Sentry donates $1.5M to Rawhide Youth Services project

Sentry supports Rawhide project to honor Bart and Cherry Starr’s legacy

NEW LONDON and STEVENS POINT, Wis. (October 22, 2021) – Rawhide Youth Services in New London, Wisconsin, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 22 for its Building Hope capital campaign in the presence of Cherry Starr and her family. The Sentry Insurance Foundation committed $1.5 million to the campaign to honor Bart Starr, the legendary Green Bay Packers quarterback, who served 34 years on the Sentry Board of Directors.

Currently, Rawhide’s need to serve at-risk youth is greater than its capacity. The Building Hope Capital Campaign will make it possible to provide crucial services to more youth and their families through the construction and expansion of several Rawhide facilities.

The Starr Youth Home, which is already being built, will be a 10,000-square-foot home that will increase capacity, safety, and convenience in a family-centered, therapeutic environment for residential youth.

Renovating Rawhide’s current Welcome Center will create a state-of-the art resource and training space to impact not only its staff and youth, but also the community. The renovation will offer facilities for meetings, trainings, seminars, and social gatherings for youth and families in the community that need help and resources. It will also offer aftercare and alumni services for those who need additional assistance following the completion of their residential program.

The project also includes renovating the Bart & Cherry Starr Museum space at the Welcome Center, ensuring it will be a destination attraction that honors the legacy and tells the story of Bart and Cherry Starr’s life, values, and connection to the Rawhide mission.

“The Starrs have had a tremendous impact on our organization,” said Pete McPartland, Sentry chairman of the board, president, and CEO. “As a member of our board of directors for more than three decades, Bart was revered for his compassion, quiet determination, and genuine leadership skills. While we’ve been Rawhide donors for years, we’re making this donation to honor the special relationship we maintain today with the Starr family, and a legacy we can all be inspired by.”

To date, Rawhide has raised about $5.5 million of its $6 million goal, thanks to its donors who have generously stepped in to make an impact.

“Meeting the needs of the at-risk youth in our state is an ever-increasing challenge as more youth struggle with mental health needs,” said Alan Loux, Rawhide’s president and CEO. “This project will enable us to increase capacity to keep up with the increased demand.”

Sentry leaders joined Rawhide at the groundbreaking ceremony as together they welcomed the Starr family to share the progress of the Starr Youth Home and celebrate the opportunities for growth and impact that lie ahead.

“The Sentry Insurance Foundation has a long history of supporting organizations that work to improve the quality of life and build stronger, more equitable communities,” said Kalynn Pempek, executive director of the foundation. “This includes support of Rawhide Youth Services and its mission to help the most vulnerable children survive severe trauma, neglect, and abuse.

“This special museum project provides an opportunity for Sentry to honor Bart and Cherry Starr’s significant impact on Sentry and to recognize their legacy as co-founders of Rawhide and their passion for helping youth transform their lives. The stories of kindness, compassion, and generosity told through the Bart & Cherry Starr Museum will touch the lives of many people for years to come.”

About Rawhide

Rawhide, Inc. is a faith-based 501(c)(3) recognized charity that offers Wisconsin’s at-risk youth and families a full array of residential and community-based services to equip them with tools to build healthy relationships and behaviors that will help them overcome life’s challenges.

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