Help Me Keep From Losing Birdies Mini Golf & Parties!

I have 6 days.

Everyone who knows me KNOWS I hate having to post this GoFundMe. I am embarrassed and deeply depressed having to ask like this. However, I am to a point where I must ask for help.

I’ve survived almost 5 years of paying rent, insurance, and utilities for this 5,000 sq ft space, on top of paying several contractors to build Birdies so I can open. I’ve poured my entire life savings into this project. I have put off medical surgeries I really need, as I was promised time and time again by a contractor, whom I paid thousands of dollars to upfront, “He would have me open for business in a few weeks to a month.” This empty promise came every 3 to 7 weeks.

He would fly in and work a day or two – then vanish. Never completing what I had paid him to do.

I knew I could not have surgeries and be laid up in bed for the 6 weeks to 3 months the doctors told me I would need, AND open and run a new business. Because of this, I pushed off the surgeries. Now, I have spent every dime to my name and could not have the surgeries even if I had recovery time.

MANY friends and family members have given me loans, become stockholders, and donated funds to help me over the last 5 years. I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOU ALL!

The contractor who promised to have me opened said it was his fault for my not being open yet (4 years ago) and promised to pay the monthly rent.

(He paid four months over a seven-month time period, most of those payments late and I had to cover late fees also)

That contractor has now ghosted me.

I have had some GREAT friends step up and help build out the course and we are SO CLOSE to being able to open!

All we need now is carpeting bought & installed, mirrors for the mirror maze, and the electrical elements installed.

We have the carpet & mirrors ready to order, the licensed contractor ready to install the carpet & mirrors with his crew, and a licensed electrician ready to do the electrical. This will take about 4 weeks to finish, once I have the money to pay for the supplies and labor. I just need to raise the final $30,000.00 to make that all happen.

I fundraise each month – adding my SS check into the mix (which isn’t much, but it is all I have for incoming income due to my health without the surgeries) and by the end of the month, I have to apply most of what I raise to paying the rent, utilities, and insurance for the space. Which leaves me with not enough money to get the carpet, mirrors, or electric done.

I have been “hopping around with one foot in my pants” like this for 5 years. It has been a real strain on me mentally and physically.

I have had SO MANY PEOPLE step up and help me with this project. I am very, VERY grateful.

Rent is due for the month of March, and the landlord has been bending over backward to work with me. (Thank God!), but the past due rent must be paid or they will evict me. That means I must come up with $9,000 to cover the March rent & utilities before the end of this month (it was due the first of the month).

IF I can cover that rent, then April’s rent (another $9,000) will be due!

Bottom line, I must raise $48,000 to cover the rent, utilities & insurance due AND pay for the final elements that have to be finished so we can open our doors to the public for families to enjoy BIRDIES Mini Golf & Parties! and have income finally coming IN!

I’ve fought for every mini golf course hole, birthday house design, every “hoop” the city has thrown at me to make BIRDIES Mini Golf & Parties! become a reality.

This didn’t happen overnight.

With contractors that took me (I am a very trusting guy), construction budgets that I am trying hard to meet, and the fact I have very little income coming in to cover these expenses—especially insurance, rent, and utilities—I (we’ve) been fighting an uphill battle just to keep this great location. And while I’ve been in that fight, I’ve also been working every single day to climb out of it.

I’m starting to see that work pay off.

The local news station (WHO Channel 13) did a story on us, which helped us a little to get the word out about our donation page on our website (https://birdiesiowa.com/donate).

The $100 donation when you become a member of THE RIVERVIEW CLUB with its perks has been popular (we have ten members now).

We also have Community Sponsorship packages offered, but have not had anyone take us up on those yet.

We held an open house and the folks that came and did a walk-through were very impressed with what we are creating!

BIRDIES is dedicated to Riverview Amusement Park that was in Des Moines from 1914 to 1978. We are recreating the rides & attractions from that beloved Central Iowa Iconic Park, in mini golf form for families to enjoy for decades to come.

The momentum is here.

We just need to survive the next 6 days (to cover the rent & utilities) and then 24 days after that to get the rest of Birdies built so we may open.

This isn’t just an indoor mini golf.

It’s a clean, wholesome, family-values venue for families to create lasting memories together.

If I lose this space, we (as a community) lose:

A safe space for date nights, family outings for all ages, company team-building events, and more.

A home for family celebrations & birthdays.

A non-alcoholic venue for families to create lasting memories together.

I am not asking for a handout.

I am asking for a lifeline bridge to get us open.

How You Can Help (every dollar matters!):

Donate:

• Here on this GoFundMe page

• On our website: www.BirdiesIowa.com

(Click on the Donate button)

• Send a check directly to me. (Reach out to me for the address)

• Any person or business willing to become a community partner (see the perks on our DONATE page of our website.)

One repost could reach the person who changes everything for us and helps us open BIRDIES Mini Golf & Parties!

I am not giving up.

I just need your help to help us take the final swing and get us across the finish line.