Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
JAN TUCKER
Ontonagon — The Ontonagon Rotary Club conducts its annual Ice Out each year to celebrate when the ice leaves the Ontonagon River in its journey to Lake Superior. Each year the group selects a special project to support in the sale of ice out tickets.
The Rotary announced Wednesday it will support the fund drive of the Friends of the Porkies efforts to purchase a rescue sled for the Porcupine Mountains. Sally Berman, President of the Friends group, told Rotarians Wednesday that the group asked park staff what was the priority need at the Porkies. “Number one on the list was a tracked side by side rescue sled to replace the 20 year old one and a rescue litter,” Berman said. The equipment would be used to rescue distressed and stranded back country hikers and campers in the park and surrounding forests.
The side by side aspect would permit the sled to be used both in snow and in the fall and summer terrain. The equipment is showing its 20 years, she said, adding that the last time they tried to use the litter, the handles fell off.
The cost of the vehicle is $27,000. Berman reported that nearly $2,200 was raised by the Quarters for the Cause at Twilly’s in Bruce Crossing recently.
Rotary Ice Out Tickets will sell for $1 each with the winner determined by the best guess of the date and time the ice will leave the river. The Ontonagon County Road Commission assists the Rotary by monitoring the ice breakup.
Through the years the ice out proceeds have benefitted many organizations and programs in the county. Jim Jessup, Rotary President said, the group was “especially pleased to help support the life saving rescue sled at the Porkies.”
Berman said donations for the sled can also be sent to Friends of the Porkies, P.O. Box 221, Ontonagon Mi. 49953.