These latest awards are $229,172 from the State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation for Safe Routes to School and $27,250 from the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company for reconstruction of the boat landing on 7 Mile Lake. With these latest awards, from 2009 to 2012 the Town of Three Lakes has been the recipient of $1,252,120 in funding. Ho-Ho-Ho!

Grants are an important part of economic development in any community but especially a small rural town in the Northwoods such as Three Lakes. To put these awards in perspective, the total revenue for budget years 2009-2012 was $9.3 million dollars. The $1.252 million in grant money is the same as if over the four year period we had an extra 14% given to us – all at no cost to the taxpayer. At a time when it is very difficult to increase local revenues, this is a huge resource for our community.

Click here for a list of all grant awards from 2009-2012 in PDF format.

The Town of Three Lakes received funding for one of seventeen federally funded Safe Routes to School projects in the State of Wisconsin. This $229,172 grant will be used to improve the Town of Three Lakes sidewalks and to build a multi-use path.

The Safe Routes to School program was developed to enable communities to make walking and bicycling to school a much safer and more popular way to get to school. This is because the percentage of students walking or bicycling to school declined over 50% in the last generation.

These declines come at a time when most children do not get the physical activity they need. Walking or bicycling to school is a simple way to get most or all of the recommended daily hour of exercise.

This project is one of many that are designed to build and enhance the Town of Three Lakes infrastructure. Leading edge high speed Internet, a strong focus on economic development, and continued support for local schools reinforce the Town’s position as the Technology Anchor for the North Woods.

Over the next few months, the Town of Three Lakes will be working with the State Department of Transportation to finalize plans for this exciting project.

It took a lot of work to get us here. And we know that neither the work nor this accomplishment mean anything unless it provides life changing opportunities for our seasonal and year-round residents.
For example, John Meyer – owner of FieldPros, Inc. – had a dream of having his children enjoy summers in Three Lakes much like he did as a child. Fortunately, the Three Lakes technology infrastructure was able to help John realize his dream. Read more about his story.

We’d like to hear from more of you about how improved access to broadband high speed internet has changed your life in Three Lakes. Does it allow you to come more often or stay for a longer time? Have you been able to move here full-time because you have HSI at home?

Tell us your story.

Want to see what we mean? Take a peek at just a few of the pictures in our new Aerial View Gallery.

Want to see more?  Visit our Aerial View Gallery page and our Facebook Photos Page.

Check back often, we have a lot more to share!!

photo courtesy of screamandfly.com

Think there’s nothing to do between Memorial Day and the 4^th of July?  Check out what goes on in Three Lakes, Wisconsin.

The 1,000 miles of shore and waterways on theThreeLakeschain of 28 interconnected lakes create a stage with possibilities that are only limited by the imagination.

That stage was home to the 5^th Annual Three Lakes Shootout/Radar Run and Fly-in in late June.  The event is a fundraiser for the Three Lakes Volunteer Fire Department – one of the best equipped and most admired departments in the Northwoods.  We broke ground on our new fire station – the second for the town – in May.  Fire House #2 is scheduled to be up and operational by late September.

Thousands of families joined us for two packed days of free events including:  the shootout radar run race, the top gun races, high speed hydroplane, jet and tunnel board races, water-cross snowmobiles, barefoot water skiers, and vintage airplane/bi-plane/War birds displays.

Prefer land sports to water events?  Not a problem in ThreeLakes! Head on over to the 32^nd Annual Three Lakes Softball Classic which was held on the same weekend.  Featuring 16-20 teams from across Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, this double-elimination tournament offers men’s team cash prizes, trophies, and bragging rights.

Missed this year’s events?  Friend us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/trythreelakes.com) and we’ll make sure you know about all that’s happening in Three Lakes, Wisconsin

There are over 100 ‘significant’ social media options, mobile technologies change constantly, cell phones are smarter, and the web and internet marketing change almost daily.

Keeping up with it all is a daunting task.

Help is on the way in the form of four hours of jam-packed information from 40 tech and other exhibitors on how to “connect” toThreeLakesand the world beyond.

The 3rd Annual “Connect to Three Lakes 2012″ will be held July 12, 2012 from 5-9 pm at the Three Lakes School Campus/High School Gymnasium.  The event features:

• Our “Tech-U”hands-on learning mini-courses on Facebook, Skype, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn and a whole lot more
• Hands-on sessions to learn how to configure an Android or i-Phone
• Learn about the latest in efficient credit card processing
• Learn about using high performing websites, mobile websites and social media to expand sales year-round
• Be interviewed on tape and online sharing your views on the importance of broadband

While you’re there, visit with businesses fromThreeLakesexhibiting their one-of-a-kind products and services, meet withThreeLakesservice organizations sharing their latest projects and visions, and tour theThreeLakesSchoolto learn more about its leading personalized education program.

Don’t forget to register to win a free iPad* and Kindle** while you’re there! Admission is free and great refreshments will be provided.

* sponsored by Oneida Marketing Enterprises, aThreeLakesbased virtual corporation

** sponsored by UWEX Office of Broadband Sustainability, building community capacity through broadband