Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
ROBBIE LAMPART feeds the "'Light Up the Night"' bonfire Saturday night at Norrie Amateur Sports Club in Ironwood as fellow club member Don Peterson looks on. The club sponsored the 15th annual event that burned old Christmas trees and marked the end of the 2023-2024 Jack Frost Festival.
By P.J. GLISSON
Ironwood - Hearts, minds and bodies of a steady crowd of people were warmed Saturday night as the Norrie Amateur Sports Club offered its 15th annual "'Light Up the Night"' bonfire in Ironwood.
The event, which closed out the 2023-2024 Jack Frost Festival, was made possible by the discarding of Christmas trees by local residents.
"'I think there were just under 300,"' said Steve Lehto Jr., club president, who added that stacks of unneeded pallets also helped to fuel the fire.
Although warm winter weather prevailed, Lehto said that an early, fine rain made igniting the fire a challenge. Nevertheless, it resulted in being a roaring inferno, much to the delight of the crowd with included a number of families.
A rainbow of fireworks added additional light at the start of the event, inspiring cries of joy from the kids.
"'They were pretty amazing,"' said Richard Hill of Ironwood.
Hill said it was his first time attending the event. "'I like fire,"' he said with a big grin.
Part of the entertainment for the crowd was watching Norrie Club members such as John Balyeat, Robbie Lampart and Don Peterson continue to feed the fire by tossing additional trees and pallets on the heap.
At one point, Balyeat used a pallet to push back an errant tree that had fallen from the fire.
According to Lehto, club vice president Ron Elias and his wife, Courtney, picked up a lot of the trees, and then Rod Smith - former board president - helped to build the initial pile.
A beverage tent was available, and a range of music also was offered via "'D.J. Jackal"' (a.k.a. Lehto).
"'Usually, we're here till about midnight,"' said Lehto regarding the party. "'The fire'll probably go all night long."'
The nonprofit Norrie Club sponsors local sports teams, as well as families at Christmas. It also engages in other activities for kids and supports the Gogebic Range Trail Authority, among other charitable interests.
The clubhouse is located at 385 Aspen St., nearby where the bonfire took place.
