Electrical upgrades illuminate historic Turner Hall gymnasium

New Ulm Turnverein in Southwest Minnesota is a historic landmark that runs the oldest, continually running gymnastics program of its kind in the state. Turner Hall Gymnastics has provided affordable instruction to youth across the region for over a century and also rents out its space for special events.

While staff and the community pride themselves on the long history of Turner Hall, the gym’s aging electrical infrastructure had become another matter. By investing in necessary lighting and electrical upgrades earlier this year with support from a CERTs Seed Grant, Turner Hall gymnasium and its programming now have a bright future ahead.

Over the past decade, the outdated technology had begun to “become a burden,” according to Turner Hall Executive Director Andrea Boettger. The technology was in need of replacement, but the nonprofit gymnastics program had limited funding available for upgrades.

With support from a CERTs Seed Grant award, the organization was able to prioritize overdue upgrades, replacing its lighting fixtures with LEDs and installing a new breaker box and remote-controlled system.

Volunteers and Turner Hall staff helped prepare the gym for the upgrades, and several others assisted Boettger to review and report on the project. The organization coordinated with a contractor from New Ulm’s Paul’s Electric, Inc., to supply and install the new fixtures.

In addition to sharing Turner Hall’s success, Boettger explained how she would encourage businesses investing in energy projects of a similar scope to take them one step at a time. “It seems overwhelming at first. But taking things one step at a time breaks the process up into manageable pieces,” she said.

Boettger promoted the upgrades on Turner Hall’s social media and through its client newsletter, and she remains open to sharing Turner Hall’s experience and lessons learned with others. New Ulm Public Utilities featured the project in its newsletter to residents and businesses in the area. Local papers covered the project as well, including The Journal in New Ulm and Mankato Free Press. To date, Boettger estimated reaching over 1500 people by spreading the word about the award and project.

• Technology: Lighting upgrades with controls
• SW CERT Seed Grant: $5,000
• Total Project Cost: $11,602.22
• Other Funds: an estate, utility rebates
• Project Team: Josh Sabatino (Paul’s Electric); Andrea Boettger (New Ulm Turnverein, Inc.); Turner Hall staff, volunteers, and board members reviewed layout, prepared gym for installation, and worked on grant paperwork. 
• People Involved and Reached: 1,505
• Annual Energy Savings: 26,337 kWh