Meet Wilder: Penfield’s New Playful Chipmunk Mascot
There’s a new face at Penfield Children’s Center — and he’s full of energy, curiosity, and heart! Meet Wilder, our new playful chipmunk mascot who represents the joy, curiosity, and growth we see in our children every day.
Phase One: From Camp Wilder to Our New Mascot
The inspiration for Wilder came from the remodeling of our indoor play space, now transformed into Camp Wilder — a Northwoods-inspired indoor play area featuring a tree fort slide, camper, and waterfall. As part of this transformation, Penfield wanted to bring the theme to life with a friendly mascot who would embody the playful, curious spirit of the children we serve.
Several Northwoods animals were considered — from owls to foxes — but the chipmunk quickly became the favorite. With their adventurous nature, bright eyes, and quick energy, chipmunks perfectly capture the lively, curious spirit of our Penfield kids.
To choose a name, Penfield staff participated in an organizationwide vote. The winning name, Wilder, honors Penfield’s namesake — Dr. Wilder Penfield, a world-renowned neurosurgeon and strong advocate for early intervention for children with developmental delays and disabilities. His legacy continues to guide our mission today.
Phase Two: Bringing Wilder to Life with MIAD
In collaboration with the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design’s Lubar Innovation Center, Penfield worked with talented designer Grace Weisner to bring Wilder to life. Grace, a Chicago-based illustrator pursuing a BFA in Illustration and a minor in Communication Design at MIAD, is passionate about creating visuals that engage children and families.
“We had such a great experience working with Grace,” said Shelby Schnell, Penfield’s Director of Marketing and Communications. “Her illustration style perfectly captures the fun and friendly feel we envisioned. I love Wilder’s camp vest and bandana — they tie in beautifully with our Camp Wilder Northwoods theme.”
Grace’s process included early sketches, experimenting with clothing, hats, and bandanas, and developing full-color digital illustrations. The final mascot design includes four poses — standing, waving, reading a book, and peeking around — each capturing a different part of Wilder’s cheerful personality.
Grace’s Reflection: “I feel so honored to have worked with Penfield in designing Wilder. I had a great experience and am very appreciative of everyone’s feedback throughout the process. I’m immensely proud of the final design and love seeing him in use!”
Phase Three: Introducing Wilder to the Penfield Community
To officially introduce Wilder to our staff, the Marketing Team hosted a week long scavenger hunt throughout the building. Using fun clues, staff searched for where Wilder was “hiding,” snapped selfies, and checked in for small prizes. The playful activity brought smiles, laughter, and a touch of adventure — just like Wilder himself.
Wilder made his public debut at Penfield’s annual Safety Outpost, our free community health and safety fair. A life-sized Wilder cardboard cutout served as a fun photo prop for families, giving everyone the chance to snap a picture with our new mascot. Wilder quickly became a crowd favorite, adding a playful touch to the event and helping spread smiles throughout the day.
You can spot Wilder in future Penfield marketing materials, events, and videos — helping us share our message of early learning, discovery, and joy with the community.
Wilder’s Next Adventure
Wilder Penfield is more than just a mascot — he’s a symbol of the curiosity, confidence, and joy that every child at Penfield embodies. As he joins us at future events, in classrooms, and throughout our community, Wilder will continue to inspire play, learning, and connection. We can’t wait for everyone to meet him and share in the fun as he helps carry forward our mission to support every child’s journey toward reaching their full potential.
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