St Urho 2024 Rundown and Thank You

A giant KIITOS (THANK YOU) to all of the people who helped to make the 49th Annual St. Urho’s Celebration happen. From all of those who help put the sign up over the highway, to the folks in the parade, to all the raffle ticket sellers, to the businesses that helped out by donating or selling raffle tickets and buttons, and to the businesses and folks who participated in the ‘Passport Game’… you all help make this event happen. Thank you so much!

Big thanks to the outstanding crew that put on Miss Helmi, the great contestants this year and their helpers, and to the kind folks at the Four Seasons for feeding the crew afterwards. The Miss Helmi 2024 winner is Shawn Nowotcyznski. Thanks to Adam’s Auto Value SB for providing the bus and an especially big thanks to our driver, Carter! 

Thanks to all who helped out at the Float Workshop. Thanks to Sonju Lake Sawmill and Timberframing for the use of the forklift for the Miss Helmi/Community Float Workshop Float, Alma Mitchell for teaching her mom how to drive the forklift at the last minute, and Lynda Schauland and Katlyn Bjerkness for helping to get the forklift out of the driveway. Thanks to Slim Steffens and Dana Deyette for last minute rides and supplies. Thanks to Augie Schauland and Chris Homyak for their help towing the forklift when it died in the middle of the Heffelfinger Road. 

Thank you to Tina Kreger Buus for organizing our parade this year! Thank you to our flag bearers, and to all of the creative people with their amazing parade floats! You guys all rock! Thank you to our Grand Marshal Diane Lindberg! And a big thanks to our parade judges (Bonnie Tikkanen, Dana Deyette and Danette Sundvick) and to Pat Ramsdell (Herbie) for making the awesome trophies! 

Parade prizes went to:

• Wolf Ridge Naturalists – Most Original
• Hopper Stopper Taksi – Most Traditional
• Miss Helmi’s Plane Crash Forklift made by the Finland Community Float Workshop – Best in Show

Thanks to Mason Buus for putting up signs and scaffolding and generally being helpful. 

Thanks so much to our film and livestream crew this year: Kaare Melby, Pam Melby, Jonathan Beauchane, and Renee Goneau-Maas. 

Big thanks to Robin Sunquiet for setting up and decorating the outdoor stage, to Robin and Steve Solkela for playing music outside during the day, to the Northern Stars for playing at the Clair Nelson Center, and to Lovin Lake County for sponsoring the whole thing. 

Thanks to Lucy Carlson and the Finland Food Chain team for making mojakka for lunch at the Clair Nelson Center after the parade. 

Thanks to Crystal Bay Township for providing port-a-potties for the weekend! All of us really appreciate it!

We also want to acknowledge Adam’s Auto Value for sponsoring and providing the sober cab (bus) – it really is a great option and helps keep everyone safe! Thanks so, so much!

Huge shout-out to all the individuals and businesses who donated for the online auction and for door prizes for the raffle ticket drawing this year! There were so many beautiful items donated. Thank you so much! Thank you bidders! And the donated door prizes really help to make the drawing a festive event. 

• Adam’s Auto Value
• Amber Klinker – Scentsy
  

  Photo by Pete Smerud

• AmericInn by Wyndham Tofte
• Baptism River Barbecue Co. 
• Beaver Bay Mobil Mart
• Beaver Bay Sports
• Black Beach Inn by GrandStay
• Blackbear Outfitters – Dick Krech
• Black Beach Mini Golf
• Bluefin Bay Resort
• Briesa’s Convenience Store
• Castle Danger Brewery
• Cheryl Esterbrooks – Young Living 
• Clearview General Store
• Cove Point Lodge
• Creating My Journey – Jessie Anderson
• D&D Services
• Don’s Auto Repair & Towing
• Donna McCurdy-Wolke – Avon & Color Street Nails
• Finland Cooperative Company
• Finland Fire Department
• Finland Snowmobile / ATV Club
• Finnskogen Farm – Kaare & Pam Melby
• Fish Out Of Water
• Four Seasons Restaurant & Bar
• Friends of the Finland Community
• Happy Wanderers
• Holiday Stationstore Beaver Bay
• Hugo’s Bar
• J&H Auto Repair & Towing
• Jammin’ on the Border – Patricia Boman 
• Jen’s North Shore Nursery
• Julie’s True Value
• Just Plain Sorrel – Christine & Libby Althaus
• Knotted Pine Inn & Tavern
• Lauri Hohman
• Maple Grove Lodging
• North Shore Area Partners
• North Shore Federal Credit Union
• Northwoods Family Grille
• Our Place
• Paparazzi – Debbie Ahlbeck
• SalonHaven
• Silver Bay Marina
• Silver Bay Municipal Bar & Liquor Store
• Silver Bowl
• St. Urho Committee
• Sterling Auto Parts (Napa TH)
• Susan Koschak
• Temperance Traders
• The Green Door
• The Well Northshore
• Thirty-One Gifts – Gloria Stern
• Timber Coffee Co.
• We Are The Body Solutions
• Wildhurst Lodge & Campground
• Wildly Organic
• Wolf Ridge ELC
• Zoe’s Pizza Kitchen
• Zup’s Food Market – Silver Bay
• Zup’s Flower Shop & Dollar Store

Thanks to Senja Ahlbeck and Heather Sve for all of their work to gather door prizes and online auction items, and to Randy Duke for assisting. 

Thanks also to Thrivent Financial and those who filled out Thrivent Action Teams to support this event!

Huge thanks to Jeff, Pam, Joyce, and the whole crew at the Four Seasons for going all out this year and for hosting the raffle ticket drawing, and thanks to everyone who helped out the day of the drawing! 

Passport game prizes went to Tonja Fultz, Tom Ostoff, and Sarah Gagner.

Raffle prizes were as follows:

• 1st prize $600 – Everette Haselow (Duke) of Finland, MN – ticket sold at Northwoods Grille
• 2nd prize $300 – Bonnie Corwin of St Paul, MN – ticket sold by Renee Goneau-Maas
• 3rd prize $200 – Layle Jelle of Grygla, MN – ticket sold by Senja Ahlbeck-Bates
• 4th prize $100 – Trevor Guyer of Bovey, MN – ticket sold by Jordan and Kayla Schaefer
• 5th prize $100 – Karen Nolan of Cottage Grove, MN – ticket bought at the drawing
• 6th prize $100 – Nicole Surla of Superior, WI – she was given tickets to sell and she bought one and only one. It only takes one ticket to win!

Thanks again to Lovin’ Lake County for all the support! 

Thanks again to all for supporting St. Urho’s Day! It really does take the whole town and then some to put on this event, so to everyone who helps – THANK YOU! We’ll see you next year for the 50th annual! Stay tuned- more details coming soon! 

With so much love and gratitude,

The St. Urho Committee