Coverage For People With Pre-Existing Conditions, Two Young Wisconsin Artists Billed 'The Unofficial Artists Of The Green Bay Packers', Why Snail Mail Might Be Just What We Need Right Now

When was the last time you received an actual letter or postcard in the mail? We talk with a guest who believes the physicality and specialness of writing a letter might be just what we need to spread some love and meaning in today’s climate. We also hear from two young Wisconsin artists who have been painting a fence outside of Lambeau Field for years. And we take a look at the state of pre-existing condition coverage in Wisconsin and discuss how it could change if a multi-state lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act is successful.

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Painting The Pack: Newest Packers Mural Celebrates 100th Season

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Spencer Young received a call in 2015 from his friend Zane Statz who said they had a chance to paint the Packers fence.

Young couldn’t believe it.

The notorious fence across the street from Lambeau Field in Green Bay had for years been painted with celebratory Packers themes by Chris Handler. Now it was a potential canvas for their art.

“Growing up … that was the one thing I remember,” Young said of Handler painting the fence. “I just told myself, ‘Man, that’d be so cool to do.’ And here we are. I’m living my dream right now.”

Zane Statz and Spencer Young have created murals for a few properties along Lombardi Avenue in Green Bay. Photo courtesy of Zane Statz.

This year marks the fourth mural the duo has painted on the fence, which even has its own Twitter page, along Lombardi Avenue.

Statz and Young decided to “step it up big” this year with a mural featuring eight players, when traditionally the painting features two at most. The challenge is in response to the team’s 100th season. The Packers officially turn 100 Aug. 11, 2019 — mark your calendar.

“I didn’t think it would be done,” Young said of this year’s fence. “The only thing that sets us up for now is we’ve got to outdo this previous year’s fence and come up with something better next year.”

Young and Statz started out in 2015 painting a hulk version of No. 27 running back Eddie Lacy reaching for the Vince Lombardi Trophy with a word balloon reading, “You won’t like me when I’m angry.” A bright yellow background ran along the nearly 80-foot-long fence that Young and Statz were asked to paint two weeks before the Packers’ first season game that year.

While it was nerve-wracking to come up with an idea in fewer than two weeks and paint the fence in less than 24 hours, Statz said he and Young, “feel like we knocked it out of the park, and then every year after that it just got a little better.”

The “Cheesehead Nation” design in 2015 was replaced the next year by “Hail Rodgers.” The fence had boldfaced green lettering on a yellow background flanked by the bust of Aaron Rodgers and tight-end Richard Rodgers prepared to catch a giant-size football.

“Aaron Rodgers and the football are both scaled in a way that fans are able to pose in front of the fence and make it look like they are catching a pass from the quarterback great,” Statz’s website description of the photo reads.

Last year’s mural featured defensive lineman Mike Daniels and linebacker Clay Matthews as the “Defenders of Lambeau.”

Statz said each year the fence is painted the Saturday before the first Packers home game, and it takes about 12 to 16 hours to complete.

Further down Lombardi Avenue is another mural created by Young and Statz — this one is labeled “A Tradition of Excellence” and features eight Packers legends. Unlike the Packers fence, this one remains a permanent fixture.

The two painters have established careers — Young is owner of design firm Forever Young Designs and Statz works in marketing for AriensCo, an equipment company in Brillion.

Statz keeps a website of his designs, which the owner of the Packers fence stumbled on before asking Statz to paint it.

The response from fans of the fence is uplifting, Statz said, noting that even Packers president Mark Murphy stopped by to comment on the fence, Statz said.

“That’s pretty huge,” Statz said.

Zane Statz cleans up after painting a fence on Lombardi Avenue in Green Bay, across the street from the Lambeau Field Atrium. Photo courtesy of Zane Statz.
Pre-Existing Condition Coverage In Wisconsin

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With a multi-state lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act and pre-existing conditions becoming a big part of this year’s midterms, we talk to a Wisconsin health policy expert about the state of coverage for people with pre-existing conditions in Wisconsin.
Two Wisconsin Artists And Their Annual Lambeau Fence Painting

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Two young Green Bay-area artists have teamed up the last few years to paint a panel of fencing across from Lambeau field before each opening season game. We talk to the artists about their experience creating art for the team they love and how they’ve become the “unofficial artists for the Green Bay Packers”.
Bring Back Snail Mail To Send Something Meaningful

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The average American household receives just 10 pieces of personal mail per year, not counting holiday cards and all of those wedding invitations. Maybe you remember having a pen pal when you were younger or sending a letter to a friend, but with texting and email and cell phones, we just don’t seem to do that anymore. Our guests makes the case for the revival of snail mail.