Instead, the 29�-year Toledo Jeep veteran is looking forward to moving to the $900 million multifactory complex that will replace the Stickney Avenue plant and Jeep Parkway factory.

The last of nearly 970,000 Wranglers made since the icon was last redesigned in 1997 was built at Parkway yesterday, will be painted red there today, and will be finished tomorrow at Stickney, where Mr. Laucks works.

The capital campaign set out to raise $15,000 through individual, business and corporate donations to purchase the vehicle for the organization’s award-winning color guard unit.

City of Oconomowoc resident Vern Larsen chaired the fundraising campaign along with Jim Fulmer, who served as treasurer.

” ‘Welcome home!’ It’s a greeting from one Vietnam veteran to another acknowledging the service that Vietnam veterans gave to their country with the brotherly welcoming that didn’t exist for returning Vietnam vets,” Larsen explained.

“This greeting is given each time new Vietnam vets come into a chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA). Oconomowoc Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 635 is no exception. The chapter is composed of more than 60 Vietnam veterans and associate members.

“This week Chapter 635 is giving a ‘welcome home’ to a Vietnam-era jeep that was popular during the many campaigns during the Vietnam War. The jeep’s nomenclature is M151A2. The jeep was originally manufactured in the early ’50s, but modifications during the ’60s made it the most popular individual transport vehicle during the war,” he said.

The impetus for the project was the pride the color guard unit has in its abilities.

“We’ve taken first place in every parade we’ve been in,” he said.

“St. John’s Military Academy has been gracious enough to allow us to borrow theirs (Vietnam-era jeep), but we felt we needed to get our own,” Larsen said. The Oconomowoc unit had helped restore that vehicle many years ago.

M151a2 similar to the one resdtored

The capital campaign kicked off in March 2005 with a $15,000 goal.

“I believed there were businesses and individuals in Oconomowoc who would support that,” he said.

“We exceeded that. We made enough to buy the jeep and an official military trailer that goes behind it that will carry a plaque with the names of the major donors,” he explained.

“I expected there was a patriotic fervor with Iraqi Freedom going on, but I didn’t expect so many people to step forward,” Larsen said.

He said the successful outcome is due to the hard work of many people.

“Mac Dorn of First Bank Financial Centre served as honorary chair and was instrumental in helping get gifts for us,” Larsen said.

“I was overwhelmed by the generosity of people,” in response to the campaign, Larsen said.

If raising the necessary money was a challenge, locating the appropriate kind of jeep proved to be more so.

“It was very difficult, finding this kind of jeep,” he said.

Because of safety concerns about the vehicle’s independent suspension system that made it appropriate for off-road riding, it was deemed unsafe for on-road travel, and obsolete vehicles were crushed.

Dulles, Va. and Portland, Ore., Jun 27, 2006 -
AOL and Fusion Entertainment today announced a joint venture called Lat34.com ( http://www.Lat34.com ), the first comprehensive interactive network dedicated to action sports, including skate, BMX, FMX, surfing, snowboarding and more. This surging category already claims upwards of 100 million U.S. fans.** The new network will emphasize both programmed and user-generated content, including action sports video on-demand, event coverage, action sports athletes up close and in-depth coverage of all aspects of the action sports culture.

Lat34.com � named for the company�s location in Los Angeles (34oN/118 oW), considered the unofficial home of action sports in the U.S. � is dedicated to bringing the most comprehensive action sports information to the Web. Capitalizing on AOL�s leadership in online video, Lat34.com promises dynamic and timely video coverage of action sports wherever they occur. In addition, Lat 34.com will offer fans the chance to contribute by uploading their video, photos, blogs and more.

The Jeep� brand has signed on as the charter advertiser and is currently running teaser ads for the all-new 2007 Jeep Compass which will be in dealerships later this summer. Jeep Compass is a compact Jeep 4X4 that delivers fun, freedom, utility and capability, and more � all at a great value � making it an ideal advertiser for the action sports enthusiast. Jeep will also be showcasing video ads on the site to highlight new models shortly. Lat34.com will allow advertisers to tap into the strength of the surging action sports category and action sports fans, in turn, will benefit from targeted and relevant ads that address their needs and interests. The network will offer instream advertising opportunities, including pre-roll, ad curtains and banners.

�The action sports world is a passionate, underserved community that, until now, has had to rely on individual sport sites, product driven print publications or scheduled television programming. Lat34.com is a 24/7 broadband network, combining traditional media programming with Web 2.0 user-generated content,� said Jim Bankoff, AOL Executive Vice President of Programming and Products. �This joint venture gives action sports fans an unparalleled experience by providing them with a powerful video platform and popular social networking tools, including AIM.�

�Fusion Entertainment’s extensive library of action sports video footage will be a vital component of Lat34.com,� said Doug Allen, CEO, Fusion Entertainment. �Action sports fans want to connect with each other and generate buzz about the sports they love. This new network will provide a forum to share amateur and professional videos and photos.�

�Lat34.com creates a central online hub where marketers and advertisers can reach this pivotal audience in a more targeted way,� said Jeff Rowe, President and CEO, Lat34.com. �Action sports enthusiasts can be ensured that the marketing and advertising is relevant and appeals to their interests.�

Key features of Lat34.com will include:

* Comprehensive action sports event coverage and calendar, up-to-the-minute action sports news, action sports video on-demand, athlete profiles, action sports movie previews, gear information and connecting fans of specific sports together via AIM social network platform, blogs, meet-up groups and provide tools for uploading video and photos
* Video and photo highlights of action sports culture, including fashion, music, movies, local events and links to some of these popular sites
* An in-depth action sports database with vertical search capability to access athletes� past stats and current records, events, gear, tricks, movies, sites, etc. built by users
* Original programming such as athlete Blogs and profiles, photo galleries and video programming
* On-demand footage of various action sports events around the country
* �Trick of the Day� � where users can upload their own video of action stunts and features and enter to win a weekly prize.

Lat34.com, currently in beta, will roll out additional features and content areas throughout the summer.
** American Sports Data Inc., May 2004

About AOL
AOL and its subsidiaries operate a leading network of Web brands and the largest Internet access subscription service in the United States. Web brands include the AOL.com� Web site, AIM�, MapQuest� and Netscape�. AOL offers a range of digital services in the areas of education, safety and security, communications and music. The company also has operations in Europe and Canada. AOL LLC is a majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. and is based in Dulles, Va.