Successful recreation is much more than simply enjoying the sunset ...

The view from this Coulee
Assistant Professor Patricia
Ardovino, front row second from
left, led a J-Term therapeutic
recreation class to Italy in 2001.
The class learned a whole different
way of viewing public parks and
facilities, including the impact of
Christianity on recreation and
leisure in Italy, and
accommodations for disabled
tourists at ancient sites. On-site
research and service learning
projects are a mainstay of recreation
management and therapeutic
recreation curriculum.
Students get their hands dirty with class projects
These service learning
experiences add up to
a unique, outstanding
education for the students
in our department.
For several semesters, students
majoring in therapeutic recreation
have been involved in
planning, implementing and evaluating
gardening projects in two correctional
facilities. It’s an excellent example
of how our students get hands-on
experience in their field.
Students worked with recreation
and greenhouse staff from the
Minnesota Correctional Facility in Red
Wing and the Federal Medical Prison
in Rochester to provide programs for
incarcerated juveniles and adults.
At the Red Wing facility, gardening
programs incorporated the principles
for daily living that were emphasized
in all phases of the facility’s programming:
respect, integrity, courage, care,
inquiry, excellence, citizenship and
responsibility. Goals of the project
were to introduce our therapeutic
recreation students to a non-traditional
therapeutic recreation experience in
a facility for incarcerated youth, to
give therapeutic recreation students
hands-on experience with the facilitation
technique of gardening, and to
introduce basic techniques of gardening
to incarcerated youth.
UW-L students and juveniles
participating in the project presented
plants they had grown in the greenhouse
over the winter to residents
from a local nursing home. The students
and juveniles prepared for the
spring garden by planting flower,
herb, and vegetable seeds in the
greenhouse, which were later transplanted
into a plot on campus.
Juveniles continued to harvest
produce over the summer months.
The Federal Medical Prison has a
thriving greenhouse and garden, and
a horticulture certificate program for
the population receiving mental
health care. UW-L students provided
assistance to the inmates by repotting
plants, watering, weeding and setting
seeds. They also led classes that created
arts and crafts projects related to
gardening.
Some students were able to apply
their experience during their therapeutic
recreation internships. Others
used their experience as a stepping
stone to working with at risk youth.
These service learning experiences
add up to a unique, outstanding education
for the students in our
department.
Patricia Ardovino
Patricia Ardovino is an assistant professor in the recreation management
and therapeutic recreation department.
Dave Tatge, ’82, on his red Heritage Classic, at Big Horn Pass, Wyo., on his
4,000-mile trek to Milwaukee for Harley’s 100-year anniversary celebration.
Dave Tatge shipped his Harley from Arlington Heights, Ill., to Portland, Ore., to
ride one of Harley’s four “Ride Home” routes to its 100th anniversary celebration
finale Labor Day weekend in Milwaukee. His route took nine days of
riding eight hours a day. “We were sharing in a celebration of an American
success story,” Tatge says. “Harley’s success should be a source of pride for
the state of Wisconsin. Harley is recognized world wide. People from every
country came to Milwaukee to celebrate. It was a very emotional event.”
Harley owners UW-L Vice Chancellor, Administration and
Finance, Ron Lostetter, and his wife, Sharon (UW-L
Admissions), right, joined two of their friends in Milwaukee for
the Harley birthday bash.
On Harley’s success: “The bottom line is the employees bought
the company and with their commitment, pride and work ethic,
built the company into what it is.” — Ron Lostetter
The Parade of Heroes led the parade of 10,000 Harley-
Davidson motorcycles through the streets of Milwaukee
on Aug. 30. Barb, ’74 & ’80, and Dave Sarnowski, ’75 &
’89, above, representing the La Crosse Harley Owners
Group (HOG) chapter as one of the top 100 chapters
raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
“Through HOG and riding a Harley, we have met so many
wonderful people and had experiences we would never have
had before getting involved with the Harley lifestyle.”
— Barb, ’74 & ’80, and Dave Sarnowski, ’75 & ’89,
La Crosse Harley Owners Group secretary and director
Dave Kramer, ’91, on his Fat Boy FLSTF.
Dave Kramer, a salesman at the La Crosse Harley-Davidson Inc.
dealership says he and his wife, Kelly (Gadowski), ’97, like the laidback
cruising style Harley provides. That laid-back style works well on
the Harley sales floor, too, Kramer says. “When customers buy
motorcycles, it’s not like buying something they have to have like a
car. Buying a Harley is all about buying something they want.” Kramer
says today’s typical buyer is 46, middle class, white collar and is
looking for a payment plan. With Kramer’s average sale of $20,000,
Harley’s 84-month payment plan makes buying a Harley possible.