June 2015
Oops! I finally did it. I forgot to put the newsletter out at 8:05 AM on the first of the month. It was bound to eventually happen.
Everything is shaping up around the resort. Most of the cabin projects, except for cabin #6, are pretty much done and ready to go. We have actually had good weather to get things done but as usual we bit off a bit more than we could crew. #5 turned out great, inside and out. Numbers 18 and 23 both have improvements that will be obvious to those that have stayed there before.
We have been pretty busy at the resort right from opening weekend and June is shaping up nicely. Town has been busy too. Just today the two new restaurants are opening on Sheridan St. The Ely Trading Post located right beside Zaveral’s Bar opened at fishing opener. They sell custom made fishing rods and reels and all kinds of things that are unique to Ely. Go by and get a picture with the biggest Walleye in Minnesota.
Town will continue to gear up as the 4th of July approaches and the Blueberry Arts Fest opens up the end of July. The weather forecasts are great so come on up and enjoy the beach and everything the area has to offer.
We still have some great vacation opportunities available. It’s never too late to make those last minute plans to visit us and the Ely area. Make sure to call soon to guarantee the cabin and week/weeks or days you prefer. Please check the web site www.whiteironbeach.com for all the current up to date info and specials.
Take care.
Kerry and Sandy
218-365-4885
info@wp.wafisherinteractive.com
Fishing Reports
Opener arrived with mild weather and no ice on the lake. The fishing was good but nothing like the prior two years when boats were being used as ice breakers and the walleyes were pre spawn. There were a good number of slot walleyes caught and a few just over the slot in the 27 and 28 inch range. With the warmer water and early ice out the bass and northern were more active than usual. The walleye fishing has stayed consistent through May but mostly with smaller ones for now. As the water warms and the big females recover from the spawn we should see more activity in the larger ones soon. There was also reports of a good number of very large crappie being caught earlier in the year than normal, we hope that activity continues.
Most everything has been caught on minnows but I’m sure the leaches will start working soon. We are looking froward to a great June through September fishing season.
Area Events
Ely Events for June 1 – 15, 2015
Visual Artist Gatherings
June 1st, 2015
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at A Taste of Ely Restaurant. First Monday of each month. Artists welcome to share their work and participate in hands on projects. FREE. A Taste of Ely – 110 N. Central Avenue | Ely, MN 55731
Project Care FREE Clinic
June 2nd, 2015 & June 16th, 2015
Are you or someone you know in need of medical attention, but cannot afford and do not have health care coverage? Project Care may be able to accommodate those needs. For more information, call the main office in Hibbing.
Frandsen Bank Building – 40 N 1st Avenue East | Ely, MN 55731 | P: 218-263-8549 or 218-365-2940
Ely Farmers Market & Artists Market
June 2nd, 2015 & June 16th, 2015 & June 23rd, 2015 & June 30th, 2015
Bringing you locally sourced and organic plants, produce, baked and canned goods from the finest producers, farmers, and artists in the Ely area. Every Tuesday in Whiteside Park from 5 pm to 7 pm. Whiteside Park – Sheridan Street | Ely, MN 55731 | P: 218-365-3609
Writer Read
June 4th, 2015
Writers Read is still meeting — only once per month, first Thursday of the month. The Front Porch is on their winter hours closing at 5 pm, so the group has been meeting at the Forest Service Office (1393 Hwy 169 – across from the Wolf Center). Meetings will be held at the Forest Service until May, when they will be back at the Front Porch.
The group throws out an optional topic each month. People are welcome to bring anything they are working on rather than writing on the group topic. Any genre welcome. Shy writers do not have to share anything until they are comfortable. New writers are always welcome! FREE! Forest Service Office – 1393 Hwy 169 | Ely, MN 55731
Taste of Ely VFW Classic
June 5th to June 7th, 2015
June 5-7, 2015 Baseball Tournament – $5.00 per day for adults or $10 for the weekend $3.00 Students
Veterans Memorial Field – South 7th Avenue East | Ely, MN 55731
MALF Invites Public to Literary Landmark Dedication Honoring Sigurd Olson
June 5th to June 6th, 2015
Celebrate Sigurd Olson! Minnesota Association of Library Friends (MALF) invites the public to participate in their weekend itinerary that includes a museum exhibit and guided tour of Olson’s Lakeside Retreat. Chuck Wick, a close personal friend of Olson’s and a founding member of the Listening Point Foundation that preserves his legacy, will share favorite memories of the author before the plaque unveiling. Attendees will also hear from Doug Wood, president of the Listening Point Foundation; Shawn Bina, VCC Provost; Gail Sheddy, president of the Friends of the Ely Library, and MALF’s own president Mary Ann Bernat. The ceremony will commence at 4 p.m. in Vermilion Community College’s (VCC) Fine Arts Center. The Ely-Winton Historical Society will have a free exhibit on the life and career of Sigurd Olson, located on the VCC campus, from 10 am to 6 pm. The local Friends will also host a tour of the new Ely Public Library facility before the dedication ceremony, at 2 pm.
On Saturday, June 6, Literary Landmark guests are invited to attend Author! Author!, a local literary showcase put on by Ely Greenstone Public Art. Additionally, Listening Point Foundation will host two guided tours of “Listening Point,” Olson’s lakeside retreat on Burntside Lake (10:30 am and 2:00 pm). Call 218-365-8889 to make reservations.
Vermilion Community College with additional activities offsite – 1900 Camp Street | Ely, MN 55731
Grand Opening of the Ely Folk School
June 6th, 2015
Join us in celebrating the beginning of the inaugural season of the Ely Folk School, offering classes in a variety of skills! Live music with Joey Kenig between 4-7 pm as well as meeting board members, committee members, volunteers, and instructors. Come check out the new changes to the old Fisherman’s Headquarters building. Free event, all welcome!
Ely Folk School – 209 E. Sheridan Street | Ely, MN 55731
Author! Author!
June 6th, 2015
Ely Greenstone Public Art will host Author! Author! on Saturday, June 6, 2015, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Ely Arts & Heritage Center in Pioneer Mine in Ely.
Author! Author! provides a venue for Minnesota authors to share and sell their work with the reading public. This year, the addition of a performance will enhance the event by elevating it to a community-wide celebration of Ely’s literary history. Through funding from Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, Ely Greenstone Public Art will host composer and performer Douglas Wood, the author of over thirty books. Wood will perform in a free concert at the Ely Arts & Heritage Center in Pioneer Mine, attracting visitors to the event. Wood’s performance will include opportunities for Author! Author! writers to share the stage and talk about writing, their lives, and their books/projects.
The Author! Author! will also coincide with the ceremony celebrating Sigurd Olson that will designate Ely, specifically Vermilion Community College, as a literary landmark on Friday, June 5 at 4:00 p.m. The Literary Landmark ceremony is sponsored by the MN Association of Library Friends, Ely’s Friends of the Library, and the Listening Point Foundation.
Joe Owens, Chair of the Literary Landmark Center for Libraries, anticipates a number of people will travel to Ely for the Literary Landmark ceremony and hopes to provide a variety of activities on the Saturday following Friday’s ceremony to accommodate locals and visitors and to continue the celebration, including Listening Point tours and more, which will complement the Author! Author! event.
Please complete this registration form to reserve your space at Author! Author! by Friday, May 1, 2015.
Questions? Please call Meg Heiman, Ely Greenstone Public Art Event Coordinator, at (218) 235-1517. Please join us!
Miners Dry House in Ely Arts & Heritage Center – 105 Miners Lake Landing Road | Ely, MN 55731
Songwriting Workshop with Joey Kenig
June 7th, 2015
In this class on Sunday, June 7, from 10 am to 3 pm, we will explore different ways of writing songs, including melodies without words and stories without music. No previous songwriting experience is necessary. Musical instruments are welcomed but not required, and participants will have opportunities to present works in progress as well as compose spontaneously. Bring patience, humility, and a sense of humor. Comfortable clothing is recommended. Cost: $35 Registration required at www.elyfolkschool.org. Ely Folk School – 209 E. Sheridan Street | Ely, MN 55731
Basic Flatwater Canoeing with Johnnie Hyde, Bert Hyde or Susan Polege
June 7th, 2015 & June 11th, 2015 & June 17th, 2015 & June 27th, 2015
If you are brand new to canoeing or have padded some but want to improve your efficiency, refine your steering, or feel confident in wind or waves (and know when to stay off the water), this class is for you. You will start learning the basics: putting the canoe in the water and getting in and out – not just on a sandy beach, but on slippery rocks or from knee-deep mud. You will learn about loading gear into the canoe to improve stability, paddling forward in a straight line and steering, and rescuing yourself or others after a capsize. Safety will be emphasized. Portaging and securing a canoe to a car roof will be covered as time permits. Paddlers without partners and solo canoes are welcome. Registration required at www.elyfolkschool.org.
There is a limit of three adults per canoe or two adults and two children. Class size is limited to four canoes. This class will be held outside, so dress appropriately. Bring rain gear, a warm layer, and dry clothes in case of capsize. We will be wading knee-deep, so wear shoes that can get wet. You must have a life jacket fits well. Cost: $35 + bring your own canoe (approx. $20 if rented). Each class is 9 am until noon.
Additional classes offered on: June 11, June 17, June 27, July 2, July 18, July 23, August 1, August 15, August 20, August 29, and September 5 Ely Folk School – 209 E. Sheridan Street | Ely, MN 55731
Glassblowing 101 with Todd Hohenstein
June 8th, 2015 & June 22nd, 2015
During the 12-hour class, split over four 3-hour sessions, 9 am to noon, students will learn how to maneuver safely around the studio and work with molten glass. No prior experience is expected. However, students must have a fitness level of being able to lift 50 pounds and to comfortably run a 10-minute mile (but not at the safe time). At the end of the fourth session students will have made at least three items to keep, which may include a paperweight, a bowl, and/or a humming bird feeder. Students age 16 or under must be directly accompanied by an adult student. Cost: $200 Registration required at www.elyfolkschool.org.
Two different offerings. Class 1: Meets June 8, 9, 11, 12 Class 2: Meets: June 22, 23, 25, 26
Ely Folk School – 209 E. Sheridan Street | Ely, MN 55731
Basic First Aid for the Boundary Waters with Johnny Hyde and Bert Hyde
June 11th, 2015
This class, from 2-5 pm, addresses the most common injuries and illnesses that occur on trips in canoe country. With an emphasis on prevention, topics include hypothermia, near-drowning, heart attacks, lightening injury, burns, cuts and scrapes, fractures, strains and sprains, and the non-lethal but uncomfortable impaled fishhook. Content will be adapted to participants; particular concerns such as childhood problems for families and any chronic diseases such as diabetes. Learn to put together a basic first aid kit that will help out in most situations. Develop judgement regarding when and how best to initiate and carry out an evacuation. The class will be a blend of indoor and outdoor activities, so dress for the weather. This class does not replace a general first aid course or CPR class. Class size limited to 12. Cost: $35 Also available July 2 or August 15. Registration required at www.elyfolkschool.org. Ely Folk School – 209 E. Sheridan Street | Ely, MN 55731
Fundraiser for Northwoods Partners
June 11th, 2015
Northwoods Partners will host their fundraiser dinner at Grand Ely Lodge on June 11, 2015. $30.00 per person. Please call the Northwoods Partners office for tickets. 218-365-8019
Grand Ely Lodge – 400 N Pioneer Road | Ely, MN 55731 | P: 218-365-8019
Walleye Whamma
June 13th, 2015
Fourteenth Annual Fishing Contest. 11 AM- 4 PM. Over $8,000 in prizes. Mail in $20 pre-registration by JUNE 12 to Babbitt Walleye Whamma, PO Box 302, Babbitt, MN. 55706. $25 after JUNE 12 AND DAY OF THE EVENT. Beer Garden and Concessions open at 4:30 pm. This is a Peter Mitchell Fun Days Button Event.
Birch Lake – P.O. Box 302 | BABBITT, MN 55706
Let’s Go Outside by Joe Weise
June 13th, 2015
Enjoy an all-day (9 am to 5 pm) immersive experience with an outdoor educator. Come along as we discover all of those things we have overlooked for so long (mushrooms, trees, flowers, wolf scat and more!). We will spend the day exploring, hiking, learning, and trying our hand at some wilderness survival skills. In the world we will explore, curiosity is rewarded with knowledge and fun, so come to the North Woods and leave with a better understanding of the place you love. No age requirements, but you must be able to hike on uneven ground for 2-5 miles (depending on the group) without whining. Cost: $65 Also available July 3 or July 28. Registration required at www.elyfolkschool.org.
Ely Folk School – 209 E Sheridan Street | Ely, MN 55731
Voyageur Sash Weaving Techniques with Lynn Anne Vesper
June 14th, 2015
In this class, from 10 am to 3 pm, we will learn the basic skills involved with finger weaving, an off-loom weaving technique used to produce the sashes worn by the Voyageurs. During the fur trade, these sashes were a sought-after trade item produced primarily by Native and Metis women. We will weave a small piece suitable for a bookmark or other small item. This course is a recommended (but not required) prerequisite for the longer Voyageur Sash Weaving course. Cost: $45. registration is required: sign-up at www.elyfolkschool. Ely Folk School – 209 E Sheridan Street | Ely, MN 55731
Ely Greenstone’s Children’s Art Camp
June 15th to June 17th, 2015
Monday, June 15 to Wednesday, June 17, 2015. 9 am to Noon.
Miners Dry House in Ely Arts & Heritage Center – 105 Miners Lake Landing Road | Ely, MN 55731