Born in 1960, Christopher Napierala was a happy-go-lucky kid and proud older brother to four sisters. After he was
diagnosed with epilepsy, Christopher joined Variety, where his family was able to receive medication and participate in free family events. As an adult, Christopher graduated from UW-Stout with a degree in Industrial Education and a Special Education Certificate. He served as a teacher for the Milwaukee Public School System for over thirty years, where he truly enjoyed helping his students learn and grow. He once said, “Even those pupils who prefer office work to woodwork can benefit from my class . . . Students need to be exposed to this because they’ll be future homeowners”. In 2004, his efforts and passion were recognized with the Technology Educator of the Year award. Outside of the classroom, he also had a passion for nature and spent his summers working to keep the Milwaukee County Parks beautiful.

Christopher sadly passed away last November, leaving behind a beautiful legacy, and living on in the memories of the many lives he touched. Variety was lucky enough to reconnect with Christopher’s sister Claire, who shared her fond memories of her brother and the Variety events she attended in her childhood. She remembered how special the events made all the Napierala children feel, along with her brother. We are honored to receive a generous donation from the Christopher Napierala Trust, which allowed us to bring back our Zoo Discover Event this June. Over 260 Variety kids and family members were able to join us at our picnic area for games, face paint, photos, and refreshments while exploring the Milwaukee County Zoo. We were happy to have Claire join us in her role as a Zoo volunteer with an artifact cart that was constantly surrounded by curious Variety kids. Thank you so much to the entire Napierala family for remembering Variety and choosing to honor Christopher by creating a joyful memory for a new generation of Variety kids. Photos