​The final Wednesday evening gathering of Walking Lake Pepin 2020 walkers happened August 12 at Hok-Si-La Park.  22 WLP participants went for a hike, were awarded prizes and connected with Frank Lupton via Zoom. Frank is one of the original organizers of WLP and a life-long walking enthusiast who could not participate in 2020 due to move to Rochester to a facility with Covid 19 quarantine restrictions.
A ZOOM internet connection allowed Frank to participate in the evening’s celebration of WLP and visit with many of the friends he has been walking with for years.  Jayden, a special  friend, was able to show Frank via ZOOM how he could still do the Monkey Fist rope trip that Frank had taught him in one attempt. It brought great applause.
After the group hike, drawings were held with Lake City Chamber Bucks (LCCB) given as the prizes. Ten lucky winners of $10 of LC Chamber Bucks were drawn from those participants who attended the weekly Wednesday evening group walks. Over the 10 week WLP challenge 48 individuals participated in the weekly group walks.
As in previous years a drawing was held for those who recorded their minutes of walking during the 10 week event and turned in their walking log sheets. Sandy Bendickson, Chris McDevitt and Kathy Kruger each won $20 in LC Chamber Bucks.
A BINGO game was part of the 2020 WLP challenge encouraging “Walk Local, Shop Local” as the 2020 WLP theme. Those participants who managed to score a BINGO by purchasing services, food and merchandise from local business on the BINGO card were eligible for a drawing for LCCB.  La Donna Severson and Deb Matson were the lucky winners of $25 of LCCB.
One of the WLP walkers, Jean Harris, was able to purchase from all the local businesses on the BINGO card achieving a “cover all” BINGO.  Jean was the winner of gifts cards from several of the businesses.  Thanks to Huettl’s Meats, Treats and Treasures, Lake Pepin Floral and Gifts, Lavender Lane, Kennedy Drug by Sterling and Lake City Appliance and Video for making donations for the “cover all” BINGO prize.
The WLP event was awarded a grant from Operation Round Up sponsored by the People’s Energy Coop to use for funding of this year’s prizes.  In addition a special thank you to Jim and Ann Schreck for their monetary support of the WLP Challenge.
Appreciation is also extended to Kathy Kruger, Lorry Wendland, Lois Borner, Dennis Robertson, Wally Siewert, Paul and Sara Fried and Bill and Linda Flies for being our hosts and guides for the WLP weekly walks this summer.
2020 Walking Lake Pepin organizers thank all the enthusiastic walkers who participated and enjoyed the good weather, fellowship and the benefits of being physically active in spite of COVID 19. 

Wednesday, July 22, the WLP group walk will tackle the Rattlesnake Bluff Train in Frontenac Start Park.  The trail is  across a prairie grass meadow and ends at the edge of the bluff overlooking Wacouta and the Mississippi River looking north toward Red Wing.  The trail is mowed but terrain is uneven so good shoes and walking poles are recommended.  The walk is approximately 2 miles out and back with one small hill.  To get to the site the group will gather at 6 PM, note earlier time, at the Express 61 gas station in Frontenac parking by the sign that shows the gas price.  We will car pool, hopefully 4 to a car, and drive to the trailhead in a group.  Masks in the car will be required.  Wally Seiwert, retired Frontenac State Park maintenance manager will be our guide.  If the weather is not good, too hot, windy or raining we will postpone the walk.  Hope to see many of you join in.  This is a new trail, one that we have never tried in the 12 years of WLP. 

​There is still time to sign up for the 13th season of “Walking Lake Pepin” (WLP). This community walking challenge invites Lake City residents to sign up and commit to starting or increasing their level of moderate physical activity to improve fitness and “active living”.
Registration and details about the challenge continues at Treats and Treasures on Washington St or online at walkinglakepepin.org.
This year’s slogan is “Walk Local, Shop Local”. With Hwy 61 construction limiting access by car to many areas of Lake City, walkers are encouraged to park their cars and walk instead of driving when they do errands, visit friends in town or go to church or events.
WLP also wants to encourage walks and all community members to “Shop Local” and support all local businesses during this time of road construction and Covid-19 restrictions.
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Walkers are invited to participate in a “WLP BINGO game”. Organizers of WLP have made a BINGO card that lists our local restaurants and service businesses. As you purchase items from these establishments you can cross their name off the BINGO card and try and get score a BINGO; across, down or diagonal. Save your receipts and turn the BINGO card in at the end of the WLP challenge and you will be eligible for a drawing for Lake City Chamber Bucks. BINGO cards are available at Treats and Treasure and the WLP website.

The first group walk of the season will occur on Wednesday June 3 at 6:30 pm. Anyone wishing to join in the walks is welcome whether they have signed up or not for the WLP season.
The group will meet June 3 at the south end of Roschen Park at the picnic shelter.
The group will walk to and from the DNR building ( 1.5 miles) or the Lake City Sportsman’s Club (2.2 miles), participants can chose how far they want to walk. Discussion on how to assess safe walking intensity will be shared before the walk.
MN guidelines for Covid 19 will be followed including; social distancing, mask use and walking in groups less than 10.
If weather is threatening the walk will be cancelled. Watch the Walking Lake Pepin Facebook page for cancellation announcements.

​It was a glorious evening as the Walking Lake Pepin group gathered in Old Frontenac to walk and learn about the history of this special community.
Jim Schreck narrated the walk telling the group how Old Frontenac was settled starting with the Native Americans to the French and Spanish fur traders to James Wells and finally to Evert Vestervelt and the Garrard family, who in the 1850's really put time and resources into developing what is now Old Frontenac. The WLP group is pictured at The Winona Cottage, built in 1889, which was built on Garrard Avenue between Faribault and Sumner Streets by Israel Garrard as a wedding present to his son George and wife Virginia. A mortar less stone wall is constructed by teams of Native Americans led by tribal elder Little John.
The group also walked down to the site of the Lakeside Hotel (1867) the first resort hotel in the Upper Midwest which established Frontenac as a key resort area serving Mississippi River travelers. The hotel site and building eventually was turned into a Methodist Bible Camp and is now a site of restored single family dwellings.
Thanks to Jim for doing such a fabulous job with recalling the rich history of this idyllic place. (Rumor has it Jim is starting an Old Frontenac weekend tour business with a Food Truck on the weekends) JUST KIDDING!
The WLP group was encouraged to take part in the 160th Anniversary celebration of Old Frontenac scheduled for Sept 21 and 22, 2019. Check out this website to find out more information about the schedule of events, http://www.frontenac160.com/index.html 

​Our host last night, Dag Knutson, gave an enlightening slide show and narrative about healthy soils and the consequences that we, our children and grandchildren will be facing unless we change the way we care for our soils. He also handed out the newsletter that he puts out twice a year. Please not in the title space that he dedicated this newsletter to the Walking Lake Pepin group. Copies of the newsletter will be available at our walk next week if anyone wants to have one. We had 25 walkers last night. A slip for the door prize drawing will be entered in the box for each of you.