Fundraising begins for ice skating rink

With recent temperatures topping 90 degrees, most people aren’t thinking about Christimastime.

But Josh Rogers is not most people. Visions of sugar plums are already dancing in his head as he looks forward to the sure signs of Christmas — decorated trees, a warm fireplace, and laughter and glee from skaters dressed up like Eskimos reveling in Christmas cheer on an ice rink.

That’s why Rogers, president of Sallisaw Main Street, is spearheading the city’s newest December experience.

“We’ve never had an ice skating rink in town before,” he says, almost giddy with excitement. “People are gonna be really excited about that.”

Main Street has already committed the city to hosting the portable ice rink at Stage Park at the corner of Choctaw Avenue and Oak Street. That was an easy decision.

But paying the tab — expected to be $35,000 — is another matter.

That’s why Sallisaw Main Street has partnered with Sasquatch Printing to launch a community fundraiser to offset costs of the monthlong venture.

“Main Street took on the responsibility of this, but Main Street is a non-profit, of course, funded by the community, businesses, business leaders, just community people,” Rogers reminds. “And we believe the community will come together. People want to see things in Sallisaw in the downtown area.

“In the wintertime, there’s not a lot going on in the downtown,” Rogers says. “We talked to the city, and asked them what we could do for the downtown as far as events.

They said that December seems like a time in the downtown when there’s not a lot going on. So what can we do to bring more people into the downtown area? That’s when we landed on an ice skating rink. The dream of that became a reality quickly.”

Rogers says Main Street is also looking to provide other winter activities downtown during December, such as carriage rides, train rides, live reindeer, photos with Santa, etc.

“Anyone in the community can donate. You can donate as little as $1. It could just be a family in town that wonders what they can do to help, and maybe they want to donate $25. That helps, $25 helps. If everybody in town gave $25, the rink would be paid for. It’s the people that make these things work. Everything counts,” Rogers says.

“We’re also looking for volunteer groups and organizations that want to take on working the rink different weekends. Of course, Main Street will be facilitating the activity, but we need different groups to come out and volunteer. No one’s getting paid for this. All the proceeds just go back to Main Street to help cover the costs of doing more for the downtown.”

Those wanting to donate or volunteer should call Carol Brown, Main Street administrative assistant, at 776-7920. Be sure to stipulate that the donation is for the ice skating rink, Rogers says.

The fundraiser features seven different sponsorship levels:

• Partner — $1-$499

• Bronze — $500-$999

• Silver — $1,000$1,499

• Gold — $1,500$2,499

• Platinum — $2,500$4,999

• Diamond — $5,000$9,999

• Black Diamond — $10,000+ Donations go toward the expense of the rink, insurance and costs directly associated with providing the rink. Any overage will be used for additional holiday experiences.

“Really, on something like this, it’s the people that make this work,” Rogers says. “We can do all the work for it, but if people don’t come and support the downtown and support local and shop local, this doesn’t work. So the more people that come and support it — with all of our events — the more events we’ll be able to do.”

It’s not known what size the rink will be, but Rogers says he expects it to be “one that will skate quite a few people at a time — I think 50 to 60.”

But since there’s no guarantee that December nights in Oklahoma will be cold enough to keep the ice from becoming a swimming pool, how will skaters be assured they’ll have a frozen surface on which to glide and pirouette?

Rogers says the national company from which Sallisaw Main Street is renting the rink utilizes synthetic ice, a practice commonly used in the southern part of the U.S. He says it’s the same company that provides the ice rinks in Fort Smith and Van Buren, and synthetic ice is used for those rinks.

“ The skaters will not even know, if they’ve never skated on ice. Nobody ever knows the difference if they’ve never skated. It’s slick. It’s easy to maintain in our warm temperatures,” Rogers says. “Nobody here will know the difference, the national company said.”

The portable ice rink is scheduled to be open Thursday through Sunday nights in December, but Rogers admits that all other details — hours, price of admission, skate rental, etc. — are still being determined.

Sallisaw Main Street meets at noon on the first Monday of the month at the Sallisaw Chamber of Commerce offices.