Fundraiser for environmental mini-golf project kicks off

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM--A small army of youths, accompanied by adults, representing the proposed Putting Green Environmental Adventure Park, will fan out across the city Saturday, knocking on doors, in an attempt to raise money for the environmental mini-golf project.

It's the kick-off of the public drive to raise enough funds to build an 18-hole mini-golf course and environmental learning center at the corner of Valley and 20th South St.

"We're patterning it after the Girl Scouts' door-to-door campaigns," said Debbie Lentz. "We're hoping to have 80-to-100 youngsters, accompanied by 15-to-20 adults, hitting every section of town Saturday, starting about 9 a.m."

"Through the canvass, we want to increase the awareness. Most people in New Ulm probably are aware, but right now, now we're going to the door and saying, 'We really would like to raise money, and we'd like to do that in the New Ulm community," Ryberg explained.

"We're probably not going to raise a million dollars next Saturday. But creating an awareness in New Ulm and getting support (is important.) Every house is not capable of throwing in a thousand dollars or we'd have our deal probably made. If we get people understanding what our project is and buy into the fact that it is worthwhile, and contribute whatever they possibly can, that would be our goal for next Saturday."

Working with architects, Putting Green officials believe they have a project that is realistically achievable, from a financial standpoint.

"Right now, we feel it's about $1.4 million in terms of the capital required to build the environmental park, and to date, we've raised just over $400,000 so you can quickly subtract and it's about a million bucks," said Roger Ryberg, a Putting Green, Inc., board member.

"That's certainly a lot of money that we have yet to raise. We've all talked about the benefits, and the environmental learning center, we think, is going to be really a great asset to the community, (as well as) the youth who really have been an integral part of the planning and design. The plan is to continue (to have youth involvement) right up to--I guess they're not going to build the place--but they'll certainly be involved in working there and making it a sustainable economic thing."

By seeking both public and private donations, as well as grants, the Putting Green board hopes to make the park more financially sustainable. The first-year operating expense is estimated to be just under $300,000.

"I really like the idea of having it stand on its own, in terms of economics on an on-going basis. That's definitely the business plan which shows that to be a real possibility."

Without debt service to cover, Putting Green officials estimate projected annual revenues could very well cover the park's annual operating expenses because a lot of the work will be done by volunteers.

Each hole is designed to teach an environmental lesson, and each hole was designed by kids who first learned about the environmental problem that each hole represents and then set about creating a mini-golf hole design that would illustrate it.

Saturday's canvass will be an experiment which, if it proves successful, may be replicated in neighboring communities including Mankato, Ryberg said.

"It really is a regional facility, and it would make sense to involve those other communities," he noted.

As for the kids who hit the streets Saturday, Putting Green officials say it's not going to be a case of 'all work and no play.' Everyone who helps gets a free lunch, younger volunteers get to register for "cool" prizes, and those from 14 to 20 years of age will get a free ticket to a live concert featuring Stall 68 at the Fairgrounds that evening.