Editor’s Note: The City of New Ulm presents a weekly column highlighting activities in different departments in the city government. Once a month the city will answer questions from readers. Questions on New Ulm city issues can be sent to comments@ci.new-ulm.mn.us.

Two Winter Day of Play (DOP) events are just around the corner. This year, Winterblast, held on a non-school day for all ages will be held on Monday, Feb. 19 from 12 to 4 p.m. at the Rec Center. We pack the gym full of inflatables, gym activities, music and fun from 12-3 p.m. and hold open swim from 12-4 p.m.! Because of the wonderful support received from our supporters and sponsors, we are adding a Day of Play on Saturday, March 10 from 6-9 p.m. that centers around age 12-18 that will feature pool volleyball, basketball, log rolling, rock climbing gym activities and Laser Tag! These events are FREE!!!

The Day of Play is a National, annual event designed to encourage children and parents to turn off the television and play; especially outdoors. The New Ulm Area Days of Play (DOP) has evolved from a single-day event into several large-scale, community events throughout the year, all designed to celebrate a variety of fun and active play experiences for all ages – children through adults. The goal is to cultivate a playful spirit in a festive atmosphere. DOP reaches 1000’s of attendees.

What makes these events unique and special? It is because of our businesses and service organizations within the New Ulm Community. Our awesome partnership affords us with the opportunity to band together to support these events by providing the funding needed to offer these events to the New Ulm Community FREE of charge. These businesses and service organizations are committed to the health and wellness of the New Ulm Community. We like to have fun and it shows through the phenomenal support we receive from them. Last year we raised $13,408 from the businesses and organizations listed below. Please THANK and SUPPORT them! We truly hope these businesses will continue their support of these community events. If you or your business or service organization is interested in supporting the Days of Play, please contact Joey Schugel, Program Supervisor or Cheryl Kormann, Assistant Director at 507-359-8344.

The fundraising campaign for the 2018 Days of Play will kick off in the next few weeks. We will be contacting businesses and service organization to ask for your support of DOP. If you are called by us and asked to support the DOP events, we hope you say yes! If you, for some reason are not contacted, please consider jumping on board to keep the fun going! Together, we can do so much to get our community’s children active and healthy!

2017 Sponsors

New Ulm Medical Center/Allina Health; Heymann Construction; Optimist Club; Citizens Bank; Alliance Bank; NU-Telecom; Kraft Heinz; Lions Club; Gag Sheet Metal/Schanus Plumbing; Kwik Trip; Archery Trade Association; Laraway Roofing; Dittrich Specialties; NU Current Electric; McDonald’s; New Ulm Quartzite Quarries & Oldcastle Materials Company ; Mike’s Collision; D&A Truck Line; Parker Hannifin; Jensen Motors; Physicians Group of New Ulm; Puhlmann Lumber; 3M; Neubauer Family Chiropractic; Paul’s Electric; American Family – Brian McCabe Agency; Natalie Bastian/Hirth Insurance and Investments; Maday Motors ; New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce; Fastenal ; Southpoint Federal Credit Union; All Store, Inc. Public Storage; State Farm/Bob Webb Agency; Hoffman Construction Co., Inc.; Minnesota Valley Testing Laboratories; Nierengarten & Hippert Law; Erickson Construction; New Ulm Area Jaycees; Bank Midwest