Cook County News Herald

Community recognizes contributions of Wojtysiak and Baumann





Above: Iola Wojtysiak of Grand Marais was a bit embarrassed by all the fuss at the beginning of the parade, but the Senior Citizen of the Year perfected her wave by the end of the day.

Above: Iola Wojtysiak of Grand Marais was a bit embarrassed by all the fuss at the beginning of the parade, but the Senior Citizen of the Year perfected her wave by the end of the day.

At first glance, the two people nominated and awarded the 2011 Grand Marais Lions Club “Citizen of the Year” and “Senior Citizen of the Year” awards— Iola Wojtysiak and Dan Baumann—may seem quite different. However, as Lion Rosemary Lamson read their biographies at the Citizen of the Year award ceremony in Harbor Park on Saturday, August 6, it became apparent that the grandmother and former fire chief have a lot in common. They both care deeply about, and have done a great deal for, the community and the children of Cook County.

Wojtysiak still giving to community

In her nomination for Senior Citizen of the Year, it was noted that Iola Wojtysiak of Grand Marais worked alongside her husband in his logging business for many years. But she still managed to touch the lives of area children. When her late husband, Walt, worked a timber sale in the Grand Portage area, school children visited the site on a field trip. Iola was prepared—after the tour, she was ready with cold sodas and snacks for the kids.

Right: Dan Baumann of Golden Eagle Lodge was recognized as Citizen of the Year for his work in the tourism industry, with the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department and as a mentor to local Boy Scouts. He was nominated for his positive attitude, which was apparent as he enjoyed a ride in the parade.

Right: Dan Baumann of Golden Eagle Lodge was recognized as Citizen of the Year for his work in the tourism industry, with the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department and as a mentor to local Boy Scouts. He was nominated for his positive attitude, which was apparent as he enjoyed a ride in the parade.

Iola raised her own six children as well as five foster children. She served as “trip grandma” when Cook County High School students traveled to London on a theater tour.

She and Walt donated a piece of land for the Hovland Fire Department garage and Iola has continued to be a strong supporter of the fire department. When Walt passed away, Iola donated money to create the green space that is now Boulder Park on the Grand Marais waterfront.

She has been active in a number of community groups, including the Grand Portage Museum, Grand Portage State Park, and Grand Portage National Monument, the Grand Marais Senior Center, the Cook County Historical Society and St. John’s Catholic Church.

At the church, she has been a greeter for years. In the days of wood heat, she and Walt would make sure the church was stocked with wood for the cold winter church services. She was the unofficial taxi for church summer school for Hovland kids for over 30 years.

The lucky grand prizewinner in the Grand Marais Lions Club Fisherman’s Picnic raffle was Brian Smith of Grand Marais— pictured here with his wife, JoAnn, who actually purchased the ticket and put Brian’s name on it. The couple said they would share the $10,000 winnings.

The lucky grand prizewinner in the Grand Marais Lions Club Fisherman’s Picnic raffle was Brian Smith of Grand Marais— pictured here with his wife, JoAnn, who actually purchased the ticket and put Brian’s name on it. The couple said they would share the $10,000 winnings.

Even now, in her 90s, Iola continues to work for Cook County kids, recently taking on a new project, making handmade potholders to sell as a fundraiser for the Birch Grove Community School in Tofte. To date, she has raised over $3,000 for the Birch Grove school lunch program.

On the nomination form, the question is asked, “What is special about this person?” The reply from those who nominated Iola? “She is a model senior citizen by anyone’s standards. Her altruistic actions have enriched the lives of the larger county community from the East End to the West End and at 90 years of age, she continues to give of herself whenever the opportunity arises. She demonstrates to us how to grow old with grace and dignity, remaining young at heart, enjoying life, bringing a smile to the young and old.”

Baumann an Eagle Scout mentor and more

Another happy prizewinner is Tyler Goldstein of Grand Marais, who won $1,000. Grand Marais Lions Club Fisherman’s Picnic Chairman Andrew Smith was happy to present the big checks.

Another happy prizewinner is Tyler Goldstein of Grand Marais, who won $1,000. Grand Marais Lions Club Fisherman’s Picnic Chairman Andrew Smith was happy to present the big checks.

Dan Baumann was “tricked” into making the trip down the Gunflint Trail on the ruse that it was for an anniversary celebration with his wife, Teresa. When he got to Harbor Park, he was greeted by a large group of friends, delighted to watch his surprise when he was called to the Harbor Park stage to accept the Citizen of the Year award from Lion Rosemary Lamson.

Baumann, who owns and operates Golden Eagle Lodge on the Gunflint Trail, has been very active in the community through tourism organizations as past president of the Tip of the Arrowhead and as a member of the Gunflint Trail Association. He has served on the Gunflint Trail Fire & Rescue Squad and as Chief of the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department from 1999 – 2009. The nomination notes that Baumann “was essential in coordinating and combating the Ham Lake wildfire.” He is now the Gunflint Trail senior EMT and assistant fire chief.

Perhaps most importantly, his nomination declares, is the impact Baumann has had on the young men he has worked with to obtain their Eagle Scout awards— the highest rank a Boy Scout can receive. Baumann is a member of the “Order of the Arrow” and in 1989 received the Founder’s Award, the Order of the Arrow’s highest honor.

As his nomination form states, “Baumann has made a profound positive impact in the boys and young men in scouting in Cook County and serves as a model for these boys and young men. He words hard and teaches all of the values and life skills that Scouting has to offer.”

Exemplary students also honored

Although the Cook County High School graduates honored by the Grand Marais Lions were not recognized at the Harbor Park stage as they have in years past, they were called to duty later in Fisherman’s Picnic. On Sunday, three Lions Club and Lioness Club scholarship recipients were asked to draw the winning names in the Lions Club raffle drawing. Aliya Weisberg, who received the Lions Club Oscar Sundquist $500 scholarship, was unable to be at the drawing. Weisberg is currently attending LeCordon Bleu, a nationally famous cooking school in Minneapolis.

However, her classmates, Katrina Axtell who received a Lions’ $1,000 scholarship to assist as she pursues her college career at Northwestern University of Iowa, and Sebastian Schnobrich, who received a Lioness scholarship of $1,000 for his studies at Montana State, were on hand for the drawing. Lion Mark Sandbo noted that these exemplary students could certainly be entrusted with the responsibility of drawing the ticket for the winner of the Lions Club raffle.

And the winner is…

After the uproarious Fish Toss event, the much-anticipated prize drawing was held and the community finally found out who won the 200-plus prizes gathered by the Grand Marais Lions. Winner of the $500 prize was Bill Fisch of St. Paul. Winner of the $1,000 first prize was high school student Tyler Goldstein of Grand Marais. The winner of the Grand Prize $10,000 was Brian Smith of Grand Marais.

Smith appears to be carrying on a family tradition—his parents Doug and Muriel Smith won the big Fisherman’s Picnic raffle check in 2001!


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