West Bend Charitable Trust Funds Nature Center's New Building

Earlier this year, West Bend Mutual Insurance Charitable Trust provided a $250,000 donation to help establish a new facility at Riveredge Nature Center in Saukville, Wisconsin. That facility, known as the River Outpost, will officially open on Friday, September 20, and will serve as an additional learning and gathering space along the banks of the Milwaukee River to further the Riveredge mission of supporting nature conservation through community education.

“We are grateful to Riveredge Nature Center for the work they do to promote conservation, and we are honored to support them as they expand their efforts to educate and engage the local community,” said Kevin Steiner, President and CEO of West Bend Mutual Insurance. “At West Bend, we have a proud tradition of giving back to the communities near to us, and this donation is an investment in the well-being of our environment today and for the future.”

“We are excited to open up this new facility, which will serve as an education hub for the Milwaukee River watershed, to the public,” said Jessica Jens, Executive Director of Riveredge Nature Center. “The generous support of the West Bend Mutual Insurance Charitable Trust and other partners is a great gift to the community and will inspire thousands of youth and adults to learn about the importance of healthy rivers and clean waters.”

Steiner will attend a public ribbon-cutting ceremony at Riveredge Nature Center in celebration of the new River Outpost on Friday, September 20, at 4 p.m. Immediately following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Riveredge will host a grand opening celebration of the River Outpost until 7 p.m. Community members are welcome to tour the new building, enjoy music and artwork and explore Riveredge’s Milwaukee River through hands-on educational activities and trails.

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About West Bend Mutual Insurance
Founded in 1894, West Bend Mutual Insurance Company is headquartered in West Bend, Wisconsin, and provides property/casualty insurance products throughout the Midwest. The company offers a broad personal lines coverage package, a full range of commercial products and services, insurance for specialty lines and a surety division. West Bend employs more than 1,200 associates and is represented by approximately 2,300 independent insurance agencies throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The company has been rated A (Excellent) or better by A.M. Best since 1971. West Bend also consistently ranks higher than its competitors in an agency loyalty survey.

About West Bend Mutual Insurance Charitable Trust
Since 2004, the West Bend Mutual Insurance Charitable Trust has provided more than $10.4 million to organizations in our community and across the Midwest. It also gives much-needed time, funds, and other resources to the West Bend community, including schools and other civic organizations.

About Riveredge Nature Center
Founded in 1968, Riveredge Nature Center is the first independent nature center in southeastern Wisconsin. Throughout its 51 years, Riveredge has worked to both inspire and educate people of all ages to learn about and care for our natural world as well as conduct significant environmental research and land restoration work on its 379 acres. Riveredge accomplishes its mission to support conservation through education that awakens curiosity, engages the body, and explores connections to nature for all generations through work on the Riveredge property and within the communities of southeastern Wisconsin. Each year, over 45,000 youth and adults engage in Riveredge-lead educational programs and events.