For more information contact:
Valeria Davis or Lisa Marshall, Wisconsin Department of Tourism 1-800-236-7529
Eric Frydenlund, Crawford County Tourism Council 608/326-6658
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CRAWFORD COUNTY TOURISM AWARDED $14,766 GRANT
Joint Effort Marketing program helps promote the Kickapoo BRAVE biking tour
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (July 1, 2008) -- Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Kelli A. Trumble announced a $14,766 tourism marketing grant to Community Development Alternatives, Inc., to help promote a new Crawford County tourism event today. The Kickapoo BRAVE (Bluffs, Rivers, And Valley Event) Ride will offer a variety of bicycling courses through the scenic landscapes of Crawford County’s Driftless zone. The event is expected to bring more than $42,000 in new traveler spending to the region.
Billed as “a bicycle ride through the Driftless landscapes of Crawford County,” the Kickapoo BRAVE Ride features 20 to 80 mile routes along rural roads for beginners and experts, all beginning and ending in Gays Mills. The shorter rides will stay closer to the river valley, while the longer rides will explore the scenery and communities along the ridge.
The new event will be an addition to the slate of activities occurring on the weekend of Sept. 20 and 21 as part of “Crawford County Celebrates.” Other events include the Driftless Area Art Festival in Soldiers Grove, Amish Market in the Park in Ferryville, the Wauzeka Craft Fair and Farmer’s Market, Gays Mills Silent Sport Event and the Villa Louis Lamplight Tour in Prairie du Chien.
The ride will start from the Crawford County Fair Grounds, located just south of Gays Mills at 17725 State Highway 131. Registration sign-in will begin at 7 a.m., where registrants will be given t-shirts, dinner tickets and a gift bag. A brief welcome and orientation meeting will take place at 8:45 a.m. and a mass will start at 9 a.m. A celebratory dinner will be held on Sat. night in Eastman, featuring locally produced foods. Dinner will be served from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by the country-rock band, “The Wayne Brothers.” Those interested in registering for the event or attending the dinner can go to www.crawfordcountywi.com for more information and online registration.
“As Crawford County celebrates this grant award so does the Department of Tourism, as it puts a much-deserved spotlight on this glorious corner of the state," said Wisconsin Tourism Secretary Kelli A. Trumble. "We think visitors will especially be drawn to the pairing of bicycling with the art festival, farmers' market, and all the other weekend activities, making for a full and genuine Wisconsin getaway."
“The Crawford County Tourism Council is concentrating on creating events that will bring people to our county for extended stays and generate economic development for our communities,” said Dale Klemme, Executive Director of Community Development Alternatives, Inc. “The Kickapoo BRAVE Ride is an example of an event that will benefit several communities, and is consistent with our plan to develop silent sports as a focus of our county marketing plan.”
Fifty-two Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) projects totaling $1.13 million have been funded by the Department of Tourism in fiscal 2008. These 52 projects will generate about $18.7 million for their local communities.
JEM grants are awarded on a competitive basis and applicants may receive up to $40,000. Non-profit organizations must match the award with self-funding and in-kind service donations by organizations and event sponsors. This partnership enables the local community to launch a new event, boost attendance at an existing event, or design a sales promotion with incentives to encourage traveler spending.
The JEM program provides funds for destination marketing projects, sales promotions and events. The JEM program can fund up to 75 percent of a project’s first year advertising and marketing costs. The program may also provide second and third year support for some projects with decreasing amounts each year until the projects become self-sustaining.
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