On a warm September night, we gathered to celebrate an incredible milestone—11 years of RISE. It was a memorable evening filled with connection, reflection, and gratitude. I want to take a moment to thank everyone who helped make the night successful. Seeing so many familiar faces and new supporters in one room reminded me of the strength of our community and the power of what we’ve built together.
A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors
First and foremost, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to our amazing sponsors. Your generosity makes all of this possible.
• Faith Technologies has been an unwavering supporter as our Inspire Sponsor, providing crucial support and encouragement to youth prevention.
• Gibson Community Music Hall as our Stage Sponsor was essential in helping us pull off the event, ensuring everything ran smoothly, and providing an incredible event space where next year’s 12th Anniversary will also be!
• Woodward Community Media as our Empower Sponsor helped us extend our reach so more people could hear RISE’s message of hope and empowerment.
We couldn’t do this without you all, and I’m so grateful for your continued partnership. Including WI Voices For Recovery, We Energies Foundation, 4Imprint, Roger’s Behavioral Health, 91.1 The Avenue, Festival Foods, Start Healing Now/OAK, Megan Kelley Foundation, Lifted Poets Society.
The Power of Music
A huge thank you also goes out to Christopher Gold and Tyler SJ, who brought such beautiful energy to the night through their music. Their performances were more than just entertainment—they helped us tell the story of RISE and the importance of community, recovery, and resilience. Music has a way of connecting us all, and their heartfelt songs really set the tone for the evening. It was a true reminder of how music can move us and make us feel more connected to one another.
Inspirational Speakers
We also heard from some truly inspiring speakers. Jessica Geschke, who has been with RISE since the beginning, encouraged us to keep innovating and pushing forward in our shared mission. Alex Schotten from Lifted Poets Society, shared a deeply personal story of resilience and growth through the art of spoken word poetry. At the same time, Bev Kelley-Miller from The Megan Kelley Foudnation, shared a heartbreaking but powerful story of losing her daughter Megan to an overdose, underscoring why the work we do is so important.
Raffle Baskets: A Community Effort
The raffle was another highlight of the night! We had generous contributions from longtime supporters like Bound By Blood, The Fire, and Blue Lotus Massage, as well as new friends like Anyone Rides Little Chute, The Statement Piece, and Neo Medina from #paintthecity. It was wonderful to see so many people excited to participate, and it showed the spirit of generosity and support that defines our community.
Looking Ahead
Looking back on the past 11 years, I’m filled with pride and gratitude for what we’ve accomplished together. And as we move forward into our 12th year, I know we’re STILL just getting started.
There’s so much more work to do, but with this community behind us, I’m confident we’ll continue to grow, evolve, and make a real impact.
Thank you to everyone who joined us on Friday night, whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or are just now joining the RISE family. Together, we are making a difference.
