Streator library to host inaugural 18-hole mini golf fundraiser

Each hole will be unique, designed by sponsors

Seven-year-old Kathryn Bolte of Newark blasts a shot to a hole guarded by a Pink Flamingo during a Mini Golf Fundraiser at the library, hosted by The Friends of the Yorkville Public Library on Sunday, April 3, 2022.

The Streator Public Library will transform into an 18-hole mini golf course Saturday.

The library, 130 S. Park St., is hosting its inaugural mini golf fundraising event 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the proceeds going to library programming and the facility.

The course is expected to wind through the entire Carnegie library, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including playing through aisles of books.

Streator Public Library

Each hole will be unique, with a business sponsor decorating each one of them with their own theme.

“Part of the fun will be that you play through the stacks of books, winding through the aisles,” said Library Trustee Darcy Mollo, who is an organizer of the event. “There will be hazards players will have to avoid.”

Library board members said they were inspired to host a mini-golf fundraising after seeing Yorkville’s public library host one several years ago. Board members visited Yorkville’s event and learned how to set up.

“This was a good fundraiser for their library,” said Library Trustee Ellen Vogel, an organizer of the event. “It also brought in new faces into the library and exposed different people in the community to what the library has to offer.”

Trustees talked about the library’s space, its new Reuben Soderstrom room for gatherings, access to old newspapers and newspapers.com and its computer access as among the resources they would like to showcase for the communiy.

The greens have already been built and sponsors will set up their holes Friday.

Trustees are excited about the final hole, which will be designed to retrieve players golf balls, similar to larger mini golf courses, said Trustee Gloria Gubbles, who is an organizer of the event.

The mini-golf fundraiser also will have a dozen or more themed baskets to be raffled.

“This is going to be a fun event,” said Library Board President Dave Reed. “I’m appreciative of everyone on our board who is organizing it and taking it and running with it, as well as the businesses who are sponsoring the holes. We intend for this to be a start of fun tradition, and are looking forward to seeing how it grows.”

Cost to participate will be $5 per person. Participants of all ages are welcome. Children younger than 3 can play for free. Tickets are available at the library in advance, or the day of the event.

Events sponsors are SOCU, Dig Doug’s BBQ and Catering, Blue Eyed Rascal, Danchris Nursery, Dieken and Straughn Farm Management, Edward Jones Investments - Gary Wheeler, First State Bank, Geary family, Michael and Thomas Gulo, Attorneys at Law, Midland States Bank, Muscato family, OSF HealthCare, Shaw Appliance, Solon-Telford Funeral Home, State Farm Insurance - Theresa Solon, Stertil ALM, Streator Home Savings Bank, Streatorland Historical Society, The Eastwood, Dairy Queen, Star Ford Lincoln and Rental, US Foods and All Type Fence.

For more information, call the library at 815-672-2729.