Gabi Kautz

Have you seen the large, rust-colored structure on Teal Lake? If you have and you’re wondering what the heck it could be, I’m here to fill you in.

That large structure is a mining head frame replica built by U.P. Fabricating, and the community is taking guesses as to when it will fall through the ice of Teal Lake. It’s the Teal Lake Melt-Down back for its third year!

The Teal Lake Melt-Down is a fundraiser for the Negaunee Lions Club, benefiting the Negaunee Lions and the Greater Ishpeming-Negaunee Area Chamber of Commerce. For $5, you can take an exact guess as to when you think the structure will fall through the ice for your chance to win either $500 or half of net ticket proceeds, whichever is greater. When we say exact, we mean it … right down to the minute, a.m. or p.m. You may only submit one guess per ticket, but you can purchase as many tickets as you’d like.

You might be wondering about the logistics of this process, such as how do we know when it falls and how do we get that thing out of the lake? Range Telecommunications has provided video set up with constant coverage of the structure, so it can be determined down to the second as to when it falls through. As for retrieval, the Marquette County Search and Rescue Dive Team will be using this as a training session. Using their GPS unit, they will go out in the spring with their watercraft and divers and retrieve the structure.

Some people are trying to calculate when it will fall based on how much ice is on the lake, and some are trying their luck and using birthdays of themselves and loved ones. Some people are predicting June or July. Do you think you have a good tactic for guessing?! Find any Negaunee Lions Club member for tickets, or stop by our office in the parking lot of Jubilee Foods in Ishpeming. Ticket sales are extended until March 31, so you still have time! However, the winning ticket must be purchased and submitted at least two full days prior to the sinking of the head frame. I don’t think we’ll see it melting in early April, but it wouldn’t be the first time Mother Nature has surprised us. In the event of a tie, the winner will be whoever purchased their ticket first.

Admit it, you took a guess at when it would fall as you were reading this. You might as well put your intuition to the test and buy a ticket! Not only would you win the cash prize, but you’d get some pretty specific bragging rights as well. Go check out the ice situation on Teal Lake and then stop by the GINCC office to claim your date and time. You’ll be participating in something fun that benefits both of the neighboring communities, what’s there to lose?

EDITOR’S NOTE: Gabi Kautz is the communications & marketing assistant for GINCC. She currently resides in Ishpeming. She enjoys traveling, yoga and photography.