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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 5, 2006 - Come join celebrations for grand opening of Rome's new dog park By Kaye Eckert, for the Daily Tribune Note: This is the latest in a series updating the activities of the Community Progress Initiative -- an effort to encourage economic growth and optimism in local communities. It's time to celebrate another Community Progress Initiative success for South Wood County and Rome. And, what better way than for our Rome Dog Park Team to invite the entire community to our grand opening? Mark your calendars for Sunday to come and enjoy the new Room to Roam Dog Park of Rome. Festivities begin at noon with "charter dogs" in attendance to welcome visitors and newcomers (they'll be the smiling ones wearing red kerchiefs). Rome's Town Chairman Steve Nowicki also will welcome everyone and say a few words about the park from the town's perspective. Wisconsin Rapids Kennel Club's Fly Ball Team will entertain us with Fly Ball and Agility Exercise routines. WRKC's trainers say these dogs have undergone extensive training, but the dogs love to perform and enjoy being center stage. Sheriff's deputy and canine handler Craig Orlowski will bring Kyra, a Belgium Malinois, to show off some of her skills and explain how she helps local law enforcement. And local animal shelters are invited to bring adoptable dogs to showcase. Brats, hot dogs, chips and soda will be sold along with a few other fundraising items for the park's maintenance fund. We'll have homemade dog treat samples and water and plastic poop bags for our furry friends. Our CPI team began with about five members a year ago but grew to more than 20 local and nonlocal members in very early spring when we started meeting and laying out park plans. Help from Assessor Dave Lockrem and Public Works Director Kray Brown allowed us to move forward knowing what the town was and was not willing to do to help the project. Specifically, the town is allowing use of the land, which is Rome's original dump site because it is not buildable or usable for much other than a park. But no tax dollars can be used for park construction or maintenance. While some of us did fundraising, others started laying out the park. We are especially grateful to Dave and Joanne Wickersham of Woodland Veterinarian Clinic for donating $2,500, which gave them park naming rights. Once we had materials, we fenced and gated the entire nine acres in one week's time. We think that makes a statement about how much we wanted this park. Most of us did not know each other before joining this team but we have become good friends quickly. Our very social and fun-filled meetings in team members' homes have contributed a great deal to that. In fact, our growing Dog Park Team has decided to be open to others who want to join and we've renamed ourselves DOG for Dog Owners Group. Please join us for Room to Roam Dog Park's grand opening celebration. This park is just too nice not to share with everyone. Kaye Eckert is a member of the Rome Dog Park Team now known as DOG Dog Owners Group.
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