Mary works at Stewart Lake County Park on February 18, 2026. The hum of saws and the crack of brush breaking echo across Stewart Lake County Park. In the middle of it all stands Mary McDonough-Sutter — steady, focused, and working shoulder to shoulder with Operation Fresh Start crews. “I’m here today doing what I often do,” she said on one February morning. “Cut and treat the brush and stack it to burn later.” Then she smiled. “The happiest part of what I’m doing today is working with an OFS...

Levi Doherty outside Operation Fresh Start on February 9, 2026. When Levi Doherty pulls up to a job site today, he’s not just another contractor. He’s the owner of Doherty Chimney, Roofing & Exterior LLC — a growing company serving communities across southern Wisconsin. But more than two decades ago, Levi was a teenager looking for direction. He found Operation Fresh Start (OFS). “I was here in 2000-2001, when you were on Winnebago Street,” Levi said. “I didn’t finish the program. But I was...

Nicole Knox, CareerPoint Coordinator, stands proudly with graduates Michelle (left) and Austin (right) during their graduation day at the Operation Fresh Start sign. On Thursday, November 6, Operation Fresh Start welcomed family, friends, staff, and employer partners to celebrate the graduation of the CareerPoint Finances and Customer Service Cohort at the Warner Park Recreation Center. While this program spanned just six weeks, the impact on participants’ lives was anything but short-lived....