Contact: Marc Giannettino, Marketing Director, Wisconsin Union
Sunday, April 29, , 608 263-3928
Wisconsin Union and UW Credit Union
Introduce New “Mendota Blue” Terrace Chair
Campaign kicks off A Blueprint for the Next 100 Years of Memorial Union
Today, from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. on the Memorial Union Terrace,at a celebration to kick off the upcoming Memorial Union Reinvestment (MUR) project, Wisconsin Union, in partnership with UW Credit Union, introduced 300 limited-edition “Mendota Blue” chairs to the Terrace, comingled with the traditional green, orange and yellow colors. These unique Mendota Blue chairs will remain on the Terrace through July 31, and will serve as a high-impact visual cue to the community of this exciting period of transformation at Memorial Union.
The chairs are designed to create public awareness and build support for the MUR project. They also represent a call to action to join the Mendota Blue Movement, ( a campaign developed in partnership between Wisconsin Union andUW Credit Union, and designed to raise funds for the Wisconsin Union Building Project. Though the Mendota Blue Movement is a three-month campaign scheduled to end on July 31, 2012, it also serves as the official launch to the public phase of Wisconsin Union’s longer-term CapitalCampaign – A Blueprint for the Next 100 Years, with a three-year goal of raising $25 million by the end of 2015.
“Through the generous support of UW Credit Union, we’re able to launch this exciting new level of fundraising, making it possible for friends and fans of Memorial Union throughout Dane County, across the country, and around the globe to help create the next 100 years of this extraordinary building,” said Union Director Mark Guthier.
“By contributing to the Mendota Blue Movement,you will be helping to preserve one of most historic venues on this campus and in the Madison area, while providing vital improvements to greatly enhance the Union’s programming experience and address accessibility issues throughout the building.”
"We are thrilled to be partnering with Wisconsin Union and to sponsor the Mendota Blue Movement," said UW Credit Union President and CEO Paul Kundert, who also serves on the Wisconsin Union Campaign Cabinet. "UW Credit Union was founded soon after Memorial Union was completed, so both organizations share a long history of service to the UW and greater Madison community. The Union is cherished in our community, and we're pleased to continue to help the organization and support the capital campaign."
The Mendota Blue chairs also provide an added incentive for supporters to donate to the campaign. Donors who give at the $1,000 level or above will receive their very own, limited-edition Mendota Blue terrace chair as a thank-you gift at the conclusion of the campaign.
Donors who give between $150 and $999 will receive an exclusive Mendota Blue mini Terrace Chair, and donors who give between $75 and $149 willreceive a special Mendota Blue keychain. Both the mini-chairs and keychains are available while supplies last.
Donations at all giving levels have a tremendous impact and are greatly appreciated. For more information, and to make a gift, interested donors are encouraged to visit
For more information on the Mendota Blue Movement, visit or contact Marc Giannettino, 608 263-3928,
ABOUT MEMORIAL UNION REINVESTMENT:
Memorial Union has served as the “living room of campus” since 1928, and welcomes over 5 million visitors each year. It has been a place to hear radio messages during wartime; a place to learn how to sail for the first time; to relax and enjoy a brat on the iconic Terrace; to connect with an old friend, or to meet a new love; to discover the music of legends like Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald; to be inspired by the words of Gandhi, and Eleanor Roosevelt, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
But despite more than 80 years of providing a home for these remarkable, and, at times, life changing experiences, the building has never seen a comprehensive restoration, and time and use have taken a tremendous toll. Systems are outdated, aging pipes have failed and caused damage to the building, far too many entrances and rooms can be reached only by stairs, making them virtually inaccessible to many, and program and meeting spaces simply do not meet the needs of 21st century students.
The Memorial Union Reinvestment project is a multi-phase rehabilitation effort that seeks to remedy these issues, respectfully preserving the past, while building for the future. The first phase, which begins this summer, will focus on the west wing of the building, updating treasured spaces like the Wisconsin Union Theater, Wisconsin Union Craftshop, and the Outdoor Programs and Hoofers facilities.For more information on Memorial Union Reinvestment project, visit contact Jacklyn John,608-890-4582,
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