Wisconsin’s Top Rural Development Initiatives

2006Celebrating the great things Celebrating the great things

happening in rural Wisconsin!happening in rural Wisconsin!

Honorable MentionHonorable Mention

• Gogebic Range Leadership AcademyGogebic Range Leadership Academy• Will AndresenWill Andresen• New service learning component requiring all New service learning component requiring all

academy participants to do a community academy participants to do a community service projectservice project

• 2 new community events started – ice 2 new community events started – ice sculpture competition and family snowshoe sculpture competition and family snowshoe dayday

• Community arboretum improvedCommunity arboretum improved

Honorable MentionHonorable Mention

• Countryside Park Cooperative Countryside Park Cooperative • West CAP community action agency led West CAP community action agency led

project of local, regional, state, federal and project of local, regional, state, federal and private partnersprivate partners

• Preservation of affordable housing community Preservation of affordable housing community for retired and disabled that was threatened for retired and disabled that was threatened with elimination because of its high-value with elimination because of its high-value lakefront location lakefront location

Honorable MentionHonorable Mention

• Tri-County Economic Development Corp.Tri-County Economic Development Corp.• Patrick NehringPatrick Nehring• Green Lake, Waushara and Marquette Green Lake, Waushara and Marquette

counties partnership to provide professional counties partnership to provide professional economic development services as a regioneconomic development services as a region

• Supported equally by 3 counties and assisted Supported equally by 3 counties and assisted by 3 county UW-Extension officesby 3 county UW-Extension offices

Honorable MentionHonorable Mention

• Washington Island BrandsWashington Island Brands• Leah Caplan and Terry WhippleLeah Caplan and Terry Whipple• The Washington Hotel and Culinary School The Washington Hotel and Culinary School

used locally-grown wheat for milling and used locally-grown wheat for milling and baking. Excess wheat caused a search for baking. Excess wheat caused a search for other products to produce.other products to produce.

• Partnership with Capital Brewery in Middleton Partnership with Capital Brewery in Middleton resulted in new Island Wheat beerresulted in new Island Wheat beer

• Local farmers have “tapped” into a new marketLocal farmers have “tapped” into a new market

#3 Shawano County Rural #3 Shawano County Rural Health InitiativeHealth Initiative

• Represented Represented by Rhonda by Rhonda Strebel and Strebel and Dr. John Dr. John ToussaintToussaint

Shawano County Rural Health Initiative

• Created to serve farm families who Created to serve farm families who weren’t accessing preventive health weren’t accessing preventive health care due to:care due to:• Lack of insuranceLack of insurance• High-deductible insuranceHigh-deductible insurance

• Supported by ThedaCare health care Supported by ThedaCare health care organization – challenge match for local organization – challenge match for local funds; federal grant; individual and funds; federal grant; individual and corporate donorscorporate donors

Shawano County Rural Health Initiative• Governed by independent, diverse boardGoverned by independent, diverse board• Rural health coordinator makes Rural health coordinator makes

preventive health care house calls to farm preventive health care house calls to farm familiesfamilies

• Free health assessments, safety Free health assessments, safety assessments, and program referralsassessments, and program referrals

• 170 families served through 800 house 170 families served through 800 house calls since 2003calls since 2003

#2 Waupaca Healthy #2 Waupaca Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth: Communities, Healthy Youth: Youth on Boards InitiativeYouth on Boards Initiative

• Represented by Represented by Henry Veleker, Henry Veleker, Connie Abert, Connie Abert, Scott ChristieScott Christie

Waupaca Youth on Boards Waupaca Youth on Boards InitiativeInitiative

• Goal to infuse youth into the civic life of Goal to infuse youth into the civic life of the communitythe community

• Guided by Waupaca Healthy Guided by Waupaca Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth CoalitionCommunities, Healthy Youth Coalition

• City ordinance passed 2003, requires City ordinance passed 2003, requires voting youth representation on all voting youth representation on all committeescommittees

Waupaca Youth on Boards Waupaca Youth on Boards InitiativeInitiative

• New youth center builtNew youth center built• Expansion of young adult libraryExpansion of young adult library• New community foundation with 2 youth New community foundation with 2 youth

membersmembers• Youth involved in planning, staffing and Youth involved in planning, staffing and

overseeing operationsoverseeing operations• Support provided by City and UW-Extension Support provided by City and UW-Extension

staff; training, recruitment, evaluationsstaff; training, recruitment, evaluations• To learn more, workshop #17 tomorrow!To learn more, workshop #17 tomorrow!

#1 ArtsBuild

• Represented Represented by Heidi Dyas-by Heidi Dyas-McBeth and McBeth and Marian Maciej-Marian Maciej-HinerHiner

ArtsBuild

• Assisting artists and creative workers in Assisting artists and creative workers in developing entrepreneurial skillsdeveloping entrepreneurial skills

• Provides training, technical assistance, Provides training, technical assistance, mentoring and networking to build the mentoring and networking to build the entrepreneurial capacity of SW Wisconsinentrepreneurial capacity of SW Wisconsin

• Coordinated through UW-Platteville Office of Coordinated through UW-Platteville Office of Continuing Education; serves multi-Continuing Education; serves multi-community region in SW Wisconsincommunity region in SW Wisconsin

ArtsBuild

• Program partners include Small Business Program partners include Small Business Development Center, Wisconsin Common Development Center, Wisconsin Common Market, Platteville Business Incubator, Market, Platteville Business Incubator, Wisconsin Arts Board, Arts Wisconsin, two Wisconsin Arts Board, Arts Wisconsin, two technical colleges, Spring Green Center for technical colleges, Spring Green Center for Innovation & Creativity, Shake Rag Center for Innovation & Creativity, Shake Rag Center for the Artsthe Arts

• Now includes county and municipal Now includes county and municipal governments through SmART Communities governments through SmART Communities componentcomponent

ArtsBuild

• Engaged over 200 artists in networking and Engaged over 200 artists in networking and directorydirectory

• Matched 27 mentors with 66 program Matched 27 mentors with 66 program participantsparticipants

• Sponsored 45 classes unique to arts Sponsored 45 classes unique to arts businessesbusinesses

• Established region-wide Arts CouncilEstablished region-wide Arts Council• Established internet marketingEstablished internet marketing• More details, see workshop #11 tomorrow!More details, see workshop #11 tomorrow!

Congratulations!

• Summary descriptions and contacts Summary descriptions and contacts availableavailable

• Press releases for initiative Press releases for initiative representatives to take with themrepresentatives to take with them

• Have local newspapers contact Have local newspapers contact Wisconsin Rural Partners office for Wisconsin Rural Partners office for digital photosdigital photos