Lecture: Mining is our Bread; Skiing is Our Soul

The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center will begin its' winter speaker series with talk entitled, "Mining is our Bread but Skiing is Our Soul," by Tom West, Director of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame & Museum.  This talk will be held at the Beaumier Center on Thursday, January 17 at 7p.m.  Admission to the talk and Center are free to the public.  The Beaumier Center is located in 105 Cohodas Hall on the campus of Northern Michigan University.  It is located at 1401 Presque Isle Ave. in Marquette.  This talk is in conjunction with the Center's new exhibition, "U.P. Power! High School Sports in Upper Michigan."

Tom West's presentation will look at the early days of ski jumping and the impact of people like Ishpeming's Carl Tellefsen who was the founding president of the National Ski Association.  Included will be an overview of the Ishpeming Ski Club and many of its prominent athletes like the "Flying Bietilas" and prominent international athletes from the area like Coy Hill, Rudy Maki and George and Gene Kotlarek.