Miller Park

City of Milwaukee Encourages Residents to Take Advantage of All Community COVID-19 Testing Options

November 6, 2020 By MKE Community Journal Leave a Comment

After conducting three weeks of testing at its new community COVID-19 testing sites, the City of Milwaukee would like to remind residents to use all testing sites efficiently and appropriately.

Community testing sites offer the opportunity for residents to receive a free test without appointment even if they are asymptomatic, but there are also a large number of alternatives for testing in Milwaukee. Community health centers and a number of pharmacies are excellent options. Residents can visit milwaukee.gov/covidtesting for a map of all testing locations.

The reminder comes as a result of the Miller Park community testing site continuing to exceed its designed capacity of 2,000 tests daily and the Northwest and Southside Health Centers exceeding their designed capacity of 400 tests each. A high demand for testing and the disproportionate media attention given to the sites adds to long lines at these locations.

This Monday, November 2, Miller Park tested over 2,400 people, while the Northwest and Southside Health Centers tested 900 people in total. Mondays are especially busy for the sites, as residents who may have developed symptoms or engaged in high-risk activities over the weekend tend to seek out testing in larger numbers on Mondays. The best time to get tested is 3-5 days after exposure.

The City of Milwaukee provides community COVID-19 testing sites as a cooperative effort with the National Guard and Milwaukee County. The transition from National Guard testing at Custer Stadium and UMOS to the current three community testing centers has led to a significant increase in capacity, but in order to resume weekend testing the City still needs time to ramp up its staffing levels. Milwaukee’s goal is to transition fully from National Guard testing to civilian testing by the end of November, and that time frame is when Saturday testing is expected to be available for the public as well.

“Unfortunately, what we’re seeing is an increase in the percent of people—both at the local level and certainly at the State level—who are testing positive, which means that the incidence of the disease is greater now than it has been at any point in the last seven months; It’s very concerning,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. “We are so thankful for the National Guard’s support these past months, but now we need Congress to get us additional resources for testing and tracing because local governments cannot carry this burden. The funding is going to become an issue on December 31 if we don’t have a sign from the federal government or the state government as to how we’re going to carry this into 2021.

The City also encourages residents to avoid group activities where they think exposure to COVID-19 is possible. Changes in behavior lessen the spread of the disease, reducing the demand for testing and decreasing the testing volume at community sites.

“The cooperation between the Wisconsin National Guard and the Milwaukee Health Department has been very positive, and I am proud of the work everyone is doing as testing demand increases,” Acting Commissioner Marlaina Jackson said. “Now we are seeking additional cooperation from people seeking tests. Please, look at the various testing site alternatives and avoid contacts that could lead to COVID-19 exposure.”

9th Annual Drumstick Dash Going Virtual to Benefit Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin

October 5, 2020 By MKE Community Journal Leave a Comment

Vision Event Management has opened registration for the 9^th Annual Drumstick Dash 5K presented by Pick n’ Save, which returns this year as a virtual event. For those seeking a shorter distance, the Drumstick Dash 2.5K is also available. This year’s goal is to raise $10,000 for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, or $100,000 worth of groceries. For every $1 donated, three meals are provided to neighbors in need. A record number of 57,715 meals was provided to the community because of funds raised by the 2019 Drumstick Dash.

Historically, the Milwaukee Family Tradition Drumstick Dash 5K has taken place at Miller Park on Thanksgiving morning. With the transformation to a virtual event this year, families and friends across the country can register and complete the virtual distance anytime between November 21-29, 2020. Participants will be given the opportunity to complete the actual Drumstick Dash course virtually via the RaceJoy mobile tracking app or they may complete any 5K or 2.5K distance of their choice prior to submitting results.

“We are grateful for the continued support of Pick ‘n Save as we turned this year’s Drumstick Dash 5K and Half A Drumstick 2.5K into virtual events,” said Jeff Graves, president of Vision Event Management, the event production and promotion company. “Now more than ever, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin needs the extra donations to keep nutritious meals on families’ tables. And with this year’s move to virtual, friends and families across the country with ties to Milwaukee and Eastern Wisconsin can all come together to run or walk together via technology at a time and in a place convenient for them.”

Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is the leading hunger relief organization in the state with food banks, meals programs and shelters located throughout 36 counties in Eastern Wisconsin. Together with their members, they provide the equivalent of more than 20 million meals a year to nearly 400,000 people, including 124,000 children and 41,000 seniors.

“Participating in these events as they move to the virtual setting is critical. The hunger we are seeing in our communities has increased greatly and so our fundraising needs to follow,” said Patti Habeck, President and CEO of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. “With 40% of the people who are visiting pantries doing so for the first time due to the pandemic, fundraisers like the Drumstick Dash really help feed our neighbors in need.”

Registrants can sign up at DrumstickDashMilwaukee.com for the Virtual Drumstick Dash 5K or the Half A Drumstick 2.5K. Adults and children 10 and under pricing is $35 and $20, respectively, through October 22. Prices increase October 23. All adult participants receive a green, pocketed zip-up hoodie while kids 10 and under will receive a long-sleeve T-shirt. Additionally, all participants will receive a personalized race bib and finisher certificate and chance to win random prizes via social media.

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About Vision Event Management

Vision Event Management is regarded as one of the best race management companies in the United States, producing some of the most recognizable and successful events in the country. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, VEM productions in Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana include the Madison Mini Half Marathon/5K/Kids’ Run, Drumstick Dash 5K and Half a Drumstick 2.5K at Miller Park, Brewers Mini-Marathon/10K/5K, Lucky Leprechaun 7K benefiting the MACC Fund, Lincoln Park Run for the Zoo, RUN(317) Series, Cleveland Marathon, Brunch Run 5K, 465 Virtual Challenge, Key Largo to Key West Virtual Challenge, America Runs the 4^th 5K and Wine Country Challenge. More than $1 million dollars has been donated to various partner charities through Vision Event Management events.

About Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin

Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin ’s mission is clear: Solve Hunger. Their vision: A hunger-free Wisconsin. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is the largest hunger-relief organization in the state with locations in Milwaukee and Appleton. Founded in 1982 by the Rotary Club of Milwaukee, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is a local and independent member of the Feeding America network. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin collaborates with 600+ hunger-relief programs, including food pantries, meal programs and shelters to provide more than 20 million meals annually to nearly 400,000 people across 36 counties in eastern Wisconsin. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin also supports programs that improve food security for people facing hunger and works collaboratively with community partners to solve hunger. To learn more about hunger in Wisconsin, visit www.FeedingAmericaWI.org.

Mayor Barrett Announces Miller Park and Fiserv Forum as Early Voting Centers for the 2020 General Election

August 31, 2020 By MKE Community Journal Leave a Comment

MILWAUKEE— August 31, 2020, Mayor Tom Barrett joined City leaders and Senior Vice President of the Milwaukee Bucks Alex Lasry to announce Fiserv Forum and Miller Park as two additional early voting centers for the 2020 general election. Prior to today’s announcement, an additional 15 early voting locations were added throughout the city.

“We are now fortunate to announce that not only have we found one, but we have found two locations that are absolutely fabulous for allowing more people to exercise their right to vote,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. “Nationally, Milwaukee has become the leader by providing both Fiserv Forum and Miller Park for early voting. I don’t know of another city in this nation that is using a major league ballpark and an NBA arena for early voting— that’s how committed we are to making sure that people’s voices are heard.”

The City of Milwaukee has included the two additional early voting locations due to the anticipated increase in voter turnout for the November election and the ongoing COVID-19 health pandemic requiring that in-person voting locations comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention safety guidelines.

“Voting is sacred. It’s the most important thing that we as citizens do in a democracy,” said Common Council President Cavalier Johnson. “When we vote, we determine who is going to be the person, or people, who represent us. Not just that, we’re determining who is going to set the tone for our nation, for our city, for our state. We’re determining who is going to set the laws for our society, and that’s critically important to do.”

The City of Milwaukee ordinarily sees 70% of individuals vote in-person and 20-30% individuals vote absentee. In the April election, the percentages flipped to reflect 20-30% of people voting in-person and 70% voting absentee.

Voting by mail is not the best option for every voter. Offering in-person absentee voting at larger sites offers a greater opportunity for social distancing throughout the City and furthers racial equity and access to in-person voting opportunities.

The Fiserv Forum will be used for in-person early voting October 20 – November 1. The location will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

“We are excited that Fiserv Forum will be designated an early vote site,” said Senior Vice President of the Milwaukee Bucks Alex Lasry. “The pandemic has added another barrier to voting for vulnerable communities, so this will help us make sure that everyone in Milwaukee has a safe and convenient way to exercise their right to vote. By converting Fiserv Forum into a voting location, we can make sure everyone’s voice can be heard in a safe and responsible way.”

In addition, during the April election the City saw a large increase in drive through voting. Over 6,000 voters cast their ballot from their car. Miller Park will provide safe and efficient drive through early voting for the November election. Dates and hours of operation to be announced at a later date.

“With support from the MLB and league-wide efforts to support voting initiatives, we believe that Miller Park can offer a safe, drive-through advance voting option and help reduce the strain on traditional sites due to COVID-19,” said Brewers President of Business Operations Rick Schlesinger.

Both the Fiserv Forum and Miller Park will be used exclusively for early voting. The Milwaukee Election Commission has established 170 neighborhood-based voting locations for Election Day.

“Every eligible voter in this country has the right to vote, and has the right to vote safely,” said Milwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall-Vogg. “While voting by mail is without a doubt the safest option, it’s not the best option for every voter. We had a 3% rejection rate in April due to things like ballots not being returned on time, or not having the right signatures. Being able to cast your absentee ballot ahead of Election Day, but with my staff, ensures that your vote counts and that we don’t have a 3% rejection rate on November 3.”

The Election Commission is working diligently with its partners to recruit residents seeking work to help staff in-person absentee voting sites. The Commission is also working to recruit an additional 750 Election Day workers to ensure that lines are not congested, polling places are cleaned and disinfected frequently and that they have a safety net should staff members fall ill. Milwaukee County residents who are interested in working as poll workers can apply at milwaukee.gov/election.