Groundhog Open raises thousands

On this Groundhog Day, an 18-hole mini-golf course stretched from the Grand Wayne Center into the Embassy Theatre/Indiana Hotel and into the Courtyard by Marriott thanks to the skywalks connecting the buildings.

This course was put in place to start a new Groundhog Day tradition, the Groundhog Open.  Sixty-seven golf teams (more than 260 golfers) hit the links that were specially designed and created by Fort Wayne area businesses and organizations that sponsored the event.

Put together by The Alliance and the Downtown Improvement District, the goal was to raise money to increase the amount of planters downtown.  Currently, planters are in place on Calhoun Street from Berry to Jefferson Blvd.

The initial cost of buying just one planter, adding in the cost to buy plants for all 4 seasons plus maintenance costs adds up to $1,000.

Today's event raised at least $20,000, which will allow 20 new planters to be put in place downtown.

Organizers say they hope to bring the event back next year and may consider adding in more golfing time outside of the tournament hours so that the public can enjoy the course.