The Fort Community Credit Union (FCCU) has announced that it has donated $1,000 to the Fort Atkinson Beautification Council in support of its efforts to bring a “cow parade” to Fort Atkinson.
As earlier reported by Fort Atkinson Online, The Fort Atkinson Beautification Council announced in May its plans to create a “parade of cows,” through use of several near life-sized statues that would be purchased, painted, and placed throughout the city’s downtown.
The project calls for local artist Larry Schultz, who is the artist who painted the mural on the city’s downtown Water Utility Service Center building, to paint the cow statues to resemble each of the seven major dairy breeds.
The breed are: Holstein, Red-and-White Holstein, Guernsey, Jersey, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire and Milking Shorthorn.
Fundraising plans have since be underway to purchase and paint the cows.
Also in May, the beautification council noted that the cost of its cow parade project was approximated at $35,000. The funds would be used to purchase some six cows and commission the artist to paint them.
Since the project’s inception, a committee of the beautification council has formed to oversee the project.
Committee members include Jude Hartwick, Alan Cook, Gail Cook, Ryan Ebert, Mariah Hadler, Trish Jonas, Peggy Brandenburg, Roy Hetts, Deb Lundy and Katelyn Allen with Tourism Committee input from Holly Tierney.
In July, Hartwick announced that Frostie Freeze, 208 Madison Ave., Fort Atkinson, will soon be “hosting” a Brown Swiss replica. He anticipated that the statue could be in place as early as this fall.
“We are excited for the opportunity to support the beautification council’s cow parade project,” Sue Johnson, president and CEO at FCCU, was quoted as saying in a recent news release.
FCCU will be hosting an Ayrshire replica as part of the Fort Atkinson cow parade project. The statue will be placed outside of the credit union’s main branch, 800 Madison Ave., Fort Atkinson, the release stated, adding that later this year, the credit union will hold a naming competition among its member-owners.
“Donating to efforts such as the Fort Atkinson Beautification Council cow parade project is part of the credit union difference. One of the founding principles of credit unions is concern for community. This translates to donations to local charities, such as the beautification council, for projects that benefit the entire community,” the FCCU release stated.
According to the release, the mission of the Fort Atkinson Beautification Council is to improve and beautify the community of Fort Atkinson. The city has a rich history built around the dairy industry.
As stated within the release, the city finds within its borders the National Dairy Shrine museum, and dairy-related businesses, such as TopCon, Nasco, Jones Dairy Farm and Hoard’s Dairyman.
An earlier story about fundraising initiatives in support of the cow parade, along with information about how to make a donation to the project, is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/beautification-councils-cow-parade-plans-move-ahead-frostie-freeze-to-host-brown-swiss/.
Fort Atkinson Beautification Council members Jude Hartwick and Alan Cook, from left, and Fort Community Credit Union President and CEO Sue Johnson gather around a ceremonial check. The visual represents a $1,000 donation, which was made in July by the credit union to the beautification council in support of its “cow parade” project. Contributed photo.
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