Gary and Marti Spittell Ziegelbauer, philanthropists and longtime Door County residents, pledged $1 million to Doorway to Learning as part of the kick-off of its Opening the Door to a Brighter Future Campaign.
Doorway to Learning is an early care and education center that cares for 150 children during the school year and more than 200 children in the summer. As Doorway to Learning embarks on a $4 million campaign, the Ziegelbauers have stepped up as lead donors. The Ziegelbauers’ donation will rename the Gordon Road campus the Gary and Marti Ziegelbauer Campus – Doorway to Learning.
The donation helps to ensure long-term success for Doorway to Learning, the only licensed child care center serving children from birth through school age between Green Bay and Sister Bay.
“We are honored to be able to leave a legacy for the children and families of Door County,” said the Ziegelbauers in a joint statement. “Not only are we grandparents, we are employers and residents in this wonderful community. We are lucky to be able to help support and sustain quality child care – it makes the community stronger, and its positive effects will last for generations.”
“We are so grateful for the generosity of the Ziegelbauers’ lead donation,” said Devin Vandertie, board president for Doorway to Learning. “Accessible, high-quality child care is vital to a strong workforce and a thriving community. The reality of rising costs makes it increasingly difficult to offer affordable tuition while sustaining operations. This kind of transformational support from community members like the Ziegelbauers allows us to keep our doors open and meet this critical need for families across Door County.”
In Door County, Marti is a founding donor and spokesperson of the Women’s Fund of Door County, serves as a board member for Door County Medical Center and Doorway to Learning, and is a supporter of the Boys and Girls Club of Door County and the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club Sail Training Foundation. Outside of Door County, she is the vice president of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, the largest no kill, cage free dog shelter in North America; founding sponsor of the Green Bay Women’s Fund; founder of the Marti Spittell Ziegelbauer Foundation for Reproductive Cancer; and board member on the Quality Care and Control Board for HSHS Hospitals.
Gary is involved in the NEW Community Shelter, Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation, My Brother’s Keeper, Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Brian Ziegelbauer Memorial Foundation, and was on the state board for Special Olympics.
Marti is a former television news anchor in Northeast Wisconsin and a Nationwide Television Talent Consultant. Gary is the owner and president at Triangle Distributing Company and one of the founders of Investors Community Bank in Manitowoc.
Doorway to Learning was created by merging Children First and Door Community (DoCo) Child Development Center.
The Door County Community Foundation is providing support to Doorway to Learning with their campaign.
