Ely Winter Times 2022

Ely Winter Times Ely Winter Times

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© Chris Ellerbroek

Ely Celebrates Winter

Spaghetti dinner—yummmm! Thick sauce with your choice of meat or veggie. Served with garlic bread and salad–all you can eat. Plus homemade cookies for dessert. But the best part is that it’s February, and most of Ely has emerged from their cozy homes to enjoy some socializing. People who’ve been huddled up since deer season chat with neighbors they’ve seen recently only as parka-clad figures hustling between house and garage. Curmudgeons come in from their cabins; mushers mingle with miners

comparing dogteam and snowmobile routes; knitters and weavers wear their winter’s work, catching compliments from all. No one leaves hungry or lonely. These highly-anticipated community dinners have been part of Ely’s winter events for decades.

Gatherings with food and friends was no doubt part of the Winter Carnival in the 1950s and Trout-oRama and other winter events before that, but information about those events at Ely-Winton Historical Society is limited to photos that don’t even

The Ely Winter Times

Spaghetti dinner volunteers prepare a hearty meal in the Catholic church kitchen to benefit Ely Community Resource.

have dates. (If you have those memories, please share them with Paul at EWHS.) In the 1980s spaghetti dinners put on by Ely’s Coop (long since deceased) were a way to help XC skiers carbo load before the Wilderness Trek ski race. For many years dinners were held at the Community Center cafeteria, followed by a presentation upstairs in the auditorium. Later they moved to the school and then to the Catholic Church. Dozens of volunteers still work hard the days before the dinner, boiling huge pots of noodles and cutting up pounds of onions and garlic to simmer in the sauce.

Spaghetti is one small part of Ely’s history of winter celebrations. Glimpses of other events include sled dog teams racing down Sheridan Street, an elegant Mukluk Ball sponsored by Steger Mukluks in the Community Center, a variety of fishing contests with big prizes, snowmobiles and trailers filling the Grand Ely Lodge parking lot, a team from South America creating a sculpture from a huge block of snow, ski jumpers from all over the U.S. taking the leap at Hidden Valley, hundreds of cars parked on Shagawa Lake by Semers Park and Sandy Point (now the public access on Pioneer Road), and 60-some store fronts filled with the work of local artists. From snowmobile rallies to ski races, sled dog marathons to ice fishing contests, snowsculpting to hockey tournaments, Ely has always known how to celebrate winter, to bring locals out of the woodwork and out-of-towners into town.

The Winter Carnival was first held in February 1951 and included a huge popular fishing contest with first prize of a new car. The Carnival also offered a royalty pageant for the young and beautiful, sled races for the little kids, a

The Ely

On Shagawa Lake near Semers Park looking east. Winter Carnival in the 1950s.

© E-WHS

log-cutting contest for the lumberjacks and other tough folks, and a banquet for everyone. (Not sure if spaghetti was part of it.) By 1960, 10,000 visitors were expected, although only about 7,000 showed up because of the bitter cold. There doesn’t seem to be a record of when or why the Carnival

ended. Although Ely people were comfortable with winter storms and temperatures of 30 below, those conditions, common in mid-February, tended to dampen enthusiasm for ice fishing for those from warmer cities. A few years of that may have brought the event to an end.

Winter Carnival Queen, Celeste Holmes. The truck was 1st prize. Probably the washer was 2nd prize.

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Frigid weather didn’t seem to be an issue for out-of-towners a decade later. In spite of morning temperatures of -50 some years, January of the 1970s saw 20,000 people arrive in Ely on sled dog race weekend, creating traffic and parking issues to rival Blueberry Festival these days. Racers from Alaska to New Hampshire brought their best canine athletes to compete in the 4-, 6-, 8-, and unlimited-dog classes for a purse of up to $20,000. There were kids races, too, and some years ski-joring and weight pulling

events. The starting area was near where the Trezona Trail parking lot is today, but at the time it was a dirt road that paralleled the railroad tracks. Perhaps the most elaborate winter event in Ely’s history, the All-American Sled Dog Race was started In 1969 when a group of Elyites sought to expand Ely’s tourism to the winter season. Over the next two years, Ely became the self-proclaimed Sled Dog Capital of the World. Hundreds of dogs, dozens of mushers, and thousands of visitors filled Ely with canine-loving

© E-WHS

Log-sawing contest during the Ely Winter Carnival

enthusiasm and spectacular parkas. (Wintergreen and Steger Mukluks didn’t begin their Ely-identity winterwear businesses until the late 1980s, so this wasn’t the made-in-Ely fashion of today’s winter celebrations.) Donned in fancy furs, classic woolens, and blizzard-proof down jackets, thousands of people trekked from the starting line to the Sheridan Street finish line to watch the teams. In between they hustled into restaurants and cafes for hot chocolate and coffee, and later from bar to bar for hot toddies and hotter dancing. They rock and rolled to the BopCats at Elna’s (downhill from Canadian Waters), then danced the polka to the Barich Brothers at Dee’s Bar, and finished up the night with pizza at Made-Rite (about where Dominos is now). TV personalities broadcast live from the streets of Ely so Twin Cities folks who couldn’t come north for the weekend would know what they were missing. There doesn’t seem to be a clear record of how the All-American races ended, but the last record is of one held in 1992.

Since 2008 the Wolf Track Classic has again brought sled dog racing to Ely. Not quite as big as the All-

© E-WHS

American of the 80s, the race nevertheless attracts a good crowd on the last weekend in February. Spectators can visit with the mostly friendly, sometimes shy, dogs (and mushers) at the Vet Check the day before the race and eat spaghetti that evening.

By the early 1980s the Wilderness Trek XC Ski race was bringing people to town in early February. The Pengal family took the lead in configuring the race to resemble the Birkie with 50k and 30k options. The Ely Igloo

All-American canine and human racers shortly after the start

Snowmobile Club provided trail preparation and hauled supplies to aid stations along the route. At its peak, about 600 skiers and their families poured into town on Friday afternoon, ate spaghetti Friday night, then gathered Saturday morning for the race start. Originally, races started in Ely with the long-distance race ending in Tower and the shorter race at Bearhead State Park. But in the mid80s, the Ely-based race director proposed a change to have the finish line in Ely to encourage racers to spend the weekend. Buses shuttled racers to Tower and Bearhead for the start, and the race ended at the school where non-racing friends and family awaited the finishers while enjoying a craft fair and hot beverages and snacks in a warm building. An awards ceremony followed and everyone headed off to a restaurant for dinner

afterwards. This change in the finish line was the beginning of what has snowballed into today’s Ely Winter Festival, originally named the Voyageur Winter Festival. Problems with the ski race route developed with diminished access and increased red tape regarding state trail and road use. A route that included crossing lakes was tried, but the always uncertain ice conditions made that unworkable some years. (Slush does not make for an enjoyable racing experience.) Routes were developed looping around Hidden Valley trails, which provided the benefit of needing fewer volunteers for aid stations and trail preparation. Eventually conflicts with other sanctioned races in the Midwest led to the demise of the Wilderness Trek, but by then the Winter Festival was self-sustaining without the race. And so it continues

© Ely Echo

Wilderness Trek start at Hidden Valley

today a mid-winter celebration worthy of the trek to Ely from afar, even other continents! Weather conditions have ranged from the week that set the record for Minnesota’s coldest temperature (in Embarrass at 60 below, although it was even colder in the swamps) to a mid-winter thaw that threatened to collapse the snow sculptures just hours after they were created. Too much snow, not enough snow, but the City of Ely snow removal crew always scrapes enough together to fill the blocks for the sculptors. The 10-day event has included plenty of

activities over the decades including winter sports tournaments such as broomball and kube, concerts, history reenactments, and a beard festival. This year’s offerings include a 4-day film festival that promises to be outstanding and the longer-lasting Ely Art Walk that will have local artists’ work in store windows for the whole month of February.

And of course there will be a spaghetti dinner! This year it’s again at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church and is a fundraiser for Ely Community Resource. See you there!

As much as we celebrate winter in Ely, we also look forward to its end. When will the ice go out?

© E-WHS

Trek to Kekekabic

A sharp cry from the lakeshore jolted me awake, my body instinctively alert. It took but a moment to relax into a deep sigh as my eyes adjusted to darkness, recognizing my surroundings. Squinting down to the shoreline, I saw a young pup, Hugo, becoming restless on his tie-out a few feet onto the ice below me. The rest of his team remained curled snuggly into warm crescents, mostly undisturbed

by his risings. Hugo, however, continued to whine anxiously at full attention.

I came out of my sleepy daze and began to recognize my situation. Settled in a shallow footprint within the snow, I was tucked beneath two layers of sleeping bags and wrapped burritostyle in a tarp, “cowboy camping” in the January chill on Knife Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

Story and photos by Samantha Lamers

Shuffling nervously in my sleeping bag, I strained to hear if Hugo could be alerting the rest of us to something. However, as I watched the most senior dogs continue to doze undisturbed, I realized that there were probably no predators nearby. This young pup was just anxious, and possibly a little confused on one of his first overnight trips into the Boundary Waters.

A few moments passed before Joe, the musher who had probably been

on the ice, called out to Hugo in an unsuccessful attempt to quiet him. I chuckled as my heart and mind began to slow again, sinking snuggly back into my sleeping bags and allowing myself to drift back to sleep. I was going to need the rest.

I was excited about this trip. A few weeks prior I had been asked to join two Forest Service mushers and another wilderness ranger to assist with a dogsled hauling mission into Kekekabic lake. Years ago, a historic wilderness cabin had its roof reshingled, and it was time to backhaul the debris out of the wilderness.

The Forest Service mushing program goes quietly unnoticed by the public. It is a program unique to the Superior National Forest and federal parks and forests in Alaska. Each winter, one or two teams of dogs and their mushers are responsible for hauling thousands of pounds of materials in and out of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. These materials include, but are not limited to, lumber for boardwalks and erosion control, latrines, fire grates, and

campers. There are no motors allowed within wilderness boundaries in winter. No cars, wagons, bicycles, or wheels of any sort. As you may have caught on by now, dogsledding fits none of those categories!

The next morning came quickly. Mushers Joe Friedmeyer and Tom Roach were busy down on the ice preparing their dogs’ meals. Dogs always eat first. Brian Bittner, a seasoned wilderness ranger, and I began to gather our gear and strap on our skis in preparation for breaking the last leg of the trail to Kekekabic Lake. Before we took off, I headed down to the lake to scratch some ears. These Alaskan huskies had just finished their breakfast, which could be referred to as “slop” or a stew of sorts. This usually contains warm water, a variety of meat chunks, and some dry kibble. Immediately I was greeted by happy tails and wet, fish-breath kisses. It could be the coldest, most miserable morning on record and these dogs would still find a way to warm our souls—and we were going to need that warmth.

The day prior, Brian and I had skied roughly 16 miles from the Moose Lake landing to the winter trail between Knife and Bonnie Lakes. By January, there is a nicely packed trail from recreational mushers coming up to Knife for fishing trips. Skiing conditions were fair that morning with limited

portions of the trail being blown over by snow. For the last five to six miles of our trip, we would be breaking fresh trails for the teams to follow up to Kekekabic Cabin.

The weather forecast did not seem favorable for the remainder of our adventure. High winds and temperatures dropping well below -20

Hugo at the Kek cabin

would make traveling this unbroken stretch of snow and ice much more difficult, especially hauling a ton’s worth of shingles.

I was buzzing to go. Brian and I found our rhythm and we trekked our way across Bonnie, Spoon, and Pickle Lakes. I was in the lead at the end of the last portage when Kekekabic finally opened before me. This was my first visit to this border country lake, and let me tell you, the views are spectacular. Large, rolling, snowcovered ridges lined the shore of this long narrow lake. Sheets of snow were being driven across the frozen surface as the wind funneled strongly from the west, gusting against our backs as we continued across the trackless snow.

At one point I looked over my shoulder to notice the dog teams quickly closing the gap behind us. We had just about made it to the shoreline by the cabin when the dogs passed us, quickly disappearing off the lake and into the trees. It wasn’t long before I could hear their excited yelps and barking, a sure sign that they had stopped but would definitely prefer to keep going. I, however, was looking forward to a relaxing evening of chores and planning for the next day.

As we dug out the old shingles and loaded them into the dogsled, Joe and Tom quickly realized that this was going to be a muti-load trip. There was no way we could haul a ton of shingles

plus our gear all the way back to Moose Lake in one trip. The amount of weight in the sled was the concern, especially on one of the portages back to Knife Lake where we would have to set up rigging to belay both dogsleds down a steep rock face. The dogs were able to navigate uphill on this section with some maneuvering, but the way back down was treacherous.

That night, after the dogs had been fed, firewood cut, and water collected, we hunkered down next to the warmth of the wood stove while the mushers made a plan. I tuned my radio to the weather report—winter storm warning in effect for the next 48 hours.

Temperatures were expected to drop below -40 with winds gusting 30-40 mph. Everyone in the group had experience working in these conditions, however the forecasted weather spelled trouble for more than one reason.

Traveling in these conditions is dangerous for the unprepared. Safety of the dog teams and humans needed to be the top priority. Tom and Joe decided that the shingles would not be hauled all the way back to the landing yet; they would be staged at Knife Lake for pick up later in the mushing season. Tomorrow both teams would mush the shingles out to Knife and return to the cabin, and the following day we would make the 22-mile trek out of the wilderness.

With that, we all settled in for the night, feeling thankful for the welcoming warmth the wood stove would be providing us during the subzero temperatures to come.

By the following afternoon, I found myself rope in hand, helping to ease a thousand-pound dogsled down the sloping side of a rock face. The teams approached this section downhill, on a precarious 90-degree corner. The mushers had to do everything in their power to make sure they could get their team to stop, taking into account the extra weight of the load. It was

critical to ensure the sled could be hooked to the belay system before making the corner.

Before belaying the sled, the dogs were led down the steep section one at a time and safely tied out on the lake below, waiting for their dogless sled to be delivered to the bottom of the rocky slope. This was slow, careful work. The end of this portage was unforgiving. Tensions were high, but after almost two hours all dogs, humans, and sleds had made it down the rock face unscathed. Talk about an adrenaline rush!

As the mushers continued on the trail broken from the day before, we skiers were able to take a muchneeded break. The winds had picked up across the lakes, so we took a sheltered lunch in the trees along the portage. I could feel the effects of cumulative fatigue starting to linger in my body. Working in the winter, especially in these conditions, is different from any other work I've experienced—my body working overtime trying to keep warm and

function in a physically challenging environment. I was constantly snacking and drinking the warm water from my thermos to keep my energy levels high.

I knew I couldn’t stay stagnant too long before I would begin to chill. Brian and I headed back to the cabin to collect some extra firewood before the dog teams returned, then we hunkered down for our final night.

Warmth. My fingers found warmth buried beneath the thick coat of Ely,

one of Tom's huskies. It was a cold morning. The coldest of the days so far—the kind of cold that burns your nose and makes your eyelashes freeze together. Yet this team of heavily coated sled dogs, who had just spent the night outside, were as perky as ever, ready to get the day started.

The trails across Kekekabic were only partially blown in as my skis swished slowly over the surface of the snow, straight into the wind. I quickly realized a mistake. The layers I had

worn the previous days were not enough to protect me from the gales we were experiencing today. My legs and toes became painfully chilled a half an hour into my ski. I had stashed extra layers in my gear bag in the dogsled behind me and was thankful to grab them before continuing to Knife Lake.

The first half of the journey was slow but smooth. We were able to locate our trail under blown-over drifts and find some traction for the sleds. At this point, Tom and Joe invited Brian and me to ride in the dogsleds, since the teams were making steady progress along the trail. I threw on the last of my layers and tucked myself inside the sled bag, which offered a little protection from the wind.

As the day wore on, the wind strengthened, the temperature dropped, and we moved slower and slower. The dogs began to lose the trail under the freshly blown snow and tried to veer off the path to run along the shoreline. I repeatedly jumped off the sled to help keep them on course and to see if I could find the trail myself, to no avail.

Fatigue hung over the lot of us during the final stretch on Moose Lake. The dogs' eyes and faces were covered

in ice, and the beards on the faces of their human counterparts were just as frosty. The wind was doing its best to rip the hood of my ruffed jacket off my head. I could feel its force ripping through every seam and fold of my anorak and layered trousers.

We were experiencing winter in her fullest, brutal force. Humbled by the resiliency and heart of the dogs, I watched them power through some of the toughest conditions these mushers had ever experienced.

There came a point where it no longer made sense for me to ride on the sled. The dogs continued to

struggle to find the trail and were pulling slower by the minute. Instead, I stayed up front with the lead dogs, trudging slowly through the snow, doing my best to encourage them to head southwest towards the landing.

Finally, I could see it! Moose Lake landing. The sun was starting its descent towards the horizon as I looked back to watch the dogs make their final push off the lake, up the hill, and to their dog boxes.

Three days, 50 miles of skiing, 45 mile-anhour winds, and temperatures dropping below -40. As exhausted as I was for the days following this trip, I couldn’t help but feel exhilarated. I believe we all had just experienced the wilderness in her wildest form. It was truly unforgettable.

The author

Athletic Excellence

As small towns in rural Minnesota go, Ely is exceptional in many ways. One of those is the outstanding athletic teams and individuals that have competed for Ely Memorial High School. Junior and senior high school students have plenty of choices for getting involved in athletics each season, and there are programs for the younger kids to develop skills and interest. As you can see, there are also some outstanding photographers who document the sports.

For winter sports, Ely students can participate in XC Skiing, Basketball, or Hockey. Fall has Football, Girls Volleyball, Girls Swimming, and XC

running. Spring brings Golf, Baseball, and Track. Baseball continues into summer with the VFW and American Legion tournaments.

Little League is popular for getting the younger kids started in team sports. Dozens of volunteer coaches and assistants, many of them parents of the players, help out. Blue Line Hockey is a winter sport for the younger set that feeds skilled players to the high school team. Ages three and up can be involved, and parents are always welcome to volunteer as coaches, assistants, or staffing the concession stand. The Minnesota Youth Ski League lessons get kids

© EricShermanImages.com

Ely athletes are outstanding, and so are their fans!

started in an individual life sport and also prepare them to join the XC ski team once they are in middle school. With so many people in Ely who enjoy XC skiing, there are excellent leaders for each age group. Together they create an atmosphere that is especially fun, with an Olympic-style torch and parade to start the season and a wrapup session that celebrates each child’s accomplishments. The Ely Hoop Club runs a Saturday morning basketball

program for pre-school through 6th grade students from Ely and Northeast Range schools. JV and varsity coaches, assisted by varsity players and other volunteers, help players hone their skills through drills and scrimmages. During half-time at some of the home varsity games, the kids get to play in front of the crowd. At the end of the season there is a contest with prizes and free lunch for players, parents, and spectators. There’s

© Ken Hupila

Steve Saari was one of many of Ely’s accomplished hockey players who now join the alumni game

dance, too, and hunting and fishing. So much to do! It can be a hard choice.

Ely’s athletic programs have led to some outstanding teams, individual athletes, and coaches who have excelled at the state and even national level. Coach Klun led the swimmers who brought home trophies from state meets in the 1940s and 50s, which included breaking some state records. Even decades later, no one referred to him as Mr. Klun, only as Coach Klun.

Ely’s football team has gone to state seven times since 1980, coming in second in Class B in 1987. One year, so many people made the trek to the cities to watch the state tournament that someone put up a sign on the corner of Sheridan and Central that said “Last one out of town, turn off the lights.” Boys Basketball was runner up at state in 1945, and also went in 1929 and 2001. Hockey and baseball have had their moments of glory too,

© EricShermanImages.com

Swimmer Robert Gawboy won state records for Ely in the 50s, then set a world record when he was at Yale.

This year Lily Tedrick set 6 team records.

sending athletes up the ladder to D1 colleges and professional sports.

Paula Anderson won XC Ski Coach of the Year for the whole state of Minnesota not just once but twice. She announced her retirement at the end of the season last year, and subsequently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Minnesota Nordic Ski League. Both Ely’s boys and girls ski teams have had outstanding team and individual performances competing against much bigger schools. In 2010 the boys took first place and the girls third place at state. Many of the skiers have gone on to ski for college teams and at the Jr. Olympics. This tradition started long ago with ski jumpers when Ely once hosted a Jr. Olympics trial. You can see the trophies and ribbons won by Ely’s outstanding high school athletes in the school halls near the gym. Why not take in some of the

games this winter? It’s inexpensive entertainment and at least as much fun to get out of the house and cheer on the home team as to groan and second guess your favorite pro teams on TV. The local athletes, coaches, cheerleaders, and dance team will be far more appreciative of your support than the Vikings or Lynx. You can pick up the high school sports calendar at the District Office. LATE BREAKING NEWS both the girls volley ball team and girls XC running are off to state as this goes to press!!

© EricShermanImages.com

The youngest MYSL skiers show big improvements by the end of the season.

© EricShermanImages.com

© Ken Hupila

© Ken Hupila

Kaytie Spengler at State

Erin Bianco at State

If the kids in your life aren’t excited about athletics at the school, there are other options to get them involved in something active. Dance and acrobatics classes are offered at Reflections Dance Company and Studio North. Adventure Outdoor School offers outdoor recreation opportunities in all seasons. Accompanied by an adult, kids might

enjoy Ely Field Naturalist activities and exploring the EFN Resource Center. Hunting and fishing are available just out the door in Ely. If the adult in charge isn’t experienced, it’s likely a neighbor or friend would be glad to introduce a youngster to such wilderness skills.

In Ely, there’s no reason for kids to be bored or become couch potatoes!

© Matti Hupila

© EricShermanImages.com

A close call at Little League

© EricShermanImages.com

Winter Neighbors

By Becca Brin Manlove

I moved from the woods north of Ely into the town of Babbitt in November of 2018. I’d sold the thirteen acres and log home my late husband, Mike, and I had built, where we raised our kids, and welcomed so many

friends and family. I had called the land Rendre, meaning “to return home” and for thirty-four years it had been home. In my new place, sadness wafted from the cushions on my couch, lurked in the books on my shelves, tangled with the blankets on my bed.

I sold Rendre for two reasons. In the spring, I’d tumbled through a trapdoor into the crawlspace, dislocating my shoulder on the way down. Crouched in pain, waiting for First Responders, I had to admit caring for my house and land was too much for one person— at least too much for me. Also, my neighbors were too far away to hear my cries for help. If my phone hadn’t tumbled into the crawlspace with me, I’d have been down there a long time.

The second reason for selling was more compelling, exciting, joyful. My daughter was expecting my first grandchild. She and her husband wanted me to retire in the spring and provide daycare for them when her maternity leave ran out. Their home was forty minutes’ drive from Rendre and only six minutes from Babbitt.

Trying to push away the sadness, I listed positives for this new house. The wood floors gleamed gold and peach. The inspector assured me the previous owner had done a great job upgrading and insulating this little house. My favorite room was an oddly-shaped space, part of an addition on the back that I claimed as a library. And in the backyard, four clumps of cedars with wending boles and plump crowns provided a screen from the backdoor neighbors. Trouble was, I couldn’t see those cedars from inside unless I was standing on a stepstool looking out windows that were higher than I am tall.

And it wasn’t Rendre. There we lived in the middle of our thirteen acres. Every window framed a seasonal view of trees. I could step out onto the deck and hear birdsong, wolves howling, or wind rolling like waves through the trees. Mantis could wander off leash.

In the new house, a streetlight rather than the moon cast light into the house all night. Standing in my back yard, I could hear conversations between neighbors in theirs. Mantis was always on leash. She moved to the end of her leash and looked away as I collected her poop in little bags and carried it home. I felt exposed, as if stepping into a smalltown bar and everyone turns to assess the newcomer. Is she an intruder or a potential friend? The front window looked out into the picture windows of other houses. My new neighbors were uncomfortably close and still strangers.

November is a crappy month for meeting neighbors. Walking my old dog, Mantis, around the neighborhood helped. We met a backdoor neighbor as he deep fried his Thanksgiving turkey in his driveway. A woman across the street stepped out every morning to exercise at the Community Center just when I was out walking Mantis before I took off for work in Ely. As snow fell, I met one man where our sidewalks converge. My yard has narrow strips of ground between my house and garage, between driveway and house, between the neighbors’ driveway and mine. Those neighbors and I gingerly piled snow between us. That first winter, snow just kept falling. Where to put it all?

In late January, my four siblings came in rotating visits to see our mom. She was in hospice at Carefree in Ely. In the midst of their visits, my daughter went into labor. In my excitement to get to Duluth to support Celin, I nearly took the door off my car as I backed

out of the garage. My sister Sharon offered to drive me. We churned through heavy fresh snow as we fishtailed our way out of the driveway. Celin’s labor lasted four days. She was turned away from the delivery floor four times that weekend. Later, we learned that the unit was full. They delivered as many babies in that weekend as they normally do in a month. Maybe a record-setting polar vortex had something to do with so many newborns popping into the world.

Ailish’s arrival is a joyful story in itself, but one for a different essay. The night of her birth day I stayed in a motel with two of my sisters. The next morning one sister was able to fly out, but snowstorms in the Midwest caused flight cancellations. My sister Yvonne was stuck for another day. We were in a coffee shop rearranging our plans when my phone rang. It was a nurse at Carefree telling me Mom was close to death. Yvonne and I immediately prepared to dash back to Ely. The phone rang again. It was Celin. She’d been diagnosed with HELPP Syndrome (a severe form of preeclampsia) and would be receiving IV magnesium until the following day. She was hoping I’d come hang out with them in the hospital, but when she heard about her grandma, she urged me to go back to Ely.

Yvonne went directly to Ely where she kept vigil with Mom until that evening when she had to drive back to Duluth for her flight out. I ran by my house to change clothes and gather mail. I parked on the street in front of my home, exhausted, elated about Ailish’s arrival, worried about Celin, and deeply sad about my mom. Dreading two hours of hard shoveling, I looked with bleary eyes to where I expected a berm of snow from the plows. Instead, the entry to the driveway was clear, the snowbank cut back neatly by a snowblower. I

The author and her new granddaughter

stumbled to where I could see the whole driveway and stared in amazement. The entire driveway was clear. At the backdoor, I found the steps shoveled and swept.

I cried then. Gratitude burbled through me. I opened the door carefully, hoping to find a note so I would know who to thank. No note. My next-door neighbor came out. She said she’d thought about clearing it for me, but someone else beat her to it. She didn’t know who, but listed a couple of suspects.

When I joined my sister at Mom’s bedside, kindness abounded there too. Hospice workers were stretched pretty thin just then. Maybe the vortex pulled people out of life as much as it pulled babies into it. The Carefree staff, however, treated Mom as good neighbors would, looking out for ways to make her comfortable. They looked after me, too.

My sister drove back to Duluth that night. The temperatures were still dangerously subzero. I thrust an old sleeping bag and some other winter survival gear at her. She was driving a rental, staying in a motel near the airport. I told her to give the stuff to the motel owners to re-use or donate as they saw fit.

The next day I went back to Carefree to sit with Mom. Like a guardian angel, my friend Jennifer appeared outside Carefree without warning. I was sitting with Mom but wishing I could leave to welcome my daughter, her husband, and our newborn Ailish as they came home from the hospital. Jennifer took note of Mom’s needs and returned with Joel, her husband, to sit with Mom while I ran back to Babbitt with a meal for the new parents. Jennifer and Joel were with Mom when she died. And so it was from a friend that I first heard Mom was gone. I was able to gather my tiny granddaughter to my heart while my daughter held me to hers before I went to say goodbye to my mother’s body. I believe Mom’s spirit was wrapped up with the three of us.

Mom passed away the day after I found my driveway cleared. She was released from ten years of Alzheimer’s indignities and found my dad waiting for her, I’m sure.

No one in my Babbitt neighborhood knew why I’d been gone that weekend. I had only a nodding acquaintance with

© AckermanGruber.com

Snow disturbed by plows hardens to cement-like consistency with a few hours. Tough shoveling!!

just a few of them, but suddenly every neighbor took on an aura of kindness. What had seemed a winter-bleak street, strangers peering at me from behind their curtains as I followed my old dog around the block, became instead a lane of homes, golden with lamplight, harboring kind souls. One neighbor lifted spirits with generous Christmas lights. Another blew up a waving Santa each dusk. At Lossings, the neighborhood hardware (and so much more) store, I bought a snowblower from Paula and Dave. Dave even delivered it to my house and gave me a demonstration on running it. With so much kindness coming my way, I looked for ways to pay it forward and noticed others doing the same. People righted each other’s rolling garbage cans, helped clear plow berms, kept an eye on each other’s homes, and on each other.

Since that first hard winter I’ve had other surprise driveway clearings from other neighbors. Although I’m pretty sure of who it was that cleared it that first time, he has never admitted it. I found kindness in abundance in other places, too. The librarians in our little public library welcomed me to town, pickleball players patiently taught me the game, city workers cleared not just streets but also trails through town so

that my dog and I could meander as far as her old legs would carry her. People maintained ski trails, churches, and the Community Center. City employees kept a room full of exercise equipment available and community education staff opened the school pool for lap swimming, each for small fees. Pickleball, the pool, and the exercise room closed during COVID. Our librarians offered curbside service. Neighbors kept their distance but still

Mantis and the new snowblower

used their snowblowers, shovels, plows, and groomers to keep everyone safe but connected; to give everyone freedom to walk or ski or snowmobile.

Woodland Builders, also good neighbors, installed a big window and a door in my favorite room. Now sunrise breaks through the cedars and throws rainbows around the books and furniture. Sometimes I spy deer bedded under the branches. I saw a coyote pass through once. Our brave winter birds, chickadees and finches, nuthatches and ravens perch on wires, branches, and snowbanks. Sometimes

sadness still wafts from a book or a memento, but the incense of love and kindness gently clears it away. Glimpses I catch of my neighbors are cast in colors of caring and warmth. Winter neighbors—beneath bulky layers beat big generous hearts.

The Ely Echo has collected stories and made Good Citizen awards to helpful neighbors. About 90% of them involved snow removal. If you’re fit and have a shovel, your less fit neighbors will no doubt appreciate a bit of help.

This T-Rex has been seen around town digging out driveways and sidewalks after a snowfall - a good neighbor!

In Case You Haven’t Heard...

There is always lots going on in Ely, so if you want the latest happenings read the local newspapers and Shopper, check out posters in business windows, or visit such Facebook pages as What’s Up Ely and The Real What’s Up Ely.

If you rent out your cabin, town apartment, or a vacation property, check page 46 for help on making certain you are following the legal requirements, but also to ensure your guests have a great time and will want to come back to Ely. It’s easy!

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War zone winters create hardships for people who already may be in dire straits, having lost homes and loved ones to the conflict and lacking basic utilities like heat and electricity. Fleece fabric and beaver hide scraps are by-

products of Wintergreen Northern Wear’s manufacturing and Ely Folk School’s hat-making classes, and no one at these enterprises likes to be wasteful. Two seemingly unrelated problems were creatively combined by a few Ely folks who have developed the Ukrainian Mitten Project.

Wintergreen Northern Wear donated big bags of fleece scraps, too small for making parkas but just right for little mittens. The beaver fur will be used to create thumbless mitts for the smallest hands and also for trim. Ozzie Reif, a whiz with a sewing machine, provided patterns and instruction. Ely Folk School instructors added more sewing expertise, and the school was soon the center for the project, providing space, organizing materials, reaching out to volunteers, managing

Patterns and fabric are spread out at Ely Folk School as volunteers work on the Mittens for Ukraine project.

donations and finances, and teaching a few people to sew along the way.

Many people are now involved. A group of 11 women held a sewing afternoon at the Presbyterian Church and finished 50 pairs of mittens. They had blue fleece and added yellow ribbon to reflect the colors of the Ukrainian flag. Some Heart of the Woods quilters gathered at the Senior Center and sewed more mittens, plus donated fabric. A quilter from Duluth learned of the project and is contacting others in her area who may be willing to help. Quilters are accustomed to sewing for charity, creating quilts for many different groups from cancer patients to foster kids to veterans.

Of course, it’s one thing to feel compassion for those in need and quite another thing to find an effective means of providing practical help. Making mittens is relatively easy

compared to delivering large packages to a war-torn country and ensuring the contents reach children with cold hands. Ely health care practitioner and friend of the project organizers, Tatiana Riobokin, has relatives in Ukraine who have assured the project that they can handle that end of the transaction. Amazing! Tatiana has created little cards to put in the mittens that express in Ukrainian well wishes of all involved.

The project has a goal of providing 500 pairs of mittens this winter. Close to 300 were ready to ship as of this writing. Anyone interested in helping can simply show up at the Ely Folk School Thursday mornings at 10 am or call Program Director Lucy at 2350138 to pick up materials to take home and sew.

The sewing is fairly simple, but for those who don’t care to wield a needle there are other jobs—packaging,

shipping, finding and organizing donations. Contributions of fleece fabric and money for shipping are also welcome. (Wintergreen doesn’t generate enough scraps for so many mittens.) There is also a concern to ensure no Ely children go without mittens this winter, so a volunteer could identify and fill that need. Hopefully peace will come to Ukraine before next winter, but there will always be fabric scraps and cold toes and fingers, so who knows where this project will end up?!

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Ely Community Health Center (ECHC) has a new home. The former Scott Anderson dental office now provides more spacious rooms for the free clinic and additional appointment time for the dental services ECHC offers. They were able to purchase this convenient downtown location through

a grant from the MN Dep’t of Health. For exercise classes, blood pressure checks, and other ECHC programs, see the calendar on page 64.

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It has been a very long time since Ely has seen a film festival in town, and those of the past were mostly one-time events. An exciting new venture is the End of the Road Film Festival, which aspires to put Ely on the movie connoisseurs’ map, a northern Minnesota version of such festivals as Sundance and Banff. For this year, the festival will coincide with the last weekend of Winter Festival, Thursday through Sunday, Feb. 9-12. Ely Historic State Theater is hosting the project with a citizen’s committee choosing which films to show. The effort is being led by Jacob White, a filmmaker and owner of White Pine Productions.

The new home for ECHC

One of the rooms at the new Free Clinic

Inspired by the quality and creativity of Minnesota filmmakers and storytellers that he was seeing at film festivals in the region, Jacob imagined adding such an event to Ely’s slower winter season. Focused on providing an alternative to the Hollywood stories that now inundate our movie choices, Jacob seeks to bring stories more representative of small town, rural, northern lives like those we live here at the End of the Road.

Not satisfied with simply letting a movie casually wash over the movie-goers as entertainment, the festival will feature Q&A sessions following films at which the filmmaker is present. Others involved in the films, like actors and, for documentaries, subjects or experts on the topic, may also come to Ely to be part of these conversations. Participants can learn about filmmakers’ intentions in creating the film, the production process, and the plethora of choices they have to make around such tiny details as the paint color of the set, what props to have in the background, and when the music volume changes. Audience members can also explore the film’s topic or themes. Necessarily brief so that the audience for the next film can enter the theater, these sessions can continue around drinks in the theater lobby or at a restaurant

down the street. Filmmakers can benefit from these interactions too, discovering how movie-goers respond to production choices, what part of the story had the greatest impact, and generating ideas for future films.

Each day of the festival will feature groups of films organized around such genres as Documentary, Family, and Comedy. Local and regional films made by producers who live in Minnesota will be a large part of the mix, but there will be others as well. Short films will be shown in blocks of 60-90 minutes with each block including related topics or styles of filmmaking.

By last August, applications from filmmakers were coming in at an impressive rate for a first-time festival, but final choices won’t be made until mid-December. Titles and information about each film plus the schedule will be at ElyStateTheater.org/ERFF.

The Film Festival still needs more volunteers to help this year and also plan ahead for the future. They are looking for people to host the guest filmmakers in their homes and be their guide to all things Ely. It’s a great opportunity to be involved and get discounted admission. To offer your help contact event organizers at festival@elystatetheater.org.

For Ely Newcomers, Their

Neighbors, and Others Who Would Like to Meet Them

Story and photos by Lacey Squier

Being “new” to any place can be hard. And in rural northeastern Minnesota there are the physical challenges associated with the seasonal highs and lows of life on the Range the mosquitos in the summer, the cold temperatures and gobs and gobs of snow in the winter, the wood to split and pile, and so on. Sometimes it seems like the emotional seasons can be just as extreme the excitement and elation of making the choice, the energy of taking the leap, and the contrast of the complexities of settling in and periods of loneliness associated with the change.

Don’t you worry, it’s worth it. The charm of the communities here and the beauty of the region are truly spectacular. And on the rare occasion when they aren’t quite enough, the sisu in the water will carry you through any tough patch. Before you know it, you’ll be chatting with an acquaintance while waiting in line at the grocery store and laughing over coffee or tea with a new friend at one of the new-to-you Ely coffee shops. Before you know it, you’ll be trying to figure out how to squeeze both art exhibit openings, the piano concert, and that class you really want to take into your calendar.

Meetings like this Ely Field Naturalists gathering are good places to get to know others with like interests.

For established Ely residents who would like to meet newcomers and give them a Minnesota-nice welcome, there are several opportunities. A regular topic at Tuesday Group is called Meet New Elyites. About six individuals, couples, or families tell about themselves: what they do for fun, what they do or did for work, where they’ve lived before, and why they moved to the Ely-area. In the last 18 months more than 50 new “neighbors” have been introduced in seven such programs.

Boundary Waters Connect (BWC) offers a series of Hello Neighbor programs and services designed to build bridges to the established communities in the Ely area. New residents can sign up to receive a gift bag featuring messages of welcome,

WINTER SURVIVAL REPAIR

At Joe’s Marine & Small Engine Repair Chainsaws, snowblowers, generators. Mechanics are on duty and parts are in stock. 25 W. Chapman St., 219-365-6264

informational resources about local programs and services, coupons from local businesses, and free goodies. Businesses are welcome to donate items to include.

New resident socials are held at least twice a year, spring and fall. Newcomers, old-timers, and everyone in between are welcome to gather for free beverages, snacks, and conversation in Society Hall. Watch for announcements or check the events page at BoundaryWatersConnect.com.

New residents can arrange to meet with one or two established Elyites who have similar interests for a cup of coffee, glass of wine, or a walk. Visit BWC in person or virtually to set up a time and place.

Now meet a few of the people who have moved to Ely recently: Although Lissa has seen much of the world, having recently traveled to Maui, Roatan, and the desert southwest, she chose Ely for her home when she retired. “What I have found is, besides all of the wonderful things that you can do here that I love the canoeing, hiking, biking, swimming, and all that it’s just a wonderful and unique community of people.”

Alison has worked in several different fields because she loves to be constantly learning. “I hope until the day I die I’m doing something exciting to expand my mind.”

Her husband, Toby, is a retired global technology analyst. “It occurred to me that this is a magical place. The kind of place where I would find answers. We live to learn and we think this is the kind of community where that can happen.”

Leah is an artist. She and her partner purchased property on Fall Lake where they are helping their friend, SunShine Gardner, establish the Ely Adventure School. For Leah, “Connecting with nature is connecting with yourself, and is connecting with community. And it’s the same thing with painting.”

[their son’s class] whose name I don’t know, and I’ve probably met their parents, too. That is so powerful and so cool.”

Ian was born and raised in Ely, then left for college and career exploration. He returned, bought a house he and his husband are renovating, and became the Managing Director of Northern Lakes Arts Association, where he has infused that organization with fresh energy. “I’m so glad to be back. This was the right move.”

There are plenty more people to meet, so reach out to your new neighbors and help to keep Ely the friendly place it has long been for newcomers and old-timers alike.

Edie, the new owner of Motel Ely, is one example of the entrepreneurial spirit so prevalent among the people here. “I’ve written a business plan for owning a motel probably 7 times in the last 20 years.” When she went on a five-day trip into the BWCA with her husband and their 3-year-old son, Edie quickly realized, “This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, the best!” To which she added with a smile, “And then my poor husband never got to go on vacation anywhere else... We never knew our neighbors as well as we do here.” She and her husband, Mike, celebrate the small class sizes in Ely Public Schools. “There isn’t a kid in Lissa and Ian had the lead roles in Quiltmaker’s Gift.

Golden Marsh

by Abbie Bahnemann Art & Soul Gallery

ORGANIZATIONS

Winter Gear Rental

Taking up a new winter sport can drain your discretionary funds, a risk if you’re not certain you’ll find the new activity to your liking. Renting can be a good solution to that, and also makes travel easier if you happen to be crowding a family into a small car or taking an airline flight. You might also need to supply guests with equipment so they can join you on an outing. Ely (and Babbitt) has rentals for just about any gear you could need for an hourlong trek or a week of camping. There is nothing like a snowmobile to get you into the heart of the winter forest. When you rent an easy-to-useeven-for-beginners model at Lossing’s in Babbitt you jump on a trail system right out the door without the hassle of a trailer. Go solo or bring your buddies along well-groomed trails that can take you to the door of your favorite Ely lunch spot, the Knotted Pine in Isabella for a remote cabin overnight, the North Shore to visit Lake Superior, or any number of lakes for ice fishing. Helmets are included.

Speaking of ice fishing, you can rent a fish house from Arrowhead Outdoors. No need to freeze your patooti off just to catch fish. They have it set up on Fall Lake for walleye and perch then on Burntside for trout, with a plowed ice road to the door.

© Lossings

If you prefer a quieter mode of travel, you can find snowshoes and XC skis with poles and boots for the whole family at Piragis Northwoods Company. They also have Hok skis, the latest way to enjoy winter travel. Hok skis glide like skis, but with a layer of climbing skins on the bottoms, they go uphill and through unbroken snow like snowshoes. The bindings fit most winter boots. Definitely worth trying!

You might want to rent a beautiful classic wood toboggan to haul your gear for fishing or camping, or to take the kids to Hidden Valley for an oldfashioned sledding day. The friendly folks at Northern Toboggan Co. can set you up (next door to Wintergreen) and give you useful tips for any use.

Have you been biking since you were a kid, but never gave winter cycling a try? At Ely Bike and Kicksled you can rent a fat tire bike with helmet and lock for an hour, a half-day, or a full 24 hours. With the Trezona Trail just a block away, it’s simple to give it

a try. Kicksleds are also for rent and great for kids and even toddlers. For less than the cost of lunch you can take a few of them for an hour or one to share for the whole day. Discounts are available for weekly rentals.

If you’ve been loving winter activities for a while, but want to take it to the next level, a camping trip may be just the thing. At Piragis’ you can rent all you need to travel during the day and stay comfortable at night. Tents are available in two sizes—1-3 person or 3-5 person models. There’s a lightweight woodstove and chimney for the tent; a sleep system for sub-zero nights with bag, pads, liner, and pillow; and a starter camping package that includes a compact shovel, pack saw, water pot, and fire-starter kit. Pack these, your food, personal gear, and maybe tackle for ice fishing (they rent an auger) onto the pulk sled and harness they provide, and you’re off on a cold-weather adventure that is sure to impress your snowbird friends. The experienced outfitters there can give you plenty of tips to make even the most frigid nights cozy and tough trail conditions manageable.

© Chris Ellerbroek

© Ely-Winton Historical Society

Money Memories

Remember when? Shopping has changed a lot through the decades, but even 30-somethings now have recollections of lower prices. It’s good to put the past year in perspective, though. Today’s octogenarians grew up in the post-Depression era with parents who became penny-pinching wizards, and these values were passed

down through another generation or two. Here are some recollections from Elyites who have stories from their parents and grandparents, as well as their own thoughts comparing today’s shopping culture with past decades. Thanks to Ely-Winton Historical Society, we also have documentation from old issues of The Ely Miner.

In case you can’t read those prices, it says regular gas is $1.459

My Dad used to talk about buying a turkey for a quarter. But then he followed it up by saying he only made a nickel an hour. Poultry doesn’t seem to have taken quite the same upturn in costs as most groceries. It doesn’t take five hours of work to earn enough for a turkey these days, although it might if the bird flu is bad. More likely, we’ll just have to eat tofurkey instead, raise our own, or hunt wild ones.

Candy bars were a nickel and they were bigger, but I only earned a quarter an hour for babysitting.

What I remember was how few choices there were compared to today’s grocery aisles. The toothpaste section took up about 8” on one shelf and it was Pepsodent or Crest. Period. And just a couple choices for toothbrushes. Do we really need a 25foot aisle 6 feet high with different kinds of cereal?

I remember when a package was full of whatever it held. Now the package is half empty, but it looks like you’re getting more than a smaller package of the same weight. But who looks at the weight? You just pick the big box. A waste of package materials.

I remember my husband’s Grandma crying, saying “The price of bread is going to go to a dollar! What will we do?” This was in the 1970s when a loaf of bread had gone from 59¢ to 79¢. Grandma had emigrated from Slovenia, lived on whatever she could raise in her garden and chicken coop during the depression of the 30s, and was always panicked when prices went up. My mother-in-law baked bread for her and the rest of the family, and that was much cheaper.

We have all this trouble with day care providers these days. 40 or 50 years ago there weren’t any day care centers in Ely. Women stayed home, or if they worked outside the home they had to find a friend or relative to watch their kids. I worked part time and a neighbor and my mother-in-law took the kids until my husband was home. That was just a couple days a week, though.

. Gas was 29¢ a gallon when I started driving. I remember when it got over $1 and they changed the speed limit to save gas. That was in the 70s.

I made it through college eating macaroni and cheese. You could buy 5 packages for $1. Sometimes we’d splurge and get a package of Jello for a quarter.

I saved and saved my allowance and babysitting money to buy this blouse I wanted for $4.99. They were called “angel blouses” and all the popular girls had one. It was made by Ship ‘n Shore – a quality brand in those days.

In 1963 I was a freshman in college, and you could get a 12 oz. Coke for 5¢, a Big Mac for 28¢. I went to a Beatles concert in 1966 for $4.50. In the 60s a pack of cigarettes was 35¢, and I could buy them for 25¢ at a place on my

college campus. Smoking was thought to be safe, and 42% of adults smoked.

I went away to college out east in the late 60s. You could fly stand-by for $95 round-trip. I spent a lot of nights around Christmas break sleeping on airport benches waiting to get a flight.

You know, today they have some flights almost that cheap if you want to go where they want to take you. But that doesn’t ever include Duluth.

My girlfriend taught me to sew, and then I could have the clothes I wanted and couldn’t afford. Once I had kids, I started making clothes for them, too, but then I discovered rummage sales. Ely has great rummage sales, and I liked keeping things out of the dump. Of course, I still had to buy tenners and boots. Ely kids wear theirs out.

In 1961 gas was 31¢ per gallon, and up to 1973 never exceeded 36¢. Then it started climbing and kept climbing. The gas stations were competitive with giveaways: Some stations gave trading stamps like S&H green stamps to save up in booklets to trade in for decent products. All the stations were full service. Without asking, they washed ALL your windows and asked if you wanted your oil or tire pressure checked. Most gas stations had mechanics on staff.

I went to Africa in 1986, and we stayed in lodges half the time and camped the other half. In the lodge gift stores there would be candy bars for sale in a glass case, and there would only be a few of them, such as 3 Hershey Bars and 2 Snickers along with some small packages of nuts. Coming home to our huge stores with long rows 4 shelves high of candy and 20-foot rows of hair products left me mentally stunned in culture shock.

Les Deppe was born in the 1920s. He told us this story. “When I was a boy, my grandfather would buy a fivecent cigar on Saturday. On Sunday, he’d smoke half of it and save the stub. He pulled the stub apart on Tuesday which gave him enough tobacco for a couple of chews. Each evening he pulled the chew out of his cheek and dried it. Grandfather smoked the dried tobacco in his pipe on Friday evening. Saturday, he rolled the fresh cigar under his nose and tasted the tip in anticipation of his Sunday smoke.”

In 1972, as the first crew hired to work at the brand-new Sandy’s (a burger place), three of us took our stations at the registers while others stood by to scoop fries, bag burgers, and draw pop. Large Cokes were twelve ounces, smalls were six. The doors opened and a crowd surged in for the Grand Opening. I was happy but also nervous to ring up orders from my mom and dad and two of their friends. Later, Dad told me the guy they were with complained he had to move the pickle to find the burger in his sandwich. Dad’s response: “What’d you expect? You paid a quarter for it.”

Only big, young men ordered the quarter-pound hamburger. A large order of fries was usually shared by two people. Most people ordered what passes today as a kid’s meal: a single burger, small fry, and small pop. Our expectations and desires have supersized along with the portions and prices.

Those empty shelves during the early pandemic days! Made me think...

The staff at POTLUCK, Ely’s kitchenware store that buys and sells quality used and antique items along with classy new kitchen gadgets and assorted gifts, hear plenty of stories from their customers about old-time prices and practices.

Visitors often ask about prices of the antiques vs. new items. Comanager Kelsey welcomes these conversations. “They bring awareness to change: what has changed in the world, in retailing, and in the kitchen. And also what hasn’t changed, like the beauty of well-designed kitchen tools and the family recipes they are used to make.” Red-handled items like these rosette makers are classic and popular as antiques, but also available new. The single vintage model is $9, made in the US. The new double model, with 6 different patterns, is $49 with the handle made in China and the rosette forms made in the US, likely at the Nordic Ware plant in Minnesota. Whatever your experiences, this could be an enjoyable topic around your holiday dinner tables this season. It might help avoid political rancor, or at least provide an opportunity for some intergenerational sharing. Happy Holidays!!

Many thanks to all who contributed their recollections!

©

POTLUCK

The Ely Dining Guide

Ely restaurants are still struggling to hire enough staff. Many have reduced hours from their pre-Covid days. Some close temporarily if staff test positive for Covid. As has always been the case, winter hours vary through the season. So it’s best to call or check Facebook pages to check on current hours. And please be nice to those who show up to work. A generous tip can make their day, and help pay their rent.

$: dinner entrées or a full meal, C: children’s menu, # location on the maps pg. 70. Hours vary through the season, check EatinEly.com.

The Boathouse

Ely’s only brewery serves seasonal brews and hearty food in the family dining room or bar. Duck wings, steak bites, and many more appetizer choices. Big variety of burgers, Cuban and beer brat sandwiches, walleye and chips, and salads to satisfy big appetites. Beer in growlers and BW containers, full bar. Watch the games on big TV screens in the bar. 47 E Sheridan St., 365-4301 $11-16, C V #68

Brainstorm Bakery

Did you have a crappy morning? If not yet, stop in and add some healthy fiber to your diet with locally made, mostly organic granola, yogurt parfaits, smoothies, mouth-watering pastries, and fair-trade coffee. Their punny T-shirts and bumper stickers make great gifts and stocking stuffers. Need a treat for a meeting or party dessert? Their brownies are a rich chocolatey treat. 402 E. Sheridan, 235-6161 $5-8 V #89

Ely Steak House

Steak dinners, walleye, seafood, chicken, and French onion soup prepared to perfection. Prime rib on Fri and Sat. Senior discounts 4-6 pm. More than 1/2 a million Bucky Burgers have sold the most popular burger in Ely. Such generous servings you might have another meal to take home. The lounge is a favorite night spot with games and specials, sometimes karaoke. 216 E Sheridan, 365-7412 $12-$40. C V #73

Evergreen Restaurant & Antlers

Lounge at Grand Ely Lodge. Enjoy the sunset view of Shagawa Lake for drinks or dining. Extensive dinner menu, b’fast and lunch specials, light dinners and appetizers. Pasta specialties, salads, walleye, and steaks. Open 365 days a year. Bar and appetizer specials during Vikings games on big screens in the bar and lobby. 400 N Pioneer Rd, 365-6875 for reservations and take-out. $10-26 C V #37

© AckermanGruber.com

Gator’s Grilled Cheese Emporium

Sit close to the fireplace and enjoy your favorite comfort foods like hot turkey sandwiches, homemade soup, and a variety of mac and cheese options. The big breakfast burrito will keep you warm all day. Pizzas are available to eat in or take and bake. Stock up at their monthly pasty sales. Kids can get Lunch on a Frisbee. Tasty desserts, too. 955 E. Sheridan St, 365-7348 $7-16 C V # 39

Insula Restaurant

This popular dining spot serves many locally-sourced and organic ingredients. Daily featured plates include Pasta Plate, Market Catch, and Butcher’s Cut. Large selection of freshly prepared appetizers and dessert choices round out a menu of old favorites and innovative flavor blends. Casual-dining ambience with a street view. Specialty cocktails, beer, and wine. 145 E. Sheridan St, 365-4855 $9-32 C V #82

Mitska’s Market

Natural foods deli and grocery with many organic and local foods including a full offering of fresh produce. House-made gourmet soups and wraps, grab-and-go lunches, a variety of salads, and specialty sweet treats. Lots of alternatives for GF, flours, and sweeteners in the packaged foods. Ely’s only source for bulk foods, great for packing out trail meals. Your downtown source for groceries. 141 E. Chapman St. 365-2799 $8–16 V #78

Northern Grounds Coffee and wine bar. Espresso, single-origin coffee roasted on site, tea, chai, and mocha. More than 50 by-the-glass fine wines and a wine-of-the-month special, plus craft beers and specialty cocktails on tap. Check the calendar for wine tasting evenings. Register @thenortherngrounds.com. Charcuterie, fresh-baked breads and pastries, smoothies, soup and sandwiches. 2 W. Sheridan St.. 365-6162 $5-8 V #63

The Rusty Cup at Silver Rapids Lodge. Right on the snowmobile trail. Try the uniqueto-Ely menu items like Northern Frickles deep fried pickles with spicy sauce, and Tater Kegs super-size tots with bacon and cheddar. Plenty of sandwiches, salads, and entrees to choose from including their house-made meatloaf , walleye, and prime rib specials. Full bar and specialty cocktails with lots of mules. 459 Kawishiwi Trail, 365-4877, $15-28, C V #9

Fast Food Options

Dairy Queen - 1441 E. Sheridan (closed for a bit for the holidays)

Log Cabin Coffee - 1340 E. Sheridan

Subway -1520 E Sheridan

Zup’s Deli - 1500 E. Sheridan

Ely’s

Bars

Peanuts, Pizza, & More

Catz Billiards - 29 E. Chapman

Dee’s Bar - 17 E. Sheridan

Ely Steak House - 216 E. Sheridan

Antlers Lounge- 400 N. Pioneer Kwazy Wabbit - 11 N. Central

Samz Place - 1203 Old Winton Rd. Silver Rapids - 450 Kawishiwi Tr. Zaverl’s Bar - 509 E. Sheridan

Domino’s Pizza, wings, pasta, breadsticks, and more Italian-style meals, desserts, and snacks. Delivery available. Coupons at Dominos.com. 32 E. Sheridan, 235-6262 $6-26. V

The Front Porch Organic coffee, espresso drinks, chai, wraps, burritos, soup, salads, quiche, and delicious desserts. 343 E Sheridan St, 365-BEAN $5-8 C V

Oriental Orchid More than 100 authentic Vietnamese and Chinese menu items for take-out or eat-in. Call for faster service. 506 E. Sheridan St, 365-7502 $9-$19 V

Sir G’s Italian cuisine with house-made pasta. Plenty of pizza options, appetizers, and desserts. Wine and beer. Delivery and take-out. 520 E Sheridan, 365-3688 $10-19 C V

Stony Ridge Ely’s biggest burger selection (50 kinds!) plus lots of appetizers, pan-fried walleye, chili, salads, full bar. Bring your appetite! 60 N. Lakeview, 235-9441 $13-40. C

© Juliann Grahn, taken in her backyard

Burning Wood

Whether it’s a cozy campfire, a glowing fireplace, or the conflagration of a building or whole forest, we humans respond with a riveted stare. The hypnotic grip on our attention created by the rapid combustion of dead vegetation must be buried deep in our cells, requiring a conscious effort to turn away. Fire can be friend or foe, but during an Ely winter, fire is most often a welcome source of heat and light, just as it was for the Neanderthal braising a bit of mammoth meat for dinner.

Although making and gazing at a campfire may be the same as the experience of our long-ago ancestors, our methods of extracting heat from wood in our homes has changed drastically. Chainsaws and logging trucks, furnaces and fireplaces, chimneys and duct work have become part of the process. Add thermostats, blowers, baffles, and draft devices, and we have a technology that requires a

© Heidi Pinkerton

lot more knowledge than simply how to start a fire. Fortunately, there have been engineers and manufacturers dedicated to creating fuel-efficient systems we can purchase without a PhD—just a bit of research. But it’s still helpful to have some knowledge of the local situation here in the north woods—what wood is good; how to buy or harvest and store a winter’s supply; some hardware choices for turning wood into heat.

Ask any Elyite what kind of trees make the best firewood, and you’ll get some consistent replies accompanied by various levels of passion about certain species. Birch is probably the most common first choice. It’s abundant here, burns fairly hot, carries coals an acceptable amount of time, and has the additional benefit of bark that makes fire-starting easy even for beginners. Birch needs to be split in order to dry, though, as that incendiary bark holds the tree’s moisture tightly inside, allowing the wood to rot.

© Heidi Pinkerton

Ash might be next, and is highly favored by those who split their own wood. It is similar to birch in heat released and lingering coals, but it is less abundant and may cost more. Ash is the most straight-grained knot-free tree, which makes splitting easy, and small-diameter pieces will dry without splitting. On a cold winter day, the mall-wielding averagely-strong person can turn a big chunk of ash into kindling within minutes. Those who prefer ash will tell you it gives more heat than birch, but the official BTU rating is the same. (BTU? In case this is an unfamiliar term, a British Thermal Unit is the amount of energy required to heat one pound of liquid water by one degree Fahrenheit. In practical terms it gives the home owner a way to compare the amount of heat they’ll get from different fuels.)

Maple is harder to come by in Ely, but more abundant on the North Shore. Splitting it for an average

inexperienced person may involve many four-letter words and an increase in ibuprofen consumption, although strong burly folks who’ve split wood their whole lives don’t complain about it. BTUs for silver maple are similar to birch and ash, but sugar maple is hotter. Maple generally has longerlasting coals, making it good for overnight burns. Those are the common homeheating kinds of wood in Ely, but others have specialized uses. Aspen (or popple as it’s commonly known) is abundant, but doesn’t burn as hot and is often punky. It’s fine for less-thanfrigid times during fall, spring, and the occasional January thaw. Pine and spruce burn hot and fast—great for starting fires and also for those who cook with wood and need to get the oven up to 350 degrees or have a short burst of high heat for frying. Balsam fir burns quickly, but doesn’t produce much heat. There isn’t enough oak in the area to consider as a winter’s supply, but it has more BTUs than any of our local woods and has excellent coals–in case a load from someplace farther south is available.

Firewood can be purchased in the Ely area by the logging-truck, dump-truck, or pick-up load, priced by the cord. A cord of wood is 8 feet long by four feet high and four feet wide, which equals 128 cubic feet. That is sometimes referred to as a “logger’s cord” to differentiate it from a “face cord”, which has a

In case you need some inspiration for your wood stacking project; these are widely circulated online, not from Ely.

width that’s only the length to which it has been cut—usually the length that will fit in a stove, around 16”—and so considerably less than a “real” cord. Ely’s professional wood suppliers are reputable, hard-working people who won’t fool the unwary buyer, but it doesn’t hurt to be aware of this difference. Face cords are more often sold in urban areas for fireplace use and may cost even more than a logger’s cord in Ely.

“You get warm when you cut it; you get warm when you split it; you get warm when you haul it; and you get warm when you burn it. You get a lot more warmth from wood than from fuel oil or propane.”

Free time, finances, and fitness (maybe chainsaw experience too) determine whether the home owners who heat with wood harvest their own, purchase full-length logs, or opt for cut-and-split delivery. Either way, once it’s in the yard there is the chore of stacking. This can be fun! A team can become efficient and enjoy the energy they generate doing the physical work, and a single individual can enjoy having control over the process and seeing the progress made after an hour or a day. Different methods exist – bark up or down, in a shed or in the open, rows or piles. The goal is to let the wood “season,” by which is meant get enough moisture out that when it burns, the wood’s energy is used to generate heat, not evaporate water that’s held in the wood. Generally most

people prefer bark up and some kind of cover to keep rain off but let moisture escape. Access to sun and breeze is helpful to the process. How long does this take? How dry is dry enough? It’s a common opinion that wood can’t be too dry, but that’s not always the case. For most wood cook stoves, the drier the better. But for heating a home, wood that’s too dry won’t hold over long hours as well, giving a flash of intense heat for an hour or two instead of a slow steady 8hour burn that provides for a good night’s sleep and a warm house after a day away at work. At least one summer is an accepted practice, but so much depends on the kind of wood, how dry it was to start with, the size of the pieces, and the location of the wood pile. Experience is the best teacher here. A wood moisture meter is a useful tool for determining the

Moisture meter

percentage of moisture in wood, and so learning the best amount for the situation. For long steady burns, about 20% is recommended by Lamppa Manufacturing, the Tower-based company recognized world-wide for their expertise in wood heat. More about their furnaces coming up…

At last, dusk is coming early and nights are chilly. Snowflakes have been seen and warm jackets are hanging in the entry way. It’s time to move from splitting and stacking to burning. Here the choices become harder. Unlike the Neanderthal family’s cave, modern homes don’t do well with a fire started on the living room floor and smoke exiting a hole in the roof. There’s that old wood stove your Dad had that’s in great shape even after 50 years of heating the shack. The price is right, but not the real cost—inefficient use of the wood you worked so hard to procure, unacceptable (and possibly illegal) impacts to air quality in your

© AckermanGruber.com

neighborhood, cold floors and hot ceilings, and inconvenient re-fueling times. Plus your home insurance won’t cover any damage resulting from use of a stove that doesn’t have an official (UL) stamp of approval.

For a fireplace type stove there are many choices that vary in price and quality. These are primarily used to supplement another heating system or heat a cabin, garage, or other small area. Visiting stores that sell them can overwhelm the would-be woodstove owner with details about baffles, catalytics, reburn, EPA regulations and more. It’s best to be educated by a source that is not also trying to make a sale, so do some homework ahead. Know the area you want to heat, whether you want a flat top that will take a cast iron pot for cooking or a cauldron for hot water. Is this strictly utilitarian or do you want the aesthetic quality of a glass door and soapstone finish?

Consider the chimney a critical part of any wood-burning operation, and not inexpensive. In addition to preventing a house fire, the chimney is essential to creating the right draft for your stove. This is not a place to cut costs. Have an expert check your existing chimney if you plan to use it. If it’s old, restoring it to safe efficient functioning is not a weekend DIY job. Think ahead to how you’ll clean it. With new high-efficiency stoves that may not need to happen often, but it does need to be taken into account. If you’ll be installing new stovepipe, Class A1 stainless steel is recommended, and

BTU for Wood found in the Ely Area or nearby

Wood

Heat per cord in million BTUs

Alder 17.5 Apple 27.9 Ash, black 19.1 Aspen (popple) 18.2 Balsam Fir 14.3 Basswood 13.8 Birch, white 20.2 Birch, yellow 21.8 Boxelder 18.3 Cedar 12.2 Cottonwood 15.8 Elm, American 20.0 Maple, red 18.6 Maple, silver 17.0 Maple, sugar 24.0 Oak, bur 26.2 Oak, red 24.6 Oak, white 26.4 Pine, jack 17.1 Pine, red 17.1 Pine, white 14.3 Spruce 15.5 Willow 17.6

avoid any angles greater than 45 degrees the stovepipe should not run horizontally. A chimney cap is important to keep critters, rain, and snow out. Speaking of safety, don’t forget to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors before heating season gets underway whatever fuel you are using.

This is an excellent time to install or refurbish your wood-burning heat source to increase energy efficiency and decrease air pollution. If you can make the purchase before Dec 31, 2022, federal programs will give you 26% of your costs back with no cap on the amount. Starting in 2023 and going for 10 years, you can get 30% back with a $2,000 limit per year. This applies to other improvements as well, including solar and wind electricity.

Lamppa Manufacturing is a company based in Tower, MN just down the road from Ely. Always a small, family-run business, they started in the early 1900s. In the 1970s, Darryl Lamppa was determined to make a stove that was more efficient. What resulted was a wood furnace that was years ahead of its time, exceeding what in 2020 became strict EPA regulations on emissions. No other cordwood-burning system in the world has ever surpassed their emission and efficiency numbers. For the past 40+ years, Lamppa Manufacturing has produced the most efficient, least polluting stoves on the planet! And they are constructed with American-made steel.

The Lamppa Kuuma (Finnish for hot) Vapor-Fire 100 wood-burning furnace works with a forced-air duct system to heat up to about a 4,000 square foot building. This furnace is designed to provide consistent heat over a 12-hour period. The company works closely with buyers to ensure installation is ideal. About 20% of new purchases are installed by the home owner, with the other 80% split evenly between hiring a commercial HVAC company and using a local handyperson. For anyone building a new home, installing the system during construction is obviously the best choice, and a back-up such as in-floor heat can be added for times like vacation when firing up the wood furnace isn’t practical.

Lamppa also makes efficient, clean-burning wood sauna stoves. These are designed to provide fast heat–not quite the burn times of the furnace, but far superior to most sauna stoves. There are three sizes, any of which can be fitted with a glass window for fire-gazing. A hot water tank can be added. Like the furnace, Kuuma sauna stoves are made with heavy-duty U.S. stainless steel to provide a lifetime of sauna relaxation.

The Lamppa story is fun reading, especially if you are intrigued by Finnish culture, and even if you’re not in the market for a furnace. You can find their history (starting in the early 1900s) along with helpful videos, enticing photos of their products, pricing, and detailed technical specifications at their website LamppaKuuma.com.

© Lamppa Manufacturing

Kuuma Sauna Stove

Churches

Berean Baptist Church 2281 Hwy 169 365-5413, baptistchurchely.com Sun 10:30 Ely Gospel Church 3 E Allaire St 365-5272

Wed pm, Sun 10 and 6

In-person and livestreaming on YouTube at their channel, Ely Gospel Church

First Lutheran Church LC MS 915 E Camp St 365-3348 Men’s group Th 6, Sun 10:30

First Presbyterian Church 226 E Harvey St 365-5130 Sun 11, YouTube Grace Lutheran Church ELCA 301 E Conan St 365-5605 Sun 9:30

In-person and livestreaming on FB, archived on YouTube

Ledgerock Comm. Church 1515 E Camp St 365-4890, LedgerockChurch.com Sun 9:30 In-person and livestream on FB, audio on web, archives Oasis Int’l Church 10 W Pattison 235-1151

Wed 9:30, Sun 10 In-person and livestreaming on FB at Oasis International Praise Fellowship Christian302 E Boundary St 235-9541 Sun 10

In-person, Bible study at 9 am St. Anthony’s Catholic Church 231 E Camp St 365-4017

Sat 5 pm, Sun 10 In-person and livestreaming on FB T 5pm, Th, F 8am St. Mary’s Episcopal Church 715 S Central Av 409-6870 Sun 9:30 United Methodist Church of Ely 305 E Camp St 365-3355, elyumc.org Sun 10, FB

Blizzard? Time for a Good Book

Each of these books would make a good gift for the right person, but the True North Cabin Cookbook would also be the perfect north woods host or hostess gift. The appetizing assortment of delicious yet approachable recipes were inspired by the author’s time at her family cabin on Burntside Lake. From snacks to desserts, to main courses and cocktails, she covers it all. Recipes are accompanied by personal, nostalgic stories and mouth-watering photographs. Ingredients for the dishes are readily sourced from any local grocery store or foraged throughout the seasons. It's the perfect addition to any northern foodie's cookbook collection. Perhaps you recall the old Bell Museum

with its classic Jaques dioramas. But were you ever curious about how exactly those dioramas were created? That fascinating story is just one of the aspects of Minnesota’s premier natural history institution detailed in this thorough, richly-illustrated book. Reading this would be the equivalent of completing the course material for a master’s degree in Natural History with a focus on Minnesota. Research projects, collections, interpretative efforts and the personalities behind them fill the pages. A whole section is devoted to a tour of the new museum, opened in 2018, and includes photos and explanations of how the dioramas, some 70 year old, were restored to their original or even better condition.

For the person interested in Minnesota history, Scandinavian culture, skiing, or all three, Winter’s Children will provide many pleasureable hours of browsing old photos and gleaning trivia facts to impress skiing friends. Laced with humor one chapter is titled “Yump, Ole, Yump!” the text is entertaining as well as informative. The author apologizes for skewing his focus to Minnesota, but acknowledges that our state has more Nordic skiers and ski races than any other in the Midwest. When you’re ready for a good story, but still cozying up to the skiing theme, try The Ski Jumpers.

In spite of the title, this novel illuminates complex male relationships more than life as a ski jumper. Fathers, brothers, uncles, and friends by choice or necessity hate and love, fight and support, abandon and cling, and finally, towards the ends of their lives, accept one another and find some peace in a deeper understanding than the good/bad dichotomy they learned at a young age. A gangster mentality alternates with the outlook a bad diagnosis brings and a more ordinary perspective on life, creating a tension that moves the plot along. This book invites you to spend a snowbound weekend with bits of Minnesota ski history, nostalgic descriptions of life on the North Shore, and Geyes’ unique style that gives the reader the sensation in the pit of their stomach created by standing atop a 300’ tower, the thrill of jumping, and the exhilaration of flying–without the risk of actually trying this daunting sport. Whether you daydream about your own big paddling trip or just like to

read about someone else’s, you’ll find excitement in these two books by local photographer, author, and Ely Echo columnist, Ken Hupila. Singing Waters recounts his trip on the Albany River to Hudson Bay. Written journalstyle, it is packed with useful tips scattered among the fishing successes, rapids-running, and daily camp life. Reading Shore Lunch is like listening to stories told by your best friend who’s had a 40-year career as a top-notch guide for Boundary Waters fishing trips. Some stories are about the clients, some about the guide, and a few are largely philosophical musings. Ken’s remarkable photographs deliver the reader’s imagination to the settings in all their scenic wild beauty or stunning-sunset glory. All the chapters are short, making for a good read when you just have a couple minutes, but they leave readers wanting more, making the potential for a “just-onemore” late night binge.

Walleye, A Beautiful Fish of the Dark, has less to do with putting a meal of tasty fillets on your dinner plate and more to do with the living fish. What do they do all day? How do they grow? Why do their eyes look like that? And perhaps most intriguing, how can the walleye population be managed for sustainability, and how can we know that? This is a plain book; its purpose is to provide information on the history and current status of Minnesota’s favorite game fish.

Explore the wisdom of the woods with Forest School for Grown Ups, a celebration of all things outdoors. Taking inspiration from the popular northern European programs for children, this book is a treasure trove of skills that any wilderness enthusiast would benefit from. Learn about edible vegetation, find your way by reading the stars, or hone your fire-building skills. Brush up on your nature facts or craft with natural materials. Its beautiful cover looks great on your coffee table or bookshelf, too!

Staci Drouillard had Seven Aunts with seven distinct backgrounds, personalities, and ways of dealing with their life as it came along. But they all had strengths to tap into for themselves or one another when the going got tough. And they all had the courage to do what needed to be done so that the next generation could have lives that mattered to their world. Sad, angry, funny, touching–the book elicits all these feelings with its stories, but mostly it inspires respect for all aunts.

Time for the books for kids. In the middle-grade novel Controlled Burn by Erin Soderberg Downing, 12-yearold Maia is sent to stay with her grandparents following a fire that destroys her family's home and severely injures her younger sister. While her parents are focusing on her sister's recovery, Maia has her own fears and anxieties to contend with.

Summer in rural Thistledew, Minnesota is a far cry from her home in Chicago, but Maia adapts as she befriends a young neighbor and accompanies Grandpa Howard to his lookout post at the fire tower. Their adventures lead to familiar "End of the Road" locales such as Lake Vermilion and the Hegman Lake Pictographs. This is a quick fun read for adults, too Mashkiki means traditional medicine in the Anishinaabe language. When Grandma runs out of her sage and cedar, the grandkids rush to help her find more on the Mashkiki Road. There they meet Makwa, bear, who teaches them about having the courage to do what is right the first of seven Grandfather Teachings. Along the road, gathering the herbs Grandmother needs, they take away much more from the wisdom of the animals. Sounds heavy but these are light, whimsical stories made more fun by the cheerful illustrations. The perfect companion to One Summer Up North, One Winter Up

North focuses on the fun of winter travel by dogsled and the special experiences of winter camping. Beware: you should be prepared to manage the reader’s persistent requests to go on a winter adventure of their own. Of course, there are lots of ways to do that in Ely, even for little kids and totally inexperienced adults. The endearing illustrations detail the the spirited child’s delight in the crisp winter sunshine, the sparkling snow and stars, the distant eerie sound of a wolf pack, the furry enthusiasm of sled dogs, and the frigid stillness of the forest. How about giving this book plus a half-day trip with Chilly Dogs to your favorite children this Christmas?

Chapman Street Books

Prairie Fire Tobacco

Quality used books on all subjects, including many with local interest. Bring yours in for a discount. Big free box. Home to Prairie Fire Tobacco, with imported and domestic blends. 139 E. Chapman St. 218-365-2212

All month Take & Do Kits, napkin rings and Up North coloring book

Ely Public Library 22, 6-9 pm Songwriting Circle, all are welcome, register in advance Ely Folk School 23, 5 pm Thanksgiving Eve Service, all are welcome 1st Lutheran Church 23, 5-7 pm Wine Tasting, Thanksgiving Wines, charcuterie available Northern Grounds 23, 7pm Alumni Hockey Game Ely Ice Arena 24, 3-5 pm Thanksgiving Potluck, all are welcome Ely Folk School 24 - Dec 4 Festival of Trees, Northwoods Partners fundraiser Grand Ely Lodge 24- Dec 31 Shine Bright Ely, store windows decorated for evening walk/drive Downtown Ely 25-25, all day Small Town Christmas, SHOP LOCAL! See Ely.org for store specials Downtown Ely 26, 4-5:30 Knot Tying Workshop Ely Folk School 30, 3:30 Unveiling of Anishinaabe place names map, elyfolkschool.org Bois Forte Heritage Ctr 30, 5-7 pm Wine Tasting, Pinot Noir, charcuterie available Northern Grounds

DECEMBER

All month Take & Do Kits, puzzle piece ornament frame

Ely Public Library

2-3 Painting with Felt, Fri 5-7pm, Sat 9-12, The Art Corner.net The Art Corner 3, 9-12:30 Make Slovenian Walnut Potica, register in advance Ely Folk School 3, 2-4 pm Thai cooking - Stir Fried Pork, elyclasses.com to register Senior Center 7, 5-7pm Wine Tasting, Cabernets, charcuterie available Northern Grounds 8-10, 10-3 Over the River...to Nelimark, Homemade Gifts, Baked Goods Nelimark Homestead, Embarrass 8, 2-4 pm Cheese of the Month: Making Feta Cheese, register in advance Ely Folk School 8, 6 pm Poets and Pints, Female poets, bring a poem to read or just listen Northern Grounds 9-11, all day Holiday Movies Kahoot, all ages, online, prizes, register at the library Ely Public Library 9, 5-7pm Hammer & Tongs: Basic blacksmithing, register in advance

Ely Folk School 10, 9-4 Day 2, Hammer & Tongs: Basic blacksmithing, register in advance Ely Folk School 10, 1-3 pm Mrs. Claus kids holiday party Grand Ely Lodge 10, 1-3 pm Christmas Cookie Sale and Dessert Social,fundraiser for Food Shelf 1st Lutheran Church 10, 2-4 pm Thai cooking - Steamed Noodles with Shrimp, elyclasses.com to register Senior Center 10, 2 pm Holiday Party by Ely Folk School, FREE food, drinks, games, fun for all ages Semers Park

10, 6 pm Reflections Dance Company Winter Showcase

ElyArtWalk.org

Vermilion Theater 11, 2:30 Mesabi Symphony Orchestra, “France” Vermilion Theater 11, midnight Ely Art Walk Artists registration due, C’mon-YOU can do this!

12, 3 pm Friends of the Library Book Club, title TBA Ely Public Library 12, 5:30 pm Needle Felt Santa, online, register in advance Ely Folk School 14, 10-noon Nature Writing for Women, online, register in advance Ely Folk School 14, 3 pm Q-tip Snowman Ornament with Tricia, all ages, pre-register Ely Public Library 14, 5:45 Estate Planning with Kelly Klun, elyclasses.com to register Ely Public School Media Ctr 14, 5-7 pm Wine Tasting, Winter Red Wines, charcuterie available Northern Grounds 15, 5-7 pm Holiday Origami, register in advance Ely Folk School 16, 2-5 pm Makers Market and Mixer, art & craft sale 2-4, socializing 4-5, nlaa website for info Ely Folk School 17, 9-12:30 Make Slovenian Walnut Potica, register in advance, live and online Ely Folk School 17, 4-6 pm Coffee & light dinner to accompany Finnish Ice Candle Celebration Embarrass Town Hall 17, 7 pm Hometown Holiday Concert, NorthernLakesArts.org, listen and sing Vermilion Theater 20, 6-9 pm Songwriting Circle, all are welcome, register in advance Ely Folk School 21, 5-7 pm Wine Tasting, Holiday Wines, charcuterie available Northern Grounds 24, 5 pm Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, all welcome 1st Lutheran Church 28, 11 am Celebrate Nat’l Card Playing Day with Jessie Ely Public Library 28, 5-7 pm Wine Tasting, Bubbles, charcuterie available Northern Grounds

Jan & Feb Ely Youth Ski League, Times tba, ages 4-11, eysl@elynordic.org to register Hidden Valley 1, all day Isabella Christmas Bird Count, post-count lasagna, 218-323-7633 Isabella area & CC 9, 5- 7pm Punch Needle Rug Hooking, online + next 3 Mondays, register in advance Ely Folk School 12, 6 pm Poets and Pints, Modern Poets (since 2000), bring a poem to read or just listen Northern Grounds 14-15 Wolf Family Rendezvous, overnight program for all ages, wolf.org

Int’l Wolf Center 14, 9-1 Acrylic Painting in Layers, TheArtCorner.net Art Corner 21-22 Wolf Photography Weekend, 2-day program, wolf.org

Int’l Wolf Center 25, 5:30-7 Understanding Value, TheArtCorner.net The Art Corner 23-24, 5:30 Auditions for Spring Musical, northernlakesarts.org Vermilion Theater 28-29 North Country by Dogsled, 2-day overnight program, ages 18+, wolf.org Int’l Wolf Center 28-Feb 4 Amateur Snow Carving Contest, see ElyWinterFestival.com for a block Whiteside Park

Local Artists Downtown Stores February 2-28

Regularly Scheduled Events

(open to all - newcomers and beginners)

Mon thru Fri Seniors’ Dinner, noon, all ages (60+$4.50) 24-hrs reservation 365-4139 In-person dining & delivery available Senior Center

Mon thru Fri Rec Center Ice Rink open, 3-8pm Ely Rec Center

Mon-Thur Open Swimming, 9am-9pm, bring your own towel Grand Ely Lodge M, W, F Indoor Pickleball, 8am-noon, ElyClasses.com

Vermilion Gym

Mondays Schmear, 6pm, all ages Senior Center

2nd Monday Friends of the Library Book Club, 3 pm Ely Public Library Tuesdays (Jan-Nov) Tuesday Group, educational speakers, noon, ElyTuesdayGroup@gmail.com GEL&Zoom

Tuesdays Game nights, D&D, pool, cards, bring your favorites, 5th-12th grade Ely Rec Ctr Tu, W, Th Ice skating rink open 1:30-2:30, free, 235-1811 to register Ely Ice Arena

1st Tuesday Climate Change Group, 10 am, all welcome EFN Resource Center

3rd Tuesday Tasty Tuesday cooking class 2-3:30, register 218-302-1778 Senior Ctr

Wednesdays Men’s Memory & Movement Group, 10:30am Senior Center

Wednesdays BINGO, 1-4pm, no need to be a senior Senior Center Wednesdays Bridge 1-3, all welcome Senior Center

Wednesdays Game night, 6:30, check Ely Board Gamers on FB Location Varies Wednesdays Women’s Basketball, 7pm, ElyClasses.com, Register in advance Ely Memorial Gym

1st&3rd Wednesday Wellness Wednesday, BP checks and other activities, 10:30-noon Senior Ctr

3rd Wednesday Food Shelf open 11am - 5pm, elyareafoodshelf.org 15 W. Conan

Thursdays Makers Mornings, work on projects in community, free, 9:30am-12:30pm Ely Folk School

Thursdays Mittens for Ukraine volunteer project, 10-12, all welcome Ely Folk School

Thursdays Community Exercise, all are welcome 10:30 First Lutheran Church

Thursdays Ely Free Clinic, 5:30-7, elycommunityhealth.org Ely Community Health Center

1st Thursday Ely Area Writers’ Group, 6:30pm, 235-1984 Boathouse Brewpub

2nd Thursday Poets and Pints, all are welcome, 6pm NorthernLakesArts.org Northern Grounds

4th Thursday Caregivers Support Group, 10am, 365-8019 Senior Center

4th Thursday Heart of the Woods Quilters, 6:30 pm, 365-4907

Fridays

Saturdays

Ledgerock Church basement

Pre-school Storytime, in person 10:30 Ely Public Library

Rec Center Ice Rink open, 12-8pm Ely Rec Center

Sundays Rec Center Ice Rink open, 1-6pm Ely Rec Center

1st Saturday

Pancake Breakfast, Oct-May, 3-11 am

3rd Saturday Food Shelf open 8am - 11am, elyareafoodshelf.org

Saturdays

Embarrass Timber Hall

15 W. Conan

What’s for Dinner? 7pm, 365-4695 pre-register not 11/28, 12/26 Int’l Wolf Center

Sundays See church services and locations in Spiritual Gatherings, page 59

FREE DENTAL SERVICES, no regular time, call for appt. 603-502-2268

Events at the school will be cancelled when the school is closed.

Ely Community Health Center

FEBRUARY

2-12 Ely Winter Festival & Snow Sculpting Symposium, ElyWinterFestival.com Ely Area 2-28 Ely Art Walk, free guide at Front Porch, Northern Grounds, Art&Soul Downtown Ely 3-4, 10-4 Open House, reduced admission, Special exhibits Dorothy Molter Museum 3, 4-7 pm Spaghetti Dinner, ECR fundraiser, all-you-can-eat Catholic Church basement 4-11, TBA Snowshoe hikes to Listening Point Cabin, ListeningPointFoundation.org to register Listening Pt 4, all day Fun Run Snowmobile Ride, money raised goes for trail grooming, 365-3141 Ely, Babbitt, Tower 4, 10-1 Open House and campus tours MN North Vermilion admissions office 4, 11-2 “Whirlwind” community event, fun winter activities for all ages, free Dorothy Molter Museum 4, 2-4 pm Ely Art Walk reception, meet the artists, refreshments Ely Folk School 6 Reflections Dance Company Spring Session begins See FB page 9-12 End of the Road Film Festival, schedule at ElyStateTheater.org/ERFF Ely State Theater 9, 5-7 pm Dorothy Molter Museum fundraiser, “Celebrating 30 years,” RootBeerLady.com Grand Ely Lodge 9, 6 pm Poets and Pints, Love Sonnets, bring a poem to read or just listen Northern Grounds 10-11, 10-4 Open House, discounted admission, special exhibits Dorothy Molter Museum 11, 9-1 Your Journal Your Way, TheArtCorner.net The Art Corner 11, dusk Candlelight Skiing, see info at ElyNordic.org Hidden Valley 16 Last day to register for the Dogsled trip to Dorothy’s on Knife Lake RootBeerLady.com 17, 2-5 Makers Market and Mixer, art & craft sale 2-4, socializing 4-5, nlaa website for info Ely Folk School 17-20 Great Backyard Bird Count, BirdCount.org/gbbc or see Ely Field Naturalists Ely and USA 21, 2-5 Makers Market and Mixer, art & craft sale 2-4, socializing 4-5, nlaa website for info Ely Folk School 22, 5:30-7 Loose and Free Sketching, TheArtCorner.net The Art Corner 25-26 WolfTrack Classic Sled Dog Race, WolfTrackClassic.com Ely area 25, 4-6 pm Wolf Track Spaghetti Dinner, all-you-can-eat, Vermilion Wilderness Club fundraiser Vermilion Cafeteria 25, tba Skinny/Fat Bike & Ski races,ElyNordic.org for info and registration

Hidden Valley 26, 9am WolfTrack Classic Sled Dog Race Starts Ely Softball Complex

Knife Lake 5, 2:30 Mesabi Symphony Orchestra, “Germany & Austria”

6pm

2-5

and Pints, American Classics, bring a poem

Market and Mixer, art & craft

read

just

Vermilion Theater

GardnerTrust.org

Northern Grounds

WALK-IN FITNESS CLASSES

Mon 6am Evolution

Heavy Metal Sports 8am Spin Heavy Metal Sports 9am Good Movement End of the Road Yoga 5:15pm Spin Heavy Metal Sports 6:15pm Mobility Training Heavy Metal Sports 6:30pm Yoga (starts in January) Studio North

Tues 6am Hybrid Fitness Heavy Metal Sports 5pm Boxing Heavy Metal Sports 5:30pm StrongSteadyStill End of the Road Yoga

Wed 5:30am Spin Heavy Metal Sports 10:30 Sr.Men’s Movement and Memory, free Senior Center 5:30pm Power Flow Yoga End of the Road Yoga 5:30pm Hatha Yoga Heavy Metal Sports 6:30pm Adult Dance Studio North

Thur 10:30am Senior Exercise, free 1st Lutheran church 5:15pm TRX Heavy Metal Sports

Fri 5:30am GRIIT Heavy Metal Sports 8am Spin Heavy Metal Sports Sat 9am StrongSteadyStill End of the Road Yoga 10:30 Power Flow Yoga End of the Road Yoga 9am Yoga Heavy Metal Sports

Sun 10am Mobility Training Heavy Metal Sports 4:30pm Weekend Wind Down End of the Road Yoga

Most classes are 1 hour. Check for descriptions and schedule changes: EndoftheRoad.yoga 235-7294 HMSFunctionalFitness.com 365-7765 StudioNorthElyMN.com 365-2493

Senior classes - NorthwoodsPartners.org

Cost is $10-12 with discounts for membership or multiple classes. See locations on the maps, pages 71 and 74. End of the Road Yoga will be at 1203 E. Sheridan until early December.

A 12-week Tai Ji Quan class will be held at the Ely Rec Center Tue and Thu 1011am starting Feb 7th. Advance registration advised, new students not accepted after the 2nd class. NorthwoodsPartners.org or 365-8019 to register.

Call or email your events for a listing in future issues: 365-3375, raven1@ravenwords.com

92

The Art Corner 60

Art & Soul Gallery 94

Boathouse Brewpub 68

Boundary Waters Connect 75

Brainstorm Bakery 89

Brandenburg Gallery 67

Chapman Street Books 78

Children’s Garden 93

City Hall/Police/Fire 81

Ely Area Credit Union 92

Ely Area Food Shelf 88

Ely Bike & Kicksled 65

Ely Comm Health Ctr 74

Ely Comm Resource 90

Ely Farmers Market 96

Ely Field Ntr Resource Ctr 71

Ely Folk School 84

Ely Historic State Theater 86

Ely Public Library 80

Ely Steak House 73

Ely Steam Sauna 91

Ely Surplus Store 65

End of the Road Film Fest 86

End of the Road Yoga 70

Evergreen Cottage 77

Friends of the BW 70

Gardner Trust Office 81

Gracie’s Plant Works 61

Healthy Families Chiropractic 75

Heavy Metal Sports 74

Insula Restaurant 82

Joe’s Marine 62

Kekekabic Studios 76

Mealey’s Gift & Sauna 66

Mike’s Liquor 95

Minnesota Canoe Museum 84

Mitska’s Market 78

Northern Grounds 63

The Pebble Spa 85 Piragis Northwoods Co 64

Portage North 78 Post Office 98

Potluck Kitchen Store 79

Prairie Fire Tobacco 78

Senior Center 99

Sisu Yarn Shop 62

Save the Boundary Waters 75

Society Hall 63

State Farm Insurance 74

Steger Mukluks 68

Sundog Sports 78

Washington Auditorium 97

Wintergreen Northernwear 83

Women’s Wild Discovery 94