Add multiple footer columns as Drupal 7 bartik?

I can't get this to work! Attempting to create 4 (Bartik) similar footer columns in the Zen theme. I have read through all of the documentation, updated the info file, inputted new php in page.tpl.php, updated the layout.css file. Nothing happens.

I'm a little confused about these patch files. Are they just a guide? Or can they be used on sites (like mine) to fix issues?

The patch file does not apply to the 7.x-3.x-dev release of zen.
My attempt was as follows:
1. I made a fresh git clone of the 7.x-3.x branch.
2. I ran

git apply --check /path/to/patch/patchfile

3. I got an error message like this:

error: patch failed: STARTERKIT/STARTERKIT.info.txt:79
error: STARTERKIT/STARTERKIT.info.txt: patch does not apply
...

a.s.o. for every file to be patched.

As I looked into the STARTERKIT.info.txt file at line 79 and compared it to the patch file content I found:
In the patch file at line 79 is

; You'll use this variable in page.tpl.php:

which should be (as in the patch file)

-regions[help]           = Help

That implies that there is a "line offset" of +5.
But I can't figure out in the moment where this comes from.

Which commit exactly did you use to create this patch file?

Has anyone been able to set up the columns going horizontally along the page? I was able to get the columns on the page but can't style the columns. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
stina

Has anyone done this with 7.x-5.x?

It's easy to add custom regions to your sub-theme. It's annoying to have too many by default and have to remove them every time you create a new sub-theme.