In July, 1988 Hodan Community Services opened its Dairy Queen franchise restaurant at 851 Dodge Street in Mineral Point. This was the first fast food restaurant in the U.S. that was owned by a community rehabilitation program serving adults with disabilities. 22 years later, our former Dairy Queen is now reborn as the Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen with its Grand Opening on July 11, 2010. Our former Dairy Queen is now reborn as the Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen. Our new facility is a state-inspected community shared commercial kitchen, strategically located at the heart of 35 million people. Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen is available to small food enterprises including family farms to grow their businesses. It is also available to new and emerging food entrepreneurs creating new food innovations.
Tom Schraeder, Executive Director of the Hodan Community Services
Norma Goodenough cuts the Grand Opening ribbon! Norma has been with Hodan Community Services since it opened in 1972. Norma was also one of the first employees hired at the former Dairy Queen when it opened 22 years ago.
Our wonderful food service staff! (L to R) Cathie Robinson, Zach Liegh, Seth Jones, Annette Pierce (Food Service Director), Scott Pierce (Food Service Assistant Director), Ray Guenther (Food Service Assistant Director), Hodan Community Services Executive Director Tom Schraeder is introducing them to the right.
Just a few of our many wonderful client-employees. (L to R) JoAnn Larson, Chad Colson, Tonya Hirsch (star of a great newspaper story about the Hodan Center), Norma Goodenough, Ted Galle and Tom.
Hodan Community Services Board Chair, Margaret Galle
A representative group of the Hodan Community Services Board of Directors. (L to R) Margaret Galle, Tim McKinley, Mike Tiber, JorJan Borlin, and Ruth Mitchell.
A representative group of the Iowa County Area Economic Development Board of Directors. (L to R) Linda Pittz, Joy Gieseke, Bob Berglin, Tom Schmit (wielding scissors) Bill Grover, ICAEDC Board Chair Lorin Toepper
Alice in Dairyland Christine Lindner and Rick Terrien, Executive Director of the Iowa County Area Economic Development Corp. Rick and the ICAEDC office are now located at the Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen.