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Happenings in the Keweenaw Peninsula February 11, 2005 Press Release, photos and logo © 2005 Omega House. Reprinted with permission.

Ski for Heart, Pancake brunch, to raise hospice funds Feb. 12, 13

HOUGHTON -- The community is invited to participate in two upcoming February events to raise funds for the Omega House Hospice Project, as well as the Portage Lake Rowing Club and the Portage Lake Hospice -- "Ski for the Heart of Our Community" on Saturday, Feb. 12, and a Pancake Brunch Sunday, Feb. 13.

Ski for Heart Saturday, Feb. 12

"Ski for the Heart of Our Community," an annual fund-raising cross-country ski event for Omega House and for the Portage Lake Rowing Club, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2005, at Swedetown Ski Trails in Calumet. If you do not ski, you can still help by pledging an amount to one of the team members. 

If you like to cross country ski, registration is from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12, at the Swedetown Chalet. Please contact Bill Sewell at 482-6038 or email him at wsewell@mtu.edu if you wish to be on the Omega House Ski for Heart team.  A $10 donation (minimum) gets you access to the good food and fun; a $20 donation: food, fun and free ski rental from Cross Country Sports; a $50 donation: food, fun, free ski rental and a commemorative water bottle.

If you just want to donate, checks can be made payable to Omega House EIN #38-3511814 or to Portage Lake Rowing Club EIN #61-1411235 or to both. You can mail a check made out to either organization to Omega House, 920 West Water St. Hancock, MI 49930.

The Portage Lake Rowing Club is raising funds to build a facility to house, equip and promote non-motorized silent water sports (e.g., rowing, kayaking, canoeing, small boat sailing).

Omega House, a six-bed hospice house now under construction, is raising funds (badly needed) for operation costs.

During Hancock's Heikinpäivä celebration in January, Omega House sponsored the Friday night dance, Karhun Tanssi.

The Kivajat Dancers perform at the Karhun Tanssi benefit for Omega House on Jan. 21. "We are sponsored by the Finnish American Heritage Center at Finlandia University, where we practice once a week," said director Kay Seppala of Chassell. The costumes, based on the Feresi, a common peasant dress worn in Karelia (eastern Finland, now in Russia) in the late 1800s, were sewn by volunteers with grant money from Finlandia Foundation National. In the background, the Finn Hall band of Minneapolis, joined by local musicians, provides live music for the dance. (Photo © 2005 Jo Lorichon)

"We made over $700 at the Karhun Tanssi, said Julie Maroste, Omega House administrative assistant. 

Pancake Brunch Sunday, Feb. 13

The Brothers of Sigma Tau Gamma invite the public to their annual Pancake Brunch to be held from 12:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 13, at Sts. Peter and Paul Lutheran Church in Hancock.

"The Brothers have held an annual pancake breakfast fund raiser for many years," stated Mitch Krafft, Sigma Goodwill chairperson. "Proceeds this year will be split between the Omega House Hospice Project and Portage Lake Hospice."

Tickets are $5 per adult and $3 per child and will be available at the door. 

Omega House will serve end-of-life needs for the terminally ill residents of Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties and is currently under construction on West Sharon Ave. The grand opening is planned for summer 2005. Portage Lake Hospice is the only all-volunteer hospice in the area.

The Brothers would like to encourage everyone to come enjoy a hot pancake brunch with all the traditional breakfast items.

"Bring your appetites and open your wallets for these two wonderful hospice programs in our area," suggested Mitch. For more information, please call 1-989-280-0991.

Fudge for Omega House

The Lunch Bag in downtown Houghton will be selling fudge bunnies in March to raise more funds for Omega House. In December, Steve Krug, Lunch Bag proprietor and head cook, and his daughter, Nicole, raised $342 for Omega House with their sale of fudge snowmen.

Steve Krug, Lunch Bag proprietor and head cook at Houghton's The Lunch Bag, is shown here with daughter, Nicole, restaurant manager and head of the fudge department. Their sale of stocking-stuffer fudge snowmen in December garnered $342 for Omega House. "Fudge bunnies for Easter will be available throughout the month of March as a continued fund-raiser for Omega House," said Krug. (Photo © 2005 and courtesy Omega House.)

"We are strongly committed to helping our community, especially in regard to end-of-life issues," Krug said.

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