Harvest moon event legacy of Ellen Anderson
In the North Shore communities, the name Ellen Anderson rings familiar. Her involvement in the community is nearly legend. Ellen died last year, shortly after receiving a cancer diagnosis, but the events to which she gave her time and energy, such as the Two Harbors Kayak Festival, live on.By: Tammy Francois, Lake County News Chronicle
In the North Shore communities, the name Ellen Anderson rings familiar. Her involvement in the community is nearly legend. Ellen died last year, shortly after receiving a cancer diagnosis, but the events to which she gave her time and energy, such as the Two Harbors Kayak Festival, live on.
On September 29 at 6 p.m. another of Anderson’s community- gathering events will take place. Now in its seventh year, the Harvest Moon and Sunset Watch will take place at the Two Harbors breakwater. The Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox. In the past, the bright moonlight permitted farmers more time to work in the fields and harvest crops.
“This is a free event and open to everyone,” said Vicki Holiskey-Crets, coordinator of the event. “Ellen always wanted to encourage people to get outside and observe and appreciate nature in our beautiful surroundings, especially the lake. She really loves that lake,” she added.
“We were in Rotary together and she asked me if I would help out with this event,” said Holiskey-Crets recalling a conversation with Anderson, “I’d been her right-hand man for 3 or 4 years and then shortly before her death, she asked me to take this over.” Not only has she done so, but she was inspired by Anderson’s love for community to start the Two Harbors Kayak Club for local paddlers.
The Harvest Moon and Sunset Watch is one of three events that Anderson called Two Harbors Celestial Celebrations. The other two events take place close to the spring equinox and the summer solstice.
The funds for the events come from the EMMA (Ellen Mielke Moore Anderson) Fund which is now managed by Anderson’s daughter, Ginny Green. Creating the EMMA Fund was really just Anderson’s way of giving to the community without calling attention to herself, said Holiskey-Crets, because “she was humble and didn’t want people to know.”
Anderson did, however, want the community to participate. In that spirit, Holiskey-Crets contacted local businesses to donate and lend to the festive atmosphere of the event. “Anderson Greenhouse and Florist gave us a dozen balloons in harvest moon colors for decorating the breakwater and the railings. Dairy Queen donated white Dilly Bars,” she said. A friend of Holiskey-Crets is making a Man in the Moon costume and the first 5- people who take a “moon walk” down the breakwater to meet him will receive one of the frozen treats. Betty’s Pies has contributed pie and coffee.
Local astronomers will be on hand to give some background about the celestial orb, and will have telescopes available for magnified moon- viewing. And Georgeanne Hunter, Celtic harpist will be performing. The last contribution Holiskey-Crets is hoping to secure comes from Mother Nature in the form of nice weather for the event. So far, there has been no word from Ms. Nature, but if it rains, the Harvest Moon and Sunset Watch will be held in the basement of the American Legion in
Tags: harvest news, life, outdoors, news
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