We invite you to catch up on the impactful work our Extension Iron County educators and staff provide to the community in the form of this monthly newsletter! Below are highlights from each of our program areas.

The SISU Endurance Team (SET) Running Club is starting it’s 7th season on Monday, June 9 from 6:00-7:00 pm at Miner’s Memorial Park! 

The group will met for 1-hour a week at various locations with a goal to promote the sport of running while focusing on developing healthy habits.

The SET Running Club is open to youth grades 2-12. Cost is $20 per person and includes a t-shirt if registered by May 30.

A prize raffle will be offered again this year, with weekly participation increasing a member’s chance to win.

4-H Youth Development Educator Neil Klemme wrapped up a 6-week program called Bridging the Gap, which was planned in conjunction with FE University's Still Learning series. During the program, Neil facilitated meaningful conversations between teens and adults regarding local, state, national and global issues.

A 3-week session was held at the Hurley School District in March with the second 3-week session wrapping up at the Mercer School District in early May. It was a great opportunity for all generations present to share their perspectives and hear why participants feel the way they do about issues.

If you would like to learn more about FE University and their unique class offerings or details on how to become an instructor, feel free to visit their website for more information. 

Adventure awaits!
The Iron County Summer Youth Camp program still has openings for youth, grades 3-5 (2024-2025 school year). 

Taking place at Trails End Youth Camp in Bruce, WI, July 22-25, this program promises an experience filled with fun, learning, and the creation of unforgettable memories.

Secure your child's spot now!

Adventurers of the North 4-H Club Meeting
Tuesday, May 13 - 1:00 pm
Location: Art & Pottery Studio 

Iron County Green Team Meeting/Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up
Monday, May 12 - 5:30 pm
Location: Klemme Residence

Iron County 4-H Leaders Meeting
Wednesday, May 21 - 5:30 pm
Location: Iron County Courthouse

SET Running Club - Week 1
Monday, June 9 - 6:00 pm
Location: Miners Memorial Park

Haymakers Car Wash
Penokee Range Livestock Club Fundraiser
Saturday, June 21 - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Location: Cary Mine Market

Penokee Livestock Club Meeting/Showmanship Clinic
Sunday, June 22 - 9:00 am
Location: Walesewicz Residence

Iron County Summer Youth Camp Staff Training
Saturday, June 28 - Sunday, June 29
Location: Trails End Youth Camp

Summer Day Camp offerings will be shared in late May, so be sure to follow the Iron County 4-H Facebook page for program updates. 

FoodWIse Educator Deborah Leonard and Hurley Head Start students enjoyed getting their hands in some potting soil last month while participating in a seed planting activity.

Students will take care of their planted seeds, watch how they grow and will be able to take their plants home to be planted into a garden or larger pots. Cucumber, zucchini, two types of tomatoes, and colored peppers were planted.

Mark your calendars for the 7th annual Wisconsin School Garden Day, which is taking place on Thursday, May 15. 

Wisconsin School Garden Day honors and celebrates educators, students, families, community leaders, and all people who have made garden-based education a reality and an asset in communities throughout the state!

The Ashland, Bayfield, Iron County FoodWIse Team will be providing education to area students in celebration of the event, so be sure to follow their Facebook page to stay up to date on their programming.

Big shoutout to Deb Leonard, our dedicated nutrition educator of two decades! Featured in a recent article in The Globe, she tirelessly shares her passion and expertise with youth and seniors in Iron County and surrounding areas, guiding them towards healthier lives through informed choices.

Learn more about her amazing work here (page 16)! 

Want to stay up to date on what the Ashland, Bayfield, Iron County FoodWIse team is up to? Be sure to check out their monthly FoodWIse newsletter, designed in partnership with Extension Iron County Office Manager, Rebecca Holm. 

Did you catch the Red Bull 400? Community Development Educator Joseph Miller participated in “the world’s steepest 400-meter race” on May 10th, one of 800 participants who signed up to storm the world-famous Copper Peak ski flying jump. Many others took in the event as spectators from the ground or the comfort of their homes via a live web stream.

Events are big business. Every time a community plans and hosts a major event like the Red Bull 400, it has a chance to attract visitors who create economic ripples. These visitors bring spending power and inject our local economy with revenue that likely wouldn’t otherwise be created. Every dollar a Red Bull 400 visitor spent in our region ripples outward to cover the costs associated with putting the event on, local infrastructure that facilitates future events, and the money spent by local governments and wage-earners as a result. These ripples are measurable and are referred to as the Direct Impact, Indirect Impact, and Induced Impact of a tourist-based event. Measuring these ripples is a large undertaking, but doing so provides valuable insight into how major events positively impact our local economy.

The first ripple, or Direct Impact, is every dollar spent to make the event happen, including every dollar spent by the host, participants, and visitors directly related to the event. Things like local permits, registration fees, marketing/merchandising, and lodging costs are all part of the direct impact of the Red Bull 400. Travel costs, money spent on food, and even the drinks purchased at Cold Iron Brewing during packet pickup contribute to the direct impact. This is also known as “first wave spending”.

The Indirect Impact encompasses things like wages for local employees and money spent on services or supplies to support the event. The indirect impact of the Red Bull 400 is visible in things like food truck vendors purchasing additional stock to meet the increased demand, dollars spent on cleaning services by Airbnb hosts, or local photographers purchasing new batteries to photograph the event. Indirect impact is most beneficial in communities that can support all the necessary logistics for hosting the event, which maximizes the amount of new revenue captured.

The last ripple is the Induced Impact, which is the money earned from the event spent by the community. Induced impact is the result of wages, tips, and taxes captured by the event and recirculated. This spending is reflected in things like local laborers purchasing groceries for their household or local government units allocating funds received from permits. These ripples are the long-term dollars that sustain our community and reflect the economic value of large events like the Red Bull 400.

Of course, not every event is a Red Bull production. But whether it’s a motocross race, a county fair, or a ski jump sprint, the formula is the same: bring people together, showcase what makes our area special, and create economic activity that supports local businesses and builds regional resilience. For those wondering how Joseph did, he took in the three-state, two-country view from the top of Copper Peak after 15:04.

Looking for an event in our corner of the Northwoods? Check out the Globe’s annual Resource Guide or the FeLiveLife community calendar. 

Extension staff and educators enjoyed connecting with colleagues across Ashland, Bayfield, Iron, and Douglas counties at the 2025 Area 1 Meeting, hosted at the Iron County Courthouse on Tuesday, April 15.

Attendees dove into creativity with a zine workshop led by Extension Iron County Community Development Educator Joseph Miller, gained valuable insights from Assistant Dean Jason Hausler, and were captivated by a fascinating "Telling Your Stories" presentation from Dan Soulier of the WI Historical Society. It was wonderful to share lunch (delicious as always from Sharon's Coffee Company!) with Iron County Board Chair Larry Youngs and Extension Committee Chair Roxanne Lutgen - thank you for your support of Extension!

A special thank you to Barb Valle, Betty Berga, Dee Genisot, and Joe Metzger for the tour of the Iron County Wisconsin Historical Society Museum. Everyone enjoyed it!

And last but not least, thank you to Area Extension Director-Area 1, Mary Pardee for rallying the troops for a fun and informative day of networking.

Neil Klemme is a dedicated Youth Development Educator serving Iron County, Wisconsin. As a lifelong 4-H member and volunteer, Neil brings a deep-rooted passion for empowering young people.

With 21 years of marriage and as a proud father of two, he understands the importance of strong families and thriving communities. Neil's program emphasis centers on fostering meaningful youth engagement, cultivating youth leadership in community decision-making processes, and exploring the impact of youth in community design initiatives, all aimed at building a brighter future for the next generation in Iron County.

Thanks for all you do, Neil! Keep up the great work. 

If you would like to learn more about the Iron County Mobile Food Pantry program or other food security resources available to community members, visit our website! 

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An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements.