The 2006 Dome Tour -- Monolithic's Sixth Annual

by Freda Parker

Dome Tour review

About 200 visit Pekofske's Polish Party

“We opened our doors for the tour, and it was a success again,” said Don Pekofske about Monolithic's nationwide Dome Tour on October 20 and 21. Don and his wife Ali built and own Pekofske's Polish Party, a five-bedroom dome-home in the small, agricultural community of Polo, Illinois.

“Despite the weather -- rain, rain, rain and more rain -- we had between 150 to 200 visitors,” Don reported. “The interesting thing about this tour was the very intelligent and interesting people that came to our home.”

Don, who had participated in the 2005 Dome Tour, readily admits that the tour takes a great deal of work. “But, he said, “it is always well worth it.” He feels that events such as the tour may help “Monolithic to grow in Illinois.”

Tour nets donations for a cancer stricken child

Joseph Townsend, owner of a dome-home in Reno, Nevada, said, “We had a fantastic day here, at our place.” He credits that to the press releases Carol Lanham, Monolithic's publicist, sent to local newspapers.

Those press releases included information about Daniel, a cancer victim, for whom donations were collected at the tour. The newspaper item that followed, as well as calls made by Joseph to various other media outlets, led to radio and TV coverage.

“We had 127 people sign in,” Joseph said. “But I know there were a lot more that did not (sign in). We were on our feet from 8 in the morning until 3:30 that afternoon, and non-stop talking. The outside of our place looked like a parking lot. We collected $760 for Daniel. It was a blessing.”

Funds raised for My Sisters Place

John and Verlene Cooper of Yachats, Oregon reported that they “had an excellent turn out for the tour, raising several hundred dollars for My Sisters Place, a safe house for battered women.”

On the day of the tour, the Coopers placed “an unusual sign featuring a dome top on Highway 101” and smaller dome directional signs to there unique Monolithic Dome. It is a beautiful, cedar-covered, four-level structure, built into the side of a hill.

Hundreds see domes in Sedona

Bracken and Nina Cherry, owners of the Rainbow Dome Home -- formerly called Xanadu of Sedona -- entertained and educated about 250 people every day of the tour.

They had their ten-dome complex available for viewing for two additional days. This gave the business community of Sedona a Sunday and a Monday -- in addition to Saturday -- to visit.

“It was tiring, but the extra two days were worth the effort,” Bracken said. “We had people from Phoenix, Flagstaff, Prescott, Sedona, a significant number from California and who knows where -- just all over the place. Our sign out front brought in a lot of tourists, as did the press releases I sent to area newspapers. So, we met a lot of people and had a lot of fun.”

Another impressive turnout in Sedona

Mason Rumney's Monolithic Dome home in Sedona, Arizona started an off-grid neighborhood. Not surprisingly then, it attracted about 100 visitors during this year's Dome Tour.

“We were very busy,” Mason said. “They sure kept us going -- just about all day.”

Hard to find dome gets great response

Ray and Beth Merrell own Mountain View Dome, a complex of seven interconnected domes with a total of 4300 square feet, set on a 40-acre plot in Pueblo, Colorado.

Ray said, “I think this is the third tour we have participated in, and we were blown away! Keep in mind that we are way out and off the beaten path so one must search to find us. To compound matters, it rained on Friday, so the roads were quite muddy out here.”

Despite the weather and little hope of attracting anyone, the Merrells posted signs leading people to their place -- and got a big surprise.

“We had over 90 people sign our guest book, and we estimate that we had at least 100 to 125 people show up. It was non-stop all day long -- and we had another dozen or so show up on Sunday too,” Ray said.

Texas dome attracts interested parties as well as looky-lous

Harold and Yolinda Huber own Huber Construction and a two-story Monolithic Dome home, with extensive, red cedar paneling, a loft overlooking a great room, kitchen cabinets and millwork done in native Texas pecan wood, and three exterior openings with glass blocks.

Harold said, “We had a much better attendance for 2006 than we had for 2005. All totaled, I think we had around twenty that came to look -- some interested parties as well as lookers. We passed out literature, business cards, floor plans, resumes, etc.”

Seventeen visit a Colorado Springs dome

Charles R. Brath said that just 17 people came to see his Monolithic Dome home that consists of two 34-foot domes attached with augments.

Harvest time affects turn out in Minnesota

Harvey and Roberta Stadick have a multi-story dome-home with a diameter of 48 feet and 1900 square feet of living space, in New Ulm, Minnesota.

Harvey said, “We did not have very many people to see our dome because it was the harvest season here, and we had a tour earlier for the curiosity seekers. However those that came this time came mostly from farther away, and almost all were seriously interested in maybe someday building. They asked many questions. One gentleman came early and left early in order to look at another dome in South Dakota.”

The response at Monolithic

Anne Sutherland, Monolithic's Events Coordinator, said, “At our headquarters in Italy, Texas we had about 75 visitors. They included groups who had traveled here from the states of Washington and Mississippi, as well as many Texans.”

David B. South, president of Monolithic, escorted two visitors, interested in a church design, on a visit to two Monolithic Dome school gymnasiums -- one in Italy and the other in Avalon, Texas.

“These tours are necessary,” Anne said. “People need to see and touch in order to envision their dreams.

“ But I also realize how much work is involved in opening your home for the Dome Tour. We truly thank all our participants and welcome any comments or suggestions they may have that just might improve our 2007 Dome Tour.”