Stewards debate fundraising ideas
By Andy SteinkeDells Events
The Stewards of the Dells of the Wisconsin River brainstormed fundraising ideas and goals for 2009 — including a possible kayak race and River Festival — during its first meeting of the year Jan. 28.
At the group's meeting in November, the idea of a rubber duck race down the Wisconsin River was proposed by Bill Federbusch.
Federbusch, who lives part of the year on the Wisconsin River in the Dells and part of the year on the Mississippi River in Red Wing, Minn., said Red Wing's duck race raised $5,000 in August.
Visitors to Red Wing's River City Days buy a rubber duck for $5 and hope it beats out the other 1,000 ducks floating down the river toward the finish line.
Easton Dreher thought the Stewards could hold a similar race on the Wisconsin River that wouldn't require buying hundreds or thousands of rubber ducks.
He proposed the Stewards put together a kayak race that would end near the Dells' River Walk. There would be an entry fee, and the winners would receive medals or some other prize.
The race could be expanded in the future to kayaks and canoes if people like the idea and if it is profitable.
The race would accomplish at least two of the Stewards' goals: To bring attention to the river and to get the youth involved.
When the race would be is being debated.
President Debbie Kinder said she called Dan Gavinski of Dells Boat Tours to ask if it would be a problem to do it on Saturday or Sunday morning during Wo-Zha-Wa weekend, and he said it shouldn't affect his business.
If the Stewards did the race during the Wo-Zha-Wa Festival, they would have to be concerned with Saturday morning's marathon and Sunday morning when people are getting ready for the parade.
Board member Jim Hagen said he thought the Stewards should do the race on a different weekend altogether so it doesn't get lost in Wo-Zha-Wa. He proposed a whole new festival, a River Festival.
Ted Hagen said he thought the race should be the weekend between Labor Day and Wo-Zha-Wa.
Dreher will head the kayak race committee, and said he will call the Visitor and Convention Bureau to see if it could support another festival. He'll also contact the Wo-Zha-Wa committee in case the Stewards want to run the inaugural river race during the Wo-Zha-Wa Festival.
Dreher proposed a second fundraising idea Wednesday night that might not start until 2010.
He said he has talked to a few people who wondered why the art contest is only for children. He said they would like to have an adult art contest, too.
Dreher said Pause coffee shop owner Bianca Richards would be willing to display the adult's art for a month.
Treasurer Pat Anderson said if they have another art contest, they will have to consider how they are going to pay for the judges and the winners' prizes.
Dreher suggested the adult contest shouldn't have a winner. Artists could enter, he said, to have their Dells-based art appreciated.
The Stewards also discussed what other items it would like to make priorities in 2009.
In November, the Stewards agreed to help Dells teacher Anne Klein raise about $15,000 for an endowment so she could protect her 1.6 acres on County Highway N with a land trust.
Kinder said Wednesday that the Natural Heritage Land Trust and the Department of Natural Resources have been discussing whether or not Klein's relatively small property qualifies for Stewardship Fund money.
The Stewards agreed that helping Klein should be one of its goals in 2009, if Klein can receive a land trust.
In other business, the Stewards agreed that the Wine and Cheese Festival at JustAgame Fieldhouse should be another of its priorities this year. Kinder said the tentative date for this year's festival is Sept. 26.
In other wine-related news, Kinder said Outta Here! Travel said it will donate part of its proceeds from its October Wine and Cheese Tour to the Stewards.
The Stewards will meet again Feb. 25 and will be joined by Sauk City bird rehabilitator Linda Bethke. Kinder said she is planning on bringing an owl with her.