Funding for the new $3.7 million Ames/Iowa State ice arena got a push in the right direction as the ISU Foundation completed its final fund-raising efforts.

“Our goal was to raise $300,000, and we were able to exceed that amount in receipts and commitments from donors,” said Tom Mitchell, president of the ISU Foundation.

Mitchell said the Foundation was able to secure $225,000 in writing and $100,000 in verbal commitments.

“The fund-raising efforts were successful, and that’s the important thing,” said Sarah Buck, associate vice president of the foundation.

Buck also said they were successful in large part because of the people in the community and especially due to the efforts of the Ames Minor Hockey Association.

“We contacted over 300 people, constituent groups and donors who have an interest in hockey, and we were pleased about the response,” Mitchell said.

ISU Hockey Coach Al Murdoch was among the people who helped solicit donations.

“I thought the fund-raising effort was excellent,” Murdoch said. “I couldn’t have been more pleased.

“We contacted a lot of people; some were former players, parents — and it was a thrill for me to talk to them again,” he said. “And because of this, I believe they will give continued support to the university.”

According to a press release, donors making leadership gift commitments of $10,000 or more included Rich Johansen of Ames, the Ames Minor Hockey Association, and former ISU hockey players Dan Buffington of Cedar Rapids, Dennis Vaillant of Apple Valley, Minn., Mark Lovejoy of Colorado Springs, Colo. and Scott Calvert of Savage, Minn.

Murdoch said ISU needs a new ice arena because the current facility was built 20 years ago and was intended only to be a practice facility.

He said construction on the arena probably will not begin for about a year-and-a-half for various reasons, including that an architect still needs to be hired and a design decided on.

“We want to get everything right the first time so that it can be done on time,” said Murdoch.

The new arena will be built on land donated by ISU and located adjacent to the existing facility on Green Hills Park Drive, according to a press release.