NEWS & EVENTS

West O Beer, Arnolds Park Amusement Park and No Boundaries Middles collaborate on beer to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Queen II and raise funds for ‘Gift a Smile’ program

WEST OKOBOJI, IOWA — Something special is brewing in the Iowa Great Lakes. A unique collaboration between West O Beer, Arnolds Park Amusement Park and a group of Okoboji middle school students will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Queen II and help raise funds for underprivileged children to enjoy the amusement park this summer.

The project, which was initiated by students in the No Boundaries program at Okoboji Middle School, centers around a beer named The Flagship — a West Coast India Pale Ale that prominently features the premiere excursion boat of the Iowa Great Lakes and the ‘Flagship of the Iowa Navy’ on its label.

“The Queen II is iconic,” Historic Arnolds Park CEO Jon Pausley said. “A label can be as important to a purchase as the drink itself. It is both collectible, memorable and drinkable. An Okoboji summer isn’t complete without a ride on The Queen II, so including her on the label seemed appropriate as we celebrate 40 years of the Queen II this summer … It really was an idea sparked by the No Boundaries group. It may sound odd having middle schoolers come up with this idea, but I think it speaks to how well West O has built their brand into giving back to the community.”

Becky Rients, an English teacher at Okoboji Middle School and No Boundaries facilitator, said the idea was originally sparked in a meeting between Arnolds Park and No Boundaries.

“When Jon Pausley pitched the project, Historic Additions and Celebrations, to his project group, he wanted them to think big and create an unforgettable experience for this 40th celebration,” Reints said. “We knew of the unique partnership between Arnolds Park Amusement Park and West O, and we thought it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience to create a can label for the 40th anniversary of The Queen II. We scheduled a meeting with West O and pitched them the idea of a collaboration and the vision board concepts we had for a prospective label design. From there, a partnership was brewing!”

West O Beer owner Matt Matthiesen said getting involved in The Flagship project was a no-brainer.

“We are about to reach our 13th year in business in the Lakes Area and that milestone would not be possible without such incredible community support,” Matthiesen said. “Since our founding, it’s been core to West O Beer’s mission to return that, to make an impact and invest in our community. From fundraisers hosted at the taproom to unique partnerships like this, from water quality and soil conservation projects to landmark restorations, its important for us to support what makes this area so special to live in, and then make sure area families and those here for a weekend getaway get to enjoy it.”

WHAT IS NO BOUNDARIES?

According to Rients, No Boundaries is a passion-based, student-centered program that connects the community with the curriculum.

“Eighth-grade students engage in real-world experiences by collaborating with local businesses, organizations and professionals,” Rients said. “This approach allows students to explore their interests, develop valuable skills, and see the direct impact of their work beyond the classroom. Opportunities like this collaboration are what make No Boundaries such a powerful and meaningful learning experience.”

Okoboji student Ben Spraque said being involved in No Boundaries has made a significant impact.

“No Boundaries has helped me be a better public speaker, and have better critical thinking and problem-solving skills,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed our partnership with Arnolds Park and the creativity and freedoms we’ve had with creating logos, content, billboards, etc.”

HOW HAVE THE STUDENTS BEEN INVOLVED?

From the initial pitch, the students have been involved in every part of the process, making it a truly immersive experience.

“From brainstorming ideas and developing color design and product concepts, to designing labels, we took our ideas and turned them into two distinct concepts that reflect both the brand and the spirit of our community,” Rients said. “We also had the opportunity to learn about the brewing process firsthand and collaborate with professionals to understand what goes into creating a final product. We have also been working on branding and promotion, and thinking about different ways to engage the audience and get them excited about this collaboration.”

Students presented several label designs before taking inspiration from a commemorative beer label from the late 1970s.

“Seeing the old Okoboji beer can was a big inspiration for the new can design, but we were able to modernize it and make it even more memorable,” Okoboji student Emily Breuer said. “We never could have guessed a year ago that we would be creating a beer can. It is crazy to think that we are just normal eighth-graders getting amazing opportunities through this program.”

The students were also involved in brewing The Flagship on Tuesday, May 5. They received a tour of the brewery and a rundown of the process from West O Beer Head Brewer Brandon Van Noort and received hands-on experience throughout, including emptying nearly one ton of spent grain from the brewery’s mash tun.

They will also be involved during packaging and labeling of the finished product, and marketing and promotion in the lead up to the beer’s release on Friday, May 29.

THE FLAGSHIP RELEASE DAY

The beer is set to be released Friday, May 29 in conjunction with an ambassador event at Arnolds Park Amusement Park, and will be available at several locations at the park, including aboard the Queen II, and at West O Beer’s taproom and pizzeria throughout the summer.

Rients said, when the beer is finally released to the public, it will be a moment of pride and accomplishment for everyone involved — especially the students.

“Seeing our ideas come to life in an actual product that the community can experience is incredibly powerful,” Okoboji student Selah Simington said. “We are so thankful for such awesome partners willing to let us be creative and share our thoughts and ideas in this experience! How many eighth graders get to have an experience like this?”

Fellow Okoboji student Emily Breuer said, “For our partners and community, it’s also a celebration of collaboration and the impact that can happen when education and local businesses come together!”

BREW TO SUPPORT ‘GIFT A SMILE’ PROGRAM

In addition to giving students real-life experience and celebrating the anniversary of the Queen II, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of The Flagship will benefit Arnolds Park Amusement Park’s Gift a Smile program to provide day passes for underprivileged children.

“The Gift a Smile program is our philanthropic arm for the Amusement Park,” Pausley said. “Kids and families come to the park who might not otherwise be able to afford being able to do so. This includes school groups, families in low-income situations and kids and families facing health crisis. This collaboration helps to contribute to those costs of literally gifting a smile.”

To learn more and to donate to the Gift a Smile program, simply scan the QR code included on The Flagship’s label, or go to www.arnoldspark.com/donate/gift-a-smile.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THIS COLLABORATION?

• “My favorite part of working with Arnolds Park is learning the history of the Queen II and the Roof Garden ballroom. I also like hearing the old stories about Arnolds Park.” — Mason Bucher

• “Having the opportunity to meet and work with new people. It allows me to be more creative and achieve my childhood goals.” — Ben Sprague

• “Within this collaboration, Arnolds Park has given us so much reign and creative liberty. They have given immense support and provided us with the experience of a lifetime.” — Emerson Foster

• “When our teachers and partners give us the opportunity to be creative, we can accomplish a lot more than any of us expected.” — Selah Simington

• “My Favorite part of NOBOMS is getting to see the background of what goes on every summer at one of my favorite places! I can’t wait to see everything we created this summer at Arnolds Park.” — Emily Breuer