Check out the new statue put out in our prairie near the horses.  😆😂

Over the summer, we had the pleasure of sponsoring the American Heart Association Bring a Ball to the Ball Drive. 

The event was a "drive-through" this year, it was still a huge success. We love being able to help Wisconsin children and communities. 

Over the summer we had the cutest family call our prairie their home. 😍 Thanks to Linda for capturing this amazing photo. 

Ever feel like someone is watching you? The deer on our campus are very curious. 

Last year we reintroduced beehives to the campus landscape. Four of the five bee colonies survived the winter and were in good shape this spring. The bees are very advantageous to have on campus. They are great pollinators for our fruit trees, our vegetables in the associate gardens, the shrubs and perennials in our campus beds, and for all of the wildflowers in our prairies. The hives are located in an area that is hidden and away from associate traffic. Undisturbed, the bees go about their business undetected. How cool?!

Another great perk of working at West Bend is the associate garden plots. For only $25 associates can plan, beautiful, organic gardens. The gardens are looking great this year!

Exciting news! We've been recognized as one of the Best Employers for Women 2021 by Forbes and as a Great Place to Work for Millennials by Fortune. 

If you're interested in a career at West Bend, be sure to check out our current openings: https://www.thesilverlining.com/careers

Our landscape renovation plan includes major changes inside the circle drive at the main front entrance. Specifically, the large copper beech tree and the metal burr oak tree have been relocated
and will be replaced with flower beds and lower vegetation. 

Relocating a mature tree is a major undertaking. We contracted with a landscape firm that specializes in this activity. Late in the fall, the ground at the base of the tree was covered with straw to prevent it from freezing. As temperatures dropped, the root ball was excavated, wrapped, and allowed to freeze solid. A mammoth 66,000-pound front-end loader was then used to lift and move the 18,000-pound tree and root ball.

The copper beech tree was originally planted in honor of Rocky Dedrick. The metal oak tree is a sculpture commemorating West Bend’s reaching $1 billion in assets in 2003. The tree and the sculpture have been relocated as features of the newly established Dedrick Prairie.