Photo provided by: Heather Wanniger, Sweet Lemonade Photography
By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
Mahomet Chamber of Commerce 2020 Award Winners
Overall Business of the Year – Area Garbage, Bud Boller
Small Business of the Year –Yellow & Company, Elizabeth VanHoutan McDermith
Food Service Business of the Year – Filippo’s Pizza, Brigi and Jerry Paris
Health & Wellness Business of the Year – The Rock Counseling Group, R.J. and Staci McNicholl
Startup Business of the Year – Ruff Dayz, Tim and Lacy Belangee
Community Servant of the Year – Mahomet-Seymour schools superintendent, Dr. Lindsey Hall
Volunteer of the Year – Raptor Power Systems, Evan El Koury
The Mahomet Daily will post a series of profiles on each of the award winners, who were recognized at the annual Chamber of Commerce banquet on Friday night at Mahomet’s Grace Church. To see the other articles, click on the link associated with each business name above.
RUFF DAYZ, Tim and Lacy Belangee
What started out as a need for their own family, quickly escalated into a service that others have embraced.
Tim and Lacy Belangee – who live in Farmer City, but are in the process of moving to Mahomet – have three dogs.
When it was time for them to be socialized or boarded, they were taking the animals to Savoy. They liked everything about the facility, except the distance.
They decided to start a doggie daycare closer to home, and Ruff Dayz – located on Lake of the Woods Road – opened for business in December, 2018.
“We were thinking if we could get 20 dogs a day, it would be a successful venture,” Tim Belangee said.
On their one-year anniversary, the Belangees had 835 dogs registered (a total which now exceeds 900) and Ruff Dayz averages around 30 dogs for daily daycare.
They were recognized on Friday by the Mahomet Area Chamber of Commerce as the community’s Startup Business of the Year.
“I’m thrilled people have noticed,” Lacy Belangee said.
For the couple, it has been on-the-job training.
“We had no idea what to expect,” Lacy Belangee said. “The community is such a fun-loving, dog-loving community.
“If we would have anticipated the growth better, we would have hired more staff early.”
Added Tim Belangee: “We started with four family members.”
The current staff, including part-timers, now consists of 24 persons.
They quickly learned there was a demand for more than what they were offering.
“Boarding and grooming were not even thoughts when we opened,” Tim Belangee said.
Those options became so popular that grooming is now also offered some evenings.
Unlike many facilities that board, animals are never left alone at Ruff Dayz. Staff members stay the night any time dogs are on the premises.
The business will increase its services in the not-too-distant future.
“We’ll add training,” Lacy Belangee.
They felt welcomed from the outset.
“The veterinary community welcomed us without a sense of competition,” Lacy Belangee said. “With them, we’re part of one big family.”
As dogs were being screened, the Belangees had to make certain the potential boarders were up-to-date on shots. The couple received a needed boost from nearby.
“We thank the vets in town for sending over information right away,” Lacy Belangee said.
In retrospect, Tim Belangee said there are other things they would have done differently.
“If I knew then what I know now, we would have found a different facility that is bigger,” he said. “We’d definitely love to have our own building and land.”
Some days, when the turnout is the greatest, Ruff Dayz has had to turn away potential daycare customers.
“Some days, we’re understaffed,” Tim Belangee said, “but there are limitations with the building.”
The couple are overwhelmed by the response and reception they have received locally.
“The community has been absolutely wonderful,” Lacy Belangee said. “Very supportive.”
Now in its 15th month of operation, Ruff Dayz continues to grow.
“We’ve learned that running a business takes a lot,” Tim Belangee said. “It has its own heartbeat.”
Literally, his wife added.
“Like the business, it is its own animal,” she said.
Whatever accolades the Belangees receive, they also recognize where the praise must be directed.
“Our staff is amazing,” Tim Belangee said.
