Walk the Plank Event raises $4,800 for Superior pool reconstruction
COMMITTEE MEMBER Tom McCloskey watches 8-year-old Cael Crabb jump into the freezing water at the Walk the Plank fundraiser on Sunday, April 28. Fun was had by all, and $4,800 was raised for the Superior pool project.
PIRATE TOM McCloskey braces the cold after plunging into the water at the Walk the Plank fundraiser in Superior. (Maggie Dresser photos/Mineral Independent)
SIX-YEAR-OLD Eli Blekkenk holds his plaque after raising the most money at the fundraiser with $1,060 collected.
PIRATE DON Pickering at the Walk for the Plank fundraiser in Superior on Sunday, April 28.
THE 60-YEAR-OLD pool in Superior closed in 2018 due to leaks, and the Mineral County Community Foundation has been raising money since its closure to reconstruct a new pool.
Snow and wind didn’t stop Mineral County residents from “walking the plank” into freezing water to raise money for a new pool in Superior on Sunday, April 28. The Mineral County Community Foundation (MCCF) raised $4,800 during their Walk the Plank fundraiser at Eva Horning Park. The funds will benefit reconstructing Superior’s 60-year-old-public pool, which closed in summer 2018 due to leaks. The MCCF formed a subcommittee called Pool for the Park last summer after the pool closed. “We expect the total cost of the project to be at least $1.5 million, but we won’t know the exact number until we get a firm cost estimate,” committee member Angie Hopwood said. After the Walk the Plank fundraiser, the committee has raised a total of $40,000. The fundraiser events included walking the plank into a kiddie pool, a bake sale, face painting and other games for the public to enjoy. Participants received a free T-shirt if they raised $100, and are encouraged to get sponsors and challenge others to raise money. Superior Color and Lumber donated materials and volunteers helped out at the fundraiser. Hopwood says raising money for the pool is their main goal, but they also want to create more events like this for the community to enjoy. “We’re trying to bring up our community a little bit,” Hopwood said. The committee has already completed Phase I, where the goal was raising enough money to hire an architect and they are now in Phase II, meaning the committee can apply for grants. MCCF hopes to complete pool construction in Phase III by 2023. “We’re optimistic,” Hopwood said. The next fundraiser will be Bingo and BBQ on Friday, June 7 at Superior Elementary School.