Bob Lee Sr. & Joe Madrigrano made $10,000 Contributions to the Natalie Lee and Shirley Madrigrano Arts Foundation in 2019 & 2020.

Lee Mechanical Steps Up to Enhance Boys & Girls Club Summer Art Program

The Shirley Madrigrano & Natalie Lee Arts Foundation was established in 2016 by Joe Madrigrano Jr. and Bob Lee Jr. The goal of the foundation is to support the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha arts programs and allow more students to be exposed to the arts each and every year. Through the years Lee Mechanical and the Lee family have contributed nearly $94,000 to BGCK programs.  

“Art lets one become the person they imagine themselves to be as an adult,” said foundation co-creators Joe Madrigrano Jr. and Bob Lee Jr. “Carthage College, through the efforts of Thomas Kline and  Corinne Ness, have partnered with the BGCK to provide this experience in a wide range of the arts.” Madrigrano and Lee started the Shirley Madrigrano & Natalie Lee Arts Foundation to honor their late mothers and they jointly expressed, “These programs for the children are exactly what we envisioned in establishing the Foundation.”

This summer, Carthage College conducted arts programming with the members at the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha. The project called “This Is My Place,” is supported by Carthage College and grants from the Kenosha Community Foundation and the Wisconsin Arts Board Creative Communities Program.

The program was developed by Corinne Ness, Associate Professor of Music at Carthage College. Art Professor Jojin VanWinkle and music theatre alumna Kati Schwaber coordinated the on-site activities, volunteers and mentors who lead the projects for the youth. Instructors were Carthage College alumni and current students.

Activities centered on visual arts. Members worked with professional arts instructors to explore crafts, ceramics, printmaking and stop-motion videography. Students’ artwork was photographed, so that they could keep their original pieces but also donate a replica for an auction to fund future arts partnerships.

The Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha is a youth guidance organization dedicated to promoting health, social, educational, vocational, cultural, character and leadership development. The Club helps youth improve their lives by building skills, values and self-esteem. When you support the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha, you support the kids who need us the most and their great futures ahead. Visit www.BGCKenosha.org/donate to donate today.