By: Sarah Waddle, Community Center/Extension Educator

Winter at the Community Center has been a bustle of activity with community members eager to reconnect, socialize, and learn new things. The Community Center is home to the Cook County Curling Club. The Club has welcomed 37 new members to their ranks this year. Members new and old have been thoroughly enjoying perfecting their delivery of stones, sweeping, and strategy. Curling is a very tactical game and can be enjoyed by players of all ages. Curling is truly a lifelong sport, and modifications can be made to be able to play without needing to bend down in the traditional stance for stone delivery. The Cook County Club has members ranging in age from 11 to 82 this year!

The Club has hosted two successful bonspiels already this year, which are curling tournaments for those unfamiliar with the sport’s lingo. There is one bonspiel remaining in the season coming up March 10-12 and the club is looking forward to welcoming teams from around the state and region to compete with Cook County teams here in Grand Marais. In addition, the club hosted a series of field trips in February for local school groups to get a taste of the sport of curling. The arena was filled with enthusiasm and young voices during these inspiring intergenerational learning experiences.

The Community Center is also home to the Grand Marais outdoor ice rinks and warming house. Despite some challenges with weather conditions, the rinks have been very popular this winter for ice skating and hockey. Weekdays have been filled with school groups from ISD 166 and Great Expectations School as well as homeschool groups. After school and into the evenings, there have been Community Ed and Cook County Hockey Association learn to skate programs for youth and adult pick up hockey games as well as Saturday afternoon open broomball games. The concession area at the warming house has been a popular place for families and friends to socialize and take a break from skating. So far this year more than 1,500 skaters have

been tallied by our warming house staff on the rinks. For the first time this year, the Cook County Hockey Association hosted an adult Pond Hockey Tournament the first weekend in February. Local teams of four players competed against each other and teams who traveled to Grand Marais for the event. Fun was had by all and there are hopes to make this an annual event. The rinks will remain open as long as we are able to keep the ice frozen, with the season typically ending late February or early March.

Other activities this winter at the Community Center have included dance and fitness classes held in partnership with the YMCA, community square dancing lessons, weekly dances, and monthly family social events for families with young children. Starting in February and continuing through early April, the Community Center is the host site of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program in Grand Marais. Income-qualified households and all seniors are eligible to get help preparing their income taxes from trained local volunteers. The program is available on Tuesdays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and is drop-in style with no appointments needed. More information on this program can be found online at: tinyurl.com/VITA-Taxes.

As we look toward spring, we are excited to announce the return of the Cook County Youth Volunteer Program (formerly known as Incredible Exchange). This program pairs youth volunteers ages 11 to 14 with community organizations during the summer. Youth volunteers give 25-50 hours of service and in exchange receive a certificate at the end of the summer that allows them to take part in a cultural or recreational activity of their choice such as music lessons, art classes, outdoor activities and more. Research shows that volunteering offers an array of benefits to both volunteers and the community. Those who spend their time in service to others often experience improved mental health. In addition, volunteers gain valuable life and

job skills as well as building vital community relationships. Applications are currently being accepted from potential volunteer sites (non-profits or community organizations). Youth sign-up will occur later in the spring. Watch social media and our website for more information: tinyurl.com/CC-youth-volunteer.

To stay informed about these programs as well as many others, please join the Cook County Community Center monthly email newsletter. The newsletter shares public events, facility information, and opportunities to engage in the social, recreational, and educational programming offered at the Cook County Community Center. You can sign up to receive the newsletter here: tinyurl.com/CCCC-news.

County Connections is a column on timely topics and service information from your Cook County government. Cook County – Supporting Community Through Quality Public Service.