(Spirit Lake)– More good news today (Mon.) for fundraising efforts to restore the shelter house at Mini Wakan State Park on the north side of Big Spirit Lake and to establish an endowment fund for it and the lodge at Gull Point State Park on West Lake Okoboji.
Joe Ulman, who’s heading up the effort, says they’ve been awarded a $15,000 grant through the Dickinson County Endowment Fund.
Ulman says the announcement brings the total amount raised so far to about $930,000…$70,000 shy of their goal of a million.
Ulman says they’ll continue to accept donations once the goal is reached to cover ongoing maintenance costs for the facilities in years to come.
Ulman reminds potential donors that an anonymous donor has issued a $120,000 matching gift challenge, meaning all contributions to the project by September 30th will be matched up to that amount. The same holds true for the sale of commemorative artwork, which is available at Evan’s Clothing and Shoes in Spirit Lake.
As they near the fundraising goal, Ulman says it’s likely construction on the Mini Wakan project will get underway this coming spring or summer. He says they’ll be meeting September 27th with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to begin to lay out a more definite timeline as far as a bidletting and actual construction.
