The Grand Marais Lions Club is a celebration of community and an important part of the celebration is recognizing citizens who have made a difference in our community. The 2012 Cook County Citizen of the Year is Deb Benedict, executive director of WTIP Radio. Lion Rosemary Lamson made the presentation on the Harbor Park stage on the very windy Saturday, August 4.
As folks began to gather at Harbor Park in the early afternoon on Saturday, August 4, dark clouds also accumulated overhead. It looked as if the presentation of the Grand Marais Lions Club “Citizen of the Year” and “Senior Citizen of the Year” awards might be interrupted by rain. The audience at Harbor Park didn’t seem to care. They wanted to be there as Lion Rosemary Lamson announced the honorees over the roar of the wind. The rain held off and friends and family enjoyed learning that the 2012 Senior Citizens of the Year are David and Virginia Hahn and the 2012 Citizen of the Year is Deb Benedict.
Hahns honored by Hovland and beyond
More than a dozen letters of support accompanied the nomination form for David and Virginia Hahn from their Hovland neighborhood and beyond. In their 11 years in Cook County as year-round residents they have been involved in numerous activities benefiting the community, such as being active members of Trinity Lutheran Church, chaperoning a school trip to theaters in the Twin Cities and by being two of the Cook County Booster Club’s most ardent supporters.
The Senior Citizen of the Year award went to a couple. David and Virginia Hahn of Hovland shared the award for all the good work they do in the community— together and separately. See more Fisherman’s Picnic results and photos inside.
In addition to the good works they do together, they each have their own passion for programs in the community. David Hahn is a talented artist and he serves on the board of the Grand Marais Art Colony. He teaches classes at the Art Colony (donating the fees back to the nonprofit) and at Cook County Community Education. He was a founding member of the Hovland Arts Festival. He loves to share his art, whether it is prints of each Cook County High School sports team or something special for a fundraiser for a good cause or for someone in need. In November 2011, David Hahn went on a mission trip to Haiti where he spent time teaching educators in a village how to teach art to children.
David Hahn has just completed his fifth year as a Foster Grandparent at Cook County Schools, where he helps early grades with math and reading skills three days a week.
Jaymee Jackson was all smiles as Grand Marais Lions Club President Andrew Smith handed her the Fisherman’s Picnic grand prize check for $10,000. Standing beside Jaymee is her father, Stuart Jackson. On Andrew’s left is Lion Bob Spry. Although Jaymee now lives in Stillwater, Minnesota, she and several of her Cook County High School classmates from the Class of 1978 come and work in the Lions’ fish burger stand with Stuart and many other Lions and Lionesses.
Virginia Hahn also spends a lot of time at Cook County Schools where she is credited with being a “behind-the-scenes” volunteer at the school library. She also volunteers as a “Lunch Buddy” at Sawtooth Elementary. She has volunteered many hours in the school concession stand at sporting events and has supported the Booster Club booth at Fisherman’s Picnic.
Books are Virginia Hahn’s passion and she is currently the vice president of Friends of the Library, contributing many hours to helping organize the annual Fisherman’s Picnic Book Sale. During the rest of the year she helps raise funds for the Grand Marais Library by selling books on the Internet.
Along with books, Virginia Hahn enjoys flowers. She is a member of the Hovland Garden Club and currently serves as treasurer. She is also the secretary of the Flutereed River Partnership.
The Hahns are involved in much more and have obviously made a positive impact on the community, as is evidenced by the overwhelming support of their nomination. In one letter, friend and neighbor Dianne Pelto summed up the reason they should be named Senior Citizens of the Year by writing, “There is more, but perhaps the main contribution of these two in the community has to do with the investment in character building of our young people. David and Virginia Hahn are the epitome of community helping to raise our children.”
Benedict recognized for building community
Deb Benedict, the executive director of WTIP community radio, was nominated to be the 2012 Citizen of the Year because of the work she has done to build community—at the radio station and throughout the county.
Benedict moved to Grand Marais in 1994 and joined the board of directors of the fledgling radio station in 1999. She eventually became station manager and then executive director in 2001.
Under Benedict’s leadership, WTIP has grown from a handful of members and broadcasts from a tiny corner of the Arrowhead Center for the Arts to a beautifully remodeled building on the west side of Grand Marais in 2008. The station has also grown to over 1,000 members and has over 75 on-air volunteers and 10 staff members.
Benedict has advocated for community radio at a national level as a board member of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. WTIP has received national recognition for its focus on building community. “It’s fair to say that Deb has been and continues to be the primary reason for the growth and success of WTIP,” said Ann Possis, producer at WTIP.
Benedict also works regionally with AMPERS, a consortium of 15 public radio stations in Minnesota. And she is a major player in making the North Shore Dragon Boat Festival happen each summer, an event that benefits not just WTIP, but the North Shore Health Care Foundation, North House Folk School and the community overall.
“Deb is constantly thinking of ways for WTIP to bring the community together through collaborating with other organizations, involving a wide variety of individuals and groups, and providing a place where people can share information and ideas. She makes Cook County a better, warmer place through her leadership and her open, positive and welcoming attitude for all,” said Possis.
No rain on the parade
The rain held off on the two citizen awards on Saturday and the skies were also clear on Sunday, August 5 after a late night thunderstorm. The Senior Citizens of the Year David and Virginia Hahn and Citizen of the Year Deb Benedict were chauffeured in the Fisherman’s Picnic Parade. There were cheers along the route for all three of these fine folks. The Cook County News- Herald joins the rest of the community in saying congratulations on the well-deserved recognition.
Grand Prize goes to CCHS grad
After the parade on Sunday and the very well attended Fish Toss, the Grand Marais Lions Club Grand Prize drawing was held, with Mrs. Minnesota Leah Nicholson doing the honors.
The winner of the $500 third place prize was Jacqueline Crevierwick of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Crevierwick was on hand to accept the prize. She happily took the microphone and said, “Thank you! I’ve had a wonderful day in Grand Marais!”
The winner of the $1,000 second place prize was Mary Sanders of Grand Marais.
And the winner of the greatly-anticipated grand prize was Jaymee Jackson of Stillwater, Minnesota. Jaymee is a 1978 graduate of Cook County High School. She is the daughter of Stuart and Sharon Jackson of Grand Marais. Jackson happily posed for the Cook County News- Herald with the “big check” the next day with Grand Marais Lions Club President Andrew Smith, Treasurer Bob Spry and her dad, Lion Stuart Jackson.
For those who wonder about such things—Jackson bought her ticket from Lions Club member Bob Spry. Last year the $10,000 winners were Brian and Joanne Smith of Grand Marais. They also purchased their winning ticket from Spry.
More than 150 other prizes large and small were also part of the raffle. To find out if you won something, stop by Joynes Department Store or the Cook County News-Herald to look at the list of prize winners or visit www.gmlions.com.
If you didn’t win a raffle prize or one of the many contests that take place at Fisherman’s Picnic, don’t worry; you may have better luck next year at the 84th Fisherman’s Picnic in 2013. Remember the Fisherman’s Picnic motto: I’ll be back!
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