Birchleggings Club 2025 Awards Breakfast Wrap-Up

Approximately 150 Birchleggers, spouses and family members attended the 2025 Birchleggings Club (BLC) Awards Breakfast on the Sunday of Birkie-51 week at the Steakhouse/Lodge in Hayward, WI. The purpose of the breakfast was to honor the new 20, 30 and 40-year Birkie finishers and acknowledge their long-standing commitment to the Birkie and to build awareness of and membership in the BLC. The breakfast itself was delayed 30 minutes (kitchen breakdowns), so there was abundant time for attendees to meet each other and share their current “Birkie Stories.”

To kick off the program, Ben Popp, Executive Director of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF) gave his reflections on this year’s race.

New this year was welcoming to our club 20-year Kortelopet finishers and the new “Combi” category (a combination of 20 or more Birkies plus Kortes).  Only one 20-year Korte finisher attended, and many Birkie skiers realized they were also “combi” skiers, including ABSF Executive Director Ben Popp. In the coming year, the BLC board will formulate how to recognize and engage these new “club eligible” skiers.

Another new effort this year is the “Birch Legacy” podcast by spirit of 35 skier John Peterson. John did not attend, but skiers were invited to participate in an easy and effective way to have their Birkie story told. So far, nine of our BLC stories have been recorded. Listen to the podcasts and add your legacy at: https://birchlegacies.buzzsprout.com/2450262

The program continued with each BLC board member introducing themselves and sharing their role with the BLC and for some, their non-snow-season BLC event on our 2025 activities calendar.

Following the board intro, Diane Berry gave a moving testimony on the impact that the Birkie had on her husband Terry Berry, a 41-year finisher, who passed away last year after battling many health challenges. The Birkie was a touchstone for Terry and his family and pointed to the powerful impact of “Birkie Fever.” Terry’s son, Ryan, completed his 14th Birkie the day before the breakfast to carry on the family tradition. The BLC will always welcome the Berry family back to the Birkie.

Steve Carmazon presented the Tony Wise Spirit Award to Jane Bidwell and Marcia Engebretson for their long-standing work supporting Birkie Volunteers by starting the Tusen Taak foundation. Jane gave an emotional response after receiving the award.  Steve Carmazon recommends to the BLC board deserving award winners every year with his vast knowledge of Birkie history and the inside stories behind the visible.

The breakfast gathering culminated with the presentation of the awards plaques to skiers. There were one 20-year Kortelopet “Skiløper,” approximately six 40-year Birkie finishers, about ten 30-year Birkie skiers and nearly twenty brand new Birchleggers. Hearing the voices of the award winners was a powerful way to complete the decade chapters for these courageous skiers of 20, 30, and 40 years.

We gathered after the awards for a group photo with board members and key volunteers. People then quickly dispersed back into their post-Birkie lives, and we will see many of them before Birkie 52, hopefully.

 

As our club approaches 375 active members, we are aware of the aging level of the current board of directors. We are actively seeking new board members and volunteers to help in the areas of Membership, Communication, Fundraising, Grants, Birkie Green, Birkie One, to work on sustainability projects, and engage area youth in American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation priorities.

If you are interested in helping our BLC club reach our goals for 2025 (you don’t even need to be Birchlegger) please contact me, Paul Thompson, at paul@coolplanetmn.org or 612-810-4664.

Birchleggings Club S’mores-N-More Birke Week Social - Wrap Up

 

The inaugural Birchleggings Club Birkie Week Social, called S'Mores and More, was held at the Birchleggings Club Mosquito Brook Warming Hut on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. Over thirty people showed up during the course of the event from 01:00-05:00pm. Hot cocoa and roasted marshmallows, chocolate bars and s'mores took the chill off the air.

Birchleggings Club Founder, John Kotar showed up and regaled us with many great stories. A good time was had by all. Let’s do it again next year! Gus and Julie Virkus planned this new fun event for the club during Birkie Week.

 

 

Tony Wise Birkie Spirt Award 2025 presented to Jane Bidwell and Marcia Engebretson

 

At the Birchleggings Annual Awards Breakfast on February 23, 2025, Jane Bidwell and Macia Engebretson were presented with the Tony Wise Birkie Spirit Award for 2025 for all their work in supporting volunteers at the American Birkebeiner. The award was presented by Steve Carmazon, Birchleggings Club Board Member.

Jane and Marcia started the Bidwell Engebretson Tusen Takk Legacy Volunteer Fund several years ago. This is some information from the Birkie website:

In Norwegian, Tusen Takk means “a thousand thanks,” and if there was ever a group for whom we should all give thanks, it is our dedicated Birkie volunteers. Without their energy and commitment, there simply couldn’t be the year-round slate of Birkie events for all to enjoy. Last year, 3894 Birkie volunteers worked to make our events successful. Tusen Takk!

This is an opportunity for all Birkie participants to celebrate the ABSF’s volunteers by supporting the Bidwell Engebretson Tusen Takk Volunteer Fund. Managed by the Foundation for the Endowment of the American Birkebeiner, the income from this fund will endow the future of the ABSF’s volunteer program for years to come. From bibs, jackets, and volunteer participant gifts, to appreciation celebrations, recruitment & retention programs, as well as communication tools and training, the goal is to endow all volunteer related expenses in the future by means of the Bidwell Engebretson Tusen Takk Volunteer Fund.

Jane Bidwell and Marcia Engebretson, long-time Birkie participants and volunteers themselves, graciously donated funds to seed and create the Tusen Takk Volunteer Fund. Bidwell and Engebretson believe volunteers are the most important element in the Birkie’s success. We couldn’t agree more.

Donors who want to support a well-recognized and long-standing need are encouraged to donate to the Tusen Takk Volunteer Fund and support Birkie volunteers both now and in the future.

Donors making a gift of $1,000 or more will also become de facto members of the Birkie Legacy Circle of the Endowment. All Birkie Legacy Circle members wear race day bibs with the distinctive gold Birkie Legacy Circle shield logo.

Birch Legacies - Stories From Years On The Birkie Trail by Jon Peterson

 

Birch Legacies - Stories From Years On The Birkie Trail. Listen to new episodes from Jon Peterson who is sharing stories celebrating the motivation, the perseverance, and the lifestyle choices necessary to reach the status of Birchlegger - that is, skiers who have completed 20 or more American Birkebeiner ski races. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts and other podcast sites. We will also be posting up new episodes on our Birchleggings Club Social Media. Jon's website is below.

  https://birchlegacies.buzzsprout.com/2450262

Birchleggings Club Birkie Week Social at Mosquito Brook Hut - February 18, 2025

 

Birchleggings Club Birkie Week Social at the Mosquito Brook Hut. Come join us on Tuesday afternoon, February 18, 2025, between 1 PM and 5 PM for a social gathering at the Birchlegger's warming hut. You can find us just off of Mosquito Brook Road and the Birkie Trail. See the GPS coordinates below.

S’mores-N-More will be our theme. We will have a nice fire going at our new fire pit as we roast treats, share stories and renew friendships. This is the day before the open track events, and it may also serve as an opportunity to test your wax. A nice flat stretch of trail is nearby. Treats and beverages will be provided. This activity is free and open to everyone. Please bring your friends and family. We would appreciate you signing up on this site at the link below so that we have a better idea of what supplies are needed. Hope to see you there. Ski on!

GPS: 46.049948, -91.404207

 https://runsignup.com/Race/WI/BirkieTrail/BirchleggingsClubBirkieWeekSocialatMosquitoBrookHut