When two local private health clubs merged last year (Rapid Fitness 24/7 and an existing Anytime Fitness), Blue Star Investments of Sioux Falls, South Dakota purchased the consolidated business. Blue Star entered into a 10-year lease to run it in a newly constructed building that is owned by husband and wife Craig & Jamilee Maturi of Grand Rapids. Craig is an Itasca area entrepreneur who owns multiple businesses including J.D.’s Log Home Restoration, Foam-Pro Insulating Systems, Maturi Properties and Pokegama Lake Resort. He founded Rapid Fitness 24/7 five years ago as a hobby and sold it to Blue Star as part of the merger process. He then built the new facility for Blue Star to lease and operate the new Anytime Fitness.

Gym membership has increased by approximately 40% in its new location. Members have access to the Grand Rapids center and 4,500 other locations nationwide.

In addition to the gym, a second business is located within the new building. Rapid Nutrition & Coffee Co., which is owned and operated by the Maturis. Rapid Nutrition sells coffee, espresso, protein shakes, and health-focused sandwiches and goods.

“The infrastructure grant to the city was essential to make this project happen,” said Craig. “I could not have built the new building without the city and agency’s willingness to lead on the needed infrastructure.”

Anytime Fitness has two full-time employees; Rapid Nutrition has two full-time and 13 part-time employees. According to the city of Grand Rapids, the new facility is projected to generate $26,000 per year in local property taxes.

The total project investment was $1.65 million, and the Development Infrastructure grant was $57,800. Grants from Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation are made possible through taxes paid by Minnesota’s mining industry. Email Chris Ismil or call him at 218-735-3010 for grant information.

New infrastructure and signage were added to the Sugar Hills Nordic ski area, a popular destination in Grand Rapids for local and statewide cross country skiers and outdoor enthusiasts.

A 150-foot boardwalk and two culverts were installed to improve the trail surface and access in low areas that are subject to washouts. The boardwalk allows passage over a section of trail that was wet much of the year due to nearby natural springs. Additionally, an informational kiosk and vault-style restroom were added adjacent to the ski area’s warming shack, as well as a large entry sign along County Road 442.

Sugar Hills includes a non-motorized trail that is utilized year round for cross country skiing, mountain biking, hiking and hunting. The trail is maintained by Northern Lights Nordic Ski Club, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization whose goal is to promote cross country skiing as a healthy family activity. The club has 250 member families. All trail work is completed by volunteers who donate hundreds of hours to maintain the 28-kilometer Sugar Hills trail and also seven other area trails for a combined total of 96 kilometers.

The 1,600 acres of land surrounding the trail is privately owned by Boundary Companies, which manages the forest for timber as called for in a permanent Forest Legacy easement agreement with the Trust for Public Land. The easement preserves the trail for public use and is monitored by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR).

Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation provided a Regional Trails grant which helped pay for the infrastructure and signage. Other funding partners included Federal Recreational Trail Program and Itasca County Trails Task Force/Blandin Foundation. Boundary Companies donated the cedar logs and roof shakes for the kiosk, and Northern Lights Ski Club member Randy Zupan volunteered his time to construct it. Minnesota Conservation Corps, an environmental stewardship and service learning organization for young adults ages 18-25, assisted with the construction of the boardwalk. (Pictured at left). 

“The infrastructure and signage project is a great collaboration between the public and private sector, and it emphasizes the great spirit of volunteerism in our community,” said Pete Friedlieb, Northern Lights Nordic Ski Club president. “As a result, the public has an incredible outdoor amenity that adds to quality of life in our region.”

For Regional Trails grant information email Jim Plummer or call him at 218-274-7006.

The 25-mile Pincushion Mountain trail system is being groomed this winter with a new John Deere side-by-side utility vehicle (UTV). The UTV can pull behind special attachments and track mounts that groom for both skate and classic cross country skiing. The UTV can be used in the summer to repair washouts, retaining walls and bridges. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation provided a Culture and Tourism grant to help acquire the new equipment.

Pincushion Trails are owned and maintained by North Superior Ski and Run Club (NSSRC), a Minnesota nonprofit organization founded in 1979. NSSRC partners with the United States Forest Service, Cook County, Superior Hiking Trail Association and Superior Cycling Association (SCA) to maintain the year-round multi-purpose trail system. SCA maintains a separate network of single-track mountain biking and fat-tire biking trails at Pincushion adjacent to the NSSRC skiing and running trails.

Pincushion is located on a bluff overlooking Grand Marais, and the trailhead is located three miles from downtown. The trails are used for Nordic skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, fat tire biking, mountain biking and running. The top of Pincushion Mountain provides a stunning view of Lake Superior, and 1.6 kilometers of trail are lit for night use.

Pincushion is used by approximately 12,000 residents, tourists and local youth athletes combined each year. It is the training and event site for a youth ski race league and for the Cook County High School Nordic ski, cross country running, and track teams.

NSSRC has approximately 80 members who collectively volunteer about 300 hours per year to maintain the trails. The club generates revenue from a program administered through the Minnesota DNR called The Great Minnesota Ski Pass. A ski pass is required to access the trails. The pass is $25 per year or $10 per day. Proceeds help the club cover expenses associated with trail maintenance, the Pincushion warming chalet, and a waxing building.

“The new equipment enables our volunteers to keep maintaining Pincushion, an important asset to our region’s economy and quality of life,” said Chris O’Brien, NSSCR president and board member. “Tourists accessing the trails patronize restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations and hotels. And the youth of Cook County utilize the area for athletics and overall health.”

NSSCR also received funding support for the new equipment from the Federal Recreational Trail Program. For Culture & Tourism grant information email Danae Beaudette or call her at 218-735-3022.

There's still time to be a part of the biggest grantseeking event of the year. Whether you’re an executive director, a fund development staff person or a board member involved in fundraising, Minnesota Foundations 2020 has the expertly researched information you'll need to develop and foster a valuable list of funding prospects for the year to come.

Join the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) in Hermantown on Feb. 5 or Grand Rapids on Feb. 6 for frank, current information about changes taking place in Minnesota’s foundation community, including:

• Insights into the staffing, program shifts and financial outlooks of the most active and important foundations giving in northeastern Minnesota.
• A stronger list of local and statewide prospects.
• Resources necessary to implement your fundraising plan.
• A free copy of MCN’s 2020 Minnesota Grants Directory.

Cost is $75 for MCN members and $125 for nonmembers.

Register for the Hermantown event.

Register for the Grand Rapids event.