Chisholm Kiwanis to Hold Unity for Our Community at Longyear Lake

Chisholm Kiwanis is inviting residents to gather at the north end of Longyear Lake on Saturday, Feb. 14, from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. for a brief show of solidarity aimed at supporting children and people affected by recent events in Minnesota and beyond. Organizers say participants will meet along the lake, hold hands and spend a few minutes together to emphasize community unity.

Margaret Gornick, a Chisholm Kiwanis member, said, "In light of the recent events in Minnesota and the world, the Chisholm Kiwanis Club wanted to show their support for the children and people affected by these events." She added, "We wanted to do something positive to let people know that we care." The gathering is planned on the lake to minimize disruption: "The gathering is taking place on the lake to avoid blocking streets or sidewalks."

The event promotion makes clear behavioral expectations: "No bullying, no littering, no political or personal agendas are allowed." Elected officials, area businesses and their employees, nonprofit organizations and churches are explicitly invited to attend. Access to the meeting point is available via the tennis courts, the boat landing and other spots along the north end of Longyear Lake.

Following the unity gathering, the Chisholm Kiwanis Club will hold its annual ice-fishing contest at the same north end of Longyear Lake. Registration opens at 9:00 a.m. and fishing begins at 10:00 a.m. Concessions will be offered from the Kiwanis concessions trailer. Organizers direct those seeking additional contest details to the Chisholm Kiwanis Facebook page.

The Kiwanis club in Chisholm is part of Kiwanis International, an organization described as "dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time." The local club meets Thursdays at noon at Valentini’s Supper Club, 31 W Lake Street, and runs community programs from scholarship pageants to holiday events and Kids Day at the Minnesota Museum of Mining.

Public health and equity concerns underpin some of the club’s longer-term projects. The Kiwanis won an AquaSmart package from Aquatix valued at up to $50,000 through the Legacy of Play H2O contest, with plans to place a splash pad in Memorial Park as a safe alternative to water recreation. Pam Norman, chief philanthropy officer of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund, said, "The enthusiasm and dedication to children’s emotional and physical well-being we saw from not only the Chisholm Kiwanis Club, but all of the clubs that entered this year’s contest, exemplify Kiwanis’ mission to serve the children of the world." Club leaders framed the splash pad as a response to limited safe swimming options: Longyear Lake is 158 acres and "is not fit for swimming," and nearby open pit mines are unsafe, making a park-based water feature an equity issue for families who lack nearby safe water play.

For local residents, the Feb. 14 unity gathering and the fishing contest are both a public moment and a reminder of ongoing community efforts to support children and create safe recreational space. For questions about Kiwanis activities or to confirm event details, contact the Chisholm Chamber at 218-996-1710 or follow the Chisholm Kiwanis Facebook page. What comes next is a community convening that aims to translate grief into small acts of solidarity and to keep attention on both immediate support for affected families and longer-term investments in child-centered amenities.