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VERMILION RANGE

Century celebration

Young and old gather for Old Settlers picnic

Jodi Summit
Posted 7/24/14

SOUDAN- Three-month-old Harper Cobby grinned as she was introduced to Robert Wahlsten, who is just two months shy of his 95th birthday and was recognized as this year’s oldest Old Settler. Robert …

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VERMILION RANGE

Century celebration

Young and old gather for Old Settlers picnic

Posted

SOUDAN- Three-month-old Harper Cobby grinned as she was introduced to Robert Wahlsten, who is just two months shy of his 95th birthday and was recognized as this year’s oldest Old Settler. Robert said his earliest memory of Old Settlers was being carried to the picnic spot by his father, when he was three- years-old. Harper may not remember this year’s picnic, but she was recognized as being the youngest attendee. She was picnicking with her parents, grandparents Randy and Margie Johnson, and her aunt Courtney Aluni.

“I’ve been coming since I was little,” Wahlsten said, missing his long-time classmate Tony Pahula, who if present would have earned the mantle of the oldest, since he was a year older than Robert, who had started school at age four, and graduated at age 16.

Celebrating its 100th year, the picnic was a chance for families to gather and tell stories of picnics in years past. Attendance was much higher than in recent years, with 369 paid memberships.

Leonard Stefanich brought two old mementos that had belonged to his father. One was a button, bearing the name of his grandfather, Anton, the other was a pin and ribbon commemorating the three-day Old Settlers celebration in 1917. Leonard remembered coming to help set up chairs at the picnic when he was a child, and sometimes was brought along with his aunt and uncle. He just recently began attending himself, and certainly was enjoying the day.

Katie and Maddie Yapel, from Duluth, were up to visit grandparents. The girls had decorated their new white polo shirts with the letters, b-o-o and y-a-h, so when they stood together, they spelled out the name of their favorite summertime treat. Their grandfather, Joe Yapel, was sporting a 100th anniversary year apron, a gift from a grateful Old Settlers fan. This was Yapel’s 25th year assisting on the booyah crew.

LeRoy Holmes moved to Soudan when he was four -months-old. He wasn’t sure how many picnics he had attended, but it was quite a few.

Pauline (Peil) Housenga had one of the most interesting Old Settlers stories to relate. Her grandfather, Albert Kitto, had come to Soudan in 1884, and worked at the Soudan Mine, helping to load the first load of iron ore, shipped out on July 31, 1884. Albert had emigrated in 1882 from Corwall, England, and moved to Soudan for the opportunity to work in the mine. Family members descended from four of Albert and MaryBelle Kitto’s six children were at this year’s picnic.

Aggie Mesojedec wouldn’t fess up to how many years she’d been coming.

“What year did it start?” she asked with a smile. She said they didn’t come when she was little, because her family didn’t own a car, but she is a regular picnic-goer nowadays.

Tom Mattson’s grandfather Anton Erickson helped organize the first Old Settlers picnic in 1914. He was at the picnic with his mother, Elmie, and had memories of attending Old Settlers since he was a young boy.

Paul and Judy Pishler were presented with the $100 prize for finding the Old Settlers medallion, which was hidden near the flower beds by the Soudan Store.

Steven Stedman, grandson of Frank Korpi, dazzled the crowd with his a cappella rendition of the National Anthem. Steven, a student at Mesabi East, recently performed with the Northern Lights Music Festival and sang in the opera Carmen.

This year’s Old Settlers Committee President Rod Erchul led a short program with help from last year’s president Wes Anderson, who served as Master of Ceremonies.

Other officers include Dena Suihkonen, first vice-president; Christina Hujanen, second vice-president, and Kathy Hoppa, secretary/treasurer. Members of the board include Lee Branwall, Tom Trucano, Jodi Summit, Jennifer Fredrickson, Muriel Scott, Bernard Barich, Stephen Tekautz, Pauline Housenga,and Matt Tuchel. This year’s booyah crew was ably-led by Nick Tekautz, with help from Ed Tekautz, Joe Yapel, Sheldon Majerle, Conrad Rones, Jerry Chiabotti, Stephen Tekautz, and a host of others who helped with registration, selling t-shirts, serving booyah, raffle prizes, and cleanup.