Ice Out Contest ends with record number of entries

As we headed into the final days of the Ely Echo’s annual Ice Out Contest, we were flooded with guesses. Although 100s of folks had already registered their choices of day and time, 100s more poured in by the April 7, 2004 deadline..At stake is the $100 in Grand Ely Lodge dollars for the person who is closest to the time of ice leaving Shagawa Lake andwho has the earliest entry on record. Judges will decide when it would be possible for a boat to cross Shagawa Lake, chunks of ice not withstanding.Here are the entries from the past week: April 7: 2:30 p.m., Mahayla, St. Paul, MN; 3:10 p.m., Kevin Deshler, Edina, MN;April 10: 9 p.m., Robert Billings, Bemidji, MN;April 11:1 p.m., Bernie Grahek, Ely; 2:38 p.m., Kevin Nokels, Omaha, NE; April 12: 7 a.m., Darrell Nikkinen who added, “Greetings from West Palm Beach, FL. Nooo ice here;” 4:05 p.m., Moe Mosher, St. Michael, MN; 12:12 p.m., Kelly Deshler, Edina, MN; April 13: 3 p.m., Daniel Ivicic, Ely; 3:37 p.m., Matt Mosher, St. Michael, MN; April 14: 11:32 a.m., Muff Sturmer, Mendota Heights; 3:12 p.m., Bob Matson, Ely; April 15: Noon, Eric Chilson, Ely; April 16: 7 a.m., Emily Hoppe, Chanhassen, MN; 8 a.m., Harold Chilson, Ely; “I would like to guess April 16th (my birthday) at 10:26 a.m. Whew! Buzzer beater! Almost missed the deadline. The Ely Echo Rocks!!” Amy TeGantvoort, Inver Grove Heights, MN; 11 a.m., Shawn Chilson; noon, Janis Hadrova, Makinen, MN; noon, Sue Kovall, Elko NV; 11:43 p.m., Brian Thompson, Hibbing; April 17: Noon, Tom Hadrova, Makinen, MN; 1 p.m., Gregory Boben. Aurora, MN; 1:48 p.m., Christina DuBois, Marshalltown, IA; 3 p.m., Cynthia Aho, Zimmerman, MN; 4 p.m., Lorraine Korpi, Ely; 4:20 p.m., Kaye Turner, Ely; April 18: 10:16 a.m., Susan James, Ely; 1:25 p.m., Andrew C. Urban, Marine, MN; 2:44 p.m., Heather Flikke, Ely; 3:31 p.m., Mike Murray, Sartell, MN; 4:05 p.m., Aini Jasper, Ely; 4:11 p.m., Rob Wilmunen, Ely; April 19: 6:01 a.m., Christine Murray, Sartell, MN; 10 a.m., Lynn Rodby, Anoka; 1:30 p.m., Robert C. Oliva, Winton; 1:35 p.m., Julie Sheehy, Ely; 2:09 p.m., Ross DuBois, Marshalltown, IA; 4:57 p.m., Pat Halbakken, Ely; April 20: 10:30 a.m., Ellen Szczepanski, Wauconda, IL; 11:07 a.m., Michelle Gilster, Cold Spring, MN; 3:20 p.m., Dortz Winsor, Ely; 4:37 p.m., Walter Ralston, Minneapolis & Ely; 6 p.m., Pat Nystrom, Aurora, CO; April 21: 2 a.m., Rick Ess, Ely; 9 a.m., Greg Nimmo, Cloquet; noon, Carlie Peck, Superior, WI; 1:46 p.m., Carolyn Opland, Tower, MN; 2 p.m., Chris Merhar, Ely; 2 p.m., Becky Holum-Brytowski, Princeton MN; 2:48 p.m., Prudy LaLone, Ely; 3 p.m., Wesley Kauppi, East Bethel, MN; 4:09 p.m., Alexandra Murray, Sartell, MN; 5 p.m., Wally Larson, Grand Rapids, MN; 7:07 p.m., James Nystrom, Parker, CO; April 22: 9:07 a.m., Dave Dvergsten, St. Louis Park, MN; 9:30 a.m., Lee Anderson, Bemidji, MN; 10 a.m., Marcia Kauppi, Virginia, MN; 1:13 p.m., Mick DuBois, Marshalltown, IA; 1:40 p.m., Jeff Arntz, Ely; 2:11 p.m., Doug Steklasa, Jasper, AL; 4:30 p.m., Bill Wimmer, Marion, IN; April 23: 7:18 a.m., Mary Hanisto, Maple Grove, MN; 11:23 a.m., W. Hiavac, Minneapolis; Noon, Paul Kauppi, East Bethel, MN; 1:23 p.m., Frank Jaeger, Babbitt; 2 p.m., John Klobuchar, Ely; 2:20 p.m., Carolyn Morrow, Lehigh Acres, FL; 3:30 p.m., Jolynn Arntz, Ely; 4:16 p.m., Jordan Richards, Ely; April 24: 8 a.m., Jeff Nystrom, Aurora, CO; 10:15 a.m., Alberta Wimmer, Marion, IN; 10:30 a.m., Susan Rice, West Point, NY; 11:23 a.m., Greg Shusta, Otsego, MN; 11:45 a.m., Scott Drechsler, Ely; Noon, Matt Szczepanski, Wauconda, IL; 1:57 p.m., Mary Crittenden, Galesburg, IL; 2:17 p.m., Joshua Marsh II, Ely; 3 p.m., Autumn Arntz, Ely; 3 p.m., Brenna Pirsig, Two Harbors, MN; 3:52 p.m., Scott Slaughter, Ely; 4:44 p.m., Jeanne Bourquin, Ely; April 25: “I’ll make this last day Ice Out entry for April 25th, roughly around 8:10 a.m. Thanks and stay warm,” wrote Brad TeGantvoort, Inver Grove Heights, MN; 9 a.m., Brent Hoppe, Chanhassen, MN; 9:06 a.m., Ed Szczepanski, Wauconda, IL; 9:15 a.m., Jack McNees, Farmland, IN who wrote “We come up for two weeks at N.C.L. We really enjoy the Ely area. It’s a little bit of heaven on earth;” 10:14 a.m., John P. Novak, Ely; 10:30 a.m.,Frances Ezell, Joelton, TN, who noted “I’m going a week earlier than my husband;” 11:48 a.m., Don Sandstrom, Hermantown, MN; 12:36 p.m., Corey Jonas, Ely; 1:16 p.m., Joan Welch, East Troy, WI; 1:22 p.m., Norm Crittenden, Galesburg, IL & Ely; 1:27 p.m., Amy Shusta, Otsego, MN; 1:30 p.m., Traci Ellis, Ely; 2 p.m., Jim Nelson, Virginia, MN; 2:10 p.m., ZB, Ely; 2:43 p.m., Rosemarie Vejtasa, Ely; 2:45 p.m., Mary Larson, Ely; 2:50 p.m., Anne DesLauriers, Ely; 2:59 p.m., Nick Murray, Sartell, MN; 3 p.m., Amber Arntz, Ely; 3:05 p.m., Jim Miklaucic, Richfield, MN; 4:40 p.m., Tom Turner, Ely; 5 p.m., Lizana Riihiuoma, Mt. Iron, MN; April 26: 8 a.m., Kevin Pelto, Brainerd, MN; 10 a.m., Kris Horman, Ely; 11 a.m., Judy Murray, Sartell, MN; 11:15 a.m., Mike Szczepanski, Wauconda, IL; 11:37 a.m., Jason Homer, Ely; 11:47 a.m., Ben LaLone, Ely; 1:05 p.m., 11:37 a.m., J.C. Waters, Ely; Dee Jarvis, St. Paul Park, MN; 1:12 p.m., Misty Merhar, Ely; 1:17 p.m., Ann Mobilia, Ely; 1:26 p.m., Joe Novosel, Ely; 1:28 p.m., Gary A. Zaverl, Ely; 2 p.m., Sheila Kauppi, East Bethel, MN; 2:30 p.m., Rose McNees, Farmland, IN; 2:30, Jenni Nystrom, Aurora, CO; 2:41 p.m., Louie Champa, Ely; 3:45 p.m. Nikki Jaeger, Babbitt; 4 p.m., Lorraine Jaeger, Babbitt; 12:14 p.m., Virginia Nystrom, Aurora, CO; April 27: 6:23 a.m., Matthew Mikulich, Ely; 7:48 a.m., Mariam Pelto, Baxter, MN; 10 a.m., Jack Nystrom, Aurora, CO; 10:58 a.m., Robert Welch, East Troy, WI; 11 a.m. is “The official guess of the staff at the Ely Chamber of Commerce;” noon, Erik Donley; St. Paul, MN; 12:11 p.m., Bill Braun, FL & Ely who wrote, “I pull the Echo up almost every day to get updated.....we leave for Ely at the end of the month. Ice better be out;” 12:35 p.m., Alex Bee, Babbitt; 1:02 p.m., Karen Shusta, Otsego, MN; 1:02 p.m., Mark Hedin, Ramsey, MN; 1:47 p.m., T.J. Anderson, Ely; 2:30 p.m., Lori Westrick, Ely; 2:45 p.m., Stephen Anderson, Ely; 3:15 p.m., Ed Harney, Sleepy Hollow, IL; 4 p.m., Mark Kauppi, Brooklyn Park, MN; 4:18 p.m., Helen Tjaden, Babbitt, who added “This is the first time I’ve entered and have only had my name drawn to win tickets for two to a movie some 30 years ago when we lived in Des Moines, so I want to try my luck again;” 4:30 p.m., Karson Otness, Bemidji, MN; April 28: 8:20 a.m., Chris Stewart, Winchester, IN; 10 a.m., Diana Harms, Brainerd, MN; 11:07 a.m., Mark Larson, Ely; noon, Kendra Kauppi, St. Paul, MN; 1:28 p.m., LaVerne Ellis, Ely; 2 p.m., Jimm Toljan, Winto; 2:06 p.m., Jeff Lekatz, Ely; 2:22 p.m., Sarah LaLone, Ely; 3:42 p.m., G.W.B., Washington DC; 3:45 p.m., Bill Durst, Quincy, IL; 4:19 p.m., John Kozulla, Apple Valley, MN; 12:53 p.m., Crystal Banovetz, Ely; April 29: 12:15 p.m., Dawn Waters, Winchester, IN; 12:27 p.m., Glenn Wiles, Chesterton, IN; 1:35 p.m., Aili Bee, Babbitt; 2:12 p.m., Angie Wittrup, Ely; 2:16 p.m., Jeff LaFave, Duluth; 2:22 p.m., Gene Stewart, Winchester, IN; 3 p.m., Roger Weller, Bloomington, IL; 4:14 p.m., Jim Folz, FL & Ely; 5 p.m., Sheila Kauppi, Brooklyn Park, MN; April 30: 8:12 a.m., Eric and Karla Nesheim, Baxter, MN; 11:15 a.m., Frances Strukel, Ely; 11:30 a.m., Richard Waters, Winchester, IN; 12:03 p.m., Chelsea Cunningham, West Point, NY; 12:18 p.m., Al Rom, Oak Ridge, TN; 12:22 p.m., Sam Strukel, Horicon, WI; 12:35 p.m., Andy and Chris Creevy, Ely; 1 p.m., Rosemary Hutar, Ely; 1:42 p.m., Kara Polyner, Ely; 1:45 p.m., Bob Morrow, Lehigh Acres, FL; 3 p.m., Gary Herberg, Eveleth, MN; 3:10 p.m., Mindi Fisher, St. Michael, MN; 4:13 p.m., Natalie Weller, Coal Valley, IL; 5:30 p.m., Dick Nystrom, Aurora, CO; May 1: Noon, Elizabeth Urban, Marine on St. Croix, MN; 1 p.m., Bill Ezell, Joelton, TN; 1 p.m., Mildred Grahek, Sunny California; 1:10 p.m., Louis Erzar, Flagstaff, AZ; 1:12 p.m., Scott Strukel, Horicon, WI; 3:20 p.m., Tracker Koivisto, Babbitt; 3:40 p.m., Maggi Weller, Coal Valley, IL;May 2: 5:32 a.m., Wally Mus-grave, Chesterton, IN; 9:40 a.m., Brett Porthan, Ely; 9:45 a.m., Grant Strukel, Huntley, MN; noon, Sue Schroeder, Ely; 2 p.m., Monica Hanson, Ely; 2:40 p.m., Kelly Bodine, Babbitt; 3:23 p.m., Jeff Weller, Coal Valley, IL; 3:45 p.m., Jay Wilmunen, Ely; 4 p.m., Jane Ellwood, Hudson, WI; May 3: 4:05 p.m., Elli Weller, Coal Valley, IL; May 4: 12:30 p.m., Kari Bodine, Babbitt; 2 p.m., Gary Herberg, Eveleth; 4:44 p.m., Amelia Donars, Ely; April 5: 2 p.m., Rick Ellis, Ely; “I believe the heat of Cinco de Mayo will eliminate the ice on Shagawa on May 5, at 5:05p.m.!” wrote Lynne M. Morrow, Lake Zurich, IL;May 7: 4:50 p.m., Gina Stevens, Overland Park, KS; 5 p.m., Leo L. Lambert, Babbitt;May 8: 4:09 p.m., Heather Peters, Ely;May 9: 2:35 p.m., Louis Kalan, Ely; 6 p.m., Hannah L. Lambert, Babbitt;May 10: 7 a.m., Vanessa Schanlaub, Eveleth, MN; 1:15 p.m., Kathy Krueger, Ely; 12 p.m., Ed Collins, Ely;May 11: 2 p.m., Donna Davis, Ely; May 12: 11:15 a.m., Kate Kalan, Ely; 6:20 p.m., Meta Murphy, Ely;“May 28th at 5:28 p.m.!,” wrote Larry Fogel, Lake Zurich, IL and Dennis Rezin, Tomah, WI chose June 1 at 1:10 p.m. Were they pulling our leg? Only one person will win the prize. In case of duplicates, the earliest entry will win the $100 prize.There’s nothing to do now but wait and see when Mother Nature will provide the final answer to the question: When will the ice go out on Shagawa Lake?