During a recent company picnic, Barletta Pontoon Boats was treated to a meet and greet opportunity with one of the newest officers at the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department, K-9 Officer Corsa, named after the MY2021 product launch of Barletta’s mid-line pontoon boat. Officer Corsa, a Belgian Malinois, has spent the last year in training and is now a fully commissioned officer in active duty for the department. Barletta Pontoon Boats has earned the title “most pet-friendly pontoon boat” in many boating circles around the country.
Barletta Pontoon Boats, and the Bill & Kristin Fenech Foundation, pledged just over $35,000 to the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department last spring to support the purchase and training of Officer Corsa, but also to support many additional needs for the K-9 division including protective and tracking equipment upgrades, training supplies, veterinary care, food, and supplements.
“As I was talking with the officers during the picnic, I’m pretty sure I may have supported the very first K-9 officer back in my RV days,“ stated Bill Fenech, president and founder of Barletta Pontoon Boats. “Supporting our local law enforcement has always been important to myself and the organizations I’ve been associated with. When we were approached, it was a ‘no-brainer’ for me and the team - we were proud to be able to welcome Officer Corsa to our Barletta family.”
“On behalf of the Elkhart County Sheriff’s department, we want to express our gratitude for the very generous support provided by Bill Fenech, his foundation, and Barletta,” stated Ptl. Justin Yoder. “Thanks to them, we’ve been able to provide for current and future needs and enhancements to the K9 division. With the recent retirement of K9 Officer Reno, due to medical issues, Officer Corsa is a welcome addition to the team.”
The company picnic was held in the new 144,000-square-foot office and production facility that has recently come on-line, effectively doubling the manufacturing footprint of Barletta Pontoon Boats. Offices will begin to be occupied later this month. Fenech shared company and industry updates with the production team, as well as introduced new company initiatives and dealer/customer testimonials he had gathered during his time on the road visiting Barletta dealerships. Afterwards, the sheriff’s department broke out the bite-suit and put on a demonstration showcasing Officer Corsa’s abilities. The department was hard-pressed to find volunteers interested in putting on the bite-suit.
“There were so many positive things to share with the team,” continued Fenech. “Even with all the headwinds and supplier challenges that are making things more difficult, our dealers and customers love the product and our company. Our team has worked tirelessly to put us in a position to be successful - and now, we will work tirelessly to stay successful.”
