 25 at the CLA’s Save Our Lakes Community Breakfast Event at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, accompanying the release of the State of the Yahara Lakes report. Winners will be awarded during the event and some mobiles will be displayed throughout the community after the event.