Chillier By The Lake Fundraiser

Chillier By The Lake, held on February 8th, 2025, was hosted by the Green Door in Beaver Bay, MN along with SOMN (Special Olympics MN) Lake Superior Lakers. Elev­en participants entered their hearty concoc­tions in the chili cook off with hopes of going home with a trophy and some spicy bragging rights. Baptism River BBQ generously do­nated a large portion of “burnt ends” for people to enjoy at the event as well. Anyone offering a free will donation had the opportunity to sample the variety of chili options with all the fixings, along with cornbread and des­serts. Then they could vote for their favorite chili. The SOMN Lake Superior Lakers also held a 50/50 drawing during the event.

All proceeds raised go towards providing equipment and cover­ing other expenses for the athletes. The Lake Superior Lakers goal is to prevent cost barriers for the athletes. They should feel like the Super Stars they are. Raising enough funds to make this possible takes time and effort by holding several fund­raising events through­out the year. You can take part in showing the athletes how proud of them you are by do­nating or participating in the events. Any do­nations are greatly ap­preciated. You can find contact information below if you’re inter­ested in donating.

The Chillier By The Lake fundrais­er garnered a total of $1,916.00. Shelly By­rnes won the 50/50 drawing and donat­ed her winnings back to the Lake Superior Lakers. Sue Paulson’s special recipe won the Chili Cook Off contest. Congratulations to the winners!

The Green Door is planning on making the chili cook off an annual event, so dig out those old fami­ly recipes or create something new and get ready for next year!

While attending the event, I spoke with several volunteers who have dedicated their time and effort for this wonderful cause, in­cluding Phil Melander, Head Coach; Brenda Wood, Finance Chair; and Katie Melander, Head of Delegation. Katie has been in­volved with the Special Olympics for many years, however the Lake Superior Lakers started their delegation in 2020 with their first competition season in 2021.

Currently, there are 10 athletes, and the Lake Superior Lakers are always looking for more to join! To sign up to become an athlete or get more information, email Katie Melander at specialolakers218@gmail.com or call 218-464-3084. There are a wide variety of different events in which the athletes participate in throughout the year. Coming up next will be Track and Field. Some of the athletes have mentioned an interest in fishing, so the Lake Superior Lakers are actively looking for a fishing event. In September they will have four qualifiers for the USA Games 2026. From June 20-26, the Special Olympics USA Games will bring 4,000 athletes, 1,500 coaches, 10,000 volunteers, and 75,000 fans from all 50 states right here to Minnesota! Featuring 19 sports, the Games will shine a light on the abilities and strengths of people with intellectual disabilities.

There are several upcoming events to at­tend, donate, and par­ticipate in. The Polar Plunge will be held on Saturday, Febru­ary 15th at 2pm (sub­ject to change). If you would like to partici­pate in the Canal Park Plunge, you can sign up/check in the day of the event at 11am. It is located at The Gar­den, 425 Lake Ave. S., Duluth, MN 55802. There is no pre-regis­tration required. In or­der to go in the water, you will need to have raised $75. In June, the Law Enforcement Torch Run will be held with the exact day to be determined. The Lake Superior Lakers are hoping to hold a BBQ Smoke Off as a fundraiser in the fu­ture also. Stay tuned for those upcoming events.

To donate, go to: specialolympicsmin­nesota.org and click on the “donate” tab locat­ed in the top, right cor­ner. Be sure to specify LSL03 – Lake Superi­or Lakers 03.

Good luck to all the athletes!