Image via Pabst Theater Group
Pabst Theater Chairs
The Pabst Theater Group announced Wednesday that it raised $60,000 through the sale of historic Pabst Theater chairs, with the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Center (MADACC) and ArtWorks for Milwaukee each receiving a donation of $30,000. In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the Pabst Theater Group partnered with Associated Bank to sell over 100 pairs of Pabst Theater chairs that had recently been replaced through renovations.
Gary Witt, President & CEO of the Pabst Theater Group, explained that these theater seats had played an essential role in the rebirth of the Pabst Theater and had witnessed magical performances over the past two decades. Instead of merely throwing them away, the group decided that these historic seats could do good in Milwaukee. By selling them, the buyers would hold a personal piece of a National Historic Landmark in their living rooms, home theaters, and offices while also supporting the remarkable work that MADACC and ArtWorks for Milwaukee do to help animals and students in the city.
MADACC is an organization that rescues and rehabilitates thousands of mistreated and stray animals annually, and the Pabst Theater Group has been a long-time supporter, donating over $62,000 to the organization to date. Karen Sparapani, Executive Director for MADACC, expressed her gratitude for being included in such a special event and being the co-recipient of such generosity. She said that the Pabst Theater Group and MADACC have long worked together to address social justice and animal welfare issues, knowing that together they could do much more for the community that needs them.
ArtWorks for Milwaukee is a new beneficiary, introduced to the Pabst Theater Group through Associated Bank. The organization provides high school students with job training and paid internships in the arts. Terry Murphy, Executive Director for ArtWorks for Milwaukee, was thrilled to be a recipient of proceeds from the Pabst Theater Group's Chairs for Charity sale. He said that their teen interns build confidence and transferable job skills through community-based art projects, and the donation would go a long way in their ability to offer Milwaukee high school students paid work experience in the arts.
LaDonna Reed, Senior Vice President, Director of Community Accountability for Associated Bank, expressed her pride in playing an active role in helping communities grow and prosper. She said that the event, in partnership with the Pabst Theater Group, was an excellent example of how they did that. She explained that through ArtWorks, they were committed to helping high school students acquire transferable career skills through valuable art internships that would serve them in the future and make a positive difference in the community.
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By selling these seats, the Pabst roup ensured that buyers held a personal piece of a National Historic Landmark in their homes and offices while supporting the remarkable work of these organizations.
