A Joint Initiative Between     Heart of Wisconsin     Business & Economic Alliance and     Community Foundation of Greater     South Wood County

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 April 28, 2004 - Vesper Rallies Around Initiative By Colin Atagi, Daily Tribune Staff The Community Progress Initiative is off to a promising start in Vesper, a keynote speaker said Tuesday during a community rally. It was the latest in a series of rallies scheduled for South Wood County and the town of Rome. Though most of the 19 people in attendance were initially unclear about the full purpose of the gathering, several quickly participated in the discussion about what's needed to strengthen the local economy. One resident referred to Vesper as a one-industry community while another thought the citizens needed to adjust to change. The effect of store closures, like IGA Vesper Foods, which shut its doors in March, also was a topic of discussion. "Closing (the grocery store) really shut the town down," said Vesper resident Marlene Jochimsen. "If you need something, now you need to run far for it." Dave Beurle, an Australian expert on rural leadership and innovative community economic development, was impressed by the opinions expressed during the meeting. "Having this common view of the town and how to improve things is what it takes to get started," said Beurle, who was the main speaker at the rally. The rally was one of several occurring this week as part of the Community Progress Initiative - a collaboration between the Heart of Wisconsin Business and Economic Alliance and the Community Foundation of South Wood County. Their goal is to enhance the local economy and to build optimism in central Wisconsin communities. With a population of about 500, Vesper is similar to several Australian towns, Beurle said. "It's a size of a community you can actually get your arms around," he said. When asked about his first impression of Vesper, Beurle described it as being "a place people obviously care about." He was impressed by the cleanliness of the homes and the historical designs some of them had. Beurle used the Australian towns of Moora, Hyden and Kulin as examples of what small towns could do to build their economy despite having a small population. Residents of Moora met regularly to discuss what could be done, while the people of Hyden and Kulin used points of interest and new events to attract tourists from around the world - initiatives that organizers are encouraging central Wisconsin residents to take. You can reach Colin Atagi at 422-6728 or at catagi@wisconsinrapidstribune.com. Remaining community progress rallies * Wisconsin Rapids - 5 p.m. Tuesday, Hotel Mead. * Pittsville - 7 p.m. Wednesday, High School auditorium. * Town of Rome - 6 p.m. Thursday, town hall.
		Copyright © 2005, Community Progress Initiative, South Wood County & Town of Rome