Operation Ice Rink

Operation Ice Rink
Submitted by Ms. Edlund and the CmPS Team

            Over the past year, the Lester Prairie Community Problem Solving (CmPS) team has been working on a project to improve our community.  The CmPS team consists of 12 members.  They are Renee Albrecht, Leighton Buhr, Chase Engelke, Drew Jackson, Elizabeth Krienke, Arlene Nowak, Maggie Piehl, Emily Schultz, Tallon Schwantes, Callie Sebora, Wyatt Teubert, and Max Vergin.  We started brainstorming ideas last fall on what problems there are in the community that we could fix.  We decided that there are not enough winter activities for the people of Lester Prairie to participate in.  We thought of solutions to the problem, and decided on an ice rink.

            We contacted the city council and park board to see if we could possibly build an ice rink in town.  After some discussion, we were given permission to build.  We also wanted to build a warming house and fence around the ice rink.  We contacted RAM Buildings and they agreed to provide wood for the warming house if we would be willing to paint a fence, or help with a different project, this spring for them.  Our group gladly accepted the offer.  We also contacted Mr. Scoblic, the technical education teacher in Lester Prairie School, to see if he could build us a warming house through one of his shop classes.  He agreed.

            Our plans were in place, so we needed to raise money for our project.  We asked Betty Williams, head cook in the lunchroom, if she would make cookies that we could sell every Monday and Friday mornings during December, January, and part of February to the high school students.  She agreed, and we sold cookies and hot chocolate.  We raise a good amount of money through this.  Our group will be finishing this project in the spring and it will hopefully be up and running with the warming house by next winter.  The ice rink is ready for use right now, but will fully finished next winter with the warming house.

            We will be going to the CmPS State Competition with our project at the beginning of April, and are hoping to move onto the International Competition held in Indiana at the beginning of this summer.  There, we will be competing against teams all across the world.

            Our thanks go out to RAM Buildings, Mr. Scoblic and his shop class, Lester Prairie City Council, Lester Prairie Park Board, Betty Williams, Ms. Edlund, Mrs. Lukens, the Lester Prairie Police Department, and the Lester Prairie Fire Department for making our project possible.