By Cassandra Colson
Jackson County Chronicle Reporter
Susan Rowlee hopes the new playground in Merrillan memorializing her daughter Alisha Sidie will send a message that it’s OK to just walk away.
“I just hope that ... mothers or girlfriends who come here who have been abused will stop and think and look at the pictures and remember that that could be them and walk away,” she said. “No woman should be hit, no woman should be verbally abused and (it’s) OK to walk away.”
Family, friends and community members, along with Bolton Refuge-Jackson County Outreach staff, gathered for a dedication ceremony recently for the new playground at BRJCO’s transitional housing complex in Merrillan.
The playground is named after Alisha, who was murdered by ex-husband Doug Sidie in November 2008. He recently was sentenced to life in prison for her death.
Alisha’s sister, Tracy Rowlee, hopes the playground will serve as a reminder not only of Alisha but for all women.
“I think it’s nice (Alisha) can be remembered by this and that her name won’t be forgotten,” she said. “What it means for the ladies that, unfortunately, are here is that it can be a reminder that sometimes it’s just better to walk away from a bad relationship than stick around and have things turn out for the worst.”
BRJCO is an area organization that provides services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Black River Falls High School students Bronson Stein and Mason Wall had planned to raise money for the organization when they started their FCCLA project in October 2008. But Stein said that after Alisha’s death, they wanted to take the project a step further to not only raise money but also raise awareness about domestic violence.
“We didn’t just want to raise awareness, we wanted to bring it back to our community, and Alisha was a part of our community and her murder affected a lot of us,” Stein said. “When we could commemorate her in building—something people will think of as a positive thing—when we put up the playground, it wasn’t just to put up a playground, it was to put it up in the name of someone who was a victim.”
Wall said he is proud of the project and what it symbolizes.
“I feel like Alisha … will always be remembered in this,” he said. “I had a family member that had this happen to them, so it means a lot to me.”
Like Stein and Wall, Dena Quinn, victim advocate and volunteer coordinator for BRJCO, emphasized what the playground means for Alisha’s family and awareness of domestic violence.
“ … I think it’s really, really special that (the playground is) here and it’s in memory of Alisha,” Quinn said. “I think that it brings this whole thing kind of full circle, so that when victims are here, families are here, when kids are here, that people have a true and better understanding of the impact that domestic violence can truly have.”
An engraving with Alisha’s photo also was displayed at the ceremony. Quinn said it later will be recessed into a boulder, which will sit at the playground site. Alisha’s mother also donated an angel painting of Alisha to Bolton Refuge House.
Pat Stein, project director with BRJCO, said the $8,000 playground project was made possible by the fundraising efforts of Stein and Wall, along with events sponsored by BRJCO, like this summer’s poker run. The rest of the funds came from community organizations and individuals.
Alisha’s family appreciates the efforts of everyone involved in making the memorial playground a reality.
“Thanks goes out to the community and all the support that we’ve received,” said Toney Rowlee, Alisha’s father. “It was just great support, right from the beginning. And then to follow through—it doesn’t just end.”
