Wisconsin s Top Rural Development Initiatives 2006

1. Wisconsin�s Top Rural Development Initiatives 2006 Celebrating the great things happening in rural Wisconsin!

2. Honorable Mention Gogebic Range Leadership Academy Will Andresen New service learning component requiring all academy participants to do a community service project 2 new community events started � ice sculpture competition and family snowshoe day Community arboretum improved

3. Honorable Mention Countryside Park Cooperative West CAP community action agency led project of local, regional, state, federal and private partners Preservation of affordable housing community for retired and disabled that was threatened with elimination because of its high-value lakefront location

4. Honorable Mention Tri-County Economic Development Corp. Patrick Nehring Green Lake, Waushara and Marquette counties partnership to provide professional economic development services as a region Supported equally by 3 counties and assisted by 3 county UW-Extension offices

5. Honorable Mention Washington Island Brands Leah Caplan and Terry Whipple The Washington Hotel and Culinary School used locally-grown wheat for milling and baking. Excess wheat caused a search for other products to produce. Partnership with Capital Brewery in Middleton resulted in new Island Wheat beer Local farmers have �tapped� into a new market

6. #3 Shawano County Rural Health Initiative Represented by Rhonda Strebel and Dr. John Toussaint

8. Shawano County Rural Health Initiative Governed by independent, diverse board Rural health coordinator makes preventive health care house calls to farm families Free health assessments, safety assessments, and program referrals 170 families served through 800 house calls since 2003

9. #2 Waupaca Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth: Youth on Boards Initiative Represented by Henry Veleker, Connie Abert, Scott Christie

10. Waupaca Youth on Boards Initiative Goal to infuse youth into the civic life of the community Guided by Waupaca Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth Coalition City ordinance passed 2003, requires voting youth representation on all committees

11. Waupaca Youth on Boards Initiative New youth center built Expansion of young adult library New community foundation with 2 youth members Youth involved in planning, staffing and overseeing operations Support provided by City and UW-Extension staff; training, recruitment, evaluations To learn more, workshop #17 tomorrow!

12. #1 ArtsBuild Represented by Heidi Dyas-McBeth and Marian Maciej-Hiner

13. ArtsBuild  Assisting artists and creative workers in developing entrepreneurial skills Provides training, technical assistance, mentoring and networking to build the entrepreneurial capacity of SW Wisconsin Coordinated through UW-Platteville Office of Continuing Education; serves multi-community region in SW Wisconsin

14. ArtsBuild Program partners include Small Business Development Center, Wisconsin Common Market, Platteville Business Incubator, Wisconsin Arts Board, Arts Wisconsin, two technical colleges, Spring Green Center for Innovation & Creativity, Shake Rag Center for the Arts Now includes county and municipal governments through SmART Communities component

15. ArtsBuild Engaged over 200 artists in networking and directory Matched 27 mentors with 66 program participants Sponsored 45 classes unique to arts businesses Established region-wide Arts Council Established internet marketing More details, see workshop #11 tomorrow!

16. Congratulations! Summary descriptions and contacts available Press releases for initiative representatives to take with them Have local newspapers contact Wisconsin Rural Partners office for digital photos