Contributed photo
The Lakes Community Cooperative (LCC) store in Wolf Lake, in the background, has donated $3,000 for needed repairs at the Wolf Lake Community Hall and LCC’s partner, Cobank, has matched that with another $3,000 donation. Pictured are Wolf Lake LAC Manager Casey Ash presenting the two checks totaling $6,000 and receiving them on the city’s behalf are Wolf Lake City councilors Cody Lake, Cassy Makela and Vernette Gilbertson.

By Matthew Johnson

Reporter

Wolf Lake is one third of the way to reaching its $30,000 fundraising goal to make the necessary repairs to the Wolf Lake Community Hall and the Wolf Lake warming house at the base of the Wolf Lake sledding hill.

The Lakes Community Cooperative (LCC) store in Wolf Lake, along with its partner Cobank, recently demonstrated support of the fundraising efforts by donating $3,000 apiece to the cause for a total of $6,000. That, along with another $4,000 that has been raised so far, makes $10,000 total raised toward the $30,000 fundraising goal, said Wolf Lake City Councilor Cody Lake.

“Save the Hall!” became a rallying cry in July concerning the saving of the historic Wolf Lake Community Hall.

That then became an initiative due in large measure to the Wolf Lake City Council, which had discussed selling the long-time community asset. The city council held a community meeting at the hall Thursday, July 11, just two days after its regular monthly meeting, and expressed optimism at the show of support as close to 35 people attended the meeting. A community grant coordinator also agreed at that point to assist in the cause and people signed up to serve on a “Save the Hall!” subcommittee.

The city took over the hall from the Lions Club in November of 2022 following a number of years under Wolf Lake Lions’ management. Officials soon discovered how expensive it was just to keep the doors open as Councilor Lake noted that even over the mild winter the cost to heat the hall alone was around $1,000 a month.

Additional resources may also help with the cost of advertising as the hall is for rent as a community event center for any number of occasions including funerals, wedding receptions, etc.

The council agreed, during its most recent regular monthly meeting Tuesday, Sept. 10, to contact those who signed up to volunteer with community hall/warming house projects and schedule a meeting for organizing work on those projects.

In other news

• Agreed to close the liquor store on Mondays starting Sept. 30.

• Agreed to advertise for a new bar manager.

• Decided to shut down the liquor store Facebook page and start a new one.

• Agreed not to raise monthly sewer rates.

• Agreed to split the payment for the two new sewer pumps installed August 29 between the sewer replacement fund and general sewer fund. 

• Received a monthly fire department report from Assistant Fire Chief Neil Aho including the department’s response to one fire call since the last council meeting. He reported that the fire prevention event is scheduled from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, October 7, at the fire hall.

• Passed a motion to approve raising the PERA amount for firefighters to $1,700, which will keep the account funded at 125 percent.

• Passed a motion approving a gambling permit for the fire department in order for a raffle to be held during the Wolf Lake Fireman’s Pancake Feed Sunday, March 16, 2025.