BREITUNG TWP — With ages ranging from one month to nearly 100 years old, area families and friends convened at McKinley Park Campground for the 111th annual Old Settlers Reunion and Picnic. Halle Peitso, at exactly one month old, took the youngest honors, and Marge Zupancich, who turns 100 in October, was the oldest.
The tone was a bit more somber than usual, with the recent passing of longtime volunteer Chuck Tekautz. In addition, his daughter, Dena Suihkonen, another longtime volunteer, had just suffered a life-altering spinal injury on July 6 during an accident at the Breitung Community Picnic where she was also volunteering. She was still in the hospital in Duluth and missed the event for possibly the first time in her nearly 60 years.
The Tekautz/Suihkonen families were once again major volunteers at the event. Granddaughter Ari Picard, with her young family in tow, was this year’s association president. Chuck’s wife, Nancy, showed up the afternoon before, with another dozen or so folks, to help with the vegetable-cutting duties.
Nancy was happy to hear that a few other brave souls had stepped in to cut the many pounds of onions needed to fill the booyah pot. For years, Chuck and Nancy had heroically taken their seat at a small table where the onions were stacked, out of the way of the larger tables where the other vegetables and potatoes were prepped.
Nancy also took charge of the booyah serving line on Saturday at noon sharp, with her smile still intact, and along with one of her granddaughters and other longtime friends, filled up the pots for the 201 folks who attended the picnic.
Other long-time families were also on hand to help: Tormas, Korpis, Chiabottis, Majerles, Andersons, Morins, and many others. One entire pavilion was filled with members of the Stefanich clan, coming from as far away as Colorado and Texas.
Many had never been to Old Settlers before, but their uncle, Jerry, the one surviving son of the Louie Stefanich family, showed everyone how to serve up the steaming hot booyah, along with enough sides and desserts to feed a small army.
Jorgine Gornick had her antique pot, handed down from her grandmother, Fanny Branwall. The pot most certainly had been to more Old Settlers than any person there.
“She only used it at Old Settlers,” Gornick said. “It’s over 100 years old.”
The large iron pots, sitting over well-tended wood fires, did their jobs honorably, and by the end of the picnic there was just a little bit of the tasty soup left over.
The township’s playground got a good workout, and the warm weather meant many youngsters spent time at the campground beach after their meal.