Madison attorney John Mitby epitomizes "Wisconsin Lawyers Make a Difference" in his commitment to community service.
July 2004
Lawyer's community service yields state's largest youth soccer
complex
Madison attorney John Mitby
epitomizes "Wisconsin Lawyers Make a Difference" in his commitment to
community service.
Mitby volunteered his time and expertise of real estate law,
not-for-profit corporations and the "ins and outs" of local government
to make the Reddan Soccer Park in Verona a reality for thousands of
youth and adults.
When the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association asked Mitby how it could
receive funding for its soccer programs, Mitby instructed the
association about how to utilize its 501 (c) (4) public charity status
to partner with other not-for-profit organizations and to raise funds.
He then guided its efforts to build the 40-acre, 15-field soccer park.
The plan was so successful that soccer clubs statewide are using this
million-dollar facility as a model.
Operated by Madison Area Youth Soccer Association (MAYSA), Reddan Soccer Park is
Wisconsin's largest soccer-specific facility, attracting more than 1,200
teams and more than 85,000 youth and adult players annually. Reddan
hosts local and regional league play, camps, coach's clinics, Olympic
Development programs, training programs by local colleges and the State
Cup Tournament. In addition, Reddan hosts a dozen tournaments each
year, including Badger State games.
Mitby's other community activities include helping Easter Seals to
build a dormitory for handicapped women and girls at Camp
Wawbeek in Wisconsin Dells. The camp is one of the first in the
United States that provides camping experiences for hundreds of children
and adults with physical disabilities. He also offered his legal
expertise in helping Care Net to acquire a piece of land that will some
day house the Care Net Pregnancy Center of Dane County, a home for unwed
mothers.
Inside the Bar
