Over 180 people showed up on downtown Bee April 22, 2018, for the Bee Buzz Run, a fundraiser hosted annually to help restore the Bee States Ballroom. Lisa Ricenbaw of Beaver Crossing, left, and Stephanie Peeks of Staplehurst run for the finish line during the race.
The Bee States Ballroom benefits from funds raised at the annual Bee Buzz Run.
It is nice to do something for a good cause and maybe get some fun exercise out of it.
For 10 years, the Bee Buzz Run has brought together runners and walkers from the surrounding areas to raise money for renovations at the Bee States Ballroom. This year's race is Sunday, April 19.
The ballroom is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1938 and designed by Bee architect Vladimir Sobotka as a 12-sided building with a domed roof.
Over the years, the building needed some TLC. It didn’t have air conditioning and wasn’t getting rented a lot anymore. With less revenue, there was less money for repairs.
Dan Policky and his wife joined a group of people who wanted to renovate the building. Policky thought about what fundraisers they could do and, with his involvement in fun runs and marathons over the years, he proposed the idea of the Bee Buzz Run.
“I know a little about running and organizing from Milford Fun Days with pancake breakfasts and in Brainard with a dinner and run,” Policky said. “I decided we should have a run in Bee.”
The run is a 1- or 4-mile run through and around Bee. Policky said he starts the one-mile race at 8:05 a.m. to leave room for the church latecomers to drive on the same road to the 8 a.m. service. The other race starts at 8:30 a.m.
The race includes entertainment such as accordion accompaniment.
"An accordion player at is at the 2-mile corner and a couple of other places,” Policky said.
Weather has varied for the races throughout the years. The first year was cold and foggy.
“People were running toward the start of the third mile where my uncle was playing at the intersection,” he said. “They couldn’t see him until about 20 feet on to him. They loved it.”
Another race ended with lightning shortening the run.
Several improvements have been made to the ballroom. Policky said in 2019 they refinished the flooring, restriped lines and added a two-sided trophy case.
In previous years, they repaired the floor joists and added new flooring around that area because of the concrete walls sweating, making the flooring spongy. Funds also have gone to replace all electrical, including outside lights and breakers. They added new doors and repainted the dome.
“This year we haven’t talked about specific plans for the funds, possibly signage,” Policky said. “There’s always something.”
Register online at www.GetMeRegistered.com/BeeBuzzRun.
