Good Morning, Fitchrona!

February is Financial Assistance Awareness Month, and what better time to explore scholarships and internships to support your education and career development? Whether you're a high school student looking for college funding, a college student seeking hands-on experience, or a parent of a child getting ready to spread their wings we've compiled a list of scholarships and summer internships available in Fitchburg, Verona, and throughout Dane County.

The Focus will be the highlight of your Monday morning - something you can enjoy in under 5 minutes with your coffee ☕︎ ! Let’s fill our cups!

-Liv - Fitchrona Focus Founder

LOCAL LOWDOWN

Wisconsin and Dane County Scholarships & Internships - Summer 2025

Securing financial support for higher education can be challenging, but Wisconsin and Dane County provide a range of scholarships and training programs to assist students pursuing college or trade schools. Below are three opportunities to explore, including eligibility criteria and application details.

Tri 4 Schools Alumni Scholarship

Dane County high school seniors who have participated in Tri 4 Schools as a participant or volunteer are eligible for this $1,500 award.

• Eligibility: Tri 4 Schools alumni enrolling in a 2-4 year college or trade school.

• Application: Online application, priority given to thoughtful reflection.

• Deadline: March 9, 2025

• More Information: Tri 4 Schools Scholarship

Italian Workmen’s Club Scholarship

This $5,000 scholarship provides financial assistance to students of Italian descent or those studying Italian language/culture.

• Eligibility: Students in the Madison area of Italian heritage or studying Italian culture.

• Application: Online application.

• Deadline: April 15, 2025

• More Information: Italian Workmen’s Club Scholarship

Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation

This scholarship awards Wisconsin high school seniors who have participated in basketball, encouraging them to attend a University of Wisconsin system school.

• Eligibility: Wisconsin seniors participating in basketball (player or manager).

• Application: Online application.

• Deadline: April 30, 2025

• More Information: Ab Nicholas Scholarship

To view the full list of 11 scholarships, check out the link.

2025 Summer Internship Opportunities in Madison, Fitchburg, and Verona!

Are you a student looking for valuable summer internship opportunities in Dane County? Whether you’re interested in public service, business, marketing, engineering, healthcare, or the arts, there are plenty of internships available in Madison, Fitchburg, Verona, and surrounding communities. Explore the opportunities below and take the next step in your career journey! To see the full list, see the link below.

Human Resources Summer Associate – Thermo Fisher Scientific

A 10-12 week HR internship designed for undergraduate and graduate students.

• Eligibility: Graduate students in an HR-related field or undergraduates pursuing a Bachelor's degree.

• Application: Apply online through Thermo Fisher’s careers page.

• More Information: Thermo Fisher HR Internship

Fitchburg Fire Department Internship Program

This internship provides hands-on training for individuals pursuing a career in firefighting.

• Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled in or applying to the Madison College Fire Science degree program.

• Application: Apply through the Fire Department Recruitment page.

• More Information: Fitchburg Fire Department Internship

Epic Systems Corporation – Summer Internships

Located in Verona, Epic offers internships in software development, UX design, and project management.

• Eligibility: Students pursuing degrees in technology, healthcare, or business.

• Application: Apply through the Epic careers page.

• More Information: Epic Careers

To view the full list of 11 internships, check out the link.

PBS Wisconsin Garden & Green Living Expo Wrap-Up

This past weekend, gardening enthusiasts gathered at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison for the PBS Wisconsin Garden & Green Living Expo. The three-day event featured a bustling exhibitor mall, hands-on workshops, and over 150 educational seminars on topics like organic gardening and pollinator-friendly landscapes.

Local businesses within and near Fitchrona showcased their sustainable products and services. Experts from UW-Madison Extension and master gardeners were on hand to share their knowledge with attendees.

Here are just a few of the local featured businesses at the expo:

Bee-utiful Honey & Candles – Oregon, WI

• Bee-utiful Honey & Candles specializes in 100% raw local honey harvested from over 100 hives in Oregon, WI, and the Chicagoland area. They also offer beeswax candles, salves, and balms.

America's Best Flowers – Cottage Grove, WI

• America's Best Flowers is a full-service garden center offering annuals, perennials, shrubs, and gardening supplies.

The Flower Factory – Stoughton, WI

• The Flower Factory is one of the Midwest's largest hardy plant nurseries, offering a vast selection of perennials, grasses, and shrubs.

Formecology, LLC – Evansville, WI

• Formecology, LLC specializes in sustainable and ecological landscape design and management.

Keleny Top Soil Inc. – Oregon, WI

• Keleny Top Soil Inc. provides topsoil, mulch, and other landscaping materials.

Volunteer Opportunity: Alphabet Brick Painting at Lussier Family Heritage Center

Looking for a hands-on way to support local education programs? Join the Lussier Family Heritage Center in updating their warm-season scavenger hunt by painting alphabet bricks! Each brick represents a letter and a native species, helping to make learning fun and engaging for visitors. Volunteers will paint one of the missing bricks to get the scavenger hunt ready for spring.

What You Need to Know
🎨 What to Wear: Comfortable clothing and shoes—plus something you don’t mind getting a little paint on!

When: February 12, 2025 from 6:00 pm - 8:00pm : Comfortable clothing and shoes—plus something you don’t mind getting a little paint on!
📍 Where: Lussier Family Heritage Center, Lower Level (3101 Lake Farm Rd, Madison, WI 53711)
🚗 Parking: Car and bike parking available; LFHC is directly off the Capital City Bike Trail.

Questions? Contact Rachael Gosda (Education Specialist) or Angela Rivera (Education Coordinator) at (608) 224-3604 or [email protected].

Come add some color to the community and support outdoor learning!

HAPPENINGS

There are too many events to feature here! Check out FitchronaFocus.com for all happenings!

View - and bookmark - our events calendar page to see full event details.

• Monday, February 10th

  • 💘 5:30 PM - Valentines Charcuterie Class @ Delta Beer Lab

  • 📖 5:30 PM - Eat Your Words @ Verona Public Library

  • 🎥 6:00 PM - Independent Film Makers @ COPA

  • 💘 6:00 PM - Valentines Cookie Class @ Ope Haus Pub (w/ Bakes & Bites)

  • 📖 6:00 PM - Money Matters Tax Tips @ Wine Reserve

• Tuesday, February 11th

  • 📖 4:30 PM - Write Stuff Writing Club @ Fitchburg Public Library

  • 📖 6:30 PM - Cookbook Club: Food Network Stars Recipes @ Verona Public Library

  • 🧘 7:00 PM - Full Moon Meditation @ The Awakened Center

  • 🍺 7:00 PM - Quizmaster’s Trivia @ Lake Louie Brewing

• Wednesday, February 12th

  • 💘 Valentines Dinner @ Seven Acres

  • 📖 11:30 AM - State of the City Networking Lunch @ Verona Area Chamber of Commerce

  • 💘5:30 PM - Lessons With Libations - Candies for Your Sweetheart @ Mt Horeb Buck & Honey’s

  • 🧑‍🎨 6:00 PM - Watercolor Wednesday @ Four Winds Farm

  • 🧑‍🎨 6:00 PM - Resin Pour Board @ Bad Art Co.

  • 📖 6:30 PM - Evening Book Club @ Fitchburg Public Library

  • 📖 7:00 PM - First Steps to Starting a Business @ Score Mentors

  • 🎵 7:05 PM - Live Music: Blue Spruce @ Paddy Mac’s

• Thursday, February 13th

  • 🎭 Suite Surrender @ Verona Area Community Theater

  • 📖 4:00 PM - Pokemon Club @ Verona Public Library

  • 🧑‍🎨 5:00 PM Diamonds & DIY @ Doha Diamond Co.

  • 🍺 6:00 PM - Speed Meeting @ Delta Beer Lab

  • 👪 6:30 PM - Foundations of Motherhood: Nutrition & Sleep @ Grace Coffee

  • 🍺 6:30 PM - America’s Pub Quiz Trivia @ Hop Haus Verona

  • 💘 7:00 PM - Galentines Charcuterie Workshop @ Artemis Provisions

• Friday, February 14th

  • 📖 VASD Kindergarten Registration Charter School Application Due

  • 🎵 Live Music: Carson Hall @ Lake Louie Brewing

  • 💘 Valentine’s Dinner @ Seven Acres

  • 🧑‍🎨 4:00 PM - Art Lab @ Fitchburg Public Library

  • 💘 5:30 PM - Love at Lussier @ Lussier Heritage Center

  • 💘 6:00 PM - Strings @ Sweethearts: A Valentines Day Dance @ Four Winds Farm Fitchburg

  • 💘 8:00 PM - Be My Valentine Tonight @ Loxley

• Saturday, February 15th

  • 🎵 Adult Prom @ Bailey’s Run

  • 🍺 Battle of the Barrels @ Lake Louie Brewing

  • 🍺 2:00 PM - Charity Meat Raffle (with Open Doors for Refugees) @ Delta Beer Lab

  • 🎵 5:00 PM - Live Music: James Crocket @ Hop Garden

  • 🎵 7:00 PM - Live Music: Top Shelf @ Paddy Mac’s

  • 🎵 7:00 PM - Salsa Night at Loxley @ Loxley

• Sunday, February 16th

  • 🍺 12:00 PM - Winter Thaw! @ Hop Haus

  • ♠️ 12:30 PM - Euchre Tournament @ Lake Louie Brewing

  • 🎵 2:00 PM - Live Music: Bob’s Your Uncle @ Bailey’s Run

  • 😺 6:00 PM - Paint Your Cat Night @ Delta Beer Lab

  • 🎭 6:30 PM - Grease Sr. Auditions @ Verona Area Community Theater

Key - * indicates event is recurring

MAKER FEATURE

This week’s maker feature is Ben Temeyer, creator of Mr. Tea’s Kombucherie.

I fell in love with kombucha a little before 2020. I was looking for a beverage that was healthy and tasted good. Kombucha became that. It’s a fermented beverage that is full of probiotics that can support gut health and digestion with less sugar than what most other drinks have. One of my favorite things about kombucha is the fact that you can mix just about anything and the kombucha will take on that flavor in a light, carbonated, flavorful beverage.

I was a history teacher and that gave me time to work on kombucha on the weekends and in the summers. My main interest became making kombucha through different high quality teas. That way, I can have unique flavors with even less sugars than most other beverages on the market. At the end of the school year in 2024, I made the leap to entrepreneurship. I love teaching and always will, but I was ready to try new things.

My brand shouts for people who are looking for excitement that can be had without a hangover or crash. My slogan is “Elixirs that Cure Boredom” and that is what Mr. Tea’s Kombucherie does. Mr. Tea’s Kombucherie combines everything that I love: punk rock, science-fiction, and tea. All my flavors are tea based and made with top quality, locally sourced tea. If you like tea, I’m your guy. If you don’t like tea, I might still be your guy, since my flavors are delicious anyways!

Find Mr. Tea’s Kombucherie products at the following local places: Forward Craft and Coffee, Green Life Trading For, and Kiln Shed in Madison, Marigold Room in Cambridge, Wildwood Cafe in Stoughton, Kickback Cafe and Firefly Coffeehouse in Oregon, Telsaan Tea in Mount Horeb, Arcadia Books in Spring Green, Black Earth Lanes in Black Earth, and Community Pharmacy in Middleton

Ben’s big recommendation on a local place that our readers should know about is Hodge Podge in Verona. It is a very cute coffee shop with a great tea selection!

See more on Ben’s website or instagram @mrteaskombucherie.

Know a local maker who should be featured - submit here!

CHECK IT OUT

This past weekend, Fitchburg-based Ganshert Landscapes participated in the Garden and Green Living Expo, sharing their expertise in residential landscape design. Since 1951, Ganshert Landscapes has been designing and installing exceptional outdoor living spaces, plantings, natural stone features, landscape maintenance solutions, low-voltage lighting, and grading. Known for their tailored approach, the team has prided itself on customizing each project to meet the unique needs of every client.

At the event, visitors had the opportunity to connect with Ganshert Landscapes and learn more about their services. Owner Sean Pratt led two insightful seminars on "Common Landscape Mistakes," providing homeowners and gardening enthusiasts with valuable tips on avoiding pitfalls in their outdoor spaces.

For those who missed the expo but are interested in transforming their outdoor spaces, more information about Ganshert Landscapes can be found at www.ganshert.com.

Ganshert Landscapes thinks our readers should know about Adesys - IT Specialists.

Have a place that we should check out? Submit it here.

NEIGHBORHOOD DEAL

Over at Tabby & Jacks - Nourish your pup’s primal needs with an entertaining raw treat! 🦴🐾 Buy 3 Raw Recreational Bones and get 1 FREE! Your dog will love the natural, healthy chew, and you'll love the savings. This special offer is available at Tabby & Jack's throughout February—don’t miss out!

THANK YOU!

Thanks for reading the Fitchrona Focus today! If you found something useful, please share it with someone who loves kombucha !

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