New Grotto director hopes to increase traffic, has innovative ideas for future

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
February 24, 2005

WEST BEND - When the new executive director for the Grotto of the Redemption worked for Citibank, she said that the company's president had often referred to the power of one. In her mind, Father Paul Dobberstein - who founded and built much of the grotto in West Bend - is a fine example of what one person can accomplish.

Rhonda Miller, a Buena Vista University in Storm Lake graduate, was recently named executive director of the Grotto of the Redemption after serving as the interim director since October.

Miller pointed out that they moved back to her husband Jeff's hometown of West Bend in May of 2000. They wanted to be closer to family and felt West Bend was a nice place to raise their own family. At the time they had a one-year-old daughter, Abby, who is now a kindergartner and they also now have a four-year-old son, Jack. Prior to moving back to Iowa they were living in Charlotte, N.C. where she served as vice president of what is now Wachovia Bank.

"There was the intention to slow down, get back to a simpler life and raise kids," she said.

The slow pace didn't last long, as she quickly became involved in assorted volunteer positions. By December of 2000, Miller was asked to serve on the grotto's board.

After the last executive director had resigned, by mid-October Miller had agreed to serve as the interim director.

"To be honest, I didn't intend to do it full-time because five years ago I committed to quit the corporate world to raise a family, but never say never," she said.

In January, she closely discerned whether she wanted to take the plunge back into full-time employment and finally determined she was ready to commit. Her son was doing well in daycare and much of her time had been taken up with volunteer activities as it was.

And while the grotto may not be quite the same as a high profile corporate job, her business savvy will not go unused. As the executive director Miller oversees the management of the restaurant, gift shop, overall grounds operation and camping area. In addition, there is the historical and geographical education dimension of the job as well as marketing and promotions.

"I am really becoming immersed in the mindset and mind frame of where Father Dobberstein and Father Greving were," said Miller, who added that she loves the fact that the grotto provides a silent sermon for people of all faiths.

She already has several plans in the works regarding the grotto.

Presently, the museum and gift shop are switching locations. The gift shop, she noted, will be in a smaller space but will better utilize the square footage. They hope to have the gift shop open by the first part of March.

"What is exciting about the museum is that we will have vignettes. You will have the rock portion, the Father Dobberstein portion," said Miller, who is an Iowa native from the northeast portion of the state. "At this time, the plan is on paper. We may start the tour in the museum to give people a basis and history. Right now when you walk through the grotto, you don't get as much history."

To highlight the historical perspective, she plans to run a 16-foot timeline along one wall in the museum. It will start with Father Paul Dobberstein's early history of his birth in Germany and progress on to when he started building the grotto. Other key players such as Father Louis Greving and Matt Szerensce, who helped build the grotto, will also be featured. Father Greving had served as the grotto director for many years.

Another exciting plan for the museum is a room for seasonal and educational displays.

While a portion of the museum will open later this spring, work may continue in other areas of the facility for several months.

In the future, there may also be some minor additions to the grotto itself such as completing the trees in the Garden of Eden.

"As I am reading the old literature, I have discovered that Father Dobberstein actually had two streams coming down (in the Mary grotto) to symbolize Jesus the man and Jesus God. It did exist," she said.

Miller is presently working with Trinity Heights in Sioux City as well as the religious museum of Logan to arrange for a possible two-day tour. She said they have already coined it "The Trinity Tour," playing off of the three locations. Along with teaming up with other religious tourist attractions, Miller is working with local entities.

She also hopes to expand upon the number of educational, geological workshops presented by the grotto not only for school students but adult groups as well. Miller plans to bring in rock experts from time to time to offer educational workshops and has sought the advice and help of Father Verne Stapenhorst, the pastor at Sacred Heart in Laurens who is very knowledgeable about rocks, especially the Iowa geode.

Miller said it appears that in the last 10 years, the number of families who make the grotto a regular outing is declining. Years ago about 100,000 visited the West Bend attraction and today there are about 40,000 to 45,000 visitors.

Increasing the number of visitors is a priority.

"I think if people would come to the grotto they would be pleasantly surprised," she said. In the last 10 years, the grotto has realized numerous improvements.

To cater to the Hispanic people of the area, the Grotto plans to have a Spanish-speaking tour guide available one Sunday each month. She hopes to get this in place by this summer.

Many of her ideas will take the help of others. That leads to another idea and future goal - mobilizing a group of volunteers.

A self-described "idea person," these are just some of the things Miller hopes to accomplish.

Other plans pertain to repairs due to weathering and so forth. Updates to the camping grounds are also in the works for this summer.

Tours of the grotto are offered May to October. Museum and gift shop hours from May through October are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from November to April are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The grotto itself is open all of the time.