Library hopes mini golf drives fundraising efforts
SAXONBURG – The South Butler Community Library's stacks will become golf greens Friday and Saturday for the two-day Tee Off Fore the Library fundraiser.
Michelle Lesniak, the library director, stressed the 18-hole course is laid out throughout the library.
"This is not a golf outing,“ Lesniak said. ”Golf outings are for golfers. This is for everybody.”
Well, actually, Friday night is for anybody over 21. It will be a happy hour event from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. with snacks, a free drink, a cash bar and a round of golf for $25. It is catered by Stephens Kitchen and Catering, 854 Pittsburgh Road, Butler.
The all-ages event tees off from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. For $5, a golfer can test the mini-golf course laid out through the library by Library Mini Golf, a company out of Trumbull, Conn. and Dartmouth, Mass. In addition to the "greens fees" the library hopes to make money from companies either donating to become Eagle or Birdie partners or by sponsoring a hole.
"Companies will sponsor a hole and they are challenged to decorate the holes creatively," Lesniak said. "Whether it is using a company product as an obstacle or just as a decoration, all of the holes will be decorated." She added the hole voted the best decorated will win the company a trophy.
In addition, at the end of play Saturday, 18 gift baskets will be raffled off. The baskets were on display at the library where tickets have been on sale.
Lesniak said the themed baskets were donated by members of the library board.
Lesniak said the library is obligated to raise 30% of its annual budget and Tee Off Fore the Library combined with raffle basket money is expected to raise $10,000.
"A majority of the money comes from the sponsors, and hopefully we will have a lot of people golfing," she said.
Lesniak said she was brainstorming ideas of a fundraiser when she first came up with the idea of the library creating its own golf course. But then she Googled the idea of library golf and a Friend of the Library member's daughter had done a fundraiser using Library Mini Golf in Texas. So Lesniak got in contact with Library Mini Golf, which will bring in a whole 18-hole course when the library closes at noon Friday and set it up.
Rick Bolton, the owner of Library Mini Golf, said his company has been in business for 16 years, starting in 2006 when a mini-golf course was set up in the Trumbull library to raise money for Hurricane Katrina victims.
Bolton said a cargo van will arrive in Saxonburg containing the 18 holes that make up the mini-golf course. The course will be set up in two-and-a-half to three hours with the help of a few local volunteers.
“Our system is modular and very sophisticated. There’s a ramp on each that leads up to the putting green,” said Bolton. “We can set up serpentine holes that weave through the stacks. ”
Bolton said his company provides the holes, the balls, the tees, the clubs and the scorecards.
“We help nonprofits raise money. We do schools, libraries, faith-based organizations. We don’t do birthday parties,” he said.
Lesniak likes the indoor mini-golf event because it is something new. "It's a family-friendly fundraiser,“ Lesniak said. ”It's more active than attending a dinner, and it'’s for all ages. Everybody can play mini golf.“
She added that while the library is accepting reservations for the course, she's anticipating most of the golfers will be walk-ins.
Saturday's golfing will be supplemented by the Saxonburg Sister City group selling hot sausage and meatball sandwiches on the library patio as well as a bake sale with drinks available for purchase.
“We're trying to increase our fundraising because we are looking forward to future projects," said Lesniak.
Tickets can be purchased at the library front desk, by calling 724-352-4810, or on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tee-off-fore-the-library-mini-golf-tickets-277670589207
