The Eden Valley-Watkins School District is hosting its third annual Glory Days Festival, a fundraiser aimed at building a sports complex. Christy Kipf, one of the event organizers, highlighted the importance of providing a dedicated space for the district’s athletes. She emphasized that Eden Valley-Watkins is one of three schools in Minnesota without its own football field, which impacts various sports teams.
The goal of the fundraiser is to construct a football field for Friday night games and a track field for team practices and community events like 5K races. Despite a failed referendum to build a sports complex, the community continues to host Glory Days to raise money without burdening local landowners. Organizers anticipate needing at least five more years to reach the estimated $3 million required to start the construction.
In the past two years, Glory Days has generated approximately $185,000. The event is scheduled for Saturday, June 8th, from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., at Cozy Corners Campground near Richmond. Attendees can enjoy food vendors, kids’ activities, live music, a beanbag tournament, bingo, and both silent and live auctions. For more information about the event, visit the official website.
Kipf emphasized that small schools in farming communities often face challenges when it comes to passing referendums that would increase taxes. As such, Glory Days serves as an opportunity for Eden Valley-Watkins students and community members alike to come together in support of building a much-needed sports complex.
Despite their struggles with funding their athletic programs and facilities in recent years, Kipf expressed her hope that this year’s festival will be successful in raising enough money to help build the new sports complex needed by Eden Valley-Watkins school district’s athletes.
