Wright/Cromwell News

03/17/2008

Wright/Cromwell News by Jennie K. Hanson March 17, 2008

As I sit down to type this week’s news, it’s St. Patrick’s Day.  Not being Irish, it doesn’t mean as much to me as the Irish, but I’m sure many are celebrating this special day.

St. Patrick is believed to have driven the snakes from Ireland. Once a pagan himself, St. Patrick is one of Christianity’s most widely known figures.

The modern secular holiday is based on the original Christian saint’s feast day also thought to be the date of the saint’s death. In 1737, Irish immigrants to the United States began observing the holiday publicly in Boston and held the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City in 1766.

Today, the tradition continues with people from all walks and heritages by wearing green, eating Irish food, and attending parades. St. Patrick’s Day is bursting with folklore; from the shamrock to the leprechaun and to pinching those that are not wearing green.

And then, yesterday, was St. Urho’s Day and here is what I found out about this holiday for the Finns.  The legend of St. Urho originated in Northern Minnesota in the 1950s. However, there are differing opinions as to whether it began with the fables created by Sulo Havumaki of Bemidji, or the tongue-in-cheek tales told by Richard Mattson of Virginia. Either way, the legend has grown among North Americans of Finnish descent to the point where St. Urho is known and celebrated across the United States and Canada, and even in Finland.

St. Urho’s Day is celebrated on March 16th, the day prior to the better known feast of some minor saint from Ireland, who was alleged to have driven the snakes from that island.

The legend says St. Urho chased the grasshoppers out of ancient Finland, thus saving the grape crop and the jobs of Finnish vineyard workers. He did this by uttering the phrase: “Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen” (roughly translated: “Grasshopper, grasshopper, go away!"). His feast is celebrated by wearing the colors Royal Purple and Nile Green. St. Urho is nearly always represented with grapes and grasshoppers as part of the picture.

This is also Easter Week.  Many area folks will be celebrating the upcoming events.  There will be a Maundy Thursday service and Soup Super at Bethlehem Lutheran in Wright on March 20th with Sharry Waldriff providing the special music.  Then on Friday morning, March 21st, at 8:30 AM in Bethany, Sunrise Service will be hosted by the Villa Vista.  Good Friday Service will be at 7 PM with Karen Adkins playing the harp at Bethany.

Our Sympathy to the family of long-time Wright Area Resident, Vernon Harp.  Vernon has spent the last several years in the Windom, Mn area, but was a life-long resident before that.  Vernon died on March 15th, 2008 just one day shy of his 96th Birthday.  If you want to send your sympathy to his wife Leone, and family, her address is:  312 7th Street, Windom, MN, 56101 So, to his wife Leone, daughters; Lorna and husband Bert, Helen and husband Larry, son; Gale and wife Betty and only surviving sibling; Sister Evelyn and Bill Johnson of McGregor, and grand children and great grand children, please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time of loss.

It was great to see Edna Murto, of Cloquet, in the area on Saturday the 15th as she made a trip to the Area Clothing Depot with her niece.  She wants everyone to know that the Friends of Animals in Carlton County will be holding their Annual Rummage Sale at the Cloquet Armory on Saturday, April 26th.  Friends of Animals is an organization dedicated to the humane treatment of animals in our county. Friends of Animals has been providing shelter for abandoned, stray and unwanted animals since 1985. Until earlier this year, they have relied on the generosity of many foster homes and volunteers. Today they are fortunate to have a 5,000 square foot building, which they purchased in March 2002. Friends of Animals still rely on the generosity of their many volunteers to assist with animal care and shelter maintenance.

They will gladly take help from people who are willing to volunteer in the shelter, walking dogs and cleaning kennels. They are also looking for some more good foster homes. If you would like to make a cash donation, please send it to 1418 Hwy. 33 S., Cloquet, MN 55720. Anything you can give will be greatly appreciated. Thank you to all the people who have volunteered at the shelter, made donations, and/or fostered animals! From Friends Of Animals Humane Society, Phone: (218)879-1655 or Email:

Sue Gran Miller is in need of prayers as she battles cancer again.  Her address is 13948 Alder West, Andover, Mn 55304 if you would like to send a card to cheer her on.  Sue is a 1963 graduate of Cromwell High School and spent her career in teaching.

The Northview Bank in Cromwell sure is looking great.  Shouldn’t be too long now when the remodeling is done and the bank will be back to normal, without the remodeling going on.  The staff sure appreciates all the customers understanding with the remodeling as it is a needed up-dating.  I know the staff has gone over and above to make these changes possible, too.  It’s never easy to live or work in a construction zone!  Thanks, to the staff and owners for investing your time, money and energy into our community!  It is appreciated!  Oh, the construction crew needs to be thanked too as they have had to work around some unusual hours and weekends to get this project finished.

Thanks to Siiri and Carolyn, I have the schedule for the YOT Dances at the Cromwell Park Pavilion for this year.  The next dance will be on March 27th, 1 – 4 PM at the pavilion with Loren Lindevig providing the dance music.

Congratulations to Brooke Aili and Orrie Bergstedt on their up-coming wedding in Esko on May 18, 2008.  Parents are Mr. and Mrs. Philip Aili and Mr. and Mrs. Keith Bergstedt.

That’s all the news from Lake Waitingforspring and Hello to all our friends and readers.  Have a Happy and Blessed Easter!  Remember NO SCHOOL March 24 – 28th in Cromwell.