Treasure Island’s fundraiser extraordinaire Dominique Reiter proves the senior living lifestyle is just a state of mind.
“When some people turn 65, in their mind, they think life is over, while I just got started doing things and enjoying myself. I think of myself as the new 70s,” she said.
Dominique Reiter
At “a young 75,” Reiter uses her hundreds contacts to support the local police and fire departments, as well as to raise funds for items and services the city would otherwise not be able to afford or undertake. When it comes to identifying a game plan to pay for desired amenities, Reiter is akin to the city’s fundraising quarterback, scoring much needed financing with her team of contacts comprised of residents and businesspeople. She said her success comes in being friendly, tenacious and independent.
Two years ago, after overcoming a tough fight from neighbors, she raised $22,000 for the city to build a fenced, off-leash, large- and small-dog play area in Rosselli Park. She also lobbied to have it named after former County Commissioner John Marroni, who died of cancer in 2018.
“I don’t have a dog in the mix,” she said, noting she does not own a dog, but she felt bad for the dogs and puppies that had no place to exercise. She said she could not believe there was any opposition to having a dog park, especially hearing the unfounded comments that feared “rivers of dog urine emanating from the dog park.”
In revealing a little-known story, she noted one big dog park benefactor promised to donate a large sum if the facility included an imitation fire hydrant, which is a known attraction for pooches. After much searching, she supplied the fire hydrant and secured the donation from Treasure Island’s Fire Captain William Trip Barrs, who was hired four years ago, when the park was just under consideration. Barrs was a deputy fire chief in Dunedin, before being hired on at Treasure Island.
Reiter noted one of her future plans is to raise additional funds to slightly enlarge the small dog run area, which has proven to be too small. She said there is plenty of room next to the current small dog area, since the flag pole was relocated closer to the baseball field.
Speaking of the baseball field in Rosselli Park, her fundraising efforts recently persuaded a developer to donate funds that provided the city’s little league field with a modern electronic scoreboard.
She said she “loves Treasure Island and just enjoys doing projects and making things better. After all these years the commission and people who donate know I will get things done.”
Each year at Christmas and Easter she raises $100 from civic clubs and benefactors, which is given to area restaurants to provide Christmas and Easter dinner to the city’s firefighters and police. She said she was so proud that this year she didn’t even have to fundraise, since the gifts of money just came in.
She also helped raise $15,000 for the city to purchase an antique patrol car used in parades.
Her next fundraiser is a yearly chili cook-off to provide much needed equipment for the fire department; it takes place at the Community Center on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. “It’s a very popular event with 15 contestants vying for best chili,” she said. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, only 100 tickets can be sold, half the usual amount.
She is a staunch defender of the city having its own police and fire departments, opposing any effort to contract to outside agencies.
According the Tampa Bay Times, in June 2016, when the City Commission voted to seek proposals to contract fire and EMS services, she told elected officials their attempt would be futile. She noted she spent six hours visiting businesses to discuss the issue and found “not a single individual wanted to outsource our fire department.” She advised, “Let’s find another way to solve the financial problems of the city.”
Years earlier, Reiter ran for a commission seat and lost to multi-term commissioner Phil Collins.
Reiter said out of that disappointment, she learned she could do much more in her role as a volunteer fundraiser, because she could speak her mind on issues, along with lobbying and fundraising for projects the city needed.
She noted a fellow feisty septuagenarian she looks up to, who is still working and out there acting and supporting causes, is actress Jane Fonda.
Reiter said she is currently working on another much-needed new fundraising effort for the city, but she is not ready to announce details, “not even a hint.”
Her European sounding first name is a result of being born in Paris in 1947, the child of a French translator for the U.S. Armed Forces and a U.S. Army soldier who met during World War II.
She recalled her family moved to the U.S. when she was two and while she was considered a U.S. citizen, her mother had to go through Ellis Island as an immigrant.
They moved to Warren Ohio, where her father got a job in a steel mill, and she attended Kent State University. Her first successful fundraiser was when she was in her 20s, she recalled, to help Navy soldiers injured in an attack on a U.S. ship in 1967 during the Vietnam War.
She subsequently married and was a full-time wife and mother for several years in Arizona. Her son, Sgt. Harry Reiter, recently retired from the Phoenix Police Department after 30 years.
According to her real estate page bio, her Florida license has been active for 39 years and she was a partner in a successful mortgage brokerage firm for over 20 years.
Ever since moving to Treasure Island, she has enjoyed getting involved in projects, working with people, and making things happen around the city.
She served on several city boards, including the Treasure Island Vision Committee, Code Enforcement Board and Citizens Emergency Response Team, as well as on the 2005 and 2010 Charter Review committees. She also served as president and executive director of the Treasure Island Chamber of Commerce.
“I love Treasure Island, it’s one of the best places to live,” she said.