SubscribeArctic Blast XVI officially kicked off at Castaways Bar last night with a private party from 6-10 p.m., featuring former players Doug Sutherland, Jim Marshall, Carl Lee and Bob Lurtsema. They were accompanied by some Viking cheerleaders and Pat Leopold, Director of the Vikings Children Fund. The event helped raise money for the Children's Fund.
Things heat up more today in preparation for a weekend of fun that will draw thousands to the area. Make It Mille Lacs will be there to cover the event.
The Vikings are staying at McQuoid’s Inn and Resort, shuttling northwest tonight in a pair of 50-passenger buses -- weather permitting – around 5:30 pm to White Hawk’s Bar and Restaurant on Bay Lake. There, the Vikings group will take part in a private party. The group may stop in Garrison enroute to McQuoid’s, Leopold said when addressing a Garrison Commercial Club meeting on February 2nd.
According to the latest Minnesota Vikings press release, Phil Loadholt, Visanthe Shiancoe, Joe Webb, Kevin Williams and Pat Williams are scheduled to attend. It was earlier stated that we could expect to see coaches Bud Grant and Karl Dunbar and former Vikings Jim Marshall, Paul Krause, Chris Doleman, Henry Thomas, Matt Blair, Bob Lurtsema, Stu Voigt, Pete Bercich, Doug Sutherland and Gerald Robinson will attend. Also on hand will be the Vikings radio voice Paul Allen and team cheerleaders
Leopold praised the Garrison Commercial Club at a Feb. 2 member meeting: “We never, ever thought we’d have the kind of numbers of people that we now have here,” Leopold said. The event moved from the Ely, Tower and Embarrass area 13 years ago and is a Mille Lacs February mainstay.
“We’ve raised more than $100,000 (for the Vikings Children's Fund) these last three years," Leopold said. “Although we are struggling to get people to register early.” Sledders must register and check in at least two of the Four Blast Points to qualify for Sunday’s $30,000 worth of prizes drawing at the Mille Lacs Grand Casino Recreation and Events Center. Event goers can also register at each Blast Point on “Game Day”.
Saturday starts off with a breakfast with the annual Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe community breakfast at the Mille Lacs Events and Convention Center. The breakfast runs from 9 a.m. – noon Tickets available at the door: Breakfast: $8.50 for adults, $5.50 for children 12 ...or under
No Breakfast: $5 for adults, $3 for children 12 and under. And then it's off to the Blast Points!
At a visit yesterday to McQuoid's Inn, we were told that Saturday's plan has Viking Snowmobilers taking off in three groups around 9:30 a.m. One group will ride through the Red Top area. The second group will either ride around or across the south end of the lake toward Grand Casino. The third group will ride north on trails. All are scheduled to be at blast points at noon.
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