Making Mile of Music Sing!
An idea for the community written by Jeff Romenesko, co-owner of Romenesko Family Dentistry:
Partnering on Mile of Music was a natural fit for the staff at Romenesko Family Dentistry since a love of music runs deep in our family’s blood. I sing in the local band Baba Ghanooj (who some know as Hillary Reynolds’ family’s band), and we had the great fun of performing at the inaugural Mile of Music. My nephew Michael is a keyboard player with the band IFDAKAR and formerly Diggstown. Rick, my brother, was a guitarist with several bands during the 70s. Some people might be surprised to hear we have a Hammond B3 organ with a Leslie speaker and full drum kit set up in the basement of our Appleton dental office. To us, it’s just part of our creative culture.
Since Mile 3, Romenesko Family Dentistry has been an integral part of the newly created Artist Care Program offered to musicians performing at Mile of Music. We hope this Artist Care Program will expand over time to include a wider range of community services donated by other local businesses. This caring in action makes the festival stronger and sets it apart with a focus on giving back. Our community spirit of hospitality and compassion attracts musicians here who would otherwise be out of reach.
What has become evident is that this service is in high demand and we are happy to be filling a void. Our staff has fun being part of the festival’s energy and excitement while doing something meaningful. The heartfelt thanks we receive, the interaction with an interesting group of talented music artists, the sense of pride that our community is unique in offering this to a specific group of underserved people all make it a true pleasure for us.
The benefits to our community from the recent arts and culture renaissance catalyzed by Mile of Music are yet to be fully appreciated. There is a buzz statewide (and even nationally) about what is going on here. That energy translates into curiosity which in turn gets people and businesses checking us out. We become more attractive to a wider range of people, all with something to share. That to me is the definition of a vibrant community. We all benefit. Life becomes fuller and more interesting with more choices. That is what attracts people of all ages and that in turn makes businesses take notice.
-Jeff Romenesko
A message from the Mile of Music Team:
The Mile of Music Team is grateful for the partnership with Romenesko Family Dentistry in Mile of Music’s Artist Care Program. The Artist Care Program also includes services from the following partners: About Better Care Audiology (preventative hearing screenings), Forefront Dermatology, Stone Arch Brewpub (food/beverage for artists during Mile of Music), Corr Opticians (eye exams), Advanced Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine (physical therapy needs), Therapeutic Pulse (massage therapy), and Community Care.
These services are offered to our artists at no charge thanks to the wonderful partnership we have with these businesses.
If you would like to join in and offer services as part of the Artist Care Program for artists performing at Mile 6, email kim@mileofmusic.com.