West End News: January 5

Nothing says winter in Minnesota like a good old-fashioned get-together on the ice. This year marks the 11th Annual Hockey Day Minnesota. The headquarters for Hockey Day is an outdoor ice rink in Stillwater, where hockey games will be played throughout the day on January 21.
 
How can you celebrate this veritable holiday in the West End, you ask? Lucky for us, James Coleman has organized a Hockey Day gathering to take place starting at 1pm on Saturday, January 21, at the outdoor rink at Birch Grove in Tofte. This event is open to everyone, regardless of your skating ability. It is free and there will be a potluck, so bring your best hotdish to share. There are even some skates available to borrow at the rink, if you are lucky enough to find some in your size. Don’t know how to play hockey? That’s ok, it’ll be our little secret. The good news is, you’re still invited to come play on the ice. The rink is in great shape and is equipped with lights so the fun will last as long as your hand-warmers.
 
Grand Marais’ own Jay Arrowsmith-Decoux will be teaching a ServSafe class at the Clair Nelson Community Center in Finland on Monday, January 9. According to the Center’s website, the course is designed to fulfill requirements for Minnesota state and local health departments. The course will train, test, and certify you in the National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe program for safe food service. The full certification course will run from 8am to about 5:30pm and costs $170, which includes the textbook and exam. A shorter renewal course takes place on the same day from 8am to noon and costs $70. The class is open to ages 15 and up. Certification is good for three years, with a one-year grace period to get recertified. You can sign up online on the Lake Superior School District’s website: https://isd381.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/costoption/class_id/3587/public/1/sp/
 
After the ServSafe class, you can head over to the Birch Grove Task Force Public Meeting. The meeting will be held on January 9 from 6:30 to 8pm at Birch Grove in Tofte. Everyone is welcome to attend. The purpose of the meeting is to identify interests and concerns surrounding the working relationships between Birch Grove Community Center, Birch Grove Community School, the townships of Tofte, Schroeder, Lutsen, and all other interested parties.
 
These entities all have a long history of doing great things for the West End. The meeting will serve to share information and bring to light ways in which these important parties can work together moving forward.
 
The plan is to form a committee to mediate a master agreement among all interested parties. A mediated settlement is a consensus agreement that all interests can live with. It advises, but does not replace, the legal decision-making powers of government bodies and non-profit organizations. Simply put, if you are interested in what is going on with all these entities, you are welcome to attend and participate in the meeting on January 9. If you can’t make it to the meeting, you can submit your interests and concerns to Bill Hansen. He can be reached by email at [email protected], or by phone at 218-370-1353.
 
Last winter West End residents and visitors to Lutsen bid a happy retirement to Rosie Somnis, the long-time manager of Rosie’s Café in the Main Chalet at Lutsen Mountains. Rosie promptly came out of retirement this Fall, however, to help get the Café up and running for another busy winter season. On January first this year, Rosie came back for one last day, really this time, to commemorate her 50 years of service at the cozy chalet. Rosie ran a tight ship, making the best burgers around and keeping things “Rosie Clean.” She was a familiar face to many characters over the years. Generations of skiers have grown up under her watchful eye, another example of how the West End is really just one big extended family. Have a very happy retirement Rosie, you deserve it!
 
For WTIP, this is Clare Shirley with the West End News.