How about a royal flush?
Arial Arnold, service writer and customer retainer specialist at Darrick’s Preferred Auto in Blooming Prairie, relaxes on the Golden Throne that arrived at the business earlier this month. It is part of the fundraising events to update and improve Central Park. Submitted photo
It’s working out just as planned.
The Porcelain Throne Challenge, a whimsical fundraiser created by the Blooming Prairie Park Advisory Board, continues to help defray the cost of the first phase of the Central Park Improvement Project – the bathrooms.
The BP City Council recently approved the bid from Dahl & Sons Construction for $78,550 to complete the work. It will have a new sewer line to the street, but use the existing power source already at the park.
The advisory group has raised more than $144,000, a total that doesn’t include the proceeds from its recent Mother’s Day brunch and dueling pianos fundraisers.
“I applaud the parks commission people that have done this work,” said council member Bill Newman. “This is what we’ve been looking for for a long time. I think it’s a great step forward.”
The board’s chairwoman, Haley Tollefson, is pleased, too.
“So far, we’ve delivered the throne to 11 different homes, and there are seven people still on the list that will receive it,” she said. “In addition, we’ve had a number of people donate so our beautiful gold throne never lands in their yard.”
Tollefson called it “a very fun and lighthearted fundraiser, and I think people in town like to see where it’s headed next.”
To participate in the Porcelain Throne Challenge:
* Donate $25 to have the “throne” sent to someone royal; the throne will appear in their yard.
* Donate $30 to have the throne removed from your property; the throne will disappear.
* Donate $50 to prevent having the throne on your property again/or ever; the throne will be sent to the royal person of your choice.
The information will accompany the throne – there will only be one – so residents know what to do with it. The throne will stay within city limits.
The total project estimate is $350-400,000 for updates and improvements at Central Park, including new playground equipment.
Throne Service:
To send the throne to someone:
Online at forms.gle/XT1M6s7GCS3qfNYRA
To schedule a pickup of the throne:
Call Haley Tollefson at (507) 475-1260, or email her at tollefsonhaley@gmail.com