SEPO

Last month, Future Urban Leaders honored SEPO with the Nancy Tonies Inspire and Impact Award at their Legacy Night dinner, a gathering that lifted up the power of the village and the people who keep that work alive.

This week, we had the joy of welcoming FUL’s Executive Director, Darnell Hamilton, to SEPO Center. He was joined by Christie Tonies (Nancy’s daughter), whose presence carried forward her mother’s legacy of service and community-building.

The visit gave us space to slow down, show Darnell & Christie around SEPO Center, and talk about the stories and people behind the work: the young people who fill the space after school, the families who find connection here, and the community partnerships that make this place possible.

We talked about the everyday work that rarely makes it into photos: the stewardship, the consistency, the relationships that take time and trust to build. Our conversation returned to the same truth we all shared at Legacy Night last month: that this is village work. It is collective work. It is the kind of work that grows because people choose to show up for one another across neighborhoods and across cities.

Future Urban Leaders continues to demonstrate what that cross city commitment looks like. Their belief in the work happening in the Fox Valley strengthens the broader ecosystem of care for Wisconsin’s youth and we are grateful for the solidarity.

Deep gratitude to Darnell, to Christie, and to the entire FUL community for the visit and for walking with us.

A luta continua.