(BEAVER DAM) The Beaver Dam Chamber and Visitors Center is recognizing five businesses and organizations with its 5th annual Innovation Awards, which seek to inspire, celebrate, and encourage an environment of positive change-making innovations by honoring the most innovative companies and organizations in the Beaver Dam area. Awards are presented to both a large and a small company and an organization whose product, project, program, process improvement or practice best exemplifies forward-thinking ideas and extraordinary innovation.
“The selection committee evaluated initiatives that created meaningful, positive impact within organizations, among customers, and throughout the community, said Tracy Propst, Executive Director of the Beaver Dam Area Chamber and Visitors Center.
Large Business Innovation Winner: Whisker Inc.
Whisker exemplifies forward-thinking innovation through both its groundbreaking products and its people-first culture.
The Litter-Robot has transformed a routine household chore into a seamless, automated experience. By combining advanced robotics, intelligent sensors, and user-centered design, Whisker has eliminated daily scooping, improved cleanliness, and elevated the quality of life for pets and their owners. As a category-defining product, Litter-Robot sets a new standard in pet care—demonstrating how purposeful technology can solve everyday challenges while creating entirely new markets.
Equally remarkable is Whisker’s Safety Program, a culture-driven initiative that empowers every team member to take ownership of workplace safety. Guided by the principle, “See something. Say something. Do something,” the program has built a proactive safety culture and achieved a full year without an OSHA recordable incident. By embedding safety into everyday actions—not just policies—Whisker has developed a sustainable, scalable model that strengthens employee engagement and operational excellence.
Through its dual commitment to product innovation and a culture of shared responsibility, Whisker demonstrates the true power of creative thinking and leadership. The company stands as an inspiring example of how innovation can positively impact both people and community.
Small Business Innovation Winner: Audrey’s Yoga
Audrey’s Yoga, owned by entrepreneur Audrey Paar, is being honored for its innovative, community-driven marketing model that strengthens downtown Beaver Dam through intentional collaboration. By partnering with fellow small businesses, Audrey’s Yoga brings wellness into familiar local spaces—removing barriers for newcomers while expanding visibility for the entire district.
Regular partnerships with the Dodge County Center for the Arts (DCCA) and Momentum Gym allow Audrey’s Yoga to reach diverse audiences, offering classes in spaces where community members already feel comfortable and connected. Cross-industry collaborations—such as the Petals, Purpose & Pours event with Curate and Ooga Brewing Company—blend creativity, movement, and charitable giving, demonstrating a fresh, highly engaging approach to local wellness programming. Combining her love of the full moon and yoga outdoors, the partnership with Ovans Peony Farm during Peony Fest was a beautiful experience for all. Sip & Stretch at the Riverfront Wine Bar allowed for a relaxing “wine-down” class along with socializing. Yoga and Healthy Happy Hour at Good Call Catering combined wellness, healthy eating, and social engagement.
This collaborative model has produced impressive, measurable results:
· 60% of event attendees were new to yoga.
· 58% had never visited the partnering retailer before.
· Participating businesses experienced a 20% increase in patronage tied to these events.
· Events generated over $200 in charitable donations to local nonprofits such as PAVE and Emily’s Closet.
Audrey’s Yoga has proven that collaboration can be a powerful engine for economic growth, customer expansion, and community well-being. By elevating both wellness and local commerce, Audrey’s Yoga is not just promoting a business—it is inspiring a stronger, more connected Beaver Dam.
Beth & Daisy – Small Business Innovation Award Honorable Mention
Beth & Daisy, owned by cousins Stacy Freber and Katrina Lambrecht, is being honored for helping to transform Beaver Dam’s downtown shopping landscape through visionary retail revitalization. Seeing opportunity in a long-dormant downtown historic building, Katrina and Stacy along with renovation help from building owners Ruth and Jim Metz, invested in creating Beth & Daisy a unique, modern gift and
home décor boutique that fills a long-standing void for residents and visitors alike. Visiting their store feels like a visit to a good friend who always has just what you need from their warm greeting to the carefully curated selection of gifts, décor, and vintage finds.
Their store provides a little something for every interest with the goal of attracting new audiences downtown with unique offerings that can’t be found elsewhere in town. Customer response has been overwhelmingly positive not only about the inspired selection but also the joyful welcoming spirit of the space. What truly sets Beth & Daisy apart is their commitment to community-building and overall downtown transformation. Their mission is for downtown Beaver Dam to turn into a regional shopping destination, and they believe the best way to do this is through the intentional collaboration of all downtown businesses that fosters growth for everyone. This spirit of innovation and a desire to see everyone succeed is what makes Beth & Daisy a standout in retail excellence and a catalyst for economic revitalization.
Beaver Dam Citizen’s Police Academy- Nonprofit Innovation Award Winner
The Beaver Dam Police Department’s Citizen Police Academy (CPA) is being celebrated for its long-standing and deeply impactful contribution to community trust, transparency, and public education. For over 20 years, the program has opened its doors to residents, offering an unprecedented inside look at policing, while strengthening partnerships across the community. The program runs one night a week beginning early March and ending in early June, plus one Saturday.
The Academy’s continuing mission is clear: to help citizens truly understand the full scope of what it means to be a Police Officer, from daily responsibilities to complex decision-making. Participants engage in an immersive curriculum led entirely by sworn members of the Beaver Dam Police Department, many of which are certified to teach real Police Academy courses by the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Law Enforcement Standards Bureau, ensuring authenticity and professional insight at every step. Topics include School Liaison Officer procedures, drug investigation, K9 use and deployment, constitutional law, patrol procedures, use of drones, professional communication, defense tactics, OWI procedures, criminal investigation, accident investigation, firearms instruction, fire/EMT training, traffic procedures, and guided tours of both the Dodge County Circuit Court and the Dodge County Jail.
A standout element of the program is the required ride-along, giving participants firsthand exposure to real-time policing—an experience rarely offered in public-facing programs.
The Academy is not designed to certify citizens for law-enforcement duties; instead, it empowers participants with understanding, confidence, and stronger communication with local officers. The result is a community that is safer, more informed, and more connected—thanks to a program that remains both innovative and profoundly human. Nominator and CPA Participant, Patty Sanchez Walker said, “This
program opened my eyes. I left with understanding, trust, and real respect for the commitment behind the badge. Every resident should experience this.”
Beaver Dam Community Library – Nonprofit Innovation Award Honorable Mention
The Beaver Dam Community Library, led by Library Administrator Sarah Cournoyer, supported by an amazing library staff, and guided by the Library Board of Trustees, is being recognized for its remarkable innovation in service continuity during a transformative period of growth. Faced with a major $2.25 million interior renovation, the Library implemented a bold, community-minded solution: a temporary relocation from its long-term home at 311 to 1701 N Spring Street. This strategic move ensured uninterrupted access to books, programs, technology, and essential public services throughout construction—demonstrating extraordinary commitment to patron experience and community needs.
The relocation did far more than maintain services; it accelerated construction timelines, improved user convenience, and activated a large, partially vacant building in partnership with Noble Community Clinics. This private-public collaboration not only infused new life into the space but also showcased its viability for future tenants.
Operating in a temporary site allowed the Library to experiment with new programs, spatial layouts, and service concepts, gathering real-time feedback from patrons. Many of these innovations will be incorporated into the newly renovated facility when it reopens in spring 2026—making the transition not just temporary, but transformative
Through strategic adaptability, community partnership, and data-driven innovation, the Beaver Dam Community Library has proven that even during construction, a library can expand opportunity, strengthen partnerships, and elevate community learning in powerful new ways.
The public is welcome to attend the Beaver Dam Chamber and Visitor Center’s Annual Black Ties and Blue Jeans Award Gala on Wednesday, April 15 beginning at 5:30 pm. Tickets, including one of two meal options, are available at beaverdamchamber.com The event is hosted by the Beaver Dam Country Club and Sponsored by Alliant Energy, Loyal Exteriors, and Meta.
