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Home About Us B2B Club Breaking News Contact Donate Events / Programs Feedback Ideas Incubator Industry Clusters Links / Resources Progess Funds Progress Teams Public Art / Murals Publications		Breaking News June 4, 2005 - Rock spreads new life By Beth Burger, Daily Tribune Staff TOWN OF RUDOPLH - If someone in the Rudolph area is getting married, graduating, or turning a year older, people need only look to the rock to find out. The egg-shaped rock near the intersection of Highways O and C has been painted repeatedly since 1969 to let community members know about life events. "Probably one in a hundred actually ask," Vruwink said. "It doesn't bother us. We never tell anyone no." The rock was hauled from Mosinee in 1969 to Rudolph and cost the original owner $500. The owner planned to use the rock to promote his egg ranch, but several local teenagers vandalized it by painting the words "Happy Easter" on it. Vruwink, 46, obtained the original complaint filed with the Wood County Sheriff's Department. Vruwink inherited the rock through highway construction three years ago. He was given three options -it could be hauled away, buried or pushed back on his land. But because the rock is such a local landmark, he chose to have it moved back. He rarely has problems with people painting it. However, one time it was a little strange for Vruwink when he looked out in his field and saw 40 Grateful Dead fans dancing around. The "Dead Heads," followers of the rock band, had painted a picture of lead singer Jerry Garcia on the rock. Vruwink wasn't sure he wanted 40 people in his field, but he wasn't left with many choices. "Well there was 40 of them and one of me. They rebuked me when I came out there," he said. "It was pointless. They were on a mission, and there was no point in inciting a riot or antagonizing anyone." Whether it's paying tribute to a rock star or announcing an engagement, people take notice. "You look forward to checking out what's written on it," said Hilde Henkel, 53, of Rudolph. She has never painted the rock, but she drives by it and uses it when giving directions for people to get to her house. Henkel, a Rudolph resident of 17 years, said she has seen many different messages over the years. "Basically, it's a message board for the community. You never know what's going to be on the stone when you come by," she said. "Some of them are casual and sloppy. Some of them are very artistic. I've often wondered how small the rock was before it got all of these coats of paint." That's a question that has been addressed before. Barb Raabe, 47, of Rudolph answered it for her children when they were growing up. She told them the rock was once a pebble. But because there were so many coats of paint on it, the rock became a boulder. "It is amazing how many times that thing has been painted," Raabe said. "I can't even imagine what's under there." Lois Slattery, 47, of Rudolph recently painted the rock with the phrase "Rudolph Rocks" and a Wisconsin-shaped figure starred with hoof prints, a reference to Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and to the location of the village and town of Rudolph. The paint on the rock is "very thick," Slattery said. "I bet it's at least 6 inches thick. I don't think they scrape it off." Slattery, along with her two sisters and a niece, painted the rock for a Community Progress Initiative funds pamphlet. It took them about three hours over a weekend. Slattery was lucky no one painted over the rock after she had painted it white. Some paint jobs don't last long. "It was painted three times in one day," Vruwink said. "It doesn't make much difference to us. It's only a matter of time before it's going to have to be painted again." Kathy Hartjes, 55, is another resident who has painted the rock on several occasions. "We've painted it for both of our girls' birthdays. It's just been tradition to announce milestones like that," Hartjes said. "It's painted year-round for birthdays, anniversaries, good-byes and retirements." People have to consider many factors when going to paint the rock, she said. "It depends on the weather and the colors you are going to use. And you have to put a base coat on first and let that dry," she said. "Sometimes you can put a base coat on and the next morning someone would have already written something on it. So you don't know if it's going to stay on a week or a day." Residents in Rudolph even paint the rock in the winter, but usually not as often or as artistically. "When the weather is bad it stays up longer," Slattery said. "I told my sisters anyone can brag about painting it in good weather, but when you paint it in bad weather there is more of a challenge there."
		Copyright © 2005, Community Progress Initiative, South Wood County & Town of Rome