Nov. 10, 2021
*SPECIAL VETERANS DAY EDITION*
Gilbert Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 4456 made major structural repairs to its main street building earlier this month. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the structural repair project with a $15,000 grant. Total project investment was $27,000. The damage was discovered during an extensive street and sidewalk renovation project that was conducted in partnership between the city of Gilbert and Minnesota Department of Transportation.
The repairs to the foundation and eastern sidewall were expedited so that the street and sidewalk renovation project could continue without drastic delays and be completed prior to winter’s onset. The work included siding replacement, new floor joists, masonry repairs, wood framing repairs, waterproofing concrete, and plumbing and electrical repairs.
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“We are very grateful to Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation and their staff who swiftly responded with help and connected us with United Way and Minnesota Power to request additional grant funding,” said Tim Mattson, VFW Post 4456 commander. “We also received financial support from Carpenter Local 606 Union, United Steelworkers Local 1938, and Sawmill Saloon & Restaurant. The kindness, generosity and community support helped us make the unexpected and needed repairs.”
The George and Mark Klobuchar VFW Post was established in Gilbert in 1945. The building’s annex space is available free of charge for military and non-military funerals. It is also a popular site for weddings, dances, parties and community gatherings such as the annual children’s Christmas party with Santa Claus, gifts and horse-drawn carriage rides. The VFW’s Color Guard is accessible for any military funeral across the Iron Range, participates in area Fourth of July parades, and visits Virginia High School each year on Veterans Day for a special presentation and ceremony.
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The Gilbert VFW dresses the Gilbert cemetery each Memorial Day with American flags, and it offers Memorial Day services at the Gilbert and Makinen cemeteries. The VFW donates money to the Veteran’s Home located in Silver Bay, provides an annual academic scholarship to local students, and offers financial and personal assistance to local veterans in need.
The post’s auxiliary members are the wives and husbands of area veterans, and they assist with catering functions in the annex. They also host blood drives, sponsor youth military drawing and essay contests, and collect hand written thank you notes from area youth to enclose with care packages they mail to active duty U.S. soldiers across the globe.
“The VFW is very important to me personally and to the community,” said Mattson. “The impact of our post is quite significant to area veterans and community members of all ages. I am very proud of how we interact with and serve communities in northeastern Minnesota.”
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A flag raising ceremony was held last month at the new Veterans Riverfront Park in Cook. Constructed on an undeveloped parcel along the Little Fork River at the end of main street, the park pays tribute to all military branches and veterans and provides an outdoor community space for residents and tourists. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a Culture & Tourism grant.
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The park features memorials honoring the military, picnic tables, grills, a flag pole, and a fence separating the park from the railroad. A steel swing near the river bank will be installed upon its delivery, and additional landscaping is in progress. A grand opening ceremony is scheduled for the spring when all amenities are fully completed.
“Creating a new outdoor community space will benefit our residents, families and businesses,” said Tammy Palmer, Friends of the Park president. “People can share meals, gather with friends, exercise and play outdoors. The park had an abundance of support, and it was very important to the people of Cook to honor members of our community who have and are still serving in the United States military.”
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The Cook Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and American Legion have a combined membership of 270 members. An estimated 2,000 veterans reside within a 40-mile radius of Cook.
The project was led by local nonprofit Friends of the Parks. Other contributors include donations from local businesses, organizations and private individuals.
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“It is through the support and efforts of these donors that made this project possible,” said Palmer. “What started as a $32,000 project has elevated to a $62,000 project due to the enthusiasm and support of the community.”
Email Danae Beaudette for Culture & Tourism grant information or call her at 218-735-3022.
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“Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation has humbly assisted projects throughout the region that support veterans, their families and their communities. The active duty and retired veterans in northeastern Minnesota served each of us when they served the United States military. The agency is proud to provide funding that improves the quality of life for area veterans, most recently related to health care, child care, historical preservation and memorials, and tourism and recreation.” - Commissioner Mark Phillips
Recent grants include:
Ely Veterans Affairs (VA) Clinic, Ely: Infrastructure improvements to support a renovation that added 2,400 square feet of remodeled space and 5,040 square feet of new space. Infrastructure improvements included: relocation of a sanitary sewer main, installation of storm sewer, replacement of sidewalks to provide ADA access, extension of a new sewer service and restoration of the roadway and parking lot that serves the building. The expansion enabled the outpatient clinic to provide additional health services, including mental health care, primary and internal medicine and women’s health care to area United States military veterans. $247,918 Development Infrastructure grant, 2021.
Mid-Range Range Honor Guard/United Way of Northeastern Minnesota, Hibbing: A new service vehicle to transport equipment for the veteran’s organization established through Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8510. The Honor Guard provides military funeral honors and comfort to fallen soldiers and veterans who served honorable in the United States military. The Guard also performs flag raisings at approximately 100 special events annually. $25,000 Commissioner Discretionary grant, 2021.
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Little Mariners Child Care Center, Silver Bay: Infrastructure for a safe drop-off zone and parking area for a new child care center that when at full capacity will create 132 new slots, including 60 school-age children, 36 preschool-age children, 21 toddlers and 15 infants. Silver Bay and Lake County have two of the highest needs-for-growth for child care slots in northeastern Minnesota. Prior to the opening of Little Mariners, the State of Minnesota Veterans Home in Silver Bay was considerably impacted by the child care shortage. The lack of child care was a barrier to recruiting and retaining its workforce. $231,497 Community Infrastructure grants, 2020 & 2021.
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Warba American Legion Post 432 Campground, Warba: Improvements to the campground located in Warba Township including upgraded electric hookups to meet the utility demands of today’s modern RVs and campers, improved shower house and new flag poles. $12,997 Culture & Tourism grant, 2020.
Disabled Veterans Recreation/Veterans on the Lake Resort, Ely: Improved accessibility to trails, paths, walkways, ramps, docks, outdoor areas and cabins for individuals in wheelchairs or other medical equipment, as well as those with other impairments. The resort is a nonprofit that serves disabled American Veterans and others with physical and mental disabilities. $125,000 Community Infrastructure grant, 2020. $3,000 Application Fund grant, 2020. $15,000 Culture & Tourism grant, 2018.
Veterans History Project, Itasca County: A new interactive veterans exhibit at Itasca County Historical Society that includes a museum display and an online searchable database to record the digital personal history of every Itasca County veteran. The museum display encompasses conflicts involving America beginning with the Civil War, followed by the Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Dessert Storm, and the Global War on Terror. Special components of the exhibit are Women in the Mines, Life Back Home, Missing in Action & Prisoners of War. $9,000 Culture & Tourism grant, 2019.
Ely Area Veterans Memorial, Ely: A new memorial for the Ely, Tower, Babbitt and surrounding areas to honor veterans. During World War II, Ely had the most men and women who served per capita of any city its size in the United States. Ely lost two veterans in the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and 52 Ely veterans were killed in action during World War II, the most of any U.S. city its size. $20,000 Culture & Tourism grant, 2017.
Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation’s grants are funded through taxes paid by Minnesota’s mining industry.
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The official state of Minnesota Veterans Day Program will be held virtually again this year in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A 30-minute recorded program will be available starting at 8 a.m. on Veterans Day, Thursday, Nov. 11 on the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs website at MinnesotaVeteran.org/VeteransDay2021. The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) invites all Minnesotans to celebrate and honor the veterans who have served our state and country.
“Although we are not gathering in person, the importance of recognizing Minnesota’s Veterans for their service, sacrifice and resilience has not diminished,” said MDVA Commissioner Larry Herke. “We encourage all Minnesotans to take a moment to thank the Veterans in their lives for the freedoms we all enjoy.”
Country music artist Rockie Lynne will open this year’s program, which will include music and remarks from:
- Gov. Tim Walz.
- Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Larry Herke.
- Adjutant General of the Minnesota National Guard Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke.
- Members of the Minnesota Congressional Delegation.
- Ron Haugen, Chair of the Minnesota Commanders’ Task Force.
- MDVA employees.
- 34th Infantry Division Red Bull Band.
The program will be hosted by former WCCO-TV Reporter Bill Hudson. During his time at WCCO, Hudson covered a variety of Veteran-related assignments including Minnesota National Guard missions to Bosnia, Panama and Honduras, and traveling to Saudi Arabia to accompany soldiers returning home from the first Gulf War.
Access more information about the Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs (MDVA) on their official website.
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Below is a list of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation employees who served in the military. We thank them and their families for their service and sacrifice!
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