Buoy Project

The Lake of the Woods County Board of Commissioners sponsored a buoy project designed to mark the location of the northern-most point in the continental United States. The project was coordinated by the Edge Riders Snowmobile Club. The buoy is similar to the buoy icon located in Key West, Florida, the southern-most point in the continental U.S. The Angle Ladies Adventure Society, Logan Goulet, Adley Goulet, JoJo Goulet, Emma Goulet, Katie Carlson, Ava McKeever and leaders Sara Magoon and Bre Gjovik painted the buoy, which is located right off the shore of Lake of the Woods, between Jerry’s Restaurant and Young’s Bay Resort.
Story courtesy of Northern Light Region.

Development Program

Small Cities Development Program

Funds Available!

The City of Baudette has funds remaining for owner-occupied housing rehabilitation through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Small Cities Development Program (SCDP). The funds are for eligible residents with qualifying incomes located within the City limits to make necessary repairs to their residences. Eligible repairs include roofing, windows insulation, deck and/or step repair and more!

The funds are provided as a 0% deferred loan. If all program requirements are met, the loan will be forgiven after 10 years!
If you are interested in applying for these funds, please contact Levi Haar at 218-333-6530 or via email at lhaar@hrdc.org to receive an application!

To qualify, households must have annual incomes as follows:
Family Size Verified Annual Gross Income
1 $35,750 and under
2 $40,850 and under
3 $45,950 and under
4 $51,050 and under
5 $55,150 and under
6 $59,250 and under
7 $63,350 and under
8 $67,400 and under

Please note that these figures are adjusted periodically, and may change without advance notice.

Sun Country Airlines…

Airline’s Hometown Lakes Project showcases Minnesota heritage and pride

Article Credit: Doris Knutson

Northern Light Region

Last week, Sun Country Airlines out of Minneapolis announced that soon each airplane in their fleet will be named after a Minnesota lake and will feature custom lake-themed art, representative of the lakes that span the state, showcasing what the Land of 10,000 Lakes has to offer. Lake of the Woods has been chosen as one of the lakes featured in the airline’s Hometown Lakes Project and will have an entire plane devoted to the northernmost lake in Minnesota.
“Sun Country Airlines is Minnesota’s Hometown Airline and in Minnesota, our lakes are part of our DNA. We want to honor the bodies of water synonymous with the Minnesota lifestyle, and are thrilled to unveil the Hometown Lakes Project,” said Zarir Erani, Sun Country Airlines President and CEO.
“From Lake of the Woods and Lake Superior upstate to Lake Nokomis and Lake Phalen in the Twin Cities to Lake Winona and Lake Washington downstate, Sun Country passengers will be able to explore Minnesota through our fleet’s unique artwork and discover new reasons to love our hometown.”
Baudette Mayor Rick Rone was on hand at the Minneapolis airport last week as the project’s first airplane, one featuring Lake Bemidji, was revealed. He was honored to receive a sample of the artwork that will grace the airplane and met with representatives from the airline.
“This is huge for Lake of the Woods,” Rone said.
“Anytime a corporation this large promotes our area, it is a big deal for us. This plane will land everywhere in the world.”
Lake of the Woods Area Tourism Executive Director Joe Henry echoed Mayor Rone on the importance of the airplane to our area.
“The Lake of the Woods theme on a Sun Country jet is a great opportunity and even a sense of pride for those of us who love this community and all it has to offer,” said Henry.
“Having exposure to people who travel from around the United States is extremely valuable.  There is no way of knowing for sure how this may impact tourism, but already gaining press and social media by having mayor Rick Rone present at a Sun Country event has increased exposure and the theme isn’t even out yet,” continued Henry.
“I would bet there will be people who either fly on that jet or see the jet from afar who will Google Lake of the Woods and things will roll from there.”
Sun Country commissioned Minneapolis-based, nationally renowned artist Mark Herman to create the custom illustrations for each plane. For inspiration, he embarked with his dad on a trip across Minnesota to scout out lakes and landmarks. The trip resulted in incredible, custom lake and topography illustrations.
Lake of the Woods’ airplane will feature artwork on the exterior of the airplane, as well as art and posters decorating the interior of the plane as well. Videos focusing on Lake of the Woods will also play during each flight. In addition, Rone and Henry hope to furnish the plane with visitors’ guides for the area.
All Hometown Lakes Project artwork will be rolled out to the rest of the fleet over the next several months.
To learn more about Sun Country Airlines’ Hometown Lakes Project visit suncountry.com.
       

Trash to Treasure – The Story of Enchanted Cottage

Enchanted Cottage Baudette

Article & photo credit: Doris Knutson Northern Light Region, March 15, 2017

At Enchanted Cottage, Lynn Furbish makes everything old new again

While many crafters who repurpose items get their inspiration from places like Pinterest, Etsy and Facebook, Lynn Furbish finds her greatest inspiration in the item itself. She often knows what she will create out of a particular item as soon as she sees it.

“A lot has to do with the uniqueness of the item,” Furbish said.
“I see it and I know it can be something.”
Always artistic and crafty, Furbish began repurposing and selling those items in 2014.
For the past 24 years, she has had a gift shop at her home north of Baudette, where she has sold handmade crafts. In recent years, she has begun to add these repurposed items to her shop at home, and for the last year or so, sells her crafts at Enchanted Cottage, her shop located in Cafe X on Main Avenue in Baudette.
“I’ve always liked doing crafts,” Furbish said, adding that when she began creating her handmade treasures, “repurposing wasn’t a thing then.”
She creates gift items out of old windows and doors, headboards and footboards, silverware, tea cups and much more.
Old windows can become picture frames or wall art, while doors can be remade into hall trees and antique headboards and footboards make unique benches. Old silverware, tea cups and tea pots are now unique garden art.
Furbish often purchases the items she will repurpose from yard sales and thrift shops, but some is given to her or sold by individuals.
Husband Ted often helps her with the larger items, and daughter Jamie sometimes lends a hand in the creation of the gifts as well.
One of the more unique, and definitely one of the most sentimental, items Furbish has created was the bouquet her daughter-in-law carried at her wedding to Furbishes’ son Josh in 2012.
The bouquet was made entirely of old broaches that were previously owned by the bride’s mom, aunts and grandma, as well as the groom’s mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
“Many of the items I pick to repurpose remind me of my grandparents,” said Furbish.
“And usually, almost everyone who buys something from me tells me why,” she continued.
“‘My grandma had this suitcase,’ or ‘my dad carried that lunchbox.’
“They always have a story. It seems there is something that is connected to their past that draws them to a particular item.”
In addition to the wide variety of repurposed and handmade gift items, Enchanted Cottage also features green plants for sale, as well as cut flowers for special occasions and tuxedo rentals.
The shop is open every Saturday, and by appointment Monday through Friday. To make a weekday appointment to browse the many unique items at Enchanted Cottage, call Lynn Furbish at 218-634-2256.

 

Enchanted Cottage Baudette

CHI LakeWood Welcomes Two New Healthcare Providers

The staff at CHI LakeWood Health is proud to welcome Larry Sokolic, MD, and Michelle Brown, NP-C, to its growing medical staff.
“We are excited to add Larry Sokolic, MD, and Michelle Brown, NP-C, to our medical staff,” said Ben Koppelman, Interim President at CHI LakeWood Health.
“The recent additions to our staff will allow us to expand access to clinic services and continue to offer quality, compassionate health care to our community.”
Larry Sokolic, MD, completed his medical degree at Hahnemann University (also known as Drexel University) in Philadelphia, PA. He completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX and a residency in anesthesiology at the University of Connecticut in Farmington, CT. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Michelle Brown, NP-C, received a Master of Science in Nursing Degree from Chamberlain College of Nursing in Addison, IL. She is board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.  Brown began her nursing career at CHI LakeWood Health in 1987 and she is excited to start serving the community in her new role as a nurse practitioner.
Sokolic and Brown join CHI LakeWood Health’s current medical staff: Justin Quo, MD; Mohan Kumar, MD; and Larry Lorbiecki, MD.
Both providers have begun seeing patients. Call CHI LakeWood Health Clinic at 218-634-1655 to make an appointment.  CHI LakeWood Health Clinic is located at 600 Main Avenue South in Baudette, MN.