Project LEAD dedicates new LED streetlights

By Chris Spangler 

Fort Atkinson’s future got a little brighter Saturday morning as community members dedicated two-dozen LED streetlights in the city.

The Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Project LEAD class cut the ribbon on its project, titled: “Light Up the Town,” during the season’s first farmers market in Market Square, located across from the U.S. Postal Service.

The class replaced 24 street lights with energy-efficient LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights around the community.

In addition to providing sustainability and public safety, the project is expected to save approximately $3,500 in energy costs the first year after implementation. 

Members of this year’s Project LEAD class included Katie Carey, Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce; Jill Henze, Spacesaver Corporation; Kaylee Kidd, Fort Atkinson Community Foundation; Dr. Qingze Lv, Bender, Kind and Stafford DDS; Ryan Murray, Jones Dairy Farm; Robyn Newcomb, Fort Community Credit Union; Matt Noll, School District of Fort Atkinson; Lauren Pett, Nasco; Kori Telfer, Johnson Financial Group; Tammi Vetrano, Badger Bank; Phil Walther, Builders FirstSource; and Sarah Weihert and Tom Williamson, city of Fort Atkinson. 

Thanks to the support of area businesses and residents, the total $7,200 cost of the project was funded entirely through private donations, although the group had applied for and been awarded funding through the Fort Atkinson Community Foundation, if needed. 

All the new lights were installed by the end of April with the assistance of city electrician Jeff Armstrong.

“Many Project LEAD projects are built on city property,” chamber Executive Director Carrie Chisholm explained, noting park improvements and structures throughout the area. 

“And there is often an ongoing expense to maintain them. It feels good to give something to the city and its residents that actually saves them money,” she said. 

The project began as an idea posed by Lv during a group brainstorming session last October. Initially, the class had considered solar lights, but further research indicated those weren’t as dependable in Wisconsin’s winter climate. 

“Part of the leadership training is to learn about the various challenges and opportunities in our community, and to propose a project that fills a need. During the research phase, the class sometimes must adjust the scope, based on what they discover, and then figure out how to work together to execute the desired outcome,” Chisholm said.

Project LEAD (Leadership Enhancement for Area Development) has created a webpage: www.fortchamber.com/leadership-training, for homeowners and businesses to access energy-saving products and hopefully continue the sustainability movement. 

“Thanks to resources like Focus on Energy, it is relatively easy to access free or low-cost energy-saving products for your home and office,” Lv said.

“We are at a critical time,” Lv noted in his remarks at the dedication. 

He noted: “We, as a generation, see the impact of climate change, and we’re really the generation that can really do something about it before it becomes irreversible. So, I feel really grateful to be here today and have the community support to make our community better and also more sustainable in the long run.”

Lv thanked the project’s donors and sponsors, and gave a special nod to his mother, Hongbing Ji, who arrived Friday from Yan Cheng, China, to attend the event.

The visit marked her third to the United States, and the first time in four years that she has seen her son. During her visit, Ji and Lv plan to travel to Alaska. 

The ribbon-cutting offered an opportunity to thank sponsors. Donating at the top “LED” level were Badger Bank; Ball Corporation; Bender, Kind and Stafford Dental S.C.; Enbridge Energy Partners; Fort Community Credit Union; Fort HealthCare; Heart of the City; Johnson Financial Group; Jones Dairy Farm; Michael and Linda Matley; and Spacesaver Corporation. 

Sponsors at the “Bright Bulb” level were the Kiwanis Club, MR Plumber, and Nasco. 

“Sparkler” level sponsors included Deb Britton, Lisa Caras, Greg Counter, Julia Dewey, Adele Donaldson, Kristina Fieser, Thomas and Anita Freeman, Matthew Hensel, Philip Jones, Kevin Kostroski, Gregory Klug, John Kutz, Richard Lowry, Karie Martin, Amber Mendoza, Randy Poredos, Ryan Robinson, the Fort Atkinson Rotary Club, Jeffry Theder and Josh Younger. 

About Project Lead

Beginning annually each September, Project LEAD holds monthly sessions at area companies and organizations with the goal of planning, fundraising, and ultimately implementing a chosen project. Project LEAD participants are introduced to the leadership of the area’s largest employers, while learning the inner workings of what makes the community function. 

Facilitated this year by Ryan Hill of KLAS Solutions, the program strives to build future leaders with a desire to serve the community, so participants also determine a project that addresses a local issue or concern.