Tuesday Group

The Tuesday Group presentation on November 25, 2025 featured Lacey Squier and Jess Kulik who offered reflections on Boundary Waters Connect activities and efforts throughout 2025.

Tuesday Group on November 18, 2025 was a presentation given by Darren Vogt, Resource Management Division Director of the1854 Treaty Authority. The 1854 Treaty Authority is an inter-tribal resource management agency governed by the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa and Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The organization is charged to preserve, protect, and enhance treaty rights and related resources in the 1854 Ceded Territory. Darren offered brief overview of treaty rights in the 1854 Ceded Territory, and also discussed 1854 Treaty Authority stewardship activities. Darren Vogt possesses a B.S. degree in biology from the University of Minnesota Duluth, and a M.A. degree in management from The College of St. Scholastica. He has been employed at the 1854 Treaty Authority since 1996. Darren has served as the resource management division director since 2018. In this role, he oversees programs including wild rice, wildlife, fisheries, environmental, climate, invasive species, and forestry.

Tuesday Group on November 11, 2025 featured a presentation by local poet, DyAnne Korda. Nighthawk Storyteller reflects the reverence DyAnne Korda holds for the natural world and shows how archetypal tales can awaken a reality beyond the ordinary. Her poems come from ancestors in dreams, animal guides, daily walks with her irrepressible husky, and an intimacy with northern woods and waters. By paying close attention to every season, Korda illustrates her experiences through profound poetry to help people understand their own connection to Earth. DyAnne Korda's work has been published in several journals including The Wisconsin Academy Review, ArtWord Quarterly, and Agates. Her poetry has also been broadcast on KAXE Radio's morning show, and their literary programs Wordish and Stay Human. DyAnne's most recent poetry collection is Nighthawk Storyteller. Her previous books include The Shore's Absolute Edge and This Earth Woman. Along with offering frequent workshops for Ely Folk School, she's taught for the Center of Continuing Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. This poetry book is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Tuesday Group on November 4, 2025 featured our friend and neighbor Roger Powell. Roger joined the faculty of North Carolina State University in 1979, and he is still Professor Emeritus, which allows him to live in Ely while still teaching and doing research through the university. His recently published book on animals' home ranges gives researchers ideas on how to learn why and how animals choose to live where they do. Roger's presentation will discuss using the scientific method to gain insights into behaviors of wild animals: mammals, birds, other vertebrates, and even bumble bees and dragon flies.

Did you know that Tuesday Group was born in earnest in early 2009? For twelve years Steve Schon served as the coordinator for this weekly educational gathering. Next week's (October 28) Tuesday Group program will serve as a sendoff celebration for Steve and Ann Schon, who will soon be relocating to northern California. We will take this opportunity to reflect on Steve and Ann's time in Ely, as well as the history of Tuesday Group. The program began with a brief history of Tuesday Group, provided by Mr. Schon himself. Then we opened up the floor to folks who want to share a beloved memory -- either of Tuesday Group or a personal connection with our friends Steve and Ann. We wrapped up with a musical tribute to Steve's contribution to Ely's music scene. Unfortunately our technology was not up for the challenge of recording live music, but you can catch glimpses of the sound.

Tuesday Group on October 21, 2025 featureed Randolph Briley, Deputy Director of Explore Minnesota. He leads Minnesota's Outdoor Recreation Industry Partnership. The Outdoor Recreation Industry Partnership (ORIP) is an inter-agency collaboration between Explore Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, The Department of Employment and Economic Development and Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation. The Partnership was formed in spring of 2023 as a direct result of recommendations made by both the Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Task Force and the Governor’s Council on Economic Expansion. This inter-agency collaboration recently published Minnesota’s first-ever comprehensive outdoor recreation industry economic impact report, titled Minnesota's "Untamed Dividend". The report is full of stat’s and stories that demonstrate the value of the industry.

The Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Research Project is the longest running predator-prey study in the world, located on the largest island in Lake Superior. Local Ely resident LynnAnne Vesper has been involved with the study as a group leader for Moosewatch, the “boots on the ground” portion of the study which contributes data on moose mortality factors. During this presentation, you can learn the answers to the following questions: What makes Isle Royale special and therefore chosen as the site of the study? What happens to the ecosystem in a high concentration of moose? What did we learn about beavers after the 2019 reintroduction of wolves? What does a moose metatarsus tell us about the health of the ecosystem? What do you do during a Moosewatch Expedition? How can I or someone I know get involved? LynnAnne Vesper has been a part of the Ely community for over 25 years. Her work has included guiding canoe and dogsledding trips for most of that time. A few years ago, she joined the Isle Royale project as a team leader for Moosewatch, the branch of the study which involves citizen scientists in field research trips.

Tuesday Group on October 7, 2025 featured presentation provided by representatives of Minnesota GreenStep. The City of Ely joined the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program in 2014. GreenStep is a challenge, assistance, and recognition program for communities working towards improving their sustainable practices. Program Coordinators Kristin Mroz and Erica Bjelland highlighted how the city has advanced through the program since then and discuss additional ways for the city, and the broader community, to achieve sustainability best practices. Nik Allen spoke to Clean Energy Resource Teams programming.

On Tuesday, September 30, 2025 United Way of Northeastern Minnesota (UWNEMN) leadership presented on the organization's transition from fundraiser to community impact change agent, top issues facing our region, and opportunities for Ely residents to make a difference. -- In her 20 years working for United Way of Northeastern Minnesota, Executive Director Erin Shay has served in multiple roles, including community impact director, playing a pivotal role in the organization’s transition from a funding-only organization to a community impact one with its own United Way-led service programs. Erin was instrumental in initiating programs like Bright Beginnings, Buddy Backpacks, United for Veterans, and Lunch Buddies Mentoring Program. “It’s been one of my favorite things – really digging in to how we could better serve the region and talking to people about what they were seeing, where the gaps were, and where United Way could help fill some of those,” she said. Her passion for serving the community is rooted in both her past and present. Erin grew up in Gilbert, Minn., and is now raising a family in Hibbing.