Family heritage day at homestead

MARQUETTE — The Hanka Homestead Finnish Museum in Askel will host its fifth annual Family Heritage Day beginning at 1 p.m. Friday.

The Homestead is on Arnheim Road, 10 miles north of Baraga or 20 miles south of Houghton, off of U.S. 41.

The festivities are also in honor of the Country of Finland’s Centennial in 2017. Finland became an independent country at the end of the First World War when it gained its independence from the Russian Republic.

The Ambassador of Finland to the United States, Kristi Kauppi, will kick-off this local celebration of Finnish independence with a double flag raising ceremony at 3 p.m. at the Hanka Homestead, assisted by the Chassell VFW.

Also on the schedule are several workshops/demonstrations that will showcase the skills and “sisu” that Finnish immigrant pioneers utilized in surviving and thriving in the backwoods of the Upper Peninsula at the turn of the 20th century.

These include a Finnish folk music workshop, a traveling sauna, a team of Belgian draft horses skidding logs out of the woods, traditional hide tanning, traditional and modern blacksmithing, a homesteader’s garden and cooking demonstrations, horse-drawn wagon rides, the Kivajat Children’s Dance Troupe, plus many more.

The day will culminate with live music and outdoor dancing beginning at 4 p.m. The Feed Mill Cafe of Tapiola will serve at the concession stand some traditional Finnish dishes as well as Vollwerth’s beer brats and hot dogs.

Admission will be $6 for adults, $1 for teens, and children 12 and under will be free.

Check out the museum’s website at www.hankahomesteadmuseum.org and its Facebook page for more information.

Pony pull at Champion grounds

CHAMPION — There will be a special event at the Champion Horsepulling Grounds starting at 11 a.m. Saturday.

This will be a pony pull only. Admission is free and Gravedoni Street Eats will serve as concession.

Cancer fundraiser planned

NEGAUNEE — A fundraiser dance for the American Cancer Relay for Life- Marquette County is set from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Negaunee Senior Center.

It is hosted by Cuz We Care Relay for Life Team with music by David Alan DJ and Karaoke.

Admission is $5. A concession stand will be available. The event will include door prizes, silent auction, 50/50 and luminaria for $10 each.

Kelly Girard benefit coming up

GWINN — A Benefit for Kelly Girard is planned from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 25 at Gwinn High School.

Girard, a charismatic, outdoor-loving husband and father, recently was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, hypertension, and COPD.

He is currently awaiting a bilateral lung transplant. Kelly will undergo the transplant surgery at the University of Minnesota.

After recovering from the surgery and being released, Kelly and his wife, Judy (a long time Gwinn teacher), are required to live within 15 minutes of the hospital for at least three months.

The benefit will be having a spaghetti dinner to raise funds to help alleviate some of the financial burden placed on the Girard family. This benefit includes a spaghetti dinner, basket raffle, and a bake sale. Cost: adult $7; children $5; family (two adults and two children) $20; and children 5 and under free.

Raptor center open house set

HARVEY– Get up close and personal with raptors when the Chocolay Raptor Center, located at 146 Lakewood Lane, hosts an open house from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 25.

The event will last one hour, with birds on the glove at 4 p.m.

Admission is free, although donations are encouraged. For more information, contact Jerry Maynard at 906-249-3598.